The American Cancer Society will begin registration for Cancer Prevention Study 3 (CPS-3) this week, coinciding with the "Great American Smokeout".

Enrollment is Thursday through Saturday in the Borders Room at Marshall Nemer Pavilion of Lourdes, and will take about 20-30 minutes. It includes a waist measurement, a small vial of blood drawn, and a survey being completed. There is another online survey that is a little more in depth, too.

Every couple of years after enrollment, you'll get a survey in the mail, which is a continual glimpse into your life about what might be causing cancer, or what might be preventing it. Researchers will track similar trends in people's lifestyles and health over the study's span to get a better understanding of the disease.

This has been the case in the previous two studies. In the 1950's the first study linked cigarette smoking to cancer. The second study in the 1980's found links between cancer and obesity, sedentary lifestyles, or environmental factors like second-hand smoke. It also found that aspirin use helps prevent colon cancer.

For more information about Cancer Prevention Study 3, or to make an appointment for November 15-17, visit www.cps3lourdeshospital.org or call 888-604-5888.