Obesity and obesity-driven cancer rates are continuing to rise worldwide. We hypothesize that adipocyte–colonocyte interactions are a key driver of obesity-associated cancers. To understand the clinical relevance of visceral adipose tissue in advancing tumor growth, we analyzed paired tumor-adjacent visceral adipose, normal mucosa, and colorectal tumor tissues as well as presurgery blood samples from

Obesity is the second leading environmental association with cancer risk; yet, the mechanisms by which obesity drives carcinogenesis are poorly understood. The paper published in this issue of Cancer Prevention Research by Holowatyj and colleagues explores the mechanisms of human visceral adipose–epithelial signaling using samples collected at surgery in patients with invasive colorectal cancer. They

Screening for cancer is a proven and recommended approach to prevent deaths from cancer; screening can locate precursor lesions and/or cancer at early stages when it is potentially curable. Racial and ethnic minorities and other medically-underserved populations exhibit lower uptake of cancer screening than non-minorities in the United States. The COVID-19 pandemic, which disproportionately affected

Cancer immunoprevention is achieved through promoting antitumor immune surveillance to block tumor formation and progression. Following the success of prophylactic vaccines against human papillomavirus (HPV) in preventing HPV-associated cancer, immunopreventive cancer vaccines targeting tumor antigens have been increasingly evaluated against cancers of non-infectious origin. While advances in cancer

Anticancer effects of aspirin, metformin, and statins against gastric cancer, one of the most common cancers in the world, have been reported. This retrospective cohort study aimed to investigate independent associations of aspirin, metformin, and statin use with gastric cancer incidence and mortality after adjustment for concomitant use of other drugs, using pooled cohort data extracted from the Korean

Computed tomographic (CT) colonography for colorectal cancer (CRC) screening has been proved to be effective and cost-saving. CT colonography uses minimally invasive evaluation of colorectum and has better patient acceptance, which appears to be a promising screening modality to improve low CRC screening rate. This study investigated the utilization patterns of CT colonography and factors associated

Prostate cancer is common in countries with affluent dietary patterns and represents a heterogeneous collection of subtypes with varying behavior. Reductionist strategies focusing on individual nutrients or foods have not clearly defined risk factors. We have developed mechanisms-based dietary patterns focusing upon inflammation and chronic insulin hypersecretion, processes that are hypothesized to

Immune-related etiologic pathways to influence invasive breast cancer risk may interact with lifestyle factors, but the interrelated molecular genetic pathways are incompletely characterized. We used data from the Women's Health Initiative Database for Genotypes and Phenotypes Study including 16,088 postmenopausal women, a population highly susceptible to inflammation, obesity, and increased risk for

Building a culture of precision public health requires research that includes health delivery model with innovative systems, health policies, and programs that support this vision. Health insurance mandates are effective mechanisms that many state policymakers use to increase the utilization of preventive health services, such as colorectal cancer (CRC) screening. The current study estimated the effects

Antibiotics affect microbial diversity in the gut, leading to dysbiosis and impaired immunity. However, the impact of antibiotics on microbial communities at other sites, such as vagina is less understood. It is also not clear if changes induced by antibiotics in both microbiomes affect the development of cervical cancer. In this study we utilized the murine model to evaluate these questions. We show

Increased cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and decreased 15-hydroxyprostaglandin dehydrogenase (15-HPGD) expression promote prostaglandin-mediated inflammation and colorectal carcinogenesis. Experimental studies suggest that vitamin D and calcium may inhibit these pathways, but their effects on colorectal tissue COX-2 and 15-HPGD expression in humans are unknown. We tested the effects of supplemental vitamin

Several studies have assessed the relationship between sleep duration and ovarian cancer risk, but the results are conflicting. Importantly, no studies addressed the relationship between sleep disturbance or sleep quality and ovarian cancer incidence. Moreover, few studies have examined the relationships between sleep measures and subtypes of ovarian cancer. This study included 109,024 postmenopausal

Chemoprevention trials for prostate cancer (PCa) by androgen receptor or androgen synthesis inhibition have proven ineffective. Recently, it has been demonstrated that the histone methlytransferase, EZH2 is de-regulated in mouse and human high-grade prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia (HG-PIN). Using pre-clinical mouse and human models of PCa, we demonstrate that genetic and chemical disruption of

Low-dose aspirin is recommended by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force for primary prevention of colorectal cancer in certain individuals. However, broader implementation will require improved precision prevention approaches to identify those most likely to benefit. The major urinary metabolite of PGE2, 11α-hydroxy-9,15-dioxo-2,3,4,5-tetranor-prostane-1,20-dioic acid (PGE-M), is a biomarker for

