CIRCE Population Study: 100,000 lives for women’s cancer research

Why this project matters

Many of the factors that influence cancer risk begin long before a diagnosis is made. Genetics, reproductive history, lifestyle, environmental exposures, and social circumstances all interact throughout life to shape who develops cancer and how the disease progresses. Yet many of these complex relationships remain poorly understood, limiting our ability to identify women at highest risk and develop more effective strategies for prevention and early detection.

To address this challenge, CIRCE is establishing one of Sweden’s largest research resources dedicated to women’s cancer. By following 100,000 participants over time, this project will create a unique foundation for understanding how biological, environmental, and societal factors combine to influence women’s health across the life course.

Research focus

The project aims to:

• establish a long-term population-based research resource for women’s cancer
• identify genetic, biological, environmental, lifestyle, and socioeconomic factors that influence cancer risk
• improve understanding of how cancer develops across the life course
• discover new biomarkers that support earlier detection and more personalized prevention
• provide a foundation for future research on women’s cancers and other common diseases
• generate knowledge that supports more equitable prevention, screening, and healthcare

Methods and data

Approximately 100,000 participants −primarily women, together with a population-based comparison group of men − will contribute blood samples, questionnaire information, and long-term health follow-up through Swedish healthcare and population registers. The project will combine genetic and molecular analyses with information on reproductive history, lifestyle, environmental exposures, medications, healthcare utilization, and socioeconomic conditions to create one of the world’s most comprehensive resources for women’s cancer research.

By integrating these data over many years, the CIRCE Population Study will enable researchers to investigate why cancer develops, identify women at increased risk, improve prevention and early detection strategies, and support more personalized and equitable cancer care for future generations.

 

The CIRCE Population Study serves as a shared research resource for the entire center. By combining biological samples with clinical, lifestyle, environmental, and registry data, it will support research spanning prevention, early detection, treatment, survivorship, and health equity − creating a foundation for discoveries that benefit women for generations to come.