The Gynaecological Cancers Working Group

The Gynaecological Cancers Working Group coordinates all EPIC research on cervical, ovarian and endometrial malignancies, including cutting-edge research in the areas of etiology and risk prediction. The aims of the Working Group include evaluating etiological factors overall and by disease subtype, investigating novel biomarkers for use in risk prediction and as potential screening tools, and developing risk prediction models to inform screening. Research on nutrition-related risk factors, circulating hormones and inflammatory markers, and improving risk prediction using biomarkers is in progress.

EPIC is a member of the Ovarian Cancer Association Consortium (OCAC) and the Ovarian Cancer Cohort Consortium (OC3). OC3 includes the majority of prospective studies on ovarian cancer worldwide, and EPIC investigators are evaluating risk factors by histological subtype and the dualistic model of ovarian carcinogenesis (i.e. type I vs. type II tumours) within the consortium.

Selected publications:

  1. Fortner RT, Hüsing A, Dossus L, Tjønneland A, Overvad K, Dahm CC, Arveux P, Fournier A, Kvaskoff M, Schulze MB, Bergmann M, Trichopoulou A, Karakatsani A, La Vecchia C, Masala G, Pala V, Mattiello A, Tumino R, Ricceri F, van Gils CH, Monninkhof EM, Bonet C, Quirós JR, Sanchez MJ, Rodríguez-Palacios DÁ, Barricarte A, Amiano P, Allen NE, Travis RC, Gunter MJ, Viallon V, Weiderpass E, Riboli E, Kaaks R. Theoretical potential for endometrial cancer prevention through primary risk factor modification: Estimates from the EPIC cohort. Int J Cancer. 2020 Feb 3. doi: 10.1002/ijc.32901. [Epub ahead of print] PMID: 32011733.
  2. Sasamoto N, Babic A, Rosner BA, Fortner RT, Vitonis AF, Yamamoto H, Fichorova RN, Titus LJ, Tjønneland A, Hansen L, Kvaskoff M, Fournier A, Mancini FR, Boeing H, Trichopoulou A, Peppa E, Karakatsani A, Palli D, Grioni S, Mattiello A, Tumino R, Fiano V, Onland-Moret NC, Weiderpass E, Gram IT, Quirós JR, Lujan-Barroso L, Sánchez MJ, Colorado-Yohar S, Barricarte A, Amiano P, Idahl A, Lundin E, Sartor H, Khaw KT, Key TJ, Muller D, Riboli E, Gunter M, Dossus L, Trabert B, Wentzensen N, Kaaks R, Cramer DW, Tworoger SS, Terry KL. Development and validation of circulating CA125 prediction models in postmenopausal women. J Ovarian Res. 2019 Nov 26;12(1):116. doi: 10.1186/s13048-019-0591-4. PMID: 31771659; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC6878636.
  3. Sasamoto N, Babic A, Rosner BA, Fortner RT, Vitonis AF, Yamamoto H, Fichorova RN, Tjønneland A, Hansen L, Overvad K, Kvaskoff M, Fournier A, Romana Mancini F, Boeing H, Trichopoulou A, Peppa E, Karakatsani A, Palli D, Pala V, Mattiello A, Tumino R, Grasso CC, Onland-Moret NC, Weiderpass E, Quirós JR, Lujan-Barroso L, Rodríguez-Barranco M, Colorado-Yohar S, Barricarte A, Dorronsoro M, Idahl A, Lundin E, Sartor H, Khaw KT, Key TJ, Muller D, Riboli E, Gunter MJ, Dossus L, Kaaks R, Cramer DW, Tworoger SS, Terry KL. Predicting Circulating CA125 Levels among Healthy Premenopausal Women. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 2019 Jun;28(6):1076-1085. doi: 10.1158/1055-9965.EPI-18-1120. Epub 2019 Apr 4. PMID: 30948451; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC6548604.
