• Robert Greenlee PhD, MPH

  • Senior Research Scientist


    • MCRI - MCRI-Clin Epidem and Pop Hlth
    • 1000 North Oak Ave. ML2 Marshfield, WI 54449

Work Experience

2004 to Present:
Adjunct Assistant Professor, Department of Population Health Sciences, UW-Madison, Madison
2000 to Present:
Epidemiologist/Research Scientist, Epidemiology Research Center, Marshfield Clinic Research Foundation, Marshfield
2000 to 2004:
Adjunct Assistant Professor, Department of Epidemiology, Emory University, Atlanta
1999 to 2000:
Program Director, Cancer Surveillance, American Cancer Society, National Home Office, Atlanta
1996 to 1997:
Research Assistant, Metropolitan Atlanta SEER Cancer Registry, Emory University, Atlanta
1991 to 1995:
Epidemiologist/Communicable Disease Supervisor, Kent County Health Department, Grand Rapids
1989 to 1991:
Epidemiologist, Western Michigan Associated Health Departments, White Cloud

Honors & Awards

Summer Research Fund Award
Melanoma Seed Grant Program, Competitive Grant Award
Doctoral Fellowship
University of Michigan School of Public Health Scholarship
Brumbaugh Senior Science Prize
Charles C. Ellis Memorial Scholarship
Dr. C. Lester Hess Memorial Scholarship
National Honor Society
Beta Beta Beta, National Honor Society of Biology
Alumni Scholarship
Freshman Chemistry Prize

Research Interests

Cancer surveillance and control, with particular focus on sociodemographic disparities in prevention, early detection, and treatment
Conducts analyses using national cancer registry datasets
Affiliate investigator with the Prostate, Lung, Colorectal, and Ovarian (PLCO) Cancer Screening Trial, sponsored by the National Cancer Institute
Data advisor for Wisconsin's Comprehensive Cancer Control Program
Clinical epidemiology of cardiovascular disease, particularly arrhythmias and conduction disorders
Maintains responsibility for the ongoing development and strategic direction of the MESA resource
MESA collaborations with clinicians include projects on atrial fibrillation, asthma, genetic disorders, lupus, and Barrett's esophagus

Professional Societies

Society for Epidemiologic Research
American College of Epidemiology
American Society of Preventive Oncology

