Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

The Long Island Breast Cancer Study Project: Description of a Multi-Institutional Collaboration to Identify Environmental Risk Factors for Breast Cancer

  • Published:
Breast Cancer Research and Treatment Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The Long Island Breast Cancer Study Project is a federally mandated, population-based case-control study to determine whether breast cancer risk among women in the counties of Nassau and Suffolk, NY, is associated with selected environmental exposures, assessed by blood samples, self-reports, and environmental home samples. This report describes the collaborative project's background, rationale, methods, participation rates, and distributions of known risk factors for breast cancer by case-control status, by blood donation, and by availability of environmental home samples. Interview response rates among eligible cases and controls were 82.1% (n, = 1,508) and 62.8% (n = 1,556), respectively. Among case and control respondents who completed the interviewer-administered questionnaire, 98.2 and 97.6% self-completed the food frequency questionnaire; 73.0 and 73.3% donated a blood sample; and 93.0 and 83.3% donated a urine sample. Among a random sample of case and control respondents who are long-term residents, samples of dust (83.6 and 83.0%); soil (93.5 and 89.7%); and water (94.3 and 93.9%) were collected. Established risk factors for breast cancer that were found to increase risk among Long Island women include lower parity, late age at first birth, little or no breast feeding, and family history of breast cancer. Factors that were found to be associated with a decreased likelihood that a respondent would donate blood include increasing age and past smoking; factors associated with an increased probability include white or other race, alcohol use, ever breastfed, ever use of hormone replacement therapy, ever use of oral contraceptives, and ever had a mammogram. Long-term residents (defined as 15+ years in the interview home) with environmental home samples did not differ from other long-term residents, although there were a number of differences in risk factor distributions between long-term residents and other participants, as anticipated.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Carson R: Silent Spring. Houghton Mifflin, New York, 1962, pp 158–161

    Google Scholar 

  2. New York State Department of Health, Bureau of Cancer Epidemiology: Cancer Incidence and Mortality by County, 1992–1996, Vol I, New York State, 1999 (http://www.health. state.ny.us/nysdoh/cancer/volume1._htm)

  3. Graham JD, Clemente K, Glass R: Breast cancer: what are the perceived risk factors? Harvard Center Risk Anal. 4(5): 1–2, 1996

    Google Scholar 

  4. Kelsey JL, Horn-Ross P: Breast cancer: magnitude of the problem. Epidemiol Rev 15: 7–16, 1993

    Google Scholar 

  5. Hunter D, Willett W: Diet and breast cancer risk. Epidemiol Rev 15: 110–132, 1993

    Google Scholar 

  6. Baron JA, La Vecchia C, Levi F: The antiestrogenic effect of cigarette smoking in women. Amer J Obstet Gynecol 162: 502–514, 1990

    Google Scholar 

  7. Palmer JR, Rosenberg LR: Cigarette smoking and the risk of breast cancer. Epidemiol Rev 15: 145–156, 1993

    Google Scholar 

  8. Sandler DP, Everson RB, Wilcox AJ: Passive smoking in adulthood and cancer risk. Am J Epidemiol 121: 37–48, 1985

    Google Scholar 

  9. Morabia A, Bernstein M, Heritier S, Khatchatrian N: Relation of breast cancer with passive and active exposure to tobacco smoke. Amer J Epidemiol 143: 918–928, 1996

    Google Scholar 

  10. Rosenberg LR, Palmer JR: Alcohol and the risk of breast cancer. Epidemiol Rev 15: 133–144 1993

    Google Scholar 

  11. Swanson CA, Coates RJ, Malone KE, Gammon MD, Schoenberg JB, Brogan DJ, McAdams M, Potischman NA, Hoover RN, Brinton LA: Alcohol consumption and breast cancer risk among women under age 45. Epidemiol 8: 231–237, 1997

    Google Scholar 

  12. John EM, Kelsey JL: Environmental risk factors for breast cancer. Epidemiol Rev 15: 157–162, 1993

    Google Scholar 

  13. Kelsey JL, Bernstein L: Epidemiology and prevention of breast cancer. Annu Rev Public Health 17: 47–67, 1996

    Google Scholar 

  14. Bernstein L, Ross RK: Endogenous hormones and breast cancer risk. Epidemiol Rev 15: 48–65, 1993

    Google Scholar 

  15. Pike MC, Spicer DV, Dahmoush L, Press MF: Estrogens, progestogens, normal breast cell proliferation, and breast cancer risk. Epidemiol Rev 15: 17–35, 1993

