Dr. Platz is a cancer epidemiologist, whose research on prostate and colon cancers sits at the interface between epidemiology and basic science. Within prospective cohorts, she studies the association of genetic and epigenetic factors as well as circulating markers of androgenicity, inflammation, and oxidation with prostate cancer incidence and recurrence. For colorectal neoplasia, her work focuses on the metabolic syndrome, growth factors, and inflammation as sequelae of adiposity. She also studies the role of modifiable factors that influence these pathways, such as diet and lifestyle, in relation to the incidence of these diseases and other men’s health concerns. In addition, she studies these factors in association with benign conditions of the prostate and colon, including benign prostatic hyperplasia and adenomatous polyps. She has a long-standing interest uncovering explanations for the notably higher rate of prostate cancer in African-American compared to white men, including racial variation in sex steroid hormones in the in utero milieu and throughout life. Dr. Platz conducts her multidisciplinary work with an eye toward translation; that is, identifying strategies to prevent the development or progression of cancer. These goals have led to her recent research interest in the possible benefits of drugs for other indications, including statin drugs, as well as their underlying mechanisms of action in the prevention of the development and recurrence of prostate cancer. Finally, she dabbles in research that identifies and solves methodologic issues in study design germane to epidemiologic and translational studies on prostate cancer detection, incidence, prognosis, and recurrence.

Epidemiology, prostate cancer, benign prostatic hyperplasia, colorectal cancer, adenomatous polyps, diet, lifestyle, race, genetics, epigenetics, inflammation, insulin, obesity, sex steroid hormones, vitamin D

Faculty Innovation Fund

Bernstein Young Investigator's Award

Delta Omega Honorary Society in the Public Health Alpha Chapter

AMTRA Award (recognition for advising, mentoring and teaching), 2003 and 2007

Click for list of all Platz EA citations in PubMed

Tsilidis KK, Erlinger TP, Rifai N, Hoffman S, Hoffman-Bolton J, Helzlsouer KJ, Platz EA.C-reactive protein and colorectal adenoma in the CLUE II cohort. Cancer Causes and Control 2008;19:559-567. PMID: 18214695

Paller CJ, Shiels MS, Rohrmann S, Basaria S, Rifai N, Nelson W, Platz EA, Dobs A. Relationship of sex steroid hormones with bone mineral density in a nationally-representative sample of men. Clinical Endocrinology 2009;70:26-34. PMID: 18485120

Shiels MS, Huang HY, Hoffman SC, Shugart YY, Bolton JH, Platz EA, Helzlsouer KJ, Alberg AJ. A community-based study of cigarette smoking behavior in relation to variation in three genes involved in dopamine metabolism: Catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT), dopamine beta-hydroxylase (DBH) and monoamine oxidase-A (MAO-A). Preventive Medicine 2008;47:116-122. PMID: 18486967.

Tsilidis KK, Branchini C, Guallar E, Helzlsouer KJ, Erlinger TP, Platz EA. C-reactive protein and colorectal cancer risk: A systematic review of prospective studies. International Journal of Cancer 2008;123:1133-1140. PMID: 18528865.

Platz EA, Clinton SK, Giovannucci E. Association between plasma cholesterol and prostate cancer in the PSA era. International Journal of Cancer 2008;123:1693-1698. PMID: 18646186

Agrawal Y, Platz EA, Niparko JK. Prevalence of hearing loss and differences by demographic characteristics among US adults: data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 1999-2004. Archives of Internal Medicine 2008;168:1522-1530. PMID: 18663164

Sutcliffe S, Platz EA. Inflammation and prostate cancer: a focus on infections. Current Urology Reports 2008;9:243-249. PMID: 18765120.