Select Publications

  • Greenlee RT, Paterson I, Adams Jones D. (1999). Thyroid cancer in Wales 1985-1996: a cancer registry-based study. Clin Oncol (R Coll Radiol). 11(4):245-251.
    PubMed ID: 10473721
  • Greenlee RT, Wingo PA, Thun MJ. (1999). Breast cancer facts and figures 1999-2000. American Cancer Society. Atlanta, GA.
  • Greenlee RT, Carlson GW, Alazraki N, Fry-Spray C, Poole R, Blais M,...Hestley A. (2000 August). Surgical management of malignant melanoma using dynamic lymphoscintigraphy and gamma probe-guided sentinel lymph node biopsy: the Emory experience. Am Surg. 66(8):763-767.
    PubMed ID: 10966037
  • Greenlee RT, Carlson GW, Alazraki N, Fry-Spray C, Poole R, Blais M,...Hestley A. (2000 March). Management of malignant melanoma of the head and neck using dynamic lymphoscintigraphy and gamma probe-guided sentinel lymph node biopsy. Arch Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 126(3):433-437.
    PubMed ID: 10722024
  • Greenlee RT, Wingo PA, Murray T, Bolden S. (2000 January). Cancer Statistics, 2000. CA Cancer J Clin. 50(1):7-33.
    PubMed ID: 10735013
  • Greenlee RT, Thun MJ, Hill-Harmon MB. (2000). Cancer facts and figures for African Americans 2000-2001. American Cancer Society.
  • Greenlee RT, Wingo PA, Cardinez CJ, Hill-Harmon MB, Bolden S. (2000). Cancer statistics 2000 (slide set). American Cancer Society.
  • Greenlee RT, Flagg EW, Liff J, McAlpine B, Kleinbaum DG. (2000). Time trends in melanoma incidence by tumor thickness, metropolitan Atlanta, 1981-1996. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF EPIDEMIOLOGY. 151(11):S33.
  • Greenlee RT, Wingo PA, Thun MJ, Calle EE, Walker KA. (2000). SES and black-white differences in mortaility in a large prospective cohort of U.S. men and women. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF EPIDEMIOLOGY. 151(11):S90.
  • Greenlee RT, Liu LH, Wu XC, Chen VW, Steele B, Ruiz B,...Carozza SE. (2001 November). Subsite-specific incidence rates and stage of disease in colorectal cancer by race, gender, and age group in the United States, 1992-1997. CANCER. 92(10):2547-2552.
    PubMed ID: 11745188
  • Greenlee RT, Thun MJ, Hill-Harmon MB, Murray T. (2001 January). Cancer Statistics, 2001. CA Cancer J Clin. 51(1):15-36.
    PubMed ID: 11577478
  • Greenlee RT, Thun MJ, Coombs D, Cokkinides V. (2001). Special Section: Obesity. Cancer Facts and Figures 2001. American Cancer Society.
  • Greenlee RT, Belongia EA, Gale CM, Konitzer KA, Carl WR. (2001). Chronic disease surveillance in the Marshfield Epidemiologic Study Area: a population-based cohort in a comprehensive medical care system. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF EPIDEMIOLOGY. 153(11):S61.
  • Greenlee RT, Carlson GW, Murray DK, Cohen C, Hestley A. (2001). The amount of metastatic melanoma in a sentinel lymph node: does it have a prognostic significance? Proceedings of the American Society of Clinical Oncology. :20:356a.
  • Greenlee RT, Vidaillet HJ, Naleway AL. (2002 July). Incidence of myocardial infarction in a general population: The Marshfield Epidemiologic Study Area. WMJ. 101(7):46-52.
    PubMed ID: 12426920
  • Greenlee RT, Belongia EA, Naleway AL, Davis JP, Kazmierczak JJ. (2002 June). Lyme disease incidence in Wisconsin: a comparison of state-reported rates and rates from a population-based cohort. Am J Epidemiol. 155(12):1120-1127.
    PubMed ID: 12048226
  • Greenlee RT, Brouwer ES. (2002). The association between socioeconomic indicators and presentation with thicker melanoma tumors at diagnosis. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF EPIDEMIOLOGY. 155(11):S96.
