Cancer study seeks subjects

St. Albertans are being asked to give up one hour of their time next week to participate in a province-wide research study aimed at identifying the causes of cancer.

The Tomorrow Project will be in town from Monday, Feb. 3 to Wednesday, Feb. 5 at the St. Albert Inn and Suites on St. Albert Trail.

The long-term study is the largest research project ever undertaken in Alberta with more than 34,500 participants. Its primary goal is to discover more about what causes cancer and other chronic diseases so that these can be prevented in the future.

To be eligible you must be between the ages of 35 and 69 and have never been diagnosed with cancer, other than non-melanoma skin cancer. The study is seeking a total of 50,000 Albertans.

“In St. Albert we've always had a great response, which is why we keep coming back,” said Declan Barry, communications advisor with The Tomorrow Project.

Next week’s visit by the mobile centre will be the fifth time the study has come to St. Albert.

“It's one of our main locations to draw from for Albertans interested in cancer research,” Barry said.

Participation in the study involves providing a biological sample – saliva or blood and urine – as well as physical measurements. An appointment takes about one hour.

Researchers will then follow up with participants every three to five years with a questionnaire or a request for more physical measurements and biological samples. Follow-up surveys will ask questions about health and lifestyle changes.

The study will track participants for 50 years, or until age 85, whichever comes first.

Barry said project co-ordinators hope to have follow-up surveys completed online – rather than by mail – by 2016.

As of Jan. 23, there were 25 appointments still available at the St. Albert mobile study centre; 75 people have already made appointments.