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.

Colorectal cancer screening: a comparison of 35 initiatives in 17 countries.

Abstract: Although in its infancy, organized screening for colorectal cancer (CRC) in the general population is increasing at regional and national levels. Documenting and describing these initiatives is critical to identifying, sharing and promoting best practice in the delivery of CRC screening. Subsequently, the International Colorectal Cancer Screening Network (ICRCSN) was established in 2003 to promote best practice in the delivery of organized screening programs. The initial aim was to identify and document organized screening initiatives that commenced before May 2004. Each identified initiative was sent 1 questionnaire per screening modality: fecal occult blood test, flexible sigmoidoscopy or total colonoscopy. Information was collected on screening methodology, testing details and initiative status. In total, 35 organized initiatives were identified in 17 countries, including 10 routine population-based screening programs, 9 pilots and 16 research projects. Fecal occult blood tests were the most frequently used screening modality, and total colonoscopy was seldom used as a primary screening test. The eligible age for screening ranged from 40 years old to no upper limit; most initiatives included participants aged 50 to 64. Recruitment was usually done by a mailed invitation or during a visit to a family physician. In conclusion, this is the first investigation describing the delivery of CRC screening protocols to various populations. The work of the ICRCSN is enabling valuable information to be shared and a common nomenclature to be established.

Breast Cancer Risk in Relation to the Interval Between Menopause and Starting Hormone Therapy

Abstract: Results During 4.05 million woman-years of follow-up, 15 759 incident breast cancers occurred, with 7107 in current users of hormonal therapy. Breast cancer incidence was increased in current users of hormonal therapy, returning to that of never users a few years after use had ceased. The relative risks for breast cancer in current users were greater if hormonal therapy was begun before or soon after menopause than after a longer gap ( P heterogeneity < .001, for both estrogen-only and estrogen-progestin formulations). Among current users of estrogen-only formulations , there was little or no increase in risk if use began 5 years or more after menopause ( RR = 1.05, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.89 to 1.24), but risk was statistically significantly increased if use began before or less than 5 years after menopause (RR = 1.43, 95% CI = 1.35 to 1.51). A similar pattern was observed among current users of estrogen – progestin formulations (RR = 1.53, 95% CI = 1.38 to 1.70, and RR = 2.04, 95% CI = 1.95 to 2.14, respectively). At 50 – 59 years of age , annual standardized incidence rates for breast cancer were 0.30 % (95% CI = 0.29% to 0.31%) among never users of hormone therapy and 0.43% (95% CI = 0.42% to 0.45%) and 0.61% (95% CI = 0.59% to 0.64%), respectively, among current users of estrogen-only and estrogen – progestin formulations who began use less than 5 years after menopause. Conclusions There was substantial heterogeneity in breast cancer risk among current users of hormonal therapy. Risks were greater among users of estrogen – progestin than estrogen-only formulations and if hormonal therapy started at around the time of menopause than later.

Reversal of Relation Between Body Mass and Endogenous Estrogen Concentrations With Menopausal Status

Abstract: For more than a decade, results frompublished studies have indicated that therisk of breast cancer may be loweramong heavy premenopausal womenthan among their less obese counterparts(1-8). In heavy postmenopausal women,however, this risk is either increased orunchanged in comparison with non-obese postmenopausal women (9,10).The mechanism explaining this reversalin risk is unknown, although theoreticalexplanations have been proposed. Obesepostmenopausal women may have ele-vated risk from higher levels of circulat-ing estrogens secondary to increasedconversion of androgen to estrogen inadipose tissue (11) and a higher propor-tion of bioavailable estrogen due to thelow levels of sex hormone-bindingglobulin (SHBG) (12,13). Obese pre-menopausal women may exhibit agreater degree of anovulation, resultingin lower levels of both progesterone andestradiol, lower breast cell divisionrates, and, consequently, a lower risk ofbreast cancer (13-15).We had the opportunity to evaluatethe relation of body mass and hormonalprofiles in a group of 195 communityand 103 hospital control subjects from astudy of endometrial cancer describedelsewhere (16,17). Results of both con-trol groups were similar; therefore, thetwo groups were combined. Body massindex (BMI) (kg/m

Testicular cancer incidence in eight northern European countries: secular and recent trends.

Abstract: Objective: Striking geographic variation and marked increasing secular trends characterize the incidence of testicular cancer. However, it is not known whether these patterns have attenuated in recent years and whether they are similar for seminomas and nonseminomas, the two main histologic groups of testicular cancer. Method: Cancer registry data, including 27,030 testicular cancer cases, were obtained from Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, Poland, and Sweden. Between 57 (Denmark) and 9 (Poland) years of registration were covered. Country-specific temporal trends were estimated, with focus on the last decade and seminomas and nonseminomas. Data from the Nordic countries were further analyzed using an age-period-cohort approach. Results: Age-standardized incidence rates increased annually by 2.6% to 4.9% during the study period, with marginal differences between seminomas and nonseminomas. In the last decade, the increasing trend attenuated only in Denmark (annual change, −0.3%; 95% confidence interval, −1.5 to 0.9). In 1995, the highest and the lowest age-standardized incidence rates (per 105) were 15.2 in Denmark and 2.1 in Lithuania. Incidence rates (i.e., for all cancers and for seminomas and nonseminomas, separately) depended chiefly on birth cohort rather than on calendar period of diagnosis (although both birth cohort and period determined the Danish incidence rates). Conclusions: Testicular cancer incidence is still increasing, with the exception of Denmark, and a large geographic difference exists. The increasing trend is mainly a birth cohort phenomenon also in recent cohorts. Temporal trends for seminomas and nonseminomas are similar, which suggests that they share important causal factors.