The effect of body mass index at diagnosis on survival of patients with squamous cell head and neck carcinoma.

The aim of this study is to investigate the prognostic role of body mass index (BMI) on survival from head and neck cancer (HNC). We performed a pooled analysis of studies included in the International Head and Neck Cancer Epidemiology consortium. We used Cox proportional hazards models to estimate the adjusted hazard ratios (HR) for overall survival and HNC-specific survival, and we stratified the results according to cancer site.

Large-scale meta-genome-wide association study reveals common genetic factors linked to radiation-induced acute toxicities across cancer types.

Background: This study was designed to identify common genetic susceptibility and shared genetic variants associated with acute radiation-induced toxicity across 4 cancer types (prostate, head and neck, breast, and lung).

Methods: A genome-wide association study meta-analysis was performed using 19 cohorts totaling 12 042 patients. Acute standardized total average toxicity (STATacute) was modelled using a generalized linear regression model for additive effect of genetic variants, adjusted for demographic and clinical covariates (rSTATacute).

Poor oral health influences head and neck cancer patient survival: an International Head and Neck Cancer Epidemiology Consortium pooled analysis.

Background: Poor oral health has been identified as a prognostic factor potentially affecting the survival of patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. However, evidence to date supporting this association has emanated from studies based on single cohorts with small-to-modest sample sizes.

Methods: Pooled analysis of 2449 head and neck squamous cell carcinoma participants from 4 studies of the International Head and Neck Cancer Epidemiology Consortium included data on periodontal disease, tooth brushing frequency, mouthwash use, numbers of natural teeth, and dental visits over the 10 years prior to diagnosis.

Development of a Duplex Serological Multiplex Assay for the Simultaneous Detection of Epstein-Barr Virus IgA and IgG Antibodies in Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma Patients.

Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) IgA and IgG antibodies in serum from nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) patients are well-established markers for EBV-positive NPC. Luminex-based multiplex serology can analyze antibodies to multiple antigens simultaneously; however, the detection of both IgA and IgG antibodies requires separate measurements. Here we describe the development and validation of a novel duplex multiplex serology assay, which can analyze IgA and IgG antibodies against several antigens simultaneously.

Meta-GWAS identifies the heritability of acute radiation-induced toxicities in head and neck cancer.

Background And Purpose: We aimed to the genetic components and susceptibility variants associated with acute radiation-induced toxicities (RITs) in patients with head and neck cancer (HNC).

Materials And Methods: We performed the largest meta-GWAS of seven European cohorts (n = 4,042). Patients were scored weekly during radiotherapy for acute RITs including dysphagia, mucositis, and xerostomia.

Impact of low iodine diets on ablation success in differentiated thyroid cancer: A mixed-methods systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Debate remains regarding whether to recommend a low iodine diet (LID) before radioactive-iodine treatment and its duration and stringency. This mixed-methods review aimed to determine if iodine status affects treatment success, the most effective diet to reduce iodine status, and how LID impacts wellbeing.

Methods: Five electronic databases were searched until February 2021.

A qualitative exploration of attitudes to walking in the retirement life change.

Background: Walking is a simple activity that could help to reduce the prevalence of chronic diseases in all populations. Furthermore, an inverse dose-response relationship exists between steps taken and risk of premature death and cardiovascular events in middle-aged and older adults. There is a lack of information on how to effectively engage older adults around retirement age in walking.

Factors affecting willingness to pay for NHS-based orthodontic treatment.

Objective To assess factors affecting willingness to pay for orthodontic treatment.Methods An online discrete choice experiment and willingness to pay study was conducted on a convenience sample of 250 participants aged 16 and above over a four-month period. Participants completed a series of stated-preference tasks, in which they viewed choice sets with two orthodontic treatment options involving different combinations of attributes: family income; cost to patient; cause of problem; prevention of future problems; age; severity of the problem; and self-esteem/confidence.

