This is an Academic Career Award application to support a training and research program for Dr. Elisa V. Bandera, an Associate Research Scientist in the Department of Nutritional Sciences, Rutgers University. The goals of this program are: 1) to complement her previous training in medicine and epidemiology by providing a strong theoretical foundation in nutrition, nutritional epidemiology, molecular epidemiology, and cancer epidemiology; and, 2) to apply this theoretical training in a case-control study of endometrial cancer. The proposed educational plan includes mentoring, structured courses, seminars, conferences, and guided readings. A highly qualified team of experts in the relevant areas will mentor the candidate through these activities and help her achieve her goals. The research proposed in this application builds upon a five-year population-based case-control study (Dr. Sara OIson, PI; R01CA83918), with a funding start date of July 1, 2001. The case-control study that provides the context for the proposed research includes 600 cases with endometrioid tumors, 200 with serous or clear cell tumors, and 600 controls. The cases will be women older than 21 years, residents of six counties in New Jersey, with newly diagnosed, histologically confirmed epithelial endometrial cancer. The controls will be frequency matched to the cases (+5years) and selected by random digit dialing (for those under 65) or from HCFA files (for those older than 65 years). The proposed project expands the objectives of the parent grant, whose main goals are to evaluate the role of estrogens, genetics, and dietary fat.
The specific aims of the proposed project are to investigate the association between phytoestrogen and alcohol consumption and endometrial cancer risk. Possible effect modification by body mass index, estrogen replacement therapy, fat and total energy intake, smoking, genotypes for enzymes involved in estrogen metabolism, and histologic type will be investigated. Interactions between alcohol and phytoestrogen intakes will also be examined. An additional component of the proposed research is a feasibility study to evaluate an innovative multi-media web-based dietary assessment method, the Computer-Assisted Self-Interview Diet History, in the context of the case-control study of endometrial cancer. This award will provide the support and training the Candidate needs to develop an independent career in the nutritional epidemiology of cancer.
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