MWS newsletter January 2025
WELCOME TO A NEW YEAR OF DISCOVERY
As we begin 2025, we thank you for your ongoing participation in the Million Women Study. Your commitment continues to drive ground-breaking research that improves women’s health worldwide.
STUDY HIGHLIGHTS
Rheumatoid arthritis and cancer risk in the Million Women Study
This study explores associations between rheumatoid arthritis and cancer risks using MWS data, contributing to understanding chronic conditions' interplay with cancer.
Yang T. et al, International Journal of Epidemiology, 2024
Physical and mental health of 40,000 older women in England during the COVID-19 pandemic (2020-2021)
This study, rooted in MWS data, provides insights into the pandemic’s effects on older women’s well-being.
Floud S. et al, PLoS One, 2024
Diet-wide analyses for risk of colorectal cancer: prospective study of 12,251 incident cases among 542,778 women in the UK
This is the most comprehensive single study ever conducted into the relationship between diet and bowel cancer, and it highlights the protective role of calcium in the development of this disease.
Papier K. et al, Nature Communications, 2025
LOOKING AHEAD
We are happy to announce that we have received approval to collect additional blood samples as part of the Million Women Study: Disease Susceptibility in Women (REC Reference 03/5/071). In this phase, only some participants will be invited to take part, so you may or may not receive an invitation. Blood sample collection will be done by post, with participants receiving a kit to collect their samples at home. If you are invited, please consider taking part in this valuable research.
PARTICIPANT PANEL
We are recruiting to the participant panel, which acts as a consultative forum for the study. The panel meets online annually, with email communication in between. If you are interested, please get in touch.
CELEBRATING PROFessor GILLIAN REEVES
We also have exciting news to share! In July 2024, Professor Gillian Reeves, Chief Investigator of the Million Women Study, delivered her inaugural lecture for the Valerie Beral Professorship at the Oxford Population Health Annual Symposium. In her talk, titled Harnessing the Power of Large Observational Studies to Answer Important Questions About Women’s Health, Professor Reeves highlighted her significant scientific achievements and her enduring contributions to epidemiology. Her work continues to focus on improving the health of women.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR PARTICIPATION
Your involvement is essential to our success. Together, we’re shaping a healthier future for women everywhere.
To stay informed about the latest updates, including the newly updated Data Access Policy, please visit our website at www.millionwomenstudy.org.
If you have any comments or suggestions, please email us at: millionwomenstudy@ndph.ox.ac.uk.
Download the January 2025 newsletter [PDF].