Hamilton RJ, Goldberg KC, Platz EA, Freedland SJ. The influence of statin medications on prostate-specific antigen levels. Journal of the National Cancer Institute 2008;100:1511-1518. PMID: 18957682

Roddam AW, Allen NE, Appleby P, Key TJ, Ferrucci L, Carter HB, Metter EJ, Chen C, Weiss NS, Fitzpatrick A, Hsing AW, Lacey JV Jr, Helzlsouer K, Rinaldi S, Riboli E, Kaaks R, Janssen JA, Wildhagen MF, Schröder FH, Platz EA, Pollak M, Giovannucci E, Schaefer C, Quesenberry CP Jr, Vogelman JH, Severi G, English DR, Giles GG, Stattin P, Hallmans G, Johansson M, Chan JM, Gann P, Oliver SE, Holly JM, Donovan J, Meyer F, Bairati I, Galan P. Insulin-like growth factors, their binding proteins, and prostate cancer risk: analysis of individual patient data from 12 prospective studies. Annals of Internal Medicine 2008;149:461-471. PMID: 18838726

Mikhak B, Hunter DJ, Spiegelman D, Platz EA, Wu K, Erdman JW Jr, Giovannucci E. Manganese superoxide dismutase (MnSOD) gene polymorphism, interactions with carotenoid levels, and prostate cancer risk. Carcinogenesis 2008; 29:2335-2340. PMID: 18784358.

Agrawal Y, Platz EA, Niparko JK. Risk factors for hearing loss in US adults: data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 1999-2002. Otology & Neurotology 2009;30:139-145. PMID: 19092714.

Sutcliffe S, Alderete JF, Till C, Goodman PJ, Hsing AW, Zenilman JM, De Marzo AM, Platz EA. Trichomonosis and subsequent risk of prostate cancer in the Prostate Cancer Prevention Trial. International Journal of Cancer 2009;124:2082-2087. PMID: 19117055

Lotan TL, Toubaji A, Albadine R, Latour M, Herawi M, Meeker AK, Demarzo AM, Platz EA, Epstein JI, Netto GJ. TMPRSS2-ERG gene fusions are infrequent in prostatic ductal adenocarcinomas. Modern Patholology 2009;22:359-365. PMID: 19151660

Yi S, Selvin E, Rohrmann S, Basaria S, Menke A, Rifai N, Guallar E, Platz EA, Astor B. Endogenous sex steroid hormones and measures of chronic kidney disease in a nationally representative sample of men. Clin Endocrinol (Oxf). 2008 Oct 22. [Epub ahead of print] PMID: 19178534

Wang MH, Shugart YY, Cole SR, Platz EA. A simulation study of control sampling methods for nested case-control studies of genetic and molecular biomarkers and prostate cancer progression. Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers and Prevention 2009;18:706-711. PMID: 19258478

Wang MH, Helzlsouer KJ, Smith MW, Hoffman-Bolton JA, Clipp SL, Grinberg V, De Marzo AM, Isaacs WB, Drake CG, Shugart YY, Platz EA. Association of IL10 and other immune response- and obesity-related genes with prostate cancer in CLUE II. Prostate 2009;69:874-85. PMID: 19267370

Menke A, Muntner P, Silbergeld EK, Platz EA, Guallar E. Cadmium levels in urine and mortality among U.S. adults. Environmental Health Perspectives 2009;117:190-196. PMID: 19270787

Shiels MS, Rohrmann S, Menke A, Selvin E, Crespo CJ, Rifai N, Dobs A, Feinleib M, Guallar E, Platz EA. Association of cigarette smoking, alcohol consumption, and physical activity with sex steroid hormone levels in US men. Cancer Causes and Control 2009 Mar 10. [Epub ahead of print] PMID: 19277882

Rollison DE, Helzlsouer KJ, Lee JH, Fulp W, Clipp S, Hoffman-Bolton JA, Giuliano AR, Platz EA, Viscidi RP. Prospective study of JC virus seroreactivity and the development of colorectal cancers and adenomas. Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers and Prevention 2009; 18:1515-1523. PMID: 19383887

Rohrmann S, Sutcliffe CG, Bienstock JL, Monsegue D, Akereyeni F, Bradwin G, Rifai N, Pollak MN, Agurs-Collins T, Platz EA. Racial variation in sex steroid hormones and the insulin-like growth factor axis in umbilical cord blood of male neonates. Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers and Prevention 2009;18:1484-1491. PMID: 19423525