    Google Scholar 

  16. Stevens RG: Electric power use and breast cancer: a hypo-thesis. Am J Epidemiol 25: 556–561, 1987

    Google Scholar 

  17. El-Bayoumy K: Environmental carcinogens that may be in-volved in human breast cancer etiology. Chem Res Toxicol 5: 585–590, 1992

    Google Scholar 

  18. Morris JJ, Seifter E: The role of aromatic hydrocarbons in the genesis of breast cancer. Med Hypoth 38: 177–184, 1992

    Google Scholar 

  19. Davis DL, Bradlow L, Wolff M, Woodruff T, Hoel DG, Anton-Culver H: Medical hypothesis: xenoestorgens as preventable causes of breast cancer. Environ Health Perspect 101: 372–377, 1993

    Google Scholar 

  20. Gammon MD, John EM: Recent etiologic hypotheses con-cerning breast cancer. Epidemiol Rev 15: 163–168, 1993

    Google Scholar 

  21. Adami H-O, Lipworth L, Titus-Ernstoff L, Hseish C-C, Hanberg A, Ahlborg U, Baron J, Trichopoulos D: Organo-chlorine compounds and estrogen-related cancers in women. Cancer Causes Cont 6: 551–566, 1995

    Google Scholar 

  22. Ahlborg UG, Lipworth L, Titus-Ernstoff L, Hsieh C-C, Hanberg A, Baron J, Trichopoulos D, Adami H-O: Organo-chlorine compounds in relation to breast cancer, endometrial cancer, and endometriosis: an assessment of the biological and epidemiological evidence. Crit Rev Toxicol 25: 463–531, 1995

    Google Scholar 

  23. Houghton DL, Ritter L: Organochlorine residues and risk of breast cancer. J Amer Coll Toxicol 14: 71–89, 19

    Google Scholar 

  24. Hoffmann W: Organochlorine compounds: risk of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and breast cancer? Arch Environ Health 51: 189–192

    Google Scholar 

  25. Stevens RG, Davis S: The melatonin hypothesis: electric power and breast cancer. Environ Health Perspect 104 (suppl 1): 135–140, 1996

    Google Scholar 

  26. Wolff MS, Collman GW, Barrett JC, Huff J: Breast cancer and environmental risk factors: epidemiological and experimental findings. Annu Rev Pharmacol Toxicol 36: 573–596, 1996.

    Google Scholar 

  27. Laden F, Hunter DJ: Environmental risk factors and female breast cancer. Annu Rev Publ Health 19: 101–123, 1998

    Google Scholar 

  28. Welp EA, Weiderpass L, Boffetta P, Vainio H, Vasama-Neuvonen K, Petralia S, Partanen TJ: Environmental risk factors of breast cancer. Scand J Work Environ Health 24: 3–7, 1998

    Google Scholar 

  29. Larson SP: Environmental chemicals and their role in breast carcinogenesis: suitability for inclusion in an epidemiological study. Unpublished Masters' Essay, Columbia University School of Public Health, 1997

  30. Arcaro KF, O'Keefe PW, Yang Y, Clayton W, Gierthy JF: Antiestrogenicity of environmental polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in human breast cancer cells. Toxicology 133: 115–127, 1999

    Google Scholar 

  31. Millikan R, DeVoto E, Newman B, Savitz D: Studying environmental influences and breast cancer risk: suggestions for an integrated population-based approach. Breast Cancer Res Treat 35: 79–89, 1995

    Google Scholar 

  32. Newman B, Moorman PG, Millikan R, Qaqusg BF, Geradts J, Aldrich, Liu ET: The Carolina breast cancer study: integrating population-based epidemiology and molecular biology. Breast Cancer Res Treat 35: 51–60, 1995

  33. Ambrosone CB, Freudenheim JL GS, Marshall JR, Vena JE, Brasure JR, Michalek AM, Laughlin R, Nemoto T, Gillenwater KA, Harrington AM: Cigarette smoking, N-acetyltransferase 2 genetic polymorphisms, and breast cancer risk. J Amer Med Assoc 276: 1494–1501, 1996

