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The associations of body mass index (BMI) and other anthropometric measurements with lung cancer were examined in 348,108 participants in the European Investigation Into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) between 1992 and 2010. The study population included 2,400 case patients with incident lung cancer, and the average length of follow-up was 11 years. Hazard ratios were calculated using Cox proportional hazard models in which we modeled smoking variables with cubic splines. Overall, there was a significant inverse association between BMI (weight (kg)/height (m)(2)) and the risk of lung cancer after adjustment for smoking and other confounders (for BMI of 30.0-34.9 versus 18.5-25.0, hazard ratio = 0.72, 95% confidence interval: 0.62, 0.84). The strength of the association declined with increasing follow-up time. Conversely, after adjustment for BMI, waist circumference and waist-to-height ratio were significantly positively associated with lung cancer risk (for the highest category of waist circumference vs. the lowest, hazard ratio = 1.25, 95% confidence interval: 1.05, 1.50). Given the decline of the inverse association between BMI and lung cancer over time, the association is likely at least partly due to weight loss resulting from preclinical lung cancer that was present at baseline. Residual confounding by smoking could also have influenced our findings., (© The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Whether risk factors for epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) differ by subtype (i.e., dualistic pathway of carcinogenesis, histologic subtype) is not well understood; however, data to date suggest risk factor differences. We examined associations between reproductive and hormone-related risk factors for EOC by subtype in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) cohort. Among 334,126 women with data on reproductive and hormone-related risk factors (follow-up: 1992-2010), 1,245 incident cases of EOC with known histology and invasiveness were identified. Data on tumor histology, grade, and invasiveness, were available from cancer registries and pathology record review. We observed significant heterogeneity by the dualistic model (i.e., type I [low grade serous or endometrioid, mucinous, clear cell, malignant Brenner] vs. type II [high grade serous or endometrioid]) for full-term pregnancy (phet  = 0.02). Full-term pregnancy was more strongly inversely associated with type I than type II tumors (ever vs. never: type I: relative risk (RR) 0.47 [95% confidence interval (CI): 0.33-0.69]; type II, RR: 0.81 [0.61-1.06]). We observed no significant differences in risk in analyses by major histologic subtypes of invasive EOC (serous, mucinous, endometrioid, clear cell). None of the investigated factors were associated with borderline tumors. Established protective factors, including duration of oral contraceptive use and full term pregnancy, were consistently inversely associated with risk across histologic subtypes (e.g., ever full-term pregnancy: serous, RR: 0.73 [0.58-0.92]; mucinous, RR: 0.53 [0.30-0.95]; endometrioid, RR: 0.65 [0.40-1.06]; clear cell, RR: 0.34 [0.18-0.64]; phet  = 0.16). These results suggest limited heterogeneity between reproductive and hormone-related risk factors and EOC subtypes., (© 2015 UICC.)

Objective: This cross-sectional study aims to analyse the relationship between sedentary behaviour and breast cancer (BC) risk from a social perspective. Methods: Women aged 45–70 who participated in the Valencia Region Breast Cancer Screening Programme (2018–2019) were included, with a total of 121,359 women analysed, including 506 with cancer and 120,853 without cancer. The response variable was BC (screen-detected) and the main explanatory variable was sedentary behaviour (≤2 / >2-≤3 / >3-≤5 / >5 hours/day, h/d). Nested logistic regression models (M) were estimated: M1: sedentary behaviour adjusted for age and family history of BC; M2: M1 + hormonal/reproductive variables (menopausal status, number of pregnancies, hormone replacement therapy; in addition, months of breastfeeding was added for a subsample of women with one or more live births); M3: M2 + lifestyle variables (body mass index, smoking habits); M4: M3 + socioeconomic variables (educational level, occupation); Final model: M4 + gender variables (childcare responsibilities, family size). Interaction between sedentary behaviour and educational level was analysed in the Final model. Moreover, for the whole sample, postmenopausal women and HR+ BC, the Final model was stratified by educational level. Results: Sedentary behaviour was associated with