Cancer Prevention Research Papers - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Delays in follow-up after cancer screening contribute to racial/ethnic disparities in cancer outcomes. We evaluated a patient navigator intervention among innercity women with breast abnormalities. A full-time patient navigator supported patients using the care management model. Female patients 18 years and above, referred to an urban, hospital-based, diagnostic breast health practice from January to June 2000 (preintervention) and November 2001 to February 2003 (intervention), were studied. Timely follow-up was defined as arrival to diagnostic evaluation within 120 days from the date the original appointment was scheduled. Data were collected via computerized registration, medical records, and patient interview. Bivariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were conducted, comparing preintervention and intervention groups, with propensity score analysis and time trend analysis to address the limitations of the pre-post design. 314 patients were scheduled preintervention; 1018, during the intervention. Overall, mean age was 44 years; 40% black, 36% non-Hispanic white, 14%

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- Cancer, Cancer Prevention, Adolescent, Minority Groups

... have been personalized by including recipients&amp;amp;amp;#x27; demographic characteristics (eg, gender, ethnicity) or other identifying characteristics (eg, the person&amp;amp;amp;#x27;s name or occupation) in an effort to promote various health ... Health Psychology, 22(1), 6067. ... The role of self-affirmation in con.

- by Richard Petty
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- Communication, Cancer Prevention, Attitude change, Communication and media Studies
- by Geir Hoff
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- Gastroenterology, Cancer Prevention, Multivariate Analysis, Colonoscopy

Wstęp: Wobec stałego wzrostu zachorowalności na nowotwory złośliwe - koniecznym stało się opracowanie prostych zaleceń, które wpłyną na kształtowanie motywacji, wiedzy i umiejętności niezbędnych do zdrowego stylu życia. W 1987 roku Komisja Ekspertów sporządziła Europejski Kodeks Walki z Rakiem (Kodeks).
Cel: Europejski Kodeks Walki z Rakiem jako narzędzie służące do obniżenia zachorowalności i umieralności na nowotwory złośliwe.
Materiał i metoda: Autorskie tłumaczenie 4. Edycji Kodeksu wraz z analizą podstawowych wskaźników statystycznych z bazy Globocan i Krajowego Rejestru Nowotworów.
Wyniki: Obserwowany na świecie wzrost liczby zachorowań na nowotwory złośliwe wynika przede wszystkim ze starzenia się społeczeństwa, ekspozycji na czynniki ryzyka oraz postępu w zakresie technik diagnostycznych, zwłaszcza obrazowych (w Polsce dodatkowo z opóźnienia we wprowadzeniu populacyjnych badań przesiewowych i niskiego wskaźnika uczestnictwa w tych badaniach co przekłada się na wyniki leczenia). Badania epidemiologiczne przeprowadzone na świecie dowiodły, że przynajmniej 1/3 zachorowań na nowotwory złośliwe można uniknąć poprzez zdrowy styl życia a kolejnych 1/3 można wcześnie wykryć (tzn. przed wystąpieniem objawów klinicznych) i skutecznie leczyć. Kodeks to 12. zaleceń: Nie pal! Uczyń dom miejscem wolnym od dymu tytoniowego! Dbaj o utrzymanie prawidłowej masy ciała! Bądź aktywny fizycznie! Odżywiaj się zdrowo! Ogranicz spożycie alkoholu! Rozsądnie korzystaj ze słońca! Chroń się przed szkodliwym działaniem substancji rakotwórczych! Chroń się przed szkodliwym promieniowaniem! Staraj się karmić piersią, ogranicz HTZ. Pamiętaj o szczepieniach! Uczestnicz w programach badań przesiewowych w kierunku: wczesnego wykrywania raka piersi, szyjki macicy, jelita grubego!
Wnioski: Jak wykazują badania epidemiologiczne ponad 80% czynników ryzyka zachorowania na nowotwory złośliwe związanych jest z szeroko rozumianym stylem życia. Dane Krajowego Rejestru Nowotworów potwierdzają tezę, iż globalne starzenie się społeczeństwa nie jest jedynym czynnikiem odpowiadającym za wzrost liczby zachorowań na nowotwory i można doprowadzić do zmniejszenia
zachorowalności i umieralności na pewne typy nowotworów. Poprzez budowanie świadomości onkologicznej (m.in. upowszechnianie zaleceń Europejskiego Kodeksu Walki z Rakiem) i dążenie do poprawy jakości życia ludności, stwarzanie warunków do zmiany postaw i kształtowanie odpowiedniej motywacji opartej na wiedzy i umiejętności w zakresie zdrowego stylu życia oraz korzyściach z wczesnego wykrycia choroby można doprowadzić do obniżenia zachorowalności i umieralności Polaków z przyczyn raka piersi-w przeciwnym razie za 20-40 lat nie będzie miał nas kto leczyć i za co leczyć.

- by Agnieszka Dyzmann-Sroka
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- Education, Health Promotion, Cancer Prevention

Azadirachta indica (neem tree) is used in traditional Indian medicine for its pharmacological properties including cancer prevention and treatment. Here, we studied a neem extract's anti-inflammatory potential via the nuclear factor-jB (NF-jB) signaling pathway, linked to cancer, inflammation, and apoptosis. Cultured human leukemia cells were treated with a methanolic neem leaf extract with or without tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-a stimulation. Inhibition of NF-jB activity was demonstrated by luciferase assay and electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA). Inhibition of viability by neem extracts was assessed by luminescent assays. Western blot analysis allowed assessing the inhibitory effect of the neem extract on TNF-a-induced degradation of inhibitor of jB (IjB) and nuclear translocation of the NF-jB p50/p65 heterodimer. Inhibition of IjB kinase (IKK) activity was shown as well as the effect of neem extract on the induction of apoptotic cell death mechanisms by nuclear fragmentation analysis and flow cytometry analysis. In conclusion, our data provide evidence for a strong effect of the neem extract on proinflammatory cell signaling and apoptotic cell death mechanisms, contributing to a better understanding of the mechanisms triggered by Azadirachta indica.

