Biological and environmental modifiers of vitamin D3 and prostate cancer risk study: A model for disparities research in urban environments

Prostate cancer (Pca) disparities are caused by interactions of genetics, individual risk factors, and environmental factors. Recent studies report low levels of vitamin D are associated with increased Pca risk. This is a multicenter study of genetic and environmental factors, which influence vitamin D3 levels and Pca risk in African Americans (AAs), European Americans (EAs), and Hispanic Americans (HAs). The project goal is to explore the effects of serum Vitamin D, and its biological and environmental modifiers on Pca risk in 4,000 males from Chicago. Males aged 40-79 are being recruited from urology clinics at a consortium of Chicago public and private hospitals including, the University Illinois Hospital & Health Sciences System, Northwestern Memorial Hospital, John H. Stroger, Jr. Hospital of Cook County, University of Chicago Medical Center, and the Jesse Brown Veteran Affairs Medical Center. They are also recruited at community Pca screening events. To date we have recruited 1,179 males. A significant number of the AA (46.2%), and HA (78.9%) males were recruited from the public hospitals, whereas, almost all EA males (91.3%) were recruited mainly from the private, academic hospital. Clinical and socioeconomic factors also vary considerably across sites and ethnicity. Recruitment strategies include physician referrals at the biopsy clinic, community cancer screenings, visits to churches, and culturally competent clinical research coordinators. This large-scale study of vitamin D3 and Pca risk in disparate populations can serve as a model for strategies in the recruitment of diverse populations in urban environments.