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.

Comparison of lung cancer incidence rates by histological type in high and low incidence countries, with reference to the limited role of smoking.

Abstract: To find a clue to lung cancer etiology in Japan, differences in the pattern of lung cancer histology and related time trends between Osaka, Japan, and the North West Region of England were investigated. Material comprised all incident lung cancer cases registered in both regional registries (14,521 in the Osaka Cancer Registry and 29,859 in the North West Regional Cancer Registry). (1) The age-standardized incidence rate of lung cancer was higher in the North West Region than in Osaka (80.4 among males and 20.9 among females per 100,000 population in 1979-82 versus 32.1 and 9.2 respectively). (2) A higher proportion of adenocarcinoma was observed in Osaka (36.3% in males and 62.0% in females) than in the North West Region (12.3% and 18.9% respectively). (3) Using the relative frequencies of each histological type according to sex and age-group, age-standardized incidence rates were calculated for the main lung cancer histological types. It was shown that the incidence rates of adenocarcinoma were similar in the two areas (10.6 in males and 5.3 in females in Osaka versus 10.0 and 3.5 in the North West Region, respectively) while those of squamous cell and small cell carcinomas were much higher in the North West Region than in Osaka. (4) Time trends of incidence rates showed an increase only for adeno- and small cell carcinomas in Osaka. Slight increases were observed for adenocarcinoma in both sexes and for squamous cell carcinoma in females in the North West Region. (5) Considering cigarette consumption and the relative risks of smoking in the two areas, the possible existence of other risk factors for adenocarcinoma in both sexes in Japan, besides active smoking, was suggested.

Risk factors for soft tissue sarcomas in childhood: a case-control study.

Abstract: A hospital-based case-control study on soft tissue sarcomas (STS) was conducted in 1983-84 in Torino and in Padova (Italy). Cases (36 children with rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) and 16 non RMS-STS) were compared to 326 controls. Histories of parental smoking habits and occupations, parental and children's exposure to ionizing radiation, children's diseases and some other variables were collected through interviews to the relatives attending the child in the hospital. A non statistically significant association was observed with both maternal age above 30 at child's birth (STS: OR = 1.5, C.I. = 0.8-2.9; RMS: OR = 1.9, C.I. = 0.9-4.0) and "in utero" exposure to diagnostic radiation (STS: OR = 1.9, C.I. = 0.5-6.5, based on 4 cases). No association was found with children's previous diseases. Paternal and maternal smoking habits were similar for RMS and STS cases and controls. Some positive associations with either maternal or paternal occupational histories were identified. They are difficult to interpret in view of the large number of comparisons and small absolute figures. They included maternal employment as medical doctor and nurse, farmer, textile worker and machine tool operator. An association was also observed with paternal occupation as butcher, building worker or employment in the production of domestic appliances. One case and no controls reported a maternal aunt affected by breast cancer.

Respirable Crystalline Silica Exposure, Smoking, and Lung Cancer Subtype Risks. A Pooled Analysis of Case-Control Studies.

Abstract: Rationale: Millions of workers around the world are exposed to respirable crystalline silica. Although silica is a confirmed human lung carcinogen, little is known regarding the cancer risks associ...

Development and validation of a lifestyle-based model for colorectal cancer risk prediction: the LiFeCRC score

Abstract: Nutrition and lifestyle have been long established as risk factors for colorectal cancer (CRC). Modifiable lifestyle behaviours bear potential to minimize long-term CRC risk; however, translation of lifestyle information into individualized CRC risk assessment has not been implemented. Lifestyle-based risk models may aid the identification of high-risk individuals, guide referral to screening and motivate behaviour change. We therefore developed and validated a lifestyle-based CRC risk prediction algorithm in an asymptomatic European population. The model was based on data from 255,482 participants in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) study aged 19 to 70 years who were free of cancer at study baseline (1992–2000) and were followed up to 31 September 2010. The model was validated in a sample comprising 74,403 participants selected among five EPIC centres. Over a median follow-up time of 15 years, there were 3645 and 981 colorectal cancer cases in the derivation and validation samples, respectively. Variable selection algorithms in Cox proportional hazard regression and random survival forest (RSF) were used to identify the best predictors among plausible predictor variables. Measures of discrimination and calibration were calculated in derivation and validation samples. To facilitate model communication, a nomogram and a web-based application were developed. The final selection model included age, waist circumference, height, smoking, alcohol consumption, physical activity, vegetables, dairy products, processed meat, and sugar and confectionary. The risk score demonstrated good discrimination overall and in sex-specific models. Harrell’s C-index was 0.710 in the derivation cohort and 0.714 in the validation cohort. The model was well calibrated and showed strong agreement between predicted and observed risk. Random survival forest analysis suggested high model robustness. Beyond age, lifestyle data led to improved model performance overall (continuous net reclassification improvement = 0.307 (95% CI 0.264–0.352)), and especially for young individuals below 45 years (continuous net reclassification improvement = 0.364 (95% CI 0.084–0.575)). LiFeCRC score based on age and lifestyle data accurately identifies individuals at risk for incident colorectal cancer in European populations and could contribute to improved prevention through motivating lifestyle change at an individual level.

Identification of a novel susceptibility locus at 13q34 and refinement of the 20p12.2 region as a multi-signal locus associated with bladder cancer risk in individuals of European ancestry

Abstract: Candidate gene and genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have identified 15 independent genomic regions associated with bladder cancer risk. In search for additional susceptibility variants, we followed up on four promising single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) that had not achieved genome-wide significance in 6911 cases and 11 814 controls (rs6104690, rs4510656, rs5003154 and rs4907479, P < 1 × 10(-6)), using additional data from existing GWAS datasets and targeted genotyping for studies that did not have GWAS data. In a combined analysis, which included data on up to 15 058 cases and 286 270 controls, two SNPs achieved genome-wide statistical significance: rs6104690 in a gene desert at 20p12.2 (P = 2.19 × 10(-11)) and rs4907479 within the MCF2L gene at 13q34 (P = 3.3 × 10(-10)). Imputation and fine-mapping analyses were performed in these two regions for a subset of 5551 bladder cancer cases and 10 242 controls. Analyses at the 13q34 region suggest a single signal marked by rs4907479. In contrast, we detected two signals in the 20p12.2 region-the first signal is marked by rs6104690, and the second signal is marked by two moderately correlated SNPs (r(2) = 0.53), rs6108803 and the previously reported rs62185668. The second 20p12.2 signal is more strongly associated with the risk of muscle-invasive (T2-T4 stage) compared with non-muscle-invasive (Ta, T1 stage) bladder cancer (case-case P ≤ 0.02 for both rs62185668 and rs6108803). Functional analyses are needed to explore the biological mechanisms underlying these novel genetic associations with risk for bladder cancer.