The American Cancer Society (ACS) is looking for a few (well, actually 500,000) good men and women to volunteer for its next generation cancer-prevention study.

First begun in the 1950s, these long-term prospective studies follow large groups of people for many years. The volunteers (that would be you) fill out questionnaires periodically about their lifestyle (things like diet and physical activity) as well as about their medical status (any illnesses or conditions that develop). Epidemiologists then parse through the data, analyze it, and report on what they find.

As noted on the ACS’ research program and funding website: "More than 300 scientific articles by American Cancer Society epidemiologists have been published from these studies and findings have significantly contributed to tobacco-related research, and to the understanding of obesity, diet, physical activity, hormone use, air pollution, and various other exposures in relation to cancer and other diseases.”

To participate in this next big effort — Cancer Prevention Study-3 (CPS-3) — you must be between the ages of 30 and 65 and never diagnosed with cancer. You must also be willing to commit to the study long-term, which means being willing to fill out those questionnaires for many years. The still-ongoing CPS-2 was begun in 1982.

For the first time in 50-plus years of conducting these studies, ACS is giving participants the option of completing the questionnaires online.

Signup is at the Woodbury Relay for Life event this Friday, June 19, from 5 to 9 p.m., at Ojibway Park, 2695 Ojibway Drive, in Woodbury. At the event participants will be asked to complete a brief written survey, provide a waist measurement and give a small blood sample.

For more information, visit the CPS-3 Web site, email cps3@cancer.org or call ACS toll-free at 1-888-604-5888.