Past Projects
Estriol, Blood Flow and Breast Cancer Risk
PI:
Barbara Cohn, CHDS
Description:
This study proposed that estriol released from the placenta directly into the uterine vasculature likely explains the fifteen to twenty fold increase in uterine blood flow that occurs during human pregnancy. Lifelong residual vascular effects that enhance clearance of genotoxic and other noxious substances from the breasts may explain the protective effect of pregnancy against breast cancer.
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Exposure to DDT, DDE and PCBs Before Birth and Human Testicular Cancer: A Prospective Study Based on Archived Pregnancy Samples
PI:
Barbara Cohn, CHDS
Description:
Testicular cancer incidence arose dramatically worldwide among men born after 1945. The widespread introduction of DDT may have contributed to this increase. This study investigates whether in utero exposure to DDT, DDE, or congener-specific PCBs increase the risk of testicular cancer.
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Findings:
Prenatal DDT Exposure and Testicular Cancer: A Nested Case-Control Study. Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health, (2010, in press)
Maternal Smoking, Alcohol, and Coffee Use during Pregnancy and Son's Risk of Testicular Cancer (2009)
Maternal Smoking, Alcohol Consumption, and Caffeine Consumption during Pregnancy in Relation to a Son's Risk of Persistent Cryptorchidism: A Prospective Study in the Child Health and Development Studies Cohort, 1959-1967 (2008)
Maternal Smoking, Alcohol, and Coffee Use during Pregnancy and Son's Risk of Testicular Cancer (2009)
Maternal Smoking, Alcohol Consumption, and Caffeine Consumption during Pregnancy in Relation to a Son's Risk of Persistent Cryptorchidism: A Prospective Study in the Child Health and Development Studies Cohort, 1959-1967 (2008)
New Bone-Age Assessment Technique for Cancer Epidemiology
PI:
Jeffrey Duryea, Brigham and Women's Hospital
Description:
This project developed computer-assisted bone age scoring of wrist radiographs in collaboration with Harvard Medical School to facilitate studies of the relation of early life factors to cancer.
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Prenatal Organochlorines, Thyroid, and Development
PI:
Pam Factor-Litvak, Columbia University
Description:
Assesses whether exposure to endocrine disrupting compounds during pregnancy is associated with a) adverse development (cognitive function, height, weight, weight for height, and for females, age at menarche) in the offspring at birth, early childhood, middle childhood, and adolescence, b) mild deficiencies in maternal thyroid function, and c) whether adverse developmental findings, if any, are attributed in part to deficiencies in exposure to maternal thyroid hormone in utero.
Funding Source:
Can Placenta Factors Explain Race Patterns of Breast Cancer?
PI:
Barbara Cohn, CHDS
Description:
Higher birth weights have been reported to increase breast cancer risk, and birth weights of mothers and daughters are highly correlated. However, race/ethnicity patterns for birth weight (lowest for African Americans and Asians, higher for Hispanics and non-Hispanic whites) do not match patterns of breast cancer in California (lowest in Asians and Hispanics). A key to progress in breast cancer prevention will lie in reconciling critical paradoxes like this one. This grant examines whether race differences in placental characteristics shed light on this paradox.
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Pregnancy Hormones, Environment, Genes and Offspring Health
PI:
Barbara Cohn, CHDS
Description:
This planning grant tests the feasibility of creating a genetic library for the CHDS that can be used to understand how genes interact with environment to influence health of parents and offspring. It includes intensive examination of the ethics of genetic studies in long-term studies
Funding Source:
Prostate Cancer: Prospective Serum Markers in Blacks and Whites
PI:
Barbara Cohn, CHDS
Description:
Examines the possible relationship of genetics and serum levels of androgens and growth factors to the risk of prostate cancer in African-American and Caucasian men
Funding Source:
California Cancer Research Program
Findings:
Sex steroid hormones in young manhood and the risk of subsequent prostate cancer: a longitudinal study in African-Americans and Caucasians (2006)
Prostate specific antigen levels in young adulthood predict prostate cancer risk: results from a cohort of Black and White Americans (2005)
Prostate specific antigen levels in young adulthood predict prostate cancer risk: results from a cohort of Black and White Americans (2005)
The Epidemiology of Growth Factors and Immune Function in Pregnancy: Relation to Maternal Breast Cancer
PI:
Barbara Cohn, CHDS
Description:
Investigates the relation between prospectively obtained measures of serum markers of placental function in pregnancy and breast cancer
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Prenatal Exposure to Organochlorines and Fecundability
PI:
Barbara Cohn, CHDS
Description:
A prospective study to investigate the relation between prenatal exposure to environmental chemicals and fecundability (time to pregnancy) in adult CHDS daughters
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Findings:
Breast Cancer and Organochlorines
PI:
Barbara Cohn, CHDS
Description:
Considers timing of exposure in a prospective epidemiological study of the relationship between DDT exposure and breast cancer.
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Prenatal Organochlorine Exposure and Human Reproduction
PI:
Barbara Cohn, CHDS
Description:
Pilot study to collect semen samples from CHDS sons as preparation for a proposal to fund an examination of the relationship between prenatal exposure to organochlorines and semen quality.
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Immune Markers in Pregnancy and Breast Cancer
PI:
Barbara Cohn, CHDS
Description:
Examines clinically observed indicators of placental function as prospective predictors of maternal breast cancer
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