Women's life-course cancer cohort
Life Course Cancer Epidemiology Cohort in Women
['FUNDING_U01'] · HARVARD UNIVERSITY D/B/A HARVARD SCHOOL OF PUBLIC HEALTH · NIH-11180348
Following over 116,000 women for decades to learn how lifestyle, biology, and environment relate to cancer and other health outcomes.
Quick facts
| Phase | ['FUNDING_U01'] |
|---|---|
| Study type | Nih_funding |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | HARVARD UNIVERSITY D/B/A HARVARD SCHOOL OF PUBLIC HEALTH (nih funded) |
| Locations | 1 site (BOSTON, UNITED STATES) |
| Trial ID | NIH-11180348 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this research studies
This long-running project follows women who enrolled as young adults and collects health questionnaires, medical updates, and biospecimens over many years. Participants have provided blood, urine, cheek swabs, and stool samples, and the team links records for cancer diagnoses and deaths. The study regularly updates information on diet, medications, physical activity, and environmental exposures to track patterns across the life course. By combining questionnaire data with biological samples and archived tumor tissue, researchers look for markers and exposures that relate to cancer risk and outcomes.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Adult women who are willing to join long-term follow-up, complete periodic health questionnaires, and provide biological samples would be ideal participants.
Not a fit: Men, children, or people unwilling to provide ongoing health information or samples would not be eligible and are unlikely to benefit directly from participation.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Findings could help identify risk factors and biological signs that lead to better prevention, earlier detection, and more personalized care for women.
How similar studies have performed: Large cohorts such as the Nurses' Health Study and the Women's Health Initiative have produced many important discoveries linking lifestyle and biomarkers to cancer and other diseases.
Where this research is happening
BOSTON, UNITED STATES
- HARVARD UNIVERSITY D/B/A HARVARD SCHOOL OF PUBLIC HEALTH — BOSTON, UNITED STATES (ACTIVE)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: ELIASSEN, A. HEATHER — HARVARD UNIVERSITY D/B/A HARVARD SCHOOL OF PUBLIC HEALTH
- Study coordinator: ELIASSEN, A. HEATHER
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.