Cancer Screening, Detection and Risk Reduction Research Program

Research tells us certain cancers are preventable, while others can be better treated if caught early. Our teams look to take this research even further by answering the question of whether cancer can be detected and screened for more precisely and efficiently. With a better understanding of the risk factors that influence individual-level cancer risk and population-level cancer risk, we will apply this knowledge toward more precise and effective ways of screening for cancer. Further, earlier detection can increase the likelihood of cure, as treatment success is often more possible than at later stages once it has spread. 

Leveraging our provincial strengths in cancer screening, including past and current investments by the government and generous donors, such as those who made the Forzani-MacPhail Colorectal Cancer Screening Centre possible, we will seek to expand cancer screening in a cost-effective, impactful manner. We envision opportunities for lung and breast cancer, two of the most common cancers, to follow a similar model as the Forzani-MacPhail Centre.

To compliment the individual-level risk identification, we seek to gain a better understanding of the population-level risks that are contributing to changes in the incidence and aggressiveness of cancer. This effort will be focused on addressing questions regarding who is most at risk of cancer and how we might better predict and mitigate risk; what the most cost-effective ways are to reduce and prevent cancer; and what approaches can actually move the needle on effective public policies and real-world change. This priority compares population-level characteristics with societal- and civic-level exposures, behavioral norms, and even global effects such as climate change, to determine key influencers of cancer risk. Armed with this information, we can develop new strategies for protecting the population against cancer.

Leveraging our strengths in epidemiology, determinants of health, and behavior change, we will expand this area of research with greater human and infrastructure capacity and train tomorrow’s experts in cancer risk mitigation.