The Trans-NCI Obesity and Cancer Work Group was established in 2019. The purpose of the work group is to promote the exchange of information and cross-cutting interests in obesity and cancer research within NCI. Our activities include the development of meetings, workshops and webinars for staff and public knowledge, and the development of scientific manuscripts. The work group also conducts portfolio reviews and identifies and promotes new opportunities in obesity and cancer research. Six subgroups have been formed: Prevention, Etiology, and Mechanisms, Treatment and Survivorship, Measurement and Methods, Health Disparities, Time-Restricted Eating, and Pediatrics and Physical Activity.
Objectives
- Identify and summarize the state-of-the-science to document what is known and what is needed to move the science forward
- Identify and prioritize critical research questions/needs/gaps in each topic area
- Develop research concept themes and other activities to stimulate research
- Plan and develop a webinar series with topics related to the different subgroups
Featured Obesity and Cancer Initiatives
Subgroups
The Prevention, Etiology, and Mechanisms subgroup is exploring the following challenges in obesity and cancer:
- What are the risk factors, biological mechanisms and pathways associated with obesity/overweight and cancer as it relates to excess body weight and/or adiposity driving the development of pre- and invasive cancers across the lifespan in all racial/ethnic and understudied populations across geographic locations?
- Does overweight/obesity in children and youth increase the risks for cancer development later in life?
- How do risk factors, such as sleep, stress, social determinants of health, the microbiome, metabolic and immune dysfunction, environmental obesogens, influence and/or interact with mechanisms through which obesity might increase risk of cancer?
- What effective strategies could prevent or intercept mechanistic biological changes such as inflammation, immune function, and metabolic dysregulation of obesity associated cancers?
- Does the timing, duration, and amount of weight loss in the life cycle influence cancer risk (i.e. in childhood/youth versus adult)?
- Which interventions decrease obesity and associated unhealthy lifestyle behaviors, applied across the lifespan, to reduce and/or delay cancer incidence?
The aims of this subgroup are related to the Metabolic Dysregulation and Cancer Risk Program, a transdisciplinary NCI initiative to enhance knowledge of the dynamics and underlying mechanisms that link obesity, metabolic dysregulation, and increased cancer risk.
Co-Chairs
Sharon Ross [DCP]
Ed Sauter [DCP]
The Treatment and Survivorship subgroup is exploring the following challenges in obesity and cancer:
What are the effects of diet, exercise and body composition on cancer treatment efficacy & outcomes?*
- Need better characterization of optimal type, dose, frequency, duration, timing of exercise and diet as well as nutritional status on chemotherapy uptake, adherence, side effects, treatment response & clinical outcomes as it relates to obesity and cancer.
- Explore the relationships between obesity/body composition, cancer progression, and response to treatment.
- Study how diet, exercise, body composition, and nutritional status impact cancer-related symptoms and quality of life.
What are the effects of obesity/body composition, exercise & dietary regimens on post-treatment outcomes?*
- Need better characterization of post-treatment exercise and diet interventions on long-term treatment related toxicities and clinical outcomes, QoL, sleep, and general health outcomes.
- Explore how nutritional status and changes in nutritional status affect post-treatment outcomes.
- Need to understand how weight maintenance/loss interventions during treatment affect outcomes and survival.
- Need better precision weight maintenance/loss interventions for post-treatment cancer survivors.
*These questions need to be addressed across cancer sites/subtypes, stage of diseases, and in diverse groups of survivors with respect to age, body size, activity level, and race/ethnicity.
Co-Chairs
Tanya Agurs-Collins [DCCPS]
Elaine Trujillo [DCP]
The Measurement and Methods subgroup is exploring the following challenges related to obesity and cancer:
- How can complementary assessment methods (e.g., self-report, sensor-based technologies, and/or biomarkers) be triangulated to improve insights into diet, physical activity, and sleep behaviors and environmental determinants?
- What assessment and analytic methods are needed to better integrate measures of diet, physical activity, and sleep within the 24-hour day?
- How can assessment tools for modifiable risk factors be developed or adapted and validated for cancer survivors?
