Associate Epidemiologist, Department of Medicine
Brigham and Women's Hospital

francine.laden@channing.harvard.edu

Dr. Laden's research focuses on the environmental epidemiology of cancer and respiratory disease. She has been working with the Nurses' Health Study to examine possible environmental risk factors (including exposures to PCBs and the pesticide DDT) of breast cancer and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. In the Harvard Six Cities Study she has studied the associations of specific sources of particulate air pollution with mortality. Dr. Laden is also involved in two studies examining the relationship of exposure to diesel exhaust with lung cancer and other respiratory mortality. The first is a continuation of follow-up of the US Railroad Workers Study. The second is a retrospective epidemiologic study among unionized trucking industry workers. Once of the major aims of the trucking study is to improve methods of defining past exposures to diesel exhaust using detailed work history records, extensive exposure monitoring or current working conditions, and historical records.

Selected Publications

Laden F, Spiegelman D, Neas LM, Colditz GA, Hankinson SE, Manson JE, Byrne C, Rosner BA, Speizer FE, Hunter DJ. Geographic variation in breast cancer incidence rates in a cohort of US women. J Natl Cancer Inst. 1997 Sep 17;89(18):1373-8. [abstract]

Hunter DJ, Hankinson S, Laden F, Colditz GA, Manson JE, Willett WC, Speizer FE, Wolff MS. Plasma organochlorine levels and risk of breast cancer. N Engl J Med. 1997 Oct 30;337(18):1253-8. [abstract]

Laden F, Hunter DJ. Environmental risk factors and female breast cancer. Annu Rev Public Health. 1998;19:101-23. Review. [abstract]

Laden F, Neas LM, Spiegelman D, Hankinson SE, Willett WC, Ireland K, Wolff MS, Hunter DJ. Predictors of plasma concentrations of DDE and PCBs in a group of US women. Environ Health Perspect. 1999 Jan;107(1):75-81. [abstract]

Laden F, Neas LM, Tolbert PE, Holmes MD, Hankinson SE, Spiegelman D, Speizer FE, Hunter DJ. Electric blanket use and breast cancer in the Nurses' Health Study. Am J Epidemiol. 2000 Jul 1;152(1):41-9. [abstract]

Laden F, Neas LM, Dockery DM, Schwartz J. Association of fine particulate matter from different sources with daily mortality in six US cities. Environ Health Perspect. 2000 Oct;108(10):941-7. [abstract]

Laden F, Hankinson SE, Wolff MS, Colditz GA, Willett WC, Speizer FE, Hunter DJ. Plasma organochlorine levels and the risk of breast cancer: an extended follow-up in the Nurses' Health Study. Int J Cancer. 2001 Feb 15;91(4):568-74. [abstract]

Laden F, Collman G, Iwamoto K, Alberg AJ, Berkowitz GS, Freudenheim JL, Hankinson SE, Helzlsoeur KJ, Holford TR, Huang H-Y, Moysich KB, Tessari JD, Wolff MS, Zheng T, Hunter DJ. 1,1-Dichloro-2,2-bis(p-chlorophenyl)ethylene and polychlorinated biphenyls and breast cancer: combined analysis of five US studies. J Natl Cancer Inst. 2001 May 16;93(10):768-76. [abstract]