Prediagnostic serum levels of inflammatory biomarkers are correlated with future development of lung and esophageal cancer.

This study tests the hypothesis that prediagnostic serum levels of 20 cancer-associated inflammatory biomarkers correlate directly with future development of head and neck, esophageal, and lung cancers in a high-risk prospective cohort. This is a nested case-control pilot study of subjects enrolled in the Golestan Cohort Study, an ongoing epidemiologic project assessing cancer trends in Golestan, Iran. We measured a panel of 20 21 cytokines, chemokines, and inflammatory molecules using Luminex technology in serum samples collected 2 or more years before cancer diagnosis in 78 aerodigestive cancer cases and 81 controls.

Imputation and subset-based association analysis across different cancer types identifies multiple independent risk loci in the TERT-CLPTM1L region on chromosome 5p15.33.

Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have mapped risk alleles for at least 10 distinct cancers to a small region of 63 000 bp on chromosome 5p15.33. This region harbors the TERT and CLPTM1L genes; the former encodes the catalytic subunit of telomerase reverse transcriptase and the latter may play a role in apoptosis.

Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease and overall and Cause-specific Mortality: A Prospective Study of 50000 Individuals.

BACKGROUND Only a few studies in Western countries have investigated the association between gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and mortality at the general population level and they have shown mixed results. This study investigated the association between GERD symptoms and overall and cause-specific mortality in a large prospective population-based study in Golestan Province, Iran. METHODS Baseline data on frequency, onset time, and patient-perceived severity of GERD symptoms were available for 50001 participants in the Golestan Cohort Study (GCS).

PLCE1 mRNA and protein expression and survival of patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma and gastric adenocarcinoma.

Background: Germline genetic variants in PLCE1 (10q23) have demonstrated consistent associations with risk of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) and gastric cancer among Chinese. We evaluated PLCE1 mRNA and protein expression in paired tumor-normal tissues, and their relationship with survival.

Methods: PLCE1 mRNA was profiled using three probes in the Affymetrix GeneChip U133 for paired tumor-normal tissues of ESCC (n = 132), gastric cardia adenocarcinoma (GCA, n = 62), and gastric noncardia adenocarcinoma (GNCA, n = 72).

Multivitamin and mineral supplementation is associated with the reduction of fracture risk and hospitalization rate in Chinese adult males: a randomized controlled study.

Controversy exists in the literature regarding the efficacy of bone health-related nutrients, especially calcium and vitamin D, in preventing fractures. The aim of our present study was to determine the effect of multivitamin and mineral supplementation on fracture incidence among 3,318 participants from a nutritional intervention trial in Linxian, China. A total of 1,461 men and 1,857 women were enrolled and randomized to daily supplementation with 26 vitamins and minerals tablet or placebo pills for 6 years, followed by a 16-year post-interventional follow-up.

Association of seropositivity to Helicobacter species and biliary tract cancer in the ATBC study.

Unlabelled: Helicobacter have been detected in human bile and hepatobiliary tissue. Despite evidence that Helicobacter species promote gallstone formation and hepatobiliary tumors in laboratory studies, it remains unclear whether Helicobacter species contribute to these cancers in humans. We used a multiplex panel to assess whether seropositivity to 15 Helicobacter pylori proteins was associated with subsequent incidence of hepatobiliary cancers in the Finnish Alpha-Tocopherol, Beta-Carotene Cancer Prevention (ATBC) Study.

Endoscopic screening for precancerous lesions of the esophagus in a high risk area in Northern Iran.

Background: Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is a major health problem in many developing countries including Iran. ESCC has a very poor prognosis, largely due to late diagnosis. As a first step in developing an early detection and treatment program, we conducted a population-based endoscopic screening for ESCC and its precursor lesion, esophageal squamous dysplasia (ESD) in asymptomatic adults from Golestan Province, northern Iran, a high-risk area for ESCC, to evaluate the feasibility of such a program and to document the prevalence and risk factor correlates of ESD.

