Melissa A. Merritt
A5003043618- Ovarian cancer diagnosis and treatment
- Cancer Risks and Factors
- Endometrial and Cervical Cancer Treatments
- Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine
- Cancer, Lipids, and Metabolism
- Nutritional Studies and Diet
- Estrogen and related hormone effects
- Global Cancer Incidence and Screening
- Cancer-related molecular mechanisms research
- Molecular Biology Techniques and Applications
- Endometriosis Research and Treatment
- Ovarian function and disorders
- Inflammatory Biomarkers in Disease Prognosis
- Radiomics and Machine Learning in Medical Imaging
- BRCA gene mutations in cancer
- Insect-Plant Interactions and Control
- Growth Hormone and Insulin-like Growth Factors
- Nutrition, Genetics, and Disease
- Diet and metabolism studies
- Reproductive System and Pregnancy
- Bladder and Urothelial Cancer Treatments
- Genetic Associations and Epidemiology
- Potato Plant Research
- Cancer Genomics and Diagnostics
- RNA Research and Splicing
Cancer Council NSW
2023-2025
The University of Sydney
2023-2025
Cancer Center of Hawaii
2013-2024
University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa
2013-2024
University of Hawaii System
2013-2024
University of Hawaii Cancer Center
2017-2023
Imperial College London
2013-2022
The London College
2015-2017
Brigham and Women's Hospital
2008-2016
National Cancer Institute
2013-2016
An understanding of the etiologic heterogeneity ovarian cancer is important for improving prevention, early detection, and therapeutic approaches. We evaluated 14 hormonal, reproductive, lifestyle factors by histologic subtype in Ovarian Cancer Cohort Consortium (OC3).
The association between increasing body mass index (BMI; calculated as weight in kilograms divided by height meters squared) and risk of breast cancer is unique epidemiology that a crossover effect exists, with reduction before increase after menopause. inverse premenopausal poorly characterized but might be important the understanding causation.
Dissemination of ovarian tumors involves the implantation cancer spheroids into mesothelial monolayer on walls peritoneal and pleural cavity organs. Biopsies attached to organs show that cells are not present under tumor masses. We have developed a live, image-based in vitro model which interactions between can be monitored real time provide spatial temporal understanding clearance. Here we evidence utilize integrin- talin- dependent activation myosin traction force promote displacement from...
Background In addition to HPV, high parity and hormonal contraceptives have been associated with cervical cancer (CC). However, most of the evidence comes from retrospective case-control studies. The aim this study is prospectively evaluate associations between factors risk developing intraepithelial neoplasia grade 3 (CIN3)/carcinoma in situ (CIS) invasive (ICC). Methods Findings We followed a cohort 308,036 women recruited European Prospective Investigation into Cancer Nutrition (EPIC)...
Despite evidence of an association between reproductive factors and endometrial cancer risk, prospective studies have been conducted mainly in non-Asian countries.To assess the factors, such as number deliveries, age at menarche, or menopause, risk.This cohort study used pooled individual data from 13 1963 2014 Asia Cohort Consortium. Participants were Asian women. Data analysis was September 2019 to April 2023.Reproductive assessed using a questionnaire each cohort.The main outcome time...
Abstract Chronic inflammation has been proposed as the possible causal mechanism that explains observed association between certain risk factors, such use of talcum powder (talc) in pelvic region and epithelial ovarian cancer. To address this issue we evaluated potential role chronic local development major subtypes Factors potentially linked to were examined an Australia‐wide case–control study comprising 1,576 women with invasive low malignant (LMP) tumours 1,509 population‐based controls....
Abstract Currently available human tumour cell line panels consist of a small number lines in each lineage that generally fail to retain the phenotype original patient tumour. Here we develop culture medium enables us routinely establish from diverse subtypes ovarian cancers with >95% efficiency. Importantly, 25 new described here genomic landscape, histopathology and molecular features tumours. Furthermore, profile drug response these correlate distinct groups primary tumours different...
Parity is widely recognized as protective for breast cancer, but cancer risk may be increased shortly after childbirth. Whether this varies with breastfeeding, family history of or specific tumor subtype has rarely been evaluated.
Background: Parity is widely recognized as protective for breast cancer, but cancer risk may be increased shortly after childbirth. Whether this varies with breastfeeding, family histor ...
We prospectively evaluated fat intake as predictor of developing breast cancer (BC) subtypes defined by estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone (PR), and human epidermal growth factor 2 (HER2), in a large (n = 337327) heterogeneous cohort women, with 10062 BC case patients after 11.5 years, estimating hazard ratios (HRs) Cox proportional modeling. High total saturated were associated greater risk ER+PR+ disease (HR 1.20, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.00 to 1.45; HR 1.28, CI 1.09 1.52; highest...
