NCI Awards HMO Group $16 Million for Cancer Studies

BETHESDA, Md—The National Cancer Institute will provide $16 million over 4 years to the HMO Research Network to expand and strengthen its cancer research efforts and to initiate studies aimed at increasing effective cancer prevention and control among enrollees in health maintenance organizations.

The HMO Research Network, created in 1996, coordinates research activities among HMO-based researchers. Ten nonprofit managed care organizations that are members of the HMO network will participate in the program, which is known as the Cancer Research Network.

Three specific projects are planned: a study of the effectiveness of HMO smoking cessation activities; an examination of late-stage breast and cervical cancers to uncover factors, such as screening, that could help prevent advanced disease; and an efficacy study of prevention strategies, such as mammography and prophylactic mastectomy, in women with a personal or family history of breast cancer.

Participating organizations are Group Health Cooperative (Seattle); the Meyers Primary Care Institute (Worcester, Mass), a part of Fallon Healthcare System; Harvard-Pilgrim Health Care (Boston); HealthPartners Research Foundation (Minneapolis); Henry Ford Health System/Health Alliance Plan (Detroit); and five Kaiser Permanente divisions, Hawaii (Honolulu), Northern California (Oakland), Northwest (Portland, Ore), Rocky Mountain (Denver), and Southern California (Pasadena).