Michael Thun

Thun served in the United States Army for 3 years as a medic. Upon completion of military service, Thun received his bachelor's degree from Harvard College in 1970, his MD from the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine in 1975, and his master's degree in epidemiology from the Harvard School of Public Health in 1983.

After receiving his masters', Thun worked for the New Jersey Department of Health and the Centers for Disease Control until 1989, when he joined the ACS as their director of analytic epidemiology.{{cite web | url=http://archive.sciencewatch.com/inter/aut/2010/10-jul/10junThun/ | title=ACS's Michael J. Thun on Cancer: Progress, but a Long Way to Go | publisher=Thomson Reuters | work=Science Watch | date=August 2010 | accessdate=8 July 2015}} He was appointed vice president of epidemiology and surveillance research there in 1998, and held that position until he retired at the end of 2012.

Thun is known for his research into the health effects of tobacco,{{cite news | url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/quitting-smoking-by-age-40-erases-most-of-the-risk-of-an-early-death/2013/01/23/6446668e-6585-11e2-9e1b-07db1d2ccd5b_story.html | title=Quitting smoking by age 40 erases most of the risk of an early death | newspaper=Washington Post | date=23 January 2013 | accessdate=26 April 2015 | author=Vastag, Brian}}{{cite web | url=http://www.cbsnews.com/news/switching-to-smokeless-tobacco-no-cure-15-02-2007/ | title=Switching to Smokeless Tobacco No Cure | work=CBS News | date=15 February 2007 | accessdate=4 May 2015 | author=WebMD}} as well as for a number of studies he has published on the association between aspirin use and cancer risk.{{cite web | url=https://www.nytimes.com/1993/03/21/us/study-suggests-aspirin-may-inhibit-some-cancers.html | title=Study Suggests Aspirin May Inhibit Some Cancers | work=New York Times | date=21 March 1993 | accessdate=8 July 2015}}{{cite web | url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-aspirin-cancer-idUSBRE87914Z20120810 | title=Can daily aspirin help ward off cancer? | work=Reuters | date=10 August 2012 | accessdate=21 August 2015 | author=Joelving, Frederik}} He has also published studies on other putative risk factors for cancer, such as red meat consumption{{cite journal|last1=Pearson|first1=Helen|title=Red meat is strongly linked to cancer|journal=Nature News|date=10 January 2005|doi=10.1038/news050110-7}} and certain hair dyes.{{cite web | url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/1994/02/02/report-hair-dye-does-not-increase-risk-of-fatal-cancer/ | title=Report: Hair Dye Does Not Increase Risk Of Fatal Cancer | work=Chicago Tribune | date=2 February 1994 | access-date=26 April 2015 | author=Cox News Service}}

Thun has advised people to limit their red meat consumption due to the adverse health affects associated with it.{{cite web | url=https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=102306407 | title=Study Links Red Meat To Cancer, Heart Disease | work=NPR | date=24 March 2009 | accessdate=26 April 2015 | author=Neighmond, Patti}} He has criticized the President’s Cancer Panel's 2010 report for arguing that the proportion of cancer cases caused by environmental factors has been "grossly underestimated."{{cite web | url=https://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/07/health/research/07cancer.html | title=U.S. Panel Criticized as Overstating Cancer Risks | work=New York Times | date=6 May 2010 | accessdate=26 April 2015 | author=Grady, Denise}}

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Category:Cancer epidemiologists

Category:Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania alumni

Category:Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health alumni

Category:American Cancer Society people

category:United States Army soldiers