Do reproductive risk factor associations differ across subgroups of invasive epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) defined by the dualistic model (type I/II) or a histologic pathway-based classification? Associations with parity, history endometriosis, tubal ligation and hysterectomy were found to in context type I/II pathways classification cancer. Shared molecular alterations candidate precursor lesions suggest that tumor histology grade may be used classify tumors into likely etiologic...
Abstract Purpose: About 60% of ovarian cancers are diagnosed at late stage, when 5-year survival is less than 30% in contrast to 90% for local disease. This has prompted search early detection biomarkers. For initial testing, specimens taken months or years before cancer diagnosis the best source information evaluate Here we most promising screening biomarkers prospectively collected samples from European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition study. Experimental Design: We...
Genital powder use has been associated with risk of epithelial ovarian cancer in some, but not all, epidemiologic investigations, possibly reflecting the carcinogenic effects talc particles found most these products. Whether increases number genital applications and for all histologic types also remains uncertain. Therefore, we estimated association between self-reported eight population-based case-control studies. Individual data from each study were collected harmonized. Lifetime was...
The association of reproductive factors with hormone receptor (HR)-negative breast tumors remains uncertain. Within the EPIC cohort, Cox proportional hazards models were used to describe relationships (menarcheal age, time between menarche and first pregnancy, parity, number children, age at last pregnancies, since full-term childbirth, breastfeeding, menopause, ever having an abortion use oral contraceptives [OC]) risk ER-PR- (n = 998) ER+PR+ 3,567) tumors. A later childbirth was associated...
Results from prospective studies on premenopausal serum hormone levels in relation to breast cancer risk have been inconclusive, especially with regard tumor subtypes. Using a case–control study nested within the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) cohort (801 cases 1,132 matched control subjects), we analyzed relationships of prediagnostic estradiol, free progesterone, testosterone, testosterone sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) by estrogen progesterone...
Reproductive events are associated with important physiologic changes, yet little is known about how reproductive factors influence long-term health in women. Our objective was to assess the relation of characteristics all-cause and cause-specific mortality risk. The analysis performed within European Investigation into Cancer Nutrition prospective cohort study, which enrolled >500,000 women men from 1992 2000, who were residing a given town/geographic area 10 countries. current included...
There is uncertainty about the direction and magnitude of associations between parity, breastfeeding risk coronary heart disease (CHD). We examined separate combined parity practices with incidence CHD later in life among women a large, pan-European cohort study.
Whether risk factors for epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) differ by subtype ( i.e ., dualistic pathway of carcinogenesis, histologic subtype) is not well understood; however, data to date suggest factor differences. We examined associations between reproductive and hormone‐related EOC in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer Nutrition (EPIC) cohort. Among 334,126 women with on (follow‐up: 1992–2010), 1,245 incident cases known histology invasiveness were identified. Data tumor...
Abstract Background: Approximately half of epithelial ovarian cancers are fatal within 3 years; however, roughly 35% women survive for at least 10 years. In the Nurses' Health Study, New England Case-Control Australian Ovarian Cancer and NIH-AARP Diet we investigated potential differences in associations with cancer risk factors by tumor aggressiveness, defined on basis time from diagnosis until death. Methods: We calculated relative risks (RR) 95% confidence intervals (CI) known or...
Experimental evidence shows cross‐talk in mammary cells between estrogen, insulin‐like growth factor I (IGF‐I) and their respective receptors possible synergistic effects of estrogen receptor (ER) activation increased IGF‐I signaling with regard to breast tumor development, epidemiological suggests that circulating levels may be related more the risk ER‐positive than ER‐negative cancer. Using a case–control study nested within prospective European EPIC cohort (938 cancer cases 1,394 matched...
Invasive epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) is the most lethal gynecologic malignancy. The etiology of EOC remains elusive; however, experimental and epidemiologic data suggest a role for hormone-related exposures in carcinogenesis risk factor differences by histologic phenotypes developmental pathways. Research on prediagnosis androgen concentrations has yielded inconclusive results, analyses incorporating subtypes are sparse. We conducted pooled analysis 7 nested case-control studies Ovarian...
Large-scale genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have identified approximately 35 loci associated with epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) risk. The majority of GWAS-identified disease susceptibility variants are located in noncoding regions, and causal genes underlying these associations remain largely unknown. Here, we performed a transcriptome-wide study to search for novel genetic plausible at known GWAS loci. We used RNA sequencing data (68 normal tissue samples from 68 individuals 6,124...
Abstract Background: Evidence suggests an etiologic role for inflammation in ovarian carcinogenesis and heterogeneity between tumor subtypes anthropometric indices. Prospective studies on circulating inflammatory markers epithelial invasive cancer (EOC) have predominantly investigated overall risk; data characterizing risk by characteristics (histology, grade, stage, dualistic model of carcinogenesis) indices are sparse. Methods: We conducted a nested case–control study the European...