Does hair dye cause breast cancer?
DR. SUSAN LOVE RESEARCH FOUNDATION LAUNCHES ENVIRONMENTAL EXPOSURES QUESTIONNAIRE
Health of Women [HOW] Study Follows People Over Time to Track Breast Cancer Risk Factors
June 25, 2014, Santa Monica, CA – Does hair dye cause breast cancer? Will my weekly mani-pedi increase my risk of getting the disease? Will my children have a higher risk if I smoke around them?
These questions, and more, are being addressed in Dr. Susan Love Research Foundation's Health of Women [HOW] Study through the latest questionnaire on Environmental Exposures. This questionnaire will capture data on certain environmental exposures over a person's life, including personal care product usage and exposure to secondhand smoke.
"We receive hundreds of questions every year at Dr. Susan Love Research Foundation asking about all the things that people say are causing breast cancer," said Dr. Susan Love, chief visionary officer. "The reality is, we don't yet know what causes breast cancer, and there is little scientific evidence that many of the things people fear are real risk factors for the disease. We created the Health of Women Study so we can track people over time and start to determine what increases risk and what doesn't."
The [HOW] Study is the largest long-term breast cancer study that is open to anyone aged 18 and over, including both those with and without a history of breast cancer. Launched in October, 2012, the [HOW] Study looks at trends over time to pinpoint potential risk factors, to develop approaches to reducing risk, to examine ways to improve survivorship, to identify possible causes, and ultimately, to prevent breast cancer. To date, more than 50,000 people have registered for the [HOW] Study, but more participants are needed to ensure that the data collected is applicable to a diverse population.
The study is conducted entirely online. Each participant creates a secure account where they answer questionnaires on topics such as general health measures, reproductive health history, personal and family health history, exercise throughout the life course, and the newest questionnaire which focuses on environmental exposures. Participants are notified by email every few months when a new questionnaire becomes available.
"This is a long-term study and in order to get the best data, we need a large, diverse group of participants who are willing to stick with us for ten-plus years," said Christine Fischetti, manager of epidemiology research at Dr. Susan Love Research Foundation. "Having participants with and without a history of breast cancer will enable us to make comparisons between these groups and examine potential risk factors. Through this process, we hope to develop approaches to minimizing or eliminating risk, and learn how to prevent breast cancer altogether."
To learn more about the Health of Women [HOW] Study, visit www.healthofwomenstudy.org.
About Dr. Susan Love Research Foundation
Dr. Susan Love Research Foundation is dedicated to achieving a future without breast cancer by engaging the public and the scientific communities in innovative research on cause and prevention. We do this through performing and facilitating innovative and collaborative research, translating science to engage the public as informed partners, and inspiring novel research.
Dr. Susan Love Research Foundation has received a 4-star Charity Navigator rating for three consecutive years, putting it in the top 12% of rated charities in terms of fiscal performance, accountability and transparency. The Foundation is also a GuideStar Exchange Silver Level participant and a member of the Better Business Bureau Wise Giving Alliance.
Dr. Susan Love Research Foundation, and its more than 376,000 volunteers nationwide, invite you become part of a movement to engage the public in breast cancer research with the goal of eradicating the disease once and for all. To learn more and show your support, visit www.actwithlove.org.
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For further information, contact:
Monika Wegener, Manager, Digital Marketing and Media Relations
mwegener@actwithlove.org
310.828.0060 or 866.569.0388
Provided by Dr. Susan Love Research Foundation
