Northwestern Cancer Prevention Consortium

Northwestern University proposes to continue to lead a Network of organizations, known as the Northwestern Cancer Prevention Consortium (NCPC). We will design and conduct early phase clinical trials aimed at developing new options for cancer prevention. To date, 26 NCPC trials have accrued 1,052 participants (2003 cycle: 354, 2012 cycle: 463, 2019 to present: 235). These have targeted multiple organ sites using a variety of agents. We are currently testing innovative concepts (e.g. multivalent adenovirus vaccines for colon cancer prevention in Lynch syndrome) and are utilizing biomarkers such as breast density in novel ways (e.g., for dose optimization of tamoxifen in high-risk premenopausal women). Our proposal to renew the NCPC, under the continuing leadership of Seema A. Khan, MD includes current NCPC partners and new members who are expected to add important strengths in representation of groups spanning the national population (MUSC, Cook County Health, University of Puerto Rico) or genetic susceptibility (SickKids, UCSF). We will continue oversight, consultation, and administrative support to cancer prevention research teams and assist in the design, protocol development, and responsible conduct of cancer prevention trials. Our overarching goal is to continue our contributions to cancer prevention science through innovative, transformative, early phase trials testing new conceptual approaches to enable clinical advances in cancer prevention. Our Aims are to 1. Advance maximum impact priorities in cancer prevention toward clinical use. These priorities include (i) investigating novel and repurposed agents that target mutations and pathways of known importance in the cancer development, (ii) utilizing novel or established biomarkers to identify individuals most likely to benefit from a given approach, (iii) conducting trials that unify biological themes across different organ sites to protect against more than one cancer type, (iv) testing lower dosing approaches to reduce the toxicity burden of cancer prevention agents. 2. Provide consultation, scientific guidance, and mentoring to investigators who propose new trial concepts and provide assistance through trial design, initiation, conduct, and analysis; and to serve as the administrative hub of the Network. We will foster communication, collaboration, and sharing of available resources between Network members and across Networks to maximize the impact of clinical trials testing similar interventions or in similar populations. We will serve as a liaison between NCPC sites and the NCI/DCP 3. Advance cancer prevention science through evaluation and selection of innovative or transformative concepts that result in progress that is greater than the sum of knowledge gained from the specific goals of an individual trial. We will be guided in this process by an Advisory Board with strong background in cancer prevention research and by lay advocates to help us design and implement the most important clinical trial priorities.