Cynthia A Thomson, PhD, RDN

Professor, Public Health

Director, Canyon Ranch Center for Prevention and Health Promotion

Distinguished Professor

Professor, Nutritional Sciences Graduate Program

Professor, Medicine

Professor, BIO5 Institute

Professor, Health Promotion Sciences

520-626-5470

cthomson@arizona.edu

Links

Department Profile

NCBI Bibliography

Biography

Dr. Cynthia Thomson, PhD, RDN leads a multidisciplinary research program in cancer prevention research focusing on lifestyle behaviors, cancer prevention and survivorship. Her translational research program integrates novel interventions including mobile health technologies and delivery systems, as well as behavioral theory and cancer-relevant biomarker research to advance understanding of optimal health behaviors to improve health after a cancer diagnosis. Her research predominantly focuses on obesity-related cancers (breast, ovarian, colorectal cancer) and includes dissemination and implementation science to expand the impact of her evidence-based research. She has published over 200 cancer-related peer-reviewed manuscripts and books chapters building the evidence for nutrition and physical activity guidelines for cancer prevention and survivorship.

Cancer Focus

Obesity-related cancers, cancer survivorship, healthy lifestyles, novel behavior interventions, dissemination and implementation science.

Research Program Role

Cancer Prevention and Control Program

Display Name
Cynthia A Thomson, PhD, RDN

Publications

Buller DB, Sussman AL, Thomson CA, Kepka D, Taren D, Henry KL, Warner EL, Walkosz BJ, Woodall WG, Nuss K, et al. 2024. #4Corners4Health Social Media Cancer Prevention Campaign for Emerging Adults: Protocol for a Randomized Stepped-Wedge Trial. JMIR Research Protocols. 13:e50392. doi:10.2196/50392.

Skiba MB, Lopez-Pentecost M, Werts SJ, Ingram M, Vogel RM, Enriquez T, Garcia L, Thomson CA. 2022. Health Promotion Among Mexican-Origin Survivors of Breast Cancer and Caregivers Living in the United States-Mexico Border Region: Qualitative Analysis From the Vida Plena Study. JMIR Cancer. 8:e33083. doi:10.2196/33083.

Skiba MB, Jacobs ET, Crane TE, Kopp LM, Thomson CA. 2021 Aug. Relationship Between Individual Health Beliefs and Fruit and Vegetable Intake and Physical Activity Among Cancer Survivors: Results from the Health Information National Trends Survey. J Adolesc Young Adult Oncol. doi:10.1089/jayao.2021.0078.

Palmer KNB, Rivers PS, Melton FL, McClelland DJ, Hatcher J, Marrero DG, Thomson CA, Garcia DO. 2021. Health promotion interventions for African Americans delivered in U.S. barbershops and hair salons- a systematic review. BMC Public Health. 21:1553. doi:10.1186/s12889-021-11584-0.

Crane TE, Skiba MB, Miller A, Garcia DO, Thomson CA. 2020. Development and Evaluation of an Accelerometer-Based Protocol for Measuring Physical Activity Levels in Cancer Survivors: Development and Usability Study. JMIR Mhealth Uhealth. 8:e18491. doi:10.2196/18491.

Mo J, Thomson CA, Sun V, Wendel CS, Hornbrook MC, Weinstein RS, Ercolano E, Grant M, Cidav Z, McCorkle RC, et al. 2020 Sep. Healthy behaviors are associated with positive outcomes for cancer survivors with ostomies: a cross-sectional study. J Cancer Surviv. doi:10.1007/s11764-020-00940-5.

Chebet JJ, Thomson CA, Kohler LN, Ehiri JE, Luo J, Cheng T-YD, Pan K, Chlebowski RT, Nassir R, Sealy-Jefferson S, et al. 2020. Association of Diet Quality and Physical Activity on Obesity-Related Cancer Risk and Mortality in Black Women: Results from the Women’s Health Initiative. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 29:591–598. doi:10.1158/1055-9965.EPI-19-1063.

Skiba MB, McElfresh JJ, Howe CL, Crane TE, Kopp LM, Jacobs ET, Thomson CA. 2020. Dietary Interventions for Adult Survivors of Adolescent and Young Adult Cancers: A Systematic Review and Narrative Synthesis. J Adolesc Young Adult Oncol. 9:315–327. doi:10.1089/jayao.2019.0105.

Garcia DO, Morrill KE, Aceves B, Valdez LA, Rabe BA, Bell ML, Hakim IA, Martinez JA, Thomson CA. 2019. Feasibility and acceptability of a beverage intervention for Hispanic adults: results from a pilot randomized controlled trial. Public Health Nutr. 22:542–552. doi:10.1017/S1368980018003051.

Schembre SM, Liao Y, O’Connor SG, Hingle MD, Shen S-E, Hamoy KG, Huh J, Dunton GF, Weiss R, Thomson CA, et al. 2018. Mobile Ecological Momentary Diet Assessment Methods for Behavioral Research: Systematic Review. JMIR Mhealth Uhealth. 6:e11170. doi:10.2196/11170.

