Cluster Prevention

Our ambition is to prevent cancer wherever we can and to improve the recovery and course of the disease. Therefore, we will focus on influencing healthy lifestyle and environmental factors that play a proven role in cancer. Within the cluster Prevention, KWF is working on four tracks aimed at prevention to reduce cancer risk and to support cancer patients with lifestyle changes as part of treatment.   

Tracks
 

Lifestyle as part of cancer treatment 

Encouraging healthy lifestyle as part of cancer treatment can improve the recovery and course of the disease as well as quality of life for cancer patients. Important lifestyle factors are physical activity, smoking, alcohol consumption, nutrition, and relaxation. This track focuses on developing lifestyle support and interventions before, during and after treatment in collaboration with patients; increasing knowledge on effectiveness of lifestyle interventions as part of treatment; and stimulating a sustainable implementation of lifestyle as part of cancer treatment.  

Targeted prevention to reduce cancer risk 

Through targeted prevention we aim to reduce the risk of cancer among population subgroups, by decreasing exposure to lifestyle risk factors and promoting a healthy lifestyle. There are significant differences in exposure to lifestyle risk factors (such as smoking, alcohol, sun exposure, diet, and inactivity) among subgroups in our society. This track focuses on development of knowledge regarding what works for these subgroups under what conditions. We want to get insight in which combinations of interventions (at policy, community, and individual levels) are necessary. Besides that, the track focuses on knowledge utilization for implementation and scaling up of effective (combinations of) interventions.
 

Environmental factors in relation to cancer incidence 

Environmental factors, such as carcinogens in our living and working environments, can increase cancer risk. In order to effectively influence policy measures that contribute to a healthy environment, it is necessary to better map the role of (potential) carcinogenic hazards in the environment. This track focuses on understanding causal relationships between exposures to (an accumulation of) carcinogens and the development of cancer or progression of the disease. 

Data infrastructure  

This track is aimed at strengthening the data infrastructure with data about lifestyle and environmental factors. With a suitable and accessible data infrastructure, it becomes possible to answer research questions (fundamental through to implementation), and to identify relationships between lifestyle and environmental factors and the onset and course of cancer.