Research Summary

My main research interests are in understanding how diet, exercise, other lifestyle factors, and genetics contribute to cancer progression and death. Our program aims to identify modifiable lifestyle risk factors for cancer progression, use this information to better understand cancer biology, and inform public health guidelines. I have worked in this area, with a specific focus on prostate cancer, for ~20 years. Our work is highly collaborative - our clinical and translational studies work to identify risk-reduction strategies for men with or at high risk for prostate cancer, evaluate novel molecular markers of prostate cancer aggressiveness that may improve screening, diagnosis, or prognosis of clinically relevant disease, and improve cancer survivorship for the millions of men living with prostate cancer worldwide.

I lead the Diet and Lifestyle Study within the Cancer of the Prostate Strategic Urologic Research Endeavor (CaPSURE); am PI of a randomized clinical trial examining an exercise intervention among men pursuing active surveillance for prostate cancer; co-PI on a large Dept. of Defense Translational Impact Award focused on improving risk stratification and decision support for men considering active surveillance for low risk prostate cancer; serve on the steering committee for a global clinical trial of exercise among men with metastatic prostate cancer; and am co-investigator on a trial examining a 2 year remotely monitored blended diet and exercise intervention for men undergoing surgery for prostate cancer. I also collaborate with team members on lifestyle interventions and observational research in bladder and colorectal cancer survivors.

Research Funding

  • April 14, 2014 - February 28, 2021 - Effect of Aerobic Exercise on Genomic Signatures of Prostate Cancer Prognosis , Principal Investigator . Sponsor: NIH, Sponsor Award ID: R01CA181802
  • September 1, 2006 - August 31, 2011 - Prostate Microenvironmental &Prostate Cancer Progression , Principal Investigator . Sponsor: NIH, Sponsor Award ID: R01CA106947

Education

Harvard College, Cambridge, MA , B.A., 1994, Applied Math in Biology
Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA, ScD, 11/98, Epidemiology (Cancer)
Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA, 11/98-11/00, Postdoctoral Fellow-Epidemiology

Honors & Awards

  • 1994-96
    Fulbright Scholar, Uppsala University, Sweden, Dept. of Medical Epidemiology
  • 1996 & 1997
    Pforzheimer Public Service Fellowship, Harvard University
  • 1998
    Society for Epidemiologic Research Abraham Lilienfeld Student Prize
  • 1998
    Association for the Cure of Cancer of the Prostate ("CaPCURE") - Young Investigator Award
  • 2000
    AACR-AFLAC Young Investigator Scholars in Cancer Research Award
  • 2001
    REAC Intramural award, UCSF
  • 2002
    AACR-California Department of Health Services Early Career Development Award in Gender-Related Cancer Research (prostate)
  • 2003
    Prostate Cancer Foundation ("CaPCURE") - Competitive Award (6/03 & 12/03)
  • UCSF Equal Opportunity Faculty Development Award
  • 2009
    Awarded Steven & Christine Burd-Safeway Distinguished Professorship, Urology, UCSF