  • Greenlee RT, Kieke BA, Marlenga BL, Elliott JL, Zentner JL. (2003 September). Disease surveillance in the Marshfield Epidemiologic Study Area: focus on farm families. Ann Epidemiol. 13(8):568.
    PubMed ID: 12957004
  • Greenlee RT, Smith PN, Hayes JJ, Maassen KA, Chyou P, Vidaillet HJ,...Ortiz M [including Sharma PP.] (2003). Incidence of primary versus secondary atrial fibrillation: a population-based study from the Marshfield Epidemiologic Study Area (MESA). American Heart Association Scientific Sessions. Circulation. 108(17):IV:786-787.
  • Greenlee RT, Smith PN, Hayes JJ, Maassen KA, Chyou P, Vidaillet HJ,...Ortiz M [including Sharma PP.] (2003). Independent risk factors for atrial flutter: a population-based study from the Marshfield Epidemiologic Study Area (MESA). American Heart Association Scientific Sessions. Circulation. 108(17):IV780.
  • Greenlee RT, Wilson DA, McCarty DJ, Naleway AL, Davis ME. (2003). Incidence and prevalence of systemic lupus erythematosus in a rural population. American College of Rheumatology Annual Meeting. Arthritis and Rheumatism. 48(9):S394-395.
  • Greenlee RT, Reding DJ, Chyou P, McCarty DJ, McCarty CA, Gunderson PD. (2003 May). Differences in preventive screening rates in Wisconsin farm and non-farm resident women. WMJ. 102(5):22-26.
    PubMed ID: 14621927
  • Greenlee RT, Kieke BA, Belongia EA, Naleway AL, Chen RT, Shay DK. (2003 July). Eczematous skin disease and recall of past diagnoses: implications for smallpox vaccination. Ann Intern Med. 139(1):1-7.
    PubMed ID: 12834312
  • Greenlee RT, Devries EO, Belongia EA, Chyou P, Perez-Perez G, Bibb WF. (2003 September). Diarrhea incidence and farm-related risk factors for Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Campylobacter jejuni antibodies among rural children. J Infect Dis. 187(9):1460-1468.
    PubMed ID: 12717628
  • Greenlee RT, Smith PN, Hayes JJ, Vidaillet HJ, Sharma PP, Cairns R,...Liu K [including Ellner MK.] (2003). How many patients in the US need biventricular pacing for heart failure? PACE. 26(4 Pt 2):1018.
  • Greenlee RT, Smith PN, Vidaillet HJ, Sharma PP, Cairns R, Ellner MK,...Liu K. (2003). Biventricular pacing in heart failure: prevalence in heart failure clinic versus the general population. PACE. 26(4 Pt 2):981.
  • Greenlee RT. (2003 October). Measuring disease frequency in the Marshfield Epidemiologic Study Area (MESA). Clin Med Res. 1(4):273-280.
    PubMed ID: 15931320
  • Anderson KP, Greenlee RT, Smith PN, Hayes JJ, Vidaillet HJ, Sharma PP, Osorio HJ. (2003). Prevalence of patients with myocardial infarction and reduced left ventricular ejection fraction: impact of the MADIT II study in the general population. J Am Coll Cardiol. 41(6 Suppl):96A.
  • Greenlee RT, Smith PN, Hayes JJ, Berg RL, Maassen KA, Chyou P,...Grierson P [including Vidaillet HJ, Sharma PP, Granada JF.] (2003). Mortality of primary versus secondary atrial fibrillation: a population based study from the Marshfield Epidemiologic Study Area. PACE. 26(4 Pt 2):1001.
  • Greenlee RT, Wingo PA, Cardinez CJ, Landis SH, Ries LA G, Anderson RN, Thun MJ. (2003 June). Long-term trends in cancer mortality in the United States, 1930-1998. CANCER. 97(12 Suppl):3133-3275.
    PubMed ID: 12784323
  • Greenlee RT, Reeser JC, Kirkhorn SR. (2003). The epidemiology of agriculture-related osteoarthritis and its impact upon occupational disability. WMJ. 102(7):38-44.
    PubMed ID: 14711023
  • Anderson KP, Greenlee RT, Hayes JJ, Vidaillet HJ, Sharma PP. (2004 November). Generalizability of the MADIT II trial: comparison of study participants versus eligible patients in a general population. CIRCULATION. 110(17):III827.
  • Greenlee RT. (2004). Evaluation of methods to estimate and compare race/ethnicity specific cancer incidence rates using combined Central Cancer Registry data. North American Association of Central Cancer Registries. http://www.naaccr.org/filesystem/pdf/Greenl.
