An absolute risk model to identify individuals at elevated risk for pancreatic cancer in the general population.

Purpose: We developed an absolute risk model to identify individuals in the general population at elevated risk of pancreatic cancer.

Patients And Methods: Using data on 3,349 cases and 3,654 controls from the PanScan Consortium, we developed a relative risk model for men and women of European ancestry based on non-genetic and genetic risk factors for pancreatic cancer. We estimated absolute risks based on these relative risks and population incidence rates.

Sun-seeking behavior to increase cutaneous vitamin D synthesis: when prevention messages conflict.

Objectives: The public has long been encouraged to engage in sun-safe practices to minimize exposure to sunlight, the major cause of nonmelanoma skin cancer. More recently, some have advocated unprotected sun exposure to increase cutaneous synthesis of vitamin D as a way to promote health. We assessed the net result of these conflicting messages.

Allergic rhinitis and secondhand tobacco smoke: a population-based study.

Background: Allergic rhinitis (AR) is a common disease that affects approximately one-fifth of the U.S. population.

Reliability and sensitivity of the self-report of physician-diagnosed gout in the campaign against cancer and heart disease and the atherosclerosis risk in the community cohorts.

Objective: gout is often defined by self-report in epidemiologic studies. Yet the validity of self-reported gout is uncertain. We evaluated the reliability and sensitivity of the self-report of physician-diagnosed gout in the Campaign Against Cancer and Heart Disease (CLUE II) and the Atherosclerosis Risk in the Community (ARIC) cohorts.

Body-mass index and mortality among 1.46 million white adults.

Background: A high body-mass index (BMI, the weight in kilograms divided by the square of the height in meters) is associated with increased mortality from cardiovascular disease and certain cancers, but the precise relationship between BMI and all-cause mortality remains uncertain.

Methods: We used Cox regression to estimate hazard ratios and 95% confidence intervals for an association between BMI and all-cause mortality, adjusting for age, study, physical activity, alcohol consumption, education, and marital status in pooled data from 19 prospective studies encompassing 1.46 million white adults, 19 to 84 years of age (median, 58).

Natural history of celiac disease autoimmunity in a USA cohort followed since 1974.

Background: The natural history and the possible changes of celiac disease (CD) prevalence over time are still unclear.

Objectives: 1) To establish whether loss of tolerance to gluten may occur at any age; 2) to investigate possible changes of CD prevalence over time; and 3) to investigate CD-related co-morbidities.

Methods: We analyzed 3,511 subjects with matched samples from 1974 (CLUE I) and 1989 (CLUE II).

Association between C-peptide concentration and prostate cancer incidence in the CLUE II cohort study.

Diabetes, characterized by perturbations in insulin production and signaling, is inversely associated with prostate cancer risk irrespective of stage. Obesity, a diabetes risk factor, is inversely associated with localized disease but positively associated with advanced disease. To understand the complex association between hyperinsulinemia and prostate cancer, we evaluated the association of plasma C-peptide, an insulin secretion marker, with prostate cancer risk in a case-control study nested in a prospective community cohort.

Circulating 25-hydroxyvitamin D and risk of pancreatic cancer: Cohort Consortium Vitamin D Pooling Project of Rarer Cancers.

Results from epidemiologic studies examining pancreatic cancer risk and vitamin D intake or 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) concentrations (the best indicator of vitamin D derived from diet and sun) have been inconsistent. Therefore, the authors conducted a pooled nested case-control study of participants from 8 cohorts within the Cohort Consortium Vitamin D Pooling Project of Rarer Cancers (VDPP) (1974-2006) to evaluate whether prediagnostic circulating 25(OH)D concentrations were associated with the development of pancreatic cancer. In total, 952 incident pancreatic adenocarcinoma cases occurred among participants (median follow-up, 6.

Anthropometric measures, body mass index, and pancreatic cancer: a pooled analysis from the Pancreatic Cancer Cohort Consortium (PanScan).

