MARIE plus Study (Mammacarcinoma risk factor investigation plus)

Breast cancer is the most common cancer and leading cause of cancer deaths in women in Germany. Incidence has increased yet mortality rates have decreased since the mid 1990s, resulting in a larger number of breast cancer survivors. Whereas many risk factors for breast cancer development have been studied, the lifestyle, tumor-related and genetic factors known to influence recurrence of disease, occurrence of second cancers and survival are equivocal. Furthermore there is little research on the effect of lifestyle factors, such as menopausal hormone therapy, diet and physical activity, on prognosis and even less regarding their modification of clinical course after specific treatment modalities.

These questions will be addressed in the cohort of breast cancer patients, who participated in the MARIE study, and are enrolled in the follow-up study (MARIEplus) in the study regions Rhine-Neckar-Karlsruhe and Hamburg. Treatment information of cases has been collected. In addition, in 2009 a telephone interview was conducted to gather information on lifestyle changes and recurrences of breast cancer and secondary tumors. Follow-up on overall mortality and cancer incidence and mortality has been carried out until end of 2009 in collaboration with the cancer registries and local population registries.

Cooperations: Universitätsklinikum Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburgisches Krebsregister, Krebsregister Rheinland-Pfalz, Krebsregister Baden-Württemberg, Pathologisches Institut der Universität Heidelberg, Albertinen-Pathologie Hamburg.

Funding: Deutsche Krebshilfe e.V.

For further information:

• MARIE

• Vitamin D
• Phytoestrogen intake
• Physical activity
• Genetic factors
• Inflammation/metabolic biomarkers
• Immunologic tumor microenvironment