The future of cancer prevention.

OBJECTIVES To hypothesize on the future of cancer prevention based on past and current progress of the field, as well as possible assimilation of knowledge in other fields that may be applied to cancer prevention. DATA SOURCES Peer-reviewed research and federal government reports. CONCLUSION Cancer prevention will exist in the future as an important public health strategy involving lifestyle and medical approaches that include behavior in relation to risk factors, chemoprevention, biomarker assessment, vaccines, and emerging technologies to better identify individuals at risk for cancer. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING PRACTICE In the future nurses will play an enhanced role in cancer prevention through their efforts supporting risk assessment, education, and medical approaches in an expanded role with diagnostic testing, and support for prevention clinical trials.