Anita Peoples, PhD, MPH

At ACS since 2023

As a Senior Principal Scientist, Anita Peoples, PhD, MPH, leads research projects on cancer survivorship, including quality of life and patient-reported outcomes. She is a clinical and behavioral scientist, with training and expertise in cancer control and survivorship, behavioral medicine, and radiation sciences. She works closely with her colleagues in Population Science at the American Cancer Society (ACS) to better understand the role of health behaviors and biological risk factors in the development and management of symptoms and health outcomes.

Research focus and accomplishments

My research to date has included observational and survey studies as well as clinical trials that examine the risk factors, biomarkers, and effective behavioral/pharmacologic interventions to prevent or manage adverse health outcomes stemming from cancer and its treatment to improve overall well-being.  Some of the studies I’ve contributed to have focused on risk prediction and personalized treatment, especially in underserved and understudied populations.

I am particularly interested in colorectal cancer survivorship and understanding the role of modifiable risk factors, such as physical activity, sleep, adiposity, and diet, as well as inflammation in patient-reported outcomes of cognitive impairment, fatigue, pain, and other related symptoms that can lead to a poor quality of life.

Symptoms such as cognitive impairment can be highly prevalent in cancer survivors and can have a substantial negative impact on their activities of daily living, job performance, mental health, and even survival. I have led and co-led several projects in this research area, which has significantly contributed to the limited evidence.

I am also interested in psychosocial and mental health outcomes. Currently, I am studying the association of social isolation with mental health and overall quality of life, since cancer survivors are at increased risk of social isolation than individuals not affected by cancer.

Publications

For a complete list of Dr. Peoples' publications, visit her Google Scholar page. 

Contact 

anita.peoples@cancer.org

Professional Organizations

• American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), Member
• American Society for Nutrition (ASN), Member
• Genetics and Epidemiology of Colorectal Cancer Consortium (GECCO), Member

Education

• PhD: Biophysics, School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Rochester
• MPH: Epidemiology and Population Science, School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Rochester
• BS: Physics Honors, St. Stephen's College, University of Delhi