Does Asthma Affect the Risk of Developing Breast Cancer?

Background: The role of the immune system in cancer defense is likely underappreciated. While there has been longstanding interest in the role of atopic diseases in cancer, only a few studies have tested this hypothesis.

Methods: We analyzed data from 202,055 women participating in the Nurses' Health Study (NHS) and the Nurses' Health Study II (NHS II) to explore whether asthma is associated with breast cancer.

Beneficial microbiome and diet interplay in early-onset colorectal cancer.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most commonly diagnosed cancer and the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. Although the risk of developing CRC increases with age, approximately 10% of newly diagnosed cases occur in individuals under the age of 50. Significant changes in dietary habits in young adults since industrialization create a favorable microenvironment for colorectal carcinogenesis.

Serum zonulin and colorectal cancer risk.

Intestinal permeability has been related to colorectal cancer (CRC) development. Zonulin, a protein able to regulate tight junction function and intestinal permeability, emerges as a promising marker to elucidate the contribution of bacterial translocation in CRC. An Italian case-control study included 77 CRC cases, 72 intestinal adenoma and 76 healthy controls (for a total of 148 tumor-free subjects), aged 20-85.

Placental methylation and pro-inflammatory protein levels in cord blood.

Introduction: The neonates' inflammatory response may in part be shaped during development by the placental epigenome, but evidence is scarce. We investigated the association between placental DNA methylation and pro-inflammatory proteins in cord blood.

Methods: A total of 249 mother-child dyads from the Harvard Epigenetic Birth Cohort were included in this study.