Exposure to environmental tobacco smoke and the risk of colorectal cancer in a case-control study from Germany.

In a population-based case-control study in Germany, 540 incident cases of colorectal cancer (CRC) aged > or =30 years and 614 controls were recruited from January 2003 to June 2004. Information on risk factors of CRC and lifetime history of active smoking and exposure to environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) was obtained by personal interviews. This analysis is limited to never smokers (252 cases and 292 controls).

A distinct ERCC1 haplotype is associated with mRNA expression levels in prostate cancer patients.

Both genetic variants and messenger RNA (mRNA) expression of DNA repair and tumor suppressor genes have been investigated as molecular markers for therapy outcome. However, the phenotypic impact of genetic variants often remained unclear, thus the rationale of their use in risk prediction may be limited. We therefore analyzed genetic variants together with anthropometric and lifestyle factors to see how these affect mRNA levels of ERCC1, MDM2 and TP53 in primary blood lymphocytes.

Predictive factors for late normal tissue complications following radiotherapy for breast cancer.

Background And Purpose: Radiotherapy after breast-conserving surgery is commonly applied to reduce recurrence of breast cancer but may cause acute and late side effects. To identify prognostic factors for the development of late toxicity after radiotherapy, we conducted a prospective study of breast cancer patients.

Patients And Methods: We assessed late complications of radiotherapy and collected information on epidemiologic factors in a cohort of breast cancer patients who had received radiotherapy after breast-conserving surgery.

SULT1A1 genotype and susceptibility to colorectal cancer.

Several procarcinogens that are present in cooked red meat and tobacco smoke are substrates for sulfotransferase 1A1 (SULT1A1). The association between environmental exposures and colorectal cancer risk may be modified by individual differences in the metabolism. Thus, we investigated the effect of a common polymorphism in the SULT1A1 gene associated with decreased enzyme activity on the susceptibility to colorectal cancer in a population-based case-control study.

Cigarette smoking and colorectal cancer risk in Germany: a population-based case-control study.

Studies have shown fairly consistent positive relationships between smoking and risk of colorectal adenomas, but have yielded inconsistent results for colorectal cancer. Issues relating to the duration, cumulative dose of smoking and the effect of smoking cessation on colorectal cancer risk still need clarification. In a population-based case-control study in Germany, we recruited 540 incident cases of colorectal cancer and 614 controls matched to cases by sex, 5-year age groups and county of residence from January 2003 to June 2004.

Effect of NAT1 and NAT2 genetic polymorphisms on colorectal cancer risk associated with exposure to tobacco smoke and meat consumption.

N-Acetyltransferases 1 and 2 (NAT1 and NAT2), both being highly polymorphic, are involved in the metabolism of aromatic and heterocyclic aromatic amines present in cigarette smoke and red meat cooked by high-temperature cooking techniques. We investigated the effect of differences in acetylation capacity, determined by NAT1 and NAT2 genotypes, on colorectal cancer risk associated with exposure to tobacco smoke or red meat consumption. In this population-based case-control study in Germany, 505 patients with incident colorectal cancer and 604 age- and sex-matched control individuals with genotyping data and detailed risk factor information were included.

SULT1A1 genotype, active and passive smoking, and breast cancer risk by age 50 years in a German case-control study.

Introduction: Sulfotransferase 1A1 (encoded by SULT1A1) is involved in the metabolism of procarcinogens such as heterocyclic amines and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, both of which are present in tobacco smoke. We recently reported a differential effect of N-acetyltransferase (NAT) 2 genotype on the association between active and passive smoking and breast cancer. Additional investigation of a common SULT1A1 genetic polymorphism associated with reduced enzyme activity and stability might therefore provide deeper insight into the modification of breast cancer susceptibility.