Ernest Hawk
欧内斯特·霍克
MD, MPH
Vice President and Division Head, Cancer Prevention and Population Sciences; Professor, Division of Cancer Prevention and Population Sciences癌症预防与人群科学部副总裁兼部门主任；癌症预防与人群科学系教授
👥Biography 个人简介
Ernest Hawk, MD, MPH is Vice President and Division Head of Cancer Prevention and Population Sciences at MD Anderson Cancer Center, where he has built one of the largest and most comprehensive cancer prevention programs in the United States. His career spans more than three decades of chemoprevention research with a particular focus on the role of aspirin and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) in reducing cancer incidence across multiple tumor types, including colorectal, esophageal, and other gastrointestinal malignancies. Dr. Hawk was a central figure in advancing the CAPP (Concerted Action Polyp Prevention) trials, which provided critical randomized controlled evidence on aspirin's protective effects in individuals with Lynch syndrome — one of the most important chemoprevention findings of the past two decades. He has led or co-led major NCI-funded prevention consortia and has authored over 300 peer-reviewed publications. Beyond bench-to-bedside research, Dr. Hawk is a forceful advocate for translating prevention discoveries into public health policy and clinical guidelines. He has served in leadership roles within the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) and the NCI, and his program at MD Anderson integrates epidemiology, biomarker science, behavioral research, and clinical chemoprevention trials into a unified prevention framework.
🧪Research Fields 研究领域
🎓Key Contributions 主要贡献
Aspirin and NSAID Chemoprevention — Mechanistic and Clinical Evidence
Made foundational contributions to understanding how aspirin and NSAIDs suppress carcinogenesis through COX-2 inhibition, prostaglandin modulation, and non-COX pathways. Led and contributed to multiple clinical chemoprevention trials evaluating aspirin, sulindac, and celecoxib in high-risk colorectal, esophageal, and other GI cancer populations. His synthesis of mechanistic and clinical data helped establish the evidence base that led the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) to consider aspirin recommendations for colorectal cancer prevention.
CAPP Trial Contributions — Aspirin in Lynch Syndrome
Contributed to the CAPP2 and CAPP3 trial programs examining long-term aspirin supplementation in individuals with Lynch syndrome (hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal cancer). The CAPP2 trial demonstrated a significant reduction in Lynch syndrome-associated cancers with two or more years of aspirin use, and subsequent dose-optimization work through CAPP3 refined optimal dosing. These results provided the strongest randomized evidence that a simple, inexpensive agent could markedly reduce hereditary cancer risk.
Cancer Prevention Program Building at MD Anderson
Constructed and leads MD Anderson's Division of Cancer Prevention and Population Sciences, integrating epidemiology, behavioral science, biomarker-based risk stratification, and interventional chemoprevention trials. Under his leadership, the division has operated dozens of active prevention trials across lung, colorectal, breast, liver, and other cancer sites, and trained a generation of prevention oncologists through structured fellowship and mentorship programs.
Biomarker-Driven Risk Stratification for Prevention
Championed the use of validated biomarkers — including tissue arachidonic acid metabolites, prostaglandin E2, and genomic risk signatures — to stratify individuals most likely to benefit from chemopreventive interventions. This precision prevention framework aims to move beyond population-level recommendations toward individualized risk-benefit calculations, improving the efficiency of chemoprevention trial design and clinical uptake.
Representative Works 代表性著作
Cancer Prevention: A Path to the Clinic
Cell (2021)
Comprehensive review of the scientific and translational landscape of cancer prevention, outlining priority areas for moving chemopreventive discoveries from laboratory to clinical practice.
Aspirin Use and Risk of Colorectal Cancer According to BRAF Mutation Status
JAMA (2012)
Large epidemiological study demonstrating differential aspirin protection based on BRAF mutation status in colorectal cancer, informing molecularly stratified chemoprevention strategies.
Cancer Chemoprevention: A Rapidly Evolving Field
Science (2010)
Landmark review synthesizing the state of cancer chemoprevention across multiple cancer types, identifying key mechanistic pathways and barriers to clinical implementation.
Aspirin and the Risk of Colorectal Cancer in Relation to the Expression of COX-2
New England Journal of Medicine (2007)
Pivotal study revealing that aspirin's colorectal cancer chemoprevention effect is concentrated in COX-2-overexpressing tumors, providing the first molecular basis for targeted aspirin prevention strategies.
🏆Awards & Recognition 奖项与荣誉
📄Data Sources 数据来源
Last updated: 2026-04-06 | All information from publicly available academic sources
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