Grant Number:	5R01CA072457-05 Interpret this number
Primary Investigator:	Bovbjerg, Dana
Organization:	Mount Sinai School Of Medicine
Project Title:	Familial Cancer Risk-Stress Induced Consequences
Fiscal Year:	2000

DESCRIPTION: A family history of breast cancer is the single best predictor of a health woman's risk of developing the disease. The long term objective of the proposed research is to investigate two possible pathways by which stress associated with this familial threat of breast cancer could further increase the health risks of these women: 1) Psychological factors (e.g., distress) may influence biological processes that play important roles in health and disease; 2) Fear and distress about breast cancer may influence women's decisions to engage in screening behaviors (e.g., mammography) that permit early detection and increase the likelihood of curative treatment. In addition, the project seeks to investigate the possibility that the consequences of stress associated with having a positive family history may be stronger in African American women, for whom the fear of developing breast cancer may be especially high. The proposed project has three aims. The first is to investigate the lasting psychological, biological, and behavioral consequences of having a family history of breast cancer. A naturalistic longitudinal study is proposed, in which 100 health women with family histories of breast cancer (Risk Group) and 100 with no cancer in first degree relatives (Comparison Group) will be assessed on three separate days approximately a month apart. Half of the women in each group will be African American and half will be white. Specific Aim 2 is to examine psychological and biological reactions to exposure to cues associated with the threat of breast cancer. An experimental study is proposed, in which 80 health women from each of the Groups in Study One will undergo assessments of psychological, cardiovascular, neuroendocrine, and immune variables before and after exposure to breast-cancer specific cues. Again, half of the women in each Group will be African American and half white. Specific Aim 3 is to explore the impact of women's negative emotional reactions to the threat of breast cancer screening guidelines. The data from the naturalistic and experimental studies will be combined to investigate the possibility that strong stress reactions to the threat of cancer may inhibit breast cancer screening behaviors.




The consistency of circadian blood pressure and heart rate patterns over three months in women employed in sedentary office jobs.
Authors: Niclou A.M. , James G.D. , Bovbjerg D.H. .
Source: American Journal Of Human Biology : The Official Journal Of The Human Biology Council, 2018-09-11 00:00:00.0; , p. e23177.
EPub date: 2018-09-11 00:00:00.0.
PMID: 30203463
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Ethnic differences in inter- and intra-situational blood pressure variation: Comparisons among African-American, Hispanic-American, Asian-American, and European-American women.
Authors: James G.D. , Bovbjerg D.H. , Hill L.A. .
Source: American Journal Of Human Biology : The Official Journal Of The Human Biology Council, 2016 Nov; 28(6), p. 932-935.
PMID: 27224455
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Daily environmental differences in blood pressure and heart rate variability in healthy premenopausal women.
Authors: James G.D. , Bovbjerg D.H. , Hill L.A. .
Source: American Journal Of Human Biology : The Official Journal Of The Human Biology Council, 2015 Jan-Feb; 27(1), p. 136-8.
PMID: 25156271
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The reproducibility of ethnic differences in the proportional awake-sleep blood pressure decline among women.
Authors: Van Berge-Landry H.M. , Bovbjerg D.H. , James G.D. .
Source: American Journal Of Human Biology : The Official Journal Of The Human Biology Council, 2010 May-Jun; 22(3), p. 325-9.
PMID: 19844896
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Relationship between waking-sleep blood pressure and catecholamine changes in African-American and European-American women.
Authors: van Berge-Landry H.M. , Bovbjerg D.H. , James G.D. .
Source: Blood Pressure Monitoring, 2008 Oct; 13(5), p. 257-62.
PMID: 18799950
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The rate of urinary cortisol excretion at work is persistently elevated in women at familial risk for breast cancer.
Authors: James G.D. , Gastrich H.J. , Valdimarsdottir H.B. , Bovbjerg D.H. .
