SAVANNAH — Residents of the Savannah area can participate in a cancer study.
Men and women between the ages of 30 and 65 who have never been diagnosed with cancer are needed to participate in the American Cancer Society’s Cancer Prevention Study-3.
The study will enroll a diverse population of up to a half-million people across the United States and Puerto Rico.
Enrollment is during the final week of this month.  
According to a news release, CPS-3 will help researchers better understand the lifestyle, environmental and genetic factors that cause or prevent cancer.
To enroll in the study, individuals will go to an enrollment location and be asked to read and sign an informed consent form, complete a brief survey, have their waist circumference measured and give a small blood sample.
The in-person enrollment process takes approximately 20-30 minutes to complete.  
At home, individuals will complete a survey packet that asks for information on lifestyle, behavioral and other factors related to their health.
Upon completion of this process, the Society will continue to send periodic follow-up surveys to update participant information and annual newsletters with study updates and results.
The initial and follow-up surveys completed at home will take an hour or less of time to complete and are expected to be sent every few years.  
“Many individuals diagnosed with cancer struggle to answer the question, ‘What caused my cancer?’ In many cases, we don’t know the answer,” said Alpa V. Patel, Ph.D., principal investigator of CPS-3. “CPS-3 will help us better understand what factors cause cancer, and once we know that, we can be better equipped to prevent cancer.  
“Our previous cancer prevention studies have been instrumental in helping us identify some of the major factors that can affect cancer risk. CPS-3 holds the best hope of identifying new and emerging cancer risks, and we can only do this if members of the community are willing to become involved.”
Researchers will use the data from CPS-3 to build on evidence from a series of ACS studies that began in the 1950s that collectively have involved millions of volunteer participants.
The current study, CPS-II, began in 1982 and is ongoing.
“Taking an hour or so every few years to fill out a survey — and potentially save someone from being diagnosed with cancer in the future — is a commitment that thousands of volunteer participants have already made,” Patel said.
“We’re looking for more like-minded individuals in Savannah to join this effort that we know will save lives and improve the outlook for future generations.”
Community partners helping to make the local study possible are: Habersham and West Chatham YMCA branches, City of Savannah/Savannah Civic Center, Georgia Ports Authority, Georgia Health Sciences University, Memorial Health, Nancy N and JC Lewis Cancer and Research Pavilion at St. Joseph’s/Candler, WSAV and WTOC.
For more information or to learn how to become involved, go to www.cps3savannah.com, email amy.riesinger@cancer.org  or call 912-355-5196.