Genetic and Environmental Risk Factors Related to Esophageal Cancer
Purpose
RATIONALE: Gathering information about genes, cigarette smoking, and diet may help doctors learn more about risk factors that may cause esophageal cancer. PURPOSE: This clinical trial is studying genetic and environmental risk factors related to esophageal cancer.
Condition
- Esophageal Cancer
Eligibility
- Eligible Ages
- Between 18 Years and 100 Years
- Eligible Genders
- All
- Accepts Healthy Volunteers
- Yes
Criteria
DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:
- Meets 1 of the following criteria:
- Diagnosis of esophageal cancer (patient)
- Newly diagnosed disease
- Receiving care at Massachusetts General Hospital, Thoracic Oncology Center
- Friend or spouse of patient (healthy participants)
PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:
- No concurrent psychiatric incapacity or dementia
PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:
- Not specified
Study Design
- Phase
- Study Type
- Observational
- Observational Model
- Case-Control
- Time Perspective
- Retrospective
More Details
- Status
- Unknown status
- Sponsor
- Massachusetts General Hospital
Study Contact
Detailed Description
OBJECTIVES: - Examine the role of several genetically-determined factors in combination with cigarette smoking and diet in the etiology and prevention of esophageal cancer. - Identify polymorphisms in metabolizing enzymes (e.g., phase I or II metabolism [GSTM1, GSTT1,CYP1A1, CYP3A5, mEH, NQO1, GSTP1], DNA repair [XRCC1, ERCC2], free-radical formation [MPO, MnSOD], inflammatory genes [ IL1-beta], metastatic potential [MMP1], and cell cycle or tumor suppression [p21, p53]) and related path genes of susceptibility for esophageal cancer. OUTLINE: Blood and tumor tissue samples are collected. DNA purified from these samples is analyzed using DNA-based assays to determine polymorphisms in various related gene pathways. Patients complete questionnaires concerning environmental, smoking and diet habits. PROJECTED ACCRUAL: A total of 1,000 tissue samples from patients and healthy participants (750 patients and 250 healthy participants) will be accrued for this study.