We propose to prospectively study four major hypotheses which may explain regional variations in breast cancer incidence in the U.S. These hypotheses are: 1. That levels of DDE (a metabolite of DDT) and PCBs are higher in stored blood specimens from women who develop breast cancer compared with women who do not develop breast cancer. 2. That some or all of the regional differences in breast cancer incidence in a large multi-state cohort can be explained by regional differences in prevalence of reproductive and dietary risk factors. 3. That high exposure to electromagnetic fields, specifically regular sleeping on an electric blanket, is associated with increased risk of breast cancer. 4. That vitamin D levels in the stored blood of women who develop breast cancer are lower than in women who do not. To accomplish this we will utilize prospective data from 121,700 women followed since 1976 in the Nurses' Health Study, and perform nested case- control studies based in the cohort of 33,000 women from whom we obtained a blood sample In 1989-90. We will analyze levels of DDE and PCB's among 430 women expected to develop breast cancer after giving us a blood sample and before June 1,1996, and compare these with these levels among 430 controls matched on year of birth and month of blood return. Similarly, we will analyze these specimens for 25-Hydroxyvitamin D, the major circulating metabolite of vitamin D. In 1992 we enquired about electric blanket use, an important source of exposure to EMF, and implicated in breast cancer etiology in a previous case-control study, and we will study this exposure prospectively. In four years of follow-up we expect 1,652 cases to occur which will give us ample power to examine this issue. We will study regional variations in the incidence and mortality of breast cancer prospectively from the start of the study in 1976. We will examine the prevalence of specific risk factors, including screening behavior, in each region, and control for these risk factors to assess the extent to which they explain regional variations in incidence and mortality.
| Schernhammer, Eva S; Hankinson, Susan E (2009) Urinary melatonin levels and postmenopausal breast cancer risk in the Nurses' Health Study cohort. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 18:74-9 |
| Feskanich, D; Hankinson, S E; Schernhammer, E S (2009) Nightshift work and fracture risk: the Nurses' Health Study. Osteoporos Int 20:537-42 |
| Engel, Lawrence S; Laden, Francine; Andersen, Aage et al. (2007) Polychlorinated biphenyl levels in peripheral blood and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma: a report from three cohorts. Cancer Res 67:5545-52 |
| Schernhammer, Eva S; Hankinson, Susan E (2005) Urinary melatonin levels and breast cancer risk. J Natl Cancer Inst 97:1084-7 |
| Schernhammer, Eva S; Hu, Frank B; Giovannucci, Ed et al. (2005) Sugar-sweetened soft drink consumption and risk of pancreatic cancer in two prospective cohorts. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 14:2098-105 |
| Schernhammer, Eva S; Kang, Jae-Hee; Chan, Andrew T et al. (2004) A prospective study of aspirin use and the risk of pancreatic cancer in women. J Natl Cancer Inst 96:22-8 |
| Schernhammer, Eva S; Hankinson, Susan E; Rosner, Bernard et al. (2004) Job stress and breast cancer risk: the nurses' health study. Am J Epidemiol 160:1079-86 |
| Schernhammer, Eva S; Rosner, Bernard; Willett, Walter C et al. (2004) Epidemiology of urinary melatonin in women and its relation to other hormones and night work. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 13:936-43 |
| Schernhammer, E S; Leitzmann, M F; Michaud, D S et al. (2003) Cholecystectomy and the risk for developing colorectal cancer and distal colorectal adenomas. Br J Cancer 88:79-83 |
| Schernhammer, Eva S; Laden, Francine; Speizer, Frank E et al. (2003) Night-shift work and risk of colorectal cancer in the nurses' health study. J Natl Cancer Inst 95:825-8 |
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