Nutrition-Related Biomarkers in Predicting Breast Cancer Risk in Women

Nutrition Modulated Metabolism as a Disease Risk Factor

RATIONALE: Studying samples of blood from patients with cancer in the laboratory may help doctors learn more about nutrition-related changes that identify biomarkers related to cancer. It may also help doctors predict a woman's risk of developing breast cancer.

PURPOSE: This laboratory study is looking at nutrition-related biomarkers in predicting breast cancer risk in women.

OBJECTIVES:

• To complete characterization of metabolic serotypes based on the metabolome, and to adapt these profiles for human epidemiological studies.
• To determine the extent to which metabolic profiles that are reflective of or independent of long-term caloric intake predict breast cancer risk in nested case-control studies.
• To identify critical serum metabolites.

OUTLINE: Laboratory studies, including metabolome profiling by high performance liquid chromatography; and small molecule identification by mass spectroscopy, are performed on previously collected blood samples.

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

• Meets 1 of the following criteria:

  • Confirmed breast cancer that was diagnosed at least 2 years after blood sample collection (case)

    • No prior diagnosis of cancer

  • Healthy participant (control)

• Enrolled in the Nurses' Health Study

• Banked blood samples available

• Hormone receptor status not specified

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

• Menopausal status not specified

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

• Not specified