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PURPOSE: Type 2 diabetes is a global health problem. While a healthy diet lowers risk of type 2 diabetes, less is known about diets with low climate impact. This study aimed to investigate adherence to the EAT-Lancet diet and risk of type 2 diabetes in a Danish setting.METHODS: In the Danish Diet, Cancer and Health cohort, dietary data were collected using a validated 192-item food frequency questionnaire, at recruitment in 1993-1997. In total, 54,232 participants aged 50-64 years at baseline with no previous cancer or diabetes diagnoses were included in the current analyses. The EAT-Lancet diet score was used to assess adherence to the EAT-Lancet diet. Participants scored 0 (non-adherence) or 1 (adherence) point for each of the 14 dietary components of the diet score (range 0-14 points). Participants were followed through register linkage until type 2 diabetes diagnosis or censoring. Hazard ratios and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were estimated using multivariable-adjusted Cox regression models.RESULTS: During a median 15-year follow-up period, 7130 participants developed type 2 diabetes. The hazard ratio for developing type 2 diabetes was 0.78 (95% CI 0.71; 0.86) for those with highest EAT-Lancet diet scores (11-14 points) compared to those with lowest scores (0-7 points) after adjusting for potential confounders. After further adjusting for potential mediators, including BMI, the corresponding hazard ratio was 0.83 (95% CI 0.76; 0.92).CONCLUSION: Greater adherence to the EAT-Lancet diet was associated with a lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes in a middle-aged Danish population.

PURPOSE: The objective of this study was to investigate the association between intake of seafood and plant-derived n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) and development of total atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) and acute major ischemic events.METHODS: A total of 53,909 men and women were enrolled between 1993 and 1997 into the Danish Diet, Cancer and Health cohort and followed through nationwide Danish registries for development of total ASCVD defined as a first registration of myocardial infarction, peripheral artery disease, or ischemic stroke due to large artery atherosclerosis or small-vessel occlusion. At recruitment, the intake of the major marine n-3 PUFA, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and the plant-derived n-3 PUFA, alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), was assessed using a validated food frequency questionnaire. Statistical analyses were conducted using sex-stratified multivariable Cox proportional hazard regression models.RESULTS: During a median of 13.5 years of follow-up, 3958 participants developed ASCVD including 3270 patients with an acute major ischemic event. In multivariable analyses including adjustment for established risk factors, we found no associations for intake of ALA, but indications of inverse associations between intake of EPA, DHA and EPA + DHA and the rate of total ASCVD and acute major ischemic events.CONCLUSIONS: A high intake of marine n-3 PUFA was associated with a lower risk of total ASCVD and acute major ischemic events, whereas no association could be demonstrated for the plant-derived ALA.

Background Classical anthropometric traits may fail to fully represent the relationship of weight, adiposity, and height with cancer risk. We investigated the associations of body shape phenotypes with the risk of overall and site-specific cancers. Methods We derived four distinct body shape phenotypes from principal component (PC) analysis on height, weight, body mass index (BMI), waist (WC) and hip circumferences (HC), and waist-to-hip ratio (WHR). The study included 340,152 men and women from 9 European countries, aged mostly 35–65 years at recruitment (1990–2000) in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) study. Cox proportional hazards regression was used to estimate multivariable-adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Results After a median follow-up of 15.3 years, 47,110 incident cancer cases were recorded. PC1 (overall adiposity) was positively associated with the risk of overall cancer, with a HR per 1 standard deviation (SD) increment equal to 1.07 (95% confidence interval 1.05 to 1.08). Positive associations were observed with 10 cancer types, with HRs (per 1 SD) ranging from 1.36 (1.30–1.42) for endometrial cancer to 1.08 (1.03–1.13) for rectal cancer. PC2 (tall stature with low WHR) was positively associated with the risk of overall cancer (1.03; 1.02–1.04) and five cancer types which were not associated with PC1. PC3 (tall stature with high WHR) was positively associated with the risk of overall cancer (1.04; 1.03–1.05) and 12 cancer types. PC4 (high BMI and weight with low WC and HC) was not associated with overall risk of cancer (1.00; 0.99–1.01). Conclusions In this multi-national study, distinct body shape phenotypes were positively associated with the incidence of 17 different cancers and overall cancer.

