The Research on the Epidemiology of Prostate Cancer and Environmental Levels (REPEL) study at Rutgers Cancer Institute is making steady progress! As of this month, 95 people have joined the study, and 37 have completed all parts. To date, 93 questionnaires, 45 blood samples, and 41 tap water samples have been completed. You can explore our data collection progress here.
Now Live: Tap Water Collection Tutorial Video
Our team is thrilled to share a new instructional video created by study coordinator Chidinma Opara for the tap water collection process. This short, step-by-step video guides participants on how to safely collect their home water samples for PFAS testing. You can watch the video here.
Early REPEL Study Findings
A total of 95 out of 154 eligible participants (62%) have enrolled in the study. Participants who joined were more likely to be White and married compared to those who declined. Among 71 participants, 57% were diagnosed with a Grade Group 1 tumor, and 20% with a Grade Group 2 tumor.
When asked about drinking water habits, 44% said they drink bottled water and 37% use filtered tap water. We also found that dietary PFAS exposure was most often reported by drinking water in plastic bottles and eating meats wrapped in plastic.
We look forward to sharing these findings in more detail at the upcoming NIEHS Environmental Health Sciences Core Centers (EHSCCs) meeting this fall.