- by Claudia Cerella
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- Flow Cytometry, Cancer Prevention, Cell Death, Western blot

It has been demonstrated for the first time that a wheat germ extract prevents colonic cancer in laboratory animals. Four-week-old inbred male F-344 rats were used in the study. Colon carcinogenesis has been induced by azoxymethane (AOM). Ten rats served as untreated controls (group 1). For the treatment of the animals in group 2, AOM was dissolved in physiologic saline and the animals were given three subcutaneous injections 1 week apart, 15 mg/kg body weight (b/w) each. In two additional groups Avemar (MSC), a fermented wheat germ extract standardized to 2,6-dimethoxy-p-benzoquinone was administered as a tentative chemo-preventive agent. MSC was dissolved in water and was given by gavage at a dose of 3 g/kg b/w once a day. In group 3, animals started to receive MSC 2 weeks prior to the first injection of AOM daily and continuously thereafter until they were killed 32 weeks later. In group 4 the basal diet and MSC were administered only. At the end of the experiment all the rats were killed by exsanguination, the abdominal large vessels were cut under a light ether anesthesia and a complete autopsy was performed. Percentage of animals developing colon tumors and number of tumors per animals: group 1 -0 and 0; group 2-83.0 and 2.3; group 3 -44.8 (P < 0.001) and 1.3 (P < 0.004), group 4 -0 and 0. All the tumors were of neoplastic nature also histologically. The numbers of the aberrant crypt foci (ACF) per area (cm 2 ) in group 2 were 4.85 while in group 3 the ACF numbers were 2.03 only (P < 0.0001).

- by Mate Hidvegi
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- Natural Products, Cancer, Cancer Biology, Cancer Prevention

Existe amplia evidencia científica que vincula al tabaquismo con la mortalidad. Para estimar el costo de la mortalidad anual atribuible al tabaco (MAT) para adultos en Argentina se utilizaron datos de prevalencia de consumo de fumadores y ex fumadores (SEDRONAR), riesgos relativos de muerte por las patologías relevantes (Cancer Prevention Study II), muertes por dichas enfermedades y el valor de la consecuente productividad perdida. Se concluye que en el 2000, se produjeron 39.131 MAT en Argentina en los mayores de 35 años (16% de las de ese grupo). El costo anual medido como pérdida de ingresos futuros por mortalidad prematura fue de 469 millones de pesos, implicando esto $14 por habitante y 0,17% del PBI del año 2000. También se encontraron diferencias debidas a cada causa de mortalidad por sexo y edad.

- by Raul Pitarque
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- Cancer Prevention

Worldwide human papillomavirus (HPV) prevalence in women with normal cytology at any given point in time is approximately 10% indicating that HPV is one of the most common sexually transmitted infections. HPV-16 is consistently the most common type and HPV-18 the second with some minor regional differences. Furthermore, across the spectrum of cervical lesions, HPV-16 is consistently the most common HPV type contributing to 50-55% of invasive cervical cancer cases strongly suggesting that this viral type has a biological advantage for transmission, persistency and transformation. The same phenomenon is observed albeit at a lower level for HPV-18 and HPV-45.

- by Nubia Munoz and +1
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- Natural History, Cancer Prevention, Biological Sciences, HUMAN PAPILLOMAVIRUS

Prostate cancer chemoprevention represents a relatively new and promising strategy for reducing the immense public health burden of this devastating cancer of men in the United States and Western societies. Chemoprevention is defined as the administration of agents (drugs, biologics, and natural products) that modulate (inhibit) one or more steps in the multistage carcinogenesis process culminating in invasive adenocarcinoma of the prostate. In 2000, there were an estimated 170,000 new cases of prostate cancer and 31,000 deaths in the United States. During the past decade, the National Cancer Institute (NCI) organized the chemoprevention research program and began testing the first generation of promising agents (eg, 4-(hydroxy)-fenretinide [4-HPR], difluoromethylornithine [DFMO], antiandrogens) in high-risk cohorts and launched the first-large scale US phase 3 primary prevention trial, known as Prostate Cancer Prevention Trial (PCPT-1), in 18,000 average-risk men (age more than 55 years and prostate-specific antigen [PSA] less than 3 ng/mL) treated for 7 years with finasteride or placebo. In the summer of 1998, the NCI Prostate Cancer Progress Review Group (PRG) Report to the director of NCI was published in response to the leadership of the prostate cancer advocacy community in conjunction with Congress. To further elucidate and address critical issues identified in this report and to develop a research agenda for the newly created Prostate and Urologic Cancer Research Group in the Division of Cancer Prevention at NCI, the NCI organized the workshop "New Clinical Trial Strategies for Prostate Cancer Chemoprevention." The major objectives were to promote understanding and cooperation among the NCI, US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), academia, pharmaceutical industry, and the public regarding new opportunities for clinical prevention trials for prostate cancer. The workshop was divided into three concurrent breakout panels and a fourth joint integrative panel. The workshop addressed multiple key areas identified in the PRG report in the following panels: (1) Molecular Targets and Promising Agents in Clinical Development; (2) Intermediate Endpoint Biomarkers for Prevention Trials; (3) High-Risk Study Populations for Prevention Trials, and (4) Preventive Clinical Trial Designs and Regulatory Issues. Expert panelists were drawn from leading academic, pharmaceutical, and government scientists in basic research and clinical investigation. Key pharmaceutical, biotechnology, academic, and National Institutes of Health scientists presented overviews of their new agents and products in clinical development (representing the next generation of promising agents). Senior FDA physicians from the Center for Drugs and Center for Biologics presented on current standards for new drug and biologic approval for chemoprevention efficacy. Some of the key topics included recent advances in the state of knowledge of promising agents in the clinic based on molecular targets as well as bottlenecks in drug development for pharmaceutical sponsors; strategic modulable biomarkers that can serve as primary endpoints in phase 1/2 trials to assess preventive efficacy; high-risk cohorts with precancer (high-grade prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia) and representative clinical trial designs that are ready for immediate translation into efficient prevention trials, such as Bayesian sequential monitoring for early assessment of biologic activity and factorial designs for assessment of multiagent combinations. Finally, each expert panel generated recommendations for areas of future research emphasizing opportunities and infrastructure needs.

- by Frank Meyskens
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- Urology, Government, Clinical Trial, Prostate Cancer

Barbershops represent a promising setting for reaching men and promoting health (Cowart et al., 2004; Magnus, 2004; Madigan et al., 2007; Releford et al., 2010; Victor et al., 2009). Hart and Bowen (2004) have discussed the feasibility of partnering with Black barbershops to provide prostate cancer education (Hart and Bowen, 2004). However, no published studies have attempted to assess shop owner preferences for learning and sharing general health information with their customers. This is the first populationbased survey to assess owner preferences with a focus on differences between owners of Black and White barbershops. Results will be used to help plan for and design culturally and contextually appropriate barbershop-based interventions.

