Tomatoes, lycopene-containing foods and cancer risk

Tomatoes, lycopene-containing foods and cancer ris

Body weight and colorectal cancer risk in a cohort of Swedish women: relation varies by age and cancer site

The relation between relative body weight and colorectal cancer among women is unclear. In a large prospective cohort study, we found a positive association only for distal cancers among younger women that became attenuated at older ages. These results support previous reports in which results were stratified by age or colorectal cancer site. © 2001 Cancer Research Campaign http://www.bjcancer.co

Long-term use of multivitamins and risk of colorectal adenoma in women

Background: Use of multivitamins may reduce the risk of colorectal adenoma, but the duration of use needed is unclear. Methods: We prospectively examined years of multivitamin use and risk of colorectal adenoma among 43 641 women who had a first endoscopy between 1991 and 2007 in the Nurses' Health Study II. Use of multivitamins was assessed through biennial questionnaires since 1989. Results: We documented 2277 colorectal adenoma cases. Reporting multivitamin use at any time during the study period compared with never reporting its use was associated with a reduced risk of adenoma (multivariable relative risk (RR)=0.86, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.76–0.97). There was no clear trend with duration of multivitamin use: years of use compared with never use, ⩽4 years (RR=0.84, 95% CI: 0.74–0.96), 5–9 years (RR=0.89, 95% CI: 0.77, 1.02), 10–14 years (RR=0.86, 95% CI: 0.74, 1.01), 15–19 years (RR=0.85, 95% CI: 0.70, 1.02), and 20–26 years (RR=0.80, 95% CI: 0.64, 1.01); (P trend=0.87). The strongest associations (years of use vs never user) were for size of adenoma: large (⩾1 cm) <4 years (RR=0.75, 95% CI: 0.58–0.96) and in alcohol users (⩾1.4 g per day) 20–26 years (RR=0.67, 95% CI: 0.49–0.91). Conclusion: Our findings suggest that use of multivitamins is associated with lower risk of colorectal adenoma, even with relatively short duration of use

Metabolomic Biomarkers of Prostate Cancer: Prediction, Diagnosis, Progression, Prognosis, and Recurrence

Metabolite profiling is being increasing employed in the study of prostate cancer as a means of identifying predictive, diagnostic, and prognostic biomarkers. This review provides a summary and critique of the current literature. Thirty-three human case-control studies of prostate cancer exploring disease prediction, diagnosis, progression, or treatment response were identified. All but one demonstrated the ability of metabolite profiling to distinguish cancer from benign, tumor aggressiveness, cases who recurred, and those who responded well to therapy. In the subset of studies where biomarker discriminatory ability was quantified, high AUCs were reported that would potentially outperform the current gold standards in diagnosis, prognosis, and disease recurrence, including PSA testing. There were substantial similarities between the metabolites and the associated pathways reported as significant by independent studies, and important roles for abnormal cell growth, intensive cell proliferation, and dysregulation of lipid metabolism were highlighted. The weight of the evidence therefore suggests metabolic alterations specific to prostate carcinogenesis and progression that may represent potential metabolic biomarkers. However, replication and validation of the most promising biomarkers is currently lacking and a number of outstanding methodologic issues remain to be addressed to maximize the utility of metabolomics in the study of prostate cancer.National Institutes of Health (U.S.) (Grant P01 CA055075)National Institutes of Health (U.S.) (Grant CA133891)National Institutes of Health (U.S.) (Grant CA141298)National Institutes of Health (U.S.) (Grant CA136578)National Institutes of Health (U.S.) (Grant UM1 CA167552

Colorectal cancer prevention by non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs: effects of dosage and timing

Epidemiological studies show that non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) reduce colorectal cancer incidence. We measured the rate ratio for colorectal adenocarcinoma according to dosage and the timing of exposure by means of a case–control study, nested in a non-concurrent cohort linkage study, using the population of beneficiaries of the Saskatchewan Prescription Drug Plan from 1981 to 1995 with no history of cancer since 1970 as the source population. Four controls per case, matched on age and gender and alive when the case was diagnosed, were randomly selected. Dispensing rates, calculated over successive time periods, characterized NSAID exposure. We accrued 3844 cases of colon cancer and 1971 cases of rectal cancer. For colon cancer a significant trend towards a decreasing rate ratio was associated with increasing exposure during the 6 months preceding diagnosis (P-trend = 0.002). For both cancers, significant trends were associated with exposure 11–15 years before diagnosis (colon: P-trend = 0.01; rectum: P-trend = 0.0001). At the highest exposure levels the rate ratio for colon cancer was 0.57 (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.36–0.89); for rectal cancer it was 0.26 (95% CI 0.11–0.61). No protection was associated with exposure during other periods. The timing of NSAID use must be considered in planning intervention trials to prevent colorectal cancer. There may be a 10-year delay before any preventive effect will appear. © 1999 Cancer Research Campaig

Benefit-risk assessment of vitamin D supplementation

Summary: Current intake recommendations of 200 to 600IU vitamin D per day may be insufficient for important disease outcomes reduced by vitamin D. Introduction: This study assessed the benefit of higher-dose and higher achieved 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels [25(OH)D] versus any associated risk. Methods and results: Based on double-blind randomized control trials (RCTs), eight for falls (n = 2426) and 12 for non-vertebral fractures (n = 42,279), there was a significant dose-response relationship between higher-dose and higher achieved 25(OH)D and greater fall and fracture prevention. Optimal benefits were observed at the highest dose tested to date for 700 to 1000IU vitamin D per day or mean 25(OH)D between 75 and 110nmol/l (30-44ng/ml). Prospective cohort data on cardiovascular health and colorectal cancer prevention suggested increased benefits with the highest categories of 25(OH)D evaluated (median between 75 and 110nmol/l). In 25 RCTs, mean serum calcium levels were not related to oral vitamin D up to 100,000IU per day or achieved 25(OH)D up to 643nmol/l. Mean levels of 75 to 110nmol/l were reached in most RCTs with 1,800 to 4,000IU vitamin D per day without risk. Conclusion: Our analysis suggests that mean serum 25(OH)D levels of about 75 to 110nmol/l provide optimal benefits for all investigated endpoints without increasing health risks. These levels can be best obtained with oral doses in the range of 1,800 to 4,000IU vitamin D per day; further work is needed, including subject and environment factors, to better define the doses that will achieve optimal blood levels in the large majority of the populatio