Cadmium (Cd) is a known carcinogen, but its impact on cancer risk at lower concentrations is poorly understood. Previous studies on Cd and cancer risk in men show inconsistent results, prompting ...further investigation. A prospective cohort study involving 2956 men was conducted. Blood Cd levels were measured, and participants were followed for 78 months to assess cancer incidence. Men with high blood Cd levels (>0.71 µg/L) had a significantly increased risk of cancer compared to those with low levels (<0.19 µg/L) (HR 3.42,
< 0.001), particularly among non-smokers (HR 3.74,
= 0.003), individuals aged < 60 years (HR 2.79,
= 0.017), and ≥60 (HR 4.63,
= 0.004). The influence of smoking on cancer risk based on Cd levels was not significant in this study. Blood Cd levels may influence cancer risk in men, emphasizing the importance of minimizing Cd exposure to reduce risk. Confirmation of these results in other populations is essential for effective preventive measures against Cd-related cancers.
The most prevalent type of cancer among males is prostate cancer. Survival is considered quite good, but it can be further improved when risk factors are optimized. One of these factors is ...micronutrients, including Se and Zn. To our knowledge, the interaction between Se and Zn and prostate cancer remains undescribed. This study aimed to investigate the optimal levels of selenium (Se) and zinc (Zn) and their impact on the survival of individuals diagnosed with prostate cancer. A total of 338 prostate cancer patients were enrolled in this study, which was conducted in Poland between 2009 and 2015. Mass spectrometry, which uses inductively coupled plasma mass, was used to assess serum element levels before treatment. The study participants were categorized into quartiles (QI-QIV) based on the distributions of Se and Zn levels observed among surviving participants. Cox regression was used to assess the association between serum Se and Zn levels and the survival of prostate cancer patients. Our results reveal the effect of combined Se and Zn levels on survival in prostate cancer patients (SeQI-ZnQI vs. SeQIV-ZnQIV; HR = 20.9). These results need further research to establish Se/Zn norms for different populations.
Background Breast cancer in men accounts for fewer than 1 % of all breast cancer cases diagnosed in men and women. Genes which predispose to male breast cancer include BRCA1 and BRCA2. The role of ...other genes is less clear. In Poland, 20 founder mutations in BRCA1, BRCA2, CHEK2, PALB2, NBN, RECQL are responsible for the majority of hereditary breast cancer cases in women, but the utility this genes panel has not been tested in men. Methods We estimated the prevalence of 20 alleles in six genes (BRCA1, BRCA2, CHEK2, PALB2, NBN, RECQL) in 165 Polish male breast cancer patients. We compared the frequency of selected variants in male breast cancer cases and controls. Results One of the 20 mutations was seen in 22 of 165 cases (13.3%). Only one BRCA1 mutation and two BRCA2 mutations were found. We observed statistically significant associations for PALB2 and CHEK2 truncating mutations. A PALB2 mutation was detected in four cases (OR = 11.66; p < 0.001). A CHEK2 truncating mutation was detected in five cases (OR = 2.93;p = 0.02). Conclusion In conclusion, we recommend that a molecular test for BRCA1, BRCA2, PALB2 and CHEK2 recurrent mutations should be offered to male breast cancer patients in Poland. Keywords: BRCA1, BRCA2, PALB2, CHEK2, NBN, RECQL, Mutation, Male breast cancer
There is emerging interest in the relationship between several serum micronutrients and the prognosis of patients with breast cancer. The relationship between serum zinc and copper levels and breast ...cancer prognosis is unclear. In our study, we included 583 patients with breast cancer diagnosed between 2008 and 2015 in the region of Szczecin, Poland. In a blood sample obtained before treatment, serum zinc and copper levels were quantified by mass spectroscopy. Each patient was assigned to one of four categories (quartiles) based on the distribution of the elements in the entire cohort. Patients were followed from diagnosis to death over a mean of 10.0 years. The 10-year overall survival was 58.3% for women in the highest and 82.1% for those in the lowest quartile of serum copper/zinc ratio (
< 0.001). The multivariate hazard ratio (HR) for breast cancer death was 2.07 (95% CI 1.17-3.63;
= 0.01) for patients in the highest quartile of serum copper/zinc ratio compared to those in the lowest. There is evidence that the serum zinc level and copper/zinc ratio provide an independent predictive value for overall survival and breast cancer-specific survival after breast cancer diagnosis.
In a prospective study, we measured the associations between three serum elements (Se, Zn and Cu) and the prognosis of 1475 patients with four different types of cancer (breast, prostate, lung and ...larynx) from University Hospitals in Szczecin, Poland. The elements were measured in serum taken after diagnosis and prior to treatment. Patients were followed from the date of diagnosis until death from any cause or until the last follow-up date (mean years of follow-up: 6.0-9.8 years, according to site). Kaplan-Meier curves were constructed for all cancers combined and for each cancer separately. Age-adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) were estimated using Cox regression. The outcome was all-cause mortality. A Se level in the highest quartile was also associated with a reduced mortality (HR = 0.66; 95%CI 0.49-0.88;
= 0.005) in all-cause mortality for all cancers combined. Zn level in the highest quartile was also associated with reduced mortality (HR = 0.55; 95%CI 0.41-0.75;
= 0.0001). In contrast, a Cu level in the highest quartile was associated with an increase in mortality (HR = 1.91; 95%CI 1.56-2.08;
= 0.0001). Three serum elements-selenium, zinc and copper-are associated with the prognosis of different types of cancer.
