Role of Household Exposure,Dietary Habits and Glutathione S-Transferases M1, T1 Polymorphisms in Susceptibility to Lung Cancer among Women in Mizoram India

Background: A case-control study was conducted to evaluate the effect of household exposure, dietary habits,smoking and Glutathione S-Transferases M1, T1 polymorphisms on lung cancer among women in Mizoram, India.Materials and Methods: We selected 230 newly diagnosed primary lung cases and 460 controls from women inMizoram. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to estimate adjusted odds ratio (OR). Results:Exposure of cooking oil fumes (p<0.003), wood as heating source for cooking (p=0.004), kitchen inside livingroom (p=0.001), improper ventilated house (p=0.003), roasting of soda in kitchen (p=0.001), current smokers oftobacco (p=0.043), intake of smoked fish (p=0.006), smoked meat (p=0.001), Soda (p<0.001) and GSTM1 nullgenotype (p=0.003) were significantly associated with increased risk of lung cancer among women in Mizoram.Significantly protective effect was observed for intake of bamboo shoots (p=<0.001) and egg (p<0.001). A clearincrease in dose response gradient was observed for total cooking dish years. Risk for lung cancer tends to increasewith collegial effect of indoor environmental sources (p=0.022). Significant correlation was also observed forinteraction of GST polymorphisms with some of dietary habits. Conclusions: We confirmed the important roleof exposure of cooking oil emission and wood smoke, intake of smoked meat, smoked fish and soda (an alkalipreparation used as food additives in Mizoram) and tobacco consumption for increase risk of lung cancer amongWomen in Mizoram.     

Preserved foods in relation to risk of nasopharyngeal carcinoma in Shanghai, China

A population-based case-control study was conducted in Shanghai, China, to investigate the association between dietary factors and risk of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). The study included 935 NPC patients aged 15 to 74 years and 1,032 community controls. Exposures to salted fish and other protein-containing preserved food were associated with increased risk of NPC. Individuals who ate salted fish at least once a week had an 80% increase in risk of NPC relative to those who ate salted fish less than once a month (p = 0.07). Compared with those in the lowest quartile of protein-containing preserved foods, subjects in the highest quartile of intake experienced a statistically significant 78% increase in risk of NPC [odds ratio (OR) = 1.78, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.37-2.31], with a dose-dependent relationship (p for linear trend < 0.001 ). A similar association between intake of preserved vegetables and NPC risk was observed (OR = 1.39, p for linear trend = 0.003). In contrast, high intake of oranges/tangerines was associated with a statistically significant reduction in risk of NPC (OR = 0.55, p for linear trend < 0.001). When we examined the joint effect of preserved food and oranges/tangerines on risk of NPC, subjects in the highest tertile of preserved food and the lowest tertile of orange/ tangerine intake had a 3-fold increase in risk (95% CI = 2.08-4.91) compared with those in the lowest tertile of preserved food and the highest tertile of orange/tangerine intake.     

Intake of Freshwater Fish and Associated Fatty Acids and Risk of Breast Cancer

To investigate the association between intake of freshwater fish and their fatty acids and the risk of breastcancer in Chinese women, we conducted a case-control study with 669 cases and 682 population-based controlsin Jiangsu Province of China. A structured questionnaire was used to elicit detailed information. Unconditionallogistic regression analysis was performed to calculate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Totalfreshwater fish intake was linked to decrease in the adjusted OR for breast cancer, but without dose-dependence.Analyses by freshwater fish species showed that consumption of black carp and silver carp was inversely relatedto breast cancer risk, with adjusted-ORs for the highest intake category of black carp (≥500g/month) of 0.54(95%CI=0.33-0.92; P trend<0.002) and for silver carp (≥1000g/month) of 0.19 (95%CI=0.11-0.33; P trend<0.001).In contrast, consumption of crucian carp was positively related to breast cancer risk, with an adjusted OR forthe highest intake category (≥1000g/month) of 6.09 (95%CI=3.04-12.2; P trend<0.001). Moderate intakes of SFA,PUFA, n3-PUFA and n6-PUFA from freshwater fish may decrease the risk of breast cancer among premenopausalwomen. The findings of this study suggest that intake of freshwater fish and their fatty acids may modify risk ofbreast cancer, and that different species of freshwater fish could have a different actions on breast cancer risk.Future epidemiologic studies are needed to know the effects of freshwater fish intake on breast cancer risk andthe cause of these effects.     

