Sisters

Sisters share more than sibling rivalry - they share similar genes, and usually, lifestyles and early environments.

Sisters of breast cancer victims also are about twice as likely to develop the disease.

Investigators in the Sister Study are looking for genes and environmental exposures that might affect the risk levels in those who haven't had breast cancer, said Paula Scarborough Juras, the study's project officer and a specialist with the National Institute of Environmental Health Scientists, part of the National Institutes of Health.

"We hope to be able to identify things that we may come in contact with in our homes or in the workplace or in our communities that are definitely affecting breast cancer risk," Juras said, "and then be able to say, 'We need to avoid this,' or 'We need to control this' and in some way prevent new breast cancer cases."

To read the entire article and to read about the author's experince signing up for the study, visit this website.