Follow-up of the Alpha-Tocopherol, Beta-Carotene Cancer Prevention (ATBC) Study Cohort

“Follow-up of the Alpha-Tocopherol, Beta-Carotene Cancer
Prevention (ATBC) Study Cohort”

The National Cancer Institute (NCI) intends to negotiate on
a sole-source basis with the National Institute for Health and Welfare of
Helsinki, Finland formerly the National Public Health Institute (NPHI)for a follow-on
study entitled, “Follow up of the Alpha-Tocopherol, Beta-Carotene Prevention
(ATBC) Study Cohort”.  This is a
follow-on of the existing contract N01-RC-37004 with the NPHI, who has been the
prime contractor for this on-going project since 1984.  This study has been an international
collaboration between the NCI and the Finnish NPHI and has been a major
scientific resource for NCI that encompasses nutritional, environmental,
biomarker, and other data, as well as biological specimens for molecular and
genetic investigations.   The original
primary activity was the ATBC Trial, a large randomized, double-blind,
placebo-controlled, primary prevention trial conducted in Finland (because of
historically high lung-cancer rates) that tested the effects of alpha-tocopherol
( vitamin E) and beta-carotene supplements on the incidence of and mortality
from lung and other cancers.  After
feasibility studies, the trial was launched in 1985 based on the epidemiologic
and experimental data that supported a role for beta-carotene and vitamin E in
the prevention of cancer.  The study
showed a dramatic 32% reduction in prostate cancer from beta-carotene
treatment.  This controlled trial phase of
the project was completed in 1993 as part of NCI contract CN-45165 with the
Finnish NPHI.  Following completion of
the original prevention trial, passive surveillance of the ATBC Study Cohort
for cancer incidence and cause-specific mortality was implemented through
follow-on of the contract with the Finnish NPHI (contract NCI-CN-45035 and
NCI-RC-37004) that supported the NCI’s ongoing study of long term effects of
the study agents and investigation of timely scientific hypotheses related to
cancer etiology, prevention, and survival.  This research is aimed at the discovery of preventable causes of
prostate, lung, colorectal, pancreatic, lymphoid, bladder, renal, and other
cancers, and at greater scientific understanding of the effects of various
dietary, nutritional, metabolic, genetic, and other molecular factors on cancer
risk.  The purposes of the renewal
contract with the Finnish NPHI are to maintain the cancer and other outcome
passive surveillance of the ATBC Study Cohort through the Finnish Cancer and
other national registries; to retrieve medical records, pathology specimens,
and tumor tissue samples from hospitals and other organizations; and to deliver
these materials to the NCI.  Only the
National Public Health Institute of Finland holds the unique participant
identifiers for the ATBC Study population and is in the position to link with
the necessary Finnish registries and collect the correct medical and other
records/samples for NCI.  The proposed
contract action is for services for which the Government intends to solicit and
negotiate with only once source under authority of FAR 6.302.  Interested persons may identify their
interest and capability to respond to this requirement.  This notice of intent is not a request for
competitive proposals.  However, all
proposals received will be considered by the Government.  A determination by the Government not to
continue with this proposed contract based upon responses to this notice is
solely within the discretion of the Government.