Core B is responsible for confirming all cancer reports and all deaths in the Nurses'Health Study cohort.
The specific aims for this core are as follows: 1) To document and confirm reports of incident cancer as collected from the questionnaires, telephone interviews, and death records. 2) To identify all deaths among cohort participants and to ascertain the cause of death. 3) To provide standardized data files of cancer diagnoses and all deaths for epidemiologic analyses. Under the direction of Meir Stampfer, MD, DrPh, Core B obtains medical records and other relevant information to confirm cancer diagnoses and cohort deaths. The trust that has evolved over the past thirty-two years between the NHS investigators and cohort participants has led to an extremely high degree of cooperation in securing permission to review medical records, and from the families in ascertaining the details of the cause of death. Medical records are reviewed by physicians according to uniform standardized criteria to confirm the cancer diagnoses and obtain details of the histopathology, including tumor site, stage, and grade. We learn of most deaths through the questionnaire mailings and we search the National Death Index for questionnaire nonrespondents. State tumor registries are also utilized to confirm cancer diagnoses and deaths. Custom-designed computer software has been developed to track the progress from the initial report of a diagnosis or death to the final confirmation. The software also automatically generates letters to participants and medical institutions for requesting medical records and additional Information. At the end of every biennial follow-up cycle, standardized files are generated for specific cancer diagnoses and for all deaths to be used by all investigators conducting research with the NHS data.

Public Health Relevance

Core B activities are critical for confirming disease reports and deaths in the Nurses'Health Study and hence for allowing valid analyses to be conducted in Projects 1-4. By extension, this Core is vital to our ability to find ways to prevent cancer incidence and improve survival in women.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Cancer Institute (NCI)
Type
Research Program Projects (P01)
Project #
2P01CA087969-11
Application #
7786698
Study Section
Special Emphasis Panel (ZCA1-RPRB-7 (O1))
Project Start
2010-04-01
Project End
2015-03-31
Budget Start
2010-04-01
Budget End
2011-03-31
Support Year
11
Fiscal Year
2010
Total Cost
$336,891
Indirect Cost
Name
Brigham and Women's Hospital
Department
Type
DUNS #
030811269
City
Boston
State
MA
Country
United States
Zip Code
02115
Graff, Rebecca E; Ahearn, Thomas U; Pettersson, Andreas et al. (2018) Height, Obesity, and the Risk of TMPRSS2:ERG-Defined Prostate Cancer. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 27:193-200
Trudel-Fitzgerald, Claudia; Tworoger, Shelley S; Poole, Elizabeth M et al. (2018) Psychological symptoms and subsequent healthy lifestyle after a colorectal cancer diagnosis. Health Psychol 37:207-217
Song, Mingyang; Wu, Kana; Meyerhardt, Jeffrey A et al. (2018) Fiber Intake and Survival After Colorectal Cancer Diagnosis. JAMA Oncol 4:71-79
Chen, Steven T; Li, Xin; Han, Jiali (2018) Personal history of non-melanoma skin cancer diagnosis and death from melanoma in women. Int J Cancer 142:1536-1541
Jung, Seungyoun; Allen, Naomi; Arslan, Alan A et al. (2018) Anti-Müllerian hormone and risk of ovarian cancer in nine cohorts. Int J Cancer 142:262-270
Hamada, Tsuyoshi; Liu, Li; Nowak, Jonathan A et al. (2018) Vitamin D status after colorectal cancer diagnosis and patient survival according to immune response to tumour. Eur J Cancer 103:98-107
Ashar, Foram N; Mitchell, Rebecca N; Albert, Christine M et al. (2018) A comprehensive evaluation of the genetic architecture of sudden cardiac arrest. Eur Heart J 39:3961-3969
Harris, Holly R; Rice, Megan S; Shafrir, Amy L et al. (2018) Lifestyle and Reproductive Factors and Ovarian Cancer Risk by p53 and MAPK Expression. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 27:96-102
Jeon, Jihyoun; Du, Mengmeng; Schoen, Robert E et al. (2018) Determining Risk of Colorectal Cancer and Starting Age of Screening Based on Lifestyle, Environmental, and Genetic Factors. Gastroenterology 154:2152-2164.e19
Sun, Qi; Zong, Geng; Valvi, Damaskini et al. (2018) Plasma Concentrations of Perfluoroalkyl Substances and Risk of Type 2 Diabetes: A Prospective Investigation among U.S. Women. Environ Health Perspect 126:037001

Showing the most recent 10 out of 1708 publications