JOURNAL OF WOMEN'S CANCER: VOLUME 5 Sociodemographic and Cultural Factors Associated with Mammography Screening among Hispanic Women. Susan M. Gapstur,  Pilar López and Laura A. Colangelo. FULL TEXT ACCESS Abstract Latina women are less likely to report having had a screening mammogram at the recommended frequency compared to non-Latina women.  It is important to identify those factors associated with lower screening frequency in order to develop strategies to improve adherence among Latinas. Information on the frequency of mammography screening was collected from 303 Latina women aged 40 - 76 years.  Associations of age, education, hormone replacement therapy (HRT), family history of breast cancer, country of birth, years living in the US, and acculturation score with ever had a mammogram, and had a mammogram in the past 1-2 years were assessed using logistic regression. Age and HRT use were significantly, positively associated with ever had a mammogram or had a mammogram in the past 1-2 years (p<0.05).  Compared to Mexican women, Puerto Ricans and Guatemalans were 4.8 and 3.4 times, respectively, more likely to have ever had a mammogram, and Guatemalans 5.9 times more likely to have had a mammogram in the past 1-2 years.  Living in the US for 17 or more years (OR=5.00) and an acculturation score greater than one (OR=2.19) were associated with having ever had a mammogram. Education and family history of breast cancer were not associated with mammography screening. These results suggest that public health efforts are needed to increase breast cancer screening among young Latina women, who are less acculturated, were born in Mexico, and have lived in the US for fewer years. J. of Women’s Cancer Vol 5(1): Pg. 1-8, 2005.   Epidemiology of Epithelial Ovarian Cancer in Hispanic and Non-Hispanic White Women in Central California. Deborah G. Riordan, Paul K. Mills and Rosemary D. Cress. FULL TEXT ACCESS Abstract Objectives:  Few epidemiologic studies have analyzed epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) risk by race/ethnicity. This study evaluates factors associated with EOC risk in Hispanic and Non-Hispanic White (NHW) women. Methods: We conducted a population-based epidemiologic case-control study to evaluate EOC risk in NHW and Hispanic women residing in the California’s Central Valley. Telephone interviews were completed for 45 cases and 203 controls self-identified as Hispanic and 190 cases and 815 controls self-identified as NHW. Results: Hispanic women with EOC were younger than NHW cases. Hispanic cases were more educated, less likely to be married and more likely to have been born in the U.S. than Hispanic controls. Hispanic women were more likely to be diagnosed with serous borderline tumors compared to NHW women. Reproductive factors affect EOC risk similarly in Hispanic and NHW women.  Heavier Hispanic women experienced a statistically significant 2.5 increase in EOC risk versus lighter women, a finding not observed in NHW women. Oral contraceptive use did not provide protection against EOC in Hispanic women. Conclusions: California Hispanic women experience an excess of EOC serous borderline tumors compared to NHW. Acculturation may eventually lead to EOC rates that approximate that of NHW women in California and the U.S. Journal of Women’s Cancer Volume 5 (1), Pg. 9-17, 2005.   Detection of mutant p53 protein in serum could be use to differentiated malignant from benign breast tumors. G.A. Balogh, M.M Corte, P. Roncoroni, H. Nardi, Eduardo Vincent, D. Martinez, M.E Cafasso, A. Frizza, G. Ponce, Esteban Vincent, E. Barutta, P. Lizarraga, G. Lizarraga, C. Monti, E. Paolillo, R. Vincent, R. Quatroquio, C. Grimi, H. Maturi, M. Aimale, C. Spinsanti, H. Montero, J. Santiago, L. Shulman, M. Rivadulla, M. Machiavelli, G. Salum, M.A Cuevas, J. Picolini, D. Mailo, A. Gentili, R. Gentili and J. Mordoh. FULL TEXT ACCESS Abstract The p53 wild type is a tumor suppressor gene involved in DNA gene transcription or DNA repair mechanisms. When damage to DNA is un-repairable, p53 induces programmed cell death (apoptosis). The mutant p53 gene is the most frequent molecular alteration in human cancer, including breast cancer. Here we analyzed the genetic alterations in p53 oncogene expression in 55 patients with breast cancer (51 with malignant tumors and 4 with benign lesions) and in 8 normal women. We measured by ELISA assay the serum levels of p53 mutant protein and also the protein expression of both p53 wild type and mutant using immunohistochemistry in breast tissue tumors. We found positive p53 mutant in the serum of 0/8 (0.0%) normal women, 0/4 (0%) in benign breast disease and 29/55 (52.72%) in breast carcinoma. The immunohistochemistry evaluation was positive in 29/55 (52.73%) for mammary carcinoma and 0/4 (0%) for benign breast disease. These data suggest that detection of mutated p53 could be a useful serological marker to differentiated the benign lesion from the malignant ones even before to perform the surgery. Journal of Women’s Cancer, Volume 5(1), Pag. 18-23, 2005. Detailed Analysis of Family History and the Risk of Breast Cancer. Brian D. Bradbury and Ann Aschengrau. FULL TEXT ACCESS Abstract The authors conducted a detailed analysis of the risk of developing breast cancer for women with a family history of breast cancer in a population based case control study. Cases were women who were diagnosed with breast cancer from 1987 through 1993 (n=673). Controls were demographically similar women who resided in the same towns as the cases (n=619).  Any family history of breast cancer was associated with a 70 percent increased risk (95 percent confidence interval: 1.3, 2.2).  Women with any first degree family history had a slightly greater increase in risk [Odds ratio = 1.7 (95 percent confidence interval: 1.3, 2.3)] than those with any second degree family history [Odds ratio= 1.5 (95 percent confidence interval: 1.1, 2.1)]. Postmenopausal women had further increases in these risks [Odds ratio = 2.0 (95 percent confidence interval: 1.4, 2.7) for any first degree family history and Odds ratio = 1.7 (95 percent confidence interval: 1.2, 2.6 for any second degree family history]. Postmenopausal women whose affected relative was diagnosed at an older age (>= 55 years) had a higher risk than those whose affected relative was diagnosed at a younger age (< 55 years) [Odds ratio = 2.5 vs. 1.5 for only an affected first degree relative and Odds ratio =2.0 vs. 1.5 for only an affected second degree relative]. These results confirm that family history is an independent risk factor for breast cancer and suggest that its impact varies according to the characteristics of the affected relative. Journal of Women’s Cancer, Volume 5(1), Pg. 24-29, 2005.   Active vs. Passive Recruitment Methods for young Latino women in a Diet/Breast Health Intervention. Gaspur, Susan M. and Fitzgibbon Marian L. FULL TEXT ACCESS Abstract There is little information available on successful recruitment methods for Latinos into research studies. Thus, we compared the success of active vs. passive methods using data from Mujeres Felices por ser Saludables -a dietaryhreast health intervention project. Methods: Healthy Latino women, aged 20-40 years were recruited by active methods (i.e., recruiter-initiated telephone calls to health clinic clients and mass mailings followed by telephone calls), or passive methods (i.e., attendance at a Women's, Infant's and Children's Program, or community events, referrals from participants or health-care providers, and mass media advertisements). Results: Active methods yielded a higher number of contacts compared to passive methods (n=2,13 1 and 258, respectively), however, the percentage of women randomized using active methods was lower (8.8% vs. 26%, respectively (p< .001)). Discussion: Although active methods result in a lower recruitment yield, passive methods could lead to fewer contacts. The choice of using active vs. passive methods could depend on the availability of an appropriate list or target sample size. J. of Women's Cancer Volume 5(1): Pag. 30-34, 2005.