- by Heather D'Angelo and +1
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- Health Disparities, Public Health, Cancer Prevention, Community-Based Participatory Research

Radioactive radon gas inhalation is a major cause of lung cancer worldwide and is a consequence of the built environment. The average radon level of properties built in a given period (their 'innate radon risk') varies over time and by region, although the underlying reasons for these differences are unclear. To investigate this, we analyzed long term radon tests and buildings from 25,489 Canadian to 38,596 Swedish residential properties constructed after 1945. While Canadian and Swedish properties built from 1970 to 1980s are comparable (96-103 Bq/m 3), innate radon risks subsequently diverge, rising in Canada and falling in Sweden such that Canadian houses built in the 2010-2020s have 467% greater radon (131 Bq/m 3) versus Swedish equivalents (28 Bq/m 3). These trends are consistent across distinct building types, and regional subdivisions. The introduction of energy efficiency measures (such as heat recovery ventilation) within each nation's build codes are independent of radon fluctuations over time. Deep learning-based models forecast that (without intervention) the average Canadian residential radon level will increase to 176 Bq/m 3 by 2050. Provisions in the 2010 Canada Build Code have not significantly reduced innate radon risks, highlighting the urgency of novel code interventions to achieve systemic radon reduction and cancer prevention in Canada.

- by Selim Khan and +2
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- Machine Learning, Cancer Prevention, Sweden, Lung Cancer
- by Marion Nestle
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- Diet, Cancer Prevention, Prevention, Phytotherapy

Resveratrol is a naturally occurring polyphenol that exhibits pleiotropic health beneficial effects including anti-inflammatory, cardio-and cancer-protective activities. It is recognized as one of the more promising natural molecules in the prevention and treatment of chronic inflammatory and autoimmune disorders. Ulcerative Colitis (UC) is an idiopathic, chronic inflammatory disease of the colon associated with a high colon cancer risk. Here, we used a Dextran Sulfate Sodium (DSS) mouse model of colitis, which resembles human UC pathology. Resveratrol mixed in food ameliorates DSSinduced colitis in mice in a dose-dependent manner. Resveratrol significantly improves inflammation score, down regulates the percentage of neutrophils in the mesenteric lymph nodes and lamina propiria, and modulates CD3 + T cells that express tumor necrosis factor-alpha and interferon gamma. Markers of inflammation and inflammatory stress (p53 and p53-Phospho-Serine 15), are also down regulated by resveratrol. Since chronic colitis drives colon cancer risk, we carried out experiments to determine the chemopreventive properties of resveratrol. Tumor incidence is reduced from 80% in mice treated with Azoxymethane (AOM) + DSS to 20% in AOM + DSS + Resveratrol (300 p.p.m.) treated mice. Tumor multiplicity also decreased with resveratrol treatment. AOM + DSS treated mice had 2.4 ± 0.7 tumors per animal compared with AOM + DSS + 300 p.p.m. resveratrol, which had 0.2 ± 0.13 tumors per animal. The current study indicates that resveratrol is a useful, non-toxic complementary and alternative strategy to abate colitis and potentially colon cancer associated with colitis.

- by Prakash Nagarkatti and +1
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- Cancer, Flow Cytometry, Inflammation, Immunohistochemistry

The past decade has seen rapid progress in our understanding of cancer, although many mechanisms by which genomic and non-genomic factors contribute and interact to initiate carcinogenesis, drive invasion and metas-tasis, and enable the favourable conditions that facilitate cancer progression remain to be elucidated. Large international initiatives have been created to interrogate whole genomes, including those of many thousands of tumours from patients worldwide, in order to identify specific mutation patterns associated with particular causes of cancer (commonly referred to as 'mutational signatures'). Prime examples of such efforts include the Mutographs study funded through the Cancer Research UK (CRUK) Grand Challenges initiative with a focus on five cancer types, and the Sherlock initiative led by the US National Cancer Institute (NCI) with a focus on lung cancer among never smokers. Such global collabo-rative efforts have driven the science forward to identify and better understand causal factors, and to shed light on new opportunities to prevent cancer. As a result of these efforts, our understanding of the risk of developing cancer that is attributable to moderately and highly penetrant mutations in cancer susceptibility genes across different populations has also improved 1. In addition, genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have led to the identification of single nucleotide polymorphisms that individually confer a small cancer risk but in combination are associated with clinically relevant effects on cancer risk 2-4. These discoveries can provide actionable information by enabling estimation of an individual's risk of developing specific cancers with improved accuracy and, with important caveats, by offering oppor tunities to tailor (or 'personalize') guidance on how to reduce the cancer risk. As the science of cancer genomics evolves and, with it, the potential to inform prevention practices, such as risk-reduction mastectomy for BRCA1 or BRCA2 (BRCA1/2) carriers (primary prevention) and enhanced breast screening with MRI (secondary prevention), the effect that this information can have in reducing preventable cancer deaths globally is important to consider. Nevertheless, with limited exceptions outside of the research setting, the clinical applications of these discoveries are available only in high-income countries (HICs) in which robust health care systems and financing can support the implementation of 'precision pre-vention'. Even in HICs, gross inequities exist in access to and use of clinical cancer genetics services, including tailored risk assessment and risk reduction strategies. Moreover, genomic medicine continues to suffer from Abstract | Despite improvements in the understanding of cancer causation, much remains unknown regarding the mechanisms by which genomic and non-genomic factors initiate carcinogenesis, drive cell invasion and metastasis, and enable cancer to develop. Technological advances have enabled the analysis of whole genomes, comprising thousands of tumours across populations worldwide, with the aim of identifying mutation signatures associated with particular tumour types. Large collaborative efforts have resulted in the identification and improved understanding of causal factors, and have shed light on new opportunities to prevent cancer. In this new era in cancer genomics, discoveries from studies conducted on an international scale can inform evidence-based strategies in cancer control along the cancer care continuum, from prevention to treatment. In this Review, we present the relevant history and emerging frontiers of cancer genetics and genomics from the perspective of global cancer prevention. We highlight the importance of local context in the adoption of new technologies and emergent evidence, with illustrative examples from worldwide. We emphasize the challenges in implementing important genomic findings in clinical settings with disparate resource availability and present a conceptual framework for the translation of such findings into clinical practice, and evidence-based policies in order to maximize the utility for a population.

