Michael J. Thun is an American cancer researcher and emeritus vice president of epidemiological research at the American Cancer Society (ACS).[1]

Education

Thun served in the United States Army for 3 years as a medic. Upon completion of military service, Thun received his bachelor's degree from Harvard College in 1970, his MD from the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine in 1975, and his master's degree in epidemiology from the Harvard School of Public Health in 1983.[1]

Career

After receiving his masters', Thun worked for the New Jersey Department of Health and the Centers for Disease Control until 1989, when he joined the ACS as their director of analytic epidemiology.[2] He was appointed vice president of epidemiology and surveillance research there in 1998, and held that position until he retired at the end of 2012.[1]

Research

Thun is known for his research into the health effects of tobacco,[3][4] as well as for a number of studies he has published on the association between aspirin use and cancer risk.[5][6] He has also published studies on other putative risk factors for cancer, such as red meat consumption[7] and certain hair dyes.[8]

Views

Thun has advised people to limit their red meat consumption due to the adverse health affects associated with it.[9] He has criticized the President’s Cancer Panel's 2010 report for arguing that the proportion of cancer cases caused by environmental factors has been "grossly underestimated."[10]

References

  1. ^ a b c "Michael Thun to Retire from American Cancer Society". ACS. 10 December 2012. Retrieved 26 April 2015.
  2. ^ "ACS's Michael J. Thun on Cancer: Progress, but a Long Way to Go". Science Watch. Thomson Reuters. August 2010. Retrieved 8 July 2015.
  3. ^ Vastag, Brian (23 January 2013). "Quitting smoking by age 40 erases most of the risk of an early death". Washington Post. Retrieved 26 April 2015.
  4. ^ WebMD (15 February 2007). "Switching to Smokeless Tobacco No Cure". CBS News. Retrieved 4 May 2015.
  5. ^ "Study Suggests Aspirin May Inhibit Some Cancers". New York Times. 21 March 1993. Retrieved 8 July 2015.
  6. ^ Joelving, Frederik (10 August 2012). "Can daily aspirin help ward off cancer?". Reuters. Retrieved 21 August 2015.
  7. ^ Pearson, Helen (10 January 2005). "Red meat is strongly linked to cancer". Nature News. doi:10.1038/news050110-7.
  8. ^ Cox News Service (2 February 1994). "Report: Hair Dye Does Not Increase Risk Of Fatal Cancer". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 26 April 2015.
  9. ^ Neighmond, Patti (24 March 2009). "Study Links Red Meat To Cancer, Heart Disease". NPR. Retrieved 26 April 2015.
  10. ^ Grady, Denise (6 May 2010). "U.S. Panel Criticized as Overstating Cancer Risks". New York Times. Retrieved 26 April 2015.
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