Smoking habits and occupational disability: a cohort study of 14,483 construction workers.

Objectives: Although smoking causes a variety of diseases and both, a high smoking prevalence and permanent occupational disability are a great burden on the population level, data about the impact of smoking habits on occupational disability are sparse. The objective of this study was to examine the influence of smoking habits on occupational disability among construction workers, an occupational group with particularly high smoking prevalence.

Methods: The association between smoking and occupational disability was examined during a mean follow-up of 10.

Helicobacter pylori infection and gastric cancer risk: evaluation of 15 H. pylori proteins determined by novel multiplex serology.

Infection with Helicobacter pylori is a major cause of gastric cancer (GC). The association likely has been underestimated in the past due to disease-related clearance of the infection. On the other hand, only a minority of the infected individuals develop GC, and better risk stratification is therefore highly desirable.

Meta-analysis: longitudinal studies of serum vitamin D and colorectal cancer risk.

Background: In 1980, Garland hypothesized that lower levels of vitamin D resulting from much weaker UV-B radiation at higher latitudes may account for the striking geographical pattern of cancer mortality. Further research has been conducted over the past 20 years.

Aim: To perform a systematic review and meta-analysis of longitudinal studies on the association between serum 25 hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) and the risk of colorectal cancer (CRC).

Overweight, obesity and risk of work disability: a cohort study of construction workers in Germany.

Objectives: Although obesity and permanent work disability impose a great burden on the individual and are very costly for society, data on the impact of being overweight on occupational disability are sparse, especially in men who work hard physically. The aim of this study was to investigate the association of body mass index (BMI) with work disability among construction workers.

Methods: The association between BMI and work disability was examined during a mean follow-up period of 10.

Epidemiology of stomach cancer.

Despite a major decline in incidence and mortality over several decades, stomach cancer is still the fourth most common cancer and the second most common cause of cancer death in the world. There is a 10-fold variation in incidence between populations at the highest and lowest risk. The incidence is particularly high in East Asia, Eastern Europe, and parts of Central and South America, and it is about twice as high among men than among women.

Quality of life over 5 years in women with breast cancer after breast-conserving therapy versus mastectomy: a population-based study.

Purpose: Breast-conserving therapy (BCT) was developed to improve quality of life (QOL) in early stage breast cancer patients. Except for differences in body image, literature comparing the psychosocial sequelae of BCT with mastectomy is ambiguous and shows a lack of substantial benefits. However, knowledge regarding long term effects of treatment on QOL in breast cancer is very limited as most of the pertinent studies have been performed in the early post-operative period.

Up-to-date monitoring of childhood cancer long-term survival in Europe: tumours of the sympathetic nervous system, retinoblastoma, renal and bone tumours, and soft tissue sarcomas.

Background: Prognosis for most types of childhood tumours has improved during the last few decades. In this article we estimate up-to-date period survival for less common, but important childhood malignancies in Europe.

Methods: Using the database of the Automated Childhood Cancer Information System we calculated period estimates of 10-year survival for the 1995-1999 period for children aged 0-14 years diagnosed during 1985-1999 with tumours of the sympathetic nervous system (NS), retinoblastoma, renal tumours, bone tumours and soft tissue sarcomas in four European regions.

Up-to-date monitoring of childhood cancer long-term survival in Europe: central nervous system tumours.

Background: Tumours of the central nervous system (CNS) account for 15-20% of all malignant childhood tumours in developed countries. Steady improvement of survival of children with CNS tumours has been reported for the past decades. However, these results, obtained by cohort analysis of survival, do not reflect the full extent of recent improvement.

Timely disclosure of progress in childhood cancer survival by 'period' analysis in the Automated Childhood Cancer Information System.

Background: A few years ago, a new method of survival analysis, denoted 'period' analysis, was introduced to provide more up-to-date survival estimates of cancer patients.

Patients And Methods: We evaluated the period survival method using the large database of the Automated Childhood Cancer Information System (ACCIS). Our evaluation is based on data from 35 191 children diagnosed with cancer in 13 European countries between 1975 and 1989 and followed for vital status until around 1999.

