1990s Studies and Trials

1993

• NCI-sponsored studies in China show importance of nutrition in preventing cancer.

• The Prostate, Lung, Colorectal, and Ovarian Cancer Screening Trial begins recruiting 148,000 volunteers (the largest early detection study).

• Annual guaiac fecal occult blood testing (FOBT) is shown to reduce colorectal cancer deaths by one-third.

1997

• Cancer Genome Anatomy Project is launched, a multi-year project to assemble the first index of genes involved in cancer.

1998

• Results of the Breast Cancer Prevention Trial, which tested tamoxifen as a preventive agent, showed that the drug could reduce the incidence of breast cancer by half in women at increased risk of developing the disease.