CPIC scientists studying breast cancer | Focus of our breast cancer research | Breast cancer studies | Collaborators | Products of our research
Breast cancer is the most common cancer occurring among women and the second leading cause of cancer death. Overall, breast cancer rates are very high in the Bay Area, due in some part to the lifestyle choices of our community (e.g., delayed childbearing, smaller families and greater use of hormone replacement therapyHormones (estrogen, progesterone, or both) given to women after menopause to replace the hormones no longer produced by the ovaries. Also called HRT and menopausal hormone therapy). However, our community is also very culturally diverse, so these lifestyle factors and the occurrence of breast cancer vary greatly within our community.
These circumstances compel CPIC researchers to investigate the causes, prevention, consequences, and changing patterns of breast cancer. In doing so, we focus on factors that may affect the development of breast cancer (i.e., potentially changeable as well as unchangeable aspects of lifestyle and the environment, and genetic variation) and on the experience of women after a breast cancer diagnosis (i.e., the effects of comorbiditiesComorbidity: The condition of having two or more diseases at the same time and patterns of care, and quality of life).
Our goal is to better understand the causes of this disease, its prevention and early detection, and how patients can live most successfully after a breast cancer diagnosis.
CPIC Scientists Studying Breast Cancer
The following CPIC scientists are engaged in breast cancer research (alphabetical order):
Ellen Chang, Sc.D.
Christina A. Clarke, Ph.D., M.P.H.
Sally L. Glaser, Ph.D.
Scarlett Lin Gomez, Ph.D., M.P.H.
Pamela L. Horn-Ross, Ph.D.
Esther M. John, Ph.D., M.S.P.H.
Theresa Keegan, Ph.D.
David Nelson, Ph.D.
Ingrid Oakley-Girvan, Ph.D., M.P.H.
Peggy Reynolds, Ph.D., M.P.H.
Rudy Rull, Ph.D., M.P.H.
Dee W. West, Ph.D.
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Focus of our Breast Cancer Research
CPIC scientists have been or are currently studying these breast cancer projects as well as the following aspects of breast cancer:
| Incidence |
| Racial/ethnic differences |
| Birth characteristics and breast cancer in young women |
| Patterns and causes of geographic variation (including breast cancer in Marin County and differences between Asians in the United States and Asia) |
| Disease subtypes (e.g., in situIn its original place and lobular and hormone receptorA cell protein that binds a specific hormone defined tumors) |
| Prevalence of established risk factors |
| Male breast cancer |
| Environmental and lifestyle factors |
| Air quality |
| Tobacco |
| Physical activity |
| Metals |
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Vitamin D (from diet and sunlight)
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Dietary phytoestrogensAn estrogen-like substance found in some plants and plant products. Phytoestrogens may have anticancer effects (from soy, whole grains, nuts and seeds, and some fruits and vegetables)
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| Dietary isothiocyanates (from broccoli, cabbage, and other cruciferous vegetables) |
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Dietary patterns
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Heterocyclic aminesAlso called HCA. A chemical that is formed when meat, poultry, or fish is cooked at high temperatures, such as frying, broiling, and barbecuing. HCA are carcinogens in cooked meat
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Alcohol
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Body size
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Breast feeding, hormone replacement therapyHormones (estrogen, progesterone, or both) given to women after menopause to replace the hormones no longer produced by the ovaries. Also called HRT and menopausal hormone therapy, and other factors related to menstruation and reproduction
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| Pubertal development |
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Epstein-Barr virusAlso called EBV. A common virus that remains dormant in most people. It causes infectious mononucleosis and has been associated with certain cancers and other childhood infections
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| Immune function |
| Microbes and infections |
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Medical radiation
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Migration and acculturationThe process/result of adopting the cultural traits or social patterns of another group
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Occupation
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Socioeconomic status and its correlates
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Family history of cancer
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| Built environment |
| Early detection |
| Impediments to screening |
| Accuracy of self-perceived risk |
| Risk notification among high-risk family members |
| Quality of life |
| Residual effects of treatment |
| Social support |
| Second cancers following ductal in-situ breast cancer |
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Collaborators who Conduct Breast Cancer Research with CPIC
CPIC researchers collaborate with a variety of scientists outside of CPIC, including the following who facilitate our breast cancer research programs by providing expertise in genetic, molecular, or laboratory methods and multidisciplinary perspectives in the interpretation of results.
| Collaborator |
Institution |
Expertise |
| Richard Ambinder, M.D., Ph.D. |
Johns Hopkins University |
VirologyThe study of viruses and viral diseases , oncologyThe study of cancer |
| Stephen Barnes, Ph.D. |
U. Alabama, Birmingham |
Biochemistry |
| Christopher Benz, M.D. |
U. California, San Francisco |
Oncology, molecular biology |
| Laura Esserman, M.D., M.B.A. |
U. California, San Francisco |
Oncology |
| Margaret Gulley, M.D. |
U. North Carolina |
Pathology |
| Sue Ingles, Dr.P.H. |
U. Southern California |
Genetics |
| Christopher Haiman, Sc.D. |
U. Southern California |
Molecular epidemiology |
| Alex Miron, Ph.D. |
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute |
Genetics |
| Hope Rugo, M.D. |
U. California, San Francisco |
Oncology |
| Elad Ziv, M.D. |
U. California, San Francisco |
Genetics |
| David Hirschberg, Ph.D. |
Stanford University |
Immunology |
| Allison Kurian, M.D., M.Sc. |
Stanford University |
Oncology |
| Julie Parsonnet, M.D. |
Stanford University |
Infectious Diseases and Epidemiology |
| Marcia Stefanick, Ph.D. |
Stanford University |
Cancer Prevention |
| Melinda Telli, M.D. |
Stanford University |
Oncology |
We also collaborate with large, interdisciplinary research teams on major breast cancer projects, including the Breast Cancer Family Registry and the California Teachers Study.
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Products of our Breast Cancer Research
Our research is typically reported in the scientific literature. Since 1997, CPIC scientists have published over 60 papers reporting results of breast cancer studies in the scientific literature.
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