Body mass index and premature mortality in physically heavily working men--a ten-year follow-up of 20,000 construction workers.

Objective: Although obesity is clearly associated with diabetes and cardiovascular disease, health consequences of being mildly or moderately overweight are less clear in physically heavily working men.

Methods: The association between body mass index (BMI) and mortality was assessed over a 10-year period in a cohort of 19,513 male construction workers, who underwent routine occupational health examination during 1986 to 1992.

Results: Among never smokers normal and overweight men experienced similar mortality.

Recent major progress in long-term cancer patient survival disclosed by modeled period analysis.

Purpose: To disclose most recent trends in long-term cancer patient survival.

Methods: We estimated trends in 5- and 10-year relative survival of cancer patients in the United States in 1998 to 2003 from the 1973 to 2003 database of the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program using recently introduced period-analysis modeling techniques that provide the most up-to-date and precise survival estimates.

Results: Statistically significant and partly very substantial improvement in 5- and 10-year relative survival in the 1998 to 2003 period was seen for 14 of 24 of the assessed common forms of cancer, including breast and colorectal cancer.

Up-to-date monitoring of childhood cancer long-term survival in Europe: methodology and application to all forms of cancer combined.

Background: The Automated Childhood Cancer Information System (ACCIS) provides a unique database for monitoring and comparing long-term prognosis of children with cancer in Europe. The 'period' method has been shown particularly useful for that purpose.

Patients And Methods: The ACCIS database was used for comparative analyses of up-to-date long-term survival in four regions and 19 countries of Europe by period analysis.

Up-to-date monitoring of childhood cancer long-term survival in Europe: leukaemias and lymphomas.

Background: In recent decades, following the introduction of effective chemotherapy, the prognosis of children with leukaemia and lymphoma has dramatically improved, but data reflecting further possible improvement achieved in the 1990s are scarce.

Methods: Using the Automated Childhood Cancer Information (ACCIS) database, we carried out a period analysis of 10-year survival for the 1995-99 period. Analyses were carried out by diagnostic groups, age-group at diagnosis, sex and four European regions.

To be, or not to be--molecular chaperones in protein degradation.

To be, or not to be--that is the question not only for Hamlet in Shakespeare's drama but also for a protein associated with molecular chaperones. While long viewed exclusively as cellular folding factors, molecular chaperones recently emerged as active participants in protein degradation. This places chaperones at the center of a life or death decision during protein triage.

Trends in population-based cancer survival in Germany: to what extent does progress reach older patients?

Background: The ageing of populations makes outcome monitoring among elderly cancer patients particularly important.

Patients And Methods: Using data from the population-based Cancer Registry of Saarland, we examined age-specific trends in 5-year relative survival from 1979 to 2003 for patients with 15 common cancers in Germany. Model-based period analysis was applied to estimate 5-year relative survival for four age groups (15-54, 55-64, 65-74, 75+) in the periods 1979-1983, 1984-1988, 1989-1993, 1994-1998, and 1999-2003.

Cancer survival in Germany and the United States at the beginning of the 21st century: an up-to-date comparison by period analysis.

Transatlantic cancer survival comparisons are scarce and involve mostly aggregate European data from the late 1980s. We compare the levels of cancer patient survival achieved in Germany and the United States (US) by the beginning of the 21st century, using data from the Cancer Registry of Saarland/Germany and the SEER Program of the US. Age-adjusted 5- and 10-year relative survival for 23 common forms of cancer derived by period analysis for the 2000-2002 period were calculated, with additional detailed age- and stage-specific analyses for cancers with the highest incidence.

Gender differences in colorectal cancer: implications for age at initiation of screening.

There is some variation regarding age at initiation of screening for colorectal cancer (CRC) between countries, but the same age of initiation is generally recommended for women and men within countries, despite important gender differences in the epidemiology of CRC. We have explored whether, and to what extent, these differences would be relevant regarding age at initiation of CRC screening. Using population-based cancer registry data from the US and national mortality statistics from different countries, we looked at cumulative 10-year incidence and mortality of CRC reached among men at ages 50, 55, and 60, and found that women mainly reached equivalent levels when 4 to 8 years older.

