The mission of the Cancer Prevention and Control Program is to prevent and control cancer by identifying factors that contribute to cancer development and outcomes, and conducting interventions to address these factors. It has been recognized for many years that cancer risk is determined by the interaction of lifestyle factors and genetics. Identifying lifestyle factors such as tobacco use and excess body weight that contribute to cancer and intervening appropriately has been proven to significantly impact on the cancer burden. 

Dr. Melinda Irwin co-leads the CPC program along with Dr. Xiaomei Ma. Currently, there are 53 members, with primary appointments in 11 departments and three schools all striving to conduct cutting-edge research to identify the causes of human cancers, and then use behavioral and other approaches to translate these findings into public health interventions to reduce cancer incidence, cancer morbidity, and mortality. 

The goals of the Cancer Prevention and Control Program are to: 

1.  Identify lifestyle, environmental, and genetic risk factors in the etiology of cancer
2. Assess the patterns of care received by patients with cancer to identify effective strategies to improve patient outcomes
3. Conduct and evaluate lifestyle behavioral interventions for cancer prevention and control