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CompletedNCT00901966Updated Oct 28, 2020

Sun Exposure and Melanoma in Agricultural Workers

An observational study in Melanoma, sponsored by National Cancer Institute (NCI). Completed at 1 site in United States. Open to participants aged 18 Years to 100 Years. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2020-10-28.

Sponsored by National Cancer Institute (NCI) · Observational

Study type
Observational
Model
Cohort
Time perspective
Prospective
Enrollment
447
Ages
18 Years to 100 Years
Sex
All
01

Study summary

This K07 Career Development Award application is designed to expand Dr. Dennis career development from cancer etiology to cancer prevention and control. The career development plan rests on mentoring directed by experts in cancer prevention research and protected time to foster my professional development as an independent cancer control researcher. A unique population, the Agricultural Health Study (AHS) cohort, will be used to examine sun exposure, sun protection behavior, and factors affecting these behaviors regarding the risk of melanoma in private pesticide applicators (farmers) and their spouses.

The research plan proposed to examine skin melanoma within this prospective cohort of private applicators (mostly farmers) and their spouses in Iowa and North Carolina (the AHS) in association with environmental factors. Specific aim 1 examined the risk of melanoma in the AHS cohort using various existing measures of sun exposure adjusted for skin sensitivity and sun protection. Subsequently (for aim 2) qualitative research methods were used to design appropriate measures of sun exposure, sun protection behavior, and factors affecting these behaviors in private applicators and their spouses within the AHS based on the cohort analyses.

Now Aim 3 will be completed by conducting a nested case-control study of melanoma within the AHS cohort to examine in more detail sun exposure histories and protective behavior. The questionnaire was designed based on findings from the cohort analyses (aim 1) and qualitative methods (aim 2). The risk of melanoma will be examined regarding: a) the complex relationship of cumulative (sun exposure during each decade of life) and intermittent sun exposure (sunburns and sunny vacations), b) factors affecting behavior including attitudes about sun exposure and prevention, and c) the use of tanning salons and sunless tanning creams, particularly in spouses (expected to be rare overall).

The final aim is to use the results from the cohort and nested case-control studies to design a behavioral intervention, along with short computer automated telephone interview (CATI) that can be used in the whole AHS cohort or other farming populations. Funding for such studies will be sought through the R01) mechanism as an independent cancer control researcher. The behavioral intervention will be based on those factors that are the strongest risk factors for melanoma, highly prevalent, and easily modifiable. The behavioral intervention will be designed based on knowledge and skill gained from the Career Development Plan goals.

Read the detailed description

This K07 Career Development Award application is designed to expand Dr. Dennis career development from cancer etiology to cancer prevention and control. The career development plan rests on mentoring directed by experts in cancer prevention research and "protected time" to foster my professional development as an independent cancer control researcher. A unique population, the Agricultural Health Study (AHS) cohort, will be used to examine sun exposure, sun protection behavior, and factors affecting these behaviors regarding the risk of melanoma in private pesticide applicators (farmers) and their spouses. The research plan proposed to examine skin melanoma within this prospective cohort of private applicators (mostly farmers) and their spouses in Iowa and North Carolina (the AHS) in association with environmental factors. Specific aim 1 examined the risk of melanoma in the AHS cohort using various existing measures of sun exposure adjusted for skin sensitivity and sun protection. Subsequently (for aim 2), qualitative research methods were used to design appropriate measures of sun exposure, sun protection behavior, and factors affecting these behaviors in private applicators and their spouses within the AHS based on the cohort analyses. Now Aim 3 will be completed by conducting a nested case-control study of melanoma within the AHS cohort to examine in more detail sun exposure histories and protective behavior. The questionnaire was designed based on findings from the cohort analyses (aim 1) and qualitative methods (aim 2). The risk of melanoma will be examined regarding: a) the complex relationship of cumulative (sun exposure during each decade of life) and intermittent sun exposure (sunburns and sunny vacations), b) factors affecting behavior including attitudes about sun exposure and prevention, and c) the use of tanning salons and sunless tanning creams, particularly in spouses (expected to be rare overall). The final aim is to use the results from the cohort and nested case-control studies to design a behavioral intervention, along with a short computer automated telephone interview (CATI) that can be used in the whole AHS cohort or other farming populations. Funding for such studies will be sought through the R01 mechanism as an independent cancer control researcher. The behavioral intervention will be based on those factors that are the strongest risk factors for melanoma, highly prevalent, and easily modifiable. The behavioral intervention will be designed based on knowledge and skill gained from the Career Development Plan goals.

02

Conditions studied

  • Melanoma

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Keywords

  • Melanoma
  • Sun Exposure History
  • Agricultural Health Study
  • Sun Exposure
03

In context

Melanoma

3,005 studies on the registry are indexed under Melanoma; 519 are open to participants now.

This study's enrollment of 447 is above the median of 182 across 438 observational studies indexed under Melanoma.

Browse Melanoma studies →

Lead sponsor

National Cancer Institute (NCI) is the lead sponsor of 3,505 studies on the registry; 333 are open to participants now.

Of its 402 completed or terminated interventional studies of FDA-regulated products, 365 (91%) have results posted.

Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.

04

Who can participate

Ages eligible
18 Years to 100 Years
Sexes eligible
All
Accepts healthy volunteers
No
Sampling method
Non-probability sample

Study population

Members of the the AHS cohort -- registered private pesticide applicators (mostly farmers) and their spouses -- in Iowa.@@@@@@

Inclusion criteria

  • Registered Agricultural Health Study (AHS) participants in Iowa

Exclusion criteria

EXCLUSION CRITERIA:

  • prior cancer diagnosis other than melanoma
  • surrogates will not be used if a case has died before they are interviewed
  • participants under 18 will not be included.
05

Study design

Observational model
Cohort
Time perspective
Prospective
Enrollment
447 participants (actual)

Groups and cohorts

  • Agricultural workers and spouses

    Melanoma risk factors among Ag workers and spouses who use pesticides.

06

What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. Prevalence of melanoma

    Diagnosis of melanoma after enrollment into Agricultural Health Study

    Time frame: After enrollment

07

Study locations

1 site
  • National Cancer Institute (NCI), 9000 Rockville Pike
    Bethesda, Maryland 20892, United States
08

Updates

Tracking since Sep 25, 2026
No changes since tracking began. The registry record was last updated on Oct 28, 2020, before this site started recording changes on Sep 25, 2026. Its history is on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
09

Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT00901966
Lead sponsor
National Cancer Institute (NCI)
Responsible party
Sponsor
First posted
May 14, 2009
Start date
May 12, 2009
Primary completion
Oct 31, 2010
Completion
Feb 13, 2013
Last update
Oct 28, 2020

Study contacts

Laura Beane-Freeman
principal investigator · National Cancer Institute (NCI)
View the source record on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

Not currently enrolling

This study is completed, as verified in Oct 2020. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.

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