Many
BRCA1
mutation carriers undergo elective surgical oophorectomy (often before menopause) to manage their elevated risk of developing ovarian cancer. It is important to clarify whether or not the ...use of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) to mitigate the symptoms associated with surgical or natural menopause is safe in women with an inherited
BRCA1
mutation and no personal history of breast or ovarian cancer. We conducted a case–control analysis of 432 matched pairs of women with a
BRCA1
mutation. Detailed information on HRT use after menopause (duration, type, age at first/last use, formulation) was obtained from a research questionnaire administered at the time of study enrollment. Conditional logistic regression was used to estimate the odds ratio (OR) and 95 % confidence intervals (CI) associated with HRT use. The mean duration of HRT use after menopause was 4.3 years among the cases and 4.4 years among the controls (
P
= 0.83). The adjusted OR for breast cancer comparing all women who ever used HRT to those who never used HRT was 0.80 (95 % CI 0.55–1.16;
P
= 0.24). Findings did not differ by type of menopause (natural vs. surgical), by recency of use, by duration of use, and by formulation type. These findings suggest that a short course of HRT should not be contra-indicated for
BRCA1
mutation carriers who have undergone menopause and who have no personal history of cancer.
In a recent prospective study, we reported an association between a low serum selenium level and five-year survival among breast cancer patients. We now have updated the cohort to include 10-year ...survival rates. A blood sample was obtained from 538 women diagnosed with first primary invasive breast cancer between 2008 and 2015 in the region of Szczecin, Poland. Blood was collected before initiation of treatment. Serum selenium levels were quantified by mass spectroscopy. Each patient was assigned to one of four quartiles based on the distribution of serum selenium levels in the whole cohort. Patients were followed from diagnosis until death or last known alive (mean follow-up 7.9 years). The 10-year actuarial cumulative survival was 65.1% for women in the lowest quartile of serum selenium, compared to 86.7% for women in the highest quartile (
< 0.001 for difference). Further studies are needed to confirm the protective effect of selenium on breast cancer survival. If confirmed this may lead to an investigation of selenium supplementation on survival of breast cancer patients.
BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations contribute to both breast cancer and ovarian cancer worldwide. In Poland approximately 4% of patients with breast cancers and 10% of patients with ovarian cancer carry a ...mutation in BRCA1. The majority of mutations consist of three founder mutations. A rapid inexpensive test for these three mutations can be used to screen all Polish adults at a reasonable cost. In the region of Pomerania of North-western Poland nearly half a million tests have been performed, in large part through engaging family doctors and providing ready access to testing through the Pomeranian Medical University. The following commentary provides a history of genetic testing for cancer in Pomerania and the current approach to facilitating access to genetic testing at the Cancer Family Clinic for all adults living in the region.
In addition to several well-established breast cancer (BC) susceptibility genes, the contribution of other candidate genes to BC risk remains mostly undefined.
is a potentially predisposing BC gene, ...however, the rarity of its mutations and an insufficient family/study size have hampered corroboration and estimation of the associated cancer risks. To clarify the role of
mutations in BC predisposition, a comprehensive case-control association study of a recurring nonsense mutation c.1690C>T (p.Q564X) was performed, comprising ~14,000 unselected BC patients and ~5900 controls from Polish and Belarusian populations. For comparisons, two
variants of unknown significance were also genotyped. We detected the highest number of
variants in BC cases in any individual
-specific study, including 38 p.Q564X mutations. The p.Q564X was associated with a moderately increased risk of BC (OR = 2.30,
= 0.04). The estimated risk was even higher for triple-negative BC and bilateral BC. As expected, the two tested variants of unknown significance did not show significant associations with BC risk. Our study provides substantial evidence for the association of a deleterious
mutation with BC as a low/moderate risk allele. The p.Q564X was shown to be a Central European recurrent mutation with potential relevance for future genetic testing.
The aim of the study was to analyze the frequency and magnitude of association of 21 recurrent founder germline mutations in
,
,
,
, and
genes with ovarian cancer risk among unselected patients in ...Poland. We genotyped 21 recurrent germline mutations in
(9 mutations),
(4 mutations),
(3 mutations),
(2 mutations), and
(3 mutations) among 2270 Polish ovarian cancer patients and 1743 healthy controls, and assessed the odds ratios (OR) for developing ovarian cancer for each gene. Mutations were detected in 369 out of 2095 (17.6%) unselected ovarian cancer cases and 117 out of 1743 (6.7%) unaffected controls. The ovarian cancer risk was associated with mutations in
(OR = 40.79, 95% CI: 18.67-114.78;
= 0.29 × 10
), in
(OR = 25.98; 95% CI: 1.55-434.8;
= 0.001), in
(OR = 6.28; 95% CI 1.77-39.9;
= 0.02), and in
(OR 3.34; 95% CI: 1.06-14.68;
= 0.06). There was no association found for
We found that pathogenic mutations in
,
,
or
are responsible for 12.5% of unselected cases of ovarian cancer. We recommend that all women with ovarian cancer in Poland and first-degree female relatives should be tested for this panel of 18 mutations.
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