Cancer Prevention

More than 30% of new cancer cases could be prevented through healthy lifestyle behaviors such as physical activity, a healthy diet, no smoking, no alcohol consumption and sun protection. In addition, cancer survivors benefit from a healthy lifestyle that aims at preventing recurrence, second primary cancers and other chronic diseases.
Cancer prevention at the NCT aims to use state-of-the-art methods and technologies to identify cancer risk factors and preventive strategies. Researchers at the NCT sites Dresden and Heidelberg contribute to Primary Prevention by targeting infection-related cancers, defining risk and preventive factors for a multitude of cancer types as well as establishing prevention activities on tobacco use and UV protection. In Secondary Prevention, NCT researchers focus on early detection and screening of colorectal cancer as well as in translating basic science research on human papillomavirus and mismatch repair-deficient colorectal cancer.

Research Profile Dresden

The NCT/UCC Prevention Center (PC) develops healthy lifestyle programs in the field of cancer prevention as well as cancer survivorship. To increase dissemination and implementation rates of the programs and with regard to the need for cost-effectiveness, flexible multimedia strategies are used.
To strengthen sustainable setting change, PC supports preschools and schools in initiating health-protective measures. More than 250,000 children, students and patients have participated in PC programs in the last five years, rapidly progressing via dissemination and implementation by multipliers.