Study of Genes and the Environment in Patients With Colorectal Cancer in the East Anglia Region of the United Kingdom

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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RATIONALE: Studying samples of blood from patients with cancer in the laboratory may help doctors learn more about changes that occur in DNA and identify biomarkers related to cancer. PURPOSE: This study is looking at genetic susceptibility for cancer and interactions between genes and the environment in patients with colorectal cancer.

Detailed Description
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OBJECTIVES: To obtain epidemiological information and biological material on a population based series of colorectal cancer cases. To define the proportion of colorectal cancer incidence attributable to mutations in known predisposing genes such as MLH1 and MSH2. To establish whether mutations at other loci may predispose to colorectal cancer, by comparing the frequency of alteration candidate genes in colorectal cancer patients with the corresponding frequency in cancer-free controls identified through the European Prospective Investigation of Cancer (EPIC) study. OUTLINE: This is a multicenter study. Patients complete an epidemiological questionnaire. The questionnaire also requests identifying information about the patient's first-degree relatives. Blood samples are collected from patients. DNA is extracted from these blood samples, from samples collected from cancer-free control participants in MREC-SEARCH-CONTROL, and from additional controls through the European Prospective Investigation of Cancer (EPIC) study (a population-based study of diet and health based in Norfolk, East Anglia). DNA samples are analyzed for polymorphisms of low penetrance cancer susceptibility genes. In addition to the colorectal cancer patients recruited for this study, patients with breast, ovarian, prostate, colorectal, bladder, kidney, pancreatic, brain, and esophageal cancer, malignant melanoma, and lymphoma cancer are recruited for the following related clinical trials: MREC-SEARCH-BREAST, MREC-SEARCH-OVARIAN, MREC-SEARCH-PROSTATE, MREC-SEARCH-ENDOMETRIAL, and MREC-SEARCH-CANCER.

Official Title
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A Population Based Study of Genetic Predisposition and Gene-Environment Interactions in Colorectal Cancer in East Anglia

Conditions
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Colorectal Cancer

Intervention / Treatment
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* Genetic: polymorphism analysis
* Other: laboratory biomarker analysis
* Other: questionnaire administration


Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: Diagnosis of colorectal cancer within the past 5 years Identified in the East Anglia region of the United Kingdom PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: Identified by the patient's general practitioner as fit to contact for this study No serious mental illness or retardation PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY: Not specified

Ages Eligible for Study
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Minimum Age: 18 Years
Maximum Age: 69 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study
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All

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
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No

Study Plan
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How is the study designed?
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Arms and Interventions

| Intervention/Treatment |
| --- |
|Genetic: polymorphism analysis|nan|
|Other: laboratory biomarker analysis|nan|
|Other: questionnaire administration|nan|

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Acquisition of epidemiological information and biological material |  |  | 
| Proportion of colorectal cancer incidence attributable to mutations in known predisposing genes (e.g., MLH1 and MSH2) |  |  | 
| Exploration of mutations at other loci that may predispose to endometrial cancer |  |  | 

 Terms related to the study
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Keywords Provided by Centre Hospitalier Valida
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colon cancer, rectal cancer