BACKGROUND: The association between protein intake and prostate cancer risk remains unclear.AIMS: To prospectively investigate the associations of dietary intakes of total protein, protein from different dietary sources, and amino acids with prostate cancer risk and mortality.METHODS: In 131,425 men from the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition, protein and amino acid intakes were estimated using validated dietary questionnaires. Multivariable-adjusted Cox regression models were used to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs).RESULTS: During a mean follow-up of 14.2 years, 6939 men were diagnosed with prostate cancer and 914 died of the disease. Dairy protein was positively associated with overall prostate cancer risk in the three highest fifths compared to the lowest (HR Q3 =1.14 (95% CI 1.05-1.23); HR Q 4=1.09 (1.01-1.18); HR Q5 =1.10 (1.02-1.19)); similar results were observed for yogurt protein (HR Q3 =1.14 (1.05-1.24); HR Q4 =1.09 (1.01-1.18); HR Q5 =1.12 (1.04-1.21)). For egg protein intake and prostate cancer mortality, no association was observed by fifths, but there was suggestive evidence of a positive association in the analysis per standard deviation increment. There was no strong evidence of associations with different tumour subtypes. DISCUSSION: Considering the weak associations and many tests, the results must be interpreted with caution.CONCLUSION: This study does not provide strong evidence for an association of intakes of total protein, protein from different dietary sources or amino acids with prostate cancer risk or mortality. However, our results may suggest some weak positive associations, which need to be confirmed in large-scale, pooled analyses of prospective data.

Experimental evidence suggests that alcohol induces cutaneous carcinogenesis, yet epidemiological studies on the link between alcohol intake and skin cancer have been inconsistent. The European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) is a prospective cohort initiated in 1992 in 10 European countries. Alcohol intake at baseline and average lifetime alcohol intake were assessed using validated country-specific dietary and lifestyle questionnaires. Hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated in Cox models. A total of 14 037 skin cancer cases (melanoma: n = 2457; basal-cell carcinoma (BCC): n = 8711; squamous-cell carcinoma (SCC): n = 1928; unknown: n = 941) were identified among 450 112 participants (average follow-up: 15 years). Baseline alcohol intake was positively associated with SCC (>15 vs 0.1-4.9 g/day: HR = 1.44, 95% CI = 1.17-1.77; Ptrend = .001), BCC (HR = 1.12, 95% CI = 1.01-1.23; Ptrend = .04), and melanoma risks in men (HR = 1.17, 95% CI = 0.95-1.44; Ptrend = .17), while associations were more modest in women (SCC: HR = 1.09, 95% CI = 0.90-1.30; Ptrend = .13; BCC: HR = 1.08, 95% CI = 1.00-1.17,Ptrend = .03; melanoma: HR = 0.93, 95% CI = 0.80-1.08, Ptrend = .13). Associations were similar for lifetime alcohol intake, with an attenuated linear trend. Lifetime liquor/spirit intake was positively associated with melanoma (fourth vs first quartile: HR = 1.47, 95% CI = 1.08-1.99; Ptrend = .0009) and BCC risks in men (HR = 1.17, 95% CI = 1.04-1.31;Ptrend = .14). Baseline and lifetime intakes of wine were associated with BCC risk (HR = 1.25 in men; HR = 1.11-1.12; in women). No statistically significant associations were found between beverage types and SCC risk. Intake of beer was not associated with skin cancer risk. Our study suggests positive relationships between alcohol intake and skin cancer risk, which may have important implications for the primary prevention of skin cancer. What's new? Drinking alcohol can make the skin more sensitive to sunlight and vulnerable to skin cancer. Here, the authors conducted a large prospective cohort study to evaluate whether alcohol consumption correlates with skin cancer risk. Among the 450 112 participants, there were 2457 cases of melanoma, 8711 of basal cell carcinoma, and 1928 of squamous cell carcinoma. There was a positive association between alcohol and all three cancer types, stronger in men than in women. The association varied somewhat by beverage type.

