Modern life involves mistimed sleeping and eating patterns that in experimental studies are associated with adverse health effects. We assessed whether timing of meals is associated with breast and ...prostate cancer risk taking into account lifestyle and chronotype, a characteristic correlating with preference for morning or evening activity. We conducted a population‐based case‐control study in Spain, 2008–2013. In this analysis we included 621 cases of prostate and 1,205 of breast cancer and 872 male and 1,321 female population controls who had never worked night shift. Subjects were interviewed on timing of meals, sleep and chronotype and completed a Food Frequency Questionaire. Adherence to the World Cancer Research Fund/American Institute of Cancer Research recommendations for cancer prevention was examined. Compared with subjects sleeping immediately after supper, those sleeping two or more hours after supper had a 20% reduction in cancer risk for breast and prostate cancer combined (adjusted Odds Ratio OR = 0.80, 95%CI 0.67–0.96) and in each cancer individually (prostate cancer OR = 0.74, 0.55–0.99; breast cancer OR = 0.84, 0.67–1.06). A similar protection was observed in subjects having supper before 9 pm compared with supper after 10 pm. The effect of longer supper‐sleep interval was more pronounced among subjects adhering to cancer prevention recommendations (OR both cancers= 0.65, 0.44–0.97) and in morning types (OR both cancers = 0.66, 0.49–0.90). Adherence to diurnal eating patterns and specifically a long interval between last meal and sleep are associated with a lower cancer risk, stressing the importance of evaluating timing in studies on diet and cancer.
What's new?
Evidence shows that long‐term disruption of endogenous circadian rhythms may be associated with cancer. The effects of mistimed sleeping and eating patterns that come with modern life are however less clear. This large Spanish population‐based study examined whether meal timing and sleep patterns are associated with the two most common nightshift‐related cancers. Adherence to a more diurnal eating pattern, and specifically an early supper and a long interval between last meal and sleep were associated with a lower breast and prostate cancer risk, stressing the importance of evaluating circadian rhythms in diet and cancer studies and revisiting recommendations for prevention.
•Few studies have examined the effects of early co-exposure to neurotoxic metals.•As, Cd, Hg, Mn and Pb placental levels were explored in relation to neurodevelopment.•Exposure to As and Hg was ...associated with cognitive impairment in preschoolers.•The effects of Cd and Mn on neurodevelopment appear to be less clear.
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We sought to determine whether prenatal co-exposure to As, Cd, Hg, Mn, and Pb was associated with impaired neurodevelopment in preschool children from the Spanish Environment and Childhood (INMA) Project, using the placenta as exposure matrix. We measured metal levels in placenta tissue samples randomly selected from five of the seven population-based birth cohorts participating in the INMA Project, collected between 2000 and 2008. Neuropsychological assessment of cognitive and motor function was carried through the use of the McCarthy Scales of Children's Abilities (MSCA) at the age of 4–5years. Data on placental metal levels, MSCA scores, and relevant covariates was available for 302 children. Mn was detected in all placental samples, Cd in nearly all placentas (99%) and As, Hg, and Pb in 22%, 58%, and 17% of the placentas, respectively. After adjusting for potential confounders, detectable As levels were associated with decrements in global and verbal executive functions and quantitative abilities; detectable Hg was associated with lower scores on the verbal function of posterior cortex in a dose-response manner, and non-linearly related to poorer motor function and gross motor skills; and Mn levels were associated with decrement in perceptual-performance skills in a dose-response manner but with better memory span and quantitative skills. A synergistic interactive effect was found between As and Pb with respect to the general cognitive score, whereas an antagonistic interaction was found between Mn and Hg. Prenatal exposure to As and Hg may be a risk factor for cognitive and motor impairment in children, while the effects of Cd and Mn on neurodevelopment are less clear. Future studies should examine combined and interactive effects of exposure to multiple metals during vulnerable periods of brain development prospectively.
