 |
|
Europe Against Cancer
European Commission |
|
|
EPIC Centres - webpages
|
DENMARK
The Danish Cancer Society, Institute of Cancer Epidemiology
Copenhagen, Denmark
-
Dept of Epidemiology, Institute of Public Health, Aarhus University
Aarhus, Denmark
|
Follow-up | Scientists | Activities | Funding
|
|
Background
"Diet, Cancer and Health" is a Danish follow-up study aimed at investigating the associations between dietary habits, lifestyle and cancer development. Potential participants were men and women born in Denmark, living in the greater Copenhagen or Aarhus areas, aged 50 to 64 years, and with no previous cancer diagnosis. The participants were recruited during the years 1993-97. A total of about 160,000 individuals were invited by mail and about 57,000 were enrolled into the study cohort. At enrolment, information on usual diet and on lifestyle was obtained using self-administered questionnaires. Further, body composition was described in detail and biological samples, including blood and urine, were collected and stored at -150ºC. This study became affiliated with EPIC in 1996.
|
| |
Males |
Females |
Number of participants |
Percentage of Danish cohort |
Percentage of EPIC-cohort |
| Aarhus |
8,433 |
8,721 |
17,154 |
30.07 |
3.29 |
| Copenhagen |
18,746 |
21,154 |
39,900 |
69.93 |
7.65 |
| Denmark |
27,179 |
29,875 |
57,054 |
100.00 |
10.94 |
|
Follow-up
Active follow-up has been on-going through 2001 and 2002 by sending out postal questionnaires which include questions on diet, lifestyle, self-rated health and social network. Questions were also asked about diagnosis of cardiovascular disease and diabetes. By the end of March 2002 a total of 51,000 participants had received a follow-up questionnaire.
By April 2008 a total of 2,190 men and 3,359 women had died after
entry into the EPIC study. At the end of 2006, cancers had been
newly diagnosed in 4,943 men and 4,819 women.
|
|
Scientists
|
Copenhague
|
Dr Anne Tjønneland
(Principal Investigator)
The Danish Cancer Society, Institute of Cancer Epidemiology
Copenhagen, Denmark
|
|
Anja Olsen, PhD
The Danish Cancer Society, Institute of Cancer Epidemiology
Copenhagen, Denmark
|
|
Jytte Halkjær,
PhD
The Danish Cancer Society, Institute of Cancer Epidemiology
Copenhagen, Denmark
|
|
Rikke Egeberg,
PhD
The Danish Cancer Society, Institute of Cancer Epidemiology
Copenhagen, Denmark
|
|
Nina Føns
Johnsen, PhD
The Danish Cancer Society, Institute of Cancer Epidemiology
Copenhagen, Denmark
|
|
Nina Roswall, MSc
The Danish Cancer Society, Institute of Cancer Epidemiology
Copenhagen, Denmark
|
|
Louise Hansen,
MSc
The Danish Cancer Society, Institute of Cancer Epidemiology
Copenhagen, Denmark
|
|
Rikke Dalgaard
Hansen, PhD
The Danish Cancer Society, Institute of Cancer Epidemiology
Copenhagen, Denmark
|
|
Ole Raaschou-Nielsen, PhD
(Head of programme Environment and Cancer)
The Danish Cancer Society, Institute of Cancer Epidemiology
Copenhagen, Denmark
|
|
Dr Christoffer
Johansen
(Head of department Psychosocial Cancer Research)
The Danish Cancer Society, Institute of Cancer Epidemiology
Copenhagen, Denmark
|
|
Pernille Envold
Bidstrup, PhD
The Danish Cancer Society, Institute of Cancer Epidemiology
Copenhagen, Denmark
|
|
Jytte Fogh Larsen
(Project coordinator)
The Danish Cancer Society, Institute of Cancer Epidemiology
Copenhagen, Denmark
|
|
Jane Christensen
(Statistician)
The Danish Cancer Society, Institute of Cancer Epidemiology
Copenhagen, Denmark
|
|
Kirsten Frederiksen
(Senior statistician)
The Danish Cancer Society, Institute of Cancer Epidemiology
Copenhagen, Denmark
|
|
Katja Boll
(Database manager)
The Danish Cancer Society, Institute of Cancer Epidemiology
Copenhagen, Denmark
|
|
|
|
Aarhus
|
Dr Kim Overvad
(Principal Investigator)
Dept of Epidemiology, Institute of Public Health, Aarhus University
Aarhus, Denmark
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Research Activities
| Copenhague |
- Studies on diet in relation to cancer. The most important
fields are alcohol, fruit and vegetables, meat/fish and
wholegrain products. In addition, studies on macronutrients
(fat and specific fatty acids, protein and carbohydrates),
micronutrients (vitamins and minerals) and risk of cancer
are carried out, including the influence and interaction
of dietary supplements. Another focus area is the association
between intake of phytooestrogens and risk of cancer.
- Studies on overweight/waist circumference in relation
to cancer, including the relation between diet and subsequent
development of overweigh/obesity and waist circumference.
- Studies on physical activity in relation to cancer. The
main focus is physical activity in relation to cancers of
the breast, colorectum and prostate.
- Prognosis and cancer. The Copenhagen centre has initiated
a new follow-up study, where women in the Diet, Cancer and
Health cohort diagnosed with incident breast cancer are
contacted and information is gathered about diet and lifestyle
after diagnosis through questionnaires. The women are followed
up for risk of relapse and death. Studies on prognosis of
lung cancer are also performed, including the influence
of genetic variations in DNA-repair systems.
- Coordination of the HELGA project, a Nordic project with
the primary aim to increase knowledge of health effects
of wholegrain foods
|
| Aarhus |
- Studies on diet in relation to cancer. The most important
fields are alcohol, fruit and vegetables, meat/fish and
wholegrain products. In addition, studies on macronutrients
(fat and specific fatty acids, protein and carbohydrates),
micronutrients (vitamins and minerals) and risk of cancer
are carried out, including the influence and interaction
of dietary supplements. Another focus area is the association
between intake of phytooestrogens and risk of cancer.
- Studies on overweight/waist circumference in relation
to cancer, including the relation between diet and subsequent
development of overweigh/obesity and waist circumference.
- Studies on physical activity in relation to cancer. The
main focus is physical activity in relation to cancers of
the breast, colorectum and prostate.
- Prognosis and cancer. The Copenhagen centre has initiated
a new follow-up study, where women in the Diet, Cancer and
Health cohort diagnosed with incident breast cancer are
contacted and information is gathered about diet and lifestyle
after diagnosis through questionnaires. The women are followed
up for risk of relapse and death. Studies on prognosis of
lung cancer are also performed, including the influence
of genetic variations in DNA-repair systems.
- Coordination of the HELGA project, a Nordic project with
the primary aim to increase knowledge of health effects
of wholegrain foods
|
|
|
Funding
| Copenhague |
Financial support is received from:
Danish Cancer Society
European Union
Danish Agency for Science, Technology and Innovation
Nordforsk
Nordic Cancer Union
|
| Aarhus |
Financial support is received from:
Danish Cancer Society
|
|
|