Association of frequent consumption of fatty fish with prostate cancer risk is modified by COX-2 polymorphism

Dietary intake of marine fatty acids from fish may protect against prostate cancer development. We studied this association and whether it is modified by genetic variation in cyclooxygenase (COX)-2, a key enzyme in fatty acid metabolism and inflammation. We assessed dietary intake of fish among 1,499 incident prostate cancer cases and 1,130 population controls in Sweden. Five single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were identified and genotyped in available blood samples for 1,378 cases and 782 controls. Odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were estimated by multivariate logistic regression. Multiplicative and additive interactions between fish intake and COX-2 SNPs on prostate cancer risk were evaluated. Eating fatty fish (e.g., salmon-type fish) once or more per week, compared to never, was associated with reduced risk of prostate cancer (OR: 0.57, 95% CI: 0.43-0.76). The OR comparing the highest to the lowest quartile of marine fatty acids intake was 0.70 (95% CI: 0.51-0.97). We found a significant interaction (p < 0.001) between salmon-type fish intake and a SNP in the COX-2 gene (rs5275: +6365 T/C), but not with the 4 other SNPs examined. We found strong inverse associations with increasing intake of salmon-type fish among carriers of the variant allele (OR for once per week or more vs. never = 0.28, 95% CI: 0.18-0.45; p(trend) < 0.01), but no association among carriers of the more common allele. Frequent consumption of fatty fish and marine fatty acids appears to reduce the risk of prostate cancer, and this association is modified by genetic variation in the COX-2 gene.     

Dietary polyunsaturated fatty acids and breast cancer risk in Chinese women: a prospective cohort study

Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women. Controversy exists regarding the role of dietary fat in breast cancer etiology. We investigated the association of dietary polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) and the ratio of n-6 PUFAs to marine-derived n-3 PUFAs with breast cancer risk in the Shanghai Women's Health Study, a prospective cohort study including 72,571 cancer-free participants at baseline. Dietary fatty acid intake was determined using food frequency questionnaires. We used Cox proportional hazards analysis to estimate the relative risks (RRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for the association of breast cancer risk with dietary fatty acids consumption. In 583,998 person-years of follow-up, we identified 712 breast cancer cases. We found no association of breast cancer risk to dietary intake of linoleic acid, arachidonic acid, α-linolenic acid or marine-derived n-3 PUFA. We found a statistically significant interaction between n-6 PUFA intake, marine-derived n-3 PUFA intake and breast cancer risk (p = 0.008). Women with lower intake (the lowest tertile) of marine-derived n-3 PUFA and higher intake (the highest tertile) of n-6 PUFA had an increase risk for breast cancer (RR = 2.06; 95% CI = 1.27-3.34) compared to women with higher intake (the highest tertile) of marine-derived n-3 PUFAs and lower intake (the lowest tertile) of n-6 PUFAs after adjusting for potential confounders. The relative amounts of n-6 PUFA to marine-derived n-3 PUFAs may be more important for breast cancer risk than individual dietary amounts of these fatty acids.     