Cancer patients have an increased risk of developing venous thromboembolism (VTE) and this combination is reported to result in poorer survival compared to cancer alone. The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of VTE on survival of cancer patients in a general population. The Scandinavian Thrombosis and Cancer (STAC) cohort, a population-based cohort including 144,952 subjects without previous VTE or cancer was used. During follow-up, cancer and VTE incidences were registered. 'Cancer-related VTE' was defined as VTE diagnosed in patients with overt or occult cancer. Survival of subjects without cancer and/or VTE ('disease-free') was compared with survival of subjects with cancer and cancer-related VTE. Cox-regression models with cancer and VTE as time-varying exposures were performed to calculate hazard ratios for death. Sub-analyses were performed across cancer types and stages and VTE type (deep vein thrombosis or pulmonary embolism). During follow-up (mean 11.7 years) 14,621 subjects developed cancer and 2,444 developed VTE, of which 1241 where cancer-related. The mortality rates (per 100 person-years) for disease-free subjects, VTE only, cancer only and cancer-related VTE were 0.63 (95%CI 0.62-0.65), 5.0 (4.6-5.5), 9.2 (9.0-9.5) and 45.3 (41.1-50.0), respectively. Compared with cancer only patients, the risk of death for cancer-related VTE patients was increased 3.4-fold (95%CI 3.1-3.8). Within all cancer types, the occurrence of VTE increased the mortality risk 2.8 to 14.7-fold. In a general population, cancer patients with VTE had a 3.4-fold higher mortality risk than cancer patients without VTE, independent of cancer type. Cancer patients have an increased risk of developing venous thromboembolism (VTE) and this combination is reported to result in poorer survival compared to cancer alone. The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of VTE on survival of cancer patients in a general population. The Scandinavian Thrombosis and Cancer (STAC) cohort, a population-based cohort including 144,952 subjects without previous VTE or cancer was used. During follow-up, cancer and VTE incidences were registered. 'Cancer-related VTE' was defined as VTE diagnosed in patients with overt or occult cancer. Survival of subjects without cancer and/or VTE ('disease-free') was compared with survival of subjects with cancer and cancer-related VTE. Cox-regression models with cancer and VTE as time-varying exposures were performed to calculate hazard ratios for death. Sub-analyses were performed across cancer types and stages and VTE type (deep vein thrombosis or pulmonary embolism). During follow-up (mean 11.7 years) 14,621 subjects developed cancer and 2,444 developed VTE, of which 1241 where cancer-related. The mortality rates (per 100 person-years) for disease-free subjects, VTE only, cancer only and cancer-related VTE were 0.63 (95%CI 0.62-0.65), 5.0 (4.6-5.5), 9.2 (9.0-9.5) and 45.3 (41.1-50.0), respectively. Compared with cancer only patients, the risk of death for cancer-related VTE patients was increased 3.4-fold (95%CI 3.1-3.8). Within all cancer types, the occurrence of VTE increased the mortality risk 2.8 to 14.7-fold. In a general population, cancer patients with VTE had a 3.4-fold higher mortality risk than cancer patients without VTE, independent of cancer type.

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Supplementary table 1. Correlations of sRANKL and the sRANKL/OPG ratio with select hormones among controls: EPIC cohort nested case-control study. Supplementary table 2. Distribution of covariates by quintiles of sRANKL. Supplementary table 3. Circulating concentrations of sRANKL and breast cancer risk by hormone-receptor subtype and menopausal status at blood collection. Supplementary table 4. The sRANKL/OPG ratio and breast cancer risk by hormone-receptor subtype and menopausal status at blood collection. Supplementary table 5. sRANKL additionally adjusted for continuous (log2) OPG and breast cancer risk by hormone-receptor subtype: EPIC nested case-control study. Supplementary table 6. sRANKL/OPG cross-classification based on median split of sRANKL and OPG and breast cancer risk by hormone-receptor subtype: EPIC nested case-control study.

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Supplementary Tables

Perspective on This Article from Anthropometric Measures, Physical Activity, and Risk of Glioma and Meningioma in a Large Prospective Cohort Study

Prediagnostic endogenous sex steroid hormone levels have well established associations with overall risk of breast cancer. While evidence toward the existence of distinct subtypes of breast cancer accumulates, few studies have investigated the associations of sex steroid hormone levels with risk of hormone receptor [estrogen receptor (ER) and/or progesterone receptor (PR)] defined breast cancer. In a case–control study nested within the EPIC cohort (European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition), estradiol, testosterone, and sex hormone–binding globulin levels were measured in prediagnostic serum samples from postmenopausal women not using hormone replacement therapy at blood donation. A total of 554 women who developed invasive breast cancer with information on receptor status were matched with 821 control subjects. Conditional logistic regression models estimated breast cancer risk with hormone concentrations according to hormone receptor status of the tumor. Sex steroid hormones were associated with risks of not only ER+PR+ breast cancer [estradiol OR for highest vs. lowest tertile = 2.91 (95% CI: 1.62–5.23), Ptrend = 0.002; testosterone OR = 2.27 (95% CI: 1.35–3.81), Ptrend = 0.002] but also of ER-PR- breast cancer [estradiol OR = 2.11 (95% CI: 1.00–4.46), Ptrend = 0.05; testosterone OR = 2.06 (95% CI: 0.95–4.46), Ptrend = 0.03], with associations appearing somewhat stronger in the receptor-positive disease. Serum androgens and estrogens are associated with risks of both hormone receptor–negative as well as receptor–positive breast tumors. Further research is needed to establish through which molecular pathways, and during which evolutionary stages of development, androgens and estrogens can promote the occurrence of both receptor-positive and -negative clinical breast tumors. Cancer Prev Res; 4(10); 1626–35. ©2011 AACR.