Prostate, breast and colorectal cancer are the most common tumours in Spain. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the association between adherence to nutrition‐based guidelines for cancer ...prevention and prostate, breast and colorectal cancer, in the MCC‐Spain case–control study. A total of 1,718 colorectal, 1,343 breast and 864 prostate cancer cases and 3,431 population‐based controls recruited between 2007 and 2012, were included in the present study. The World Cancer Research Fund/American Institute for Cancer Research (WCRC/AICR) score based on six recommendations for cancer prevention (on body fatness, physical activity, foods and drinks that promote weight gain, plant foods, animal foods and alcoholic drinks; score range 0–6) was constructed. We used unconditional logistic regression analysis adjusting for potential confounders. One‐point increment in the WCRF/AICR score was associated with 25% (95% CI 19–30%) lower risk of colorectal, and 15% (95% CI 7–22%) lower risk of breast cancer; no association with prostate cancer was detected, except for cases with a Gleason score ≥7 (poorly differentiated/undifferentiated tumours) (OR 0.87, 95% CI 0.76–0.99). These results add to the wealth of evidence indicating that a great proportion of common cancer cases could be avoided by adopting healthy lifestyle habits.
What's new?
Prostate, breast and colon cancer share common environmental risk factors, but preventable causes remain largely unknown. Here the authors evaluated adherence to the World Cancer Research Fund/American Institute for Cancer Research (WCRF/AICR) guidelines on diet, physical activity and body fat for cancer prevention and risk of these cancers in Spain. They found an inverse association between adherence to the recommendations and colon cancer, postmenopausal breast cancer and poorly differentiated prostate cancer, underscoring the important role of preventable causes in the development of these cancers.
Ingested nitrate leads to the endogenous synthesis of N‐nitroso compounds (NOCs), animal carcinogens with limited human evidence. We aimed to evaluate the risk of colorectal cancer (CRC) associated ...with nitrate exposure in drinking water and diet. A case‐control study in Spain and Italy during 2008‐2013 was conducted. Hospital‐based incident cases and population‐based (Spain) or hospital‐based (Italy) controls were interviewed on residential history, water consumption since age 18, and dietary information. Long‐term waterborne ingested nitrate was derived from routine monitoring records, linked to subjects’ residential histories and water consumption habits. Dietary nitrate intake was estimated from food frequency questionnaires and published food composition databases. Odd ratios (OR) were calculated using mixed models with area as random effect, adjusted for CRC risk factors and other covariables. Generalized additive models (GAMs) were used to analyze exposure‐response relationships. Interaction with endogenous nitrosation factors and other covariables was also evaluated. In total 1,869 cases and 3,530 controls were analyzed. Average waterborne ingested nitrate ranged from 3.4 to 19.7 mg/day, among areas. OR (95% CIs) of CRC was 1.49 (1.24, 1.78) for >10 versus ≤5 mg/day, overall. Associations were larger among men versus women, and among subjects with high red meat intake. GAMs showed increasing exposure‐response relationship among men. Animal‐derived dietary nitrate was associated with rectal, but not with colon cancer risk. In conclusion, a positive association between CRC risk and waterborne ingested nitrate is suggested, mainly among subgroups with other risk factors. Heterogeneous effects of nitrate from different sources (water, animal and vegetables) warrant further research.
What's new?
Nitrate ingested in food and water can react with amines and amides in the gastrointestinal tract, leading to the formation of N‐nitroso compounds (NOCs), which are carcinogenic in animals. In humans, nitrate and several NOCs are probable carcinogens. The aim of the present investigation, a case–control study in Europe, was to examine links between nitrate intake and colorectal cancer (CRC). The findings indicate that CRC risk is increased for waterborne nitrate intake at levels below current international guidelines, particularly in subgroups with other risk factors. Nitrate intake from animal sources was further associated with increased rectal cancer risk.
Although physical activity (PA) has been recognized as a favourable factor in the prevention of various diseases, including certain forms of cancer, the relationship between PA and gastric cancer ...(GC) is not yet fully understood. This study aims to provide data from a pooled analysis of case-control studies within the Stomach cancer Pooling (StoP) Project to estimate the association between leisure-time PA and the occurrence of GC.
Six case-control studies from StoP project collected data on leisure-time PA, for a total of 2,343 cases and 8,614 controls. Subjects were classified into three leisure-time PA categories, either none/low, intermediate or high, based on study-specific tertiles. We used a two-stage approach. Firstly, we applied multivariable logistic regression models to obtain study-specific odds ratios (ORs) and corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs) then, we used a random-effect models to obtain pooled effect estimates. We performed stratified analyses according to demographic, lifestyle and clinical covariates.
