Cancer Control Group

Projects
Staff
Funding
Collaborators
Key Publications
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Cancer and Population Studies Group
Gynaecological Cancers Group

Lab Head: Dr David Whiteman

Cancer poses a major health burden in most human populations. In Australia, almost one in three deaths are due to cancer, and this proportion will rise as the population ages. Research undertaken by our group is conducted with a view to reducing the burden from cancer through successfully translating research findings into policy and practice. This includes research to identify the environmental and genetic factors that cause cancer, as well as research into early diagnosis, treatment and survival. Our research has focussed primarily on melanoma and cancers of the skin, and more recently on cancers of the digestive tract. The latter includes major national population-based case-control studies of oesophageal cancer & Barrett's oesophagus (a pre-cancerous condition).

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Projects

Staff

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Funding

• National Cancer Institute (USA)
• National Health and Medical Research Council
• The Cancer Council Queensland
• The Cancer Council NSW
• Xstrata

Collaborators

Overseas:
Dartmouth Medical School, Hanover, New Hampshire, USA
Leeds University, UK
Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, USA
Harvard University, Boston, USA
University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, USA
BEACON: The Barrett's Oesophagus and Adenocarcinoma Consortium, Worldwide participants

Australian:
Cancer Council NSW
Princess Alexandra Hospital, Dept of Gastroenterology and Hepatology/Dept Surgery
Queensland Health
Queensland University of Technology, Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation
Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne
University of Queensland, School of Medicine
University of Queensland, School of Population Health

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Key Publications

Olsen CM, Zens MS, Stukel TA, Sacerdote C, Armstrong BK, Bataille V, Berwick M, Elwood JM, Holly EA, Kirkpatrick C, Mack R, Østerlind A, Swerdlow AJ, Zanetti R, Green AC, Karagas MR, Whiteman DC. Nevus density and melanoma risk in women: a pooled analysis to test the divergent pathway hypothesis. Int J Cancer (accepted 31 July 2008)

Richmond-Sinclair NM, Lee E, Cummings MC, Williamson R, Muller HK, Green AC, Hayward NK, Whiteman DC. Histologic and epidemiologic correlates of P-MAPK, Brn-2, pRb, p53 and p16 immunostaining in cutaneous melanomas Melanoma Research 18(5): 336-345. [pubmed abstract]

Whiteman DC, Bray CA, Siskind V, Green AC, Hole D, MacKie RM. Changes in the incidence of cutaneous melanoma in the west of Scotland and Queensland, Australia: hope for health promotion? Eur J Cancer Prev. [pubmed abstract]

Baxter AJ, Hughes M, Siskind V, Kvaskoff M, Shekar S, de Nooyer M, Aitken JF, Green AC, Duffy DL, Hayward NK, Martin NG, Whiteman DC. The Queensland study of Melanoma: Environmental and Genetic Associations (Q-MEGA). Study design, baseline characteristics, and repeatability of phenotype and sun exposure measures Twin Res Human Genet 2008;11:183-196. [pubmed abstract]

Hacker E, Muller HK, Whiteman DC, Pavey S, Hayward N, Walker G. Decreased expression of IL18 in the pathway to ultraviolet radiation induced melanoma. Int J Cancer 2008 Apr 3;123(1):227-231 2007;18: 1015-1019. [pubmed abstract]

Whiteman DC, Bray CA, Siskind V, Hole D, MacKie RM, Green AC. A comparison of the anatomical distribution of cutaneous melanoma in two populations with different levels of sunlight: the west of Scotland and Queensland, Australia 1982-2001. Cancer Causes Control 2007;18:485-491 [pubmed abstract]

Janda M, Kimlin M, Whiteman D, Aitken J, Neale R. Sun protection and low levels of vitamin D: are people concerned? Cancer Causes Control 2007;18: 1015-1019. [pubmed abstract]

Janda M, Kimlin MG, Whiteman DC, Aitken JF, Neale RE. Sun protection messages, vitamin D and skin cancer: out of the frying pan and into the fire? Med J Australia 2007;187:52-53. [pubmed abstract]

Youl PH, Baade PD, Janda M, Del Mar CB, Whiteman DC, Aitken JF. Diagnosing skin cancer in primary care: how do traditional GPs compare with skin cancer clinics? Med J Aust 2007;187:215-220. [pubmed abstract]

Whiteman DC, Stickley M, Watt P, Hughes MC, Green AC. Anatomic site, sun exposure and risk of cutaneous melanoma. J Clin Oncol, 2006; 24: 3172-77. [pubmed abstract]