  4. Cramer DW, Fichorova RN, Terry KL, Yamamoto H, Vitonis AF, Ardanaz E, Aune D, Boeing H, Brändstedt J, Boutron-Ruault MC, Chirlaque MD, Dorronsoro M, Dossus L, Duell EJ, Gram IT, Gunter M, Hansen L, Idahl A, Johnson T, Khaw KT, Krogh V, Kvaskoff M, Mattiello A, Matullo G, Merritt MA, Nodin B, Orfanos P, Onland-Moret NC, Palli D, Peppa E, Quirós JR, Sánchez-Perez MJ, Severi G, Tjønneland A, Travis RC, Trichopoulou A, Tumino R, Weiderpass E, Fortner RT, Kaaks R. Anti-CA15.3 and Anti-CA125 Antibodies and Ovarian Cancer Risk: Results from the EPIC Cohort. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 2018 Jul;27(7):790-804. doi: 10.1158/1055-9965.EPI-17-0744. Epub 2018 Apr 16. PMID: 29661801; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC6309875.
  5. Kaaks R, Fortner RT, Hüsing A, Barrdahl M, Hopper M, Johnson T, Tjønneland A, Hansen L, Overvad K, Fournier A, Boutron-Ruault MC, Kvaskoff M, Dossus L, Johansson M, Boeing H, Trichopoulou A, Benetou V, La Vecchia C, Sieri S, Mattiello A, Palli D, Tumino R, Matullo G, Onland-Moret NC, Gram IT, Weiderpass E, Sánchez MJ, Navarro Sanchez C, Duell EJ, Ardanaz E, Larranaga N, Lundin E, Idahl A, Jirström K, Nodin B, Travis RC, Riboli E, Merritt M, Aune D, Terry K, Cramer DW, Anderson KS. Tumor-associated autoantibodies as early detection markers for ovarian cancer? A prospective evaluation. Int J Cancer. 2018 Aug 1;143(3):515-526. doi: 10.1002/ijc.31335. Epub 2018 Mar 8. PMID: 29473162; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC6019150.
  6. Fortner RT, Schock H, Le Cornet C, Hüsing A, Vitonis AF, Johnson TS, Fichorova RN, Fashemi T, Yamamoto HS, Tjønneland A, Hansen L, Overvad K, Boutron-Ruault MC, Kvaskoff M, Severi G, Boeing H, Trichopoulou A, Papatesta EM, La Vecchia C, Palli D, Sieri S, Tumino R, Sacerdote C, Mattiello A, Onland-Moret NC, Peeters PH, Bueno-de-Mesquita HBA, Weiderpass E, Quirós JR, Duell EJ, Sánchez MJ, Navarro C, Ardanaz E, Larrañaga N, Nodin B, Jirström K, Idahl A, Lundin E, Khaw KT, Travis RC, Gunter M, Johansson M, Dossus L, Merritt MA, Riboli E, Terry KL, Cramer DW, Kaaks R. Ovarian cancer early detection by circulating CA125 in the context of anti-CA125 autoantibody levels: Results from the EPIC cohort. Int J Cancer. 2018 Apr 1;142(7):1355-1360. doi: 10.1002/ijc.31164. Epub 2017 Dec 11. PMID: 29159934; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC5805613.
  7. Fortner RT, Schock H, Jung S, Allen NE, Arslan AA, Brinton LA, Egleston BL, Falk RT, Gunter MJ, Helzlsouer KJ, Idahl A, Johnson TS, Kaaks R, Krogh V, Lundin E, Merritt MA, Navarro C, Onland-Moret NC, Palli D, Shu XO, Sluss PM, Staats PN, Trichopoulou A, Weiderpass E, Zeleniuch-Jacquotte A, Zheng W, Dorgan JF. Anti-Mullerian hormone and endometrial cancer: a multi-cohort study. Br J Cancer. 2017 Oct 24;117(9):1412-1418. doi: 10.1038/bjc.2017.299. Epub 2017 Sep 5. PMID: 28873086; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC5672934.
