Testicular cancer (TC) is the most common solid tumor diagnosed among men aged 20 - 35 years, and TC survivors treated with cisplatin-based chemotherapy may be at increased risk for the premature development of cardiovascular risk factors and early cardiovascular events. Although cardiovascular risk may be indexed through objective measures of subclinical atherosclerosis, behavioral risk factors may moderate the overall risk of cardiovascular events and serve as the targets for future interventions aimed at reducing risk. However, definitive data regarding the cardiovascular risk proffered by cisplatin-based chemotherapy are not available and neither the degree to which TC survivors exhibit behavioral risk factors nor whether these behavioral factors moderate cardiovascular risk among individuals treated with cisplatin-based chemotherapy is known.
The specific aims of this exploratory project are two-fold: 1) To establish the relationship between receipt of cisplatin-based chemotherapy and subclinical atherosclerosis among TC survivors using non-invasive studies; and 2) To describe the health and risk behaviors of TC survivors and determine the relationship between these behaviors, receipt of cisplatin-based chemotherapy and subclinical atherosclerosis among TC survivors. To address these aims, TC survivors will be surveyed regarding health and risk behaviors in Stage I to generate 30 TC survivors who received cisplatin-based chemotherapy and 30 chemotherapy-naive controls for study in Phase I1.Subjects in Stage II will undergo clinical evaluation that includes a TC patient questionnaire, physical examination, and standard laboratory measures (e.g., lipid analysis) and will complete valid, reliable self-report assessments concerning cardiovascular risk-related lifestyle characteristics and health behaviors. Objective measure of subclinical atherosclerosis will be associated with lifestyle characteristics. This study will provide the framework for future studies examining cardiovascular risk reduction through physiological and behavioral interventions in TC survivors that received cisplatin-based chemotherapy. This study will also provide valuable data in a program of research with TC patients and survivors. The ultimate goal of this exploratory grant is to develop an intervention project aimed at reducing cardiovascular risk among TC survivors. However, prior to initiating an intervention study, these parameters need to be explicated.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Cancer Institute (NCI)
Type
Exploratory/Developmental Grants (R21)
Project #
5R21CA097355-02
Application #
6805872
Study Section
Special Emphasis Panel (ZRG1-RPHB-3 (01))
Program Officer
Aziz, Noreen M
Project Start
2003-09-29
Project End
2006-08-31
Budget Start
2004-09-01
Budget End
2006-08-31
Support Year
2
Fiscal Year
2004
Total Cost
$140,950
Indirect Cost
Name
University of Pennsylvania
Department
Internal Medicine/Medicine
Type
Schools of Medicine
DUNS #
042250712
City
Philadelphia
State
PA
Country
United States
Zip Code
19104
Vaughn, David J; Palmer, Steven C; Carver, Joseph R et al. (2008) Cardiovascular risk in long-term survivors of testicular cancer. Cancer 112:1949-53