Prospective studies have indicated that elevated blood glucose levels may be linked with increased cancer risk, but the strength of the association is unclear. We examined the association between ...blood glucose and cancer risk in a prospective study of six European cohorts.
The Metabolic syndrome and Cancer project (Me-Can) includes cohorts from Norway, Austria, and Sweden; the current study included 274,126 men and 275,818 women. Mean age at baseline was 44.8 years and mean follow-up time was 10.4 years. Excluding the first year of follow-up, 18,621 men and 11,664 women were diagnosed with cancer, and 6,973 men and 3,088 women died of cancer. We used Cox regression models to calculate relative risk (RR) for glucose levels, and included adjustment for body mass index (BMI) and smoking status in the analyses. RRs were corrected for regression dilution ratio of glucose. RR (95% confidence interval) per 1 mmol/l increment of glucose for overall incident cancer was 1.05 (1.01-1.10) in men and 1.11 (1.05-1.16) in women, and corresponding RRs for fatal cancer were 1.15 (1.07-1.22) and 1.21 (1.11-1.33), respectively. Significant increases in risk among men were found for incident and fatal cancer of the liver, gallbladder, and respiratory tract, for incident thyroid cancer and multiple myeloma, and for fatal rectal cancer. In women, significant associations were found for incident and fatal cancer of the pancreas, for incident urinary bladder cancer, and for fatal cancer of the uterine corpus, cervix uteri, and stomach.
Data from our study indicate that abnormal glucose metabolism, independent of BMI, is associated with an increased risk of cancer overall and at several cancer sites. Our data showed stronger associations among women than among men, and for fatal cancer compared to incident cancer. Please see later in the article for the Editors' Summary.
Purpose: To assess the association between height and risk of cancer and cancer death. Methods: The metabolic syndrome and cancer project is a prospective pooled cohort study of 585,928 participants ...from seven cohorts in Austria, Norway, and Sweden. Hazard ratios (HRs) and 95 % confidence intervals (CIs) for cancer incidence and death were estimated in height categories and per 5-cm increment for each cancer site using Cox proportional hazards model. Results: During a mean follow-up of 12.7 years (SD = 7.2), 38,862 participants were diagnosed with cancer and 13,547 participants died of cancer. Increased height (per 5-cm increment) was associated with an increased overall cancer risk in women, HR 1.07 (95 % CI 1.06–1.09), and in men, HR 1.04 (95 % CI 1.03–1.06). The highest HR was seen for malignant melanoma in women, HR 1.17 (95 % CI 1.11–1.24), and in men HR 1.12 (95 % CI 1.08–1.19). Height was also associated with increased risk of cancer death in women, HR 1.03 (95 % CI 1.01–1.16), and in men, HR 1.03 (95 % CI 1.01–1.05). The highest HR was observed for breast cancer death in postmenopausal women (>60 years), HR 1.10 (95 % CI 1.00–1.21), and death from renal cell carcinoma in men, HR 1.18 (95 % CI 1.07–1.30). All these associations were independent of body mass index. Conclusion: Height was associated with risk of cancer and cancer death indicating that factors related to height such as hormonal and genetic factors stimulate both cancer development and progression.
Obesity is associated with an increased risk of esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC) and a decreased risk of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). However, little is known about the risk of EAC and ...ESCC related to other metabolic risk factors. We aimed to examine the risk of EAC and ESCC in relation to metabolic risk factors, separately and combined in a prospective cohort study.
The Metabolic Syndrome and Cancer cohort includes prospective cohorts in Austria, Norway and Sweden, with blood pressure, lipids, glucose and BMI available from 578 700 individuals. Relative risk (RR) for EAC and ESCC was calculated using Cox's proportional hazards analysis for metabolic risk factors categorized into quintiles and transformed into z-scores. The standardized sum of all z-scores was used as a composite score for the metabolic syndrome (MetS).
In total, 324 histologically verified cases of esophageal cancer were identified (114 EAC, 184 ESCC and 26 with other histology). BMI was associated with an increased risk of EAC (RR 7.34 (95% confidence interval, 2.88-18.7) top versus bottom quintile) and negatively associated with the risk of ESCC (RR 0.38 (0.23-0.62)). The mean value of systolic and diastolic blood pressure (mid blood pressure) was associated with the risk of ESCC (RR 1.77 (1.37-2.29)). The composite MetS score was associated with the risk of EAC (RR 1.56 (1.19-2.05) per one unit increase of z-score) but not ESCC.
In accordance with previous studies, high BMI was associated with an increased risk of EAC and a decreased risk of ESCC. An association between high blood pressure and risk of ESCC was observed but alcohol consumption is a potential confounding factor that we were not able to adjust for in the analysis. The MetS was associated with EAC but not ESCC. However this association was largely driven by the strong association between BMI and EAC. We hypothesize that this association is more likely to be explained by factors directly related to obesity than the metabolic state of the MetS, considering that no other metabolic factor than BMI was associated with EAC.