Intake of n-3 and n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids and development of colorectal cancer by subsite: Japan Public Health Center-based prospective study

To date, epidemiologic studies investigating intake of n-3 and n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids and risk of colorectal cancer are limited, and results remain inconsistent. This is the first prospective study to show the association by subsite (proximal colon, distal colon, rectum). To clarify the role of n-3 and n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids intake in colon carcinogenesis, we conducted a large, population-based prospective study, characterized by high fish consumption and a wide range of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids intakes. Subjects were followed from response to a lifestyle questionnaire in 1995-1999 through 2006. During 827,833 person-years of follow-up (average 9.3 years), we identified 1,268 new colorectal cancer cases (521 colon and 253 rectal for men; 350 colon and 144 rectal for women). Compared to the lowest quintile, the relative risk and 95% confidence interval of developing cancer among the fifth quintile of marine n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids intake were 0.60 and 0.31-1.14, respectively (p for trend = 0.04) in the colon in women and 0.35 and 0.14-0.88 (p for trend = 0.05) and 1.82 and 0.79-4.20 (p for trend = 0.16) in the proximal and distal colon, respectively, in men. For rectal cancer, the dose response for marine n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids s was unclear; rather, we observed U-shaped associations in men and women. We found no evidence that n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids increases or the n-3/n-6 ratio decreases the risk of colorectal cancer. Our results suggest that intake of marine n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids may be inversely related to the risk of cancer in the proximal site of the large bowel.     

Fish consumption and breast cancer risk. The European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC)

There is current interest in fish consumption and marine omega-3 (n-3) fatty acids and breast cancer risk. Some in vitro and animal studies have suggested an inhibitory effect of marine n-3 fatty acids on breast cancer growth, but the results from epidemiological studies that have examined the association between fish consumption and breast cancer risk in humans are inconsistent. We examined fish consumption and breast cancer risk in 310,671 women aged between 25 and 70 yr at recruitment into the European Prospective Investigation Into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC). The participants completed a dietary questionnaire between 1992-98 and were followed up for incidence of breast cancer for a median of 6.4 yr. Hazard ratio for breast cancer by intake of total and lean and fatty fish were estimated, stratified by study centre and adjusted for established breast cancer risk factors. During follow-up, 4,776 invasive incident breast cancers were reported. No significant associations between intake of total fish and breast cancer risk were observed, hazard ratio (HR) 1.01 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.99-1.02; p = 0.28 per 10 g fish/day). When examining lean and fatty fish separately, we found a positive significant association only in the highest quintile for fatty fish (HR 1.13, 95% CI 1.01-1.26), but test for trend was not significant (p = 0.10). No associations with breast cancer risk were observed when the study participants were subdivided by menopausal status. Although the period of follow-up is relatively short, the results provide no evidence for an association between fish intake and breast cancer risk.     

Colorectal cancer and diet in an Asian population--a case-control study among Singapore Chinese

A hospital-based case-control study of diet and colorectal cancer was conducted among Chinese in Singapore (who constitute 77% of the population). A total of 203 cases and 425 controls were included. A history of the usual dietary intake one year prior to interview was taken using a quantitative food frequency questionnaire. Daily intakes of nutrients and selected food items were computed and stratified by tertiles of the control range, to assess risk in low-, medium- and high-intake categories. Effects were adjusted in analysis for age, sex, Chinese dialect group and occupation. For cancers of colon and rectum combined, significant observations were a protective effect of high cruciferous vegetable intake (OR = 0.50, p less than 0.01) and a predisposing effect of a high meat/vegetable consumption ratio (OR = 1.77, p less than 0.05). Similar results were observed for colon cancer alone. For rectal cancer alone (only 71 cases), significant (p less than 0.05) protective effects were observed for high intakes of protein (OR = 0.61), fibre (OR = 0.46), beta-carotene (OR = 0.54), cruciferous vegetables (OR = 0.51) and total vegetables (OR = 0.51). When further assessed by multiple logistic regression, tests for trend and assessment of risk in the extreme highest and lowest quintiles of the control range, the factors consistently significant were cruciferous vegetable intake and the meat/vegetable ratio. A particularly high relative risk was also noted in association with low coffee consumption (OR = 1.59, with p less than 0.05 for trend). No consistent trends were noted for fat or fibre intakes. For non-dietary variables investigated, a history of cholecystectomy increased the risk of both cancers combined (OR = 3.43, p less than 0.05) and colon cancer alone (OR = 4.39, p less than 0.01). This study in an Asian population of countries of Southern and Eastern Asia newly undergoing industrialization and in which rapid economic change is reflected in changing cancer patterns, suggests that the protective effects of certain dietary constituents, notably the cruciferous vegetables, may be more important than the hitherto stressed carcinogenic potential of fat and protein.     