- How can methods be enhanced to measure the food and physical activity environment in diverse populations using appropriate reference instruments?
Co-Chairs
Jill Reedy [DCCPS]
Dana Wolff-Hughes [DCCPS]
The Health Disparities subgroup is exploring the following challenges in obesity and cancer:
Why do cancer and the health consequences of obesity disproportionately affect Hispanics, non-Hispanic Blacks, and Native Americans more than other race and ethnic groups?
- Geography, economy, genetic and epigenetic predisposition, occupational and environmental health exposures, health care access, internet access, culturally-sensitive communication, differences in lifestyle, and citizenship status all contribute to the impact of the ability of diverse patient populations to seek and receive cancer information and care related to cancer prevention, screening and treatment - including risks/benefits associated with various treatment modalities - in equitable fashion.
- Need for greater understanding of the intersection and interplay among upstream and downstream Social Determinants of Health (SDoH) on cancer, persistent poverty areas, and generational wealth gap including food deserts on obesity and disparities within racially-ethnically diverse populations in the basic/translational, clinical and population sciences.
- Enhance understanding of the underlying protective and risk factors associated with rising obesity rates, especially among vulnerable and marginalized populations in cancer care continuum settings for early onset and aggressive recalcitrant cancers.
How can we tailor interventions influencing weight loss, exercise & dietary regimens to have better outcomes in diverse populations to reduce cancer risk?
- Better characterization of optimal prevention strategies and delivery of interventions, type, dose, frequency, duration, timing of exercise & diet on health behavior outcomes & QoL.
- Identify evidence-based interventions and preventative strategies to improve weight, physical exercise, and diet, including effective ways to ensure affordability and address barriers, such as those relating to SES and environmental constraints (e.g. time constraints) that pose obstacles to implementing such strategies.
Co-Chairs
Tanya Agurs-Collins [DCCPS]
Anil Wali [CCHE]
The Time-Restricted Eating subgroup is exploring the following challenges in obesity and cancer:
- What are the effects of time-restricted eating (TRE) compared to other diet strategies, including, but not limited to, caloric restriction or other intermittent fasting approaches, on weight loss, weight maintenance, and long-term dietary adherence?
- What role does TRE play in reducing cancer incidence and progression, cancer treatment response, and cancer recurrence?
- What are the emerging obesity risk factors, including the hormonal milieu, microbiome, and epigenetic modifications that impact TRE’s efficacy?
The TRE subgroup is following NIH/NCI supported projects and their impact on cancer endpoints, including:
- A project that evaluates the impact of TRE on cancer cell growth in women with breast cancer between diagnosis and definitive surgery
- Two projects, one in lean and the second in overweight/obese individuals, on cancer risk endpoints
- Four TRE projects evaluating the impact of TRE on risk of breast and colorectal cancer
Co-Chairs
Ed Sauter [DCP]
Tanya Agurs-Collins [DCCPS]
The Pediatrics and Physical Activity subgroup is exploring the following challenges in obesity and cancer:
- What is needed to accelerate the application of pediatric exercise and physical activity intervention knowledge from bench to bedside to communities and policy?
- What are research opportunities for exercise, physical activity and physical education for pediatric cancer patients and survivors?
- What role do pediatric exercise and physical activity interventions play in improving cancer treatment outcomes?
