Research
My research activities involve epidemiological studies and relate to two main themes:
(i) Infections and immunity in relation to the development of cancer and other chronic diseases;
(ii) Environmental exposures and their link with cancer etiology.
I am currently conducting studies looking into a possible link between non-specific stimulation of the immune function at an early age, such as that induced by Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccination, and beneficial or detrimental effects on the development of inflammatory and autoimmune diseases later in life. For these studies, we are using information from the Quebec BCG vaccination registry and linking it to administrative health databases in order to determine occurrence of the diseases of interest. After completing a validation study, we assembled the Quebec Birth Cohort on Immunity and Health (QBCIH, n=81,496) to study the association between BCG vaccination and childhood asthma. We are also studying BCG vaccination in relation to diabetes occurrence. Perinatal information, BCG vaccination, and health encounters related to asthma, diabetes, and several allergic diseases were gathered from administrative databases. Additional relevant information, unavailable in these databases, was collected among 1643 participants using a two-stage sampling strategy with a balanced design. Analyses are ongoing for several sub-projects. [Funded by FRQS and CIHR]
I am involved in a multi-centre international cohort study on the natural history of oropharyngeal precursor lesions. I lead the Canadian component at the INRS-Institut Armand-Frappier, along with Dr. Belinda Nicolau (co-Principal Investigator) and a team of researchers from McGill University, the Université de Montréal, and the Albert Einstein College of Medicine (NY, USA). This pilot project, conducted in Canada, USA, and Brazil, will allow our group to implement and assess the procedures for an international prospective cohort study on oropharyngeal cancer precursors. In this study, we address molecular (gene expression, DNA methylation), infectious (human papillomavirus infections (HPV)), and lifestyle (smoking, alcohol, diet) factors associated with progression towards cancer. [Funded by CIHR]
Finally, I am leading and participating in projects using data from a case-control study conducted by Jack Siemiatycki and collaborators in Montreal (1996-2002), and aiming to understand the environmental causes of lung cancer. Through student supervision and several collaborations, I am investigating several types of factors, from lifestyle to environmental exposures, in relation to lung cancer risk. For example, some of these projects covered dietary intake of carotenoids and vitamin C, body mass index, socioeconomic status, history of allergic diseases, as well as occupational exposures such as asbestos, formaldehyde, lead compounds, gasoline emissions, and cotton dust. [Funded by CIHR and Cancer Research Society, MDEIE, FRQS]
Education and training
Other affiliations
Adjunct Professor, Faculty of Dentistry, McGill University
Selected publications
- Rousseau M.-C., Conus F., Li J.*, Parent M.-É., El-Zein M. The Québec BCG Vaccination Registry (1956-1992): Assessing data quality and linkage with administrative health databases. BMC Medical Informatics and Decision Making. 2014;14(1):2. DOI: 10.1186/10.1186/1472-6947-14-2
- El-Zein M., Parent M.-E., Conus F., Siemiatycki J., Rousseau M.-C. History of allergic diseases and lung cancer risk. Annals of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology. 2014. pii: S1081-1206(13)00951-4. doi: 10.1016/j.anai.2013.12.021.
- El-Zein M., Parent M.-E., Nicolau B., Koushik A., Siemiatycki J., Rousseau M.-C. Body mass index, lifetime smoking intensity and lung cancer risk. International Journal of Cancer. 2013; 133(7):1721-31.
- Mahboubi A.*, Koushik A., Siemiatycki J., Lavoué J., Rousseau M.-C. Assessment of the effect of occupational exposure to formaldehyde on the risk of lung cancer in two population-based case-control studies conducted in Montreal, Canada. Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment & Health. 2013; 39(4): 401-10.
- Wynant W.*, Siemiatycki J., Parent M.-É., Rousseau M.-C. Occupational exposure to lead and lung cancer: results from two case–control studies in Montreal, Canada. Occupational and Environmental Medicine. 2013; 70(3):164-70.
- Parent M.-É., El-Zein M.*, Rousseau M.-C., Pintos J., Siemiatycki J. Night work and the risk of cancer among men. American Journal of Epidemiology. 2012; 176(9):751-9.
- Nkosi T.M.*, Parent M.-É., Siemiatycki J., Rousseau M.-C. Studying socioeconomic position and lung cancer risk: How important is the modeling of smoking? Epidemiology. 2012; 23(3):377-85.
- Nkosi T.M.*, Parent M.-É., Siemiatycki J., Pintos J., Rousseau M.-C. Comparison of indicators of material circumstances in the context of an epidemiological study. BMC Medical Research Methodology. 2011;11:108. http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2288/11/108
- Parent M.-E, Rousseau M.-C., El-Zein M.*, Latreille B., Désy M., Siemiatycki J. Occupational and recreational physical activity during adult life and the risk of cancer among men. Cancer Epidemiology. 2011; 35(2):151-9. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.canep.2010.09.004
- El-Zein M.*, Parent M.-É., Kâ K., Siemiatycki J., St-Pierre Y., Rousseau M.-C. History of asthma or eczema and cancer risk among adult men: A population-based case-control study in Montreal, Canada. Annals of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology. 2010; 104(5):378-384.
- El-Zein M.*, Parent M.-É., Benedetti A., Rousseau M.-C. Does BCG vaccination protect against the development of childhood asthma? A systematic review and a meta-analysis of epidemiological studies. International Journal of Epidemiology. 2010; 39(2):469-486.
- Pintos J., Parent M.-E., Case B.W., Rousseau M.-C., Siemiatycki J. Risk of mesothelioma and occupational exposure to asbestos and man-made vitreous fibers: evidence from two case-control studies in Montreal, Canada. Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine. 2009; 51(10):1177-1184.
- Pintos J., Parent M.-É., Rousseau M.-C., Case B.W., Siemiatycki J. Occupational Exposure to Asbestos and Man-Made Vitreous Fibers, and Risk of Lung Cancer: evidence from two case-control studies in Montreal, Canada. Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine. 2008; 50(11):1273-1281.
- Rousseau M.-C., Parent M.-E., St-Pierre Y. Potential health effects from non-specific stimulation of the immune function in early age: The example of BCG vaccination. Pediatric Allergy and Immunology. 2008; 19(5):438-448.
- Rousseau M.-C., Parent M.-E., Nadon L., Latreille B., Siemiatycki J. Occupational exposure to lead compounds and risk of cancer among men: A population-based case-control study. American Journal of Epidemiology. 2007; 166(9):1005-14.
- Parent M.-É., Rousseau M.-C., Boffetta P., Cohen A., Siemiatycki J. Exposure to diesel and gasoline engine emissions and the risk of lung cancer. American Journal of Epidemiology. 2007; 165(1):53-62.
- Rousseau M.-C., Parent M.-É., Pollak M.N., Siemiatycki J. Diabetes mellitus and cancer risk in a population-based case-control study among men from Montreal, Canada. International Journal of Cancer. 2006; 118(8):2105-2109.
Phone: 514-890-8000 # 15917
CRCHUM Risks, prevention, and health promotion
Fax: (514) 412-7106
Email: marie-claude.rousseau@iaf.inrs.ca
