March 2009 CEBP Highlights

Selected Articles from the March 1, 2009 Issue

The articles referenced in this Highlights section will be available online in HTML and PDF formats to all interested users at no charge until the next issue of Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention is published. Click on the article title to view the complete article.

View the Table of Contents for the March 2009 issue of Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention

Lung Cancer and Motor Vehicles

Chen et al.

Page 760

In the U.S., many histological types of lung cancer have declined since the 1980s, following substantial decreases in tobacco consumption. However, during this same period, incidence rates of adenocarcinoma of the lung (ADL) have increased, possibly due to air pollution. To examine this further, Chen and colleagues explored the relationship between ADL and motor vehicle density. ADL incidence rates were tracked by county from nine SEER program sites for the years 1973–1990 and motor vehicle densities were estimated by motor vehicle registrations. A dose response pattern was found between motor vehicle density and both ADL and squamous cell carcinoma of the lung. In contrast, no dose response relationship was evident between prostate cancer and motor vehicle density. Chen and colleagues provide further support that air pollution plays a potential role in lung cancer development.

Alcohol as a Risk Factor for Pancreatic Cancer

Genkinger et al.

Page 765

There are few well-established risk factors for pancreatic cancer. Heavy alcohol consumption has been associated with both pancreatitis and type 2 diabetes, suggesting it may also be a risk factor for pancreatic cancer. To examine the relationship between pancreatic cancer and alcohol use, Genkinger and colleagues performed pooled analysis from 14 prospective cohort studies involving 2,187 pancreatic cancer patients. The study found a positive association between the incidence of pancreatic cancer and consumption of roughly 2 alcoholic beverages/day. In men, positive associations were also observed between higher alcohol use (4 alcoholic beverages/day) and pancreatic cancer. The association was stronger among normal weight individuals compared to overweight patients and the association was not modified by smoking status. The establishment of alcohol as a pancreatic cancer risk factor may help in understanding the etiology and prevention of this disease.

Placental Weight and Breast Cancer Survival

Larfors et al.

Page 777

It is well-established that pregnancies result in a long-term reduced risk of breast cancer. However, in premenopausal breast cancer, pregnancy negatively influences breast cancer survival, especially for patients diagnosed during or shortly after pregnancy. To explore this apparent paradox, Larfors and colleagues used placental weight as an indirect measure of pregnancy hormone exposure and correlated this with breast cancer survival. The study followed a cohort of 1,873 Swedish women with at least one pregnancy and subsequent breast cancer diagnosis. Larfors and colleagues report a positive association between increased placental weight and reduced breast cancer survival. The effect was more pronounced in primiparous than multiparous women. These findings support a role for pregnancy hormones in the development of breast cancer among women with a recent childbirth.

Increase in Thyroid Cancer in the U.S.

Enewold et al.

Page 784

The incidence of thyroid cancer in the U.S. has increased over the last 30 years and this has often been attributed to advances in thyroid cancer detection. To test this relationship, Enewold and colleagues examined U.S. thyroid cancer incidence rates by demographic and tumor characteristics. The study involved over 48,000 thyroid cancer patients diagnosed between 1980 and 2005 and enrolled in the SEER program. Enewold and colleagues examined the incidences of all thyroid tumor histological types and found that only thyroid papillary carcinoma increased consistently among all racial/ethnic groups. The increase was more dramatic among females compared to males and among Whites and Blacks compared to Asian/Pacific Islanders. Although the most rapid increases were observed for localized and small tumors, rates for large tumors also increased. This study finds that incidence rates increased for only papillary thyroid tumors and that rates of both small and large thyroid tumors increased. These results argue against the hypothesis that increases in thyroid cancer incidence are due only to improved disease detection. These findings encourage further studies to identify the environmental risk factors associated with thyroid cancer incidence.

March 2009 CEBP Highlights

Selected Articles from the March 1, 2009 Issue

Lung Cancer and Motor Vehicles

Alcohol as a Risk Factor for Pancreatic Cancer

Placental Weight and Breast Cancer Survival

Increase in Thyroid Cancer in the U.S.

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