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Principal Investigator
Name
Neil Caporaso
Institution
NCI, DCEG, GEB
Email
About this CDAS Project
Study
PLCO (Learn more about this study)
Project ID
2007-0020
Initial CDAS Request Approval
Apr 26, 2007
Title
Descriptive Epidemiology of Emphysema and Lung Cancer
Summary
Although chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and specifically, emphysema frequently occur together, it is unclear whether the presence of emphysema constitutes an independent risk factor for the development of lung cancer. Studies that attempt to address this question are confounded by tobacco use which is a risk factor for each condition. In order to address this question, we propose to analyze descriptive data in relation to emphysema (by self-report questionnaire) and lung cancer (PLCO study diagnosis) in the screened arm of PLCO. The sample size and detailed risk factor data will provide some opportunity to describe the effects of smoking along with other key variables. In addition, we will investigate the relation of emphysema to the different histological subtypes of lung cancer. We hypothesize that emphysema is a strong risk factor for the more smoking related histologies (squamous and small cell), but is not a risk factor for adenocarcinoma.
Aims

Specific Aim #1 Describe the epidemiological characteristics of emphysema described by self-report in the screened arm Specific Aim #2 Describe the relationship of emphysema to lung cancer accounting for known risk factors such as age and smoking. Specific Aim #3 Describe the relationship of emphysema to the histological subtypes of lung cancer accounting for known risk factors such as age and smoking.

Collaborators

Elizabeth Azzato (NCI)
Nilanjan Chatterjee (NCI)
Richard Hayes (NCI)
Sheng Luo (NCI)
Martin Oken (University of Minnesota)
Paul Kvale (University of Minnesota)