Elevated γ-Glutamyltransferase serum levels are associated with increased risk of overall cancer incidence and several site-specific malignancies. In the present prospective study we report on the ...associations of serum γ-Glutamyltransferase with the risk of breast cancer in a pooled population-based cohort considering established life style risk factors.
Two cohorts were included in the present study, i.e. the Vorarlberg (n = 97,268) and the Malmoe cohort (n = 9,790). Cox proportional hazards regression models were fitted to estimate HRs for risk of breast cancer.
In multivariate analysis adjusted for age, body mass index and smoking status, women with γ-Glutamyltransferase levels in the top quartile were at significantly higher risk for breast cancer compared to women in the lowest quartile (HR 1.21, 95% CI 1.09 to 1.35; p = 0.005). In the subgroup analysis of the Malmoe cohort, γ-Glutamyltransferase remained an independent risk factor for breast cancer when additionally considering alcohol intake. A statistically significant increase in risk was seen in women with γ-Glutamyltransferase-levels in the top versus lowest quartile in a multivariate model adjusted for age, body mass index, smoking status, physical activity, parity, oral contraceptive-use and alcohol consumption (HR 1.37, 95% CI 1.11-1.69, p = 0.006).
Our findings identified γ-Glutamyltransferase as an independent risk factor for breast cancer beyond the consumption of alcohol and other life style risk factors.
The relationship between Helicobacter pylori infection and pancreatic cancer has been investigated in three previous studies with contradictory results. The aim of the present study was to ...investigate the association between H. pylori seropositivity and the risk for pancreatic cancer in a nested case-control study within a population based cohort.
Selected birth-year cohorts (born 1921-1949) of residents in Malmö, Sweden, were invited to a health screening investigation. A total of 33 346 subjects participated. Cases with pancreatic cancer (n = 87) were matched to controls (n = 263) using age, sex and time for baseline investigation as matching variables. H. pylori serology was analysed in stored serum samples using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Odds ratios (OR) for pancreatic cancer were calculated with 95% confidence intervals (CI) using logistic regression.
H. pylori seropositivity was not associated with pancreatic cancer in the total cohort (adjusted OR 1.25 (0.75-2.09)). However, a statistically significant association was found in never smokers (OR 3.81 (1.06-13.63) adjusted for alcohol consumption) and a borderline statistically significant association was found in subjects with low alcohol consumption (OR 2.13 (0.97-4.69) adjusted for smoking).
We conclude that no association between H. pylori infection and the risk for pancreatic cancer was found in the total cohort. However, in never smokers and in subjects with low risk alcohol consumption, a positive H. pylori serology was associated with an increased risk for pancreatic cancer. These findings should be interpreted cautiously due to the limited number of cases in these subgroups.
The aim of this study was to investigate the association between factors in metabolic syndrome (MetS; single and combined) and the risk of pancreatic cancer.
The Metabolic Syndrome and Cancer Project ...is a pooled cohort containing data on body mass index, blood pressure, and blood levels of glucose, cholesterol, and triglycerides. During follow-up, 862 individuals were diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. Cox proportional hazards analysis was used to calculate relative risks (RR) with 95% confidence intervals using the above-mentioned factors categorized into quintiles and transformed into z-scores. All z-scores were summarized and a second z-transformation creating a composite z-score for MetS was done. All risk estimates were calibrated to correct for a regression dilution bias.
The trend over quintiles was positively associated with the risk of pancreatic cancer for mid-blood pressure (mid-BP) and glucose in men and for body mass index, mid-BP, and glucose in women. The z-score for the adjusted mid-BP (RR, 1.10; 1.01-1.20) and the calibrated z-score for glucose (RR, 1.37; 1.14-1.34) were positively associated with pancreatic cancer in men. In women, a positive association was found for calibrated z-scores for mid-BP (RR, 1.34; 1.08-1.66), for the calibrated z-score for glucose (RR, 1.98; 1.41-2.76), and for the composite z-score for MetS (RR, 1.58; 1.34-1.87).
Our study adds further evidence to a possible link between abnormal glucose metabolism and risk of pancreatic cancer.
To our knowledge, this is the first study on MetS and pancreatic cancer using prediagnostic measurements of the examined factors.