International comparisons of nutrition and mortality from pancreatic cancer.

Average per capita consumption of eggs, milk, and meat; total caloric intake; and protein and fat consumption in 29 countries from 1964 through 1966 was related to the average age-adjusted mortality rates from cancer of the pancreas in these same countries for the period 1978 through 1979. A direct and significant correlation between mortality rates from cancer of the pancreas and per capita consumption of eggs, milk (p less than 0.001), and meat (p less than 0.01 for males and p less than 0.05 for females) was found. The total caloric intake was directly correlated with mortality rates from pancreatic cancer (p less than 0.01). This correlation was stronger for calories derived from animal sources of food (p less than 0.001) for both sexes, while consumption of vegetable calories correlated with decreased rates of mortality from pancreatic cancer. The average per capita intake of both total and animal fat was also directly correlated with mortality from cancer of the pancreas (p less than 0.001). This suggests that animal sources of calories, protein, and fat may play an important role in the etiology of pancreatic cancer.     

Fruit and Vegetable Intake in Relation to Prostate Cancer in Iranian Men: A Case-Control Study

Background: Findings of epidemiologic studies on the relationship between fruit and vegetable consumption and prostate cancer (PCa) risk have been inconclusive. We therefore examined the association between intake of fruits and vegetables and PCa risk in Iran. Materials and Methods: In this hospital based, case-control study, a total of 50 patients with PCa and 100 controls underwent face-to-face interviews. Regression analysis was used to examine the relation between fruit and vegetable intake and PCa risk. Results: A protective independent effect was observed for the highest tertile of total fruit and vegetable (OR: 0.33, CI: 0.04-0.30, p value<0.001), total fruit (OR: 0.30, CI: 0.06-0.4, p value=0.03) and total vegetable (OR: 0.31, CI: 0.02-0.21, p value<0.001) consumption. Within the group of fruits, a significant inverse association was observed for apple and pomegranate (p trends were 0.01 and 0.016, respectively). In the vegetable group, a significant inverse association was observed for tomatoes (p trend<0.001) and cabbage (p trend=0.021). Conclusions: The results of the present study suggestedthat fruits and vegetable intake might be negatively associated with PCa risk.     

Dietary intake of calcium, fiber and other micronutrients in relation to colorectal cancer risk: Results from the Shanghai Women's Health Study

We evaluated the associations of dietary intake of calcium, fiber and vitamins with colorectal cancer risk in a population-based prospective cohort study conducted among Chinese women in Shanghai. Subjects were recruited in urban Shanghai from March 1997 to May 2000. All subjects were interviewed in-person to obtain information on demographic and lifestyle factors and anthropometric measurement was conducted. Usual dietary intake, using a validated food frequency questionnaire was assessed at the baseline survey. After following a total of 73,314 women for a median of 5.74 years, 283 incident colorectal cancer cases were recorded. Excluding the first 2 years of follow-up, a high intake of calcium was associated with a decreased risk of colorectal cancer. Comparing the highest quintile of nutrients intake to the lowest, the adjusted relative risk for colorectal cancer was 0.6 (p value for trend = 0.023) for calcium. No apparent associations were found for fiber, total vitamin A, carotene, vitamins B1, B2, B3, C and E with colorectal cancer risk. Our results suggest that calcium may be protective against colorectal cancer development even at a lower consumption level compared to Western populations.     