    Google Scholar 

  34. Kabat GC, Chang CJ, Sparano JA, Sepkovic DW, Hu X-P, Khalil A, Rosenblatt R, Bradlow HL: Urinary estrogen metabolites and breast cancer: a case-control study. Cancer Epidemiol Biomark Prev 6: 505–509, 1997

    Google Scholar 

  35. Helzlsouer KJ, Selmin O, Huang HY, Strickland PT, Hoffman S, Alberg AJ, Watson M, Comstock GW, Bell D: Association between glutathione S-transferase M1, P1, and T1 genetic polymorphisms and development of breast cancer. J Nat Cancer Inst 90: 512–518, 1998

    Google Scholar 

  36. Gammon MD, Hibshoosh H, Terry MB, Bose S, Schoenberg JB, Brinton LA, Bernstein JL, Thompson WD: Cigarette smoking and other risk factors in relation to p53 protein expression in breast cancer among young women. Cancer Epidemiol Biomark Prev 8: 255–263, 1999

    Google Scholar 

  37. Moysich KB, Shields PG, Freudenheim JL, Schisterman EF, Vena JE, Kostyniak P, Greizerstein H, Marshall JR, Graham S, Ambrosone CB: Polychlorinated biphenyls, cytochrome P4501A1 polymorphism, and postmenopausal breast cancer risk. Cancer Epidemiol Biomark Prev 8: 41–44, 1999

    Google Scholar 

  38. Gammon MD, Wolff MS, Neugut AI, Terry MB, Britton JA, Greenebaum E, Hibshoosh H, Levin B, Wang Q, Santella R: Treatment for breast cancer and blood levels of chlorinated hydrocarbons. Cancer Epidemiol Biomark Prev 5: 467–471, 1996

    Google Scholar 

  39. Gammon MD, Wolff MS, Neugut AI, Terry MB, Papadopoulos K, Levin B, Wang Q, Santella RM: Temporal variation in chlorinated hydrocarbons in healthy women. Cancer Epidemiol Biomark Prev 6: 327–332, 1997

    Google Scholar 

  40. Waksberg J: Sampling methods for random digit dialing. J Amer Statistic Assoc 73: 40–46, 1978

    Google Scholar 

  41. Slattery ML, Edwards SL, Caan BJ, Kerber RA, Potter JD: Response rates among control subjects in case-control studies. Ann Epidemiol 5: 245–249, 1995

    Google Scholar 

  42. Moorman PG, Newman B, Millikan R, Tse C-K, Sandler DP: Participation rates in a case-control study: the impact of age, race and race of interviewer. Ann Epidemiol 9: 188–195, 1999

    Google Scholar 

  43. Block G, Hartman AM, Dresser CM, Carroll MD, Gannon J, Gardner L: A data-based approach to diet questionnaire design and testing. Amer J Epidemiol 124: 453–469, 1986

    Google Scholar 

  44. Block G, Woods M, Potosky A, Clifford C: Validation of a self-administered diet history questionnaire using multiple diet records. J Clin Epidemiol 43: 1327–1335, 1990

    Google Scholar 

  45. Potischman N, Swanson CA, Coates RJ, Weiss HA, Brogan DR, Stanford JL, Schoenberg JB, Gammon MD, Brinton LA: Dietary relationships with early onset (under age 45) breast cancer in a case-control study: influence of chemotherapy treatment. Cancer Causes Cont 8: 713–721, 1997

    Google Scholar 

  46. Schlesselman JJ: Case-Control Studies: Design, Conduct, Analysis. Oxford University Press, New York, 1982

    Google Scholar 

  47. Selvin S: Statistical Analysis of Epidemiologic Data. 2nd edn, Oxford University Press, New York, 1996

    Google Scholar 

  48. Hoffman S, Grisso JA, Kelsey JL, Gammon MD, O'Brien LA: Parity, lactation, and hip fracture. Osteopor Int 3: 171–176, 1993

    Google Scholar 

  49. Olson SH, Kelsey JL, Pearson TA, Levin B: Evaluation of random digit dialing as a method of control selection in case-control studies. Am J Epidemiol 135: 210–222, 1992