an increased risk of BC with a nearly statistically significant effect in the Final model (>2-≤3 h/d: OR = 1.22 (0.93–1.61); >3-≤5 h/d: OR = 1.14 (0.86–1.52); >5: OR = 1.19 (0.89–1.60)). For women with a low educational level, sitting more than 2 h/d was associated with an increased risk of BC in the whole sample (>2-≤3 h/d OR = 1.93 (1.19–3.21); in postmenopausal women (>2-≤3 h/d, OR = 2.12 (1.18–2.96), >5h/d OR = 1.75 (1.01–3.11)) and in HR+ BC (>2-≤3h/d, OR = 2.15 (1.22–3.99)). Similar results were observed for women with one or more live births. Conclusions Sitting >2 h/d is associated with BC risk in women with low educational level, especially in postmenopausal women and those with live births. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Previous studies have indicated a potential correlation between cheese intake and risk of various diseases. However, establishing a causal relationship is challenging. To address this, we employed Mendelian randomization (MR) to simulate randomized trial groups and to investigate whether there is a causal link between cheese intake and the risk of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and Barrett's esophagus., Methods: We conducted a multivariable MR analysis using individual-level data on GERD and Barrett's esophagus from the published datasets. Univariable and multivariable MR investigations were carried out to explore and substantiate the causal association between genetically predicted cheese intake and esophageal diseases. Additionally, a network MR analysis was executed to identify potential intermediate variables., Results: Based on the primary causal effects model using MR analyses with the inverse-variance weighted (IVW) method, the genetically predicted that cheese intake demonstrated a protective factor of GERD (OR = 0.356; 95% CI 0.256-0.495; P = 8.22E-10) and Barrett's esophagus (OR = 0.223; 95% CI 0.114-0.437; P = 1.19E-5). These effects remained consistent after adjusting for potential confounders such as tobacco smoking (GERD: OR = 0.440; 95% CI 0.347 - 0.558; P = 1.17E-11; Barrett's esophagus: OR = 0.263; 95% CI 0.160 - 0.432; P = 1.33E-7) and BMI (GERD: OR = 0.515; 95% CI 0.424 - 0.626; P = 2.49E-11; Barrett's esophagus: OR = 0.402; 95% CI 0.243 - 0.664; P = 3.72E-4). Furthermore, the network MR showed that BMI mediated 28.10% and 27.50% of the causal effect of cheese intake on GERD and Barrett's esophagus, respectively, with statistically significant mediation effects., Conclusion: The multivariable MR analysis conducted in this study revealed a reverse causal relationship between cheese intake and GERD and Barrett's esophagus. Furthermore, BMI was potential mediating factor of the cheese intake effects on GERD and Barrett's esophagus. This finding provides causal evidence for the potential protective role of cheese intake in the prevention of esophageal diseases. The mediating effect of BMI suggests that dietary interventions combined with weight management may help reduce the risk of these diseases., Competing Interests: Declarations. Competing Interests: All authors declare no conflicts of interests. Ethics approval: There are no patients involved in our study design, recruitment or research conduction, and thus, there is no need for ethical approval., (© 2024. Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Purpose: Circulating IGF-1 concentrations have been associated with higher cancer risk, particularly prostate, breast and colorectal cancer. There is evidence from observational and intervention studies that milk and dairy products intake is associated with higher IGF-1 concentrations, but results were not always consistent. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between dairy intake and circulating IGF-1 concentrations in participants of the Second Bavarian Food Consumption Survey, thereby providing data for a German population for the first time. Methods: In this cross-sectional study of 526 men and women aged 18–80 years, in contrast to most previous investigations, dietary intake was assessed with a more detailed instrument than food frequency questionnaires (FFQs), i.e., by three 24-h dietary recalls conducted on random days close in time to the blood collection. Circulating IGF-1 concentrations were measured in blood samples. Multivariable linear regression models were used to examine the association of dairy intake with IGF-1 concentrations. Results: Each 400 g increment in daily dairy intake was associated with 16.8 µg/L (95% CI 6.9, 26.7) higher IGF-1 concentrations. Each 200 g increment in milk per day was associated with 10.0 µg/L (95% CI 4.2, 15.8) higher IGF-1. In contrast, we observed no association between cheese