International Agency for Research on Cancer

About: International Agency for Research on Cancer is a government organization based out in Lyon, France. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Cancer. The organization has 2989 authors who have published 9010 publications receiving 929752 citations. The organization is also known as: IARC.

Trends in Cervical Squamous Cell Carcinoma Incidence in 13 European Countries: Changing Risk and the Effects of Screening

Abstract: Despite there being sufficient evidence for the effectiveness of screening by cytology in preventing cancer of the cervix uteri, screening policies vary widely among European countries, and incidence is increasing in younger women. This study analyzes trends in squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the cervix uteri in 13 European countries to evaluate effectiveness of screening against a background of changing risk. Age-period-cohort models were fitted and period and cohort effects were estimated; these were considered as primarily indicative of screening interventions and changing etiology, respectively. A unique set of estimates was derived by fixing age slopes to one of several plausible age curves under the assumption that the relation between age and cervical cancer incidence is biologically determined. There were period-specific declines in cervical SCC in several countries, with the largest decreases seen in northern Europe. A pattern emerged across Europe of escalating risk in successive generations born after 1930. In the western European countries, a decrease followed by a stabilization of risk by cohort was accompanied by period-specific declines. In southern Europe, stable period, but increasing cohort trends, were observed. Substantial changes have occurred in cervical SCC incidence in Europe and well-organized screening programs have been highly effective in reducing the incidence of cervical SCC. Screening and changing sexual mores largely explain the changing period- and cohort-specific patterns, respectively. The increasing risk in recent cohorts is of obvious concern particularly in countries where no screening programs are in place. Further investigation of the effectiveness of opportunistic screening is warranted as is the observation of differing risk patterns in young cohorts in countries with relatively similar societal structures.

Epidemiology and aetiology of gestational trophoblastic diseases.

Abstract: Summary Gestational trophoblastic diseases (GTD) consist of a group of neoplastic disorders arising from placental trophoblastic tissue after normal or abnormal fertilisation. The WHO classification of GTD includes hydatidiform mole, invasive mole, choriocarcinoma, placental site trophoblastic tumour, and miscellaneous and unclassified trophoblastic lesions. GTD have a varying potential for local invasion and metastases and they generally respond to chemotherapy. Broad variations in the distribution of GTD exist worldwide, with higher frequencies in some parts of Asia, the Middle East and Africa, but the extent to which they can be attributed to methodological difficulties in obtaining accurate rates is unclear. Maternal age and a history of GTD have been established as strong risk factors for hydatidiform mole and choriocarcinoma. We review published data on the worldwide distribution of GTD, original data from cancer-registry-based statistics on choriocarcinoma, and major aetiological hypotheses, including parental age, AB0 blood groups, history of GTD, reproductive factors, oral contraceptive use, and other environmental factors.

Genetic variation in TNF and IL10 and risk of non-Hodgkin lymphoma: a report from the InterLymph Consortium

Abstract: Summary Background Common genetic variants in immune and inflammatory response genes can affect the risk of developing non-Hodgkin lymphoma. We aimed to test this hypothesis using previously unpublished data from eight European, Canadian, and US case-control studies of the International Lymphoma Epidemiology Consortium (InterLymph). Methods We selected 12 single-nucleotide polymorphisms for analysis, on the basis of previous functional or association data, in nine genes that have important roles in lymphoid development, Th1/Th2 balance, and proinflammatory or anti-inflammatory pathways ( IL1A, IL1RN, IL1B, IL2, IL6, IL10, TNF, LTA, and CARD15 ). Genotype data for one or more single-nucleotide polymorphisms were available for 3586 cases of non-Hodgkin lymphoma and for 4018 controls, and were assessed in a pooled analysis by use of a random-effects logistic regression model. Findings The tumour necrosis factor ( TNF ) −308G→A polymorphism was associated with increased risk of non-Hodgkin lymphoma (p for trend=0·005), particularly for diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, the main histological subtype (odds ratio 1·29 [95% CI 1·10–1·51] for GA and 1·65 [1·16–2·34] for AA, p for trend (IL10) −3575T→A polymorphism was also associated with increased risk of non-Hodgkin lymphoma (p for trend=0·02), again particularly for diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (p for trend=0·006). For individuals homozygous for the TNF −308A allele and carrying at least one IL10 −3575A allele, risk of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma doubled (2·13 [1·37–3·32], p=0·00083). Interpretation Common polymorphisms in TNF and IL10, key cytokines for the inflammatory response and Th1/Th2 balance, could be susceptibility loci for non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Moreover, our results underscore the importance of consortia for investigating the genetic basis of chronic diseases like cancer.

Serum Sex Hormone Levels After Menopause and Subsequent Breast Cancer

Abstract: Background : High levels of androgens and estrogens have been reported to be associated with breast cancer. However, the multiplicity of factors that influence hormone levels and methodologic issues complicate the study of the relationship between steroid sex hormones and breast cancer. Purpose : Using an improved study design, we assessed prospectively the relationship between the principal steroid sex hormones in serum and the subsequent occurrence of invasive breast cancer in postmenopausal women. Methods : Four thousand fifty-three healthy postmenopausal women, aged 40-69 years, were enrolled from June 1987 through June 1992 in a prospective investigation of hormones and diet in the etiology of breast tumors (ORDET study) as part of a larger volunteer cohort of 10 788 premenopausal and postmenopausal women from Varese Province, northern Italy. At recruitment, blood samples were taken between 8 :00 AM and 9 :30 AM (after overnight fasting), and sera were preserved in -80 °C freezers. Women who had received hormone treatment in the 3 months prior to enrollment, who had a bilateral ovariectomy, or who had a history of cancer or liver disease were not recruited. Twenty-five women in the final eligible cohort of 4040 postmenopausal women developed histologically confirmed, invasive breast cancer during the first 3.5 years of follow-up for the cohort (13 537 woman-years). For each case subject, four control subjects were randomly chosen after matching for factors possibly affecting hormone preservation in serum. One case subject and eight control subjects were excluded because premenopausal hormonal patterns were found ; thus, after also excluding the four control subjects matched to the ineligible case subject, we included 24 case and 88 control subjects. In the spring of 1994, stored sera of case and control subjects were assayed in a blinded manner for dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate and estradiol (E 2 ) by in-house radioimmunoassay and for total and free testosterone and sex hormone-binding globulin by commercially available nonextraction iodination kits. Mean differences in risk factors were tested by analysis of variance for paired data. Relative risks (RRs) were estimated by conditional logistic regression analysis. All P values resulted from two-sided tests. Results : Age-adjusted mean values of total testosterone, free testosterone, and E 2 were significantly higher in case subjects than in control subjects : total testosterone, 0.34 ng/mL versus 0.25 ng/mL (P<.001) ; free testosterone, 1.07 pg/mL versus 0.77 pg/mL (P =.006) ; and E 2 , 25 pg/mL versus 22 pg/mL (P = .027). Age-adjusted RRs for breast cancer in increasing tertiles were as follows: for total testosterone, 1.0, 4.8, and 7.0 (P for trend =.026) ; for free testosterone, 1.0, 1.8, and 5.7 (P for trend =.005) ; and for total E 2 , 1.0, 7.1, and 5.5 (P for trend =.128). Conclusions and Implications : This prospective study provides further evidence in support of the already established association between elevated estrogen levels and breast cancer. Even more importantly, it provides new evidence that high serum testosterone levels precede breast cancer occurrence