What is the Cancer Genetics Network (CGN)? What are the questions the CGN is trying to answer? What is the Carolina Georgia Center? What are the benefits of participating in the CGN? What does participation involve? How is my confidentiality protected? How can I contact the CGN? Carolina Georgia Center Newsletter More information about cancer What is the Cancer Genetics Network? The Cancer Genetics Network (CGN) is a national effort funded by the National Cancer Institute. The purpose of the Cancer Genetics Network is to help scientists and health care providers understand the causes of cancer, and to help them detect, prevent and treat cancer. The Network includes eight centers working together to create a registry, or list, of individuals at increased risk for cancer who are willing to learn about and possibly participate in future research projects developed through the Cancer Genetics Network. The Cancer Genetics Network will collect basic medical and family information on each participant. This information will be updated every year and may be useful in answering some basic research questions about cancer and genetics. Back To Top What are the questions the CGN is trying to answer? Scientists will use the CGN to answer questions about cancer and genetics. Examples of questions that researchers may want to study include: How common are the inherited genetic changes that cause cancer? Why do some people with inherited genetic changes develop cancer while others do not? How does a person's lifestyle interact with these genetic changes to cause or prevent cancer? How can we use our new knowledge to help prevent cancer? How can we improve cancer treatments? How can people cope better with cancer and cancer risk? Research projects that may answer these types of questions need to have many participants in order to get information that will be useful. Most research centers are not able to find enough people in their own areas to conduct these projects. The Cancer Genetics Network will help by keeping a nation-wide list of people who are willing to be involved in projects. By combining participants from many centers, research may be done more quickly. Back To Top What is the Carolina Georgia Center? The Carolina Georgia Center is one of the eight centers across the country that makes up the Cancer Genetics Network. This center, which covers the southeast United States, includes the following institutions: Duke Comprehensive Cancer Center Duke University Winship Cancer Institute Emory University Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill You may choose the institution through which you would like to participate. Click here to find out how to contact the CGN. Back To Top What are the benefits of participating in the CGN? For people with a personal and/or family history of cancer, registering in the Cancer Genetics Network (CGN) offers a unique opportunity to keep up to date on cancer genetics and potential opportunities to participate in projects. Each Carolina Georgia Center participant will receive an annual newsletter with information on cancer genetics and new research developments within the Center and the national Cancer Genetics Network. The Carolina Georgia Center can also provide referrals for genetic counseling and testing, if desired. Enrolling in the CGN registry does not obligate you to participate in research projects, but allows you to learn about ongoing cancer research. Here are some specific ways that you may benefit by participating in the CGN: You can help researchers and society learn more about genetics and cancer. You will be informed about special research projects for which you may be eligible. You will receive regular updates on cancer genetics research. Back To Top What does participation involve? Participation in the Cancer Genetics Network involves the following: Completing a questionnaire by telephone. This interview will take about 40 minutes depending on the size of your family. You will be asked personal information such as age, ethnic background, medical and family history, and health habits. Willingness to be contacted once every year to update your information, even if you do not participate in any future projects. Willingness to be contacted about future cancer genetics research projects for which you may be eligible. Participation in the Cancer Genetics Network is completely voluntary. Back To Top How is my confidentiality protected? Keeping information confidential is an essential part of the Cancer Genetics Network (CGN). Participation in the CGN and any information you provide will remain strictly confidential as required by law and our research protocols. A federally granted Certificate of Confidentiality protects the information CGN participants provide from any outside requests, including subpoenas. Your personal information, including your birth date and contact information will be kept in a secure computer database within the Carolina Georgia Center. Before the information from your questionnaire is sent to the national registry, all information that can identify you will be removed. Your information will be kept in the national registry using only a number, and not your name. If you qualify for a CGN research project, your local CGN staff will contact you to determine your interest in the project. Once you learn about a project, the choice to participate or not participate is completely up to you. Back To Top How can I contact the CGN? Call Us: Please call the CGN site of your choice to determine if you are eligible to participate in the CGN. Duke University 1-866-681-4762 University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill 1-877-692-6960 Emory University 1-888-946-7447 If no one is available to take your call, please leave a message on the voice mail so that a project staff person may return your call. Please include your name, phone number and convenient times for us to call you. Complete the Online Contact Form: Complete the brief online form, which indicates an interest in enrolling in the Cancer Genetics Network registry or in finding out more about the project. This online form requires only that you fill in some basic contact information so that we may contact you. When you submit this form, your contact information will be sent to a project staff person who will mail you introductory information about the CGN. Click here to find out what participation in the CGN involves. Please be aware that your contact information will be sent from this page to us by e-mail. Use of this website does not insure confidentiality nor privacy. If you are uncomfortable sending your name or phone number to us by e-mail, please contact us by telephone or mail. E-Mail Us: To learn more about the Cancer Genetics Network, e-mail any of the following Program Managers: Sydnee Crankshaw, MPA Program Manager Cancer Prevention, Detection, and Control Research Program Duke University Medical Center crank004@mc.duke.edu Lisa Susswein, MS Program Manager Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill susswein@med.unc.edu Angela Everett, MPH, CHES Program Manager Winship Cancer Institute Emory University angela_everett@emoryhealthcare.org Back To Top Carolina Georgia Center Newsletter The Carolina Georgia Center publishes an annual newsletter for all participants in the CGN. This newsletter will contain updates on cancer genetics research, progress reports on the cancer genetics network registry, and information about upcoming research projects. Back To Top More information about cancer If you would like more information about cancer you may call Cancer Information Service at 1-800-4-CANCER. Thank you for your interest in the Cancer Genetics Network! Back To Top