Purpose: Little is known about the association between the metabolic syndrome (MetS) and the risk of gastric adenocarcinoma. The aim of this study was to investigate whether metabolic risk factors, ...together or combined, were associated with the risk of gastric adenocarcinoma. Methods: The Metabolic Syndrome and Cancer Project (Me-Can) is a pooling of prospective cohorts in Austria, Norway, and Sweden with information on blood pressure, lipids, glucose, and BMI available in 578,700 individuals. Cox proportional hazards analysis was used to calculate hazard ratio (HR) of gastric adenocarcinoma using metabolic risk factors categorized into quintiles and transformed into z-scores (with mean = 0 and SD = 1). The standardized sum of all z-scores created a composite MetS score. Results: In total, 1,210 incident cases of gastric adenocarcinoma were identified. Glucose was significantly associated with the risk of gastric adenocarcinoma calibrated HR 1.58 (1.14–2.20) per one unit increment in z-score in women. There was a statistically significant association between triglycerides and risk of gastric adenocarcinoma per mmol increment in triglycerides HR 1.20 (1.06–1.36) per mmol but not for the adjusted z-score in women. There were no significant association between any metabolic factors and gastric cancer among men. The composite MetS score was associated with the risk of gastric adenocarcinoma in women HR 1.18 (1.00–1.38) per one unit increment in z-score but not in men. Conclusions: Glucose and high levels of the composite MetS score were associated with an increased risk of gastric adenocarcinoma in women but not in men.
There are few data on the joint influence of metabolic factors on risk of separate cancers.
We analysed data on body mass index, blood pressure and plasma levels of glucose, total cholesterol and ...triglycerides from seven European cohorts comprising 564 596 men and women with a mean age of 44 years. We weighted those factors equally into a standardized metabolic risk score MRS, mean = 0, standard deviation (SD) = 1, with an individual's level indicated as SDs from the sex- and cohort-specific means. Cancer hazard ratios were calculated by Cox regression with age as timescale and with relevant adjustments including smoking status. All statistical tests were two-sided.
During a mean follow-up of 12 years, 21 593 men and 14 348 women were diagnosed with cancer. MRS was linearly and positively associated with incident cancer in total and at sites (P < 0.05). In men, risk per SD MRS was increased by 43% (95% confidence interval: 27-61) for renal cell cancer, 43% (16-76) for liver cancer, 29% (20-38) for colon cancer, 27% (5-54) for oesophageal cancer, 20% (9-31) for rectal cancer, 19% (4-37) for leukaemias, 15% (1-30) for oral cancer and 10% (2-19) for bladder cancer. In women, risk increases per SD MRS were 56% (42-70) for endometrial cancer, 53% (29-81) for pancreatic cancer, 40% (16-67) for renal cell cancer, 27% (9-47) for cervical cancer and 17% (3-32) for rectal cancer.
This largest study to date on the joint influence of metabolic factors on risk of separate cancers showed increased risks for several cancers, in particular renal cell and liver cancer in men and endometrial and pancreatic cancer in women.
Abstract Background The revised Atlanta classification on acute pancreatitis (AP) presents distinct criteria for severity categorization. Due to the lack of reliable prognostic markers, a majority of ...patients with AP are currently hospitalized and initially managed identically. As incidence and financial costs are rising the need for early severity differentiation will increase. This study aimed to investigate the capacity of biomarkers to stratify AP patients during the initial course of the disease. Methods Patients with AP were prospectively enrolled and dichotomized into mild or non-mild (moderately severe and severe AP) according to the revised Atlanta classification. Serum samples taken within 13–36 h after onset of disease were analyzed for 20 biomarkers. Through receiver operating curves cut-off levels were set for 5 biomarkers whose stratifying ability was further analyzed. Additionally, the patients were classified according to the harmless acute pancreatitis score (HAPS). Results Among the 175 patients, 70.9% had mild and 29.1% non-mild AP. CRP and IL-6 combined, with cut-off levels 57.0 and 23.6 respectively, demonstrated superior discriminative capacity with an area under the curve of 0.803, sensitivity 98%, specificity 54% and a positive and negative likelihood ratio of 2.1 and 0.06 for the non-mild group. Regarding the mild group likelihood ratios were positive 26.5 and negative 0.48. The identification potential of the HAPS was generally inferior when compared to CRP plus IL-6. Conclusions In this study CRP and IL-6 demonstrate a clinically relevant capacity to differentiate mild from non-mild AP early in the course of AP.
Laparoscopic transcystic common bile duct (CBD) exploration is a safe single-stage procedure for CBD stone clearance. The aim of this report was to describe our experience of transcystic laser ...lithotripsy in patients with complex CBD stones.
Data from consecutive patients treated with transcystic holmium:YAG laser lithotripsy was collected and analyzed concerning age, sex, number of stones, duct clearance, conversions, operation time, complications, and hospital stay.
Duct clearance was achieved in all (n=8) patients as a single-stage procedure, although 1 had to be converted to open surgery. Median operation time was 225 minutes and hospital stay was 2 days. There was no postoperative morbidity or mortality.
Laparoscopic transcystic use of holmium:YAG laser for complex CBD stones seems safe and efficient even though operation time is long. The technique has the potential of completing the treatment armamentarium for transcystic laparoscopic clearance of difficult CBD stones.
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