An Evening with the President of the American Cancer Society

Dr. Carolyn Runowicz will Discuss Women and Cancer

Advances in cancer care for women will be the topic of a Discovery Series program at the University of Connecticut Health Center on Thursday, Sept. 21, featuring the president of the American Cancer Society, Carolyn D. Runowicz, M.D.

Dr. Runowicz is also director of the Carole and Ray Neag Comprehensive Cancer Center at the UConn Health Center and was recently named chair of the National Cancer Advisory Board by President George W. Bush. She sees patients at the UConn Health Center in Farmington.

The Discovery Series is free and will begin at 7 p.m. in the Keller Auditorium. To register, call 800-535-6232 or 860-679-7692.

“Progress is clearly being made in the war against cancer. We have vastly improved our ability to detect breast cancer in its earliest stages and we’re making breakthroughs in our ability to prevent breast cancer in women who are at higher risk,” Dr. Runowicz said. “For gynecologic cancers, a major milestone was celebrated this year when the first vaccine to prevent cervical cancer was approved by the FDA,” she added.

Dr. Runowicz will discuss these findings, as well as developments in the areas of vaccine therapies and cancer prevention, including chemopreventive strategies.

“Prevention is a new frontier in cancer research. We are looking at ways to understand why cancer occurs and how to stop it in its tracks,” said Dr. Runowicz, who is a recognized advocate for cancer prevention and co-author of a book on the same topic called, The Answer to Cancer.

The book places a strong emphasis on proactive steps people can take to lower their risk of developing cancer. This includes maintaining a healthy weight, eating five or more servings of fruits and vegetables every day, exercising on most days of the week, and completing all appropriate cancer screening tests.

“My goal is to empower people and help them use the best scientific knowledge to optimize their health,” added Dr. Runowicz.

Dr. Runowicz has devoted her career to advances in the treatment, early detection and prevention of cancer. She joined the UConn Health Center three years ago and was named president of the American Cancer Society in November of 2005, the first breast cancer survivor to hold the position. Dr. Runowicz has held leadership roles with other national medical organizations and was the first woman president of the Society of Gynecologic Oncologists.

Here is a link to Dr. Runowicz’s photo: www.uchc.edu/ocomm/images/images_news/runowicz.jpg

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