Electra D. Paskett, PhD

2012-2013 BCRF Project:
(made possible by generous support from Play for P.I.N.K.)

The Evelyn Lauder Breast Cancer Prevention through Nutrition Program at the Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center, funded by The Breast Cancer Research Foundation, examines the role nutrients, food intake, exercise, medication adherence, and body weight have on breast cancer among women at high risk for this disease. Currently there are four studies that are part of this program: 1) a study of tomato and soy supplementation on biomarkers of breast cancer risk; 2) a trial of a low fat vs. low carbohydrate diets on weight loss and biomarkers of breast cancer risk; 3) a study investigating whether a computer program can give high risk women effective social support for an exercise program; and 4) a study of the impact of diet, exercise, and obesity on risk of poor outcomes among breast cancer survivors. A manuscript reporting the outcomes of Project 1 has been published[McLaughlin JM, et al, Cancer Prev Res, 2011,May;4(5): 702-10. PMID 2143007], a manuscript for Project 3 has also been published [ David P, et al. J Telemed Telecare. 2012,12:20-25. PMID 22052963], and manuscripts for Projects 2 and additional manuscripts for projects 1 and 3 are being prepared for submission to scientific journals. Baseline data for Project 4 are being analyzed and the project is completing year six of the follow-up phase.

Mid-year Progress: The Dr. Paskett's group continues to generate manuscripts based on all of their studies, as are the analysis of blood plasma leptin and adiponectin. In the study on the impact of diet, exercise, and obesity, the investigators are starting another year of the follow-up, and the analysis of baseline blood samples has been completed. They will eventually examine telomere length and telomerase activity in women who have had a cancer recurrence since joining this study compared to those who have not.

Bio:
Electra Paskett received her undergraduate degree in biology and a Master's of Science Degree in Public Health (Epidemiology) from the University of Utah, Salt Lake City. She received her doctoral degree in Epidemiology and Health Services Research from the School of Public Health at the University of Washington in Seattle. In 1989, she joined the faculty of the Department of Public Health Sciences at what was then Bowman Gray School of Medicine, where she became an Associate Professor.

Dr. Paskett became the Marion N. Rowley Professor of Cancer Research in the Division of Epidemiology and Biometrics in the School of Public Health, Associate Director for Population Sciences and Co-Program Leader of the Cancer Control and Population Sciences Program in the Comprehensive Cancer Center of the Ohio State University in January of 2002. She is also Director of the Diversity Enhancement Program at the James Cancer Hospital at the Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio.

Dr. Paskett is the chair of the Cancer Control and Health Outcomes Committee of Cancer And Leukemia Group B. She was active in several committees in North Carolina and the nation related to cancer control and the conduct of multi-center prevention studies. She was a member of the Psychosocial and Behavioral Research, Scientific Advisory Committee of the American Cancer Society and served as chair of this review group during her final year.

She was also a member of the National Cancer Institute Initial Review Group-Subcommittee A for Cancer Center reviews. Dr. Paskett is the author or co-author of numerous journal articles, book chapters, and abstracts.

Dr. Paskett's current research focuses on intervention research directed at cancer prevention, early detection and survivorship issues. She is the principal investigator of: a study investigating why women in Appalachia Ohio have high cervical cancer rates; a study testing an intervention to prevent lymphedema in breast cancer patients; a study testing a stepped intervention to improve colorectal cancer screening; a study to examine the efficacy of patient navigations; and a study examining issues long-term breast cancer survivors face.

In addition, Dr. Paskett is serving as the President of the American Society for Preventive Oncology, and is also the first chair of the Cancer Forum of the American Public Health Association (APHA).