- by Ophira Ginsburg
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- Genomics, Global Health, Cancer, Cancer Prevention

Epidemiological studies have consistently linked abundant consumption of fruits and vegetables to a reduction of the risk of developing several types of cancer. In most cases, however, the identification of specific fruits and vegetables that are responsible for these effects is still lacking, retarding the implementation of effective dietary-based chemopreventive approaches. As a first step towards the identification of foods endowed with the most potent chemopreventive activities, we evaluated the inhibitory effects of extracts isolated from 34 vegetables on the proliferation of 8 different tumour cell lines. The extracts from cruciferous vegetables as well as those from vegetables of the genus Allium inhibited the proliferation of all tested cancer cell lines whereas extracts from vegetables most commonly consumed in Western countries were much less effective. The antiproliferative effect of vegetables was specific to cells of cancerous origin and was found to be largely independent of their antioxidant properties. These results thus indicate that vegetables have very different inhibitory activities towards cancer cells and that the inclusion of cruciferous and Allium vegetables in the diet is essential for effective dietary-based chemopreventive strategies.

- by Hasan Vardin
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- Cancer, Food Chemistry, Cancer Prevention, Comparative Study
- by Christian Munthe
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- Health Sciences, Applied Philosophy, Ethics, Applied Ethics

Prediction of cancer risk is a minor component of current health risk appraisals. Perception of individual cancer risk is poor. A Cancer Risk Index was developed to predict individual cancer risk for cancers accounting for 80% of the cancer burden in the United States. We used group consensus among researchers at the Harvard Medical School and Harvard School of Public Health to identify risk factors as definite, probable and possible causes of cancer. Risk points were allocated according to the strength of the causal association and summed. Population average risk of cancer and cumulative 10-year risk was obtained from SEER data. Individual ranking relative to the population average was determined. The risk index was evaluated for validity using colon cancer incidence in prospective cohort data. The Harvard Cancer Risk Index provides a broad classification of cancer risk. Validation against cohort data shows good agreement for colon cancer. The Harvard Cancer Risk Index offers a sim...

- by Graham Colditz
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- Health Promotion, Life Style, Risk communication, Public Health

Long-term outcomes associated with oral cancer and its management over the past several decades has caused concern and the value of mass oral cancer screenings has come under scrutiny. Though not all oral carcinomas are preceded by premalignant lesions as clinically visible morphological alterations occur secondary to the cellular or molecular changes, certain high risk lesions have been identified. Their management remains controversially polarized between surgical excision to prevent malignant change and conservative medical or surveillance techniques. Though oral cancer is one of the "major killers" of modern times, there seem to be no widely accepted criteria for decision making in clinical practice, the evidence base is scanty and uncertainty persists throughout investigation, diagnosis, and treatment. In this article, we have briefly discussed the common premalignant lesions, with an emphasis on their evidence based management and prevention.

- by Gabriel Rodrigues
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- Decision Making, IT Management, Cancer Prevention, Clinical Practice

Anthocyanins are known to possess potent anticarcinogenic properties against several cancers thus demonstrating potential for cancer prevention. Black currant (Ribes nigrum L., Grossulariaceae) fruits have a high anthocyanin content. This "superfruit" is known to possess various pharmacological effects including alleviation of chronic oxidative stress and inflammation. In contrast to a large volume of literature on the health benefits of black currant, limited evidence on antitumor effects of black currant exists with virtually no data on the prevention of experimental carcinogenesis. In the current study, we have investigated the chemopreventive effects of an anthocyanin-rich black currant skin extract (BCSE) utilizing our well-characterized model of rat liver carcinogenesis. Initiation of hepatocarcinogenesis was done by intraperitoneal injection of diethylnitrosamine (DENA) followed by promotion with phenobarbital. The rats were exposed to dietary BCSE for 4 weeks prior to initiation, and the treatment was continued for 22 consecutive weeks. BCSE dose-dependently decreased the incidence, total number, multiplicity, size and volume of preneoplastic hepatic nodules. The antihepatocarcinogenic effect of BCSE was confirmed by histopathological examination of liver sections. Immunohistochemical analysis of proliferating cell nuclear antigen and DNA fragmentation revealed BCSE-mediated inhibition of abnormal cell proliferation and induction of apoptosis in DENA-induced rat liver tumorigenesis respectively. Mechanistic studies revealed that BCSE-mediated proapototic signal during experimental hepatocarcinogenesis may be propagated via the up-regulation of Bax and down-regulation of Bcl-2 expression at the translational level. These results along with a safety profile of BCSE encourage the development of black currant bioactive constituents as chemopreventive agents for human liver cancer.

- by Anupam Bishayee
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- Nutrition and Dietetics, Cancer Prevention, Apoptosis, Liver

Crude polysaccharides of mature fresh and dried fruit bodies and dried mycelia of Lentinus polychrous Lév. were evaluated for their antioxidant properties and cancer cell line cytotoxicity. The crude polysaccharides were in yields of 39.0-97.5 mg/g dry weight of sample. Trolox equivalent values in scavenging abilities of those crude polysaccharides against both 2,2 0 -azino-bis-(3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulphonic acid (ABTS Å+ ) radical and 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH Å ) radicals were in the range of 53.4-131 and 6.4-38.8 lmol trolox/g dwt of extract, respectively, whereas values of reducing power were in the range 27.6-54.9 lmol trolox/g dwt of extract. Scavenging ability and reducing power of these crude polysaccharide extracts were in the descending order of mycelia > dried fruit bodies > fresh fruit bodies. In vitro cytotoxicity, determined with the crude polysaccharides of fresh and dried fruit bodies of the fungus at a concentration of 1 mg/ml, by the [3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide] (MTT) method, showed cytotoxic effects of about 38% and 45%, respectively, against the human breast adenocarcinoma cell line (MCF-7). This mushroom might be a good source of bioactive compounds for cancer prevention.

- by Chantragan Srisomsap
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- Food Chemistry, Cancer Prevention, Cytotoxicity, Multidisciplinary

Higher serum levels of the main circulating form of vitamin D, 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D), are associated with substantially lower incidence rates of colon, breast, ovarian, renal, pancreatic, aggressive prostate and other cancers. Epidemiological findings combined with newly discovered mechanisms suggest a new model of cancer etiology that accounts for these actions of 25(OH)D and calcium. Its seven phases are disjunction, initiation, natural selection, overgrowth, metastasis, involution, and transition (abbreviated DINOMIT). Vitamin D metabolites prevent disjunction of cells and are beneficial in other phases. It is projected that raising the minimum year-around serum 25(OH)D level to 40 to 60 ng/mL (100-150 nmol/L) would prevent approximately 58,000 new cases of breast cancer and 49,000 new cases of colorectal cancer each year, and three fourths of deaths from these diseases in the United States and Canada, based on observational studies combined with a randomized trial. Such ...