  8. Fortner RT, Vitonis AF, Schock H, Hüsing A, Johnson T, Fichorova RN, Fashemi T, Yamamoto HS, Tjønneland A, Hansen L, Overvad K, Boutron-Ruault MC, Kvaskoff M, Severi G, Boeing H, Trichopoulou A, Benetou V, La Vecchia C, Palli D, Sieri S, Tumino R, Matullo G, Mattiello A, Onland-Moret NC, Peeters PH, Weiderpass E, Gram IT, Jareid M, Quirós JR, Duell EJ, Sánchez MJ, Chirlaque MD, Ardanaz E, Larrañaga N, Nodin B, Brändstedt J, Idahl A, Khaw KT, Allen N, Gunter M, Johansson M, Dossus L, Merritt MA, Riboli E, Cramer DW, Kaaks R, Terry KL. Correlates of circulating ovarian cancer early detection markers and their contribution to discrimination of early detection models: results from the EPIC cohort. J Ovarian Res. 2017 Mar 20;10(1):20. doi: 10.1186/s13048-017-0315-6. PMID: 28320479; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC5360038.
  9. Fortner RT, Hüsing A, Kühn T, Konar M, Overvad K, Tjønneland A, Hansen L, Boutron-Ruault MC, Severi G, Fournier A, Boeing H, Trichopoulou A, Benetou V, Orfanos P, Masala G, Agnoli C, Mattiello A, Tumino R, Sacerdote C, Bueno-de-Mesquita HB, Peeters PH, Weiderpass E, Gram IT, Gavrilyuk O, Quirós JR, Maria Huerta J, Ardanaz E, Larrañaga N, Lujan-Barroso L, Sánchez-Cantalejo E, Butt ST, Borgquist S, Idahl A, Lundin E, Khaw KT, Allen NE, Rinaldi S, Dossus L, Gunter M, Merritt MA, Tzoulaki I, Riboli E, Kaaks R. Endometrial cancer risk prediction including serum-based biomarkers: results from the EPIC cohort. Int J Cancer. 2017 Mar 15;140(6):1317-1323. doi: 10.1002/ijc.30560. PMID: 27935083.
  10. Terry KL, Schock H, Fortner RT, Hüsing A, Fichorova RN, Yamamoto HS, Vitonis AF, Johnson T, Overvad K, Tjønneland A, Boutron-Ruault MC, Mesrine S, Severi G, Dossus L, Rinaldi S, Boeing H, Benetou V, Lagiou P, Trichopoulou A, Krogh V, Kuhn E, Panico S, Bueno-de-Mesquita HB, Onland-Moret NC, Peeters PH, Gram IT, Weiderpass E, Duell EJ, Sanchez MJ, Ardanaz E, Etxezarreta N, Navarro C, Idahl A, Lundin E, Jirström K, Manjer J, Wareham NJ, Khaw KT, Byrne KS, Travis RC, Gunter MJ, Merritt MA, Riboli E, Cramer DW, Kaaks R. A Prospective Evaluation of Early Detection Biomarkers for Ovarian Cancer in the European EPIC Cohort. Clin Cancer Res. 2016 Sep 15;22(18):4664-75. doi: 10.1158/1078-0432.CCR-16-0316. Epub 2016 Apr 8. PMID: 27060155; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC5026545.
  11. Merritt MA, Tzoulaki I, van den Brandt PA, Schouten LJ, Tsilidis KK, Weiderpass E, Patel CJ, Tjønneland A, Hansen L, Overvad K, His M, Dartois L, Boutron-Ruault MC, Fortner RT, Kaaks R, Aleksandrova K, Boeing H, Trichopoulou A, Lagiou P, Bamia C, Palli D, Krogh V, Tumino R, Ricceri F, Mattiello A, Bueno-de-Mesquita HB, Onland-Moret NC, Peeters PH, Skeie G, Jareid M, Quirós JR, Obón-Santacana M, Sánchez MJ, Chamosa S, Huerta JM, Barricarte A, Dias JA, Sonestedt E, Idahl A, Lundin E, Wareham NJ, Khaw KT, Travis RC, Ferrari P, Riboli E, Gunter MJ. Nutrient-wide association study of 57 foods/nutrients and epithelial ovarian cancer in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition study and the Netherlands Cohort Study. Am J Clin Nutr. 2016 Jan;103(1):161-7. doi: 10.3945/ajcn.115.118588. Epub 2015 Nov 25. PMID: 26607939; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC6459057.