Source: American Journal Of Human Biology : The Official Journal Of The Human Biology Council, 2008 Jul-Aug; 20(4), p. 478-80.
PMID: 18257060
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Higher levels of central adiposity in healthy premenopausal women with family histories of premenopausal breast cancer.
Authors: Dettenborn L. , James G.D. , Britton J.A. , Bovbjerg D.H. .
Source: American Journal Of Human Biology : The Official Journal Of The Human Biology Council, 2008 May-Jun; 20(3), p. 355-8.
PMID: 18161037
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Poor sleep the night before an experimental stress task is associated with reduced cortisol reactivity in healthy women.
Authors: Wright C.E. , Valdimarsdottir H.B. , Erblich J. , Bovbjerg D.H. .
Source: Biological Psychology, 2007 Mar; 74(3), p. 319-27.
PMID: 17011693
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Poor sleep the night before an experimental stressor predicts reduced NK cell mobilization and slowed recovery in healthy women.
Authors: Wright C.E. , Erblich J. , Valdimarsdottir H.B. , Bovbjerg D.H. .
Source: Brain, Behavior, And Immunity, 2007 Mar; 21(3), p. 358-63.
PMID: 17029702
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Breast cancer-specific intrusions are associated with increased cortisol responses to daily life stressors in healthy women without personal or family histories of breast cancer.
Authors: Dettenborn L. , James G.D. , Valdimarsdottir H.B. , Montgomery G.H. , Bovbjerg D.H. .
Source: Journal Of Behavioral Medicine, 2006 Oct; 29(5), p. 477-85.
PMID: 16944305
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Psychological distress among healthy women with family histories of breast cancer: effects of recent life events.
Authors: Kim Y. , Duhamel K.N. , Valdimarsdottir H.B. , Bovbjerg D.H. .
Source: Psycho-oncology, 2005 Jul; 14(7), p. 555-63.
PMID: 15543540
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Brief report: etiological attributions for breast cancer among healthy African American and European American women.
Authors: Kwate N.O. , Thompson H.S. , Valdimarsdottir H.B. , Bovbjerg D.H. .
Source: Psycho-oncology, 2005 May; 14(5), p. 421-5.
PMID: 15744781
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Heightened cortisol responses to daily stress in working women at familial risk for breast cancer.
Authors: Dettenborn L. , James G.D. , van Berge-Landry H. , Valdimarsdottir H.B. , Montgomery G.H. , Bovbjerg D.H. .
Source: Biological Psychology, 2005 May; 69(2), p. 167-79.
PMID: 15804544
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Acculturation and its relationship to smoking and breast self-examination frequency in African American women.
Authors: Guevarra J.S. , Kwate N.O. , Tang T.S. , Valdimarsdottir H.B. , Freeman H.P. , Bovbjerg D.H. .
Source: Journal Of Behavioral Medicine, 2005 Apr; 28(2), p. 191-9.
PMID: 15957574
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Health locus of control and perceived risk for breast cancer in healthy women.
Authors: Rowe J.L. , Montgomery G.H. , Duberstein P.R. , Bovbjerg D.H. .
Source: Behavioral Medicine (washington, D.c.), 2005 Spring; 31(1), p. 33-40.
PMID: 16078524
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Development and validation of a Breast Cancer Genetic Counseling Knowledge Questionnaire.
Authors: Erblich J. , Brown K. , Kim Y. , Valdimarsdottir H.B. , Livingston B.E. , Bovbjerg D.H. .
Source: Patient Education And Counseling, 2005 Feb; 56(2), p. 182-91.
PMID: 15653247
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Social constraints and distress among women at familial risk for breast cancer.
Authors: Schnur J.B. , Valdimarsdottir H.B. , Montgomery G.H. , Nevid J.S. , Bovbjerg D.H. .
Source: Annals Of Behavioral Medicine : A Publication Of The Society Of Behavioral Medicine, 2004 Oct; 28(2), p. 142-8.
