The S. Neaman Institute served as a home for the following cancer control projects and studies conducted by the CHS National Cancer Control Center:
- The Molecular and EnvironmentalEpidemiology of Colorectal Cancer (MECC) Study
The MECC study is conducted in collaboration with the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor and is funded by the US NIH/NCI. Recruitment to the first phase of this study ended in 2004, with 2100 cases and 2100 age-sex-matched controls recruited. Recruitment of participants for phase II is ongoing and 1000 more cases and controls have been added. After a five year funding period of phase I, which included risk factor data and biological sample collection, the study received further five year funding through the competitive renewal mechanism of the NCI to add a component of clinical follow up after the study participants and to study a large variety of genetic events in the etiology of colorectal cancer in Israel. A number of papers related to this study have thus far been published or have been accepted for publication and have been presented in conferences.
- The Molecular and EnvironmentalEpidemiology of Breast Cancer Study
This study of the causes and risk factors for breast cancer in Israel is being conducted with funding from various sources including the Israeli Ministry of Health and recently the Israel Cancer Association. More than 1500 women with breast cancer and a similar number of age-matched women without breast cancer have thus far been recruited to the study. Major emphasis is being put on understanding the importance of molecular events controlling the metabolism of sex hormones, such as the cyp19 regulating aromatase metabolism. Information about health habits (diet, smoking, alcohol) as well as reproductive parameters, occupational and environmental exposures, and family history is collected for each study participant. Blood samples are separated into DNA, sera and lymphocytes. Breast cancer molecular etiology was also studied in a historical cohort of women diagnosed with breast cancer in Israel in the years 1987-1988 in collaboration with University of Toronto, Canada and was funded by the US NIH/NCI.
- The Molecular and Environmental Epidemiology of Lung Cancer Study
This study is currently being launched. It is aimed at understanding the low lung cancer risk in Israel and will evaluate a variety of genetic events which could lead to a relative protection from lung cancer in Jewish populations. Partial funding for this study is provided by Clalit Health Services and by a grant by the Bi-national US-Israel Science Foundation in collaboration with the M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas. This study also includes a major collaboration with the Weizmann Institute.
- The Evaluation of the National Israeli Breast Cancer Screening Program
The National Israeli Breast Cancer Screening Program is run by the CHS National Cancer Control PUBLIC HEALTH Project Leader: Prof. Gad Rennert, M.D., Ph.D. Center under appointment of the Ministry of Health and funding of the Israel Cancer Association. The program oversees all activity related to breast cancer diagnosis and treatment in Israel and is responsible for policy setting, implementation and quality control of the activity of all mammography units in Israel and of the pathological and surgical activity related to breast cancer. The National Center for Health Services Research has funded the evaluation of this program including the evaluation of satisfaction of women from the screening process.
- The Evaluation of the National Israeli Colorectal Cancer Screening Program
The National Israeli Colorectal Cancer Screening Program has recently been launched. It is run by the CHS National Cancer Control Center under appointment of the Ministry of Health. All detection activity in Israel, by fecal occult blood tests, endoscopic or radiological diagnostic means, will be recorded to ensure high quality coverage of the target population. The program will evaluate the gastroenterological, radiological, surgical,
- The Evaluation of the Health Effects of the Chernobyl Accident
More than 200,000 individuals have immigrated to Israel since 1989 from areas in the former Soviet Union thought to have been affected by ionizing radiation from the Chernobyl accident. We have conducted studies in children, adolescents and liquidators (clean-up teams) currently residing in Israel. More than 1000 liquidators have already been evaluated and the Cancer Control Center has recently been appointed by the Ministry of Health to be responsible for the national follow-up after the clean-up teams as required by the Liquidators Law. These studies have been funded by a variety of agencies, among them the US Agency for International Development (USAID) and the US Office of Naval Research of the US Navy (ONR).