- by Edward Gorham
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- Epidemiology, Cancer, Breast Cancer, Calcium

The following article contains new recommendations for colorectal cancer screening, the first set we have published since 2003 (Winawer S, Fletcher R, Rex D, et al. Colorectal cancer screening and surveillance: clinical guidelines and rationale-update based on new evidence. Gastroenterology 2003;124:544 -560.) The current recommendations have emerged through the participation of multiple national societies, taking into consideration newly emerging technologies.

- by David Johnson
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- Gastroenterology, Cancer Prevention, Colorectal cancer, United States

Consumption of fruits and berries has been associated with decreased risk of developing cancer. The most abundant flavonoid constituents of fruits and berries are anthocyans (i.e. anthocyanins, glycosides, and their aglycons, anthocyanidins) that cause intense colouration. In this review, we describe epidemiological evidence hinting at the cancer preventive activity of anthocyan-containing foods in humans, results of chemoprevention studies in rodent models with anthocyans or anthocyan-containing fruit/vegetable extracts, and pharmacological properties of anthocyans. Anthocyanidins have been shown to inhibit malignant cell survival and confound many oncogenic signalling events in the 10(-6)-10(-4) M concentration range. Studies of the pharmacokinetics of anthocyanins after their consumption as single agents, anthocyanin mixtures or berry extracts suggest that anthocyanins reach levels of 10(-8)-10(-7) M in human blood. It is unclear whether such concentrations are sufficient to explain anticarcinogenic effects, and whether anthocyanins exert chemopreventive efficacy themselves, or if they need to undergo hydrolysis to their aglyconic counterparts. The currently available literature provides tantalising hints of the potential usefulness of anthocyans or anthocyan mixtures as cancer chemopreventive interventions. Nevertheless further studies are necessary to help adjudge the propitiousness of their clinical development.

- by Darren Cooke
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- Cancer Prevention, Color, Fruit, Vegetables

While breast-feeding initiation and duration among US Latina women appear to decrease with acculturation, health care providers in the Greater Cincinnati area have noted lower rates of breast-feeding among even first-generation Latina immigrants. This study's purpose was to identify determinants of breast-feeding for Latina mothers in Cincinnati through qualitative interviews and Spanish Breastfeeding Self-Efficacy Scale ratings. Our findings suggest that, along with similar levels of breast-feeding self-confidence, foreign-born Latina women in the Greater Cincinnati area share similar breast-feeding determinants with the general population. However, characteristics of these determinants and their impact vary because of unique pressures experienced by this community.

Cancer prevention and treatment using traditional Chinese medicines have attracted increasing interest. This study characterizes antioxidant activity and phenolic compounds of traditional Chinese medicinal plants associated with anticancer, comprising 112 species from 50 plant families. The improved ABTS . + method was used to systematically assess the total antioxidant capacity (Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity, TEAC) of the medicinal extracts. The TEAC values and total phenolic content for methanolic extracts of herbs ranged from 46.7 to 17,323 Amol Trolox equivalent/100 g dry weight (DW), and from 0.22 to 50.3 g of gallic acid equivalent/100 g DW, respectively. A positive, significant linear relationship between antioxidant activity and total phenolic content (all R 2 values z 0.95) showed that phenolic compounds were the dominant antioxidant components in the tested medicinal herbs. Major types of phenolic compounds from most of the tested herbs were preliminarily identified and analyzed, and mainly included phenolic acids, flavonoids, tannins, coumarins, lignans, quinones, stilbenes, and curcuminoids. These medicinal herbs exhibited far stronger antioxidant activity and contained significantly higher levels of phenolics than common vegetables and fruits. Traditional Chinese medicinal plants associated with anticancer might be potential sources of potent natural antioxidants and beneficial chemopreventive agents. D

- by Harold Corke
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- Life Sciences, Food Chemistry, Cancer Prevention, Multidisciplinary

Objective: Naturally occurring phytochemicals display an active cancer preventive strategy to inhibit, delay, or reverse human carcinogenesis. Studies have indicated that certain daily-consumed dietary phytochemicals have cancer protective effects mediated by carcinogens. Lipid peroxide plays a detrimental role in all cancers including skin carcinogenesis. Garlic, a phytochemical, has acquired a special position in the folklore of many cultures as a formidable prophylactic and therapeutic medicinal agent. In this report, we pursue the chemopreventive effect of aqueous garlic on skin carcinogenesis. Methods: "Swiss albino mice" were divided into five groups depending on the combination of skin cancer-inducing 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene and garlic treatments. Histology of the affected skin and biochemical assays for lipid peroxide, catalase, superoxide dismutase, glutathione-Stransferase, and glutathione peroxidase were performed to demonstrate the effect of garlic in mice. Immunoblotting was performed with cyclo-oxygenase-2, p53, and caspase-3 to demonstrate expressions of the respective proteins in skin lysates. Results: Garlic extracts inhibited the oxidative modification of lipids, thus protecting cells from injury by the oxidized molecules. The best chemopreventive action of garlic was observed in mice in which garlic treatment was performed before and after the induction of skin carcinogenesis. Garlic ingestion delayed formation of skin papillomas in animals and simultaneously decreased the size and number of papillomas, which was also reflected in the skin histology of the mice treated. Conclusion: The protective effects against skin cancer elicited by garlic in mice are believed to be due at least in part to the induction cellular defense systems.

- by Tapas Saha
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- Nutrition, Cancer, Cancer Prevention, Antioxidants

Garlic, Allium sativum, is known to contain a wide range of biologically active compounds. The organosulfor compounds are mainly the biologically active components of garlic. Many health benefits has been ascribed to them, possessing biological activities including antibacterial, antifungal, antiatherosclerotic, antihypertensive, lipid and cholesterol lowering effects, inhibition of carcinogenesis, enhancing the immune system and other biological activities. The chemistry of the organosulfiir compounds in garlic varies with the method it has been processed. For example, the composition of 3ie organosulfiir compounds change when garlic is cooked, crushed, ingested, or powdered. This review summarizes the composition of these compounds in garlic's different forms and discusses the recent studies on the biological activities of the organosulfiir compounds of garlic from 1996-January 1998, with special attention to the role of these compoimds in preventing cancer. Garlic, in any of its forms, would be effective to the human body in spite of the differences in the chemical composition in each form. It is shown in this review that the water soluble S-alkyl cysteines, the thiosulfinates, ajoenes and vinyl dithiins, and the oil soluble allyl sulfides, which are found in the different forms of garlic, possess the biological activities known for garlic. It is therefore advisable to consider including garlic in our daily diets to benefit from its effects, especially in cancer prevention.

