Ann S. Hamilton ’70 has worked in the field of cancer epidemiology for more than 40 years and is considered one of the nation’s experts in the field of population-based cancer research. Her work on a range of cancers considers the effects over time of various treatments, which can help doctors and patients choose treatment plans that best suit the patient’s needs for a beneficial clinical outcome as well as take into account their quality of life. Many of the studies Hamilton is involved in have also specifically addressed disparities between ethnic groups. Hamilton mentors others in the field, showing her dedication to developing future generations of researchers. She has consistently given her time to advise younger colleagues, from graduate students to junior faculty.
Hamilton supervises the use of the Los Angeles cancer registry and helps researchers from around the country make the best use of that data for their studies. She has conducted several studies of prostate cancer survivors using cases obtained from the Los Angeles SEER (Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results) registry, including the Prostate Cancer Outcomes study, for which she served as Los Angeles Principal Investigator (PI). Hamilton was also the site PI for the CEASAR (Comparative Effectiveness Analysis of Surgery and Radiation) cohort. She leads the Los Angeles component of the Prostate Cancer Comparative Outcomes of New Conceptual Paradigms for Treatment (PC CONCEPT) study, designed to assess the effects of newer treatment methods. She has been the recruitment core lead for the RESPOND Study (Research on Prostate Cancer in Men of African Ancestry).
Hamilton has also led and participated in studies of thyroid cancer, adolescent and young adult cancer, breast cancer, and ovarian cancer. Currently, she is involved with studies regarding genetic testing for cancer patients and how this information is relayed to relatives.
With her strong interests in the etiology of cancer as well as its outcomes, Hamilton has continued to be active in research. She is participating in at least nine ongoing studies, some of which are scheduled to be completed in 2028. She transitioned away from working full-time just last year, at the age of 75.