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Cancer Control Research

Abstract

Cancer strikes many Americans and is the second largest cause of death in this country. Extensive research is done on cancer, and significant advances in treatment have been made over the years. Perhaps even more startling than the improvements in treatments have been research results that have greatly enhanced knowledge of the causes of, and preventive measures for, many types of cancer. In some situations, such as that concerning the relationship between smoking and lung cancer, very large populations can drastically reduce their chances of getting a disease by making a single lifestyle change. In other situations the evidence is not as definitive, the population not as large, or the effect not as striking, but there yet exists valid prevention information. Overall, taking a relatively few preventive measures can reduce cancer incidence from a slight amount to a very large amount for a significant number of types of cancer. If a large proportion of the population were to take these measures, the impact on the health of our society would be immense. The information about cancer preventive measures is certainly not yet universally applied. In some cases that is due to lack of knowledge, in others to a reluctance to make lifestyle changes even given the evidence. This project describes the generation of an active information presentation method, based on PC and CD- ROM technology, that interacts with the user and that has the potential to encourage behavioral change to a greater degree than conventional passive information provision techniques.