Welcome to Mission Matters! Each month we focus on ways you can Fight Back against a disease that takes too much. In addition to this blog, be sure to check out the Mission Matters folder in the Relay Library for the Mission Matters newsletter (posting end of December) and we will also host the Mission Matters conference call on Tuesday, December 11 at Noon Eastern and 8:30 PM Eastern.

To join the conference call, please call 1-800-910-2399, passcode 487160.

In this month's Mission Matters we are celebrating the accomplishments of American Cancer Society Research and sharing information about American Cancer Society Clinical Trials Matching Service.

Cancer Prevention Study 3 (CPS-3). In 2007 alone, more than 1.4 million people in the US will be diagnosed with cancer and almost 560,000 people will die of cancer. To better understand ways to prevent cancer, the American Cancer Society's Department of Epidemiology & Surveillance Research is recruiting 500,000 adults across the US and Puerto Rico for a new research study, the Cancer Prevention Study-3 (CPS-3). Enrollment will take place at select Relay For Life events.

CPS-3 will help us:

■ Better understand the genetic, environmental, and lifestyle factors that cause or prevent cancer

■ Ultimately eliminate cancer as a major health concern

Did you know that in 2007, 64 Relays around the country enrolled 12,000 people into CPS-3!

History of American Cancer Society follow-up studies: American Cancer Society follow-up studies first started in the 1950's and have played a major role in cancer prevention in various national and international efforts.

Some key findings from previous studies include:

• The first to show the link between cigarette smoking and lung cancer
• The first to show the significant impact of obesity on risk of dying from cancer
• The first to show the link between aspirin use and lower risk of colon cancer
• The demonstrated impact of physical activity, diet, hormone use, other medications and vitamins, and various other factors in relation to cancer risk
• The substantial impact of air pollution on heart and lung conditions, which motivated the Environmental Protection Agency to propose more stringent limits on air pollution

Want to learn more? Visit www.cancer.org/cps3 to find an enrollment location at select Relay For Life events around the country.

What does CPS-3 mean to Relayers?

Celebrate the lives of those who have battled cancer. "Everybody's involved because of their passion. They're either angry at a disease or they're sad because they've lost somebody...they have an opportunity to give back, they have an opportunity to celebrate a loved one by giving to somebody else." - Steve Pressley, CPS-3 Chair

Remember the loved ones we have lost to the disease. "I'm really glad to have been here having just lost my dad and knowing that because of research like this my sister is doing better. I really see a huge importance in it." - Study Participant

Fight Back against a disease that takes too much. "If participating in CPS-3 could mean that even just one person could be spared a cancer diagnosis, it would be the most important and meaningful action you could take to fight cancer." - Dalva Hedlund, CPS-3 Chair

American Cancer Society Clinical Trials Matching Service

The American Cancer Society Clinical Trials Matching Service is a free, confidential program that helps patients, their families, and health care workers find cancer clinical trials most appropriate to a patient's medical and personal situation. Through a partnership with the Coalition of Cancer Cooperative Groups, we can help you find research studies that are testing new drugs or methods to prevent, detect or treat cancer.

The American Cancer Society also has clinical trial specialists who are trained to answer questions about clinical trial participation, and to open the door to treatment options available through research studies. If you have questions about clinical trials or need help completing the questionnaire, please call 1-800-303-5691 to speak with one of our specialists or visit www.cancer.org.

In addition to receiving innovative treatment, clinical trial participants are contributing to cancer research that will help patients in the future. Only through clinical trials can we discover the best ways to prevent, detect and treat cancer.

Did you know?

Did you know that the number of Nobel laureates funded by the Society's Extramural Grants program rose by two, bringing the total to 42. Two former grantees received the Nobel Prize for their contributions in the development of gene targeting, a process that has helped scientists identify the role of specific genes during normal and disease processes. Want to learn more about American Cancer Society Research? Visit the Fight Back page here at www.RelayForLife.org.