Attach 13B_Buccal Cell Contact Letter with Kit Iowa Prostate

A

www.aghealth.org

Executive Committee

Michael C. R. Alavanja, Dr. P.H.

Project Officer

National Cancer Institute

National Institutes of Health

U.S. Department of Health and
Human Services

Executive Plaza South, RM 8000

Rockville, MD 20852

Tel 301.435.4720

Aaron Blair, Ph.D.

Assistant Project Officer

National Cancer Institute

National Institutes of Health

U.S. Department of Health and
Human Services

Executive Plaza South, RM 8118

Rockville, MD 20852

Tel 301.496.9094

Jane A. Hoppin, Sc.D.

Epidemiology Branch

National Institute of Environmental

Health Sciences

National Institutes of Health

U.S. Department of Health and
Human Services

P.O. Box 12233

Mail Drop A3-05

Research Triangle Park, NC 27709

Tel 919.541.7622

Dale P. Sandler, Ph.D.

Chief, Epidemiology Branch

National Institute of Environmental

Health Sciences

National Institutes of Health

U.S. Department of Health and
Human Services

P.O. Box 12233

Mail Drop A3-05

Research Triangle Park, NC 27709

Tel 919.541.4668

Kent Thomas

Team Leader, Agricultural Health Study Pesticide Exposure Study

National Exposure Research
Laboratory

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

Mail Drop E205-04

Research Triangle Park, NC 27711

Tel 919.541.7939

Area Directors

Charles Knott, M.P.A.

North Carolina Director

Battelle

Centers for Public Health
Research & Evaluation

100 Capitola Drive

Durham, NC 27713

Tel 919.544.3717

Charles F. Lynch, M.D., Ph.D.

Iowa Director

University of Iowa

Department of Epidemiology

C21-L GH

Iowa City, IA 52242

Tel 319.384.5006

Marsha Dunn, M.P.H.

Coordinating Center Director

Westat

1650 Research Blvd.

Rockville, MD 20850

Tel 301.738.3557

Agricultural Health Study

Iowa Field Station

THE UNIVERSITY OF IOWA • 100 OAKDALE CAMPUS • N251 OH • IOWA CITY, IA 52242-5000 • 1.800.217.1954

ttachment 13B:

Buccal Cell Contact Letter with Kit for Iowa Respondents with Prostate Cancer

[date]

To: Agricultural Health Study Participant

From: Charles Lynch, M.D., Ph.D.

Director, Iowa Field Station

Thank you for your past participation in the Agricultural Health Study. You are one of nearly 59,000 people (mostly farmers and their spouses) in Iowa who enrolled in this study between 1993 and 1997. The study is designed to learn about how occupation and environmental factors affect an individual’s health. Thanks to your participation, this now is the largest study of its kind in the United States.

The main goal of this study is to look at pesticide exposures and chronic health conditions. Now that we are learning more about possible links between prostate cancer and pesticide use, we would like you to consider participating in an additional research effort. You are one of about 1,000 members of the Agricultural Health Study who have been selected to be contacted about this study. Because you have already contributed a tremendous amount of information about your pesticide exposure in previous interviews and questionnaires, this new study will have a head-start in understanding the relationship of prostate cancer to these exposures. The study will include people who have not been diagnosed with prostate cancer as well as people who have had this disease. The experiences of these two groups will then be compared.

We would like you to collect a sample of loose cells from your mouth. You may have done so for us in a previous effort, but this sample will be reserved specifically for later laboratory analysis that will involve genetic testing.

Simply swish the mouthwash in your mouth and then expel it into the accompanying container (see the enclosed DIRECTIONS FOR MOUTHWASH). In this package you will find everything you need, including consent forms. We also enclosed a $5 check for your time and effort in collecting and mailing the sample. Once you collect this sample, please return it as soon as possible in the enclosed padded envelope. Your participating will take only a few minutes and will provide very important information for the study.

If you have questions, please call us at 1-800-217-1954. We will be glad to assist you. We truly value your continued participation in this landmark study of agricultural workers and their families. Because you have already provided us with valuable information no other person can take your place.

Thank you once again for your time and support.