The Breakthrough Generations Study: A Long-Term Study on Breast Cancer
Author Information
Author(s): Swerdlow A J, Jones M E, Schoemaker M J, Hemming J, Thomas D, Williamson J, Ashworth A
Primary Institution: Institute of Cancer Research
Hypothesis
What are the aetiological factors contributing to breast cancer risk?
Conclusion
The generational recruitment method has successfully gathered a large cohort of committed participants for long-term data collection on breast cancer.
Supporting Evidence
- Over 112,000 women have joined the study, providing extensive data.
- 92% of participants provided blood samples at recruitment.
- Follow-up rates are over 98% for the first follow-up questionnaire.
Takeaway
This study is like a big team of women helping scientists understand why some get breast cancer and others don't, by sharing their health stories and giving blood samples.
Methodology
Participants were recruited through a generational referral method, providing detailed questionnaires and blood samples.
Potential Biases
Participants may share similar characteristics, which could limit the diversity of data.
Limitations
The study may not represent the general population due to its specific recruitment sources.
Participant Demographics
Participants were women aged 16-102, with a broad geographic and socioeconomic distribution.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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