Co-Chairs
Heather Bowles [DCP]
Frank Perna [DCCPS]
Funding Opportunities
Title | Announcement # | Expiration Date | Contact(s) |
---|---|---|---|
Notice of Special Interest (NOSI): Mechanisms Driving Obesity and Prostate Cancer Risk | NOT-CA-23-089 | September 08, 2024 | Howard Parnes 240-276-7045 parnesh@mail.nih.gov Edward Sauter 240-276-7657 Edward.sauter@nih.gov |
Mechanisms that Impact Cancer Risk after Bariatric Surgery | PAR-25-043 (R01 Clinical Trial Optional) PAR-25-044 (R21 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) |
January 08, 2028 | For general questions, bariatric surgery questions, and clinical trials questions, contact: Edward Sauter 240-276-7657 Edward.sauter@nih.gov For inquiries related to basic cancer biology and mechanisms, contact: Philip Daschner 240-276-6227 daschnep@mail.nih.gov |
Notice of Special Interest (NOSI): Development and Preliminary Testing of Health-related Behavioral Interventions | NOT-OD-22-203 | September 27, 2024 | Susan Czajkowski 240-276-5871 Susan.czajkowski@nih.gov |
Notice of Special Interest (NOSI): Stimulating Research to Understand and Address Hunger, Food and Nutrition Insecurity | NOT-OD-22-135 | November 29, 2024 | Tanya Agurs-Collins 240-276-6956 collinsta@mail.nih.gov |
Administrative Supplements to Support Cancer Disparity Collaborative Research | PAR-22-114 (Clinical Trial Optional) | January 24, 2025 | Cancer Disparities Research: Maria Jamela Revilleza 240-620-0616 mariajamela.revilleza@nih.gov Population Sciences: Amy Kennedy 240-781-3335 amy.kennedy@nih.gov Translational and Clinical Studies: Minkyung (Min) H. Song 240-246-6139 songm@mail.nih.gov Cancer Prevention: Vikrant Sahasrabuddhe 240-276-7332 sahasrabuddhevv@mail.nih.gov Basic Cancer Biology Research: Natalia Mercer 240-276-6220 natalia.mercer@nih.gov Global Health: James Alaro 240-276-6429 james.alaro@nih.gov |
Epidemiologic Research on Emerging Risk Factors and Liver Cancer Susceptibility | PAR-22-083 (R01 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) PAR-22-084 (R21 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) |
May 08, 2025 | Tram Kim Lam 240-276-6967 Tram.lam@nih.gov For inquiries related to metabolic or pharmacological factors: Gabriel Lai 240-276-7201 Gabriel.lai@nih.gov For inquiries related to biospecimens: Danielle Carrick 240-276-6749 Danielle.carrick@nih.gov |
Risk and Protective Factors of Family Health and Family Level Interventions | PAR-21-358 (R01 Clinical Trial Optional) | May 08, 2025 | Rebecca Ferrer 240-678-5075 Rebecca.ferrer@nih.gov |
Notice of Special Interest (NOSI): Preventive Interventions to Address Cardiometabolic Risk Factors in Populations that Experience Health Disparities | NOT-OD-22-154 | September 08, 2025 | Susan Czajkowski 240-276-5871 Susan.czajkowski@nih.gov |
Mechanistic Links Between Diet, Lipid Metabolism, and Tumor Growth and Progression | PAR-23-051 (U01 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) PAR-23-052 (UH2 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) |
October 24, 2025 | For applications that emphasize tumor cell autonomous mechanisms: Kristine Willis 301-792-1338 Kristine.willis@nih.gov For applications that emphasize tumor cell non-autonomous mechanisms: Natalia Mercer 240-276-6220 natalia.mercer@nih.gov |
Notice of Special Interest (NOSI): Epidemiologic Studies to Assess the Impact of Incretin Mimetics on New and Recurrent Cancer Risk | NOT-CA-24-037 | May 09, 2026 | For inquiries related to general information about the NOSI and incretin mimetics: Edward Sauter 240-276-7657 edward.sauter@nih.gov For inquiries related to epidemiologic study designs: Naoko Ishibe 301-825-4579 Naoko.simonds@nih.gov For inquiries related to impact on cancer patients: Kelly Filipski 240-276-6841 filipskikk@mail.nih.gov |
Unveiling Health and Healthcare Disparities in Non-Communicable and Chronic Diseases in Latin America: Setting the Stage for Better Health Outcomes Across the Hemisphere | PAR-23-303 (R01 Clinical Trials Not Allowed) | January 07, 2027 | James R. Alaro 240-660-1036 James.alaro@nih.gov |
Mechanisms that Impact Cancer Risk with Use of Incretin Mimetics | PAR-23-279 (Clinical Trial Optional) PAR-23-281 (R21 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) |
