In the United States, lung cancer death rates have been declining for decades, primarily as a result of pronounced decreases in cigarette smoking. It is unclear, however, whether there have been ...similar declines in mortality rates of lung cancer unrelated to smoking. We estimated trends in US lung cancer death rates attributable and not attributable to smoking from 1991 to 2018.
The study included 30- to 79-year-olds in the National Health Interview Survey who were linked to the National Death Index, 1991-2014. Adjusted hazard ratios for smoking status and lung cancer death were estimated, and age-specific population attributable fractions were calculated. Annual population attributable fractions were multiplied by annual US national lung cancer mortality, partitioning rates into smoking-attributable and smoking-unrelated lung cancer deaths. All statistical tests were 2-sided.
During 1991-2018, the proportion of never smokers increased among both men (35.1%-54.6%) and women (54.0%-65.4%). Compared with those who had ever smoked, those who had never smoked had 86% lower risk (hazard ratio = 0.14; 95% confidence interval CI = 0.12 to 0.16) of lung cancer death. The fraction of lung cancer deaths attributable to smoking decreased from 81.4% (95% CI = 78.9 to 81.4) to 74.7% (95% CI = 78.1 to 71.4). Smoking-attributable lung cancer death rates declined 2.7% per year (95% CI = ‒2.9% to ‒2.5%) and smoking-unrelated lung cancer death rates declined 1.8% per year (95% CI = ‒2.0% to ‒1.5%); these declines have accelerated in recent years.
An increasing proportion of lung cancer deaths are unrelated to smoking based on declines in smoking prevalence. Smoking-unrelated lung cancer death rates have declined, however, perhaps because of decreases in secondhand smoke and air pollution exposure as well as treatment improvements.
Primary central nervous system lymphoma (PCNSL) risk is greatly increased in immunosuppressed human immunodeficiency virus–infected people. Using data from the US transplant registry linked with 17 ...cancer registries (1987‐2014), we studied PCNSL and systemic non‐Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) in 288 029 solid organ transplant recipients. Transplant recipients had elevated incidence for PCNSL compared with the general population (standardized incidence ratio = 65.1; N = 168), and this elevation was stronger than for systemic NHL (standardized incidence ratio=11.5; N = 2043). Compared to kidney recipients, PCNSL incidence was lower in liver recipients (adjusted incidence rate ratio aIRR = 0.52), similar in heart and/or lung recipients, and higher in other/multiple organ recipients (aIRR = 2.45). PCNSL incidence was higher in Asians/Pacific Islanders than non‐Hispanic whites (aIRR = 2.09); after induction immunosuppression with alemtuzumab (aIRR = 3.12), monoclonal antibodies (aIRR = 1.83), or polyclonal antibodies (aIRR = 2.03); in recipients who were Epstein‐Barr virus–seronegative at the time of transplant and at risk of primary infection (aIRR = 1.95); and within the first 1.5 years after transplant. Compared to other recipients, those with PCNSL had increased risk of death (adjusted hazard ratio aHR = 11.79) or graft failure/retransplantation (aHR = 3.24). Recipients with PCNSL also had higher mortality than those with systemic NHL (aHR = 1.48). In conclusion, PCNSL risk is highly elevated among transplant recipients, and it carries a poor prognosis.
In a large population‐based cohort study of solid organ transplant recipients, risk of primary central nervous system lymphoma was substantially elevated, especially within the first 1.5 years after transplant and in recipients who were seronegative for Epstein–Barr virus infection, and the diagnosis was associated with higher mortality than other systemic non‐Hodgkin lymphomas.
Burkitt lymphoma (BL) is an aggressive B-cell lymphoma that occurs worldwide. A study of BL in the US National Cancer Institute's Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) program during 1973 ...to 2005 (n = 3043) revealed three age-specific incidence peaks of BL and rates that were rising. We studied BL cases diagnosed in SEER 22 during 2000 to 2019 (n = 11 626) to investigate age-specific BL incidence rates and temporal trends. The age-standardized BL incidence rate was 3.96/million person-years, with a 2.85:1 male-to-female ratio. The BL rate among both Hispanic and White individuals was higher than in Black individuals (4.52, 4.12 vs 3.14). Age-specific BL rates showed peaks during pediatric, adult and elderly years in males and pediatric and elderly peaks in females. Based on 4524 BL cases with HIV status (SEER 13), only one peak in adult males (45 years) was observed. Overall age-standardized BL incidence rates rose 1.2%/year (not significant) up to 2009 then fell significantly by 2.4%/year thereafter. Temporal trends in BL rates during 2000 to 2019 varied with age group as pediatric BL rates rose 1.1%/year, while elderly BL rates fell 1.7%/year and adult BL rates rose 3.4%/year until 2007 before falling 3.1%/year thereafter. Overall survival from BL was 64% at 2 years, being highest in pediatric patients and lowest in Black and elderly individuals vs other subgroups. Survival improved by 20% between 2000 and 2019. Our data suggest that BL age-specific incidence rates are multimodal and that overall BL rates rose up to 2009 and then fell, suggesting changes in etiological factors or diagnosis.
