Training
1987 University of Wageningen, Netherlands ; M.Sc. Nutrition Sciences / Epidemiology
1994 University of Wageningen, Netherlands Ph.D. Epidemiology
Employment history and Research experience
I am a cancer epidemiologist, and spent large part of my professional life on setting up and analyzing prospective cohort studies on metabolic, hormonal, genetic, epigenetic and other risk factors for cancer.
From January 1987- October 1988 I worked as a junior investigator (epidemiologist) at the University of Utrecht, in context of a prospective mammography screening cohort (“DOM” project.
Between 1988-2006, I worked at the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC, Lyon; France), where I was in involved in the planning and international coordination of the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer [EPIC] – a large-scale, multi-center prospective study on the causes of cancer, which includes a total of over 520,000 study participants in 10 Western-European countries. From 1996 to 2006 I led a research group at the IARC for studies on hormone metabolism and cancer risk, performing studies mostly in context of the EPIC cohort.
In 2006, I moved to Heidelberg, Germany, where I took up the position of head of the Division of Cancer Epidemiology at the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), and of full professor in Cancer Epidemiology at the University of Heidelberg.
From 2007 to 2014, I was one of co-initiators and scientific co-directors of the NAKO Health study (previously called German “National Cohort”). More recently, in 2017, I joined the board of co-directors for the German PROBASE study, a randomized trial for evaluation of risk-stratified prostate cancer screening (PI. Peter Albers, University of Düsseldorf), and also assumed the role of lead investigator of the German Lung Screening Intervention Trial (LUSI), a randomized trial for studying the efficacy of low-dose computed tomography screening as a method for decreasing lung cancer mortality. Since 2020, I am PI for a local study component (N=3000) of the newly starting “4-IN-the-Lung-Run” study, a European randomized trial (PI, Harry de Koning, Rotterdam) to study risk-stratified approaches for the optimization of lung cancer screening intervals.
In context of both prospective population cohorts (EPIC, NAKO) and screening trials my current research focuses mostly on models and biomarkers for cancer risk prediction, early cancer detection and cancer screening, with special interest in cancers of the lung, ovary, and prostate.
Committee Assignments
Sachverständigengruppe Lungenkrebsscreening, Bundesamt für Strahlenschutz (Since Nov 2018)
- Cancer Risk Modelling
- Biomarkers for Early Cancer Detection
- Lung Cancer Screening
Lung Cancer
His current publication record includes over 900 peer-reviewed articles and book chapters, of which about 210 as a lead (first/last) author. Recent publications on lung cancer include:
- Kaaks R, Delorme S. "Lung Cancer Screening by Low-Dose Computed Tomography: Part 1 – Part 1: Expected Benefits, Possible Harms, and Criteria for Eligibility and Population Targeting. RöFo, in press (Oct 2020)
- Delorme S, Kaaks R. "Lung Cancer Screening by Low-Dose Computed Tomography: Part 2 – Key Elements for Programmatic Implementation of Lung Cancer Screening. RöFo, in press (Oct 2020)
- González-Maldonado S, Johnson T, Motsch E, Delorme S, Kaaks R. Can autoantibody tests enhance lung cancer screening? – An evaluation of EarlyCDT®-Lung in context of the German Lung Cancer Screening Intervention Trial (LUSI). Transl Lung Cancer Res, in press (Oct 2020)
- González Maldonado S, Motsch E, Trotter A, Kauczor HU, Heussel CP, Hermann S, Zeissig SR, Delorme S, Kaaks R. Overdiagnosis in lung cancer screening: Estimates from the German Lung Cancer Screening Intervention Trial. Int J Cancer. 2020 Sep 15. doi: 10.1002/ijc.33295. PMID: 32930386
- Hüsing A, Kaaks R. Risk prediction models versus simplified selection criteria to determine eligibility for lung cancer screening: an analysis of German federal-wide survey and incidence data. Eur J Epidemiol. 2020 Oct;35(10):899-912. doi: 10.1007/s10654-020-00657-w. PMID: 32594286
- Le Cornet C, Schildknecht K, Rossello Chornet A, Fortner RT, González Maldonado S, Katzke VA, Kühn T, Johnson T, Olek S, Kaaks R. Circulating Immune Cell Composition and Cancer Risk: A Prospective Study Using Epigenetic Cell Count Measures. Cancer Res. 2020 May 1;80(9):1885-1892. doi:10.1158/0008-5472.CAN-19-3178. PMID: 32075798
- Becker N, Motsch E, Trotter A, Heussel CP, Dienemann H, Schnabel PA, Kauczor HU, Maldonado SG, Miller AB, Kaaks R, Delorme S. Lung cancer mortality reduction by LDCT screening-Results from the randomized German LUSI trial. Int J Cancer. 2020 Mar 15;146(6):1503-1513. doi: 10.1002/ijc.32486. PMID: 31162856
- González Maldonado S, Delorme S, Hüsing A, Motsch E, Kauczor HU, Heussel CP, Kaaks R. Evaluation of Prediction Models for Identifying Malignancy in Pulmonary Nodules Detected via Low-Dose Computed Tomography. JAMA Netw Open. 2020 Feb 5;3(2):e1921221. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2019.21221. PMID: 32058555
- Grafetstätter M, Hüsing A, González Maldonado S, Sookthai D, Johnson T, Pletsch-Borba L, Katzke VA, Hoffmeister M, Bugert P, Kaaks R, Kühn T. Plasma Fibrinogen and sP-Selectin are Associated with the Risk of Lung Cancer in a Prospective Study. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 2019 Jul;28(7):1221-1227. doi: 10.1158/1055-9965.EPI-18-1285. PMID: 31015200