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We previously identified osteopontin (OPN) as a promising marker for the early detection of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). In this study, we investigated the association between prediagnostic circulating OPN levels and HCC incidence in a large population-based cohort. A nested case–control study was conducted within the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) cohort. During a mean follow-up of 4.8 years, 100 HCC cases were identified. Each case was matched to two controls and OPN levels were measured in baseline plasma samples. Viral hepatitis, liver function, and α-fetoprotein (AFP) tests were also conducted. Conditional logistic regression models were used to calculate multivariable odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) for OPN levels in relation to HCC. Receiver operating characteristics curves were constructed to determine the discriminatory accuracy of OPN alone or in combination with other liver biomarkers in the prediction of HCC. OPN levels were positively associated with HCC risk (per 10% increment, ORmultivariable = 1.30; 95% CI, 1.14–1.48). The association was stronger among cases diagnosed within 2 years of follow-up. Adding liver function tests to OPN improved the discriminatory performance for subjects who developed HCC (AUC = 0.86). For cases diagnosed within 2 years, the combination of OPN and AFP was best able to predict HCC risk (AUC = 0.88). The best predictive model for HCC in this low-risk population is OPN in combination with liver function tests. Within 2 years of diagnosis, the combination of OPN and AFP best predicted HCC development, suggesting that measuring OPN and AFP could identify high-risk groups independently of a liver disease diagnosis. Cancer Prev Res; 9(9); 758–65. ©2016 AACR.

Plasma levels of OPN (ng/ml) in HCC Cases and matched Controls.

Multivariable adjusted odds ratio (continuous line) and 95% CI (dotted line) are shown for the continuous levels of OPN values associated to HCC. Reference value was set at 47.15 ng/ml (the optimal cut-off point) for all subjects. For better visibility, the levels were truncated at 1 and 99 percentile of distribution.

Purpose - Chronic inflammation is thought to initiate or promote differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC) and previous studies have shown that diet can modulate this inflammatory process. We aimed to evaluate the association of several dietary scores reflecting the inflammatory potential of the diet with DTC risk. Methods - Within the EPIC cohort, 450,063 participants were followed during a mean period of 14 years, and 712 newly incident DTC cases were identified. Associations between four dietary inflammatory scores [the dietary inflammatory index (DII®) and two energy-adjusted derivatives (the E-DIIr and the E-DIId), and the Inflammatory Score of the Diet (ISD)] and DTC risk were evaluated in the EPIC cohort using multivariable Cox regression models. Results - Positive associations were observed between DTC risk and the DIIs (HR for 1 SD increase in DII: 1.11, 95%CI: 1.01, 1.23, similar results for its derivatives), but not with the ISD (HR for 1 SD increase: 1.04, 95% CI 0.93, 1.16). Conclusion - Diet-associated inflammation, as estimated by the DII and its derivatives, was weakly positively associated with DTC risk in a European adult population. These results suggesting that diet-associated inflammation acts in the etiology of DTC need to be validated in independent studies.

ObjectivesTo investigate the association between occupational noise exposure and stroke incidence in a pooled study of five Scandinavian cohorts (NordSOUND).MethodsWe pooled and harmonised data from five Scandinavian cohorts resulting in 78 389 participants. We obtained job data from national registries or questionnaires and recoded these to match a job-exposure matrix developed in Sweden, which specified the annual average daily noise exposure in five exposure classes (LAeq8h): ResultsExposure to occupational noise at baseline was not associated with overall stroke in the fully adjusted models. For ischaemic stroke, occupational noise was associated with HRs (95% CI) of 1.08 (0.98 to 1.20), 1.09 (0.97 to 1.24) and 1.06 (0.92 to 1.21) in the 75–79, 80–84 and ≥85 dB(A) exposure groups, compared with ConclusionsWe found no association between occupational noise and risk of overall stroke after adjustment for confounders. However, the non-significantly increased risk of ischaemic stroke warrants further investigation.