January 08, 2027 | For general questions, medication questions and clinical trials questions: Edward Sauter 240-276-7657 Edward.sauter@nih.gov For inquiries related to basic cancer biology and mechanisms: Philip Daschner 240-276-6227 Pd93u@nih.gov |
Notice of Special Interest (NOSI): Advancing Diet and Physical Activity Biomarkers for Assessing Lifestyle Interventions in Cancer Prevention and Cancer Interception Research | NOT-CA-24-074 | January 08, 2027 | Nancy Emenaker 240-276-7125 nancy.emenaker@nih.gov |
Notice of Special Interest (NOSI): Factors impacting how Time-Restricted Eating (TRE) influences cancer-related outcomes | NOT-CA-24-073 | May 08, 2027 | Edward Sauter 240-276-7657 Edward.sauter@nih.gov Tanya Agurs-Collins 240-276-6956 collinsta@mail.nih.gov |
Notice of Special Interest (NOSI): Developing and Testing Multi-level Physical Activity Interventions to Improve Health and Well-Being | NOT-OD-24-058 | November 14, 2027 | Frank Perna 240-276-6782 pernafm@mail.nih.gov Heather Bowles 240-276-6794 Heather.bowles@nih.gov |
Title | Announcement # | Expiration Date | Contact(s) |
---|---|---|---|
Exercise and Nutrition Interventions to Improve Cancer Treatment-Related Outcomes (ENICTO) in Cancer Survivors Consortium | RFA-CA-21-031 (U01 Clinical Trial Required) RFA-CA-21-032 (U24 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) |
July 15, 2021 | Frank Perna 240-276-6782 pernafm@mail.nih.gov |
Improving Outcomes in Cancer Treatment-Related Cardiotoxicity | PA-19-112 (R01 Clinical Trial Optional) PA-19-111 (R21 Clinical Trial Optional) |
January 8, 2022 | Nonniekaye Shelburne 240-276-6897 nshelburne@mail.nih.gov |
Metabolic Dysregulation and Cancer Risk Program, Research Grants: a Transdisciplinary Approach to Obesity-Associated Research | RFA-CA-21-021 (U01 Clinical Trial Optional) RFA-CA-21-022 (U24 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) |
October 07, 2022 | For general inquiries about the NOFO and questions related to epidemiology: Tram Kim Lam 240-276-6967 lamt@mail.nih.gov For inquiries related to cancer biology: Philip Daschner 240-276-6227 daschnep@mail.nih.gov For inquiries related to cancer prevention: Edward Sauter 240-276-7657 edward.sauter@nih.gov For inquiries related to cancer disparities: Mary Ann Van Duyn 240-276-6165 vanduynm@mail.nih.gov |
Obesity & Cancer Webinar Series
The Obesity and Cancer Webinar Series includes a wide range of obesity and cancer topics. Past webinars have focused on the following topics as related to cancer and obesity: time restricted eating, sleep and circadian rhythm, COVID-19, health disparities, inflammation and insulin resistance, microbiome, and physical activity interventions.
Recordings of these webinars, and information on planned webinars, is available at the following link:
Additional Information
- Dietary Assessment Resources
- Exercise and Nutrition Interventions to Improve Cancer Treatment-related Outcomes (ENICTO) in Cancer Survivors
- Metabolic Dysregulation and Cancer Risk Program: A Transdisciplinary Approach to Obesity-Associated Cancer Research
- National Collaborative on Childhood Obesity Research. Advancing Measurement for Childhood Obesity Workshop Series
- NIH Obesity Research Task Force
- Nutrition Research Task Force
- Obesity and Cancer Fact Sheet, NCI
- Physical Activity Assessment Resources
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- Al Hennawi H, Zohaib M, Khuzzaim Khan M, Ahmed F, Mathbout OF, Alkhachem A, Ameen Ahmed U. Temporal trends in obesity-related mortality rates: an analysis of gender, race/ethnicity, and geographic disparities in the United States. Curr Probl Cardiol. 2024;49:102108. doi: 10.1016/j.cpcardiol.2023.102108
- Ballard R, Arteaga S, Berrigan D, et al. Advancing measurement to address childhood obesity: results of three workshops. Am J Prev Med. 2021;61(6):e296-e304. doi: 10.1016/j.amepre.2021.05.025
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- Boyd P, O’Connor S, Heckman-Stoddard BM, Sauter ER. Time-restricted feeding studies and possible human benefit. JNCI Cancer Spectr. 2022;6(3):pkac032. doi: 10.1093/jncics/pkac032
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- Campbell KL, Winters-Stone KM, Wiskemann J, et al. Exercise guidelines for cancer survivors: consensus statement from international multidisciplinary roundtable. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2019;51(11):2375-2390. doi: 10.1249/MSS.0000000000002116.
