“Drivers” of Translational Cancer Epidemiology in the 21st Century: Needs and Opportunities

“Drivers” of Translational Cancer Epidemiology in the 21st Century: Needs and Opportunities

1. Tram Kim Lam1,
2. Margaret Spitz1,2,
3. Sheri D. Schully1, and
4. Muin J. Khoury1,3

+ Author Affiliations

1. Authors' Affiliations: ¹Epidemiology and Genomics Research Program, Division of Cancer Control and Population Sciences, National Cancer Institute, NIH, Bethesda, Maryland; ²Dan L. Duncan Cancer Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas; and ³Office of Public Health Genomics, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GeorgiaNote from the Editor-in-Chief: This is one in a series of commentaries that have arisen from an initiative of the National Cancer Institute to advance epidemiological science in the 21st century.

1. Corresponding Author:
   Tram Kim Lam, Division of Cancer Control and Population Sciences, National Cancer Institute, NIH, Rockville, MD 20852. Phone: 301-435-2384; Fax: 301-402-4489; E-mail: lamt@mail.nih.gov

Abstract

Cancer epidemiology is at the cusp of a paradigm shift—propelled by an urgent need to accelerate the pace of translating scientific discoveries into health care and population health benefits. As part of a strategic planning process for cancer epidemiologic research, the Epidemiology and Genomics Research Program (EGRP) at the National Cancer Institute (NCI) is leading a “longitudinal” meeting with members of the research community to engage in an on-going dialogue to help shape and invigorate the field. Here, we review a translational framework influenced by “drivers” that we believe have begun guiding cancer epidemiology toward translation in the past few years and are most likely to drive the field further in the next decade. The drivers include: (i) collaboration and team science, (ii) technology, (iii) multilevel analyses and interventions, and (iv) knowledge integration from basic, clinical, and population sciences. Using the global prevention of cervical cancer as an example of a public health endeavor to anchor the conversation, we discuss how these drivers can guide epidemiology from discovery to population health impact, along the translational research continuum. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev; 1–8. ©2013 AACR.

• Received November 14, 2012.
• Accepted November 21, 2012.

• ©2013 American Association for Cancer Research.