Program Leader: David Cella, PhD
Program Co-Leader: Charles Bennett, MD, PhD

The Cancer Control Program of the Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center is focused on three thematic areas: costs and patterns of oncology-related treatment; measuring, analyzing, and interpreting quality of life; and palliative and rehabilitation oncology. The Program leader is David Cella, PhD, a distinguished psychologist who is an internationally recognized leader in outcomes measurement, and co-leader Charles Bennett, MD, PhD, MPP, clinical oncologist and highly regarded investigator in health services research. The research programs and expertise of these two leaders are complementary, which allows for the development and enhancement of successful research programs in each of the three thematic areas. Moreover, the Cancer Control program has grown considerably over the past five years, with subsequent expansion of the existing outcomes research program. The Cancer Control Program is comprised of 26 members from 13 departments and 2 schools. Between January, 2001 and September, 2006 there have been 389 cancer-relevant publications from the current program members. Eighty (20.6%) of these publications represent intra-programmatic collaborations and 86 (22.1%) represent inter-programmatic collaborations. Total current cancer-relevant peer-reviewed funding is $5,399,241 (direct) with $2,195,107 (direct) from NCI, and $3,204,134 (direct) from other peer-reviewed sources. Specific areas of research include: basic measurement science; behavioral science; supportive care; palliative medicine; clinical trial design, statistical analysis and interpretation of clinical trial data; cost-effectiveness analysis; patterns of care research; pharmacovigilance; and health policy. There are significant interactions with the programs in Cancer Prevention, Breast Cancer, Prostate Cancer, Hematologic Malignancies, Tumor Invasion, Metastasis and Angiogenesis, and Cancer Genes and Molecular Targeting. The Cancer Control Program of the RHLCCC has established itself as a national and international leader in research focusing on pharmacovigilance, outcomes measurement, and end-of-life care.

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