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.

Head and neck cancer in the South West of England: influence of socio-economic status on incidence and second primary tumours

Abstract: This study examined possible links between the incidence of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) and social deprivation. Data on all HNSCC registered between 1985 and 1991 in the South West of England were collected. Excluding tumours of the lip and skin there were 1570 cases, 72% in males. Of these, 1467 were identified as first primary tumours. Corrected chi-squared tests, accepting significance at the 5% level, were used to examine the association of socio-economic status (Carstairs index) with incidence at different sites. Overall, the incidence of HNSCC was higher in the socially deprived group. In males, the most deprived group had a significantly higher incidence of oral carcinoma than all other groups (P<0.05), whereas the incidence of laryngeal carcinoma showed a gradual rise with increasing deprivation. In females, where numbers were relatively low, the trend remained, but was less clear. In total, seventy-two (4.9%) cases went on to develop a second primary, of which 35% were in the lung and 13% in the bladder. Socio-economic status did not affect the development of a second primary tumour. The association of HNSCC with carcinoma of the bladder is a new finding.

Prenatal Paracetamol Exposure and Wheezing in Childhood: Causation or Confounding?

Abstract: Background Several studies have reported an increased risk of wheezing in the children of mothers who used paracetamol during pregnancy. We evaluated to what extent this association is explained by confounding. Methods We investigated the association between maternal paracetamol use in the first and third trimester of pregnancy and ever wheezing or recurrent wheezing/asthma in infants in the NINFEA cohort study. Risks ratios (RR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were estimated after adjustment for confounders, including maternal infections and antibiotic use during pregnancy. Results The prevalence of maternal paracetamol use was 30.6% during the first and 36.7% during the third trimester of pregnancy. The prevalence of ever wheezing and recurrent wheezing/asthma was 16.9% and 5.6%, respectively. After full adjustment, the RR for ever wheezing decreased from 1.25 [1.07–1.47] to 1.10 [0.94–1.30] in the first, and from 1.26 [1.08–1.47] to 1.10 [0.93–1.29] in the third trimester. A similar pattern was observed for recurrent wheezing/asthma. Duration of maternal paracetamol use was not associated with either outcome. Further analyses on paracetamol use for three non-infectious disorders (sciatica, migraine, and headache) revealed no increased risk of wheezing in children. Conclusion The association between maternal paracetamol use during pregnancy and infant wheezing is mainly, if not completely explained by confounding.

Incidence of thyroid cancer in England by ethnic group, 2001-2007

Abstract: Thyroid cancer incidence is increasing worldwide, but with large variations in incidence that may reflect either diagnostic bias or true ethnic differences. We sought to determine the effect of ethnicity on the incidence of thyroid cancer in England, a multiethnic population with a single health-care system. We analysed 11 263 thyroid cancer registrations with ethnicity obtained by linkage to the Hospital Episodes Statistics database. Incidence rate ratios (RRs) adjusted for age, sex and income were calculated for the six main non-White ethnic groups in England compared with Whites and to each other. Thyroid cancer incidence was higher in all ethnic groups, except Indians, compared with Whites: in Pakistanis (RR 1.79, 99% floating confidence interval (FCI) 1.47–2.19); Bangladeshis (RR 1.99, 99% FCI 1.46–2.71); Black Africans (RR 1.69, 99% FCI 1.34–2.13); Black Caribbeans (RR 1.56, 99% FCI 1.25–1.93); and Chinese (RR 2.14, 99% FCI 1.63–2.80). The risk of thyroid cancer in England varies significantly by ethnicity. The elevated incidence in most ethnic minorities is unlikely to be due to diagnostic bias and warrants further investigation.

A Prospective Investigation of Body Size, Body Fat Composition and Colorectal Cancer Risk in the UK Biobank.

Abstract: Obesity has been consistently associated with a greater colorectal cancer risk, but this relationship is weaker among women. In the UK Biobank, we investigated the associations between body size (body mass index [BMI], height, waist circumference, and waist-to-hip ratio) and body fat composition (total body fat percentage and trunk fat percentage) measurements with colorectal cancer risk among 472,526 men and women followed for 5.6 years on average. Multivariable hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (95%CI) for developing colorectal cancer (2,636 incident cases) were estimated using Cox proportional hazards models. Among men, when the highest and lowest fifths were compared, BMI (HR = 1.35, 95%CI: 1.13–1.61; Ptrend < 0.0001), waist circumference (HR = 1.66, 95%CI: 1.39–1.99; Ptrend < 0.0001), waist-to-hip ratio (HR = 1.58, 95%CI: 1.31–1.91; Ptrend < 0.0001), total body fat percentage (HR = 1.27, 95%CI: 1.06–1.53; Ptrend = 0.002), and trunk fat percentage (HR = 1.31, 95%CI: 1.09–1.58; Ptrend = 0.002) were associated with greater colorectal cancer risk. For women, only waist-to-hip ratio (HR for highest versus lowest fifth = 1.33, 95%CI: 1.08–1.65; Ptrend = 0.005) was positively associated with colorectal cancer risk. Greater body size (overall and abdominal adiposity) was positively associated with colorectal cancer development in men. For women, abdominal adiposity, rather than overall body size, was associated with a greater colorectal cancer risk.

Evaluation of the Euromelanoma skin cancer screening campaign: the Swiss experience.

Abstract: © 2007 The Authors 365 JEADV 2008, 22 , 363–404 Journal compilation © 2007 European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology under the influence of chemotactic factors. 5 The predominant T phenotype, found in non-affected perilesional skin and, to a greater extent, in bullous lesional skin, is a Th2-like phenotype. T cells have a determining role in the pathogenesis of LABD. Topical tacrolimus, which inhibits T-cell activation, was therefore supposed to be effective in the treatment of LABD by inhibiting T-cell-mediated effects. The response of our patient to topical tacrolimus therapy could be related to the natural course of this self-limited disease. However, the rapid remission obtained after only 2 weeks of treatment is in favour of a direct effect of tacrolimus. Recently, European Medicines Agency added a black box warning for tacrolimus ointment in regard of cancer risk. In our patient, we consider the risk-to-benefit ratio of tacrolimus ointment as acceptable for many reasons: (i) there is no other local or systemic therapy ‘licensed’ for LABD; (ii) the tacrolimus application was restricted to involved skin and led to low consumption of tacrolimus; (iii) only photoprotected areas were involved; (iv) the risk-to-benefit ratio of tacrolimus was discussed with parents and accepted. To our knowledge, this is the first report of the efficacy of topical tacrolimus in the treatment of LABD of childhood. With think that it should be considered as a possible adjunctive therapy for dapsone-resistant LABD.