The relatives will be used as controls for the original glioma cases in association studies and in a variety of genetic analyses to evaluate the roles of genetic susceptibility and environmental exposures on the risk of gliomas and etiologically related tumors. The study is not yet in the field. This investigation was initiated after a Congressional hearing in 1993. Accrual of study participants was completed in the late summer of 1998. Analyses of interview and questionnaire data are underway, and DNA has been extracted from lymphocytes in preparation for molecular genetic analyses.
Results concerning cellular phones are the focus of a manuscript currently in preparation.
Descriptions of aspects of study design have been published. C A case-control study of the relationship of sodium fluoride and osteosarcoma was initiated in response to a recommendation from a Public Health Service task force following a report of an animal bioassay study by the National Toxicology Program associating high doses of sodium fluoride with osteosarcoma. The findings had significant potential public health implications, given that fluoride is added to most water supplies in the United States to reduce dental caries. This investigation was launched in conjunction with Congressional concern over the high rates of breast cancer in Long Island. C A case-control study of oral cancer was launched in Puerto Rico, where incidence rates are substantially higher than for mainland Hispanics.