News Story

Paskett leads research on colorectal cancer

Posted 05/18/2009

Electra Paskett, Marion N. Rowley Professor of Cancer Research in the College's Division of Epidemiology, is leading a team of researchers at The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center, who are testing ways to improve colorectal cancer screening participation among patients age 50 and older who are treated within the OSU Primary Care Network.

Paskett, principal investigator, who also serves as associate director of Population Sciences at The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center, said that compared to screening exams for other cancers, Americans are less likely to obtain regular colorectal cancer screening.

A new study, Testing Interventions to Motivate and Educate (TIME), focuses on first understanding why people do not get screened for colorectal cancer and barriers physicians have to recommending screening. TIME will also test both clinic-directed and patient-directed interventions to improve colorectal cancer screening and determine which work best, said Paskett.

Common symptoms associated with colorectal cancer can be genetic and, in patients age 50 and older, include a change in bowel habits, unexplained weight loss, fatigue, vomiting, diarrhea, constipation and bloody stool.

A grant from the National Cancer Institute will support this research.

For more information, call 614-293-7616.

 

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The Ohio State University's College Public Health is an integral part of the most comprehensive health sciences campus in the nation. The college was created in February 2007 by the University Board of Trustees. First established in 1995 as part of the College of Medicine, we are the first and only accredited school of public health in the state of Ohio. Specializations within the college include biostatistics, epidemiology, health behavior and health promotion, environmental health sciences, health services management and policy, veterinary public health and clinical investigations. The college is currently ranked 21st in public health graduate schools by US News & World Report. Its Master of Health Administration program is ranked 12th.