  12. Obón-Santacana M, Lujan-Barroso L, Travis RC, Freisling H, Ferrari P, Severi G, Baglietto L, Boutron-Ruault MC, Fortner RT, Ose J, Boeing H, Menéndez V, Sánchez-Cantalejo E, Chamosa S, Castaño JM, Ardanaz E, Khaw KT, Wareham N, Merritt MA, Gunter MJ, Trichopoulou A, Papatesta EM, Klinaki E, Saieva C, Tagliabue G, Tumino R, Sacerdote C, Mattiello A, Bueno-de-Mesquita HB, Peeters PH, Onland-Moret NC, Idahl A, Lundin E, Weiderpass E, Vesper HW, Riboli E, Duell EJ. Acrylamide and Glycidamide Hemoglobin Adducts and Epithelial Ovarian Cancer: A Nested Case-Control Study in Nonsmoking Postmenopausal Women from the EPIC Cohort. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 2016 Jan;25(1):127-34. doi: 10.1158/1055-9965.EPI-15-0822. Epub 2015 Nov 23. PMID: 26598536; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC5699214.
  13. Bešević J, Gunter MJ, Fortner RT, Tsilidis KK, Weiderpass E, Onland-Moret NC, Dossus L, Tjønneland A, Hansen L, Overvad K, Mesrine S, Baglietto L, Clavel-Chapelon F, Kaaks R, Aleksandrova K, Boeing H, Trichopoulou A, Lagiou P, Bamia C, Masala G, Agnoli C, Tumino R, Ricceri F, Panico S, Bueno-de-Mesquita HB, Peeters PH, Jareid M, Quirós JR, Duell EJ, Sánchez MJ, Larrañaga N, Chirlaque MD, Barricarte A, Dias JA, Sonestedt E, Idahl A, Lundin E, Wareham NJ, Khaw KT, Travis RC, Rinaldi S, Romieu I, Riboli E, Merritt MA. Reproductive factors and epithelial ovarian cancer survival in the EPIC cohort study. Br J Cancer. 2015 Dec 1;113(11):1622-31. doi: 10.1038/bjc.2015.377. Epub 2015 Nov 10. PMID: 26554655; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC4705888.
  14. Hüsing A, Dossus L, Ferrari P, Tjønneland A, Hansen L, Fagherazzi G, Baglietto L, Schock H, Chang-Claude J, Boeing H, Steffen A, Trichopoulou A, Bamia C, Katsoulis M, Krogh V, Palli D, Panico S, Onland-Moret NC, Peeters PH, Bueno-de-Mesquita HB, Weiderpass E, Gram IT, Ardanaz E, Obón-Santacana M, Navarro C, Sánchez-Cantalejo E, Etxezarreta N, Allen NE, Khaw KT, Wareham N, Rinaldi S, Romieu I, Merritt MA, Gunter M, Riboli E, Kaaks R. An epidemiological model for prediction of endometrial cancer risk in Europe. Eur J Epidemiol. 2016 Jan;31(1):51-60. doi: 10.1007/s10654-015-0030-9. Epub 2015 May 13. PMID: 25968175.
  15. Ose J, Schock H, Tjønneland A, Hansen L, Overvad K, Dossus L, Clavel-Chapelon F, Baglietto L, Boeing H, Trichopolou A, Benetou V, Lagiou P, Masala G, Tagliabue G, Tumino R, Sacerdote C, Mattiello A, Bueno-de-Mesquita HB, Peeters PH, Onland-Moret NC, Weiderpass E, Gram IT, Sánchez S, Obon-Santacana M, Sànchez-Pérez MJ, Larrañaga N, Castaño JM, Ardanaz E, Brändstedt J, Lundin E, Idahl A, Travis RC, Khaw KT, Rinaldi S, Romieu I, Merritt MA, Gunter MJ, Riboli E, Kaaks R, Fortner RT. Inflammatory Markers and Risk of Epithelial Ovarian Cancer by Tumor Subtypes: The EPIC Cohort. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 2015 Jun;24(6):951-61. doi: 10.1158/1055-9965.EPI-14-1279-T. Epub 2015 Apr 8. PMID: 25855626; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC4454588.
