ACCESS: Adolescent and Childhood Cancer Epidemiology And Susceptibility Service (H-29892)

We are inviting families to participate in a research study to better understand the risk factors for childhood cancers and hematological conditions. The purpose of this study is to collect biological samples from children with cancer or a blood disorder and collect DNA from the parents of children with cancer or blood disorder, children without cancer or a blood disorder, or parents of children without cancer or a blood disorder in order to gain a better understanding of how childhood cancers and blood disorders develop. The parents of children with cancer will also complete a risk factor questionnaire about exposures that the child or parents may have had in the past. This research will enable us to perform epidemiologic studies to compare genetic risk factors, environmental risk factors, gene-environment interactions, and treatment related toxicities and late effects of childhood cancers and blood disorders.

This research is being done across multiple sites in Texas:

• Texas Children’s Hospital, Houston, TX (Michael Scheurer, Ph.D., MPH)
• Children’s Hospital of San Antonio, San Antonio, TX (Vivienne Marshall, Ph.D., Tim Griffin, M.D.)
• University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX (Laura Klesse, M.D., Ph.D.)
• Vannie Cook Jr. Children’s Cancer and Hematology Clinic, McAllen, TX (Juan Carlos Bernini, M.D.)
• Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center in El Paso, El Paso, TX (Lisa Hartman, M.D.)
• Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX (Mohamad Al-Rahawan, M.D.)
• Cook Children’s Medical Center, Fort Worth, TX (Jeff Murray, M.D.)

Whether or not you will participate in this study is entirely up to you. Even if you agree to participate, you may withdraw from the study at any time. If you decide not to be in the study, or if you decide to withdraw from the study at any time, you will not lose any of your benefits (like for instance routine medical care).

• The EpiCenter at Texas Children’s
• Pediatric Cancer Program
• The Oliver Strong Foundation
• The Reasons Why