Historic
cancer study project launched in Canada
By
Gurmukh Singh
Toronto,
June 14 (IANS) In one of the biggest cancer research projects
ever undertaken in the world, Canada has launched a $100 million
long-term study called The Canadian Partnership for Tomorrow
Project to know how genetics, the environment, lifestyle and
behaviour contribute to the development of the deadly disease.
Cancer
is the second biggest killer in Canada, causing nearly 70,000
deaths in 2004 in this nation of 32 millions. In fact, cancer
deaths will soon surpass deaths caused by heart ailments,
says Statistics Canada.
As
part of the historic study, 300,000 Canadians in the age group
of 35 to 69 will be picked up randomly to track their health
and lifestyle for up to 30 years - through surveys and the
collection of blood and saliva samples.
"This
is a landmark moment for Canada," Jeff Lozon, chairman
of the Canadian Partnership Against Cancer, which will lead
the study, said in a statement.
Lozon
added: "Every Canadian is touched by cancer - whether
personally or through family or friends. The Canadian Partnership
for Tomorrow Project will build an enormous bank of information
that Canadian and international researchers can draw upon
in the short-term and create a legacy for future generations."
Canadian
Health Minister Tony Clement said the project would make Canada
a leader in the field of cancer research worldwide.
"Over
the coming years, this study will be a major contributor to
global research to identify the causes of cancer and ultimately
prevent people from getting the disease in the first place,"
he said.
Heather
Bryant, vice-president (cancer control) at Canadian Partnership
Against Cancer, said: "We need to better understand how
and why people develop cancer in the first place. To do that
we must explore how our environment, lifestyle and genetic
make-up interact to create cancer risks so that we can better
address them head on.
"This
is a complicated set of diseases. We have made significant
progress in preventing many cancers and in managing and treating
others, but the information from this research will fuel better
prevention and screening programs - the cornerstones of reducing
the number of Canadians getting cancer."
Calling
the study a major contribution to worldwide research, Bryant
said: "Unlike studies that examine retrospectively the
causes that may have led an individual to develop cancer -
relying on a person's recall of habits and exposures - this
study will allow researchers to regularly consider an impressive
array of complex variables that would not be otherwise possible
to capture."
Indo-Asian
News Service
Prabuddha
Bharata>>>
Vedanta
Kesari>>>
Vedanta
Mass Media>>>
|