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Cancer Control Research

Abstract

DESCRIPTION: (Applicant's Description) Advances in the treatment of childhood cancer have resulted in markedly improved survival rates. However, with these advancements, cancer survivors now face the long-term consequences of treatment with intensive, multimodality therapies. While the majority of prepubertal girls and adolescent females retain or recover ovarian function during or immediately after completing cancer therapy, preliminary data indicate that many of these young women are at risk for premature menopause in the future. We propose to study, in a cohort of young adult survivors of cancer diagnosed during childhood/adolescence, the prevalence of early menopause, risk factors for the development of early menopause, the impact of an early menopause on quality of life and psychosexual functioning. The study cohort will consist of 5,500 young adult female survivors of cancer diagnosed during childhood and adolescence, selected from a larger population of survivors of childhood cancer, the Childhood Cancer Survivor Study (CCSS), and 3,000 sibling controls. Data will be collected using a self-administered questionnaire and will include the following topics: menstrual history and menopause status, covariates of menopause, health-related outcomes associated with premature menopause, and standardized instruments which measure quality of life and psychosexual functioning. Detailed information concerning cancer diagnosis and treatment, including cumulative drug dosages and radiation fields/doses, will be known for all study participants, facilitating the study of end-points of interest. The large size of the study population, the heterogeneity of diagnoses and exposures, combined with the extensive treatment data, will allow assessment of interaction between the major risk factors of interest.