Case-Control Study of Renal Cell Cancer Among Caucasions and African Americans in the United States

Incidence rates of renal cell cancer have increased rapidly in the U.S. and other countries. In particular, rates among African Americans have risen more sharply than any other cancer site. We propose to conduct a population-based case-control study of renal cell cancer two areas of the U.S. with a high proportion of African American residents: Detroit, Michigan (Wayne State University), and Chicago, Illinois (University of Illinois at Chicago). Westat, Inc. is the coordinating center. Participants are being recruited over a period of four years. A total of 2,100 cases (1,400 Caucasian Americans and 700 African Americans) and 2,800 controls (1,400 each of Caucasian and African Americans) will be recruited. In-person interviews are conducted with cases and controls to elicit information on demographic background and history of exposures. A 40 ml blood sample and a buccal cell sample are collected from cases and controls for genetic analyses. Tumor tissue blocks will be collected from as many cases as possible for assays of tumor mutations. Diagnostic slides will be collected for standardized reclassification of tumors into clear cell, papillary, and other histologic subtypes. Medical records for all cases will be reviewed for presenting symptoms, tumor stage, size and grade, and methods leading to diagnosis of renal cell cancer. Telephone interviews are conducted with the nest-of-kin of eligible cases who died before we could interview them. Permission is being sought from the next-of-kin to assess the case's medical records and obtain tumor tissue samples.