  • Greenlee RT, Joshi D. (2004). The incidence of basal cell and squamous cell skin cancers: population-based estimates from the Marshfield Epidemiologic Study Area (MESA). American College of Epidemiology Annual Meeting. Annals of Epidemiology. 14(8):595.
  • Anderson KP, Greenlee RT, Smith PN, Hayes JJ, Vidaillet HJ, Sharma PP. (2004). How many patients with ischemic cardiomyopathy in the U.S. are eligible for ICD placement? Impact of the new CMS Coverage Guidelines. Heart Rhythm Society Annual Scientific Sessions. Heart Rhythm. 1(1S):S180-181.
  • Greenlee RT, Reding DJ, Burmester JK, Greenlee AR, Church T, Alexander B. (2004). Quantifying the bias due to variability in earliness of diagnosis for studies of behavioral risk factors in prostate cancer. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 13(11):1865.
  • Greenlee RT, Kieke BA, Marlenga BL, Elliott JL, Zentner JL. (2005 May). Farm health surveillance in the Marshfield Epidemiologic Study Area: a pilot study. J Agric Saf Health. 11(2):211-218.
    PubMed ID: 15931947
  • Greenlee RT, Wilson DA, McCarty DJ, Naleway AL, Coleman LA, Davis ME. (2005). Birth weight and systemic lupus erythematosus. Lupus. 14(7):526-528.
  • Greenlee RT, Wilson DA, McCarty DJ, Naleway AL, Davis ME. (2005). Epidemiology of systemic lupus erythematosus in rural Wisconsin. Lupus. 14(10):862-866.
    PubMed ID: 16302684
  • Greenlee RT, Vidaillet HJ. (2005 January). Recent progress in the epidemiology of atrial fibrillation. Curr Opin Cardiol. 20(1):7-14.
    PubMed ID: 15596953
  • Greenlee RT, Vidaillet HJ. (2005 January). Rate control versus rhythm control. Curr Opin Cardiol. 20(1):15-20.
    PubMed ID: 15596954
  • Greenlee RT, Melski JW, Naleway AL. (2006 August). Characteristics of diagnosed polymorphous light eruption. Photodermatol Photoimmunol Photomed. 22(4):205-207.
    PubMed ID: 16869870
  • Greenlee RT, McPherson EW, Berg RL, Benetti LL, Wagner SF, Giampietro PF. (2006 August). Acute health events in adult patients with genetic disorders: the Marshfield Epidemiologic Study Area. Genet Med. 8(8):474-490.
    PubMed ID: 16912579
  • Greenlee RT, Kieke BA, Belongia EA, Mitchell PD, Vandermause MF, Rahman M. (2007 August). Performance of Directigen flu A+B enzyme immunoassay and direct fluorescent assay for detection of influenza infection during the 2004-2005 season. Diagn Microbiol Infect Dis. 58(4):413-418.
    PubMed ID: 17509800
  • Anderson KP, Greenlee RT, Smith PN, Hayes JJ, Chyou P, Vidaillet HJ,...Osorio HJ [including Sharma PP.] (2007 September). Prevalence and mortality of patients with myocardial infarction and reduced left ventricular ejection fraction in a defined community: Relation to the second multicenter automatic defibrillator implantation trial. J Interv Card Electrophysiol. 19(3):157-164.
    PubMed ID: 17805953
  • Greenlee RT, Pinsky PF, Kramer BS, Gohagan JK, Crawford ED, Gelmann EP,...Andriole GL. (2007 April). Repeat prostate biopsy in the prostate, lung, colorectal and ovarian cancer screening trial. BJU Int. 99(4):775-779.
    PubMed ID: 17223921
  • Greenlee RT, Pinsky PF, Kramer BS, Gohagan JK, Chia D, Crawford ED,...Andriole G. (2007 April). Prostate-specific antigen velocity and prostate cancer gleason grade and stage. CANCER. 109(8):1689-1695.
    PubMed ID: 17330856
  • Greenlee RT, Torbey CF, Resnick JM, Mukesh BNanjan, Musana KA. (2008 March). Barrett's esophagus: incidence and prevalence estimates in a rural mid-western population. American Journal of Gastroenterology. 103(3):516-24.
    PubMed ID: 17970839