Background: Emerging evidence from cohort studies indicates that adiposity is associated with greater incidence of head and neck cancer. However, most studies have used self-reported anthropometry which is prone to error.Methods: Among 363,094 participants in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition study (EPIC) with measured anthropometry, there were 837 incident cases of head and neck cancer. Head and neck cancer risk was examined in relation to body mass index (BMI) [lean: 2, normal weight (reference): 22.5–24.9 kg/m2, overweight 25–29.9 kg/m2, obese: ≥30 kg/m2], waist circumference (WC), hip circumference (HC), and waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) using Cox proportional hazards models.Results: Among men, a BMI < 22.5 kg/m2 was associated with higher head and neck cancer risk [HR 1.62; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.23–2.12)]; BMI was not associated with head and neck cancer among women. WC and WHR were associated with greater risk of head and neck cancer among women (WC per 5 cm: HR, 1.08; 95% CI, 1.02–1.15; WHR per 0.1 unit: HR, 1.64; 95% CI, 1.38–1.93). After stratification by smoking status, the association for WHR was present only among smokers (Pinteraction = 0.004). Among men, WC and WHR were associated with head and neck cancer only upon additional adjustment for BMI (WC per 5 cm: HR 1.16; 95% CI, 1.07–1.26; WHR per 0.1 unit: HR, 1.42; 95% CI, 1.21–1.65).Conclusions: Central adiposity, particularly among women, may have a stronger association with head and neck cancer risk than previously estimated.Impact: Strategies to reduce obesity may beneficially impact head and neck cancer incidence. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev; 26(6); 895–904. ©2017 AACR.

Data on the role of dietary factors in endometrial cancer development are limited and inconsistent. We applied a “nutrient-wide association study” approach to systematically evaluate dietary risk associations for endometrial cancer while controlling for multiple hypothesis tests using the false discovery rate (FDR) and validating the results in an independent cohort. We evaluated endometrial cancer risk associations for dietary intake of 84 foods and nutrients based on dietary questionnaires in three prospective studies, the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC; N = 1,303 cases) followed by validation of nine foods/nutrients (FDR ≤ 0.10) in the Nurses' Health Studies (NHS/NHSII; N = 1,531 cases). Cox regression models were used to estimate HRs and 95% confidence intervals (CI). In multivariate adjusted comparisons of the extreme categories of intake at baseline, coffee was inversely associated with endometrial cancer risk (EPIC, median intake 750 g/day vs. 8.6; HR, 0.81; 95% CI, 0.68–0.97, Ptrend = 0.09; NHS/NHSII, median intake 1067 g/day vs. none; HR, 0.82; 95% CI, 0.70–0.96, Ptrend = 0.04). Eight other dietary factors that were associated with endometrial cancer risk in the EPIC study (total fat, monounsaturated fat, carbohydrates, phosphorus, butter, yogurt, cheese, and potatoes) were not confirmed in the NHS/NHSII. Our findings suggest that coffee intake may be inversely associated with endometrial cancer risk. Further data are needed to confirm these findings and to examine the mechanisms linking coffee intake to endometrial cancer risk to develop improved prevention strategies. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev; 24(2); 466–71. ©2015 AACR.

C-statistics by tumor histology for variable lag-times since blood donation

Background: Chronic inflammation and oxidative stress are thought to be involved in colorectal cancer development. These processes may contribute to leakage of bacterial products, such as lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and flagellin, across the gut barrier. The objective of this study, nested within a prospective cohort, was to examine associations between circulating LPS and flagellin serum antibody levels and colorectal cancer risk.Methods: A total of 1,065 incident colorectal cancer cases (colon, n = 667; rectal, n = 398) were matched (1:1) to control subjects. Serum flagellin- and LPS-specific IgA and IgG levels were quantitated by ELISA. Multivariable conditional logistic regression models were used to calculate ORs and 95% confidence intervals (CI), adjusting for multiple relevant confouding factors.Results: Overall, elevated anti-LPS and anti-flagellin biomarker levels were not associated with colorectal cancer risk. After testing potential interactions by various factors relevant for colorectal cancer risk and anti-LPS and anti-flagellin, sex was identified as a statistically significant interaction factor (Pinteraction < 0.05 for all the biomarkers). Analyses stratified by sex showed a statistically significant positive colorectal cancer risk association for men (fully-adjusted OR for highest vs. lowest quartile for total anti-LPS + flagellin, 1.66; 95% CI, 1.10–2.51; Ptrend, 0.049), whereas a borderline statistically significant inverse association was observed for women (fully-adjusted OR, 0.70; 95% CI, 0.47–1.02; Ptrend, 0.18).Conclusion: In this prospective study on European populations, we found bacterial exposure levels to be positively associated to colorectal cancer risk among men, whereas in women, a possible inverse association may exist.Impact: Further studies are warranted to better clarify these preliminary observations. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev; 25(2); 291–301. ©2016 AACR.

