Descriptive epidemiological study of rare, less common and common cancers in Western Australia.

Background: There are no epidemiological studies describing rare cancers in Western Australia (WA). We aimed to fill this gap by estimating the incidence and five-year survival of rare, less common and common cancers in WA, based on definitions for rarity used by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare and cancer groupings from the project on Surveillance of Rare Cancers in Europe (RARECARE). This research will enable policy- and decision-makers to better understand the size and nature of the public health problem presented by rare cancers in WA.

Lifetime recreational physical activity and the risk of prostate cancer.

Purpose: Research on the association between physical activity and the risk of prostate cancer is inconsistent. The aim of this study was to investigate whether the timing, intensity, and type of recreational physical activity influence prostate cancer risk.

Methods: A population-based case-control study was conducted in Western Australia in 2001-2002.

Precision in Setting Cancer Prevention Priorities: Synthesis of Data, Literature, and Expert Opinion.

Cancer will continue to be a leading cause of ill health and death unless we can capitalize on the potential for 30-40% of these cancers to be prevented. In this light, cancer prevention represents an enormous opportunity for public health, potentially saving much of the pain, anguish, and cost associated with treating cancer. However, there is a challenge for governments, and the wider community, in prioritizing cancer prevention activities, especially given increasing financial constraints.

The collective impact of rare diseases in Western Australia: an estimate using a population-based cohort.

Purpose: It has been argued that rare diseases should be recognized as a public health priority. However, there is a shortage of epidemiological data describing the true burden of rare diseases. This study investigated hospital service use to provide a better understanding of the collective health and economic impacts of rare diseases.

Beliefs and perceptions about the causes of breast cancer: a case-control study.

Background: Attributions of causality are common for many diseases, including breast cancer. The risk of developing breast cancer can be reduced by modifications to lifestyle and behaviours to minimise exposure to specific risk factors, such as obesity. However, these modifications will only occur if women believe that certain behaviours/lifestyle factors have an impact on the development of breast cancer.

Quantitative exposure metrics for sleep disturbance and their association with breast cancer risk.

Purpose: It has been acknowledged by those in the field of sleep epidemiology that the current measures of sleep used in many epidemiological studies do not adequately capture the complexity and variability of sleep. A number of ways to improve the measurement of sleep have been proposed. This study aimed to assess the relationship between novel 'sleep disturbance' metrics, as expanded measures of sleep, and breast cancer risk.

Self-reported sleep duration, sleep quality, and breast cancer risk in a population-based case-control study.

Breast cancer is one of the most commonly diagnosed invasive cancers. Established risk factors account for only a small proportion of cases. Previous studies have found reductions in sleep duration and quality in the general population over time.

Validation of self-reported sleep against actigraphy.

Background: Self-report remains the most practical and cost-effective method for epidemiologic sleep studies involving large population-based samples. Several validated questionnaires have been developed to assess sleep, but these tools are lengthy to administer and may be impractical for epidemiologic studies. We examined whether a 3-item sleep questionnaire, similar to those typically used in epidemiologic studies, closely corresponded with objective measures of sleep as assessed using actigraphy monitoring.

Reliability of a sleep quality questionnaire for use in epidemiologic studies.

Background: The longer-term health impacts of poor sleep quality are of increasing interest, as evidence suggests that there are rising levels of sleep disturbance in the community. Studies have reported links between sleep quality and increased morbidity and mortality. However, the results of these studies are constrained by limitations in the measurement of sleep quality in epidemiologic studies.

OccIDEAS: retrospective occupational exposure assessment in community-based studies made easier.

Assessing occupational exposure in retrospective community-based case-control studies is difficult as measured exposure data are very seldom available. The expert assessment method is considered the most accurate way to attribute exposure but it is a time consuming and expensive process and may be seen as subjective, nonreproducible, and nontransparent. In this paper, we describe these problems and outline our solutions as operationalized in a web-based software application (OccIDEAS).

Could mining be protective against prostate cancer? A study and literature review.

Objective: Prostate cancer is one of the most commonly diagnosed cancers in Western men and one in three Australian men develops the cancer before the age of 75. Currently, only increasing age, race and family history have been well established as risk factors. A growing number of studies have investigated occupation in relation to prostate cancer but, like other risk factors, no associations have been confirmed.

The MTHFR C677T and DeltaDNMT3B C-149T polymorphisms confer different risks for right- and left-sided colorectal cancer.

Etiological risk factors for proximal (right-sided) colon cancers may be different to those of distal colon and rectal (left-sided) cancers if these tumors develop along distinct pathways. The CpG Island Methylator Phenotype (CIMP+) occurs in approximately 15% of colorectal cancers (CRC) and predominantly in the proximal colon. CIMP+ tumors have frequent methylation of gene promoter regions and increased tissue folate levels.