PMID: 15454362
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Urinary catecholamine levels in daily life are elevated in women at familial risk of breast cancer.
Authors: James G.D. , Berge-Landry Hv H. , Valdimarsdottir H.B. , Montgomery G.H. , Bovbjerg D.H. .
Source: Psychoneuroendocrinology, 2004 Aug; 29(7), p. 831-8.
PMID: 15177698
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Family and friends with disease: their impact on perceived risk.
Authors: Montgomery G.H. , Erblich J. , DiLorenzo T. , Bovbjerg D.H. .
Source: Preventive Medicine, 2003 Sep; 37(3), p. 242-9.
PMID: 12914830
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Family histories of breast cancer, coping styles, and psychological adjustment.
Authors: Kim Y. , Valdimarsdottir H.B. , Bovbjerg D.H. .
Source: Journal Of Behavioral Medicine, 2003 Jun; 26(3), p. 225-43.
PMID: 12845936
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Stronger endocrine responses after brief psychological stress in women at familial risk of breast cancer.
Authors: Gold S.M. , Zakowski S.G. , Valdimarsdottir H.B. , Bovbjerg D.H. .
Source: Psychoneuroendocrinology, 2003 May; 28(4), p. 584-93.
PMID: 12689614
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Biased cognitive processing of cancer-related information among women with family histories of breast cancer: evidence from a cancer stroop task.
Authors: Erblich J. , Montgomery G.H. , Valdimarsdottir H.B. , Cloitre M. , Bovbjerg D.H. .
Source: Health Psychology : Official Journal Of The Division Of Health Psychology, American Psychological Association, 2003 May; 22(3), p. 235-44.
PMID: 12790250
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Read all about it: the over-representation of breast cancer in popular magazines.
Authors: Blanchard D. , Erblich J. , Montgomery G.H. , Bovbjerg D.H. .
Source: Preventive Medicine, 2002 Oct; 35(4), p. 343-8.
PMID: 12453711
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Heightened psychobiological reactivity to laboratory stressors in healthy women at familial risk for breast cancer.
Authors: Valdimarsdottir H.B. , Zakowski S.G. , Gerin W. , Mamakos J. , Pickering T. , Bovbjerg D.H. .
Source: Journal Of Behavioral Medicine, 2002 Feb; 25(1), p. 51-65.
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Social support, intrusive thoughts, and quality of life in breast cancer survivors.
Authors: Lewis J.A. , Manne S.L. , DuHamel K.N. , Vickburg S.M. , Bovbjerg D.H. , Currie V. , Winkel G. , Redd W.H. .
Source: Journal Of Behavioral Medicine, 2001 Jun; 24(3), p. 231-45.
PMID: 11436544
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Age and perceived stress independently influence daily blood pressure levels and variation among women employed in wage jobs.
Authors: James G.D. , Bovbjerg D.H. .
Source: American Journal Of Human Biology : The Official Journal Of The Human Biology Council, 2001 Mar-Apr; 13(2), p. 268-74.
PMID: 11460873
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Looking forward and back: distress among women at familial risk for breast cancer.
Authors: Erblich J. , Bovbjerg D.H. , Valdimarsdottir H.B. .
Source: Annals Of Behavioral Medicine : A Publication Of The Society Of Behavioral Medicine, 2000 Winter; 22(1), p. 53-9.
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It won't happen to me: lower perception of heart disease risk among women with family histories of breast cancer.
Authors: Erblich J. , Bovbjerg D.H. , Norman C. , Valdimarsdottir H.B. , Montgomery G.H. .
Source: Preventive Medicine, 2000 Dec; 31(6), p. 714-21.
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Psychological distress, health beliefs, and frequency of breast self-examination.
Authors: Erblich J. , Bovbjerg D.H. , Valdimarsdottir H.B. .
Source: Journal Of Behavioral Medicine, 2000 Jun; 23(3), p. 277-92.
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