  16. Li K, Hüsing A, Fortner RT, Tjønneland A, Hansen L, Dossus L, Chang-Claude J, Bergmann M, Steffen A, Bamia C, Trichopoulos D, Trichopoulou A, Palli D, Mattiello A, Agnoli C, Tumino R, Onland-Moret NC, Peeters PH, Bueno-de-Mesquita HB, Gram IT, Weiderpass E, Sánchez-Cantalejo E, Chirlaque MD, Duell EJ, Ardanaz E, Idahl A, Lundin E, Khaw KT, Travis RC, Merritt MA, Gunter MJ, Riboli E, Ferrari P, Terry K, Cramer D, Kaaks R. An epidemiologic risk prediction model for ovarian cancer in Europe: the EPIC study. Br J Cancer. 2015 Mar 31;112(7):1257-65. doi: 10.1038/bjc.2015.22. PMID: 25742479; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC4385951.
  17. Fortner RT, Ose J, Merritt MA, Schock H, Tjønneland A, Hansen L, Overvad K, Dossus L, Clavel-Chapelon F, Baglietto L, Boeing H, Trichopoulou A, Benetou V, Lagiou P, Agnoli C, Mattiello A, Masala G, Tumino R, Sacerdote C, Bueno-de-Mesquita HB, Onland-Moret NC, Peeters PH, Weiderpass E, Torhild Gram I, Duell EJ, Larrañaga N, Ardanaz E, Sánchez MJ, Chirlaque MD, Brändstedt J, Idahl A, Lundin E, Khaw KT, Wareham N, Travis RC, Rinaldi S, Romieu I, Gunter MJ, Riboli E, Kaaks R. Reproductive and hormone-related risk factors for epithelial ovarian cancer by histologic pathways, invasiveness and histologic subtypes: Results from the EPIC cohort. Int J Cancer. 2015 Sep 1;137(5):1196-208. doi: 10.1002/ijc.29471. Epub 2015 Feb 26. PMID: 25656413; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC6284794.
  18. Ose J, Fortner RT, Schock H, Peeters PH, Onland-Moret NC, Bueno-de-Mesquita HB, Weiderpass E, Gram IT, Overvad K, Tjonneland A, Dossus L, Fournier A, Baglietto L, Trichopoulou A, Benetou V, Trichopoulos D, Boeing H, Masala G, Krogh V, Matiello A, Tumino R, Popovic M, Obón-Santacana M, Larrañaga N, Ardanaz E, Sánchez MJ, Menéndez V, Chirlaque MD, Travis RC, Khaw KT, Brändstedt J, Idahl A, Lundin E, Rinaldi S, Kuhn E, Romieu I, Gunter MJ, Merritt MA, Riboli E, Kaaks R. Insulin-like growth factor I and risk of epithelial invasive ovarian cancer by tumour characteristics: results from the EPIC cohort. Br J Cancer. 2015 Jan 6;112(1):162-6. doi: 10.1038/bjc.2014.566. Epub 2014 Nov 4. PMID: 25349976; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC4453611.
  19. Ose J, Fortner RT, Rinaldi S, Schock H, Overvad K, Tjonneland A, Hansen L, Dossus L, Fournier A, Baglietto L, Romieu I, Kuhn E, Boeing H, Trichopoulou A, Lagiou P, Trichopoulos D, Palli D, Masala G, Sieri S, Tumino R, Sacerdote C, Mattiello A, Ramon Quiros J, Obón-Santacana M, Larrañaga N, Chirlaque MD, Sánchez MJ, Barricarte A, Peeters PH, Bueno-de-Mesquita HB, Onland-Moret NC, Brändstedt J, Lundin E, Idahl A, Weiderpass E, Gram IT, Lund E, Kaw KT, Travis RC, Merritt MA, Gunther MJ, Riboli E, Kaaks R. Endogenous androgens and risk of epithelial invasive ovarian cancer by tumor characteristics in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition. Int J Cancer. 2015 Jan 15;136(2):399-410. doi: 10.1002/ijc.29000. Epub 2014 Jun 16. PMID: 24890047.

Contact details/Working Group leaders

Rudolf Kaaks, PhD
Division of Cancer Epidemiology
German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ)
r.kaaks@dkfz.de

Renée Fortner, PhD
Division of Cancer Epidemiology
German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ)
r.fortner@dkfz.de