January 2008 CEBP Highlights

Selected Articles from the January 1, 2008 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 January 2008 issue of Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention

Cigarette Smoking Increases Breast Cancer Risk for Slow Acetylators

Ambrosone et al.

Page 15

Approximately 10 years ago, it was noted that smoking increased risk of breast cancer among women with NAT2 slow acetylation genotypes. Ambrosone and colleagues pooled data from 10 existing studies, and also conducted a meta-analysis of 13 studies. The results of the pooled analysis showed that cigarette smoking is associated with an increase in breast cancer risk among women with NAT2 slow acetylation genotypes. Because slow NAT2 genotypes are present in 50 to 60% of Caucasian populations, smoking is likely to play an important role in breast cancer etiology. Phillips and Garte comment on the importance of these findings in the accompanying editorial.

BMI Linked to Endometrial Cancer Risk even Without Postmenopausal Hormones

McCullough et al.

Page 73

Epidemiologic studies unequivocally show that greater body mass increases the risk of endometrial cancer, but whether risk varies by use of postmenopausal hormone therapy (HT), location of fat deposition or cancer subtype is still unclear. McCullough and colleagues examined these associations among 33,436 postmenopausal women, and as expected, adult body mass index (BMI) was a strong predictor of risk. Among women who never used HT, there was a 51% reduction in risk in the leanest women, and a 441% increase in risk among the heaviest women. Among women who have used HT, the association with greater BMI was not significant. A tendency for central adiposity was not related to risk. Together, these findings support a central role of estrogen in endometrial cancer.

NSAID Use Reduces Risk of Esophageal and Gastric Adenocarcinomas

Duan et al.

Page 126

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) use has been associated with a reduced risk of colorectal cancer; further epidemiologic data appear consistent for stomach and esophageal adenocarcinomas. Nonetheless, data on potential confounding by upper gastrointestinal tract (UGI) disorders on the relationship with adenocarcinomas of the UGI are limited. Results reported in this issue by Duan and colleagues support an inverse association between regular NSAID use and risk of esophageal and distal gastric adenocarcinomas in individuals with and without a history of UGI disorders of long duration, with daily use providing the greatest risk reduction. Reduced risk in irregular users suggests that factors other than an impact on cyclo-oxygenase may also be important.

Physical Activity Lowers Risk of Gastric Cancer

Sjodahl et al.

Page 135

A high physical-activity level decreases the risk of several cancers, but few studies have focused on gastric cancer. Sjodahl and colleagues conducted a population-based, prospective cohort study of 73,133 people in Norway. No statistically significant associations were revealed between different levels of BMI and risk of noncardia gastric cancer. A statistically significant 50% risk reduction among persons with at least a moderate level of recreational physical activity, and a dose-response relation are reported. The authors concluded that recreational physical activity might have a protective effect against gastric cancer. These results were novel in that they focused on the role of physical activity, not the BMI associations, which are well established.

Regular Adult Aspirin Use Decreases Women’s Risk of NSCLC

Van Dyke et al.

Page 148
Prior studies showed that use of aspirin or other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) is associated with a decreased risk of non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC); however, results have been contradictory, in part because of variation in study design. Through a case-control study of African American and Caucasian women with and without NSCLC, Van Dyke and colleagues examined the relationship between use of aspirin, NSAIDs, and acetaminophen and risk of NSCLC. The results suggest that long-term use of adult strength aspirin may reduce the risk of NSCLC in women. These results add to the growing list of cancers where NSAIDs look useful.

Weight at Age 21 Predicts Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma Risk

Maskarinec et al.

Page 196
Obesity may increase the risk for non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (NHL) through an inflammatory pathway. Maskarinec and colleagues explored the relation of NHL with body size at different times in life within the Multiethnic Cohort which includes African-Americans, Caucasian, Japanese, Latinos, and Native Hawaiians. Body weight and BMI at age 21 were stronger predictors of NHL risk than anthropometric characteristics at baseline. Their findings indicated that weight at age 21 may represent lifetime adiposity better than body weight at cohort entry. Alternatively, weight at age 21 may be more relevant for the etiology of NHL.

January 2008 CEBP Highlights

Selected Articles from the January 1, 2008 Issue

Cigarette Smoking Increases Breast Cancer Risk for Slow Acetylators

BMI Linked to Endometrial Cancer Risk even Without Postmenopausal Hormones

NSAID Use Reduces Risk of Esophageal and Gastric Adenocarcinomas

Physical Activity Lowers Risk of Gastric Cancer

Regular Adult Aspirin Use Decreases Women’s Risk of NSCLC

Weight at Age 21 Predicts Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma Risk

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