Prioritising NHS dental treatments: a mixed-methods study.

Objectives To determine the priorities of patients and dental professionals concerning NHS dental treatments, the factors influencing prioritisation and the willingness to contribute towards the cost of NHS dental treatments.Methods Focus groups and interviews involving patients and practitioners informed the development of a piloted questionnaire concerning the priorities for NHS dental treatments. Patients attending three purposively selected dental settings in London and Kent, as well as dental professionals working within a large London dental hospital were recruited to participate in this initial qualitative phase.

Epigenetic biomarkers of ageing are predictive of mortality risk in a longitudinal clinical cohort of individuals diagnosed with oropharyngeal cancer.

Background: Epigenetic clocks are biomarkers of ageing derived from DNA methylation levels at a subset of CpG sites. The difference between age predicted by these clocks and chronological age, termed "epigenetic age acceleration", has been shown to predict age-related disease and mortality. We aimed to assess the prognostic value of epigenetic age acceleration and a DNA methylation-based mortality risk score with all-cause mortality in a prospective clinical cohort of individuals with head and neck cancer: Head and Neck 5000.

Misreporting of Energy Intake From Food Records Completed by Adolescents: Associations With Sex, Body Image, Nutrient, and Food Group Intake.

A healthy diet during adolescence is important for growth and pubertal development. Assessing the diet of adolescents may be challenging as the behavioural factors and food habits which impact on what they eat may also affect how they report dietary intake. This study assesses factors associated with the misreporting of dietary intake.

Pre-admission interventions (prehabilitation) to improve outcome after major elective surgery: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Objective: To determine the benefits and harms of pre-admission interventions (prehabilitation) on postoperative outcomes in patients undergoing major elective surgery.

Design: Systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials (RCTs) (published or unpublished). We searched Medline, Embase, CENTRAL, DARE, HTA and NHS EED, The Cochrane Library, CINAHL, PsychINFO and ISI Web of Science (June 2020).

Associations between markers of social functioning and depression and quality of life in survivors of head and neck cancer: Findings from the Head and Neck Cancer 5000 study.

Objective: To investigate associations between markers of social functioning (trouble with social eating and social contact), depression and health-related quality of life (QOL) among head and neck cancer survivors.

Methods: This cross-sectional analysis included individuals with oral cavity, oropharynx, larynx, salivary gland and thyroid cancers from Head and Neck 5000 alive at 12 months. Trouble with social eating and social contact were measured using items from EORTC QLQ-H&N35 and QOL using EORTC QLQ-C30; responses were converted into a score of 0-100, with a higher score equalling more trouble or better QOL.

Quality of life following treatment for T1a glottic cancer with surgery or radiotherapy: outcomes from the Head and Neck 5000 cohort.

Objectives: To investigate the quality of life in patients treated with either RT or surgery alone for T1a glottic carcinoma.

Design: This prospective cohort study aims to assess generic- and disease-specific patient-reported QoL in patients treated with either surgery or RT for T1a glottic carcinoma.

Settings: Multicentre, secondary care specialist head and neck units in the UK.

Large-scale cross-cancer fine-mapping of the 5p15.33 region reveals multiple independent signals.

Genome-wide association studies (GWASs) have identified thousands of cancer risk loci revealing many risk regions shared across multiple cancers. Characterizing the cross-cancer shared genetic basis can increase our understanding of global mechanisms of cancer development. In this study, we collected GWAS summary statistics based on up to 375,468 cancer cases and 530,521 controls for fourteen types of cancer, including breast (overall, estrogen receptor [ER]-positive, and ER-negative), colorectal, endometrial, esophageal, glioma, head/neck, lung, melanoma, ovarian, pancreatic, prostate, and renal cancer, to characterize the shared genetic basis of cancer risk.

Trends in, and predictors of, swallowing and social eating outcomes in head and neck cancer survivors: A longitudinal analysis of head and neck 5000.

