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.

Incidence of Cancer Among Patients With Rheumatoid Arthritis

Abstract: Background To evaluate hypotheses about the relationship between immune alterations and cancer, several investigators have determined cancer incidence in groups of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), a chronic autoimmune disease. The primary finding has been an increased risk of hematopoietic cancers. Purpose In this study, we have attempted to refine estimates of the association between RA and subsequent development of specific cancers. Methods We investigated site-specific cancer risk associated with RA in a population-based cohort study of 11683 Swedish men and women with a hospital (inpatient) diagnosis of RA. These case patients were identified from 1965 to 1983 and had follow-up through 1984 by computer linkage of the Swedish Hospital Inpatient Register to the National Swedish Cancer Registry (840 case patients with cancer) and the Swedish Registry of Causes of Death. Cancer risk was estimated by standardized incidence ratios (SIRs) for specific cancers. Results For men and women overall, there were decreased risks for cancers of the colon (SIR = 0.63; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.5-0.9), rectum (SIR = 0.72; 95% CI = 0.5-1.1), and stomach (SIR = 0.63; 95% CI = 0.5-0.9) and an increased risk for lymphomas (SIR = 1.98; 95% CI = 1.5-2.6). Conclusions The reduced risk for colorectal cancer in patients with RA is consistent with previous studies of RA patients and with reports which state that use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs may protect against the development of large bowel cancers. The excess of lymphomas also confirms a number of earlier investigations of RA patients.

Prediction of acute myeloid leukaemia risk in healthy individuals

Abstract: The incidence of acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) increases with age and mortality exceeds 90% when diagnosed after age 65. Most cases arise without any detectable early symptoms and patients usually present with the acute complications of bone marrow failure1. The onset of such de novo AML cases is typically preceded by the accumulation of somatic mutations in preleukaemic haematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs) that undergo clonal expansion2,3. However, recurrent AML mutations also accumulate in HSPCs during ageing of healthy individuals who do not develop AML, a phenomenon referred to as age-related clonal haematopoiesis (ARCH)4–8. Here we use deep sequencing to analyse genes that are recurrently mutated in AML to distinguish between individuals who have a high risk of developing AML and those with benign ARCH. We analysed peripheral blood cells from 95 individuals that were obtained on average 6.3 years before AML diagnosis (pre-AML group), together with 414 unselected age- and gender-matched individuals (control group). Pre-AML cases were distinct from controls and had more mutations per sample, higher variant allele frequencies, indicating greater clonal expansion, and showed enrichment of mutations in specific genes. Genetic parameters were used to derive a model that accurately predicted AML-free survival; this model was validated in an independent cohort of 29 pre-AML cases and 262 controls. Because AML is rare, we also developed an AML predictive model using a large electronic health record database that identified individuals at greater risk. Collectively our findings provide proof-of-concept that it is possible to discriminate ARCH from pre-AML many years before malignant transformation. This could in future enable earlier detection and monitoring, and may help to inform intervention.

Moderate Alcohol Intake and Cancer Incidence in Women

Abstract: increased risks of cancers of the oral cavity and pharynx (increase per 10 g/d = 29%, 95% CI = 14% to 45%, P trend < .001), esophagus (22%, 95% CI = 8% to 38%, P trend = .002), larynx (44%, 95% CI = 10% to 88%, P trend = .008), rectum (10%, 95% CI = 2% to 18%, P trend = .02), liver (24%, 95% CI = 2% to 51%, P trend = .03), breast (12%, 95% CI = 9% to 14%, P trend < .001), and total cancer (6%, 95% CI = 4% to 7%, P trend < .001). The trends were similar in women who drank wine exclusively and other consumers of alcohol. For cancers of the upper aerodigestive tract, the alcohol-associated risk was confined to current smokers, with little or no effect of alcohol among never and past smokers ( P heterogeneity < .001). Increasing levels of alcohol consumption were associated with a decreased risk of thyroid cancer ( P trend = .005), non – Hodgkin lymphoma ( P trend = .001), and renal cell carcinoma ( P trend = .03). Conclusions Low to moderate alcohol consumption in women increases the risk of certain cancers. For every additional drink regularly consumed per day, the increase in incidence up to age 75 years per 1000 for women in developed countries is estimated to be about 11 for breast cancer, 1 for cancers of the oral cavity and pharynx, 1 for cancer of the rectum, and 0.7 each for cancers of the esophagus, larynx and liver, giving a total excess of about 15 cancers per 1000 women up to age 75. J Natl Cancer Inst 2009;101: 296 – 305