Milk, dairy intake and risk of endometrial cancer: a 26-year follow-up

Estrogens have a central role in the etiology of endometrial cancer. Milk and dairy products are a source of steroid hormones and growth factors that might have physiological effects in humans. We hypothesized that high intakes of milk and dairy products are associated with an increased risk of endometrial cancer, particularly among postmenopausal women not using hormone therapy. This was a prospective cohort study with 68,019 female participants in the Nurses' Health Study aged 34-59 in 1980. Milk and dairy consumption were assessed in 1980, 1984, 1986, 1990, 1994, 1998 and 2002 as servings per day and the follow-up continued through 2006. The multivariate relative risks (RRs) of adenocarcinoma of the endometrium across categories of cumulatively averaged total dairy consumption compared with < 1 svg/day were: 0.94 (95% CI = 0.71-1.25) for 1-1.4 svg/day, 1.14 (0.87-1.49) for 1.5-1.9 svg/day, 1.10 (0.84-1.44) for 2-2.9 svg/day, 1.26 (0.94-1.70) for ≥ 3 svg/day (p for trend = 0.06). The association between total dairy intake and endometrial cancer was significant only among the postmenopausal women (for ≥ 3 svg/day RR = 1.41, 95% CI = 1.01-1.98, p for trend = 0.02) and was evident only among those who were not currently using hormone therapy (RR = 1.58, 95% CI = 1.05-2.36, p for trend = 0.003). Total dairy intake was not significantly associated with risk of preinvasive endometrial cancer. In conclusion, we observed a marginally significant overall association between dairy intake and endometrial cancer and a stronger association among postmenopausal women who were not using estrogen-containing hormones.     

Increased caffeine intake is associated with reduced risk of basal cell carcinoma of the skin

Studies in animals suggest that caffeine administration helps prevent squamous cell skin cancer development, but there have been limited epidemiologic studies on the association between caffeine consumption and skin cancer risk. Using data from the Nurses' Health Study and the Health Professionals Follow-up Study, we prospectively examined risks of basal cell carcinoma (BCC, 22,786 cases), squamous cell carcinoma (SCC, 1,953 cases), and melanoma (741 cases) in relation to caffeine intake. Cox proportional hazard models were used to calculate relative risks (RR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI). The amount of caffeine intake from all dietary sources was inversely associated with BCC risk. Compared with the lowest quintile, the highest quintile had the lowest risk (RR, 0.82 in women; 95% CI:,0.77-0.86 and RR, 0.87 in men; 95% CI, 0.81-0.94; Ptrend<0.0001 in both). A significant inverse association was also found between caffeinated coffee consumption and BCC risk. Compared with individuals who consumed caffeinated coffee less than 1 cup per month, women who consumed more than 3 cups/d had the lowest risk (RR, 0.79; 95% CI, 0.74-0.85; Ptrend<0.0001) and the RR for men was 0.90 (95% CI, 0.80-1.01; Ptrend=0.003). Caffeine from other dietary sources (tea, cola, and chocolate) was also inversely associated with BCC risk. Decaffeinated coffee consumption was not associated with a similar decrease in BCC risk. In contrast, caffeine intake was not found to be inversely associated with risks of SCC or melanoma. Our findings argue that caffeine intake in men and women is inversely associated with risk of BCC.     

