Frequently Asked Questions
WHAT IS THE SISTER STUDY?
What is the Sister Study all about?
The Sister Study is the only long-term study in the United States and Puerto Rico of women ages 35 to 74 whose sisters had breast cancer. This important study is conducted by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), one of the National Institutes of Health. The study will follow 50,000 women for at least 10 years to learn how environment and genes may affect the chances of getting breast cancer.
What will the Sister Study tell us?
Researchers believe the Sister Study will help us better understand reasons women get breast cancer, especially reasons that concern environment and genes. Results from the Sister Study may also help us understand reasons women get other diseases such as heart disease and other types of cancer. Knowledge gained from the Sister Study will be used to develop recommendations for preventing breast cancer in the future and promoting good health for women.
Who is running the study?
Researchers at the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) are running the study. NIEHS is one of the National Institutes of Health, part of the Department of Health and Human Services. The web site for NIEHS is http://www.niehs.nih.gov
The Investigators are —
Dale P. Sandler, PhD
Chief of Epidemiology Branch
Clarice Weinberg, PhD
Chief of Biostatistics Branch
Why is it important for me to help the Sister Study?
Breast cancer is a serious disease that will affect 1 in 8 women in the US over their lifetimes. We believe the Sister Study will give us valuable information about the different reasons women get breast cancer. This information may help us learn about ways to prevent breast cancer. Everyone’s life experiences are different although women from all walks of life may have common experiences that increase their chances of developing breast cancer. It is important that women from all backgrounds participate so that the results of the study will apply to everyone.
Is the research only about breast cancer?
No. We will study risk factors for other diseases, such as coronary heart disease, osteoporosis, and certain other types of cancers. These are important health concerns for women. Large cohort studies such as the Sister Study are very expensive. By using the data to study other diseases that might also be influenced by the environment, we can increase the value of the study and make good use of the important information you have shared.
Why has the Sister Study partnered with other organizations like ACS, Komen, Breast Cancer Network of Strength, and the Sisters Network?
The American Cancer Society, Sisters Network, Inc., the Susan G. Komen for the Cure, and Breast Cancer Network of Strength are supporting the Sister Study by using their own resources and/or opportunities to encourage women to participate. All of these organizations share the Sister Study’s interest in learning how environment, lifestyle, and genes may make some women more likely to develop breast cancer than others. Our partners are well-respected supporters of breast cancer research and advocates for women’s health. Their many connections and resources can help us spread the word about the study.
There are many other national, regional, and local organizations, as well as individuals, that are helping us reach African American, American Indian, Latina, Asian, and Senior women in their memberships and communities. Among these too numerous to list here are AARP, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, National Black Nurses Association, Native People's Circle of Hope, Office of Alaska Native Health Research, Redes En Acción (the National Hispanic/Latino Cancer Network), The Witness Project, only to name a few. The study website www.sisterstudy.org has a more complete list.
To what organizations will you provide information learned from the Sister Study and how will the information provided be used to benefit public health?
The information collected in the Sister Study will be used to identify risk factors that may increase the chances of developing breast cancer. The results will be reported in papers that will be published in scientific literature, including journals read by physicians, epidemiologists, and laboratory scientists. Results will also be reported in the national and regional press, and to the participants in newsletters and on the website. Published summary reports from the Sister Study will also be available to government and other organizations that make decisions about evidence that specific agents cause cancer or other diseases and to those who make policy recommendations. Also, these reports will be available to other investigators who may wish to test ways to prevent disease.
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