Who are we?
The Prostate, Lung, Colorectal and Ovarian Cancer Screening Trial (PLCO) is a multi-center clinical trial sponsored by the National Cancer Institute. The purpose of the PLCO Trial is to determine whether certain cancer screening tests reduce deaths from these cancers of the prostate, lung, colorectum, and ovaries. Together, these four cancers account for about 60% of all diagnosed cancers in the United States. Enrollment opened in 1993 and ended in 2001, with over 155,000 men and women participating at 10 locations throughout the United States, including the site at the University of Utah, located within the Oncology Division. In the intermountain region, we have over 14,000 people participating from Utah, Idaho, Wyoming, Nevada, and Oregon. The Principal Investigator for this study is Saundra Buys, MD. Co-Principal Investigator is Thomas Beck, MD at our satellite clinic located at St. Luke’s Mountain States Tumor Institute (MSTI) in Boise, Idaho.
What do we do?
Early detection trials are designed to evaluate the ability of screening tests to reduce deaths from specific cancers. The underlying rationale for these studies is that screening for cancer may enable doctors to discover and treat the disease earlier. Additionally, numerous epidemiologic and ancillary studies are included to answer related questions, such as how quality of life is affected by screening, what are the risk factors for these cancers, and investigate the potential of early biomarkers for identifying cancer.
Participants in the PLCO Trial are healthy men and women, ages 55-74 at the time of enrollment, who will be followed for a minimum of 14 years. Over the course of the study, some volunteers attend the PLCO clinic for exams. All study participants answer health questionnaires and provide information about their health care with their private clinician. This information is compiled at our office in compliance with privacy laws, and then made available for analysis at the National Cancer Institute in conjunction with the information from the other 9 sites. Further information about this study can be found at http://dcp.cancer.gov/programs-resources/groups/ed/programs/plco.
Since the PLCO Trial began in 1992, this research group has added other similar early detection and prevention studies, including:National Lung Screening Trial (NLST) – this study compares two ways of detecting lung cancer: spiral computed tomography (CT) and standard chest x-ray. Although both exams are used to find lung cancer early, neither has been proven to reduce a person’s chance of dying from lung cancer. The goal of NLST is to show if either test is better at reducing deaths from this disease. This study enrolled nearly 50,000 current or former smokers at more than 30 study sites in the United States, including the University of Utah and St. Luke’s Mountain States Tumor Institute. This study is now closed to further enrollment, and participants are in the follow-up phase, which includes answering health questionnaires and providing information about their personal health care. Further information about this study can be found at http://www.cancer.gov/nlst.
Study of Tamoxifen and Raloxifene (STAR) – this study compares the drug raloxifene with the drug tamoxifen to see if it is equally as effective in reducing the risk of developing breast cancer in postmenopausal women who are at increased risk of the disease. Initial results showed that raloxifene is as effective as tamoxifen in reducing the risk of invasive breast cancer, with fewer side effects. Data collection is ongoing to answer related questions. The STAR Trial is funded by the National Surgical Adjuvant Breast and Bowel Project (NSABP), a National Cancer Institute-funded cooperative group. Further information about this study can be found at http://www.cancer.gov/star.
Where are we located?
Study offices are located in Research Park at the University of Utah (801-585-7526). The Oncology Division is located at the Huntsman Cancer Institute. Clinical exams are conducted in the General Clinical Research Center, housed at the University of Utah Hospital.
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