Background: Experimental and epidemiologic data suggest that higher circulating prolactin is associated with breast cancer risk; however, how various risk factors for breast cancer influence prolactin levels in healthy women is not clear.Methods: We analyzed cross-sectional associations between several suggested reproductive and lifestyle risk factors for breast cancer and circulating prolactin among pre- and postmenopausal women, taking into account the use of current postmenopausal hormone therapy, among 2,560 controls from a breast cancer nested case–control study within the EPIC cohort.Results: Adjusted geometric mean prolactin levels were significantly higher among premenopausal women, and among postmenopausal women using hormone therapy compared with nonusers (8.2, 7.0, and 6.3 ng/mL, respectively; Pcat = Pcat = 0.001). Prolactin levels were lower among parous women compared with nulliparous women (8.61 vs. 10.95 ng/mL; Pcat = 0.0002, premenopausal women); the magnitude of this difference depended on the number of full-term pregnancies (22.1% lower, ≥3 vs. 1 pregnancy, Ptrend = 0.01). Results for parity were similar but lower in magnitude among postmenopausal women. Prolactin did not vary by other studied factors, with the exception of lower levels among postmenopausal smokers compared with never smokers.Conclusions: Our study shows that current hormone therapy use, especially the use of combined hormone therapy, is associated with higher circulating prolactin levels in postmenopausal women, and confirms prior findings of lower circulating prolactin in parous women.Impact: Our study extends the knowledge linking various breast cancer risk factors with circulating prolactin. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev; 23(11); 2532–42. ©2014 AACR.

Purpose: About 60% of ovarian cancers are diagnosed at late stage, when 5-year survival is less than 30% in contrast to 90% for local disease. This has prompted search for early detection biomarkers. For initial testing, specimens taken months or years before ovarian cancer diagnosis are the best source of information to evaluate early detection biomarkers. Here we evaluate the most promising ovarian cancer screening biomarkers in prospectively collected samples from the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition study.Experimental Design: We measured CA125, HE4, CA72.4, and CA15.3 in 810 invasive epithelial ovarian cancer cases and 1,939 controls. We calculated the sensitivity at 95% and 98% specificity as well as area under the receiver operator curve (C-statistic) for each marker individually and in combination. In addition, we evaluated marker performance by stage at diagnosis and time between blood draw and diagnosis.Results: We observed the best discrimination between cases and controls within 6 months of diagnosis for CA125 (C-statistic = 0.92), then HE4 (0.84), CA72.4 (0.77), and CA15.3 (0.73). Marker performance declined with longer time between blood draw and diagnosis and for earlier staged disease. However, assessment of discriminatory ability at early stage was limited by small numbers. Combinations of markers performed modestly, but significantly better than any single marker.Conclusions: CA125 remains the single best marker for the early detection of invasive epithelial ovarian cancer, but can be slightly improved by combining with other markers. Identifying novel markers for ovarian cancer will require studies including larger numbers of early-stage cases. Clin Cancer Res; 22(18); 4664–75. ©2016 AACR.See related commentary by Skates, p. 4542

Case characteristics (median (min-max) or n (%)) by histologic subtypes in the EPIC cohort

Measures of adiposity and the risk of HNC among EPIC participants, by smoking status at baseline and second questionnaire

Background: An association between N-acetyltransferase 2 (NAT2) slow acetylation and bladder cancer has been consistently observed in epidemiologic studies. However, evidence has been mainly derived from case–control studies and was sparse from cohort studies. We evaluated the association between NAT2 slow acetylation and bladder cancer in a case–control study nested in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition.Methods: Exposure to aromatic amines and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) could be assessed for 754 cases and 833 controls for whom occupational information was documented. A semiquantitative job-exposure matrix was applied to at-risk occupations to estimate the exposure as low, medium, or high based on tertiles of the distribution of the exposure score in controls. Using a comprehensive genotyping, NAT2 acetylation status could be categorized from 6-single-nucleotide polymorphism genotypes as slow or fast in 607 cases and 695 controls with DNA from archived blood samples.Results: Occupational exposure to aromatic amines and PAH was associated with an increased bladder cancer risk [upper tertile of the distribution of the exposure score: OR = 1.37; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.02–1.84, and OR = 1.50; 95% CI, 1.09–2.05, respectively]. NAT2 slow acetylation did not modify these risk estimates and was not itself associated with bladder cancer risk (OR = 1.02; 95% CI, 0.81–1.29).Conclusions: These findings confirm established or suspected occupational risk factors but not the anticipated role of NAT2 slow acetylation in bladder cancer. No interaction was detected between NAT2 and any exposure of interest, including smoking.Impact: Genetic testing for NAT2 would be inappropriate in occupational settings. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev; 22(11); 2055–65. ©2013 AACR.

