Prevention Outpatient Clinic

With the Prevention Outpatient Clinic, a Germany-wide unique, population-based study center for cancer prevention is being established at the National Cancer Prevention Center. Here, citizens receive comprehensive quality-assured information and individual counseling on health promotion, cancer prevention and early cancer detection. Together with prevention research scientists, citizens can develop and test new methods and programs in innovative prevention studies. Prevention and early detection services that are already established and available nationwide (e.g., at general practitioners and specialists) are thus be complemented and supported. Routine care is explicitly not part of the Prevention Outpatient Clinic program.

The Cancer Information Service of the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) and the INFONETZ Krebs of the German Cancer Aid provide general information on cancer risk factors as well as on prevention and early detection. In addition, citizens seeking advice can obtain individual medical advice at the Prevention Outpatient Clinic. a personal cancer risk profile is drawn up so that recommendations can be tailored to the individual situation. Participants are first asked to complete a digital questionnaire followed by a personal consultation with doctors at the Prevention Outpatient Clinic. The questionnaire can be completed either online from home or on site at the Prevention Outpatient Clinic. Based on this information and using a specially developed prevention counseling guide, an individualized, physician-based prevention recommendation is provided. This evidence-based recommendation aims to promote the health of the individual test person in a targeted way.

The Prevention Outpatient Clinic team is planning a number of activities to encourage people to adopt a health-conscious lifestyle and help them live healthier lives. These include developing and establishing group programs that include behavioral therapy, motivational and psychoeducational elements. Group nutritional counseling and physical activity programs will also be offered to address and improve cancer risk factors such as "unhealthy eating," "obesity" and "lack of exercise", which are becoming increasingly important. Trained staff will initiate smoking cessation counseling using the "Smoke Free Ticket." In addition, other complementary external services will be offered, such as additional smoking cessation programs, and sports and exercise opportunities, individual nutrition counseling as well as age- and risk-appropriate cancer screening examinations and genetic counseling.
The Prevention Outpatient Clinic will provide specific contacts and, if necessary, assist with referrals by arranging initial external appointments.

In order to monitor the long-term effectiveness and sustainability of the counseling, appointments are made for follow-up visits at the Prevention Outpatient Clinic. Citizens participating in the Prevention Outpatient Clinic program also have the opportunity to voluntarily provide biosamples (blood, urine, stool) for prevention research.

All services offered by the Prevention Outpatient Clinic are scientifically evaluated.

At the Prevention Outpatient Clinic, citizens have the opportunity to participate in innovative prevention studies conducted by the German Cancer Research Center and its partner institutions. These studies cover various areas such as the mapping of genetic risk profiles, the identification of new biomarkers, the development of new methods for radiological early detection or innovative app-based early detection methods. In addition, specialized research studios will be established to conduct nutrition and physical activity studies. For example, the impact of lifestyle on cancer risk will be studied, and methods and tools will be developed to promote a more health-conscious lifestyle.

Notice:
The studies listed here are conducted according to specific study protocols. These protocols have clear inclusion and exclusion criteria that define who can and cannot participate in the study. They also describe how participants are enrolled into the study. Further information on this and the relevant contact persons can be found on the websites of the respective studies.

To generate new knowledge and advance modern prevention research, the German Cancer Research Center is developing a comprehensive database for research at the National Cancer Prevention Center. In the process, medically collected data, including biosamples, are compiled in compliance with all applicable data protection regulations and made accessible for research.

Biosamples are collected as part of studies investigating (epi-)genetic, metabolic, inflammatory, microbiotic and infectious profiles. This comprehensive collection of biosamples is stored in the Dieter Morszeck Biorepository of the DKFZ. The collected data and biomaterials form a broad and detailed basis for research that is continuously growing as a learning system. The knowledge gained is in turn used to update and further develop the evidence-based information and counseling services. In this way, improved prevention strategies and programs can be developed on an ongoing basis.

The Prevention Outpatient Clinic model is being developed, piloted and established at the National Cancer Prevention Center in Heidelberg. This model will be gradually transferred to other locations. The long-term goal is to provide all citizens with fair access to personalized prevention counseling and appropriate prevention studies.

To achieve this goal, multicenter prevention studies will be established in collaboration with partners in the future. Established structures such as the Comprehensive Cancer Centers (CCCs) of the German Cancer Aid and the sites of the National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT) and the German Consortium for Translational Cancer Research (DKTK), which are linked to the DKFZ, are strong research networks working in partnership and are therefore ideal candidates for large-scale prevention studies. In addition, important regional partnerships are also gradually being established outside university medicine. These include, for example, collaborations with general practitioners and specialists as well as prevention experts. Collaboration with various partners will ensure that prevention measures are widely accessible and can be implemented effectively.

The offer of personalized prevention counseling with individual risk assessment and risk-adapted prevention recommendations is expected to be made available to the general public in spring 2025.

You can find current calls for tenders here.