The meta-analysis showed ORs of GC with no significant differences between intermediate vs low and high vs low PA level (OR 1.05 95%CI 0.76-1.45; OR 1.23 95%CI 0.78-1.94, respectively). GC risk estimates did not strongly differ across strata of selected covariates except for age ≤ 55 years old (high vs low level: OR 0.72 95%CI 0.55-0.94) and for control population-based studies (high vs low level: OR 0.79 95%CI 0.68-0.93).
No association was found between leisure time PA and GC, apart from a slight suggestion of decreased risk below age 55 and in control population-based studies. These results may reflect specific characteristics of GC at a younger age, or the presence of a cohort effect mediating and interacting with socioeconomic determinants of GC The different distribution of PA levels among hospitalized controls could have led to an underestimated effect of PA on GC risk.
To examine the association of placental levels of arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), mercury (Hg), lead (Pb), manganese (Mn), and chromium (Cr) with birth outcomes (birth weight, length, and head ...circumference, low birth weight LBW, gestational age, preterm delivery, and small for gestational age SGA) in mother-child pairs from the Environment and Childhood (INMA) Project in Spain.
Metal concentrations were measured in placenta tissue samples randomly selected from five INMA cohorts. Data on birth outcomes were obtained from medical records. Associations were assessed in a sub-sample of 327 mother-infant pairs by regression models adjusted for confounding factors and for all metals simultaneously. Effect modification by sex was also evaluated.
Elevated placental Cd levels (>5.79 vs. <3.30 ng/g) were associated with reduced birth weight (−111.8 g, 95%CI = −215.6; −8.06, p-trend = 0.01) and length (−0.62 cm, 95%CI = −1.20; −0.04, p-trend = 0.02), while a 10% increase in Cd was associated with 1.21-fold increased odds (95%CI = 1.01; 1.43) of LBW in the global sample but with 14% lower odds (95%CI = 0.78; 0.96) of preterm delivery in males (Pinteraction = 0.10). Detected (vs. undetected) Hg was associated with reduced head circumference (−0.49 cm, 95%CI = −1.00; 0.03) in females (Pinteraction = 0.03). A 10% increase in placental Mn was associated with slight increases in gestational age (0.04 weeks, 95%CI = 0.01; 0.07) in the global sample and in head circumference (0.05 cm, 95%CI = −0.01; 0.10) in females (Pinteraction = 0.03). Elevated Cr levels (>99.6 vs. <56.1 ng/g) were associated with reduced birth length (−0.68 cm, 95%CI = −1.33; −0.04, p-trend = 0.02) and slightly increased gestational age (0.35 weeks, 95%CI = −0.07; 0.77, p-trend = 0.08) in the global sample. As and Pb were detected in few placentas (27% and 13%, respectively) and were not associated with any studied birth outcome.
Data suggest that in utero exposure to Cd, Hg, and Cr could adversely affect fetal growth, whereas Mn and Cr appear to have a positive effect on gestational age. Given the relatively small number of subjects, sex-specific associations should be interpreted with caution.
Background
The influence of dietary habits on the development of gastric adenocarcinoma is not clear. The objective of the present study was to explore the association of three previously identified ...dietary patterns with gastric adenocarcinoma by sex, age, cancer site, and morphology.
Methods
MCC-Spain is a multicase–control study that included 295 incident cases of gastric adenocarcinoma and 3040 controls. The association of the Western, Prudent, and Mediterranean dietary patterns—derived in another Spanish case–control study—with gastric adenocarcinoma was assessed using multivariable logistic regression models with random province-specific intercepts and considering a possible interaction with sex and age. Risk according to tumor site (cardia, non-cardia) and morphology (intestinal/diffuse) was evaluated using multinomial regression models.
Results
A high adherence to the Western pattern increased gastric adenocarcinoma risk odds ratio
fourth_vs._first_quartile
(95% confidence interval), 2.09 (1.31; 3.33) even at low levels odds ratio
second_vs._first_quartile
(95% confidence interval), 1.63 (1.05; 2.52). High adherence to the Mediterranean dietary pattern could prevent gastric adenocarcinoma odds ratio
fourth_vs._first_quartile
(95% confidence interval), 0.53 (0.34; 0.82). Although no significant heterogeneity of effects was observed, the harmful effect of the Western pattern was stronger among older participants and for non-cardia adenocarcinomas, whereas the protective effect of the Mediterranean pattern was only observed among younger participants and for non-cardia tumors.
