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.

Antibodies against malaria and Epstein-Barr virus in childhood Burkitt lymphoma: a case-control study in Uganda.

Abstract: Burkitt lymphoma a childhood tumor common in parts of sub-Saharan Africa has been directly associated with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) and indirectly with prevalence of malaria. We studied antibodies to both EBV and malaria in children diagnosed with this cancer in Uganda. We performed a case-control study of HIV-seronegative children (less than or equal to 15 years) admitted to hospital. Cases were diagnosed with Burkitt lymphoma and controls with nonmalignant conditions or non-lymphatic cancers. Interviews were conducted and serological samples collected and when possible tested for both EBV and malaria. Adjusted odds ratios (ORs) for Burkitt lymphoma were estimated using unconditional logistic regression adjusting for sex age residential district household income and tribe. The mean age of cases was 7 years and 61% were male. Compared to controls cases were more likely to be reported having received more frequent treatment for malaria in the past year (OR = 2.0; p = 0.001) and less likely to be living in a home where insecticides were used (OR = 0.2; p less than 0.0001). Odds ratios for Burkitt lymphoma in children increased with increasing antibody levels against EBV (p less than 0.0001) and malaria (p 5 0.05). Findings were similar for children residing in districts close to the capital city and in remote areas. Cases were 5 times more likely than controls to have raised levels of both EBV and malaria antibodies (OR = 5.0; p = 0.003). Our findings suggest that EBV and malaria may act synergistically in the pathogenesis of childhood Burkitt lymphoma. Malaria prevention measures may also prevent this childhood cancer. (authors)

The association between polymorphisms in the CYP17 and 5alpha-reductase (SRD5A2) genes and serum androgen concentrations in men.

Abstract: Prospective studies suggest that prostate cancer risk may be increased in association with high serum concentrations of free testosterone and androstanediol glucuronide (A-diol-g). Polymorphisms have been identified in the 17-hydroxylase cytochrome P450 gene (CYP17) and the steroid 5alpha-reductase type II gene (SRD5A2), two genes that are involved in the biosynthesis and metabolism of androgens in men. The CYP17 MspA1 I polymorphism has been associated with increased prostate cancer risk, and the SRD5A2 V89L polymorphism has been associated with low A-diol-g in Asian men, a serum marker of 5alpha-reductase activity. The purpose of this study was to investigate the association between these two polymorphisms and serum sex hormone concentrations in 621 British men. In particular, we wanted to test the hypotheses that the A2 allele in the CYP17 gene is associated with increased serum testosterone concentrations, and the L allele in the SRD5A2 gene is associated with reduced A-diol-g concentrations. Mean hormone concentrations were evaluated in each genotype and adjusted for age and other relevant factors. We found no evidence that the CYP17 MspA1 I polymorphism was associated with higher testosterone levels. The L/L genotype of the SRD5A2 V89L polymorphism was associated with a 10% lower A-diol-g concentration, but this was not significant at the 5% level. However, the L/L genotype of the V89L polymorphism was associated with significantly lower concentrations of testosterone and free testosterone (by 12% and 16%, respectively) and an 8% higher sex hormone-binding globulin concentration. These results suggest that the CYP17 MspA1 I polymorphism is not associated with testosterone concentrations and that the SRD5A2 V89L polymorphism is not a strong determinant of A-diol-g concentration in Caucasian men.