Lee E, Watt P, Williamson RM, Hughes M-C, Green AC, Whiteman DC. Sun exposure and host phenotype as predictors of cutaneous melanoma associated with neval remnants or dermal elastosis Int J Cancer, 2006; 119: 636-642. [pubmed abstract]

Lawler SP, Kvaskoff M, DiSipio T, Whiteman D, Eakin EG, Aitkin J, Fritschi L. Solaria Use in Queensland, Australia. Aust N Z J Pub Health. 2006; 30: 479-82.[pubmed abstract]

Kimlin MK, Martinez N, Green AC, Whiteman DC. Anatomical distribution of solar ultraviolet exposures among cyclists. J Photochem Photobiol: B. 2006;85: 23-27.[pubmed abstract]

Widyarini S, Allanson M, Gallagher N, Pedley J, Boyle GM, Parsons PG, Whiteman DC, Walker C, Reeve VE. Isoflavonoid photoprotection in mouse and human skin is dependent on metallothionein. J Investigative Dermatol 2006;126:198-204. [pubmed abstract]

Moffatt C, Green AC, Whiteman DC. Diagnostic accuracy in skin cancer clinics: the Australian experience. Int J Dermatol 2006;45:656-60. [pubmed abstract]

Green AC, Kimlin M, Siskind V, Whiteman DC. Hypothesis: Hair cover can protect against invasive melanoma on the head and neck. Cancer Causes Control. 2006; 17:1263-1266. [pubmed abstract]

Siskind V, Whiteman DC, Aitken J, Green AC, Martin NG. An analysis of risk factors for cutaneous melanoma by anatomical site. Cancer Causes Control 2005; 16:193-199.[pubmed abstract]

Butler G, Neale R, Green AC, Pandeya N, Whiteman DC. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and risk of squamous cell carcinomas and actinic keratoses J Am Acad Dermatol 2005;53:966-972.[pubmed abstract]

Neale R, Murphy MFG, Forman D, Whiteman DC. Site-specific occurrence of nonmelanoma skin cancers in patients with cutaneous melanoma Br J Cancer 2005;93:597-601. [pubmed abstract]

Whiteman DC, Brown RM, Purdie DM, Hughes MC. Melanocytic nevi in very young children: the role of phenotype, sun exposure, and sun protection. J Am Acad Dermatol, 2005; 52: 40-47. [pubmed abstract]

Whiteman DC, Green AC. A risk prediction tool for melanoma? Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev, 2005; 14: 761-763. [pubmed abstract]

Whiteman DC, Watt P, Purdie DM, Hughes MC, Hayward NK, Green AC. Melanocytic nevi, solar keratoses and divergent causal pathways to cutaneous melanoma. J Natl Cancer Inst, 2003; 95: 806-812. [pubmed abstract]

Whiteman DC, Brown R, Xu C, Paterson C, Miller D, Parsons P. A rapid method for determining recent sunscreen use in field studies. J Photochem Photobiol B, 2003; 69: 59-63. [pubmed abstract]

Whiteman D, Parsons P, Green A. Determinants of melanocyte density in adult human skin. Arch Derm Res 1999;291:511-516. [pubmed abstract]

Whiteman DC, Zhou X-P, Cummings MC, Pavey S, Hayward NK, Eng C. Nuclear PTEN expression and clinicopathologic features in a population-based series of primary cutaneous melanoma. Int J Cancer 2002;99:63-67 [pubmed abstract] [pubmed abstract]

Siskind V, Darlington S, Green L, Green A. Evolution of melanocytic naevi on the faces and necks of adolescents: a four-year longitudinal study. J Invest Dermatol, 2002; 118: 500-504. [pubmed abstract]

Whiteman DC, Whiteman CA, Green AC. Childhood sun exposure as a risk factor for melanoma: a systematic review of epidemiologic studies. Cancer Causes Control, 2001; 12: 69-82. [pubmed abstract]

Page W, Whiteman D, Murphy M. A comparison of melanoma mortality among WW2 veterans of the Pacific and European theaters. Ann Epidemiol 2000;10:192-195.[pubmed abstract]

Whiteman DC, Green AC. The pathogenesis of melanoma induced by ultraviolet radiation New Engl J Med 1999;341:766. [letter]

Whiteman DC, Green A. Melanoma and sun exposure: where are we now? Int J Dermatol 1999;38:481-489. [pubmed abstract]

Whiteman D, Green A. History of tropical military service and risk of primary cutaneous melanoma in Queensland men. Mel Research 1998;8:60-63.