or yogurt intake and IGF-1 concentrations. Conclusions: Our findings are in line with most previous investigations and support the hypothesis that dairy and milk intake are associated with higher IGF-1 concentrations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Non-functioning pituitary adenomas (NFPAs) are locally invasive with high morbidity. The objective of this study was to diagnose important genes and pathways related to the invasiveness of NFPAs and gain more insights into the underlying molecular mechanisms of NFPAs. The gene expression profiles of GSE51618 were downloaded from the Gene Expression Omnibus database with 4 non-invasive NFPA samples, 3 invasive NFPA samples, and 3 normal pituitary gland samples. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) are screened between invasive NFPA samples and normal pituitary gland samples, followed by pathway and ontology (GO) enrichment analyses. Subsequently, a protein–protein interaction (PPI) network was constructed and analyzed for these DEGs, and module analysis was performed. In addition, a target gene–miRNA network and target gene–TF (transcription factor) network were analyzed for these DEGs. A total of 879 DEGs were obtained. Among them, 439 genes were upregulated and 440 genes were downregulated. Pathway enrichment analysis indicated that the upregulated genes were significantly enriched in cysteine biosynthesis/homocysteine degradation (trans-sulfuration) and PI3K-Akt signaling pathway, while the downregulated genes were mainly associated with docosahexaenoate biosynthesis III (mammals) and chemokine signaling pathway. GO enrichment analysis indicated that the upregulated genes were significantly enriched in animal organ morphogenesis, extracellular matrix, and hormone activity, while the downregulated genes were mainly associated with leukocyte chemotaxis, dendrites, and RAGE receptor binding. Subsequently, ESR1, SOX2, TTN, GFAP, WIF1, TTR, XIST, SPAG5, PPBP, AR, IL1R2, and HIST1H1C were diagnosed as the top hub genes in the upregulated and downregulated PPI networks and modules. In addition, HS3ST1, GPC4, CCND2, and SCD were diagnosed as the top hub genes in the upregulated and downregulated target gene–miRNA networks, while CISH, ISLR, UBE2E3, and CCNG2 were diagnosed as the top hub genes in the upregulated and downregulated target gene–TF networks. The new important DEGs and pathways diagnosed in this study may serve key roles in the invasiveness of NFPAs and indicate more molecular targets for the treatment of NFPAs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose of the Review: To summarize the current evidence on the most important dietary and lifestyle factors in colorectal carcinogenesis during different stages of a lifetime with special emphasis on studies investigating exposure during childhood, adolescence, and young adulthood.Recent Findings: A number of studies showed that independent of adult obesity, higher body fatness during childhood, adolescence, and young adulthood is associated with risk of colorectal cancer later in life. In one large cohort study, the Nurses’ Health Study II, adherence to a western pattern diet was associated with higher risk of advanced adenoma. The current evidence relating consumption of individual foods and nutrients as well as physical activity during early life to colorectal cancer is sparse and less consistent, at least in part due to limitations in study design, such as sample size, limited data on potential confounders or lack of a validated dietary assessment instrument.Summary: As colorectal carcinogenesis is a long process and can take up to several decades to develop, early life risk factors may also be etiologically relevant. The recent rise in early-onset colorectal cancer incidence and mortality in the USA, i.e., in individuals younger than 55 years at diagnosis, strongly supports that early life risk factors may influence colorectal carcinogenesis. Considering that the majority of colorectal cancers are preventable, there is an urgent need for well-designed investigations on the role of diet and lifestyle factors throughout the life course and risk of colorectal cancers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: This study conducts a systematic review and meta-analysis to assess the association between dairy consumption and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) risk. Subjects and methods: The association between consumption of overall dairy, specific dairy products (such as milk, cheese, butter, yoghurt, condensed milk, whey, casein, lactose) and HCC risk has not been assessed before. This association between dairy consumption and HCC risk has been reported in several