Coordinators:

Dr. Robert W. Miller Dr. Takeshi Hirayama

General principles and basic strategies of the Analytical Epidemiology program area were discussed at the initiation of the U.S.-Japan Cooperative Cancer Research Program to focus on the following areas of interest: the progress of the cooperative program in comparative epidemiology of cancer in the U.S. and Japan; a mutual program in approaching data for cancer high risk group, including the exchange of information and comparison of data on the occurrence and risk factors of childhood cancer in Japan and the U.S.. Special emphasis was placed on the desirability of developing a Japanese counterpart of the U.S. county maps for cancer mortality as the county cancer survey could be a useful tool for developing hypotheses for the cause of certain types of cancer.
A Japanese pediatric oncologist was sent to the U.S. and studied the clinical and laboratory approach to family studies of leukemia including the psychological aspects of the leukemic child and his family. Two other Japanese scientists were sent to the U.S.: one is an obstetrician-virologist and his studies concerned herpesvirus type 2 in relation to cancer of the uterine cervix in Japan as compared with the U.S.. In his preliminary analysis of herpes viruses in the genitals of healthy Japanese female, half belonged to type 1, and the other half to type 2. However, the patients of uterine cervix cancer were more frequently infected with type 2.
The other visiting scientist from Japan is an epidemiologist to study public health. For the future, it would be desirable that plans be made for the long-term stay of Japanese researchers to study the clinical epidemiology of cancer in the U.S..
A U.S. biostatistician from NCI was sent to Japan to observe the situation of biostatistics in cancer research in Japan. He was able to discuss with Japanese scientists about the new thoughts and ideas to encourage training in biostatistics and epidemiology in Japan. Neither country has a large group of cancer epidemiologists. However, while there is considerable talent available in mathematics and mathematical statistics in Japan, currently there seems to be few active researchers in cancer biostatistics. The visiting scientist encouraged the Japanese to support the manpower needs in bio-statistics and epidemiology. The great need for inter-personal communication between Japanese and American scientists interested in epidemiology was also emphasized.
The U.S. and Japanese epidemiologists and clinical etiologists attended a seminar at Orlando in Florida, December 1975, which concerned priority cancer sites and problems in the U.S.-Japan Cooperative Cancer Program putting emphasis on the collection of data on “precious cases” for cancer epidemiology. Based on the preceding discussion, plans were made for developing epidemiologic studies from unusual cancer occurrences in both countries affecting the individual, his family, or the community. Other topics discussed at the seminar were as follows: new horizon in cancer epidemiology, “precious cases” in the epidemiology of childhood malignancies, approach to register and control familial polyposis, new understanding of occupational cancer, environmental pollution by chemicals and methodology in analytical epidemiology.