CONTROL SELECTION METHODS FOR CHILDHOOD CANCER STUDIES

描述（由申请人提供）：研究者建议确定在儿童癌症研究中使用出生证明对照的可行性和有效性。大多数美国儿童癌症研究都使用ROD对照，但随着应答率的下降，对偏倚的担忧也在增加。ROD控制的一个主要缺点是无法评估可能的选择偏倚，因为没有关于非应答者的信息。通过出生证明确定的控制措施在理论和实践上都是一种有吸引力的替代办法;它们来自与案件相同的基础人口，并且可以获得关于非参与者的大量信息。然而，其可行性和有效性尚未得到全面或全国性的评估。出生证明将在三个年龄组和四个种族/民族组中随机选择，并将根据居住在该地区的种族/民族组的美国人口比例分布在五个地理区域中。研究人员将在每个种族/民族组中找到、联系和采访450名母亲，在年龄组中平均分配。全国范围内的1 800个样本将包括每个年龄组600个和每个种族/族裔组450个。研究者将按照年龄组和人种/种族评价总体缓解率。有效性将通过使用出生证明中的数据将受访对照与所有美国出生进行比较来评估。该提案的时间安排与儿童癌症研究网络（CCRN）的持续发展相吻合，该网络将提供大量的、几乎以人口为基础的病例系列。拟议研究的结果将提供急需的数据，以告知控制组的选择。有了CCRN和拟议研究的结果，流行病学家将能够设计和执行最先进的儿童癌症研究。拟议研究的结果也将适用于自闭症，哮喘和其他儿科疾病的研究。相关性：在儿童癌症的病例对照研究中，将患有特定类型癌症的儿童病例与未患癌症的儿童对照进行比较。拟议的研究将评估通过出生证明确定的对照组是否是一个可行和有效的对照组。需要一个可行和有效的对照组，以确保儿童癌症的研究是科学有效的，因此，将提供最终可以导致预防这些癌症的结果。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The investigators propose to determine the feasibility and validity of using birth certificate controls in studies of childhood cancer. Most U.S. studies of childhood cancer have used ROD controls, but concerns about bias have increased as response rates have declined. A major drawback of ROD controls is that possible selection bias cannot be assessed, as no information is available on non-respondents. Controls identified through birth certificates are an appealing alternative on theoretical and practical grounds; they come from the same base population as the cases and a substantial amount of information is available on non-participants. However, the feasibility and validity have not been evaluated comprehensively or nationwide. Birth certificates will be randomly selected in three age groups and four race/ethnicity groups, and will be distributed among five geographic regions according to the proportion of the US population of the race/ethnicity group residing in that region. The investigators will locate, contact, and interview 450 mothers in each race/ethnicity group, evenly divided among the age groups. The nationwide sample of 1,800 will consist of 600 in each age group and 450 in each race/ethnicity group. The investigators will evaluate response rates overall and by age group, and race/ethnicity. Validity will be assessed by comparing the interviewed controls to all U.S. births using data from birth certificates. The proposal is timed to coincide with the continuing development of the Childhood Cancer Research Network (CCRN), which will provide large, nearly population-based series of cases. The results of the proposed study will provide much needed data to inform the choice of control group. With the CCRN and the results of the proposed study, epidemiologists will be able to design and execute state-of-the-art studies of childhood cancer. The results of the proposed research will also apply to studies of autism, asthma, and other pediatric conditions. Relevance: In a case-control study of childhood cancer, cases, who are children with a specific type of cancer, are compared to controls, children without cancer. The proposed study will evaluate whether controls identified through birth certificates are a feasible and valid control group. A feasible and valid control group is needed to ensure that studies of childhood cancer are scientifically valid and therefore, will provide results that can eventually lead to prevention of these cancers.