Natural History Study of Early Life Exposures in Agriculture (ELEA)

NCT ID: NCT07328516

Last Updated: 2026-01-29

Study Results

Results pending

The study team has not published outcome measurements, participant flow, or safety data for this trial yet. Check back later for updates.

Basic Information

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Recruitment Status

ENROLLING_BY_INVITATION

Total Enrollment

64277 participants

Study Classification

OBSERVATIONAL

Study Start Date

2026-02-03

Study Completion Date

2030-12-23

Brief Summary

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Study Description:

ELEA is an observational cohort study that will collect exposure information and biospecimens from the adult children of the Agricultural Health Study (AHS) cohort (https://aghealth.nih.gov/about; Protocol OH93NCN013).

The primary hypothesis is that early life exposures, particularly those found in the agricultural environment, are associated with cancer and other adverse health outcomes in childhood and early adulthood. Eligible individuals will be invited to complete an online questionnaire. After enrollment, study participants may be asked to donate biological and environmental samples. Participants will be followed for cancer and other disease endpoints. Data will be collected from North Carolina and Iowa health registries, disease specific databases, the National Death Index (NDI), North Carolina and Iowa state health registries, publicly available environmental datasets, discarded sample repository, and collection of available samples. Investigators will access data and biospecimens from the AHS protocol OH93NCN01 and link it to the ELEA population.

In an earlier ELEA protocol (16CN095) the NCI SS IRB approved the protocol to perform linkages. That protocol was closed after the transition to the NIH IRB (per a NHSR determination), but the linkage work continued under the ELEA protocols that remained open with Westat and Iowa.

Objectives:

Primary:

To investigate the effect of specific pesticides and other agricultural exposures and risk of cancer in children and adults.

Secondary:

To investigate the effect of non-agricultural exposures and the risk of cancer and other diseases in children and adults.

Exploratory:

Exploratory objectives include, but are not limited to, the examination of genetic and various molecular biomarkers in relation to childhood agricultural exposures.

Endpoints:

Primary:

Incidence of Cancer

Secondary:

Incidence of diseases other than cancer, survival, and various molecular biomarkers.

Detailed Description

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Study Description:

ELEA is an observational cohort study that will collect exposure information and biospecimens from the adult children of the Agricultural Health Study (AHS) cohort (https://aghealth.nih.gov/about; Protocol OH93NCN013).

The primary hypothesis is that early life exposures, particularly those found in the agricultural environment, are associated with cancer and other adverse health outcomes in childhood and early adulthood. Eligible individuals will be invited to complete an online questionnaire. After enrollment, study participants may be asked to donate biological and environmental samples. Participants will be followed for cancer and other disease endpoints. Data will be collected from North Carolina and Iowa health registries, disease specific databases, the National Death Index (NDI), North Carolina and Iowa state health registries, publicly available environmental datasets, discarded sample repository, and collection of available samples. Investigators will access data and biospecimens from the AHS protocol OH93NCN01 and link it to the ELEA population.

In an earlier ELEA protocol (16CN095) the NCI SS IRB approved the protocol to perform linkages. That protocol was closed after the transition to the NIH IRB (per a NHSR determination), but the linkage work continued under the ELEA protocols that remained open with Westat and Iowa.

Objectives:

Primary:

To investigate the effect of specific pesticides and other agricultural exposures and risk of cancer in children and adults.

Secondary:

To investigate the effect of non-agricultural exposures and the risk of cancer and other diseases in children and adults.

Exploratory:

Exploratory objectives include, but are not limited to, the examination of genetic and various molecular biomarkers in relation to childhood agricultural exposures.

Endpoints:

Primary:

Incidence of Cancer

Secondary:

Incidence of diseases other than cancer, survival, and various molecular biomarkers.

Conditions

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Prostate Cancer Leukemia Breast Cancer Melanoma Colorectal Cancer

Study Design

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Observational Model Type

COHORT

Study Time Perspective

PROSPECTIVE

Study Groups

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Biological and Adopted Children of parents was formerly in the AHS study

This group consists of individuals who are either biological or adopted children of participants from the original Agricultural Health Study, allowing for examination of intergenerational effects and genetic versus environmental influences.

No interventions assigned to this group

Male and Women

This group includes all adult participants, both men and women, reflecting a gender-inclusive cohort that allows for analysis of sex-specific health outcomes and differences.

No interventions assigned to this group

Participants who can read and understand consent form

This group includes individuals who are able to comprehend and agree to the study's written consent materials, ensuring informed participation and ethical standards are met.

