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About this research

Learn about the ComPARe study objectives, how to use this research, the target audience, the funder, study collaborators, and study team members.
  1. Home
  2. Research
  3. Cancer statistics
  4. Prevention statistics
  5. About this research

What is the ComPARe study?

The Canadian Population Attributable Risk of Cancer (ComPARe) study estimates the number and percentage of cancer cases in Canada in 2015 due to more than 20 modifiable lifestyle, environmental and infectious agent risk factors.

The study also estimates how changes to these risk factors through prevention could affect the number of cancer cases in the future (up to 2042).

What are the objectives of the ComPARe study?

The ComPARe study aimed to:

  • estimate the current and future number and percentage of new cancer cases due to modifiable risk factors across Canada
  • show how prevention strategies can reduce the number of future cancer cases
  • work with partners in the health system to share and use the data

Who can use the ComPARe study findings?

The ComPARe study results are for anyone interested in cancer prevention. Cancer researchers can use this information to support their work. Healthcare providers can use it to educate their patients. Healthcare decision-makers can use it to determine which programs and services to prioritize. And you can use it to understand what you can do to reduce your cancer risk.

Who led the study?  

The ComPARe study was composed of 5 subject-specific teams. Each team led part of the study and was overseen by the study coordination team.

Dr. Christine Friedenreich, Co-Principal investigator Alberta Health Services
Dr. Darren Brenner, Co-Principal investigator University of Calgary
Abbey Poirier, Alberta Health Services
Dr. Yibing Ruan, Alberta Health Services
Xin Grevers, Alberta Health Services
Farah Khandwala, Alberta Health Services
Joy Pader, Alberta Health Services

Dr. Will King, Queen’s University
Dr. Paul Villeneuve, Carleton University
Dr. Paul Demers, Occupational Cancer Research Centre
Dr. Perry Hystad, Oregon State University
Dylan O’Sullivan, Queen’s University
Priyanka Gogna, Queen’s University
Tasha Narain, Queen’s University
 
Dr. Eduardo Franco, McGill University
Karena Volesky, McGill University
Dr. Mariam El-Zein, McGill University

Dr. Prithwish De, Cancer Care Ontario
Dr. Leah Smith, Canadian Cancer Society
Elizabeth Holmes, Canadian Cancer Society
Dr. Robert Nuttall, Health Quality Ontario
Zeinab El-Masri, Cancer Care Ontario
Apiramy Jeyapalan, Canadian Cancer Society

Dr. Stephen Walter, McMaster University
 
The ComPARe study teams brought together experts across Canada in cancer epidemiology, biostatistics, cancer risk factors and knowledge translation.

Learn more about the teams and how they worked together. 
 

Who did we collaborate with?

The ComPARe study was supported by the Knowledge Translation Advisory Committee. The committee included the following key collaborators:
 

What was examined in the ComPARe study?

The ComPARe study examined more than 20 risk factors related to lifestyle, the environment and infectious agents and more than 30 cancer types associated with these risk factors.

Risk factors were selected based on the scientific evidence of their impact on cancer risk and their potential preventability.

Overview of risk factors and cancer types

How was the study conducted?

The number of cancer cases due to a risk factor was estimated using a statistical measure called the population attributable risk (PAR), from which ComPARe derives its name. Learn more in our overview of the ComPARe study methods, or see this BMJ Open article for details about the methods.

How was this study funded?

The ComPARe study was funded by a CCS-Partner Prevention Research Grant from the Canadian Cancer Society (grant #703106).

Burden of occupational cancer

The Burden of Occupational Cancer study aimed to determine the number and percentage of cancers that are caused by exposure to carcinogens (cancer-causing substances) in the workplace. It also estimated the economic costs associated with occupational cancers.

The study was a collaboration between researchers at the Occupational Cancer Research Centre (at Cancer Care Ontario), CAREX Canada, the Institute for Work & Health, the University of British Columbia, l’Université de Montréal, l’Institut de recherche Robert-Sauvé en santé et en sécurité du travail and Imperial College London.

Find out more about the Burden of Occupational Cancer study.

 
The study looked at cancer cases caused by exposure to 34 workplace carcinogens. Ten of them are included in the dashboard.
 
The Burden of Occupational Cancer study was led by the Occupational Cancer Research Centre (OCRC) and was supported by a Multisector Team Grant in Prevention Research from the Canadian Cancer Society (grant #701285-00).