1. The Sister Study Cohort: Baseline Methods and Participant Characteristics.
- Author
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Sandler, Dale P., Hodgson, M. Elizabeth, Deming-Halverson, Sandra L., Juras, Paula S., D'Aloisio, Aimee A., Suarez, Lourdes M., Kleeberger, Cynthia A., Shore, David L., DeRoo, Lisa A., Taylor, Jack A., and Weinberg, Clarice R.
- Subjects
BREAST tumor diagnosis ,BREAST tumor risk factors ,AUTOMATIC data collection systems ,BLOOD testing ,SIBLINGS ,ECOLOGY ,LONGITUDINAL method ,QUESTIONNAIRES ,RESEARCH funding ,SOCIOECONOMIC factors ,DESCRIPTIVE statistics - Abstract
BACKGROUND: The Sister Study was designed to address gaps in the study of environment and breast cancer by taking advantage of more frequent breast cancer diagnoses among women with a sister history of breast cancer and the presumed enrichment of shared environmental and genetic exposures. OBJECTIVE: The Sister Study sought a large cohort of women never diagnosed with breast cancer but who had a sister (full or half) diagnosed with breast cancer. METHODS: A multifaceted national effort employed novel strategies to recruit a diverse cohort, and collected biological and environmental samples and extensive data on potential breast cancer risk factors. RESULTS: The Sister Study enrolled 50,884 U.S. and Puerto Rican women 35-74 y of age (median 56 y). Although the majority were non-Hispanic white, well educated, and economically well off, substantial numbers of harder-to-recruit women also enrolled (race/ethnicity other than non-Hispanic white: 16%; no college degree: 35%; household income <$50,000: 26%). Although all had a biologic sister with breast cancer, 16.5% had average or lower risk of breast cancer according to the Breast Cancer Risk Assessment Tool (Gail score). Most were postmenopausal (66%), parous with a first full-term pregnancy <30 y of age (79%), never-smokers (56%) with body mass indexes (BMIs) of <29:9 kg=m² (70%). Few (5%) reported any cancer prior to enrollment. CONCLUSIONS: The Sister Study is a unique cohort designed to efficiently study environmental and genetic risk factors for breast cancer. Extensive exposure data over the life-course and baseline specimens provide important opportunities for studying breast cancer and other health outcomes in women. Collaborations are welcome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2017
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