No interventions assigned to this group

Participants who spent time on a farm

This criterion ensures all participants had direct exposure to farm environments during their childhood, providing a basis for studying the impact of early agricultural exposures on long-term health.

No interventions assigned to this group

Pregnant Women

Pregnant women are specifically included to ensure that the study can assess health outcomes and potential risks associated with pregnancy in individuals with a background of agricultural exposure.

No interventions assigned to this group

Eligibility Criteria

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Inclusion Criteria

In order to be eligible to participate in this study, an individual must meet all of the following criteria:

1. Male or female, aged 18 years old and older.
2. Children (biological or adopted) of an AHS participant ( The Main Agricultural Health Study - A Prospective Study of Cancer and Other Diseases among Men and Women in Agriculture (OH93NCN013)).
3. Spent time on a farm as a child.
4. Ability to understand the written consent information sheet and agree to participate.

Exclusion Criteria

There are no exclusionary criteria other than inability to meet the eligibility criteria.
Minimum Eligible Age

18 Years

Maximum Eligible Age

99 Years

Eligible Sex

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Sponsors

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National Cancer Institute (NCI)

NIH

Sponsor Role lead

Responsible Party

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Responsibility Role SPONSOR

Principal Investigators

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Laura E Beane Freeman, Ph.D.

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

National Cancer Institute (NCI)

Locations

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National Cancer Institute (NCI)

Bethesda, Maryland, United States

Site Status

Countries

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United States

References

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Metayer C, Colt JS, Buffler PA, Reed HD, Selvin S, Crouse V, Ward MH. Exposure to herbicides in house dust and risk of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia. J Expo Sci Environ Epidemiol. 2013 Jul;23(4):363-70. doi: 10.1038/jes.2012.115. Epub 2013 Jan 16.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 23321862 (View on PubMed)

Patel DM, Jones RR, Booth BJ, Olsson AC, Kromhout H, Straif K, Vermeulen R, Tikellis G, Paltiel O, Golding J, Northstone K, Stoltenberg C, Haberg SE, Schuz J, Friesen MC, Ponsonby AL, Lemeshow S, Linet MS, Magnus P, Olsen J, Olsen SF, Dwyer T, Stayner LT, Ward MH; International Childhood Cancer Cohort Consortium. Parental occupational exposure to pesticides, animals and organic dust and risk of childhood leukemia and central nervous system tumors: Findings from the International Childhood Cancer Cohort Consortium (I4C). Int J Cancer. 2020 Feb 15;146(4):943-952. doi: 10.1002/ijc.32388. Epub 2019 May 24.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 31054169 (View on PubMed)

Flower KB, Hoppin JA, Lynch CF, Blair A, Knott C, Shore DL, Sandler DP. Cancer risk and parental pesticide application in children of Agricultural Health Study participants. Environ Health Perspect. 2004 Apr;112(5):631-5. doi: 10.1289/ehp.6586.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 15064173 (View on PubMed)

von Mutius E, Radon K. Living on a farm: impact on asthma induction and clinical course. Immunol Allergy Clin North Am. 2008 Aug;28(3):631-47, ix-x. doi: 10.1016/j.iac.2008.03.010.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 18572111 (View on PubMed)

Carnes MU, Hoppin JA, Metwali N, Wyss AB, Hankinson JL, O'Connell EL, Richards M, Long S, Freeman LE, Sandler DP, Henneberger PK, Barker-Cummings C, Umbach DM, Thorne PS, London SJ. House Dust Endotoxin Levels Are Associated with Adult Asthma in a U.S. Farming Population. Ann Am Thorac Soc. 2017 Mar;14(3):324-331. doi: 10.1513/AnnalsATS.201611-861OC.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 27977294 (View on PubMed)

Erber E, Lim U, Maskarinec G, Kolonel LN. Common immune-related risk factors and incident non-Hodgkin lymphoma: the multiethnic cohort. Int J Cancer. 2009 Sep 15;125(6):1440-5. doi: 10.1002/ijc.24456.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 19444913 (View on PubMed)

Linabery AM, Prizment AE, Anderson KE, Cerhan JR, Poynter JN, Ross JA. Allergic diseases and risk of hematopoietic malignancies in a cohort of postmenopausal women: a report from the Iowa Women's Health Study. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 2014 Sep;23(9):1903-12. doi: 10.1158/1055-9965.EPI-14-0423. Epub 2014 Jun 24.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 24962839 (View on PubMed)

Other Identifiers

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002253-C

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: secondary_id

10002253

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id

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