Abstract
Treatment of screen-detected anal high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions has been shown to effectively reduce the incidence of invasive anal cancer in people with HIV. We provide ...population-based estimates of cumulative incidence of anal cancer by risk group and age at HIV or AIDS diagnosis. The 0- to 10-year cumulative incidence of anal cancer for men who have sex with men and are younger than 30 years of age at HIV diagnosis was 0.17% (95% confidence interval CI = 0.13% to 0.20%) compared with 0.04% (95% CI = 0.02% to 0.06%) in other men and 0.03% (95% CI = 0.01% to 0.04%) in women. For men who have sex with men and have a diagnosis of AIDS and are younger than 30 years of age, the 0- to 10-year cumulative incidence was 0.35% (95% CI = 0.28% to 0.41%). Among people with HIV, men who have sex with men are at the greatest risk of anal cancer, and those with a diagnosis of AIDS had higher risk than those without AIDS. These estimates may inform recommendations for priority populations that could benefit most from anal cancer screening and treatment.
For decades, non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) incidence has been increasing worldwide. NHL risk is strongly increased among HIV-infected people. Our understanding of trends in NHL incidence has been ...hampered by difficulties in separating HIV-infected NHL cases from general population rates.
NHL incidence data during 1992-2009 were derived from 10 U.S. SEER cancer registries with information on HIV status at NHL diagnosis. The CDC estimated the number of people living with HIV in the registry areas. The proportion of NHL cases with HIV and NHL rates in the total and the HIV-uninfected populations were estimated. Time trends were assessed with Joinpoint analyses.
Of 115,643 NHL cases diagnosed during 1992-2009, 5.9% were HIV-infected. The proportions of NHL cases with HIV were highest for diffuse large B-cell (DLBCL; 7.8%), Burkitt (26.9%), and peripheral T-cell lymphomas (3.2%) with low proportions (≤1.1%) in the other subtypes. NHL rates in the total population increased 0.3% per year during 1992-2009. However, rates of NHL in HIV-uninfected people increased 1.4% per year during 1992-2003, before becoming stable through 2009. Similar trends were observed for DLBCLs and follicular lymphoma in HIV-uninfected people; rates increased 2.7% per year until 2003 and 1.7% per year until 2005, respectively, before stabilizing.
NHL incidence rates in the United States have plateaued over the last 5-10 years, independent of HIV infection.
Although the causes of the long-term increase in NHL incidence rates in the United States remain unknown, general population rates of NHL have stabilized since the early 2000s, independent of HIV.
Data on smoking and second cancer risk among cancer survivors are limited. We assessed associations between smoking before first cancer diagnosis and risk of second primary smoking-associated cancers ...among survivors of lung (stage I), bladder, kidney, and head/neck cancers.
Data were pooled from 2,552 patients with stage I lung cancer, 6,386 with bladder cancer, 3,179 with kidney cancer, and 2,967 with head/neck cancer from five cohort studies. We assessed the association between prediagnostic smoking and second smoking-associated cancer risk with proportional hazards regression, and compared these estimates to those for first smoking-associated cancers in all cohort participants.
Compared with never smoking, current smoking of ≥ 20 cigarettes per day was associated with increased second smoking-associated cancer risk among survivors of stage I lung (hazard ratio HR = 3.26; 95% CI, 0.92 to 11.6), bladder (HR = 3.67; 95% CI, 2.25 to 5.99), head/neck (HR = 4.45; 95% CI, 2.56 to 7.73), and kidney cancers (HR = 5.33; 95% CI, 2.55 to 11.1). These estimates were similar to those for first smoking-associated cancer among all cohort participants (HR = 5.41; 95% CI, 5.23 to 5.61). The 5-year cumulative incidence of second smoking-associated cancers ranged from 3% to 8% in this group of cancer survivors.
Understanding risk factors for second cancers among cancer survivors is crucial. Our data indicate that cigarette smoking before first cancer diagnosis increases second cancer risk among cancer survivors, and elevated cancer risk in these survivors is likely due to increased smoking prevalence. The high 5-year cumulative risks of smoking-associated cancers among current smoking survivors of stage I lung, bladder, kidney, and head/neck cancers highlight the importance of smoking cessation in patients with cancer.
