My current research focuses on examining dietary, lifestyle, and hormonal factors in relation to cancers of the bladder and the pancreas. Although a relatively large literature exists on risk factors of bladder and pancreatic cancers, many of the dietary studies relied on retrospective assessment of diet. In addition, other problems with previous studies include selection bias, and next-of-kin proxy respondents (for pancreatic cancer). I am interested in clarifying associations between dietary factors and the risk of bladder and pancreatic cancers by using prospective cohort studies where detailed dietary data exists. I collaborate with Dr. Charles Fuchs at the Dana-Farber Institute, and with the Nurses? Health Study and the Health Professionals Follow-Up Study groups on both pancreatic and bladder cancer. In addition, I collaborate on several large prospective studies at the National Cancer Institute, led by Dr. Arthur Schatzkin and Dr. Demetrius Albanes.

Other areas of interest include the role of inflammation and the immune system function in carcinogenesis, specifically in relation to pancreatic cancer and brain tumors. In a recent study, an elevated risk of pancreatic cancer was detected among men with Helicobacter pylori seropositivity. Several studies have also reported inverse associations with history of allergy for both pancreatic and brain tumors. These findings suggest that the immune response to common infections or allergens, possibly through differences in genetic susceptibilities, may be related to cancer etiology.

SD, 1998, Harvard School of Public Health