Whiteman DC, Parsons PG, Green AC. p53 expression and risk factors for cutaneous melanoma: a case-control study. Int J Cancer 1998; 77: 843-8. [pubmed abstract]

Whiteman D, Valery P, McWhirter W, Green A. Risk factors for childhood melanoma in Queensland, Australia. Int J Cancer 1997;70:26-31. [pubmed abstract]

Whiteman DC, Milligan A, Welch J, Green AC, Hayward NK. Germline CDKN2A mutations in childhood melanoma. J Natl Cancer Inst 1997;89:1460. [pubmed abstract]

Whiteman D. Melanoma and sun exposure. Lancet 1995;346:1224-1225. [letter]

Whiteman D, Valery P, McWhirter W, Green A. The incidence of cutaneous childhood melanoma in Queensland , Australia. Int J Cancer 1995;63:765-768. [pubmed abstract]

Whiteman DC, Green AC. Melanoma and sunburn - a systematic review of studies. Cancer, Causes and Control. 1994;5:564-72.

Marks R, Whiteman D. Sunburn and melanoma: how strong is the evidence. Br Med J 1994; 308:75-76.

Oesophagus cancer and Barrett's Oesophagus

Nancarrow DJ, Handoko HY, Smithers BM, Gotley DC, Drew PA, Watson DI, Clouston AD, Hayward NK and Whiteman DC for the Australian Cancer Study and the Study of Digestive Health. Genome-Wide Copy Number Analysis in Esophageal Adenocarcinoma Using High-Density Single-Nucleotide Polymorphism Arrays. Cancer Res 2008;68:4163-4172. [pubmed abstract]

Ibiebele TI, Hughes MC, O'Rourke P, Webb PM, Whiteman DC for the Australian Cancer Study. Cancers of the esophagus and carbonated beverage consumption: a population-based case-control study. Cancer Causes Control (CACO1301R1, accepted 12 Jan 2008) [pubmed abstract]

Doecke JD, Zhao ZZ, Stark MS, Green AC, Hayward NK, Montgomery GW, Webb PM, Whiteman DC for the Australian Cancer Study. Single nucleotide polymorphisms in obesity-related genes and the risk of esophageal cancers. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 200;17:1007-12 [pubmed abstract]

Sadeghi S, Bain C, Pandeya N, Webb PM, Green AC, Whiteman DC Whiteman DC for the Australian Cancer Study. Aspirin, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and the risks of cancers of the esophagus. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev accepted 23 Feb 2008 [pubmed abstract]

Pandeya N, Williams G, Sadeghi S, Webb PM, Green AC, Whiteman DC for the Australian Cancer Study. Duration, intensity and dose of smoking have different associations with adenocarcinomas and squamous cell carcinomas of the esophagus. Am J Epidemiol AJE-01363-2007.R1 accepted 13 March 2008

Doecke J, Zhao ZZ, Pandeya N, Sadeghi S, Green AC, Hayward NK, Webb PM, Whiteman DC for the Australian Cancer Study. Polymorphisms in MGMT and DNA repair genes and the risk of esophageal adenocarcinoma. Int J Cancer 2008;123:174-180 [pubmed abstract]

Kendall BJ, Macdonald GA, Hayward NK, Prins JB, Brown I, Walker N, Pandeya N, Green AC, Webb PM, Whiteman DC for the Study of Digestive Health. Leptin and the risk of Barrett's oesophagus. Gut 2008;57:448-54 [pubmed abstract]

Whiteman DC, Sadeghi S, Pandeya N, Smithers BM, Gotley DC, Bain C, Webb PM, Green AC for the Australian Cancer Study. Combined effects of obesity, acid reflux and smoking on the risks of adenocarcinoma of the oesophagus. Gut 2008; 57: 173-180 [pubmed abstract]

Nancarrow DJ, Handoko HY, Stark M, Whiteman DC, Hayward NK. SiDCoN: A Tool to Aid Scoring of DNA Copy Number Changes in SNP Chip Data. PLoS ONE. 2007;2:e1093 [pubmed abstract]

Kendall BJ, Whiteman DC. Temporal changes in the endoscopic frequency of new cases of Barrett's Esophagus in an Australian health region. Am J Gastroenterol, 2006; 101: 1178-82. [pubmed abstract]

Smith KJ, O'Brien SO, Webb PW, Green AC, Whiteman DC. Interactions among smoking, obesity, and symptoms of acid reflux in Barrett's esophagus. Cancer Epi Biomarkers Prev, 2005; 14: 2481-6. [pubmed abstract] [pubmed abstract]

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