DCEG News Updates
The latest news and research findings from the Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics.
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Genomic Landscape of Sebaceous Tumors
Dr. Michael Sargen, in collaboration with investigators in the Center for Cancer Research, compared the genomic landscape of benign and malignant sebaceous tumors to identify molecular changes that could potentially be diagnostic biomarkers or targeted for therapy.
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Debra Silverman to Retire from the NCI After Over 50 Years
Dr. Debra Silverman will retire from the NCI after over 50 years of service and 16 years leading the Occupational and Environmental Epidemiology Branch. She dedicated her career to investigating occupational, environmental, and host factors associated with cancers of the bladder, lung, and pancreas. In addition, Dr. Silverman paved the way for other women to enter the field of biostatistics and epidemiology, shepherding junior investigators to leadership roles.
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Mark Purdue Appointed Director of Occupational and Environmental Epidemiology Branch
Dr. Purdue is an internationally recognized expert in the study of cancer associations with occupational and environmental exposures to chlorinated solvents, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and other agents, and the etiology of kidney cancer.
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Megan Clarke Departs DCEG
Megan Clarke, former Earl Stadman investigator in the Clinical Genetics Branch, began a new position at the pharmaceutical firm Abbvie in September 2024. During her tenure in DCEG, she combined molecular, clinical, and population-based approaches to address etiology, prevention, and early detection of anogenital and endometrial cancers. Her discoveries advanced understanding of natural history, influenced clinical management guidelines, and address cancer disparities.
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Research on Long Term Impacts of Proton and Photon Therapy Featured in NIH Intramural Blog
NIH Intramural Research Program highlights Dr. Kitahara's research on the impact of photon and proton therapies among childhood cancer survivors and their risk of second cancer.
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Somatic Mutations in Routinely Collected Cervical Cells Associated with Infection Outcome and HPV Type
Investigators in the Clinical Genetics Branch, led by senior investigator Lisa Mirabello and former research fellow Maísa Pinheiro, used deep targeted sequencing to look for hotspot somatic driver mutations resulting from persistent infection with one of the three most carcinogenic types of human papillomavirus (HPV types 16, 18, and 45) in cells collected during routine screening for cervical cancer. These mutations may serve as a clinically meaningful biomarker of carcinogenesis in individuals with persistent HPV infection.
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NIH Fellows’ Award for Research Excellence Winners
Ten DCEG fellows won the NIH Fellows’ Award for Research Excellence (FARE), which recognizes outstanding scientific research performed by NIH intramural postdoctoral fellows.
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Danping Liu Awarded Scientific Tenure by the NIH
In August 2024, Dr. Danping Liu was awarded scientific tenure by the NIH and promoted to senior investigator in the Biostatistics Branch. Dr. Liu is recognized for his expertise in longitudinal data methodology, risk prediction modeling, biomarker data analyses, missing data methods, and cancer registry linkage.
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Genes Associated with Renal Cell Carcinoma Investigated
Researchers led by Dr. Diptavo Dutta conducted transcriptome- and proteome-wide association studies to increase understanding of genes and proteins associated with renal cell carcinoma and identify potential therapeutic targets.
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Life Course Neighborhood Socioeconomic Status Associated with Premature Mortality
In an analysis led by Dr. Wayne Lawrence and colleagues, using data from 12,610 Black and White men and women living in the United States, low neighborhood socioeconomic status experienced during young to middle adulthood was associated with higher risk of premature mortality. The relationship was most pronounced among women.
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2024 Cancer Health Disparities Fellows' Research Award Winner Announced
Jennifer McGee-Avila, Ph.D., M.P.H., C.H.E.S., C.P.H., postdoctoral fellow in the Infections and Immunoepidemiology Branch, received the 2024 Cancer Health Disparities Fellows' Research Award.
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Comprehensive Literature Review Confirms Etiologic Heterogeneity by Breast Cancer Subtype
Dr. Amber Hurson and colleagues found evidence to support etiologic heterogeneity by estrogen receptor (ER) subtype for some risk factors, which was consistent across racial and ethnic groups in a qualitative, scoping review of literature published between 1990-2022.
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Nicolas Wentzensen Talks About Self-Collection in the NCI Cancer Currents Blog
Nicolas Wentzensen discusses the recent FDA approval of self-collection kits for use in clinics for cervical cancer screening. His interview was published in the NCI Cancer Currents Research Blog.
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Nan Hu Retires after 32 Years of Service
Dr. Hu has integrated her training, experience, and skill in widely-varied but complementary disciplines—molecular genetics, bench work, epidemiologic field studies, and statistical analysis—to play a fundamental role in research on the etiology, prevention, and early detection of upper gastrointestinal cancers.
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Fusion Genes Linked to Metastasis after Thyroid Cancer
Patients with papillary thyroid carcinomas, the most common thyroid cancer, driven by gene fusions are more likely to present with cervical lymph node metastases at diagnosis than those with PTCs driven by point mutations, study finds.
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Researchers Identify Rare Cancers Possibly Caused by Viruses
Investigators in the Infections and Immunoepidemiology Branch, led by Drs. Cameron Haas and Eric Engels, identified several rare cancers not known to be caused by a virus, for which people with a compromised immune system had a higher risk, providing strong evidence that these cancers could be caused by an infectious agent.
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Acrylonitrile Exposure at Work Associated with Significant Risk to Workers
Dr. Alexander Keil and colleagues used novel methods to correct for healthy worker bias in this large study of workers exposed to acrylonitrile. Their findings suggest previous reports of the association with lung cancer mortality may have been underestimated.
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Staff Recognized for Outstanding Papers
Recipients of DCEG's Outstanding Paper Award are recognized for outstanding research papers published in 2023. Winners demonstrate impact, innovation, and clarity of thought and language.
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Tumor Genetic Signatures May Help Explain Global Kidney Cancer Rates: Cancer Currents
Stephen Chanock was featured in the latest Cancer Currents: An NCI Cancer Research Blog post, which covers the latest study on global kidney tumor mutational signatures.
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How Breast Cancer Risk Assessment Tools Work: Cancer Currents
The latest Cancer Currents: An NCI Cancer Research Blog post features DCEG researchers, Drs. Ruth Pfeiffer and Peter Kraft, who discuss how breast cancer risk assessment tools are created and how people can use them to understand and manage their risk.