Grant Details
Grant Number: |
5U01CA167552-09 Interpret this number |
Primary Investigator: |
Willett, Walter |
Organization: |
Harvard School Of Public Health |
Project Title: |
Cancer Epidemiology Cohort in Male Health Professionals |
Fiscal Year: |
2020 |
Abstract
PROJECT SUMMARY
The goal of this competing renewal application is to support the core infrastructure and continued follow-up of
the Health Professionals Follow-up Study (HPFS), a cancer epidemiology cohort (CEC) established in 1986
and including 51,529 male health professionals age 40 to 75 years at baseline. This cohort is unique in its
focus on men's health and follow-up of almost three decades, a time frame that is essential to realistically
understand the relation between modifiable factors and cancer risk. Over this period of time, data has been
regularly updated on diet, activity, smoking, weight, medications, and other potentially modifiable determinants
of cancer risk. An extensive biorepository has been established that includes DNA from most participants,
toenails, red cells, and plasma. Tumor tissue has been obtained from a high percentage of incident prostate
and colorectal cancers; a recent supplement is supporting collection of tissue for less common tumors and
noncancerous prostate tissue. Cohort follow-up has been consistently 90% or higher at each two-year cycle
and mortality follow-up is virtually complete. Epidemiological studies from the HPFS, alone and through
participation in consortia, have helped elucidate risk factors for cancer incidence and determinants of cancer
survival in men. With cohort members now in an age of high cancer incidence, the HPFS is in a highly
productive phase. During the current funding cycle, 325 papers have been published that utilize data and/or
biological samples from HPFS; 200 of these have specifically examined cancer or cancer precursor outcomes.
To date, 13,346 participants have been diagnosed with cancer and 3,571 cancer deaths have occurred; 5,791
men in HPFS are currently living with a cancer diagnosis. In the next funding cycle, we propose the following
aims. 1-) To continue active follow-up for cancer incidence and mortality and to update exposure data pre and
post-diagnosis of cancer. 2-) To update the food composition database that supports dietary assessment in
HPFS and the Nurses' Health Study I and II cohorts. 3-) To leverage a recently completed validation study of
physical activity and collaborate with colleagues in two multiethnic cohorts of men to calibrate physical activity
questions. 4-) To make a first time linkage to Medicare Claims data. 5-) To maintain the HPFS cancer tissue
biorepository, and expand collections of prostate and colon, and undertake a new collection of lung cancer in
nonsmokers. 6-) To maintain the other biorepositories including plasma, red blood cells, germline DNA, and
toenail samples. 7-) To undertake a new post-diagnostic blood collection among men with prostate cancer. 8-)
To maintain and augment the statistical infrastructure and data management of the cohort. 9-) To facilitate
resource sharing and collaborations with other CECs and outside investigators. With additional cohort follow-
up, particularly after cancer diagnosis, the HPFS remains ideally positioned to make innovative contributions to
our overall goal of reducing the burden of cancer by identifying primary and secondary prevention strategies.
Publications