- by El Arbi Arbi Sghaier
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- Cancer Prevention, Human Body, Immune system, Water soluble polymers

Background: It has been reported that noni has multiple health benefits for over 2000 years. In this study, the cancer preventive effects of Tahitian noni® juice (TNJ) at the initiation stage on DMBA-induced mammary tumorigenesis in... more

- by Food Science Publisher
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- Breast Cancer, Cancer Prevention

Cancer chemoprevention is a new approach in cancer prevention, in which chemical agents are used to prevent cancer in normal and/or high-risk populations. Although chemoprevention has shown promise in some epithelial cancers, currently available preventive agents are limited and the agents are costly, generally with side effects. Natural products, such as grape seed, green tea, and certain herbs have demonstrated anti-cancer effects. To find a natural product that can be used in chemoprevention of cancer, we tested Arizona cactus fruit solution, the aqueous extracts of cactus pear, for its anti-cancer effects in cultured cells and in an animal model. Aqueous extracts of cactus pear were used to treat immortalized ovarian and cervical epithelial cells, as well as ovarian, cervical, and bladder cancer cells. Aqueous extracts of cactus pear were used at six concentrations (0, 0.5, 1, 5, 10 or 25%) to treat cells for 1, 3, or 5 days. Growth inhibition, apoptosis induction, and cell cycl...

- by Francisco Garcia
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- Nutrition and Dietetics, Nutrition, Cell Cycle, Immunohistochemistry

Botanical and nutritional compounds have been used for the treatment of cancer throughout history. These compounds also may be useful in the prevention of cancer. Population studies suggest that a reduced risk of cancer is associated with high consumption of vegetables and fruits. Thus, the cancer chemopreventive potential of naturally occurring phytochemicals is of great interest. There are numerous reports of cancer chemopreventive activity of dietary botanicals, including cruciferous vegetables such as cabbage and broccoli, Allium vegetables such as garlic and onion, green tea, Citrus fruits, soybeans, tomatoes, berries, and ginger, as well as medicinal plants. Several lead compounds, such as genistein (from soybeans), lycopene (from tomatoes), brassinin (from cruciferous vegetables), sulforaphane (from asparagus), indole-3-carbinol (from broccoli), and resveratrol (from grapes and peanuts) are in preclinical or clinical trials for cancer chemoprevention. Phytochemicals have great potential in cancer prevention because of their safety, low cost, and oral bioavailability. In this review, we discuss potential natural cancer preventive compounds and their mechanisms of action. Semin Oncol 37:258-281.

- by Fadlo Khuri
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- Cancer Prevention, Phytotherapy, Functional Food, Chemoprevention

This year, more than 1 million Americans and more than 10 million people worldwide are expected to be diagnosed with cancer, a disease commonly believed to be preventable. Only 5-10% of all cancer cases can be attributed to genetic defects, whereas the remaining 90-95% have their roots in the environment and lifestyle. The lifestyle factors include cigarette smoking, diet (fried foods, red meat), alcohol, sun exposure, environmental pollutants, infections, stress, obesity, and physical inactivity. The evidence indicates that of all cancer-related deaths, almost 25-30% are due to tobacco, as many as 30-35% are linked to diet, about 15-20% are due to infections, and the remaining percentage are due to other factors like radiation, stress, physical activity, environmental pollutants etc. Therefore, cancer prevention requires smoking cessation, increased ingestion of fruits and vegetables, moderate use of alcohol, caloric restriction, exercise, avoidance of direct exposure to sunlight, minimal meat consumption, use of whole grains, use of vaccinations, and regular check-ups. In this review, we present evidence that inflammation is the link between the agents/factors that cause cancer and the agents that prevent it. In addition, we provide evidence that cancer is a preventable disease that requires major lifestyle changes.

- by Ajaikumar Kunnumakkara
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- Genetics, Obesity, Life Style, Tobacco

As polyphenolic compounds isolated from plants extracts, flavonoids have been applied to various pharmaceutical uses in recent decades due to their anti-inflammatory, cancer preventive, and cardiovascular protective activities. In this study, we evaluated the effects of the flavonoid quercetin on Crotalus durissus terrificus secretory phospholipase A2 (sPLA2), an important protein involved in the release of arachidonic acid from phospholipid membranes. The protein was chemically modified by treatment with quercetin, which resulted in modifications in the secondary structure as evidenced through circular dichroism. In addition, quercetin was able to inhibit the enzymatic activity and some pharmacological activities of sPLA2, including its antibacterial activity, its ability to induce platelet aggregation, and its myotoxicity by approximately 40%, but was not able to reduce the inflammatory and neurotoxic activities of sPLA2. These results suggest the existence of two pharmacological sites in the protein, one that is correlated with the enzymatic site and another that is distinct from it. We also performed molecular docking to better understand the possible interactions between quercetin and sPLA2. Our docking data showed the existence of hydrogen-bonded, polar interactions and hydrophobic interactions, suggesting that other flavonoids with similar structures could bind to sPLA2. Further research is warranted to investigate the potential use of flavonoids as sPLA2 inhibitors.

- by Marcos Hikari Toyama
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- Cancer Prevention, Platelet aggregation, Circular Dichroism, Mice

Global Burden of Disease 2019 Cancer Collaboration IMPORTANCE The Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study 2019 (GBD 2019) provided systematic estimates of incidence, morbidity, and mortality to inform local and international efforts toward reducing cancer burden. OBJECTIVE To estimate cancer burden and trends globally for 204 countries and territories and by Sociodemographic Index (SDI) quintiles from 2010 to 2019. EVIDENCE REVIEW The GBD 2019 estimation methods were used to describe cancer incidence, mortality, years lived with disability, years of life lost, and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) in 2019 and over the past decade. Estimates are also provided by quintiles of the SDI, a composite measure of educational attainment, income per capita, and total fertility rate for those younger than 25 years. Estimates include 95% uncertainty intervals (UIs). FINDINGS In 2019, there were an estimated 23.6 million (95% UI, 22.2-24.9 million) new cancer cases (17.2 million when excluding nonmelanoma skin cancer) and 10.0 million (95% UI, 9.36-10.6 million) cancer deaths globally, with an estimated 250 million (235-264 million) DALYs due to cancer. Since 2010, these represented a 26.3% (95% UI, 20.3%-32.3%) increase in new cases, a 20.9% (95% UI, 14.2%-27.6%) increase in deaths, and a 16.0% (95% UI, 9.3%-22.8%) increase in DALYs. Among 22 groups of diseases and injuries in the GBD 2019 study, cancer was second only to cardiovascular diseases for the number of deaths, years of life lost, and DALYs globally in 2019. Cancer burden differed across SDI quintiles. The proportion of years lived with disability that contributed to DALYs increased with SDI, ranging from 1.4% (1.1%-1.8%) in the low SDI quintile to 5.7% (4.2%-7.1%) in the high SDI quintile. While the high SDI quintile had the highest number of new cases in 2019, the middle SDI quintile had the highest number of cancer deaths and DALYs. From 2010 to 2019, the largest percentage increase in the numbers of cases and deaths occurred in the low and low-middle SDI quintiles. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE The results of this systematic analysis suggest that the global burden of cancer is substantial and growing, with burden differing by SDI. These results provide comprehensive and comparable estimates that can potentially inform efforts toward equitable cancer control around the world.

