Early-life etiology of prostate cancer

Although most epidemiologic research on prostate cancer focuses on risk factors in mid- to later-life, the prostate gland may be as or more susceptible to these factors during earlier periods of rapid growth and development, such as gestation and adolescence. Over the past 20 years, Dr. Sutcliffe has used life-course epidemiologic approaches to study possible early-life risk factors for prostate cancer, including hormonal, infectious, and inflammatory factors. She has studied these possible risk factors in numerous large cohort studies, including the Health Professionals Follow-up Study, the NIH-AARP Diet and Health Study, the Longitudinal Studies of Child Health and Development, and the Department of Defense Serum Repository.