J. Charles Lacson MS, PhD

Education

Ph.D. Molecular Epidemiology
University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA

M.S. Biology (Human Molecular Genetics)
California State University - Northridge
Northridge, CA

B.S. Medical Physics (PreMed)
De La Salle University - Manila
Manila, Philippines

Biography

Dr. Charles Lacson is a molecular epidemiologist in the Murtha Cancer Center Research Program. He is primarily involved in the PROject for Military Exposures and Toxin History Evaluation among U.S. service members (PROMETHEUS), which is a research ecosystem that aims to examine the associations between cancer and exposures experienced by US service members during active duty, especially during deployment.

Dr. Lacson is interested in the etiology of testicular germ cell tumors (TGCTs), which are the most common malignancy among active-duty servicemen. TGCT incidence has been increasing in some populations, and there has been no environmental exposures that have been conclusively linked to the development of TGCTs. Although TGCTs are highly curable, cases are often overtreated, resulting in treatment-related secondary cancers, heart failure and cardiovascular disease among survivors. TGCT is most common among young men (between 15 and 40 years old) who can suffer from treatment-related sequelae for the rest of their lives. Dr. Lacson is interested in identifying exogenous exposures and how they interact with endogenous factors (such as germline genetics) and their effect on TGCT risk. Additionally, he is interested in research that can contribute to a precision medicine approach to TGCT treatment, such as identifying biomarkers of indolent vs. aggressive disease that can stratify patients into those who need additional chemotherapy and radiation, and avoid overtreatment of those with indolent TGCT.

Dr. Lacson is also interested in melanoma, the most common non-sex-specific malignancy among active duty servicemen. Melanoma diagnosed among adolescents and young adults (AYA, 15 to 40 years old) has strikingly distinct biological features and epidemiology from its pediatric and late-age counterparts. Melanoma tends to occur among AYA females more than AYA males, while it is more common among older males than older females. AYA melanoma is more difficult to diagnose, since the diagnostic tools for late-age onset may be misleading, and benign lesions may mimic melanoma, leading to overdiagnosis and overtreatment. Much is to be gained from a systematic molecular approach of examining AYA melanomas.

Prior to joining the Henry M. Jackson Foundation and USUHS, Dr. Lacson worked at the Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa, Florida with Dr. Peter Kanetsky on precision prevention trials to improve primary and secondary prevention of skin cancer and melanoma among Hispanic and non-Hispanic White individuals. His doctoral dissertation was on the association between breast cancer and putative functional variants on the exome genotyping array using a case-control study nested in the California Teachers Study, and his mentors were Dr. Fred Schumacher and Dr. Leslie Bernstein. He also worked with Dr. Victoria Cortessis on various epidemiologic studies on testicular germ cell tumors.

Career Highlights: Positions, Projects, Deployements, Awards and Additional Publications

Applied Research Scientist, Department of Cancer Epidemiology, Moffitt Cancer Center, 2020-2023

AACR Integrative Molecular Epidemiology Workshop attendee, July 2022

NIH/NIGMS T32 Predoctoral Fellow in Cellular, Biochemical, Molecular, and Genomic Sciences, 2011-2013

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Lacson JCA, Kim Y, Roetzheim RG, Sutton SK, Vadaparampil ST, Kanetsky PA. Predictors of genetic risk recall among the participants of a randomized controlled precision prevention trial against melanoma. Genet Med. 2023 Apr;25(4):100005. doi: 10.1016/j.gim.2023.100005. Epub 2023 Jan 7. PubMed PMID: 36629029; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC10085824.

Lacson JCA, Doyle SH, Del Rio J, Forgas SM, Carvajal R, Gonzalez-Calderon G, Feliciano AR, Kim Y, Roetzheim RG, Sutton SK, Vadaparampil ST, Soto-Torres B, Kanetsky PA. A randomized clinical trial of precision prevention materials incorporating MC1R genetic risk to improve skin cancer prevention activities among Hispanics. Cancer Res Commun. 2022 Jan;2(1):28-38. doi: 10.1158/2767-9764.crc-21-0114. Epub 2022 Jan 11. PubMed PMID: 35845857; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC9286490.

Lacson JCA, Doyle SH, Qian L, Del Rio J, Forgas SM, Valavanis S, Carvajal R, Gonzalez-Calderon G, Kim Y, Roetzheim RG, Sutton SK, Vadaparampil ST, Kanetsky PA. A Randomized Trial of Precision Prevention Materials to Improve Primary and Secondary Melanoma Prevention Activities among Individuals with Limited Melanoma Risk Phenotypes. Cancers (Basel). 2021 Jun 23;13(13). doi: 10.3390/cancers13133143. PubMed PMID: 34201795; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC8267659.

Lacson JCA, Zamani SA, Froes LAR Jr, Mitra N, Qian L, Doyle SH, Azizi E, Balestrini C, Bishop DT, Bruno W, Carlos-Ortega B, Cuellar F, Cust AE, Elder DE, Gerdes AM, Ghiorzo P, Grazziotin TC, Gruis NA, Hansson J, Hočevar M, Höiom V, Holland EA, Ingvar C, Landman G, Larre-Borges A, Mann GJ, Molgo M, Moredo LF, Olsson H, Out-Luiting JJ, Perić B, Pjanova D, Puig S, Salas-Alanis J, Schmid H, Wadt KAW, Newton-Bishop JA, Kanetsky PA. Birth cohort-specific trends of sun-related behaviors among individuals from an i

Lacson JCA, Ma H, Lee E, Neuhausen SL, Anton-Culver H, Reynolds P, Nelson DO, Ziogas A, Van Den Berg D, Deapen DM, Bernstein L, Schumacher FR. Genome-Wide Testing of Exonic Variants and Breast Cancer Risk in the California Teachers Study. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 2017 Sep;26(9):1462-1465. doi: 10.1158/1055-9965.EPI-17-0364. PubMed PMID: 28864454.

Lacson JC, Carroll JD, Tuazon E, Castelao EJ, Bernstein L, Cortessis VK. Population-based case-control study of recreational drug use and testis cancer risk confirms an association between marijuana use and nonseminoma risk. Cancer. 2012 Nov 1;118(21):5374-83. doi: 10.1002/cncr.27554. Epub 2012 Sep 10. PubMed PMID: 22965656; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC3775603.

Representative Bibliography