    Google Scholar 

  50. Millikan RC, Pittman GS, Newman B, Tse C-KJ, Moorman PG, Bell DA: N-acetyltransferases 1 and 2, and breast cancer risk. Cancer Epidemiol Biomark Prev 7: 371–378, 1998

    Google Scholar 

  51. Beyea J, Hatch M: Geographic exposure modeling: a valuable extension of GIS for use in environmental epidemiology. Environ Health Perspect 107 (suppl 1): 181–190, 1999

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, University of North Carolina, McGavran-Greenberg Hall, Chapel Hill, NC

    Marilie D. Gammon

  2. Division of Epidemiology, Joseph L. Mailman School of Public Health, New York

    Alfred I. Neugut, Susan L. Teitelbaum, Mary Beth Terry, Sybil M. Eng, Ruby T. Senie & Gail C. Garbowski

  3. Department of Medicine, College of Physicians & Surgeons, New York

    Alfred I. Neugut

  4. Division of Environmental Health Sciences, Joseph L. Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York

    Regina M. Santella

  5. Department of Community and Preventive Medicine, Mt. Sinai School of Medicine, New York

    Julie A. Britton, Mary S. Wolff, Maureen Hatch & Gertrud S. Berkowitz

  6. American Health Foundation, New York

    Steven D. Stellman

  7. Department of Preventive Medicine, State University of New York, Stony Brook, New York, NY

    Geoffrey C. Kabat

  8. Division of Biostatistics, Joseph L. Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY

    Bruce Levin

  9. Strang Research Laboratory, Cornell Medical Center, New York, NY

    H. Leon Bradlow

  10. Consulting in the Public Interest, Lambertville, NJ

    Jan Beyea

  11. Southwest Research Institute, San Antonio, TX

    David Camann

  12. Suffolk County Department of Health Services, Hauppauge, NY

    Martin Trent

  13. Division of Sociomedical Sciences, Joseph L. Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY

    Ruby T. Senie

  14. Westat, Inc., Rockville, MD

    Carla Maffeo & Pat Montalvan

  15. Department of Surgery, State University of New York, Stony Brook, NY

    Margaret Kemeny

  16. Department of Medicine, Long Island Jewish Medical Center, Queens, New York

    Marc Citron

  17. Department of Surgery, Columbia University, College of Physicians & Surgeons, New York

    Freya Schnabel

  18. Department of Surgery, South Nassau Communities Hospital, Oceanside, NY

    Freya Schnabel

  19. Department of Pathology, Winthrop University Hospital, Mineola, NY

    Allan Schuss

  20. Department of Pathology, North Shore University Hospital, Manhasset, NY

    Steven Hajdu

  21. Don Monti Division of Oncology, North Shore University Hospital, Manhasset, NY

    Vincent Vincguerra

  22. National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, NC

    Gwen W. Collman

  23. National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD, USA

    G. Iris Obrams

Authors
  1. Marilie D. Gammon
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Alfred I. Neugut
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Regina M. Santella
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Susan L. Teitelbaum
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Julie A. Britton
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Mary Beth Terry
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. Sybil M. Eng
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  8. Mary S. Wolff
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  9. Steven D. Stellman
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  10. Geoffrey C. Kabat
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  11. Bruce Levin
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  12. H. Leon Bradlow
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  13. Maureen Hatch
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  14. Jan Beyea
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  15. David Camann
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  16. Martin Trent
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  17. Ruby T. Senie
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  18. Gail C. Garbowski
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  19. Carla Maffeo
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  20. Pat Montalvan
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  21. Gertrud S. Berkowitz
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  22. Margaret Kemeny
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  23. Marc Citron
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  24. Freya Schnabel
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  25. Allan Schuss
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  26. Steven Hajdu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  27. Vincent Vincguerra
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  28. Gwen W. Collman
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  29. G. Iris Obrams
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Gammon, M.D., Neugut, A.I., Santella, R.M. et al. The Long Island Breast Cancer Study Project: Description of a Multi-Institutional Collaboration to Identify Environmental Risk Factors for Breast Cancer. Breast Cancer Res Treat 74, 235–254 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1016387020854

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1016387020854

Search

Navigation