Early-life Factors and Cancer Development Later in Life (R21 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)

The purpose of this Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) is to stimulate research focused on the role of early-life factors (maternal-paternal, in utero, birth and infancy, puberty, adolescence, and young adult years) in cancer development later in life. Given that the current emerging evidence from limited research indicates a potentially important role for early-life events and exposures in cancer development, it is necessary to better understand 1) the early-life (maternal-paternal, in utero, birth and infancy, puberty, adolescence, and young adult years) factors that are associated with later cancer development; 2) how early-life factors mediate biological processes relevant to carcinogenesis; and 3) whether predictive markers for cancer risk based on what happens biologically at early life can be measured and developed for use in cancer prevention strategies. Markers that predict malignancy or pre-malignant conditions would allow assessment of early-life exposures with relevant outcomes without having to wait decades for cancer development. Ultimately, a better mechanistic understanding of how early-life events and exposures contribute to the etiology of cancer later in life will allow for the development of effective interventions during pregnancy or early life that may have a profound impact on cancer prevention.