Conclusion
Decreasing the consumption of fatty and sugary products and of red and processed meat in favor of an increase in the intake of fruits, vegetables, legumes, olive oil, nuts, and fish might prevent gastric adenocarcinoma.
Diet is a modifiable risk factor for several neoplasms but evidence for chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is sparse. Previous studies examining the association between single-food items and CLL risk ...have yielded mixed results, while few studies have been conducted on overall diet, reporting inconclusive findings. This study aimed to evaluate the association between adherence to three dietary patterns and CLL in the multicase-control study (MCC-Spain) study. Anthropometric, sociodemographic, medical and dietary information was collected for 369 CLL cases and 1605 controls. Three validated dietary patterns, Western, Prudent and Mediterranean, were reconstructed in the MCC-Spain data. The association between adherence to each dietary pattern and CLL was assessed, overall and by Rai stage, using mixed logistic regression models adjusted for potential confounders. High adherence to a Western dietary pattern (i.e. high intake of high-fat dairy products, processed meat, refined grains, sweets, caloric drinks, and convenience food) was associated with CLL ORQ4
Q1=1.63 (95%CI 1.11; 2.39);
-trend=0.02; OR 1-SD increase=1.19 (95%CI: 1.03; 1.37), independently of Rai stages. No differences in the association were observed according to sex, Body Mass Index, energy intake, tobacco, physical activity, working on a farm, or family history of hematologic malignancies. No associations were observed for Mediterranean and Prudent dietary patterns and CLL. This study provides the first evidence for an association between a Western dietary pattern and CLL, suggesting that a proportion of CLL cases could be prevented by modifying dietary habits. Further research, especially with a prospective design, is warranted to confirm these findings.
Nighttime fasting has been inconclusively associated with a reduced risk of cancer. The purpose of this study was to investigate this association in relation to prostate cancer risk. We examined data ...from 607 prostate cancer cases and 848 population controls who had never worked in night shift work from the Spanish multicase-control (MCC) study, 2008–2013. Through an interview, we collected circadian information on meal timing at mid-age. We estimated odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) with unconditional logistic regression. After controlling for time of breakfast, fasting for more than 11 h overnight (the median duration among controls) was associated with a reduced risk of prostate cancer compared to those fasting for 11 h or less (OR = 0.77, 95% 0.54–1.07). Combining a long nighttime fasting and an early breakfast was associated with a lower risk of prostate cancer compared to a short nighttime fasting and a late breakfast (OR = 0.54, 95% CI 0.27–1.04). This study suggests that a prolonged nighttime fasting duration and an early breakfast may be associated with a lower risk of prostate cancer. Findings should be interpreted cautiously and add to growing evidence on the importance of chrononutrition in relation to cancer risk.
The association of meat intake with gastric adenocarcinoma is controversial. We examined the relation between white, red, and processed meat intake and gastric adenocarcinoma, considering doneness ...preference and cooking methods, by histological subtype and anatomical subsite.
MCC-Spain is a multicase-control study that included 286 incident gastric adenocarcinoma cases and 2993 controls who answered a food-frequency questionnaire. The association of gastric adenocarcinoma with meat intake, doneness preference and cooking methods was assessed using binary multivariate logistic regression mixed models and a possible interaction with sex was considered. Multinomial logistic regression models were used to estimate risk by tumor subsite (cardia vs. non-cardia) and subtype (intestinal vs. diffuse). Sensitivity analyses were conducted comparing models with and without data on
infection.
The intake of red and processed meat increased gastric adenocarcinoma risk (OR for one serving/week increase (95% CI) = 1.11 (1.02;1.20) and 1.04 (1.00;1.08), respectively), specifically among men and for non-cardia and intestinal gastric adenocarcinoma. Those who consume well done white or red meat showed higher risk of non-cardia (white: RRR = 1.57 (1.14;2.16); red: RRR = 1.42 (1.00;2.02)) and intestinal tumors (white: RRR = 1.69 (1.10;2.59); red: RRR = 1.61 (1.02;2.53)) than those with a preference for rare/medium doneness. Stewing and griddling/barbequing red and white meat, and oven baking white meat, seemed to be the cooking methods with the greatest effect over gastric adenocarcinoma. The reported associations remained similar after considering
seropositivity.
Reducing red and processed meat intake could decrease gastric adenocarcinoma risk, especially for intestinal and non-cardia tumors. Meat cooking practices could modify the risk of some gastric cancer subtypes.