PFAS (forever chemical) levels and breast cancer risk during menopause
Environmental Chemical Body Burden and Prospective Breast Cancer Risk in the Cancer Prevention Study-3 Cohort
This work looks at whether higher PFAS chemical levels in the blood raise the chance of invasive breast cancer for women going through the menopausal transition.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Beckman Research Institute/city of Hope NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Duarte, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11319758 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Researchers will compare PFAS levels measured in blood samples taken 1–7 years before diagnosis from 1,000 women who developed invasive breast cancer and 1,000 matched women who did not, all from the American Cancer Society CPS-3 cohort. They will also study DNA methylation patterns and features of the breast microenvironment to see if those changes link PFAS exposure with cancer risk. The focus is on the menopausal transition because changing hormones may interact with these persistent chemicals. Samples will be analyzed centrally to look for patterns that might explain how PFAS exposure relates to later breast cancer.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are women enrolled in the ACS Cancer Prevention Study-3 who provided blood samples during the years around the menopausal transition.
Not a fit: Women who are not part of the CPS-3 cohort, men, or those without available blood samples would not be able to participate or benefit directly from this project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the findings could help identify PFAS as a modifiable risk factor and guide prevention, monitoring, or policy actions for women near menopause.
How similar studies have performed: Previous human studies of PFAS and breast cancer have been limited and inconclusive, so this larger prospective approach is relatively novel.
Where this research is happening
Duarte, United States
- Beckman Research Institute/city of Hope — Duarte, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Neuhausen, Susan L. — Beckman Research Institute/city of Hope
- Study coordinator: Neuhausen, Susan L.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.