A population-based study of the impact of specific symptoms on quality of life in women with breast cancer 1 year after diagnosis.

Background: Whereas the role of specific symptoms, such as pain and fatigue, for quality of life (QOL) is unquestioned, their relative importance for long-lasting impairments in QOL in cancer patients has rarely been assessed quantitatively. The authors, therefore, aimed to identify symptoms most predictive of limitations to function and overall QOL in women with breast cancer after completion of primary therapy.

Methods: The European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer questionnaire QLQ-C30 and the breast-cancer-specific module QLQ-BR23 were used to measure QOL in a population-based sample from Saarland (Germany) of 314 women with breast cancer 1 year after diagnosis.

Restrictions in quality of life in colorectal cancer patients over three years after diagnosis: a population based study.

Despite the burden and prevalence of colorectal cancer (CRC), there is only limited information regarding quality of life of patients who have survived beyond the first year post treatment. We assessed quality of life in a population-based cohort of 309 patients with CRC from Saarland (Germany) one and three years after diagnosis using the QLQ-C30 questionnaire and the tumour specific module QLQ-CR38. When compared with reference data from the general population, most patients with CRC reported high overall quality of life and only small deficits in physical functioning but deficits in emotional and social functioning persist over years in patients with colorectal cancer.

BAG-2 acts as an inhibitor of the chaperone-associated ubiquitin ligase CHIP.

Cellular protein quality control involves a close interplay between molecular chaperones and the ubiquitin/proteasome system. We recently identified a degradation pathway, on which the chaperone Hsc70 delivers chaperone clients, such as misfolded forms of the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR), to the proteasome. The cochaperone CHIP is of central importance on this pathway, because it acts as a chaperone-associated ubiquitin ligase.

Further enhanced monitoring of cancer patient survival by stage-adjusted period analysis.

Monitoring progress in cancer patient survival is an important task of population-based cancer registration. Period analysis has been shown to provide more up-to-date estimates of cancer patient survival than traditional methods of survival analysis. However, even period estimates may disclose recent improvements in long-term survival with some delay as they are still partly based on the survival experience of patients diagnosed years ago.

Persistence of restrictions in quality of life from the first to the third year after diagnosis in women with breast cancer.

Purpose: To assess whether detriments in quality of life (QOL) among women with breast cancer persist over years.

Patients And Methods: QOL was assessed in a population-based cohort of 314 women with breast cancer from Saarland (Germany) 1 and 3 years after diagnosis and compared internally and with reference data from the general population.

Results: Three years after diagnosis, deficits in QOL were still apparent for role, emotional, cognitive, and social functioning and for the symptoms of insomnia, fatigue, dyspnea, and financial difficulties.

Construction work and risk of occupational disability: a ten year follow up of 14,474 male workers.

Aims: Most industrialised countries have public income maintenance programmes to protect workers in case of disability but studies addressing disability risk of specific professional groups are rare. The objective of this study was to establish a detailed pattern of the nature and extent of occupational disability among construction workers.

Methods: A cohort study was set up including 14,474 male workers from the construction industry in Württemberg (Germany) aged 25-64 years who underwent occupational health exams between 1986 and 1992.

Reduction of clinically manifest colorectal cancer by endoscopic screening: empirical evaluation and comparison of screening at various ages.

Endoscopic screening (sigmoidoscopy, colonoscopy) with removal of precancerous lesions can prevent a large proportion of colorectal cancers (CRCs). However, there is lack of data regarding optimal age, time intervals and numbers of screening examinations. We developed and applied modified techniques of epidemiological analysis to evaluate the impact of various endoscopy-based screening strategies on prevention of clinically manifest CRCs between the ages of 50 and 79 in a population-based case-control study (294 cases, 254 controls) conducted in Saarland, Germany.

Period analysis of cancer patient survival in datasets from which the month of diagnosis has been removed.

Up-to-date monitoring of long-term survival is an important task of population-based cancer registries. Period analysis, a new method of survival analysis introduced a few years ago, has been shown to be particularly useful for that purpose. The "classical" period analysis uses a life-table approach which requires both the year and month of diagnosis for implementation in pertinent software programs.