DCEG News Updates
The latest news and research findings from the Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics.
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Stromal Disruption Predicts Aggressive Breast Cancer Risk and Poorer Survival
Investigators led by Dr. Mustapha Abubakar found changes in the architecture and composition of stromal tissue in the breast is associated with an increased risk of developing aggressive breast cancer among women with benign breast disease, and poorer rates of survival among women with invasive breast cancer.
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Trends in Early Onset Cancers
A research team led by Dr. Meredith Shiels analyzed cancer incidence and mortality rates for 33 cancers in different age groups in the United States. The study analyzed how cancer rates in people under 50 have changed over time compared to older age groups (70 to 79 years). The results could generate insights into risk factors that are particularly important in early age groups.
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Study of Oral Microbiome Describes the Mouth of America
A research team led by Dr. Christian Abnet characterized the composition, diversity, and correlates of the oral microbiome of US adults in a new cross-sectional study. They described the associations between age, sex, tobacco use, alcohol, BMI and other individual characteristics and different aspects of the oral microbiome. This is the first population representative description of a human microbiome, which that includes describing the the prevalence of different bacterial genera in the US population.
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Kathleen Stine Retires from the Radiation Epidemiology Branch
Kathleen Stine, program analyst in the Radiation Epidemiology branch, retired after nearly 41 years of federal service. She provided mission-critical administrative management for the branch.
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Hormuzd Katki Departs After 26 Years of Service
Hormuzd Katki, senior investigator in the Biostatistics Branch, accepted early retirement in April 2025. Dr. Katki is internationally recognized for his work to develop and apply quantitative methods to identify and answer the most pressing questions in cancer epidemiology. He translated these findings into tools for the prevention and early detection of cancer in individuals and populations, particularly for cancers of the cervix and lung, and developed metrics for evaluating risk models and biomarkers.
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Stephen Chanock Featured in NIH Intramural Blog
Dr. Stephen Chanock was featured in a post on the NIH Intramural Research Program "I Am Intramural" blog describing his research and celebrating his recent election to the National Academy of Medicine.
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Light Intensity Physical Activity Linked to Lower Cancer Risk
A new NIH study of 85,000 adults in the United Kingdom found that individuals who engaged in light- and moderate-to-vigorous-intensity daily physical activity had a lower risk of cancer than individuals who were more sedentary. Participants in the study wore accelerometers to track their total daily activity, its intensity, and daily step count. The researchers determined that a higher step count, at any pace, can help lower cancer risk.
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Self Collection for HPV Testing to Prevent Cervical Cancer: New Guidelines Published
New guidelines for clinicians advise on cervical cancer screening using self-collected vaginal samples. Self-collection expands screening options and has potential to increase access for individuals who have never been screened or are not receiving adequate screening.
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Prototype AI Program Detects Biomarkers that Could Predict Cervical Cancer Risk
The NIH Intramural Research program highlights Dr. Nicolas Wentzensen’s prototype artificial intelligence program that reviews cervical cell samples and detects proteins that could predict cervical cancer risk.
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Kiyohiko Mabuchi Retires from the NCI After 20 Years of Service
Kiyohiko Mabuchi, senior scientist in the Radiation Epidemiology Branch, retired from the National Cancer Institute in early 2025 after more than 20 years of service. Dr. Mabuchi investigated cancer and chronic disease risks associated with exposure to ionizing radiation and how radiation-related risks are modified by modes of exposure and other factors.
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Pacific Islander Adults Experience Significantly Higher Overall and Leading-Cause Death Rates than Asian American Adults in the U.S.
Health data of Asian Americans and Pacific Islander individuals have often been aggregated, but Jacqueline B. Vo, Jaimie Z. Shing, and colleagues observed significantly higher death rates among Pacific Islander individuals compared to Asian Americans between 2018 and 2020.
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Testicular Cancer Incidence Rising in the U.S., Especially Among Hispanic Men
Dr. McGlynn and colleagues found testicular cancer incidence rates among Hispanic men rose to the levels of rates among non-Hispanic White men in 2021, marking a significant development in the descriptive epidemiology of testicular cancer in the U.S.
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Charles Rabkin Retires After 35 Years of Service
Dr. Rabkin retired from the National Cancer Institute after 35 years of service. He received Public Health Service and Unit Commendation Medals for his studies of non-Hodgkin lymphoma and Kaposi sarcoma and the Outstanding Service Medal for the molecular epidemiology of Helicobacter pylori and HIV-related malignancies.
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Michael Sargen Appointed Lasker Clinical Research Scholar
Michael Sargen, M.D., has been promoted to Lasker Clinical Research Scholar, a tenure-track position in the Clinical Genetics Branch in December 2024. He is an expert in the clinical, histopathologic, and genetic characteristics of melanoma-prone families. He also uses epidemiologic and molecular approaches to investigate risk factors for sebaceous carcinoma and other rare cutaneous malignancies in children and adults.
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Hispanic/Latino Population Researchers Convene to Advance Health Equity
The objectives of the meeting, organized by the NIH Hispanic Health Research Scientific Interest Group, were to learn about existing research projects across the NIH and to promote trans-NIH research collaborations to address health disparities and inequities among Hispanic/Latino populations.
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Constanza Camargo Awarded Scientific Tenure by the NIH
In December, Dr. Constanza Camargo was awarded scientific tenure by the NIH and promoted to senior investigator in the Metabolic Epidemiology Branch (MEB). Dr. Camargo is an internationally recognized expert on the epidemiology of gastric cancer, an understudied malignancy with high mortality coupled with substantial economic and social costs.
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Patricia Ganz Presents Research on Cancer Survivorship
Dr. Patricia Ganz presented an overview of her research investigating long-term and late effects of treatment for breast cancer in a talk entitled, “‘Not Just Tired’: The Biology of Fatigue and Cognitive Changes after Breast Cancer Treatment.” She then met with DCEG scientists at all levels to talk about opportunities, challenges, and strategic approaches to survivorship research.
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Tool Estimates Colorectal Cancer Survival for Patients in Need of Organ Transplantation
The new web-based tool, developed by Dr. Eric Engels and colleagues, provides estimates that a colorectal cancer patient will not die from their cancer in the next five years, calculated both at the time of their cancer diagnosis and updated to accommodate the passage of time since their cancer diagnosis. The authors illustrate how these probabilities can inform organ transplant guidelines and help clinicians decide when it is safe to offer a transplant for individual patients with a history of colorectal cancer.
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2025 Sallie Rosen Kaplan Fellows Announced
Drs. Emily Pearce, Jessica Scales, and Isabelle van der Velpen were selected for the 2025 Sallie Rosen Kaplan Fellowship program. The program prepares female postdoctoral fellows for the transition to independent biomedical research careers through mentoring and networking opportunities, and seminars and workshops designed to strengthen leadership, time management, and self-promotional skills.
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Ancestry-adjusted Model to Facilitate Patient Engagement in Lung Cancer Prevention
A new ancestry-adjusted risk prediction model, Genomic-informed Care for Motivating High Risk Individuals Eligible for Evidence-based Prevention (GREAT), may aid patients in decision-making around lung cancer prevention. The model and its performance are described in a paper published November 8, 2024, in the journal eBioMedicine.