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Project Listing


Changing Environment & Human Health

Title: Does Exposure to Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) Increase the Risk of Breast Cancer? eoi - Progress update (pdf)

Summary of Activity

The aim of the project is to undertake an epidemiological investigation of the risk of breast cancer in relation to exposure to POPs. The study will be carried out on samples from breast cancer (BC) cases already taken from Greenlandic Inuit’s (women). This population is known to have a high burden of POPs being up to 10 times the level found in European and other Caucasian populations. The obtained data of 30 cases will be evaluated by comparison to 80 matched Inuit controls with respect to e.g. age, diet, alcohol and smoking. The investigation will include determination of serum levels of lipophilic and non-lipohilic POPs such as non dioxin-like (nonDL-) and DL-PCBs, organochlorine pesticides, and PFCs (perfluorinated compounds), respectively. In addition, serum trace elements, fatty acids (n-3/n-6 ratio), POP related bio-effect on hormone functions, total serum dioxin activity and hormone metabolites in urine. Moreover, determination of genotypes relevant for POP metabolism and breast cancer risk.

Contact:

Director, Associated professor Eva C. Bonefeld-Jorgensen
Centre of Arctic Environmental Medicine, Institute of Public Health,
University of Aarhus, Denmark
Tel: +45 8942 6162
Mobile: +45 2899 2480
Fax: +45 8942 6162
Email: ebj@mil.au.dk

ID number: EoI 1257
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