Background: Obesity has been proposed as a risk factor for pancreatic cancer.

Methods: Pooled data were analyzed from the National Cancer Institute Pancreatic Cancer Cohort Consortium (PanScan) to study the association between prediagnostic anthropometric measures and risk of pancreatic cancer. PanScan applied a nested case-control study design and included 2170 cases and 2209 control subjects.

Alcohol intake and pancreatic cancer: a pooled analysis from the pancreatic cancer cohort consortium (PanScan).

The literature has consistently reported no association between low to moderate alcohol consumption and pancreatic cancer; however, a few studies have shown that high levels of intake may increase risk. Most single studies have limited power to detect associations even in the highest alcohol intake categories or to examine associations by alcohol type. We analyzed these associations using 1,530 pancreatic cancer cases and 1,530 controls from the Pancreatic Cancer Cohort Consortium (PanScan) nested case-control study.

Cigarette smoking and malignant melanoma: a case-control study.

Background: Several previous studies have reported inverse associations between cigarette smoking and melanoma. Often these studies have not adjusted for ultraviolet (UV) exposure history, skin type, or number of blistering sunburns, which could confound the observed associations between cigarette smoking and melanoma.

Objective: We sought to assess whether this reported inverse association persists after adjusting for UV exposure, skin type, and number of blistering sunburns.

Involving stakeholders to optimize a study protocol on secondhand tobacco smoke and chronic rhinosinusitis in adults.

Background: Epidemiological evidence evaluating the association between secondhand smoke exposure and diseases of the upper airway in adults is limited by a small number of studies and a lack of established protocols. This study was designed to optimize a research protocol on secondhand tobacco smoke exposure and chronic rhinosinusitis for a future population-based case-control study in Washington County, Maryland, using a participatory research model.

Methods: We conducted three focus groups with health professionals, community members, and research practitioners for protocol development; 10 one-on-one cognitive testings with community members for protocol refinement; and a pilot testing of the full study protocol (10 cases and 10 controls) for full evaluation of the study protocol.

Pancreatic cancer risk and ABO blood group alleles: results from the pancreatic cancer cohort consortium.

A recent genome-wide association study (PanScan) identified significant associations at the ABO gene locus with risk of pancreatic cancer, but the influence of specific ABO genotypes remains unknown. We determined ABO genotypes (OO, AO, AA, AB, BO, and BB) in 1,534 cases and 1,583 controls from 12 prospective cohorts in PanScan, grouping participants by genotype-derived serologic blood type (O, A, AB, and B). Adjusted odds ratios (ORs) for pancreatic cancer by ABO alleles were calculated using logistic regression.

A genome-wide association study identifies pancreatic cancer susceptibility loci on chromosomes 13q22.1, 1q32.1 and 5p15.33.

We conducted a genome-wide association study of pancreatic cancer in 3,851 affected individuals (cases) and 3,934 unaffected controls drawn from 12 prospective cohort studies and 8 case-control studies. Based on a logistic regression model for genotype trend effect that was adjusted for study, age, sex, self-described ancestry and five principal components, we identified eight SNPs that map to three loci on chromosomes 13q22.1, 1q32.

Family history of cancer and risk of pancreatic cancer: a pooled analysis from the Pancreatic Cancer Cohort Consortium (PanScan).

A family history of pancreatic cancer has consistently been associated with increased risk of pancreatic cancer. However, uncertainty remains about the strength of this association. Results from previous studies suggest a family history of select cancers (i.

Secondhand tobacco smoke exposure and chronic rhinosinusitis: a population-based case-control study.

Background: Rhinosinusitis is a costly disease that adversely affects quality of life (QOL). It is known to be influenced by environmental factors, but few studies have evaluated the association between secondhand tobacco smoke (SHS) exposure and chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS). To address this evidence gap, we evaluated the association of SHS and CRS risk in a community-based case-control study of adult nonsmokers.

