Section of Epidemiology

Chairman: Professor Anthony Swerdlow

Scientific Overview

• The Epidemiology Section is involved in studies of the causation of cancer in humans. Its aim is to examine environmental, behavioural, hormonal and genetic factors, in collaboration with other parts of The Institute, as well as investigate the effectiveness and performance of cancer screening. Aetiological investigation is critical in determining how cancer can be prevented. Screening research contributes to the effectiveness and efficient functioning of national cancer screening

• The Aetiological Epidemiology Team is conducting studies on the aetiology of breast cancer, brain tumours and leukaemia, the long-term effects of cancer treatments, the effects on cancer risk of various other diseases and their treatments, and the effects of ionising and non-ionising radiation, and is involved in studies on cancer genetics in collaboration with the Section of Cancer Genetics, the Breakthrough Toby Robins Breast Cancer Research Centre, and the Academic Department of Biochemistry. Several of our studies are in collaboration with clinical groups around Britain and/or epidemiologists in Britain and abroad. The Department of Health Cancer Screening Evaluation Unit, conducts studies on the efficacy of screening for breast, cervical, prostate and colorectal cancers. Studies include the evaluation of the effectiveness of existing screening programmes, the development of methods to assess their performance and effectiveness, studies of the possible value of screening for cancer sites or in groups where there is not yet proven benefit, and studies looking in detail at specific aspects of screening or the natural history of disease
• The Breakthrough Generations Study, a national cohort study aiming to recruit 100,000 women to investigate the causation of breast cancer, has made major advances in recruitment during the year. We have also been analysing and publishing results from several of our long-running cohort studies and published several papers on the aetiology of brain tumours
• The Cancer Screening Evaluation Unit published results from the second round of the English bowel cancer screening pilot and reported on a study of urological referrals in men with a raised level of prostate specific antigen. We have also been analysing data from large cohort studies of breast and cervical screening

Future Aims

• Investigating the environmental, behavioural and genetic aetiology of cancer in humans
• Investigating factors leading to risk of second malignancy
• Evaluating the efficacy of cancer screening programmes and testing new screening methods through population-based studies and randomised trials