Selected Publications

  1. Kenfield SA, Chan JM. Meeting Exercise Recommendations Is Beneficial for Cancer Survivors. J Clin Oncol. 2023 Sep 20; JCO2301528.  View on PubMed
  2. Schroer AB, Ventura PB, Sucharov J, Misra R, Chui MKK, Bieri G, Horowitz AM, Smith LK, Encabo K, Tenggara I, Couthouis J, Gross JD, Chan JM, Luke A, Villeda SA. Platelet factors attenuate inflammation and rescue cognition in ageing. Nature. 2023 Aug; 620(7976):1071-1079.  View on PubMed
  3. Xiong F, Dai Q, Zhang S, Bent S, Tahir P, Van Blarigan EL, Kenfield SA, Chan JM, Schmajuk G, Graff RE. Diabetes and incidence of breast cancer and its molecular subtypes: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Diabetes Metab Res Rev. 2024 Jan; 40(1):e3709.  View on PubMed
  4. Kyaw TS, Upadhyay V, Tolstykh I, Van Loon K, Laffan A, Stanfield D, Gempis D, Kenfield SA, Chan JM, Piawah S, Atreya CE, Ng K, Venook A, Kidder W, Turnbaugh PJ, Van Blarigan EL. Variety of Fruit and Vegetables and Alcohol Intake are Associated with Gut Microbial Species and Gene Abundance in Colorectal Cancer Survivors. Am J Clin Nutr. 2023 09; 118(3):518-529.  View on PubMed
  5. Liu VN, Zuniga KB, Paciorek A, Zhang L, Chan JM, Carroll PR, Van Loon K, Laffan A, Venook A, Van Blarigan EL, Kenfield SA. Barriers and confidence among colorectal and prostate cancer survivors participating in two behavioral intervention studies. Support Care Cancer. 2023 Jul 10; 31(8):453.  View on PubMed
  6. Xiong F, Wang J, Nierenberg JL, Van Blarigan EL, Kenfield SA, Chan JM, Schmajuk G, Huang CY, Graff RE. Diabetes mellitus and risk of breast cancer: a large-scale, prospective, population-based study. Br J Cancer. 2023 09; 129(4):648-655.  View on PubMed
  7. Wang EY, Borno HT, Washington Iii SL, Friedlander T, Zhang S, Trejo E, Van Blarigan EL, Chan JM, Shariff-Marco S, Beatty AL, Kenfield SA. Engaging Men of Diverse Racial and Ethnic Groups With Advanced Prostate Cancer in the Design of an mHealth Diet and Exercise Intervention: Focus Group Study. JMIR Cancer. 2023 Jun 01; 9:e45432.  View on PubMed
  8. Langlais CS, Graff RE, Van Blarigan EL, Neuhaus JM, Cowan JE, Broering JM, Carroll P, Kenfield SA, Chan JM. Post-diagnostic health behaviour scores and risk of prostate cancer progression and mortality. Br J Cancer. 2023 08; 129(2):346-355.  View on PubMed
  9. Kenfield SA, Van Blarigan EL, Graff RE, Borno HT, Macaire G, Chan JM. Nutrition Guidance for Patients on Androgen Deprivation Therapy. Eur Urol Focus. 2023 05; 9(3):427-430.  View on PubMed
  10. Wang L, Langlais C, Kenfield SA, Van Loon K, Laffan A, Atreya CE, Chan JM, Zhang L, Allen IE, Miaskowski C, Fukuoka Y, Meyerhardt JA, Venook AP, Van Blarigan EL. Quality of life among colorectal cancer survivors participating in a pilot randomized controlled trial of a web-based dietary intervention with text messages. Support Care Cancer. 2023 Feb 10; 31(3):155.  View on PubMed
  11. Van Blarigan EL, Chan JM, Sanchez A, Zhang L, Winters-Stone K, Liu V, Macaire G, Panchal N, Graff RE, Tenggara I, Luke A, Simko JP, Cooperberg MR, Carroll PR, Kenfield SA. Protocol for a 4-arm randomized controlled trial testing remotely delivered exercise-only, diet-only, and exercise + diet interventions among men with prostate cancer treated with radical prostatectomy (Prostate 8-II). Contemp Clin Trials. 2023 02; 125:107079.  View on PubMed
  12. Langlais CS, Chen YH, Van Blarigan EL, Chan JM, Ryan CJ, Zhang L, Borno HT, Newton RU, Luke A, Bang AS, Panchal N, Tenggara I, Schultz B, Lavaki E, Pinto N, Aggarwal R, Friedlander T, Koshkin VS, Harzstark AL, Small EJ, Kenfield SA. Quality of life for men with metastatic castrate-resistant prostate cancer participating in an aerobic and resistance exercise pilot intervention. Urol Oncol. 2023 03; 41(3):146.e1-146.e11.  View on PubMed
  13. Kenfield SA, Philip EJ, Phillips SM, Meyerhardt JA, Chan JM, Atreya CE, Kim MO, Harris Q, Steiding P, Macaire G, McCullough ML, Piawah S, Johnson WY, Kurttila FA, Lewis WL, Pesmen C, Watson Y, Van Blarigan EL. Optimizing intervention tools to improve nutrition and physical activity for colorectal cancer survivors (Tools To Be Fit): Study protocol of a randomized factorial experiment. Contemp Clin Trials. 2022 12; 123:107009.  View on PubMed
  14. Greenberg AL, Tolstykh IV, Van Loon K, Laffan A, Stanfield D, Steiding P, Kenfield SA, Chan JM, Atreya CE, Piawah S, Kidder W, Venook AP, Van Blarigan EL, Varma MG. Association between adherence to the American Cancer Society Nutrition and Physical Activity Guidelines and stool frequency among colon cancer survivors: a cohort study. J Cancer Surviv. 2023 06; 17(3):836-847.  View on PubMed
  15. Smith LH, García-Albéniz X, Chan JM, Zhao S, Cowan JE, Broering JM, Cooperberg MR, Carroll PR, Hernán MA. Emulation of a target trial with sustained treatment strategies: an application to prostate cancer using both inverse probability weighting and the g-formula. Eur J Epidemiol. 2022 Dec; 37(12):1205-1213.  View on PubMed
  16. Langlais CS, Graff RE, Van Blarigan EL, Kenfield SA, Neuhaus J, Tabung FK, Cowan JE, Broering JM, Carroll P, Chan JM. Postdiagnostic Inflammatory, Hyperinsulinemic, and Insulin-Resistant Diets and Lifestyles and the Risk of Prostate Cancer Progression and Mortality. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 2022 09 02; 31(9):1760-1768.  View on PubMed
  17. Graff RE, Langlais CS, Van Blarigan EL, Pernar CH, Stampfer MJ, Giovannucci EL, Mucci LA, Chan JM, Kenfield SA. Post-diagnostic health behaviour scores in relation to fatal prostate cancer. Br J Cancer. 2022 11; 127(9):1670-1679.  View on PubMed
  18. Wang L, Langlais CS, Kenfield SA, Chan JM, Graff RE, Allen IE, Atreya CE, Van Blarigan EL. mHealth Interventions to Promote a Healthy Diet and Physical Activity among Cancer Survivors: A Systematic Review of Randomized Controlled Trials. Cancers (Basel). 2022 Aug 06; 14(15).  View on PubMed
  19. Loeb S, Fu BC, Bauer SR, Pernar CH, Chan JM, Van Blarigan EL, Giovannucci EL, Kenfield SA, Mucci LA. Association of plant-based diet index with prostate cancer risk. Am J Clin Nutr. 2022 03 04; 115(3):662-670.  View on PubMed
  20. Kenfield SA, Chan JM. More evidence that physical activity is beneficial for prostate cancer. Prostate Cancer Prostatic Dis. 2022 09; 25(3):383-384.  View on PubMed

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