Gene Polymorphisms Involved in Folate Metabolism and DNA Methylation with the Risk of Head and Neck Cancer

Background: Folate is essential for DNA synthesis, repair, and methylation. Polymorphisms in genes associated with folate metabolism may alter these processes and, consequently, modulate cancer development. Aim: We aimed to assess DNMT3B -149C/T (rs2424913), DNMT3B -283T/C (rs6087990), DNMT3B -579G/T (rs2424909), DHFR 19-pb ins/del (rs70991108), SHMT1 1420C/T (rs1979277), and TYMS 28-bp tandem repeat (rs34743033) polymorphisms with risk of head and neck cancer. Methods: A case-control study was conducted in 1,086 Brazilian individuals. Real-time and conventional polymerase chain reactions-PCR were performed for genotyping the polymorphisms. Results: The single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP), DNMT3B -283T/C, revealed a higher risk of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) when compared with the C group in the codominant (p < 0.001), dominant (p <0.001), and overdominant (p= 0.001) models for T/C and C/C genotypes. DNMT3B -149C/T and DNMT3B -579G/T revealed no association between groups in any model. The DHFR 19-pb ins/del polymorphism protected against HNSCC development compared to the C group by the codominant (p < 0.001), dominant (p < 0.001), and overdominant (p < 0.001) models. In the TYMS, the 3R/3R genotype had a protective effect against HNSCC development compared with the C group by the recessive models (p= 0.009). In contrast, SHMT1 1420 C/T presented no association between the HNSCC and C groups. DHFR 19-pb ins/del polymorphisms protected against oral cavity cancer (p= 0.003), and only TYMS-28 3R/3R decreased the risk of tumor progression (p= 0.023). In the Kaplan–Meier curve, an association was found between DHFR ins/ins and TYMS -28 3R carriers with respect to relapse-free time; further, DNMT3B -579 T and TYMS-28 2R/2R carriers had longer survival times. Conclusion: DNMT3B -283T/C is associated with higher risk, whereas DHFR 19-pb ins/del and TYMS 28 3R/3R protect against head and neck cancer. We also highlighted the association of TYMS 3R/3R genotype carriers with relapse-free cancer protection and survival time.     

Folate, alcohol, and aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 polymorphism and the risk of oral and pharyngeal cancer in Japanese

Folate consumption is inversely associated with the risk of oral and pharyngeal cancer (OPC) and potentially interacts with alcohol drinking in the risk of OPC. Aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 (ALDH2) gene polymorphism is known to interact with alcohol consumption. The aim of this study was to investigate potential interaction between folate, alcohol drinking, and ALDH2 polymorphism in the risk of OPC in a Japanese population. The study group comprised 409 head and neck cancer cases and 1227 age-matched and sex-matched noncancer controls; of these, 251 cases and 759 controls were evaluated for ALDH rs671 polymorphism. Associations were assessed by odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals in multiple logistic regression models. We observed an inverse association between folate consumption and OPC risk. The odds ratio for high folate intake was 0.53 (95% confidence interval: 0.36-0.77) relative to low intake (P trend=0.003). This association was consistent across strata of sex, age, smoking, and ALDH2 genotypes. Interaction between folate consumption, drinking, and ALDH2 genotype was remarkable (three-way interaction, P<0.001). We observed significant interaction among folate, drinking, and ALDH2 genotype in the Japanese population.     

c-myc amplification is a better prognostic factor than HER2/neu amplification in primary breast cancer.

Amplification of the c-myc and HER2/neu genes was found in 20 and 23%, respectively, of primary breast cancer tissues derived from 282 patients (median follow-up, 74 months). c-myc amplification was observed more frequently in larger tumors (P = 0.01) and in lymph node-positive patients (P = 0.01) but was not associated with age, menopausal status, or with differentiation grade or steroid receptor status. c-myc amplification was strongly negatively correlated with HER2/neu amplification (P less than 0.001). In univariate analysis, amplification of c-myc proved to be a significant predictor of reduced relapse-free and overall survival (for both, P less than 0.001). In multivariate analysis for relapse-free survival, c-myc amplification significantly (P = 0.001) added to the prognostic power of tumor size (P less than 0.001), lymph node status (P less than 0.001), and estrogen receptor status (P = 0.003), with the highest relative failure rate (1.8) after lymph node status (2.2). In this pilot study, c-myc amplification was predictive for outcome, especially among patients with node-negative disease or steroid receptor-positive tumors; 51 and 46% differences in actuarial 5-year recurrence rates when compared to patients with tumors with normal c-myc gene copy numbers, respectively. HER2/neu amplification was not associated with relapse-free survival but weakly with shorter overall survival in univariate analysis (P = 0.035). Only in the relatively small subgroup of steroid receptor-negative tumors, HER2/neu amplification may identify those patients with an increased risk of death. In conclusion, amplification of c-myc is an independent powerful prognosticator, particularly in node-negative and steroid receptor-positive breast cancer, whereas HER2/neu amplification may be of limited prognostic value, only in steroid receptor-negative disease.     

