New Center Established at Penn for Research on Breast Cancer Survivors

A five-year, $10 million grant from the National Institutes of Health will fund the Transdisciplinary Research on Energetics and Cancer Survivor Center at the Perelman School of Medicine of the University of Pennsylvania. The center will conduct research on the relationship between exercise and weight loss in improving the life prospects for cancer survivors.

Among the initial research projects are a clinical trial involving 555 overweight breast cancer survivors who have the treatment-related arm-swelling condition known as lymphedema. The study will be under the direction of Kathyrn H. Schmitz, associate professor of epidemiology and biostatistics. Dr. Schmitz holds a master of public health degree and a Ph.D. from the University of Minnesota.

Other research at the new center will include a study of whether exercise and weight loss can prevent breast cancer recurrence in mice. Another study will examine the cost-effectiveness of weight training in helping breast cancer patients who suffer from lymphedema.