Sally Glaser

Administrative Appointments

• Interim Executive Director, Nothern California Cancer Center (2008 - 2009)
• Director, Greater Bay Area Cancer Registry, Northern California Cancer Center (2005 - present)
• Director, Surveillance Research, Northern California Cancer Center (2000 - 2006)

Professional Education

• Ph.D., UC Berkeley, Epidemiology (1984)
• M.S., UC Berkeley, Epidemiology (1978)
• A.B., Harvard College, Social Relations (1972)

Web Site Links

• www.nccc.org

Research Interests

Research

Hodgkin lymphoma: Dr. Glaser has conducted numerous descriptive studies in the epidemiology of Hodgkin lymphoma. Her analytic work includes a case-control study of reproductive factors for Hodgkin lymphoma in women that also yielded analyses of numerous additional risk factors and pertinent methodologic issues. Subsequent research has characterized the epidemiologic features of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-associated Hodgkin lymphoma. In addition to comparing risk factors for women with and without EBV in their tumors using data from the case-control study, Dr. Glaser examined the epidemiology of EBV-associated Hodgkin lymphoma in a large population-based California case series (n>1,000). With colleagues Dr. Richard Ambinder and Dr. Margaret Gulley, Dr. Glaser also evaluated the reliability of EBV detection assays, generating interpretation guidelines to minimize this variation. Dr. Glaser’s current research interests in Hodgkin lymphoma involve genetic determinants of risk and their interaction with environmental factors.

Breast cancer: Dr. Glaser has been involved in Surveillance Research studies of incidence and survival patterns of breast cancer. Her analytic studies have focused on immune function modulators. These include a population-based study of EBV and risk of breast cancer and subsequent work with Dr. Gulley to develop a comprehensive panel of novel EBV assays to apply to a representative group of breast tumors. Recently Dr. Glaser collaborated with Dr. Henry Erlich to test the hypothesis that racial/ethnic variation in Hodgkin lymphoma genotypes explains some portion of racial/ethnic variation in breast cancer incidence.

Surveillance Research: As Director of Surveillance Research, Dr. Glaser built a research program dedicated to the insightful use of population-based cancer registry data to inform understanding of site-specific cancer incidence and survival patterns in various population subgroups, particularly...

Publications

• Making sense of seasonal fluctuations in lymphoma diagnosis. Chang ET, Clarke CA, Glaser SL "Leuk Lymphoma" 2007 ; 2 (48) : 223-4
• Changes in cancer registry coding for lymphoma subtypes: reliability over time and relevance for surveillance and study. Clarke CA, Undurraga DM, Harasty PJ, Glaser SL, Morton LM, Holly EA "Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev" 2006 ; 4 (15) : 630-8
• Misclassification of race/ethnicity in a population-based cancer registry (United States). Gomez SL, Glaser SL "Cancer Causes Control" 2006 ; 6 (17) : 771-81
• Body size, physical activity, and risk of Hodgkin's lymphoma in women. Keegan TH, Glaser SL, Clarke CA, Dorfman RF, Mann RB, DiGiuseppe JA, Chang ET, Ambinder RF "Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev" 2006 ; 6 (15) : 1095-101
• Population attributable risk of breast cancer in white women associated with immediately modifiable risk factors. Clarke CA, Purdie DM, Glaser SL "BMC Cancer" 2006 : (6) : 170