Abdominal Obesity May Be Associated With Colon Cancer Risk
Waist circumference and a person's waist-to-hip ratio were linked to an increased risk of colon cancer, a new study suggests.
Tobias Pischon, M.D., of the German Institute of Human Nutrition in Potsdam, and colleagues examined the link between abdominal obesity and colon and rectal cancer in 368,277 subjects from the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition. The subjects were followed for an average of 6.1 years.
The authors identified 984 patients with colon cancer and 586 patients with rectal cancer. A large waist, high waist-to-hip ratio, and height were associated with an increased risk of colon cancer in both men and women. In men, high weight and body mass index were also associated with increased risk of colon cancer.
Contact: Gisela Olias, 49-33200/883-335, olias@mail.dife.de
Rates of Ocular Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma Have Increased, Study Finds
Incidence of ocular non-Hodgkin lymphoma, a cancer of the eye and nearby organs, is increasing rapidly and has shown no signs of peaking, a new study reports.
Roxana Moslehi, Ph.D., of the National Cancer Institute in Bethesda, Md., and colleagues assessed the incidence of ocular non-Hodgkin lymphoma using data from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program.
The authors found that the incidence of ocular non-Hodgkin lymphoma increased from 1975 to 2001 at 6.2% per year among white men and 6.5% per year among white women. Rates during 1992-2001 were highest among Asians and Pacific Islanders, followed by whites, while blacks had the lowest rates.
Contact: NCI Press Office, Tel: 301-496-6641, ncipressofficers@mail.nih.gov
Gene Mutations Don't Add to the Risk of Blood Clots in Women Taking Tamoxifen
Two genetic mutations may not increase the risk of blood clots in women taking tamoxifen for breast cancer prevention. High body mass index and tamoxifen use have been associated with an increased risk of blood clots. Neil Abramson, M.D., and colleagues at the National Surgical Adjuvant Breast/Bowel Project examined the FVL and PT20210 mutations and the risk of blood clotting in healthy women, half of whom took tamoxifen and the other half a placebo.
Contact: Neil Abramson, abrm1h@bellsouth.net
A Common Gene Variation May Affect Breast Cancer Survival
A genetic variation called SNP309 in the promoter region of the MDM2 gene can change the function of the tumor suppressor p53 and may impact breast cancer patients' survival. Stefan Ambs, Ph.D., of the National Cancer Institute in Bethesda, Md., and colleagues studied SNP309 in 293 breast cancer patients and 317 controls. They observed an interaction between the SNP309 genetic variation and the tumor's p53 status, and found that the p53 status (normal vs. mutant) is associated with survival in women with the common variation of SNP309 but not the variant form of SNP309.
Contact: NCI Press Officers, 301-496-6641, NCIPressOfficers@mail.nih.gov
Also in the July 5 JNCI:
- Design of Nonpeptidic Topomimetics of Antiangiogenic Proteins With Antitumor Activities
- Childhood Cancer Survivors Are More Likely to Go Through Early Menopause: http://www.eurekalert.org/emb_releases/2006-07/jotn-ccs062906.php
- Chornobyl Radiation Ups Risk of Thyroid Cancer in Children and Adolescents: http://www.eurekalert.org/emb_releases/2006-07/jotn-cru062906.php
Note: The Journal of the National Cancer Institute is published by Oxford University Press and is not affiliated with the National Cancer Institute. Attribution to the Journal of the National Cancer Institute is requested in all news coverage. Visit the Journal online at http://jncicancerspectrum.oxfordjournals.org/.
Journal
JNCI Journal of the National Cancer Institute