Sun Exposure and Melanoma in Agricultural Workers

NCT00901966 | Completed

• 2 other identifiers: 99990914309-C-N143
• Study Type: observational
• Target: 447
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

This K07 Career Development Award application is designed to expand Dr. Dennis career development from cancer etiology to cancer prevention and control. The career development plan rests on mentoring directed by experts in cancer prevention research and protected time to foster my professional development as an independent cancer control researcher. A unique population, the Agricultural Health Study (AHS) cohort, will be used to examine sun exposure, sun protection behavior, and factors affecting these behaviors regarding the risk of melanoma in private pesticide applicators (farmers) and their spouses. The research plan proposed to examine skin melanoma within this prospective cohort of private applicators (mostly farmers) and their spouses in Iowa and North Carolina (the AHS) in association with environmental factors. Specific aim 1 examined the risk of melanoma in the AHS cohort using various existing measures of sun exposure adjusted for skin sensitivity and sun protection. Subsequently (for aim 2) qualitative research methods were used to design appropriate measures of sun exposure, sun protection behavior, and factors affecting these behaviors in private applicators and their spouses within the AHS based on the cohort analyses. Now Aim 3 will be completed by conducting a nested case-control study of melanoma within the AHS cohort to examine in more detail sun exposure histories and protective behavior. The questionnaire was designed based on findings from the cohort analyses (aim 1) and qualitative methods (aim 2). The risk of melanoma will be examined regarding: a) the complex relationship of cumulative (sun exposure during each decade of life) and intermittent sun exposure (sunburns and sunny vacations), b) factors affecting behavior including attitudes about sun exposure and prevention, and c) the use of tanning salons and sunless tanning creams, particularly in spouses (expected to be rare overall). The final aim is to use the results from the cohort and nested case-control studies to design a behavioral intervention, along with short computer automated telephone interview (CATI) that can be used in the whole AHS cohort or other farming populations. Funding for such studies will be sought through the R01) mechanism as an independent cancer control researcher. The behavioral intervention will be based on those factors that are the strongest risk factors for melanoma, highly prevalent, and easily modifiable. The behavioral intervention will be designed based on knowledge and skill gained from the Career Development Plan goals.

Conditions

Melanoma

Keywords

Melanoma; Sun Exposure History; Agricultural Health Study; Sun Exposure

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Prevalence of melanoma

  Diagnosis of melanoma after enrollment into Agricultural Health Study

  After enrollment

Study Arms (1)

Agricultural workers and spouses

Melanoma risk factors among Ag workers and spouses who use pesticides.

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years - 100 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: No
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)
• Sampling Method: Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

Members of the the AHS cohort -- registered private pesticide applicators (mostly farmers) and their spouses -- in Iowa.@@@@@@

You may qualify if:

• Registered Agricultural Health Study (AHS) participants in Iowa

You may not qualify if:

• prior cancer diagnosis other than melanoma
• surrogates will not be used if a case has died before they are interviewed
• participants under 18 will not be included.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• National Cancer Institute (NCI): lead

Study Sites (1)

National Cancer Institute (NCI), 9000 Rockville Pike

Bethesda, Maryland, 20892, United States

Location

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Melanoma

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Neuroendocrine Tumors; Neuroectodermal Tumors; Neoplasms, Germ Cell and Embryonal; Neoplasms by Histologic Type; Neoplasms; Neoplasms, Nerve Tissue; Nevi and Melanomas; Skin Neoplasms; Neoplasms by Site; Skin Diseases; Skin and Connective Tissue Diseases

Study Officials

• Laura Beane-Freeman

  National Cancer Institute (NCI)

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Study Design

• Study Type: observational
• Observational Model: COHORT
• Time Perspective: PROSPECTIVE
• Sponsor Type: NIH
• Responsible Party: SPONSOR

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: May 13, 2009
• First Posted: May 14, 2009
• Study Start: May 12, 2009
• Primary Completion: October 31, 2010
• Study Completion: February 13, 2013
• Last Updated: October 28, 2020

Record last verified: 2020-10

Locations

US (1)