- by Nermin Ghith
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- Health Sciences, Epidemiology, Infectious disease epidemiology, Cancer

Cancer is the second leading cause of death in the United States. Despite the estimated 565,650 deaths in 2008 of Americans as a result of cancer, it is mostly a preventable disease. Simply by modification of diet, maintenance of optimum body weight, and regular physical activity, 30% to 40% of all instances of cancer could be prevented. Modification of diet alone by increasing vegetable and fruit intake could prevent 20% or more of all cases of cancer and may potentially prevent approximately 200,000 cancer-related deaths annually. Because of their safety, low toxicity, antioxidant properties, and general acceptance as dietary supplements, fruits, vegetables, and other dietary elements (phytochemicals and minerals) are being investigated for the prevention of cancer. Extensive research over the past several decades has identified numerous dietary and botanical natural compounds that have chemopreventive potential. In this review, we discuss promising natural chemopreventive compounds, their molecular targets, and their mechanisms, which may help the further design and conduct of preclinical and clinical trials.

- by Fadlo Khuri
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- Cancer, Diet, Risk assessment, Cancer Prevention

Abstract This research introduces Sorush Cancer Treatment Ptotocol (SCTP) based on successful cancer treatment methodology which has done by Dr. Somayeh Zaminpira and Dr. Sorush Niknamian in 54 cancer patients in Violet Cancer Institute (VCI), Combining Specific Ketogenic Diet (SKD)- which has 80% saturated fat, 15% Protein with the lowest glutamine and 5% complex-high fiber carbohydrate- and intravenous ozone therapy which has had marvelous results in the treatment of several cancers in human models. The aim of this protocol is to weaken and starve cancer cells, decreasing acidity, increasing the immune system response, decreasing the possibility of metastasis and decreasing the cachexia without any serious side effects in cancer patients. This protocol introduces mega vitamins and minerals plus several supplements based on some tried and true protocols mainly the Budwig and Bill Henderson Protocol (BHP) with serious revisions. The BHP incorporates principal components of the Budwig Diet which was developed in the early 1950s by German chemist Dr. Johanna Budwig (1908-2003). Budwig’s theory is based upon the work of Otto Warburg (1883-1970). Warburg was an earlier Nobel Prize Laureate (1931) for the discovery of the nature and action of the respiratory enzyme, the first of the so-called yellow enzymes, or flavoproteins. Warburg’s scientific efforts produced a large body of work and publications in highly respected journals such as Science (1928, 1956). According to Budwig, Warburg theorized that cellular respiration, like many chemical reactions, was dependent upon substrate availability, specifically a sulphydryl group and an unknown saturated fatty acid, which he failed to identify. According to Dr. S. Zaminpira and Dr. S. Niknamian, Cancer is an Evolutionary Metabolic disease (EMHC) and the main cause of cancer is the Butterfly Effect inside normal cells as a result of increasing the amounts of Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS).

- by Sorush Niknamian
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- Public Health Nutrition, Cancer, Breast Cancer, Prostate Cancer

Apigenin, a naturally occurring plant flavone, abundantly present in common fruits and vegetables, is recognized as a bioactive flavonoid shown to possess anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and anticancer properties. Epidemiologic studies suggest that a diet rich in flavones is related to a decreased risk of certain cancers, particularly cancers of the breast, digestive tract, skin, prostate and certain hematological malignancies. It has been suggested that apigenin may be protective in other diseases that are affected by oxidative process, such as cardiovascular and neurological disorders, although more research needs to be conducted in this regard. Human clinical trials examining the effect of supplementation of apigenin on disease prevention have not been conducted, although there is considerable potential for apigenin to be developed as a cancer chemopreventive agent.

- by SANJEEV SHUKLA
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- Clinical Trial, Cancer, Treatment, Cell Cycle

Cancer development is a complex process driven by inherited and acquired molecular and cellular alterations. Prevention is the holy grail of cancer elimination, but making this a reality will take a fundamental rethinking and deep understanding of premalignant biology. In this Perspective, we propose a national concerted effort to create a Precancer Atlas (PCA), integrating multi-omics and immunity – basic tenets of the neoplastic process. The biology of neoplasia caused by germline mutations has led to paradigm-changing precision prevention efforts, including: tumor testing for mismatch repair (MMR) deficiency in Lynch syndrome establishing a new paradigm, combinatorial chemoprevention efficacy in familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP), signal of benefit from imaging-based early detection research in high-germline risk for pancreatic neoplasia, elucidating early ontogeny in BRCA1-mutation carriers leading to an international breast cancer prevention trial, and insights into the intricate germline-somatic-immunity interaction landscape. Emerging genetic and pharmacologic (metformin) disruption of mitochondrial (mt) respiration increased autophagy to prevent cancer in a Li-Fraumeni mouse model (biology reproduced in clinical pilot) and revealed profound influences of subtle changes in mt DNA background variation on obesity, aging, and cancer risk. The elaborate communication between the immune system and neoplasia includes an increasingly complex cellular microenvironment and dynamic interactions between host genetics, environmental factors, and microbes in shaping the immune response. Cancer vaccines are in early murine and clinical precancer studies, building on the recent successes of immuno-therapy and HPV vaccine immune prevention. Molecular monitoring in Barrett's esophagus to avoid overdiagnosis/treatment highlights an important PCA theme. Next generation sequencing (NGS) discovered age-related clonal hematopoiesis of indeterminate potential (CHIP). Ultra-deep NGS reports over the past year have redefined the premalignant landscape remarkably identifying tiny clones in the blood of up to 95% of women in their 50s, suggesting that potentially premalignant clones are ubiquitous. Similar data from eyelid skin and peritoneal and uterine lavage fluid provide unprecedented opportunities to dissect the earliest phases of stem/progenitor clonal (and microenvironment) evolution/diversity with new single-cell and liquid biopsy technologies. Cancer mutational signatures reflect exogenous or endogenous processes imprinted over time in precursors. Accelerating the prevention of cancer will require a large-scale, longitudinal effort, leveraging diverse disciplines (from genetics, biochemistry, and immunology to mathematics, computational biology, and engineering), initiatives, technologies, and models in developing an integrated multi-omics and immunity PCA – an immense national resource to interrogate, target, and intercept events that drive oncogenesis.

