Coordinator

Manolis Kogevinas

Funded by

CIBERESP, FIS

Website

http://www.mccspain.org/

The MCC-Spain study, conducted within the Spanish Consortium for Biomedical Research in Epidemiology & Public Health (CIBERESP), is a unique initiative to evaluate etiological factors for common cancers and will promote cancer research and prevention in Spain.

In 2008, the CIBERESP, within the framework of Cross-Sectional Action in Cancer, provided the resources to launch a population-based multicase-control study (MCC-SPAIN) in order to research the influence of environmental factors and their interaction with genetic factors in frequent tumours or tumours with peculiar epidemiological characteristics in our country, in which the environmental factors involved are not sufficiently understood.

The selected tumours are colorectal cancer, breast cancer, gastroesophageal cancer and prostate cancer. Chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL) has been recently added to the study. Colorectal cancer has been selected due to its frequency in both sexes. Gastroesophageal cancer has been selected due to its characteristic geographic pattern and the environmental hypotheses suggested. Prostate cancer has been chosen due to its frequency and its hormonal nature, sharing with breast cancer the etiological hypotheses of endocrine disruption. The study involves data collection using an interview as well as the obtention of several biological samples. The population controls have been selected from primary care centre lists and interviews are performed in these centres.

The MCC-Spain study is coordinated by Manolis Kogevinas (ISGlobal) and Marina Pollan (ISCIII). Researchers from the CIBERESP in 11 autonomous communities of Spain (Catalonia, Madrid, Asturias, Navarra, Basque Country, Murcia, Cantabria, Andalusia, Valencia, Castilla y Leon) are participating in the study. Up until March 2010 information and biologic samples were obtained from 1,600 population controls, 1,200 colon and rectum cases, 750 breast cancer cases, 450 prostate cancer cases, 120 stomach cancer cases, and the collection of leukaemia cases was initiated.