- de Cabo R, Mattson MP. Effects of intermittent fasting on health, aging, and disease. N Engl J Med. 2019;381(26):2541-2551. doi: 10.1056/NEJMra1905136.
- Garcia MB, Schadler KL, Chandra J, et al. Translating energy balance research from the bench to the clinic to the community: Parallel animal-human studies in cancer. CA Cancer J Clin. 2023; 73(4):425-442. doi: 10.3322/caac.21773
- Hiatt RA, Clayton MF, Collins KK, Gold HT, Laiyemo AO, Parker Truesdale K, Ritzwoller DP. The Pathways to Prevention program: nutrition as prevention for improved cancer outcomes. J Natl Cancer Spectr. 2023;886-895. doi: 10.1093/jnci/djad079
- Lin W, Leider J, Shang C., et al. The association between state physical education laws and student physical activity. Am J Prev Med. 2020;58(3):436-445. doi: 10.1016/j.amepre.2019.09.018
- Look AHEAD Research Group, Yeh HC, Bantle JP, Cassidy-Begay M, et al. Intensive weight loss intervention and cancer risk in adults with type 2 diabetes: analysis of the Look AHEAD randomized clinical trial. Obesity (Silver Spring). 2020;28(9):1678-1686. doi: 10.1002/oby.22936.
- Energy balance and obesity. IARC Working Group Reports, Volume 10, Edited by Isabelle Romieu, Laure Dossus, and Walter C. Willett. Chapter 12. Molecular and metabolic mechanisms underlying the obesity–cancer link, Ciara H. O’Flanagan, Laura W. Bowers, Emma H. Allott, and Stephen D. Hursting. 2017, International Agency for Research on Cancer, Lyon, France.
- Ezpeleta M, Cienfuegos S, Lin S, Pavlou V, Gabel K, Tussing-Humphreys L, Varady KA. Time-restricted eating: watching the clock to treat obesity. Cell Metab. 2024;36(2):301-314. doi: 1016/j.cmet.2023.12.004
- NIH Obesity Research Task Force. Strategic Plan for NIH Obesity Research. 2011. Available at: https://www.obesityresearch.nih.gov/
- Obesity, Diet, Physical Activity, and Cancer: Transdisciplinary and Translational Approaches Towards Energy Balance and Cancer Research from the Bench to the Clinic and Community. JNCI Monographs. 2023;61.
- Orgel E, Framson C, Buxton R, et al. Caloric and nutrient restriction to augment chemotherapy efficacy for acute lymphoblastic leukemia: the IDEAL trial. Blood Adv. 2021 Apr 13;5(7):1853-1861. doi: 10.1182/bloodadvances.2020004018.
- Park Y, Dodd KW, Kipnis V, et al. Comparison of self-reported dietary intakes from the Automated Self-Administered 24-h recall, 4-d food records, and food-frequency questionnaires against recovery biomarkers. AmJ Clin Nutr. 2018;107(1), 80-93. doi: 10.1093/ajcn/nqx002.
- Parsons HM, Forte ML, Abdi HI, et al. Nutrition as prevention for improved cancer health outcomes: a systematic literature review. 2023; JNCI Cancer Spectr. 2023;7(3): doi: 10.1093/jncics/pkad035
- Perez-Escamilla R, King A, Rivera J (Eds). Childhood obesity prevention across borders: The promise of US‐Latin American research collaboration [Special Issue]. Obesity. 2021.
- Piekarz-Porter E, Lin W, Leider J, et al. State laws matter when it comes to school provisions for structured PE and daily PE participation. Transl Behav Med. 2021;11(2):597-603. doi: 10.1001/jamainternmed.2021.7755
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