Feasibility Study: Follow-Up of Bladder Cancer Patients From the New England Study of Environment and Health

Background:

• Bladder cancer often recurs after treatment and patient survival varies greatly.
• More knowledge is needed about factors that can help identify patients who are at greater risk of disease recurrence and progression to minimize the need for screening and to help guide treatment.
• The New England Study of Environment and Health (NESEH), conducted by the departments of health in Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont, the Dartmouth Medical School and the NIH, examined the relationship between health and environmental factors such as smoking, diet and water quality in New England. This study provides an opportunity to learn more about patients with bladder cancer.
• Before launching a full-scale follow-up study on bladder cancer, it is necessary to determine the feasibility of obtaining needed follow-up information from patients enrolled in the NESEH.

Objectives:

-To determine the completeness and quality of information about treatment, recurrence, and progression that can be obtained for patients from their medical records.

Eligibility:

-Participants from the NESEH study who are residents of Maine and who were diagnosed with bladder cancer between 2001 and 2003.

Design:

• Determine the vital status of NESEH bladder cancer patients.
• Select a sample of 40 living and 18 deceased patients.
• Interview patients or their next of kin by telephone for about 30 to 45 minutes to update exposure information, obtain names and addresses of all hospitals and physicians they have seen since diagnosis, and obtain authorization to access medical records.
• Obtain and abstract medical records.