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.

Leukaemia and smoking habits among United States veterans.

Abstract: The relation between leukaemia and smoking habits was examined in data from the veterans9 smoking study, a prospective study of mortality among 248,000 United States veterans, of whom 723 died of leukaemia during 1954-69. A significant increase in mortality from leukaemia among cigarette smokers (relative risk 1.53) was found, together with a dose-response relation with amount smoked (trend p less than 0.001). The relation was strongest (relative risk 1.72) for monocytic and chronic and unspecified myeloid leukaemias (ICD (7th revision) codes 204.1 and 204.2). For these leukaemias the increase was almost twofold (relative risk 1.93) among current smokers of over 20 cigarettes daily. Ex-cigarette smokers also showed an increase of leukaemia (relative risk 1.39; p less than 0.001). These findings are consistent with other studies and relevant to the interpretation of minor increases of leukaemia both in population and in individual based studies. If causal they also imply that smoking is responsible for many more deaths from leukaemia in adults than all other known causes combined.

Added sugars and sugar-sweetened beverage consumption, dietary carbohydrate index and depression risk in the Seguimiento Universidad de Navarra (SUN) Project.

Abstract: The association between added sugars or sugar-sweetened beverage consumption and the risk of depression, as well as the role of carbohydrate quality in depression risk, remains unclear. Among 15 546 Spanish university graduates from the Seguimiento Universidad de Navarra (SUN) prospective cohort study, diet was assessed with a validated 136-item semi-quantitative FFQ at baseline and at 10-year follow-up. Cumulative average consumption of added sugars, sweetened drinks and an overall carbohydrate quality index (CQI) were calculated. A better CQI was associated with higher whole-grain consumption and fibre intake and lower glycaemic index and consumption of solid (instead of liquid) carbohydrates. Clinical diagnoses of depression during follow-up were classified as incident cases. Multivariable time-dependent Cox regression models were used to estimate hazard ratios (HR) of depression according to consumption of added sugars, sweetened drinks and CQI. We observed 769 incident cases of depression. Participants in the highest quartile of added sugars consumption showed a significant increment in the risk of depression (HR=1·35; 95 % CI 1·09, 1·67, P=0·034), whereas those in the highest quartile of CQI (upper quartile of the CQI) showed a relative risk reduction of 30 % compared with those in the lowest quartile of the CQI (HR=0·70; 95 % CI 0·56, 0·88). No significant association between sugar-sweetened beverage consumption and depression risk was found. Higher added sugars and lower quality of carbohydrate consumption were associated with depression risk in the SUN Cohort. Further studies are necessary to confirm the reported results.

Cancer mortality in the European Union, 1988-1997: the fall may approach 80,000 deaths a year.

Abstract: After the peak rate of cancer mortality reached in 1988 in the European Union, steady declines were observed: 9.1% for both sexes combined over the period 1988-1997 (from 147.0 to 133.6/100,000, world standard), corresponding to the avoidance of about 80,000 deaths in 1997 (approximately 39,000 below age 65 and 41,000 above). In 1997, the total number of cancer deaths also declined, for the first time. The major determining cancers for these favorable trends were stomach (-30%), lung (-10%), intestines (-15%), breast (-10%), uterus (mainly cervix; -22%), leukemias (-10%) and, after 1995, prostate (-3%).

Self-reported smell and taste recovery in coronavirus disease 2019 patients: a one-year prospective study.

Abstract: The aim of the present study was to estimate the 1 year prevalence and recovery rate of self-reported chemosensory dysfunction in a series of subjects with previous mild-to-moderate symptomatic COVID-19. Prospective study based on the SNOT-22, item “sense of smell or taste” and additional outcomes. 268/315 patients (85.1%) completing the survey at baseline also completed the follow-up interview. The 12 months prevalence of self-reported COVID-19 associated chemosensory dysfunction was 21.3% (95% CI 16.5–26.7%). Of the 187 patients who complained of COVID-19 associated chemosensory dysfunction at baseline, 130 (69.5%; 95% CI 62.4–76.0%) reported complete resolution of smell or taste impairment, 41 (21.9%) reported a decrease in the severity, and 16 (8.6%) reported the symptom was unchanged or worse 1 year after onset. The risk of persistence was higher for patients reporting a baseline SNOT-22 score ≥ 4 (OR = 3.32; 95% CI 1.32–8.36) as well as for those requiring ≥ 22 days for a negative swab (OR = 2.18; 95% CI 1.12–4.27). A substantial proportion of patients with previous mild-to-moderate symptomatic COVID-19 characterized by new onset of chemosensory dysfunction still complained on altered sense of smell or taste 1 year after the onset.