American Cancer Society

About: American Cancer Society is a nonprofit organization based out in Atlanta, Georgia, United States. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Cancer & Population. The organization has 1339 authors who have published 3700 publications receiving 688166 citations. The organization is also known as: American Cancer Society, ACS & American Society for the Control of Cancer.

Identification, replication, and fine-mapping of Loci associated with adult height in individuals of african ancestry.

Abstract: Adult height is a classic polygenic trait of high heritability (h 2 ∼0.8). More than 180 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), identified mostly in populations of European descent, are associated with height. These variants convey modest effects and explain ∼10% of the variance in height. Discovery efforts in other populations, while limited, have revealed loci for height not previously implicated in individuals of European ancestry. Here, we performed a meta-analysis of genome-wide association (GWA) results for adult height in 20,427 individuals of African ancestry with replication in up to 16,436 African Americans. We found two novel height loci (Xp22-rs12393627, P = 3.4×10−12 and 2p14-rs4315565, P = 1.2×10−8). As a group, height associations discovered in European-ancestry samples replicate in individuals of African ancestry (P = 1.7×10−4 for overall replication). Fine-mapping of the European height loci in African-ancestry individuals showed an enrichment of SNPs that are associated with expression of nearby genes when compared to the index European height SNPs (P<0.01). Our results highlight the utility of genetic studies in non-European populations to understand the etiology of complex human diseases and traits.

Prediagnosis Body Mass Index, Physical Activity, and Mortality in Endometrial Cancer Patients

Abstract: Background Higher body mass index (BMI) and inactivity have been associated with a higher risk of developing endometrial cancer, but the impact on endometrial cancer survival is unclear. Methods Among incident endometrial cancer case subjects in the National Institutes of Health-AARP Diet and Health Study, we examined associations of prediagnosis BMI (n = 1400) and physical activity (n = 875) with overall and disease-specific 5- and 10-year mortality. Using Cox proportional hazards regression, we estimated hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs), adjusting for tumor characteristics, treatment, and other risk factors. All statistical tests were two-sided. Results Compared with women with a BMI in the range of 18.5 to less than 25kg/m(2), the hazard ratios for 5-year all-cause mortality were 1.74 (95% CI = 1.13 to 2.66) for BMI in the range of 25 to less than 30kg/m(2), 1.84 (95% CI = 1.17 to 2.88) for BMI in the range of 30 to less than 35kg/m(2), and 2.35 (95% CI = 1.48 to 3.73) for BMI greater than or equal to 35kg/m(2) (P trend 7 hours/week vs never/rarely), but the association was attenuated after adjustment for BMI (HR = 0.64, 95% CI = 0.37 to 1.12). No association was observed between physical activity and disease-specific mortality. Conclusions Our findings suggest that higher prediagnosis BMI increases risk of overall and disease-specific mortality among women diagnosed with endometrial cancer, whereas physical activity lowers risk. Intervention studies of the effect of these modifiable lifestyle factors on mortality are needed.

Promoting cancer screening: Learning from experience.

Abstract: This article provides an overview of behavioral and social science cancer screening intervention research and introduces the scope of topics addressed in this supplement to Cancer. The authors identify and address issues to consider before conducting interventions to promote the uptake of screening tests, such as the benefits and harms associated with screening. Trends in the use of cancer screening tests are discussed in the context of their efficacy and adoption over time. Both the development and breadth of social and behavioral intervention research intended to increase the use of effective tests are reviewed as background for the articles that follow. The application of the lessons from this extensive knowledge base not only should accelerate the uptake of the effective cancer screening tests currently available, but also can guide future directions for research.

Tubal ligation and fatal ovarian cancer in a large prospective cohort study.

Abstract: Several studies suggest that tubal sterilization may decrease the risk of ovarian cancer. Data from the Cancer Prevention Study II were analyzed to examine the relation between tubal ligation and ovarian cancer mortality in a large prospective study. A total of 396,114 women who had not had hysterectomies and who had no prior history of cancer (except nonmelanoma skin cancer) were followed prospectively for approximately 9 years from 1982 to 1991. During this time, 799 ovarian cancer deaths were observed. Tubal ligation was significantly associated with a decreased risk of ovarian cancer mortality in an age- and race-adjusted Cox proportional hazards model (hazard ratio (HR) = 0.64, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.42-0.96), and the results were essentially unchanged when controlling for potential ovarian cancer risk factors (HR = 0.68, 95% CI 0.45-1.03). The protective effect appeared to be greater in the first 20 years after the procedure (HR = 0.49, 95% CI 0.24-0.99) than later (HR = 0.80, 95% CI 0.48-1.34). No interactions between ever having had a tubal ligation and other covariates were observed. These data suggest that tubal ligation reduces the risk of fatal ovarian cancer.

Insurance Status, Comorbidity Level, and Survival Among Colorectal Cancer Patients Age 18 to 64 Years in the National Cancer Data Base From 2003 to 2005

Abstract: Purpose Previous analyses have found that insurance status is a strong predictor of survival among patients with colorectal cancer aged 18 to 64 years. We investigated whether differences in comorbidity level may account in part for the association between insurance status and survival. Methods We used 2003 to 2005 data from the National Cancer Data Base, a national hospital-based cancer registry, to examine the relationship between baseline characteristics and overall survival at 1 year among 64,304 white and black patients with colorectal cancer. In race-specific analyses, we used Cox proportional hazards models to assess 1-year survival by insurance status, controlling first for age, stage, facility type, and neighborhood education level and income, and then further controlling for comorbidity level. Results Comorbidity level was lowest among those with private insurance, higher for those who were uninsured or insured by Medicaid, and highest for those insured by Medicare. Survival at 1 year was signif...