DALLAS CANCER SURVEY

Don’t be surprised if, during the next few weeks, a friend or acquaintance approaches you about that off-limits subject-cancer. More than likely, he’s one of 671 volunteers in Dallas working on CPS II, the American Cancer Society’s second Cancer Prevention Study.

In the next several months, thousands of people across the country will participate in the study, and it’s hoped that by the end of September, 6,000 Dallas families will have completed confidential questionnaires about their lifestyles. After all forms are completed, they will be submitted to the American Cancer Society (ACS) where-statistics on one million Americans will be compiled.

Two years from now, contact will be made with the families that completed the questionnaires. If a family member has died, relatives will be asked to provide copies of the death certificate. Two years later (and then again two years later), the remaining participants will be called. After six years, mortality statistics and lifestyle information will be compiled and the ACS will begin drawing conclusions.

Boone Powell Jr., president of the Baylor University Hospital and unit chairman chose 10 city chairpersons, who chose 60 group chairpersons, who chose 600 re-persons who chose 600 researchers. The researchers are selecting families to participate and will be responsible for canvassing their subjects during the next six years.

In order for a family to participate, at least one member must be over the age of 45 and all other participants must be over 30.

Though six years may seem like a long time, those involved in the program are quite hopeful. CPS I, the first and only other ACS study of this scope, clarified the link between cigarette smoking

and cancer.