Objective: To investigate the recovery trajectory and predictors of outcome for swallowing difficulties following head and neck cancer treatment in a large prospective cohort.

Materials And Methods: Data from 5404 participants of the Head and Neck 5000 study were collected from 2011 to 2014. Patient-reported swallowing was measured using the EORTC HN35, recorded at baseline (pre-treatment) and 4 and 12 months post-baseline.

Survival advantage in patients with human papillomavirus-driven oropharyngeal cancer and variation by demographic characteristics and serologic response: Findings from Head and Neck 5000.

Background: Patients with human papillomavirus (HPV)-driven oropharyngeal cancer (OPC) experience better survival than those with HPV-negative OPC. It is unclear whether this benefit varies by demographic characteristics and serologic response.

Methods: Records from 1411 patients with OPC who had HPV serology data were analyzed.

Genome-wide association meta-analysis identifies pleiotropic risk loci for aerodigestive squamous cell cancers.

Squamous cell carcinomas (SqCC) of the aerodigestive tract have similar etiological risk factors. Although genetic risk variants for individual cancers have been identified, an agnostic, genome-wide search for shared genetic susceptibility has not been performed. To identify novel and pleotropic SqCC risk variants, we performed a meta-analysis of GWAS data on lung SqCC (LuSqCC), oro/pharyngeal SqCC (OSqCC), laryngeal SqCC (LaSqCC) and esophageal SqCC (ESqCC) cancers, totaling 13,887 cases and 61,961 controls of European ancestry.

Inequality in survival of people with head and neck cancer: Head and Neck 5000 cohort study.

Background: Explanations for socioeconomic inequalities in survival of head and neck cancer (HNC) patients have had limited attention and are not well understood.

Methods: The UK Head and Neck 5000 prospective clinical cohort study was analyzed. Survival relating to measures of socioeconomic status was explored including area-based and individual factors.

Educational Attainment of Children Born with Unilateral Cleft Lip and Palate in the United Kingdom.

Objective: This study evaluated association between functional outcomes in children born with unilateral cleft lip and palate (UCLP) and educational attainment.

Design: Cleft Care UK (CCUK) was a United Kingdom (UK) wide cross-sectional study.

Setting: UK Cleft Teams (data collected from all UK sites providing centralized cleft services).

Experiences of low iodine diets in the treatment of differentiated thyroid cancer with radioactive iodine ablation therapy.

Background And Aims: International guidelines on the treatment of differentiated thyroid cancers (DTC) promote the use of low iodine diets (LID) prior to radioactive iodine remnant ablation (RIA), as high iodine status may interfere with radioiodine uptake. Most UK treatment centres adhere to these guidelines and advise people to consume a LID. There is limited research as to how people cope with the LID or its impact on daily life and wellbeing, and no studies have been conducted in the UK.

Evaluating shared genetic influences on nonsyndromic cleft lip/palate and oropharyngeal neoplasms.

It has been hypothesised that nonsyndromic cleft lip/palate (nsCL/P) and cancer may share aetiological risk factors. Population studies have found inconsistent evidence for increased incidence of cancer in nsCL/P cases, but several genes (e.g.

Identifying epigenetic biomarkers of established prognostic factors and survival in a clinical cohort of individuals with oropharyngeal cancer.

Background: Smoking status, alcohol consumption and HPV infection (acquired through sexual activity) are the predominant risk factors for oropharyngeal cancer and are thought to alter the prognosis of the disease. Here, we conducted single-site and differentially methylated region (DMR) epigenome-wide association studies (EWAS) of these factors, in addition to ∼ 3-year survival, using Illumina Methylation EPIC DNA methylation profiles from whole blood in 409 individuals as part of the Head and Neck 5000 (HN5000) study. Overlapping sites between each factor and survival were then assessed using two-step Mendelian randomization to assess whether methylation at these positions causally affected survival.