European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition
EPIC is a multi-centre prospective cohort based on healthy, middle-aged subjects who agree, following an active invitation, to participate in the study and to have their health status followed-up for the rest of their lives. The study is based in ten European countries and includes populations characterized by large variations in dietary habits and cancer risk.
The EPIC study aims to investigate the relationships between diet, nutritional status, lifestyle and environmental factors, and the incidence of cancer and other chronic diseases.
- Start Year
- 1992
Visit EPIC
| Investigators | Contacts |
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Design
- Study design
- Cohort
- Follow Up
- After their initial enrolment, cohort members were contacted at regular intervals every 3–5 years (depending on the country or centre) to obtain information on various aspects of lifestyle, which may change over time. Information on lifestyle exposures during follow-up was centralized at IARC in 2014. Follow-up of study participants for disease end-points, vital status, and causes of death started in the mid-1990s based on a combination of methods including health insurance records, cancer and pathology registries, mortality registries or active follow-up and death-record collection.
- Supplementary Information
Marker Paper
Riboli E, Kaaks R. The EPIC Project: rationale and study design. European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition. Int J Epidemiol. 1997;26 Suppl 1:S6-14.
PUBMED 9126529
Recruitment
- Recruitment Target
-
- Individuals
Number of Participants
- Number of Participants
- 521,468
- Number of Participants with Biological Samples
- 387,889
- Supplementary Information
-
The following biospecimens are currently (October 2014) available from the EPIC study:
- Plasma: 381 042 participants
- Serum: 342 012 participants
- Buffy coat: 352 300 participants
- Erythrocyte: 363 999 participants
Access
Availability of data and biosamples
| Possible Access to Data | |
| Possible Access to Biosamples | |
| Other |
Timeline
EPIC - Population
Selection Criteria
- Minimum age
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35
- Maximum age
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74
- Newborns
- Twins
- Countries
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- France
- Italy
- Spain
- United Kingdom
- Netherlands
- Greece
- Germany
- Sweden
- Denmark
- Norway
- Ethnic Origin
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- Health Status
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Recruitment
- Sources of recruitment
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- General population
- Specific population
- General Population
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- Selected sample
- Specific Population
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- Members of an association
- Supplementary Information
-
In study centres where it was possible to base follow-up mainly on population cancer registries, the main target was the general population, or subgroups of the general population such as women attending breast cancer screening facilities or blood donors, whereas in other centres where cancer registries provide incomplete coverage, special group were targeted (members of health insurance plans, civil servants).
Number of Participants
- Number of Participants
- 521,468
- Number of Participants with Biological Samples
- 387,890
Data Collection Events
| # | Name | Description | Start | End |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 |
EPIC - Baseline
|
The questionnaires were structured with a major core component, common to all EPIC centres, and some optional sections or questions, which were implemented in some study centres only. Detailed ... |
1992 | 2000 |
| 1 |
EPIC - Follow-up 1
|
After their initial enrollment, cohort members were contacted at regular intervals every 3–5 years (depending on the country or centre) to obtain information on various aspects of lifestyle, ... |
1996 | 1998 |
| 2 |
EPIC - Follow-up 2
|
After their initial enrollment, cohort members were contacted at regular intervals every 3–5 years (depending on the country or centre) to obtain information on various aspects of lifestyle, ... |
1999 | 2001 |
| 3 |
EPIC - Follow-up 3
|
After their initial enrollment, cohort members were contacted at regular intervals every 3–5 years (depending on the country or centre) to obtain information on various aspects of lifestyle, ... |
2002 | 2004 |
| 4 |
EPIC - Follow-up 4
|
After their initial enrollment, cohort members were contacted at regular intervals every 3–5 years (depending on the country or centre) to obtain information on various aspects of lifestyle, ... |
2005 | 2007 |
| 5 |
EPIC - Follow-up 5
|
After their initial enrollment, cohort members were contacted at regular intervals every 3–5 years (depending on the country or centre) to obtain information on various aspects of lifestyle, ... |
2008 | 2010 |
| 6 |
EPIC - Follow-up 6
|
After their initial enrollment, cohort members were contacted at regular intervals every 3–5 years (depending on the country or centre) to obtain information on various aspects of lifestyle, ... |
2011 | 2013 |
| 7 |
EPIC - Follow-up 7
|
After their initial enrollment, cohort members were contacted at regular intervals every 3–5 years (depending on the country or centre) to obtain information on various aspects of lifestyle, ... |
2014 | 2016 |
Classifications
- Socio-demographic and economic characteristics
- Lifestyle and behaviours
- Birth, pregnancy and reproductive health history
- Perception of health, quality of life, development and functional limitations
- Diseases
- Symptoms and signs
- Medication and supplements
- Non-pharmacological interventions
- Health and community care services utilization
- Death
- Physical measures and assessments
- Laboratory measures
- Cognition, personality and psychological measures and assessments
- Life events, life plans, beliefs and values
- Preschool, school and work life
- Social environment and relationships
- Physical environment
- Administrative information
- Tobacco
- Alcohol
- Drugs
- Nutrition
- Breastfeeding
- Physical activity
- Sleep
- Sexual behaviours and orientation
- Technological devices
- Misbehaviour and criminality
- Other and unspecified lifestyle information
Socio-demographic and economic characteristics
Lifestyle and behaviours
Birth, pregnancy and reproductive health history
Perception of health, quality of life, development and functional limitations
Diseases
Medication and supplements
Non-pharmacological interventions
Health and community care services utilization
Physical measures and assessments
Physical environment
Administrative information
Nutrition