In the United States, renal cell carcinoma (RCC) incidence and the prevalence of obesity, an established risk factor for RCC, have been increasing for several decades. RCC is more common among older ...individuals. We sought to quantify the contribution of excess adiposity to the rising incidence of RCC among individuals 60 years or older. National Institutes of Health‐American Association of Retired Persons Diet and Health Study data (n = 453 859 participants, enrolled in 1995‐1996, age at enrollment 50‐71 years) were used to estimate multivariable‐adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) for RCC across body mass index categories and HRs associated with smoking. Population attributable fractions (PAFs) were calculated using estimated HRs and annual overweight/obesity prevalence from the National Health Interview Survey (1985‐2008). PAF estimates were combined with RCC incidence from Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results‐13 to calculate annual percent changes in RCC incidence attributable (and unrelated) to overweight/obesity. We found that between 1995 and 2018, among individuals aged 60 years and older, PAF for overweight/obesity increased from 18% to 29% for all RCCs. In comparison, the PAF for smoking declined from 12% to 9%. RCC incidence increased 1.8% per year (95% confidence interval CI 1.5%‐2.1%) overall, while RCC incidence attributable to overweight/obesity increased 3.8% per year (95%CI 3.5%‐4.2%) and RCC incidence unrelated to overweight/obesity increased 1.2% per year (95% CI 0.9%‐1.4%). In conclusion, overweight/obesity appears to have contributed importantly to the rising incidence of RCC in the United States since the mid‐1990s. Public health interventions focused on reducing overweight and obesity could help substantially in curbing this trend.
What's new?
Smoking and obesity are two established risk factors for renal cell carcinoma (RCC). This study estimated that the fraction of RCCs attributable to overweight/obesity increased from 18% to 29% during 1995 to 2018, while the fraction attributable to smoking decreased from 12% to 9%. The incidence of overweight/obesity‐attributable RCC increased more rapidly than that of overweight/obesity‐unrelated RCC (3.7% vs 1.1% annually). Overweight/obesity may be a driving factor in the rising incidence of RCC in the United States, and public health interventions focused on reducing overweight and obesity could help curb the trend.
Lung cancer and tuberculosis cause significant morbidity and mortality worldwide. Tuberculosis may increase lung cancer risk through substantial and prolonged pulmonary inflammation. However, ...prospective data on tuberculosis and lung cancer risk are limited.
Our study included 29,133 Finnish male smokers followed prospectively in the Alpha-Tocopherol, Beta-Carotene Cancer Prevention Study (1985-2005). Lung cancers were identified through linkage with the Finnish Cancer Registry, and hospital-treated tuberculosis cases were ascertained from the National Hospital Discharge Register. We assessed the association between tuberculosis and lung cancer risk with proportional hazards regression models, adjusting for age and cigarette smoking.
Forty-four lung cancer cases occurred among 273 men with tuberculosis (incidence rate = 1,786 per 100,000 person-years). Tuberculosis was associated with a two-fold elevation in lung cancer risk (HR = 1.97; 95% CI = 1.46-2.65) with significant associations observed for both incident (HR = 2.05; 95% CI = 1.42-2.96) and prevalent tuberculosis (HR = 1.82; 95% CI = 1.09-3.02). Lung cancer risk was greatest in the 2-year window after tuberculosis diagnosis (HR = 5.01; 95% CI = 2.96-8.48) but remained elevated at longer latencies (HR = 1.53; 95% CI = 1.07-2.20). Though tuberculosis was associated with an increased risk of squamous cell carcinoma (HR = 3.71), adenocarcinoma (HR = 1.71), small cell carcinoma (HR = 1.72), and lung cancer of other (HR = 1.23) and unknown histologies (HR = 1.35), only the association for squamous cell carcinoma was statistically significant.
Tuberculosis is associated with increased lung cancer risk in male smokers.
Our results add to the growing body of evidence implicating chronic inflammation and pulmonary scarring in the etiology of lung cancer.
Abstract
Human papillomavirus (HPV)-associated anal and oropharyngeal cancer incidence has increased in recent years among US women. However, trends in incidence and burden (annual number of cases) ...of noncervical HPV-associated cancers relative to cervical cancer remain unclear. Using the 2001-2017 US cancer statistics dataset, we evaluated contemporary incidence trends and burden (annual number of cases) of HPV-associated cancers among women by anatomic site, race or ethnicity, and age. Overall, cervical cancer incidence plateaued among White women but continued to decline among Black and Hispanic women. Anal cancer incidence surpassed cervical cancer incidence among White women aged 65-74 years of age (8.6 and 8.2 per 100 000 in 2015) and 75 years or older (6.2 and 6.0 per 100 000 in 2014). The noncervical cancer burden (n = 11 871) surpassed the cervical cancer burden (n = 11 527) in 2013. Development of efficacious screening strategies for noncervical cancers and continued improvement in cervical cancer prevention are needed to combat HPV-associated cancers among women.