Cancer Control and Survivorship (CCS)

CANCER CONTROL AND SURVIVORSHIP (CCS) RESEARCH PROGRAM ABSTRACT The Cancer Control and Survivorship (CCS) Research Program is the scientific home for population science research within the UCLA Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center (JCCC). The mission of CCS is to reduce the avoidable cancer burden at the population level by conducting transdisciplinary research across the cancer control continuum from prevention through end-of-life care. CCS has the breadth and depth of expertise to tackle existing and emerging cancer control problems, using genomics and epigenetics, epidemiology, machine learning, smarter cancer screening strategies, and implementation science approaches, which can guide cancer care delivery from primary prevention through end-of-life and inform health policy. Improving cancer health outcomes in the Los Angeles County (LAC) catchment area, is an overarching theme of the Program. CCS’s three Specific Aims reflect key stages of the cancer control continuum: Aim 1: To identify risk and protective factors for cancer and test effective strategies for reducing cancer risk in the population; Aim 2: To study and promote early detection of cancer and to increase uptake of cancer screening at the population level; and Aim 3: To study ways to reduce avoidable morbidity and mortality among patients with cancer and long-term survivors of cancer. CCS has 53 members from 18 Departments in the Schools of Medicine, Public Health, Nursing, and the College of Letters and Sciences, and includes 27 PhD scientists, 20 MDs, and six MD/PhDs. As of 3/1/2024, the Program was supported by $26,320,441 of direct cost funding, $13,407,457 of which is peer-reviewed, with $4,622,701 from the NCI and $4,282,739 from other NIH institutes. CCS funding comes from a wide variety of sources, reflecting the nature of population science research. For example, funding for cancer etiology and prevention research often comes from sources other than the NCI. Research on obesity, tobacco use, the environment, screening and early detection, cancer and aging are often funded by other NIH institutes, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the California Tobacco-Related Disease Research Program (TRDRP), or the American Cancer Society (ACS). From 2019 – 2023, the discoveries from the CCS Program have resulted in 1,226 publications, of which 20% are intra-programmatic, 18% are inter-programmatic, and 54% result from collaborations with other NCI-designated cancer centers. 20% of the Program’s publications are in high impact (IF ≥10) journals. The current portfolio of clinical trials includes cancer treatment trials, screening and prevention trials, trials that reflect implementation of screening and health promotion in clinical and community settings, behavioral intervention trials in patients and survivors, and observational studies. The overwhelming majority of CCS studies are derived directly from Program science, are investigator-initiated, and extramurally funded. The small number of clinical treatment trials are a mixture of National Clinical Trials Network (NCTN) clinical trials (NRG Oncology), or industry supported studies. CCS research activities focus on high-priority cancers and high-risk populations within the LAC catchment area.