epidemiological studies, but results were controversial and inconsistent. The PubMed, EMBASE and Cochrane databases were searched for relevant studies published up to September 20, 2015. The relative risks (RRs) and odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for dairy consumption associated with HCC risk were extracted from each included cohort as well as case-control study. In our study, the pooled RR was obtained using the random-effects model. Heterogeneity was evaluated by Q and I statistics. Results: A total number of 1,084,666 participants and 2041 HCC patients from three cohort studies and five case-control studies were included in this meta-analysis. The pooled RR of dairy was 1.38 (95% CI: 1.00-1.91, p = 0.00) in all studies. The pooled RR of milk, yoghurt, and cheese was 1.13 (95% CI: 0.67-1.88, p = 0.00), 0.40 (95% CI: 0.14-1.14, p = 0.00) and 1.45 (95% CI: 1.02-2.07, p = 0.80), respectively. Conclusions: This meta-analysis indicates that consumption of overall dairy may be associated with increased HCC risk and a risk factor involved in the etiology of HCC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Higher body fatness is not only associated with a higher risk of hypertension, type 2 diabetes, and coronary heart disease but also with certain types of cancer. The scope of this review is to summarize the epidemiological evidence for an association between body fatness and specific types of cancer and to outline the mediating role of obesity-related biomarkers in this context. Epidemiological studies have gathered convincing evidence that greater body fatness is associated with a higher risk of colorectal cancer, postmenopausal breast cancer, endometrial cancer, esophageal adenocarcinoma, renal cell carcinoma, and pancreatic cancer. Further, evidence for an association between higher body fatness and higher risk of ovarian cancer, advanced prostate cancer, and hepatocellular carcinoma is growing. Abdominal obesity is an independent risk factor for colorectal cancer beyond general obesity, whereas an independent role is less clear for other obesity-related cancer types. Epidemiological biomarker studies have shown that the positive association between body fatness and risk of cancer may be partly explained by hyperinsulinemia and altered concentrations in adipokines and sex-steroid hormones. In addition, obesity-associated low-grade inflammation plays a role in colorectal carcinogenesis. While epidemiology has contributed substantially to the understanding of the role of higher body fatness and related metabolic alterations in the development of cancer, further epidemiological biomarker studies are necessary to elucidate the complex interrelations between mediating pathways as well as to study novel pathways. Knowledge resulting from this research may help identify an obesity phenotype that is particularly strongly associated with cancer risk and thus pave the way for targeted prevention of cancer morbidity and mortality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cancer is the most widely recognized reason for human deaths globally. Conventional anticancer therapies, including chemotherapy and radiation, are very costly and induce severe side effects on the individual. The discovery of natural anticancer compounds like peptides may thus be a better alternative for cancer prevention and management. The anticancer peptides also exist in the amino acid chain of milk proteins and can be generated during proteolytic activities such as gastrointestinal digestion or food processing including fermentation. This paper presents an exhaustive overview of the contemporary literature on antitumor activities of peptides released from milk proteins. In addition, caseins and whey proteins have been evaluated for anticancer potential using the AntiCP database, a web-based prediction server. Proline and lysine, respectively, dominate at various positions in anticancer peptides obtained from caseins and whey proteins. The remarkable number of potential anticancer peptides revealed milk proteins as favorable candidates for the development of anticancer agents or milk and milk products for reduction of cancer risks. Moreover, anticancer peptides liberated from milk proteins can be identified from fermented dairy products. Although current findings of correlation between dairy food intakes and cancer risks lack consistency, dairy-derived peptides show promise as candidates for cancer therapy. This critical review supports the notion that milk proteins are not only a nutritious part of a normal daily diet but also have potential for prevention and/or management of cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]