Purpose: Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) has the potential for cure with surgery when diagnosed at an early stage. Kidney injury molecule-1 (KIM-1) has been shown to be elevated in the plasma of RCC patients. We aimed to test whether plasma KIM-1 could represent a means of detecting RCC prior to clinical diagnosis.Experimental Design: KIM-1 concentrations were measured in prediagnostic plasma from 190 RCC cases and 190 controls nested within a population-based prospective cohort study. Cases had entered the cohort up to 5 years before diagnosis, and controls were matched on cases for date of birth, date at blood donation, sex, and country. We applied conditional logistic regression and flexible parametric survival models to evaluate the association between plasma KIM-1 concentrations and RCC risk and survival.Results: The incidence rate ratio (IRR) of RCC for a doubling in KIM-1 concentration was 1.71 [95% confidence interval (CI), 1.44–2.03, P = 4.1 × 10−23], corresponding to an IRR of 63.3 (95% CI, 16.2–246.9) comparing the 80th to the 20th percentiles of the KIM-1 distribution in this sample. Compared with a risk model including known risk factors of RCC (age, sex, country, body mass index, and tobacco smoking status), a risk model additionally including KIM-1 substantially improved discrimination between cases and controls (area under the receiver-operating characteristic curve of 0.8 compared with 0.7). High plasma KIM-1 concentrations were also associated with poorer survival (P = 0.0053).Conclusions: Plasma KIM-1 concentrations could predict RCC incidence up to 5 years prior to diagnosis and were associated with poorer survival. Clin Cancer Res; 24(22); 5594–601. ©2018 AACR.

Associations between continuous total lifetime number of ovulatory cycles and ovarian cancer by tumor aggressiveness considering mutual adjustment for LOC component factors: duration of oral contraceptive use and pregnancies, Ovarian Cancer Cohort Consortium (OC3).

Scatterplots of the associations between BMI (kg/m2) and WC (Fig 1a) and between BMI (kg/m2) and WHR (Fig 1b).

Repeated exposure to the acute proinflammatory environment that follows ovulation at the ovarian surface and distal fallopian tube over a woman's reproductive years may increase ovarian cancer risk. To address this, analyses included individual-level data from 558,709 naturally menopausal women across 20 prospective cohorts, among whom 3,246 developed invasive epithelial ovarian cancer (2,045 serous, 319 endometrioid, 184 mucinous, 121 clear cell, 577 other/unknown). Cox models were used to estimate multivariable-adjusted HRs between lifetime ovulatory cycles (LOC) and its components and ovarian cancer risk overall and by histotype. Women in the 90th percentile of LOC (>514 cycles) were almost twice as likely to be diagnosed with ovarian cancer than women in the 10th percentile (Significance:Although ovarian cancer is rare, risk of most ovarian cancers doubles as the number of lifetime ovulatory cycles increases from approximately 300 to 500. Thus, identifying an important area for cancer prevention research.

PDF - 80KB, Association of smoking and occupational exposure with bladder cancer by NAT2 acetylation in cases and controls from EPIC.

Supplemental tables 1 and 2. Supplementary Table 1. Odds ratios (95% CI) for ovarian cancer by tertile concentrations and for doubling in CRP and IL-6 by menopausal status, age at diagnosis and HRT use at blood donation. Supplementary Table 2. Odds ratios (95% CI) for ovarian cancer for doubling in CRP and IL-6 by BMI categories and waist circumference, mutual adjusted for IL-6 and CRP.

Supplementary Table S1. Adjusteda geometric mean prolactin levels, ng/ml (95% CI) by established correlates at the time of blood donation. Supplementary Table S2. Adjusteda geometric mean prolactin levels, ng/ml (95% CI) depending on the anthropometric factors. Supplementary Table S3. Adjusteda geometric mean prolactin levels, ng/ml (95% CI) depending on the lifestyle factors.

Purpose: Circulating hormone concentrations are associated with breast cancer risk, with well-established associations for postmenopausal women. Biomarkers may represent minimally invasive measures to improve risk prediction models.Experimental Design: We evaluated improvements in discrimination gained by adding serum biomarker concentrations to risk estimates derived from risk prediction models developed by Gail and colleagues and Pfeiffer and colleagues using a nested case–control study within the EPIC cohort, including 1,217 breast cancer cases and 1,976 matched controls. Participants were pre- or postmenopausal at blood collection. Circulating sex steroids, prolactin, insulin-like growth factor (IGF) I, IGF-binding protein 3, and sex hormone–binding globulin (SHBG) were evaluated using backward elimination separately in women pre- and postmenopausal at blood collection. Improvement in discrimination was evaluated as the change in concordance statistic (C-statistic) from a modified Gail or Pfeiffer risk score alone versus models, including the biomarkers and risk score. Internal validation with bootstrapping (1,000-fold) was used to adjust for overfitting.Results: Among women postmenopausal at blood collection, estradiol, testosterone, and SHBG were selected into the prediction models. For breast cancer overall, model discrimination after including biomarkers was 5.3 percentage points higher than the modified Gail model alone, and 3.4 percentage points higher than the Pfeiffer model alone, after accounting for overfitting. Discrimination was more markedly improved for estrogen receptor–positive disease (percentage point change in C-statistic: 7.2, Gail; 4.8, Pfeiffer). We observed no improvement in discrimination among women premenopausal at blood collection.Conclusions: Integration of hormone measurements in clinical risk prediction models may represent a strategy to improve breast cancer risk stratification. Clin Cancer Res; 23(15); 4181–9. ©2017 AACR.