- by Ludmil B Alexandrov
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- Cancer Prevention, Cancer Research, Mutational Signatures

Summary The major causes of cancer are: 1) smoking, which accounts for 31% of U.S. cancer deaths and 87% of lung cancer deaths; 2) dietary imbalances which account for about another third, e.g., lack of sufficient amounts of dietary fruits and vegetables. 3) chronic infections, mostly in devel- oping countries; and 4) hormonal factors, which are influenced primarily by lifestyle.

- by Thomas Slone
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- Cancer Prevention, Lung Cancer, Low Dose, Fruit and vegetables

As cancer is a multifactor disease, it may require treatment with compounds able to target multiple intracellular components. We summarize here how curcumin is able to modulate many components of intracellular signaling pathways implicated in inflammation, cell proliferation and invasion and to induce genetic modulations eventually leading to tumor cell death. Clinical applications of this natural compound were initially limited by its low solubility and bioavailability in both plasma and tissues but combination with adjuvant and delivery vehicles was reported to largely improve bio-availability of curcumin. Moreover, curcumin was reported to act in synergism with several natural compounds or synthetic agents commonly used in chemotherapy. Based on this, curcumin could thus be considered as a good candidate for cancer prevention and treatment when used alone or in combination with other conventional treatments.

- by Mario Dicato
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- Cancer Prevention, Toxins

- by Mei Sun
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- Life Sciences, Food Chemistry, Cancer Prevention, Multidisciplinary

From ancient times, chemopreventive agents have been used to treat/prevent several diseases, including cancer. They are found to elicit a spectrum of potent responses including antiinflammatory, anti-oxidant, anti-proliferative, anti-carcinogenic, and anti-angiogenic activity in various cell culture and some animal studies. Research over the past four decades has shown that chemopreventives affect a number of proteins involved in various molecular pathways that regulate inflammatory and carcinogenic responses in a cell. Various enzymes, transcription factors, receptors, and adhesion proteins are also affected by chemopreventives. Although, these natural compounds have shown significant efficacy in cell-culture studies, they elicited limited efficacy in various clinical studies. Their introduction into the clinical setting is hindered largely by their poor solubility, rapid metabolism, or a combination of both, ultimately resulting in poor bioavailability upon oral administration. Therefore, to circumvent these limitations and to ease their transition to clinics, alternate strategies should be explored. Drug delivery systems such as nanoparticles, liposomes, microemulsions, and polymeric implantable devices are emerging as one of the viable alternatives that have been demonstrated to deliver therapeutic concentrations of various potent chemopreventives such as curcumin, ellagic acid, green tea polyphenols, and resveratrol into the systemic circulation. In this review article, we have attempted to provide a comprehensive outlook for these delivery approaches, using curcumin as a model agent, and discussed future strategies to enable the introduction of these highly potent chemopreventives into a physician's armamentarium.

- by Farrukh Aqil
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- Nanoparticles, Cancer Prevention, Atomic Force Microscopy, Mice

NRP/B, a family member of the BTB/Kelch repeat proteins, is implicated in neuronal and cancer development, as well as the regulation of oxidative stress responses in breast and brain cancer. Our previous studies indicate that the NRP/B-BTB/POZ domain is involved in the dimerization of NRP/B and in a complex formation with the tumor suppressor, retinoblastoma protein. Although much evidence supports the potential role of NRP/B as a tumor suppressor, the molecular mechanisms of NRP/B action on E2F transcription factors have not been elucidated. Three-dimensional modeling of NRP/B was used to generate point mutations in the BTB/Kelch domains. Tet-on inducible NRP/B expression was established. The NRP/B deficient breast cancer cell line, MDA-MB-231, was generated using lentiviral shNRP/B to evaluate the effect of NRP/B on cell proliferation, invasion and migration. Immunoprecipitation was performed to verify the interaction of NRP/B with E2F and histone deacetylase (HDAC-1), and the exp...

- by Tae-Aug Kim
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- Cancer Prevention

In humans, genetic variation and dietary factors may alter the biological effects of exposure to 2-amino-1-methyl-6-phenylimidazo[4,5-b]pyridine (PhIP), one of the major heterocyclic amines generated from cooking meats at high temperatures that has carcinogenic potential through the formation of DNA adducts. Previously, we reported grilled red meat consumption associated with PhIP-DNA adduct levels in human prostate. In this study, we expanded our investigation to estimate the associations between beverage consumption and PhIP-DNA adduct levels in prostate for 391 prostate cancer cases. Of the 15 beverages analyzed, red wine consumption had the strongest association with PhIP-DNA adduct levels showing an inverse correlation in both tumor (P = 0.006) and nontumor (P = 0.002) prostate cells. Red wine consumption was significantly lower in African American compared with white cases, but PhIP-DNA adduct levels in prostate did not vary by race. In African Americans compared with whites, however, associations between red wine consumption and PhIP-DNA adduct levels were not as strong as associations with specific (e.g., SULT1A1 and UGT1A10 genotypes) and nonspecific (e.g., African ancestry) genetic variation. In a multivariable model, the covariate for red wine consumption explained a comparable percentage (13%-16%) of the variation in PhIP-DNA adduct levels in prostate across the two racial groups, but the aforementioned genetic factors explained 33% of the PhIP-DNA adduct variation in African American cases, whereas only 19% of the PhIP-DNA adduct variation in whites. We conclude that red wine consumption may counteract biological effects of PhIP exposure in human prostate, but genetic factors may play an even larger role, particularly in African Americans.

- by Andrew Rundle
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- Cancer Prevention, Wine, Meat, Polymerase Chain Reaction

Epidemiological studies have described the beneficial effects of dietary polyphenols (flavonoids) on the reduction of the risk of chronic diseases, including cancer. Moreover, it has been shown that flavonoids, such as quercetin in apples, epigallocatechin-3-gallate in green tea and genistein in soya, induce apoptosis. This programmed cell death plays a critical role in physiological functions, but there is underlying dysregulation of apoptosis in numerous pathological situations such as Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease and cancer. At the molecular level, flavonoids have been reported to modulate a number of key elements in cellular signal transduction pathways linked to the apoptotic process (caspases and bcl-2 genes), but that regulation and induction of apoptosis are unclear.

- by Sonia Ramos
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- Nutrition and Dietetics, Diet, Cancer Prevention, Flavonoids