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retrospective cohort study

(REH-troh-SPEK-tiv KOH-hort STUH-dee)
A research study in which the medical records of groups of individuals who are alike in many ways but differ by a certain characteristic (for example, female nurses who smoke and those who do not smoke) are compared for a particular outcome (such as lung cancer). Also called historic cohort study.
Search NCI's Dictionary of Cancer Terms