Supplemental Material and Methods, Tables S1-S6, Figure S1 Supplemental Table S1. Hazard Ratiosa and 95% CIs from analyses of nutrient and food intakes (FDR≤0.10) reported in the baseline dietary assessment in relation to endometrial cancer risk in the EPIC study. Supplemental Table S2. Hazard Ratiosa and 95% CIs from analyses of intake of nutrients/foods at baseline (FDR > 0.10) in relation to endometrial cancer risk in the EPIC study. Supplemental Table S3. Age-standardized dietary intake of selected foods/nutrients (FDR≤0.10 in the EPIC studya) at the study baseline in the EPIC, NHS and NHSII study populations. Supplemental Table S4. Hazard Ratiosa and 95% CIs from analyses of intake of selected nutrients/foods at baseline in relation to endometrial cancer risk in the Nurses’ Health Study (NHS) and NHSII. Supplemental Table S5. Hazard Ratiosa and 95% CIs from analyses of the cumulative average intake of selected nutrients/foods in relation to endometrial cancer risk in the Nurses’ Health Study (NHS) and NHSII. Supplemental Table S6. Hazard Ratiosa and 95% CIs from analyses of the cumulative average intake of selected nutrients/foods in relation to invasive endometrial adenocarcinoma risk in the Nurses’ Health Study (NHS) and NHSII. Supplemental Figure S1. Summary of NWAS analytical method to test associations between food and nutrient intake and risk of endometrial cancer (EC.

PDF - 63KB, NAT2 variants and bladder cancer risk for 607 cases and 695 controls nested in EPIC.

Supplemental Table S1: ORs (95% CI) for risk of CRC by quartiles of baseline biomarkers of anti-LPS- and antiflagellin- IgA and IgG. Supplemental Table S2: ORs (95% CI) for risk of CRC by increasing levels of total bacterial exposure and high sensitivity C-reactive protein, waist circumference, BMI, total dietary fat, and alcohol intake; stratified by sex. Supplemenetal Table S3: ORs (95% CI) for risk of CRC by quartile of baseline biomarkers of anti-LPS- and antiflagellin- IgA and IgG after excluding cases and controls that occurred in the first 2 years of follow-up, stratified by sex

Background: Circulating levels of insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) and its main binding protein, IGF binding protein 3 (IGFBP-3), have been associated with risk of several types of cancer. Heritable factors explain up to 60% of the variation in IGF-I and IGFBP-3 in studies of adult twins.Methods: We systematically examined common genetic variation in 18 genes in the IGF signaling pathway for associations with circulating levels of IGF-I and IGFBP-3. A total of 302 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) were genotyped in >5,500 Caucasian men and 5,500 Caucasian women from the Breast and Prostate Cancer Cohort Consortium.Results: After adjusting for multiple testing, SNPs in the IGF1 and SSTR5 genes were significantly associated with circulating IGF-I (P < 2.1 × 10−4); SNPs in the IGFBP3 and IGFALS genes were significantly associated with circulating IGFBP-3. Multi-SNP models explained R2 = 0.62% of the variation in circulating IGF-I and 3.9% of the variation in circulating IGFBP-3. We saw no significant association between these multi-SNP predictors of circulating IGF-I or IGFBP-3 and risk of prostate or breast cancers.Conclusion: Common genetic variation in the IGF1 and SSTR5 genes seems to influence circulating IGF-I levels, and variation in IGFBP3 and IGFALS seems to influence circulating IGFBP-3. However, these variants explain only a small percentage of the variation in circulating IGF-I and IGFBP-3 in Caucasian men and women.Impact: Further studies are needed to explore contributions from other genetic factors such as rare variants in these genes and variation outside of these genes. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev; 19(11); 2877–87. ©2010 AACR.

Summary of 20 Ovarian Cancer Cohort Consortium (OC3) cohorts included in analysis of lifetime ovulatory cycles (LOC) and incident ovarian cancer.

Measures of adiposity and the risk of HNC in the EPIC study, excluding Oxford participants with calibrated self-reported anthropometry

Evaluation of added discriminatory ability of each biomarker using Net Reclassification Improvement (NRI)