This contract supports This NCI study is designed to look at the associations among physical activity, eating habits, weight patterns, diet, hormones, and prognostic factors for breast cancer. Participants with early stage breast cancer were recruited through three Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) registries - those at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research CenterExternal Web Site Policy in Seattle, WA, the University of New MexicoExternal Web Site Policy, and the University of Southern CaliforniaExternal Web Site Policy. Because each of these registries draws from a distinct racial and ethnic population mix, study investigators have a unique opportunity to examine the differences in these associations among whites, Hispanics, and African-Americans. NCI is particularly interested in the interplay of these lifestyle factors because research suggests that women who are overweight, obese, or physically inactive have a poorer survival and increased breast cancer recurrence rate compared with lighter-weight and physically active women.1-4 Overweight, obesity, and adult weight gain also are risk factors for postmenopausal breast cancer.5 It is thought that reducing body fat and increasing physical activity may reduce hormone production, and may be one potential mechanism to improve prognosis for breast cancer patients. Women with breast cancer are at particularly high risk of developing new primary, recurrent, disseminated, or fatal breast cancer.6,7 To date, women with breast cancer have had few options, besides Tamoxifen therapy, to reduce this risk in the long-term.8 By identifying prognostic factors, health behavior strategies can be developed to prevent new or recurrent disease and to prolong survival with high quality of life.
