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. 2017 Dec 20;125(12):127003.
doi: 10.1289/EHP1923.

The Sister Study Cohort: Baseline Methods and Participant Characteristics

Dale P Sandler  1 , M Elizabeth Hodgson  2 , Sandra L Deming-Halverson  2 , Paula S Juras  1 , Aimee A D'Aloisio  2 , Lourdes M Suarez  2 , Cynthia A Kleeberger  2 , David L Shore  3 , Lisa A DeRoo  4 , Jack A Taylor  1 , Clarice R Weinberg  5 ; Sister Study Research Team
Affiliations

The Sister Study Cohort: Baseline Methods and Participant Characteristics

Dale P Sandler et al. Environ Health Perspect. .

Abstract

Background: The Sister Study was designed to address gaps in the study of environment and breast cancer by taking advantage of more frequent breast cancer diagnoses among women with a sister history of breast cancer and the presumed enrichment of shared environmental and genetic exposures.

Objective: The Sister Study sought a large cohort of women never diagnosed with breast cancer but who had a sister (full or half) diagnosed with breast cancer.

Methods: A multifaceted national effort employed novel strategies to recruit a diverse cohort, and collected biological and environmental samples and extensive data on potential breast cancer risk factors.

Results: The Sister Study enrolled 50,884 U.S. and Puerto Rican women 35-74y of age (median 56 y). Although the majority were non-Hispanic white, well educated, and economically well off, substantial numbers of harder-to-recruit women also enrolled (race/ethnicity other than non-Hispanic white: 16%; no college degree: 35%; household income <$50,000: 26%). Although all had a biologic sister with breast cancer, 16.5% had average or lower risk of breast cancer according to the Breast Cancer Risk Assessment Tool (Gail score). Most were postmenopausal (66%), parous with a first full-term pregnancy <30y of age (79%), never-smokers (56%) with body mass indexes (BMIs) of <29.9 kg/m2 (70%). Few (5%) reported any cancer prior to enrollment.

Conclusions: The Sister Study is a unique cohort designed to efficiently study environmental and genetic risk factors for breast cancer. Extensive exposure data over the life-course and baseline specimens provide important opportunities for studying breast cancer and other health outcomes in women. Collaborations are welcome. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP1923.

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Figures

Flow chart showing enrollment and retention of participants.
Figure 1.
Sister Study cohort enrollment and retention.
Map of the USA marking sites of residence of the participants at enrollment.
Figure 2.
Sister Study participants’ residence at enrollment (ArcGIS, version 10.3.1, Esri; U.S. Census map, 2013 Cartographic Boundary File, State for United States, http://www2.census.gov/geo/tiger/GENZ2013/STATE/cb_2013_us_state_500k.zip).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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