Hygiene Hypothesis and Breast Cancer a Novel Application of an Etiologic Theory for Allergies, Asthma, and other Immune Disorders

摘要

The 'hygiene hypothesis', the idea that reduced exposure to important microbes, especially in childhood, impacts development of asthma allergies, may have application to breast cancer. This research project aims to explore the hygiene hypothesis as it might relate to breast cancer development, thereby assessing its utility for more comprehensive future research. This research project will interview a population-based series of 500 Californian women recently diagnosed with breast cancer and 500 healthy control women as regards age-specific experiences relevant to microbial exposures. This project is currently at the end of Year 1. During this year, we met several aims. We developed a new, structured questionnaire, including appropriate questions about microbial exposures with breast cancer by translating concepts from the existing hygiene hypothesis literature and incorporating questions from questionnaires from breast cancer studies and a Hodgkin's disease study; pilot- tested this questionnaire extensively, with attention to appropriateness of study questions to older women and to women of different ethnicities; finalized study documents, and completed other preparations for study commencement. We have been delayed somewhat in obtaining formal approval from the appropriate Human Subjects protection authorities, which we need to being recruiting and interviewing potential study participants.