Author Archives: David Sampson

About David Sampson

I am the director of medical and scientific communications for the American Cancer Society national home office.

Behind the numbers: cancers associated with obesity

Posted on October 3, 2017

A report out today had a lot of us scratching our heads, when it said that about 630,000 people in the U.S. were diagnosed with a cancer associated with overweight and obesity in 2014. That sounds awfully high, we thought. … Continue reading →

Posted in Behavior, Communications, Environment, Lifestyle, Nutrition, Prevention | Leave a comment

New Analysis Confirms Suspected Bias of Large U.S. Prostate Screening Study

Posted on September 5, 2017

A new paper appearing in Annals of Internal Medicine used simulation modeling to try to correct for a known bias in a notable U.S. trial of prostate cancer screening, called PLCO. That study along with a large European one played an … Continue reading →

Posted in Guidelines, Prostate, Research, Screening | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Don’t Fry Day: Getting Sunscreen Right

Posted on May 25, 2017

Despite increased awareness about the dangers of ultraviolet (UV) radiation, melanoma rates continue to rise in the United States. For “Don’t Fry Day” on May 26, the American Cancer Society is cautioning that many people may be using sunscreen improperly, … Continue reading →

Posted in Behavior, Environment, Prevention, Skin cancer | Leave a comment

Ventilated Filters: Changing the Face of Lung Cancer in the U.S.

Posted on May 23, 2017

An analysis appearing in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute finds strong evidence that adding ventilation holes to cigarette filters has contributed to a rise in a type of lung cancer called adenocarcinoma among smokers. The authors say the FDA … Continue reading →

Posted in Behavior, Environment, Lifestyle, Lung, Prevention, Research, Tobacco | 1 Comment

14: The Unmentioned Number in the Prostate Cancer/Coffee Story

Posted on May 5, 2017

Headlines across the Internet blared with the news over the past week that coffee could cut the risk of prostate cancer in half.  It was an irresistible headline. But just how reliable was the finding? What if I told you … Continue reading →

Posted in Behavior, Communications, Nutrition, Prevention, Prostate | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Panel Re-Opens the Door for PSA Screening in Men 55-69

Posted on April 11, 2017

The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) has released draft recommendations for the use of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) screening for prostate cancer. The recommendation, which awaits public comment before being finalized, says the decision about whether to be screened for … Continue reading →

Posted in Guidelines, Prostate, Screening | Leave a comment

The ‘Bad Luck’ Cancer Analysis, Part II

Posted on March 25, 2017

A new study revisits an analysis made by the same lab in 2015 about the role of random mutations on cancer. The analysis uses computer modeling to estimate how many cancers are the result of replication errors. The authors say … Continue reading →

Posted in Behavior, Communications, Environment, Lifestyle, Prevention, Research | Leave a comment