1. Sponsor Organization: NIH/NIEHS

2. Project Title: 07128-03 PESTICIDES AND BREAST CANCER IN NORTH CAROLINA

3. Project Focus:

• Project Primary Focus: Human Health Effects
• Project Secondary Focus:

4. Description:

Previous reports addressing the possible link between pesticides and breast cancer have been limited by small study sizes and restricted ranges of exposure due to a focus on urban rather than rural populations. The proposed study is built on the Carolina Breast Cancer Study, a case-control study of breast cancer funded by the National Cancer Institute's SPORE program. The proposed study will address pesticide exposure by extending data collection to include detailed assessment of exposure to pesticides and related chlorinated hydrocarbons. The additional exposure assessment will include a detailed interview of selected women (approximately 40% who have lived on farms) to assess historical pesticide exposures in agriculture, assays of blood samples for residues of DDT, PCBs, and related chlorinated hydrocarbon compounds, and genetic polymorphisms affecting carcinogen-metabolizing enzymes. Pesticide exposures will be compared in cases and controls to derive estimates of the relative risk associated with level of exposure to chlorinated hydrocarbons and other pesticides. Effect modification by polymorphisms in carcinogen-metabolizing enzymes will also be examined. The size, racial composition, and rural residence of thepopulation, combined with the biochemical and interview-based assessment of exposure, represent significant improvements on past studies of this issue.

5. References:

6. Inventory Category:

• Primary: Methods
• Secondary: Measure

7. Inventory Subcategory:

• Primary: Hazard Identification
• Secondary:
  • Exposure And Risk Models

8. Keywords for Experimental System/Species:

• Species:
  • Human
• Study Type:
  • Field Study
• Fate and Transport:

9. Keywords for Experimental Endpoints:

• Health Effect:
  • Carcinogenesis
• Hormonal Measures:
• Level Of Study:
  • Epidemiology
• Chemistry Metabolism:
  • Exposure Monitoring
• Life Stage:
  • Female
• Risk Assessment:
  • Susceptible Subpopulations

10. Chemical Agents:

• Pcbs
• Pesticides
• Dde, Hcb, Heptachlor, Epoxididem, Trans-Nonachlor, Dieldrin

11. Performing Institution:

• UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA CHAPEL HILL

12. Contact:

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