Cancer Epidemiology Unit

About: Cancer Epidemiology Unit is a based out in . It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Cancer. The organization has 669 authors who have published 1725 publications receiving 93979 citations.

Genetic determinants of telomere length and risk of pancreatic cancer: a PANDoRA study.

Abstract: Telomere deregulation is a hallmark of cancer. Telomere length measured in lymphocytes (LTL) has been shown to be a risk marker for several cancers. For pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) consensus is lacking whether risk is associated with long or short telomeres. Mendelian randomization approaches have shown that a score built from SNPs associated with LTL could be used as a robust risk marker. We explored this approach in a large scale study within the PANcreatic Disease ReseArch (PANDoRA) consortium. We analyzed 10 SNPs (ZNF676-rs409627, TERT-rs2736100, CTC1-rs3027234, DHX35-rs6028466, PXK-rs6772228, NAF1-rs7675998, ZNF208-rs8105767, OBFC1-rs9420907, ACYP2-rs11125529 and TERC-rs10936599) alone and combined in a LTL genetic score ("teloscore", which explains 2.2% of the telomere variability) in relation to PDAC risk in 2,374 cases and 4,326 controls. We identified several associations with PDAC risk, among which the strongest were with the TERT-rs2736100 SNP (OR = 1.54; 95%CI 1.35-1.76; p = 1.54 × 10-10 ) and a novel one with the NAF1-rs7675998 SNP (OR = 0.80; 95%CI 0.73-0.88; p = 1.87 × 10-6 , ptrend = 3.27 × 10-7 ). The association of short LTL, measured by the teloscore, with PDAC risk reached genome-wide significance (p = 2.98 × 10-9 for highest vs. lowest quintile; p = 1.82 × 10-10 as a continuous variable). In conclusion, we present a novel genome-wide candidate SNP for PDAC risk (TERT-rs2736100), a completely new signal (NAF1-rs7675998) approaching genome-wide significance and we report a strong association between the teloscore and risk of pancreatic cancer, suggesting that telomeres are a potential risk factor for pancreatic cancer.

Factors affecting participation in mammography screening.

Abstract: Aims To assess factors influencing attendance or nonattendance at the first round of a population based mammography screening programme, in New Zealand. Method Representative samples of women who responded to an invitation to attend screening, and women who did not respond, were interviewed by telephone, by an interviewer independent of the screening programme. The response rates in those identified were 98% for attenders and 86% for nonattenders, giving final samples of 191 and 174 respectively. However, more nonattenders could not be contacted or had no known phone number. Results Reasons given for attendance were primarily the need for reassurance, to detect breast cancer early, and the fact that the programme was free, a pilot programme, or recommended by their family doctor. Seventeen percent of attenders had been influenced by positive reports from other women. Of the nonattenders, 7% were ineligible for mammography, 20% did not attend because of practical difficulties and convenience, and 20% expressed concern or fear of the procedure or were influenced by negative reports from other women. Attenders and nonattenders did not differ in regard to age, education, income, socioeconomic status, degree of worry when the invitation was received, or physical distance from their home to the screening centre, although nonattenders estimated the travel would take considerably longer than did attenders. Ninety percent of attenders intend to come to the second round of screening. Forty three percent of nonattenders intend to participate at future rounds of screening, this figure being 80% in those who did not attend because of logistic or convenience reasons, and 27% for those who did not attend because of fear or negative reports. Conclusions The main reasons given for nonattendance are approximately equally divided between practical difficulty, and negative attitude towards the process. Most of those who did not attend for reasons of convenience intend to participate at future rounds, so that overall almost half of nonattenders intend to participate at future rounds. Therefore we recommend that invitations for future screening rounds should be sent to women who do not participate in the first round of population based screening.

More Than 20 Years of Registration of Type 1 Diabetes in Sardinian Children: Temporal Variations of Incidence With Age, Period of Diagnosis, and Year of Birth

Abstract: We analyzed Sardinian registry data to assess time trends in incidence rates (IRs) of type 1 diabetes during the period 1989–2009 (2,371 case subjects 0–14 years of age). Poisson regression models were used to estimate the effects of sex, age, period of diagnosis, and birth cohorts. IR was 44.8 cases/100,000 person-years (95% CI 43.1–46.7). The annual increase was 2.12% (1.45–2.80; test for linear trend, P < 0.001). For boys, the increasing trend was evident up to 5 years of age and for girls up to 8 years of age. Compared with the 1989–1994 birth cohort, the relative risk increased from 0.78 (0.61–1.10) in 1974–1979 to 1.62 (1.18–2.23) in 2004–2009. The increase over period was less striking, with a tendency to regress in more recent years. The best-fitting model for boys included age and a linear time trend, and for girls age and nonlinear effects of calendar period and birth cohort. In conclusion, incidence increased over time, and the increase tended to level off in more recent years by calendar period but not by birth cohort, with some evidence of a stronger increase among girls than boys. Should the increase be attributable to the effects of some perinatal environmental factor, this would mean that such a factor has started affecting females before males.

Micronutrient intake adequacy and depression risk in the SUN cohort study

Abstract: The aim of the study was to prospectively assess the association between micronutrient intake adequacy and risk of depression. This dynamic cohort study involves Spanish university graduates (SUN Project). Dietary intake was assessed at baseline and after 10 years of follow-up with a semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire. Micronutrient intake adequacy for vitamins B1, B2, B3, B6, B12, C, A, D, E, folic acid, zinc, iodine, selenium, iron, calcium, potassium, phosphorus, magnesium and chrome was estimated. Inadequate intake for each nutrient was defined when the intake of the nutrient was below the estimated average requirements (EAR) if available or the adequate intake levels, if EARs were not available. We compared participants with inadequate intake for ≥4 nutrients vs. those with one nutrient. Participants were classified as having incident depression if they had no previous history of depression or antidepressants use at baseline, but they reported during follow-up a new clinical diagnosis of depression by a physician, use of antidepressant drugs, or both. Time-dependent multivariable Cox regression models were fitted. After a median follow-up of 8.5 years, 953 new cases of depression were observed among 13,983 participants. Participants with inadequate intake for ≥4 nutrients showed a significantly higher risk of depression [multivariable hazard ratio (HR) = 1.37; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.01–1.85]. When the analyses were updated with repeated assessments of intakes, the association was attenuated and it was no longer statistically significant (Multivariable HR = 1.11; 95% CI 0.82–1.51). Micronutrient inadequacy in four or more micronutrients could exert a moderate role in the development of depression.