  • Greenlee RT, Reding DJ, Kramer BS, Prorok PC, Gohagan JK, Chia D,...Ragard LR. (2008 December). Prostate cancer screening in the Prostate, Lung, Colorectal and Ovarian cancer screening trial: update on findings from the initial four rounds of screening in a randomized trial. BJU INTERNATIONAL. 102(11):1524-1530.
    PubMed ID: 19035857
  • Greenlee RT, Onitilo AA, Vidaillet HJ, Ghbeis M. (2008). Abstract 3131: Primary Cardiac Malignant Tumors. Incidence, Trends and Survival. CIRCULATION. 118(S):1098-S_1099.
  • Greenlee RT, Kieke BA, Donahue JG, Belongia EA, Shay DK, Bright RA,...Rahman M [including Vandermause MF.] (2008 January). Adamantane-resistant influenza infection during the 2004-05 season. EMERGING INFECTIOUS DISEASES. 14(1):173-176.
    PubMed ID: 18258102
  • Greenlee RT, Onitilo AA, Engel JM, Mukesh BNanjan. (2008 May). Breast cancer subtypes based on ER/PR and HER2 expression: A population-based experience. JOURNAL OF CLINICAL ONCOLOGY. May 20 suppl; abstr 22181
  • Greenlee RT, Gurwitz JH, Margolis K, Go AS, Magid DJ, Wells B,...Murata GH. (2008 November). The Cardiovascular Research Network: A New Paradigm for Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes Research. Circ Cardiovasc Qual Outcomes. 1 :138-147.
  • Greenlee RT, Chyou P, Kieke AL, Naik Y, Kirkhorn SR. (2008 December). Prevalence of Asthma in a General Population Cohort of Farm Children: Comparison of Estimates Based on Parental Report and Medical Record Review. Journal of Agromedicine. 13(4):225-231.
    PubMed ID: 19064414
  • Greenlee RT, Coleman LA, Nelson AF, Selby JV. (2008 December). Partnerships in translation: advancing research and clinical care. The 14th Annual HMO Research Network Conference, April 13-16, 2008, Minneapolis, Minnesota. Clin Med Res. 6(3-4):109-112.
    PubMed ID: 19325174
  • Greenlee RT, Reding DJ, Coleman LA, Nelson AF, Kottke TE, Rank B,...Isham GJ. (2008 December). Partnering care delivery and research to optimize health. Clin Med Res. 6(3-4):113-118.
    PubMed ID: 19325175
  • Greenlee RT, Smith PN, Hayes JJ, Chyou P, Mareedu RK, Vidaillet HJ,...Abdalrahman IB [including Sharma PP, Dharmashankar KC.] (2008 December). Comorbidities Associated with Onsoet of Atrial Flutter and Atrial Fibrillation in General Population. Clin Med Res. 6(3/4):144,PS2-06.
  • Greenlee RT, Johnson CC, Weissfeld JL, Ragard LR, for the PLCO Project Team, Buys SS,...Kessel B. (2009 April). Results from four rounds of ovarian cancer screening in a randomized trial. OBSTETRICS AND GYNECOLOGY. 113(4):775-82.
    PubMed ID: 19305319
  • Greenlee RT, Howe HL. (2009 August). County-level poverty and distant stage cancer in the United States. Cancer Causes Control. 20(6):989-1000.
    PubMed ID: 19199061
  • Greenlee RT, Kieke BA, Donahue JG, Belongia EA, Shay DK, Balish A,...Marshfield Influenza Study Group. Effectiveness of inactivated influenza vaccines varied substantially with antigenic match from the 2004-2005 season to the 2006-2007 season. [published online ahead of print 2009 January]. J Infect Dis. 199(2):159-67.
    PubMed ID: 19086915
  • Greenlee RT, Onitilo AA, Engel JM, Mukesh BNanjan. (2009 June). Breast Cancer Subtypes Based on ER/PR and Her2 Expression: Comparison of Clinicopathologic Features and Survival. Clin Med Res. 7(1-2):4-13.
    PubMed ID: 19251585
  • Greenlee RT, Bartels C, Buhr K. (2010 March). Patient Outcomes in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus: A Collaborative Study Fostered by a New CTSA-based Partnership. Clinical Medicine & Research. 8(1):46.
  • Greenlee RT, Smith PN, Hayes JJ, Chyou P, Mareedu RK, Vidaillet HJ,...Abdalrahman IB [including Sharma PP.] (2010 March). Atrial flutter versus atrial fibrillation in a general population: differences in comorbidities associated with their respective onset. Clinical Medicine & Research. 8(1):1-6.
