Breast Cancer Sister Study: Health Story

Aired on Superstation WGN
Saturday, September 3 and December 10, 2005
Show 223

"When I was diagnosed with cancer, I shut myself out from the world," says Judy Houston, breast cancer survivor. There are over two million breast cancer survivors in the United States. "Now my two sisters and I are participating in a study.

"The "Sister Study" is a followup study on 50,000 high-risk women who have not had breast cancer but have a sister who has. This study investigates environmental causes as well as genes to determine what triggers cancer," says Dale Sandler PhD, principal investigator of the study, which is being done by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences. "It's important to include a wide range of ethnic and cultural backgrounds because exposure and life experiences may be different," says Dale.

"The study is easy to participate in, but it takes commitment," says Adrienne White, Vice President of Health Initiatives at the American Cancer Society. "The worst thing is to be diagnosed and feel powerless. This is positive action women can take," says Adrienne.

"We hope we'll be able to encourage others to become participants," say Judy's sisters, Brenda and Shirley.