A Review of NCI's Extramural Grant Portfolio: Identifying Opportunities for Future Research in Genes and Environment in Cancer

A Review of NCI's Extramural Grant Portfolio: Identifying Opportunities for Future Research in Genes and Environment in Cancer

1. Armen A. Ghazarian,


2. Naoko I. Simonds,


3. Kelly Bennett,


4. Camilla B. Pimentel,


5. Gary L. Ellison,


6. Elizabeth M. Gillanders,


7. Sheri D. Schully, and


8. Leah E. Mechanic

+ Author Affiliations

1. 
   Authors' Affiliation: Epidemiology and Genomics Research Program, Division of Cancer Control and Population Sciences, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland
   
   

1. Corresponding Author:
   Leah E. Mechanic, Host Susceptibility Factors Branch, Epidemiology and Genomics Research Program, Division of Cancer Control and Population Sciences, National Cancer Institute, 6130 Executive Blvd, Room 5126, Bethesda, MD 20892. Phone: 301-496-8105; Fax: 301-435-6609; E-mail: mechanil@mail.nih.gov

1. 
   Note: A.A. Ghazarian and N.I. Simonds; S.D. Schully and L.E. Mechanic contributed equally to this work.
   
   

Abstract

Background: Genetic and environmental factors jointly influence cancer risk. The NIH has made the study of gene–environment (GxE) interactions a research priority since the year 2000.

Methods: To assess the current status of GxE research in cancer, we analyzed the extramural grant portfolio of the National Cancer Institute (NCI) from Fiscal Years 2007 to 2009. Publications attributed to selected grants were also evaluated.

Results: From the 1,106 research grants identified in our portfolio analysis, a random sample of 450 grants (40%) was selected for data abstraction; of these, 147 (33%) were considered relevant. The most common cancer type was breast (20%, n = 29), followed by lymphoproliferative (10%, n = 14), colorectal (9%, n = 13), melanoma/other skin (9%, n = 13), and lung/upper aerodigestive tract (8%, n = 12) cancers. The majority of grants were studies of candidate genes (68%, n = 100) compared with genome-wide association studies (GWAS) (8%, n = 12). Approximately one-third studied environmental exposures categorized as energy balance (37%, n = 54) or drugs/treatment (29%, n = 43). From the 147 relevant grants, 108 publications classified as GxE or pharmacogenomic were identified. These publications were linked to 37 of the 147 grant applications (25%).

Conclusion: The findings from our portfolio analysis suggest that GxE studies are concentrated in specific areas. There is room for investments in other aspects of GxE research, including, but not limited to developing alternative approaches to exposure assessment, broadening the spectrum of cancer types investigated, and conducting GxE within GWAS.

Impact: This portfolio analysis provides a cross-sectional review of NCI support for GxE research in cancer. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev; 22(4); 501–7. ©2013 AACR.

Footnotes

• 
  Note from the Editor-in-Chief: This is one in a series of commentaries that have arisen from an initiative of the National Cancer Institute to advance epidemiological science in the 21st century.
  
  


• 
  Current affiliation for A.A. Ghazarian: Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD; Current affiliation for K. Bennett: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Washington, DC; and Current affiliation for C.B. Pimentel: UMass Medical School, Worcester, MA.
  
  

• Received February 11, 2013.


• Accepted February 13, 2013.

• ©2013 American Association for Cancer Research.