Single nucleotide polymorphisms in obesity-related genes and all-cause and cause-specific mortality: a prospective cohort study.

Background: The aim of this study was to examine the associations between 16 specific single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in 8 obesity-related genes and overall and cause-specific mortality. We also examined the associations between the SNPs and body mass index (BMI) and change in BMI over time.

Methods: Data were analyzed from 9,919 individuals who participated in two large community-based cohort studies conducted in Washington County, Maryland in 1974 (CLUE I) and 1989 (CLUE II).

Association between plasma total cholesterol concentration and incident prostate cancer in the CLUE II cohort.

Statin drugs appear to protect against advanced and possibly high-grade prostate cancer, perhaps through cholesterol-lowering. Thus, we evaluated the association between plasma cholesterol and prostate cancer. We conducted a prospective study in the CLUE II cohort of Washington County, MD.

Metabolic syndrome components and colorectal adenoma in the CLUE II cohort.

Background: Metabolic syndrome components have been associated with colorectal cancer in several studies; however, evidence for colorectal adenomas is limited. Thus, we evaluated the association between markers of the metabolic syndrome with colorectal adenoma development in a nested case-control study.

Methods: Colorectal adenoma cases (n = 132) and matched controls, who had a negative sigmoidoscopy or a colonoscopy (n = 260), were identified between baseline in 1989 and 2000 among participants in the CLUE II cohort of Washington County, Maryland.

Association of common polymorphisms in IL10, and in other genes related to inflammatory response and obesity with colorectal cancer.

Objective And Methods: The association of 17 candidate single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in IL10 and other immune response genes (CRP, TLR4, IL6, IL1B, IL8, TNF, RNASEL) and genes related to obesity (PPARG, TCF7L2, ADIPOQ, LEP) with colorectal cancer was investigated. Haplotype tagging SNPs were chosen for IL10, CRP, and TLR4. Incident colorectal cancer cases (n = 208) and matched controls (n = 381) were identified between baseline in 1989 and 2003 among participants in the CLUE II cohort.

The association between skin characteristics and skin cancer prevention behaviors.

Background: Behaviors such as sunscreen use and wearing sun-protective clothing are thought to prevent certain types of skin cancer and precancerous lesions, but few studies have examined differences in these prevention behaviors by skin type.

Methods: We carried out a cross-sectional study (n = 6,858) nested within a community-based prospective cohort in Washington County, Maryland. We measured the associations between skin type, complexion, freckling, and eye color, and sunscreen and sun-protective clothing use.

Genome-wide association study identifies variants in the ABO locus associated with susceptibility to pancreatic cancer.

We conducted a two-stage genome-wide association study of pancreatic cancer, a cancer with one of the lowest survival rates worldwide. We genotyped 558,542 SNPs in 1,896 individuals with pancreatic cancer and 1,939 controls drawn from 12 prospective cohorts plus one hospital-based case-control study. We conducted a combined analysis of these groups plus an additional 2,457 affected individuals and 2,654 controls from eight case-control studies, adjusting for study, sex, ancestry and five principal components.

Cigarette smoking and pancreatic cancer: a pooled analysis from the pancreatic cancer cohort consortium.

Smoking is an established risk factor for pancreatic cancer; however, detailed examination of the association of smoking intensity, smoking duration, and cumulative smoking dose with pancreatic cancer is limited. The authors analyzed pooled data from the international Pancreatic Cancer Cohort Consortium nested case-control study (1,481 cases, 1,539 controls). Odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals were calculated by using unconditional logistic regression.

Prospective study of JC virus seroreactivity and the development of colorectal cancers and adenomas.

Background: Infection with JC virus has been proposed as a risk factor for colorectal cancer. A nested case-control study was conducted to evaluate the association between prediagnostic JC virus antibodies and the risk of incident colorectal cancer and adenomas.

Methods: Two research serum banks were established in Washington County, MD in 1974 and 1989, with the collection of blood samples from >45,000 volunteers.