LoConte NK, Gershenwald JE, Thomson CA, Crane TE, Harmon GE, Rechis R. 2018 May. Lifestyle Modifications and Policy Implications for Primary and Secondary Cancer Prevention: Diet, Exercise, Sun Safety, and Alcohol Reduction. Am Soc Clin Oncol Educ Book.:88–100. doi:10.1200/EDBK_200093.

Sun V, Crane TE, Slack SD, Yung A, Wright S, Sentovich S, Melstrom K, Fakih M, Krouse RS, Thomson CA. 2018. Rationale, development, and design of the Altering Intake, Managing Symptoms (AIMS) dietary intervention for bowel dysfunction in rectal cancer survivors. Contemp Clin Trials. 68:61–66. doi:10.1016/j.cct.2018.03.010.

Thomson CA, Crane TE, Garcia DO, Wertheim BC, Hingle M, Snetselaar L, Datta M, Rohan T, LeBlanc E, Chlebowski RT, et al. 2018. Association between Dietary Energy Density and Obesity-Associated Cancer: Results from the Women’s Health Initiative. J Acad Nutr Diet. 118:617–626. doi:10.1016/j.jand.2017.06.010.

Ding J, Stopeck AT, Gao Y, Marron MT, Wertheim BC, Altbach MI, Galons J-P, Roe DJ, Wang F, Maskarinec G, et al. 2018. Reproducible automated breast density measure with no ionizing radiation using fat-water decomposition MRI. J Magn Reson Imaging. 48:971–981. doi:10.1002/jmri.26041.

Thomson CA, Sherry Chow HH, Wertheim BC, Roe DJ, Stopeck A, Maskarinec G, Altbach M, Chalasani P, Huang C, Strom MB, et al. 2017. A randomized, placebo-controlled trial of diindolylmethane for breast cancer biomarker modulation in patients taking tamoxifen. Breast Cancer Res Treat. 165:97–107. doi:10.1007/s10549-017-4292-7.

Pinto BM, Thomson CA. 2017. Guideposts for Physical Activity, Diet, and Weight Management Interventions Among Cancer Survivors. Obesity (Silver Spring). 25 Suppl 2:S23-S24. doi:10.1002/oby.22017.

Martinez JA, Wertheim BC, Thomson CA, Bea JW, Wallace R, Allison M, Snetselaar L, Chen Z, Nassir R, Thompson PA. 2017. Physical Activity Modifies the Association between Dietary Protein and Lean Mass of Postmenopausal Women. J Acad Nutr Diet. 117:192–203.e1. doi:10.1016/j.jand.2016.10.009.

Thomson CA, Crane TE, Miller A, Garcia DO, Basen-Engquist K, Alberts DS. 2016. A randomized trial of diet and physical activity in women treated for stage II-IV ovarian cancer: Rationale and design of the Lifestyle Intervention for Ovarian Cancer Enhanced Survival (LIVES): An NRG Oncology/Gynecologic Oncology Group (GOG-225) Study. Contemp Clin Trials. 49:181–9. doi:10.1016/j.cct.2016.07.005.

Garcia DO, Lander EM, Wertheim BC, Manson JE, Volpe SL, Chlebowski RT, Stefanick ML, Lessin LS, Kuller LH, Thomson CA. 2016. Pet Ownership and Cancer Risk in the Women’s Health Initiative. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 25:1311–6. doi:10.1158/1055-9965.EPI-16-0218.

Martinez JA, Chalasani P, Thomson CA, Roe D, Altbach M, Galons J-P, Stopeck A, Thompson PA, Villa-Guillen DE, Chow H-HS. 2016. Phase II study of metformin for reduction of obesity-associated breast cancer risk: a randomized controlled trial protocol. BMC Cancer. 16:500. doi:10.1186/s12885-016-2551-3.

Bea JW, Thomson CA, Wertheim BC, Nicholas JS, Ernst KC, Hu C, Jackson RD, Cauley JA, Lewis CE, Caan B, et al. 2015. Risk of Mortality According to Body Mass Index and Body Composition Among Postmenopausal Women. Am J Epidemiol. 182:585–96. doi:10.1093/aje/kwv103.

Garcia DO, Thomson CA. 2014. Physical activity and cancer survivorship. Nutr Clin Pract. 29:768–79. doi:10.1177/0884533614551969.

Hingle MD, Snyder AL, McKenzie NE, Thomson CA, Logan RA, Ellison EA, Koch SM, Harris RB. 2014. Effects of a short messaging service-based skin cancer prevention campaign in adolescents. Am J Prev Med. 47:617–23. doi:10.1016/j.amepre.2014.06.014.

Crane TE, Khulpateea BR, Alberts DS, Basen-Engquist K, Thomson CA. 2014. Dietary intake and ovarian cancer risk: a systematic review. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 23:255–73. doi:10.1158/1055-9965.EPI-13-0515.