    PubMed ID: 19920163
  • Greenlee RT, Reding DJ, Hartge P, Ragard LR, Riley TL, Buys SS,...Kessel B. (2010 April). Prevalence, incidence, and natural history of simple ovarian cysts among women >55 years old in a large cancer screening trial. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF OBSTETRICS AND GYNECOLOGY. 202(4):373.e1-9.
    PubMed ID: 20096820
  • Greenlee RT, Hartge P, Lacey JV, Schatzkin A, Pfeiffer RM, Schonfeld SJ,...Visvanathan K. (2010 May). Effect of changing breast cancer incidence rates on the calibration of the Gail model. JOURNAL OF CLINICAL ONCOLOGY. 28(14):2411-7.
    PubMed ID: 20368565
  • Greenlee RT, Howe HL, Goodman MT, Lynch CF, Platz CE, Havener LA. (2010 January). The occurrence of rare cancers in U.S. adults, 1995-2004. Public Health Rep. 125(1):28-43.
    PubMed ID: 20402194
  • Greenlee RT, Suits ML, Vidaillet HJ, Kadish A, Go AS, Magid DJ,...Garcia-Montilla RJ. (2011 November). PS2-15: Linking Disparate Data Sources to Evaluate Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator Outcomes in the Cardiovascular Research Network: Initial Lessons Clinical Medicine & Research. 9(3-4):151.
  • Greenlee RT, Hartge P, Lacey JV, Schatzkin A, Pfeiffer RM, Schairer C,...Sigurdson AJ. (2011 March). Hormone-related risk factors and postmenopausal breast cancer among nulliparous versus parous women: An aggregated study. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF EPIDEMIOLOGY. 173(5):509-17.
    PubMed ID: 21266505
  • Greenlee RT, Penniston KL, McLaren ID, Nakada SY. (2011 May). Urolithiasis in a rural Wisconsin population From 1992 to 2008: narrowing of the male-to-female ratio. J Urol. 185(5):1731-6.
    PubMed ID: 21420112
  • Greenlee RT, Hocking WG, Reding DJ, Kruger RL, Crump JW, Fagerstrom RM,...Manor WF. (2011 August). Reduced lung-cancer mortality with low-dose computed tomographic screening. N Engl J Med. 365(5):395-409.
    PubMed ID: 21714641
  • Greenlee RT, Reding DJ, Kramer BS, Prorok PC, Gohagan JK, Crawford EDavid,...Clapp JD. (2011 June). Effect of screening on ovarian cancer mortality: the Prostate, Lung, Colorectal and Ovarian (PLCO) Cancer Screening Randomized Controlled Trial. JAMA. 305(22):2295-303.
    PubMed ID: 21642681
  • Greenlee RT, VanWormer JJ, Che J, McBride P, Peppard P, Malecki K, Nieto J. (2012 September). Aspirin for primary prevention of CVD: Are the right people using it? JOURNAL OF FAMILY PRACTICE. 61(9):525-33.
  • Greenlee RT, Lee C, Kruger RL, Johnson E, Feigelson HS, Roblin DW,...Williams A. (2012 June). Use of diagnostic imaging studies and associated radiation exposure for patients enrolled in large integrated health care systems, 1996-2010. JAMA-JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN MEDICAL ASSOCIATION. 307(22):2400-9.
    PubMed ID: 22692172
  • Greenlee RT, Acharya A, VanWormer JJ, Nieto F. (2012 October). Oral hygiene and cardiometabolic disease risk in the survey of the health of Wisconsin. Community Dent Oral Epidemiol. Epub Ahead of Print
    PubMed ID: 23106415
  • Greenlee RT, Hayes JJ, Multerer DS, Suits ML, Vidaillet HJ, Sharma PP,...Garcia-Montilla RJ [including Miller AW.] (2012 December). Longitudinal study of implantable cardioverter-defibrillators: methods and clinical characteristics of patients receiving implantable cardioverter-defibrillators for primary prevention in contemporary practice. Circ Cardiovasc Qual Outcomes. 5(6):e78-85.
    PubMed ID: 23170006
  • Rutter CM, Greenlee RT, Johnson E, Stark A, Weinmann S, Kamineni A,...Doubeni CA. (2015 January 4). Prevalence of colonoscopy before age 50. Prev Med. pii: S0091-7435(14)00510-6
    PubMed ID: 25565483