Join Our Study
Are you someone who has never smoked? Are you interested in participating in a research study about lung cancer screening?
Read further to find out how to join our study.
What is the purpose of this study?
In Ontario, a formal lung cancer screening program is now in place at four cancer centres across the province. Currently, the screening program is only open to participants with a significant smoking history. However, a growing group of patients who have never smoked will still develop lung cancer. This trend likely reflects demographic and/or genetic changes in the underlying population, as well as lifestyle and/or environmental factors.
There is currently no formalized guidelines for calculating risk of lung cancer in Ontarian never-smokers, nor is there a screening program accessible to never-smokers. The Screening for High-risk Individuals who Never Smoked (SHINES) study aims to understand what combination of demographic, genetic, lifestyle, and/or environmental factors cause never-smokers to be at increased risk for developing lung cancer.
What does the study entail?
The SHINES study consists of an in-depth questionnaire which you can take online, from the comfort of your home. The questionnaire may take up to an hour to complete, and asks you about your health and lifestyle. You may answer as many or as few of the questions as you feel comfortable.
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After completing the questionnaire, some participants may be offered an additional, optional opportunity to complete a one-time CT scan of their chest. To learn more about what a CT scan is, click here.
Who can participate?
You may be eligible if you:
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Live in Ontario, Canada
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Are between the ages of 40 and 80 years old
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Have never regularly smoked
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Have never been diagnosed with lung cancer
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Have not been diagnosed with any non-lung cancer in the past 5 years
If you meet these eligibility criteria and wish to enrol in the study, click on the button below to get started.