- Li K, Hüsing A, Sookthai D, Bergmann M, Boeing H, Becker N, Kaaks R. Selecting High-Risk Individuals for Lung Cancer Screening: A Prospective Evaluation of Existing Risk Models and Eligibility Criteria in the German EPIC Cohort. Cancer Prev Res (Phila). 2015 Sep;8(9):777-85. doi: 10.1158/1940-6207.CAPR-14-0424. PMID: 26076698
Rudolf Kaaks | Division Head |
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Sandra González-Maldonado | Statistician |
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Lucas Corey Hynes | Statistician |
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Lung Research Projects
- European Prospective Investigation into Cancer (EPIC)
EPIC (European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition) is a European cohort study which was started 1992 in context of the Europe Against Cancer Programme. The objective of EPIC is to study the relationships between lifestyle and other factors with the development of cancer and other chronic diseases. The project has been funded by the European Commission and by national research funding organizations, and is coordinated by as well as by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), Lyon, France. Between 1992 and the year 2000 a total of. 520.000 women and men were recruited in 23 studz centers, across 10 european countries (see Figure). Study participants completed extensive questionnaires about diet and other lifestyle factors (e.g. smoking, alcohol consumption, phszical activitz) and their health. In addition, blood samples were taken and as well as anthropometric measurements. In Germany, two study centers contribute to the EPIC study, one in Heidelberg (ca. 25.500 study participants; local study PI Prof. Dr. Rudolf kaaks, DKFZ) and one at the Institut für Ernährungsforschung (DIFE) in Potsdam (ca. 27.500 participants). - LUSI: Lung Tumor Screening Intervention trial
The LUSI study („LUng tumor Screening Intervention trial“) is a randomized screening trial performed at the German Cancer research center (DKFZ Heidelberg), which started Autumn 2007 with the aim to develop and test methods for early lung cancer detection, in view of increasing the chances of a cure and to reduce lung cancer-related mortality. The study is coordinated by the Division of cancer Epidemiology at DKFZ (from 2007-1027 Prof. Dr. Nikolaus Becker, now Prof. Dr. Rudolf Kaaks), in cooperation with Heidelberg University Clinic. A total of about 290.000 people in the Rhein-Neckar-Region were contacted by mail between 2007 and 2010, and asked about smoking habits. Among respondents, a 4.052 men and women aged 50 to 69 were recruited as participants of the LUSI trial. Half of the participants, chosen randomly, underwent up to five annual screenings by low-dose computed tomography (LDCT). The CT imaging and analysis was performed by the Division of Radiology at DKFZ (prof. Dr. Stefan Delorme). The control group received no CT screening. Both study groups (CT arm and control, arm) are being followed since start of the trial (till 2020) through annual questionnaires. - 4-IN-the-Lung Run (Towards INdividually tailored INvitations, screening INtervals, and INtegrated co-morbidity reducing strategies in lung cancer screening).
Large-scale randomized trials such as the US National Lung Screening Trial (NLST) and the Dutch-Belgian screening trial (NELSON) trial, as well as a series of smaller trials in Europe (including the German LUSI study) have documented the potential of CT screening to prevent lung cancer deaths among long-term smokers. However, implementation of CT screening in Europe is still slow, and major questions still exist regarding the most optimal strategy in risk-based lung cancer screening in terms of financial cost-effectiveness and individual net clinical benefit. Questions exist in particular with regard to optimal and most cost-effective strategies to reach high screening participation, to integrate smoking cessation and co-morbidity reducing services, and to determine individually optimized (risk-based) screening intervals. The 4-IN-THE-LUNG-RUN study is a European, randomized trial amongst 26,000 individuals to evaluate whether it is safe to have risk-based less intensive screening intervals after a negative baseline CT. This trial will form the evidence base for risk-based lung cancer screening with huge benefits for the EU, on health outcomes, cost savings, and innovation in the long run. Germany contributes to the study through recruitment centers in Heidelberg and surroundings (N=3,000; local study PI Prof. dr. Rudolf Kaaks, DKFZ) and Essen (N=2,000; local study PI Prof. Dr. Clemens Aigner, Ruhrlandklinik Essen) - NAKO Health Study
The NAKO Health Study is the largest epidemiologic study on determinants of health in Germany. A total of 200.000 women and men between 20 and 69 years of age take part in physical and medical examinations, provide biomaterials and extensive interviews and questionnaire data. Aim of this large-scale study is improved prevention, early detection and therapy of cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular disease and dementias. Das the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) contributes to the study with two study centers, in Mannheim and Saarbrücken. The study center in Mannheim is one of five NAKO centers that also performs whole-body magnetic imaging (MRI) on a total of 6.000 NAKO participants (30,000 in the full NAKO Study).
