Ms. Mujumdar's interests focus on understanding the effects of genes and the environment on health and disease, specific to the development of cancer. Research objectives include identifying risk factors, understanding genetic susceptibility to multiple primary cancers, and testing possible agents for cancer prevention.
In the Genes, Environment, and Melanoma (GEM) study (PIs: Begg/Orlow), data are currently being analyzed and results reported from this large international population-based study. The objectives are to assess the roles of sun exposure and variants in three classes of genes (cell cycle, pigmentary, and DNA repair) in the development of multiple primary melanoma.
In collaboration with the Department of Surgery's Thoracic Service (PIs: Park/Orlow), Ms. Mujumdar is involved in two research projects: 1) understanding risk factors for lung cancer in never-smokers and 2) DNA repair and genetic susceptibility to multiple primary lung cancer.
With the Head and Neck Service (PIs: Boyle/Lillico), projects include an international clinical trial studying the drug Sulindac (a pan-COX inhibitor) on individuals with oral premalignant lesions, and coordinating a multi-center clinical trial sponsored by the NCI Division of Cancer Prevention, to assess treatment of oral premalignant lesions by the agent rosiglitazone (Avandia). Other studies have explored short-term treatment of individuals with head and neck cancer with the agent celecoxib (Celebrex), and proximal effects of chemoradiotherapy on molecular pathways in head and neck tumors.
Environmental and occupational exposures related to cancer risk are being studied in other projects (PI: Engel) including a pilot study of environmental pollutants (e.g. dioxins) in relation to soft tissue sarcoma risk; a study of medications and esophageal cancer risk; and long-term exposure to pesticide use in a cohort of agricultural workers.
Ms. Mujumdar and Sharon Bayuga serve as the Senior Research Managers for the department in conjunction with the Office of Clinical Research by overseeing the quality control and conduct of the research carried out in the department and to ensure compliance with institutional and federal regulations. They organize the hiring, training, and supervision of the Research Study Assistants in the department.
Selected Bibliography:
Kanetsky PA, Rebbeck TR, Hummer AJ, Panossian S, Armstrong BK, Kricker A, Marrett LD, Millikan RC, Gruber SB, Culver HA, Zanetti R, Gallagher RP, Dwyer T, Busam K, From L, Mujumdar U, Wilcox H, Begg CB, Berwick M. Population-based study of natural variation in the melanocortin-1 receptor gene and melanoma. Cancer Research, 66 (18): 9330-7 (2006).
Berwick M, Orlow I, Hummer AJ, Armstrong BK, Kricker A, Marrett LD, Millikan RC, Gruber SB, Anton-Culver H, Zanetti R, Gallagher RP, Dwyer T, Rebbeck TR, Kanetsky PA, Busam K, From L, Mujumdar U, Wilcox H, Begg CB for the GEM Study Group. The prevalence of CDKN2A germ-line mutations and relative risk for cutaneous malignant melanoma: an international population-based study. Cancer Epidemiology Biomarkers and Prevention, 15(8): 1520-5 (2006).
Begg CB, Hummer AJ, Mujumdar U, Armstrong BK, Kricker A, Marrett LD, Millikan RC, Gruber SB, Culver HA, Zanetti R, Gallagher RP, Dwyer T, Rebbeck TR, Busam K, From L, Berwick M for the GEM Study Group. A design for case-control studies using only incident cases: experience with the GEM study of melanoma. International Journal of Epidemiology, 35(3): 756-64 (2006).
Millikan RC, Hummer A, Begg C, Player J, de Cotret AR, Winkel S, Mohrenweiser H, Thomas N, Armstrong B, Kricker A, Marrett LD, Gruber SB, Culver HA, Zanetti R, Gallagher RP, Dwyer T, Rebbeck T, Busam K, From L, Mujumdar U, Berwick M for the GEM Study Group. Polymorphisms in nucleotide excision repair genes and risk of multiple primary melanoma: the Genes Environment and Melanoma Study. Carcinogenesis, 27(3): 610-8 (2006)
Busam KJ, Mujumdar U, Hummer AJ, Nobrega J, Hawkins WG, Coit DG, Brady MS. Cutaneous desmoplastic melanoma: reappraisal of morphologic heterogeneity and prognostic factors. American Journal of Surgical Pathology. 28: 1518-25 (2004).