Colorectal cancer: intrinsic characteristics modulate cancer energy expenditure and the risk of cachexia

PURPOSE: To conduct a prospective longitudinal study in colorectal cancer (CRC) patients: 1) to evaluate resting energy expenditure (REE), weight/dietary intake changes, and response to treatment, taking into consideration cancer stage and histology; 2) to determine their potential interrelations; and 3) to quantify the relative contributions to REE of cancer/nutrition/treatment. PATIENTS AND METHODS: 101 CRC patients proposed for neoadjuvant radiotherapy (RT) were evaluated before and after RT: REE (indirect calorimetry measurements), percentage of weight loss, usual diet (diet history), current diet (24 hour recall), and treatment response. RESULTS: REE was higher in Stages III/IV versus I/II, at the RT onset (p < 0.002) and end (p = 0.02), and in moderately/poorly/undifferentiated cancers vs well differentiated (onset, p < 0.001) and (RT end, p = 0.01); weight/intake reductions were also greater in Stages III/IV versus I/II (p < 0.01) and in moderately/poorly/undifferentiated cancers versus well differentiated (p < 0.02). According to patients' response to treatment, REE was increased in Stage III/IV (p < 0.005) and Grade 2/3 histology (p < 0.003). In nonresponders, REE increased 7.2 +/- 1.3 kcal/kg/day and decreased 2.8 +/- 0.4 kcal/kg/day in responders. REE changes were not-significantly influenced by weight/intake. Relative contributions to baseline REE were determined in 25 percent by stage, in 25 percent by histology, in 3 percent by intake and in 4 percent by weight loss. At the end of RT, higher REE was attributed in 26 percent to stage, in 27 percent to histology, in 30 percent to nontreatment response, in 9 percent to intake, and in 8 percent to weight loss. CONCLUSIONS: In this CRC patient population, higher metabolic rates were mainly determined by the tumor burden and aggressiveness in association with response to treatment clearly disclaiming the effect of weight loss and/or dietary intake reductions.     

Coffee, tea, caffeine and risk of breast cancer: a 22-year follow-up

The relation between consumption of coffee, tea and caffeine and risk of breast cancer remains unsettled. We examined data from a large, long-term cohort study to evaluate whether high intake of coffee and caffeine is associated with increased risk of breast cancer. This was a prospective cohort study with 85,987 female participants in the Nurses' Health Study. Consumption of coffee, tea and caffeine consumption was assessed in 1980, 1984, 1986, 1990, 1994, 1998 and the follow-up continued through 2002. We documented 5,272 cases of invasive breast cancer during 1,715,230 person-years. The multivariate relative risks (RRs) of breast cancer across categories of caffeinated coffee consumption were: 1.0 for <1 cup/month (reference category), 1.01 (95% confidence interval: 0.92-1.12) for 1 month to 4.9 week, 0.92 (0.84-1.01) for 5 week to 1.9 days, 0.93 (0.85-1.02) for 2-3.9 days, 0.92 (0.82-1.03) for >or=4 cups per day (p for trend = 0.14). Intakes of tea and decaffeinated coffee were also not significantly associated with risk of breast cancer. RRs (95% CI) for increasing quintiles of caffeine intake were 1.00, 0.98 (0.90-1.07), 0.92 (0.84-1.00), 0.94 (0.87-1.03) and 0.93 (0.85-1.01) (p for trend = 0.06). A significant inverse association of caffeine intake with breast cancers was observed among postmenopausal women; for the highest quintile of intake compared to the lowest RR 0.88 (95% CI = 0.79-0.97, p for trend = 0.03). We observed no substantial association between caffeinated and decaffeinated coffee and tea consumption and risk of breast cancer in the overall cohort. However, our results suggested a weak inverse association between caffeine-containing beverages and risk of postmenopausal breast cancer.     