Global changes in gene expression of Barrett's esophagus compared to normal squamous esophagus and gastric cardia tissues.

Background: Barrett's esophagus (BE) is a metaplastic precursor lesion of esophageal adenocarcinoma (EA), the most rapidly increasing cancer in western societies. While the prevalence of BE is increasing, the vast majority of EA occurs in patients with undiagnosed BE. Thus, we sought to identify genes that are altered in BE compared to the normal mucosa of the esophagus, and which may be potential biomarkers for the development or diagnosis of BE.

Association between upper digestive tract microbiota and cancer-predisposing states in the esophagus and stomach.

Background: The human upper digestive tract microbial community (microbiota) is not well characterized and few studies have explored how it relates to human health. We examined the relationship between upper digestive tract microbiota and two cancer-predisposing states, serum pepsinogen I/pepsinogen II ratio (PGI/II; predictor of gastric cancer risk) and esophageal squamous dysplasia (ESD; the precursor lesion of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma; ESCC) in a cross-sectional design.

Methods: The Human Oral Microbe Identification Microarray was used to test for the presence of 272 bacterial species in 333 upper digestive tract samples from a Chinese cancer screening cohort.

Determinants of gastroesophageal reflux disease, including hookah smoking and opium use- a cross-sectional analysis of 50,000 individuals.

Background: Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is a common cause of discomfort and morbidity worldwide. However, information on determinants of GERD from large-scale studies in low- to medium-income countries is limited. We investigated the factors associated with different measures of GERD symptoms, including frequency, patient-perceived severity, and onset time.

A prospective study of vitamin and mineral supplement use and the risk of upper gastrointestinal cancers.

We examined the association of use of multivitamins or single vitamin/mineral supplements with risk of four upper gastrointestinal cancers in the NIH-AARP Diet and Health Study cohort with 11 years of follow-up. After exclusions, 490,593 persons were included in our analytic cohort and 1780 upper gastrointestinal cancers were accrued. Hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated using Cox models with adjustment for potential confounders.

Impact of body size and physical activity during adolescence and adult life on overall and cause-specific mortality in a large cohort study from Iran.

We conducted this study to examine life-course body size and physical activity in relation to total and cause-specific mortality, which has not previously been studied in the low and middle-income countries in Asia. The Golestan Cohort Study is a population-based cohort in northeastern Iran in which 50,045 people above the age of 40 have been followed since 2004. Participants were shown a validated pictogram to assess body size at ages 15, 30, and the time of recruitment.

Index-based dietary patterns and risk of head and neck cancer in a large prospective study.

Background: Head and neck cancer (HNC) is the seventh most common cancer worldwide. Although diet has been proposed to play an important role in HNC, few associations with diet have been convincing other than alcohol intake. Studies of dietary patterns that examine overall diets may provide broader insight than studies of individual foods.

Physical activity and sedentary behavior in relation to esophageal and gastric cancers in the NIH-AARP cohort.

Introduction: Body mass index is known to be positively associated with an increased risk of adenocarcinomas of the esophagus, yet there is there limited evidence on whether physical activity or sedentary behavior affects risk of histology- and site-specific upper gastrointestinal cancers. We used the NIH-AARP Diet and Health Study to assess these exposures in relation to esophageal adenocarcinoma (EA), esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC), gastric cardia adenocarcinoma (GCA), and gastric non-cardia adenocarcinoma (GNCA).

Methods: Self-administered questionnaires were used to elicit physical activity and sedentary behavior exposures at various age periods.

Measuring telomere length for the early detection of precursor lesions of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.

