Faculty

Harvey A. Risch, M.D., Ph.D.

Professor,
Division of Chronic Disease Epidemiology

Dr. Risch's research interests are in the areas of cancer etiology and prevention, and in epidemiology methods. He is especially interested in the effects of reproductive factors, diet, genetic predisposition, and histopathologic factors in the causation of ovarian and pancreatic neoplasms. His major research projects have included studies of ovarian cancer, pancreas cancer, lung cancer, bladder cancer, esophageal and stomach cancer, and of cancers related to usage of oral contraceptives and noncontraceptive estrogens.

Selected Publications

Risch, H.A., McLaughlin, J.R., Cole, D.E., Rosen, B., Bradley, L., Fan, I., Tang, J., Li, S., Zhang, S., Shaw, P.A., and Narod, S.A. Population BRCA1 and BRCA2 Mutation Frequencies and Cancer Penetrances: A Kin-Cohort Study in Ontario, Canada. Journal of the National Cancer Institute 98: 1694-1706, 2006.

Risch, H.A. Etiology of pancreatic cancer, with a hypothesis concerning the role of N-nitroso compounds and excess gastric acidity. Journal of the National Cancer Institue 95: 948-960, 2003.

Risch, H.A. Hormonal etiology of epithelial ovarian cancer, with a hypothesis concerning the role of androgens and progesterone. Journal of the National Cancer Institute 90: 1774-1786, 1998.

Gammon, M.D., Schoenberg, J.B., Ahsan, H., Risch, H.A., Vaughan, T.L., Chow, W.H., Rotterdam, H., West, A.B., Dubrow, R. Stanford, J.L., Mayne, S.T., Farrow, D.C., Niwa, S., Blot, W.J. and Fraumeni, J.F., Jr. Tobacco, alcohol, and socioeconomic status and adenocarcinomas of the esophagus and gastric cardia. Journal of the National Cancer Institute 89: 1277-1284, 1997.

Risch, H.A., Marrett, L.D., Jain, M. and Howe, G.R. Differences in risk factors for epithelial ovarian cancer by histologic types: results of a case-control study. American Journal of Epidemiology 144: 363-372, 1996.

Risch, H.A. Estrogen replacement therapy and risk of epithelial ovarian cancer. Gynecologic Oncology 63: 254-257, 1996.

Risch, H.A. and Howe, G.R. Pelvic inflammatory disease and the risk of epithelial ovarian cancer. Cancer Epidemiology Biomarkers and Prevention 4: 447-51, 1995.

Risch, H.A., Howe, G.R., Jain, M., Burch, J.D., Holowaty, E.J. and Miller, A.B. Are female smokers at higher risk for lung cancer than male smokers? A case-control analysis by histologic type. American Journal of Epidemiology 138: 281-293, 1993.