The influence of folate and multivitamin use on the familial risk of colon cancer in women.

Low intake of folate and methionine and heavy alcohol consumption have been associated with an increased overall risk of colon cancer, possibly related to their role in methylation pathways. We estimated the relative risk (RR) of colon cancer according to a history of colorectal cancer in a first-degree relative and categories of folate, methionine, and alcohol intake in a prospective cohort study of 88,758 women who completed family history and detailed food frequency questionnaires. During 16 years of follow-up, colon cancer was diagnosed in 535 women. The inverse association of folic acid with colon cancer risk was greater in women with a family history. Compared with women who consumed 200 microg or less of folic acid/day, the age-adjusted RR of colon cancer for those who consumed >400 microg/day was 0.81 (95% confidence interval, 0.62-1.07) in women without a family history of colorectal cancer and 0.48 (95% confidence interval, 0.28-0.83) in women with a family history (P for interaction = 0.02). The influence of family history was markedly diminished by use of multivitamins containing folic acid (P for interaction = 0.04). High levels of dietary methionine also reduced the effect of family history (P for interaction = 0.05), whereas moderate to heavy alcohol consumption increased the risk associated with family history (P for interaction = 0.004). Other risk factors for colorectal cancer did not significantly modify the influence of family history. Our results suggest that higher intake of folate and methionine, regular use of multivitamins containing folate, and avoidance of moderate to heavy alcohol consumption may diminish the excess risk of colon cancer associated with a family history of the disease.     

Genotype Difference of Aldehyde Dehydrogenase 2 Gene in Alcohol Drinkers Influences the Incidence of Japanese Colorectal Cancer Patients

A case-control study was conducted to explore the possible etiologic role of alcohol and aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 ( ALDH2 ) gene among Japanese colorectal cancer patients. Information on their drinking, smoking and dietary habits was collected from 265 colon and 164 rectum cancer patients, and 794 non-cancer patients as a control group. Genotypes of the ALDH2 gene at codon 487, glutamic acid ( ALDH2 *1)as a wild-type or lysine ( ALDH2 *2)as a mutated type with reduced enzyme activity, were analyzed by polymerase chain reaction in 160 colon and 110 rectum cancer patients and 121 control persons. Univariate analysis with the χ² statistical test showed that heavy alcohol drinking ( P < 0.01), frequent meat intake ( P < 0.001), and irregular ( P < 0.01), hasty ( P < 0.01) and excessive ( P <0.001) eating habits were associated with the incidence of both colon and rectum cancers, whereas heavier smoking ( P < 0.05) and infrequent fish ( P < 0.03)and fruit ( P < 0.01) intake were solely associated with incidence of rectum cancer. Infrequent green vegetable intake was not correlated with the incidence of colorectal cancer. Multivariate unconditional logistic regression analysis confirmed the association of alcohol consumption ( P < 0.01) and meat intake ( P < 0.05). Homozygous and heterozygous carriers of ALDH2 *2 allele tended to be found in colon (trend P = 0.04)but not in rectum cancer patients compared to controls. Risk elevation for colon cancer due to alcohol consumption was pronounced among the heterozygotes and it was statistically significant especially for distal colon cancer (trend P =0.02). We conclude that alcohol consumption is a risk factor for colorectal cancer and the risk can be enhanced in ALDH2 heterozygotes.