Background: Esophageal cancer is the sixth leading cause of cancer death worldwide; current early detection screening tests are inadequate. Esophageal balloon cytology successfully retrieves exfoliated and scraped superficial esophageal epithelial cells, but cytologic reading of these cells has poor sensitivity and specificity for detecting esophageal squamous dysplasia (ESD), the precursor lesion of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). Measuring telomere length, a marker for chromosomal instability, may improve the utility of balloon cytology for detecting ESD and early ESCC.

Height, weight, and body mass index associations with gastric cancer subsites.

Background: Although excess body weight has been associated with cancers of the gastric cardia, relationships with gastric cancer at other anatomic subsites are not well defined. Furthermore, subsite-specific associations with attained height have not been fully assessed.

Methods: In 1995-1996, 483,700 Whites enrolling in the multi-state NIH-AARP Diet and Health Study self-reported height and weight.

Maté drinking and esophageal squamous cell carcinoma in South America: pooled results from two large multicenter case-control studies.

Background: Maté tea is a nonalcoholic infusion widely consumed in southern South America, and may increase risk of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) and other cancers due to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) and/or thermal injury.

Methods: We pooled two case-control studies: a 1988 to 2005 Uruguay study and a 1986 to 1992 multinational study in Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, and Uruguay, including 1,400 cases and 3,229 controls. We computed ORs and fitted a linear excess OR (EOR) model for cumulative maté consumption in liters/day-year (LPDY).

Prediagnostic plasma vitamin C and risk of gastric adenocarcinoma and esophageal squamous cell carcinoma in a Chinese population.

Background: China has some of the highest incidence rates for gastric adenocarcinoma (GA) and esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) in the world. Prospective studies suggested that vitamin C may reduce risks; however, associations are unclear because of limited sample size.

Objective: The objective was to examine the relation between prediagnostic plasma vitamin C and the risk of GA and ESCC.

Genetic variants in fas signaling pathway genes and risk of gastric cancer.

Populations in north central China are at high risk for gastric cancers (GC), and altered FAS-mediated cell signaling and/or apoptosis may contribute to this risk. We examined the association of 554 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in 53 Fas signaling-related genes using a pathway-based approach in 1758 GC cases (1126 gastric cardia adenocarcinomas (GCA) and 632 gastric noncardia adenocarcinomas (GNCA)), and 2111 controls from a genome-wide association study (GWAS) of GC in ethnic Chinese. SNP associations with risk of overall GC, GCA and GNCA were evaluated using unconditional logistic regressions controlling for age, sex and study.

Genetic variants in epidermal growth factor receptor pathway genes and risk of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma and gastric cancer in a Chinese population.

The epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) signaling pathway regulates cell proliferation, differentiation, and survival, and is frequently dysregulated in esophageal and gastric cancers. Few studies have comprehensively examined the association between germline genetic variants in the EGFR pathway and risk of esophageal and gastric cancers. Based on a genome-wide association study in a Han Chinese population, we examined 3443 SNPs in 127 genes in the EGFR pathway for 1942 esophageal squamous cell carcinomas (ESCCs), 1758 gastric cancers (GCs), and 2111 controls.

Prospective study of ultraviolet radiation exposure and mortality risk in the United States.

Geographic variations in mortality rate in the United States could be due to several hypothesized factors, one of which is exposure to solar ultraviolet radiation (UVR). Limited evidence from previous prospective studies has been inconclusive. The association between ambient residential UVR exposure and total and cause-specific mortality risks in a regionally diverse cohort (346,615 white, non-Hispanic subjects, 50-71 years of age, in the National Institutes of Health (NIH)-AARP Diet and Health Study) was assessed, with accounting for individual-level confounders.

Prevalence, awareness and risk factors of hypertension in a large cohort of Iranian adult population.

Background: There is considerable variation in hypertension prevalence and awareness, and their correlates, across different geographic locations and ethnic groups. We performed this cross-sectional analysis on data from the Golestan Cohort Study (GCS).

Methods: Enrollment in this study occurred in 2004-2008, and included 50,045 healthy individuals from Golestan Province in northeastern Iran.