Vaginal self-sampling for human papillomavirus (HPV) testing can potentially increase cervical screening coverage. This study aimed to investigate the acceptability of vaginal self-sampling for HPV testing and factors which might influence a woman's preference for this as a cervical screening method. This was a cross-sectional study which recruited 725 women from the urban and suburban areas of Selangor

Although substantial evidence supports aspirin's efficacy in colorectal cancer chemoprevention, key molecular mechanisms are uncertain. An untargeted metabolomics approach with high-resolution mass spectrometry was used to elucidate metabolic effects of aspirin treatment in human colon tissue. We measured 10,269 metabolic features in normal mucosal biopsies collected at colonoscopy after approximately

Given that high-risk human papillomavirus (HPV) is the necessary cause of virtually all cervical cancer, the clinical meaning of HPV-negative cervical precancer is unknown. We, therefore, conducted a literature search in Ovid MEDLINE, PubMed Central, and Google Scholar to identify English-language studies in which (i) HPV-negative and -positive, histologically confirmed cervical intraepithelial neoplasia

Aspirin and statin use may lower the risk of advanced/fatal prostate cancer, possibly by reducing intraprostatic inflammation. To test this hypothesis, we investigated the association of aspirin and statin use with the presence and extent of intraprostatic inflammation, and the abundance of specific immune cell types, in benign prostate tissue from a subset of men from the placebo arm of the Prostate

In preclinical studies, celecoxib has been associated with reduced risk of breast cancer. In this study, the aim was to assess the biomodulatory effect of celecoxib on blood and benign breast tissue biomarkers in women at increased risk for breast cancer. Women at increased risk for breast cancer [5-year Gail risk score of >1.67%, history of atypical hyperplasia, lobular carcinoma in situ , or previous

Molecular alterations that contribute to long-term (LT) and short-term (ST) survival in ovarian high-grade serous carcinoma (HGSC) may be used as precision medicine biomarkers. DNA promoter methylation is an early event in tumorigenesis, which can be detected in blood and urine, making it a feasible companion biomarker to somatic mutations for early detection and targeted treatment workflows. We compared

Gastric carcinoma (GC) disproportionately affects Asian Americans. We examined whether history of upper gastrointestinal (GI) endoscopy was associated with lower stage at GC diagnosis among Asian Americans and whether origin of providers influenced referral for endoscopy. We employed Surveillance Epidemiology and End Results–Medicare data on Asian Americans diagnosed with GC in 2004–2013 ( n = 1,554)

The impact of HER2 status in ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) on the risk of progression to invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC) has been debated. We aim to use a national database to identify patients with known HER2 status to elucidate the effect of HER2 overexpression on ipsilateral IDC (iIDC) development. We performed survival analysis on patient-level data using the U.S. NCI's Surveillance Epidemiology

Psychological stressors have been implicated in the progression of various tumor types. We investigated a role for stress in tumor immune cell chemotaxis in the B16F10 mouse model of malignant melanoma. We exposed female mice to 6-hour periods of restraint stress (RST) for 7 days, then implanted B16F10 malignant melanoma tumor cells and continued the RST paradigm for 14 additional days. We determined

The STAT3 pathway is frequently overactive in non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), an often fatal disease with known risk factors including tobacco and chemical exposures. Whether STAT3 can be downmodulated to delay or prevent development of lung cancer resulting from an environmental exposure has not been previously tested. A circular oligonucleotide STAT3 decoy (CS3D) was used to treat mice previously

Withaferin A (hereafter abbreviated as WA) is a promising anticancer steroidal lactone abundant in a medicinal plant ( Withania somnifera ) native to Asia. The root/leaf extract of Withania somnifera , which belongs to the Solanaceae family, continues to be included in the Ayurvedic medicine formulations of alternative medicine practice. Numerous chemicals are detectable in the root/leaf extract of

Many people are diagnosed with cancer after presenting with signs and symptoms of their disease to a healthcare provider. Research from developed countries suggests that, in addition to indicating later-stage disease, symptoms can also indicate earlier-stage disease, leading to investment in research and quality improvement efforts in the early detection of symptomatic cancers. This approach, labeled

Dietary composition can influence systemic inflammation; higher levels of circulating inflammatory biomarkers are associated with increased risk of breast and other cancers. A total of 438 overweight/obese, healthy, postmenopausal women were randomized to a caloric-restriction diet (goal: 10% weight-loss), aerobic-exercise (225 min/week moderate-to-vigorous activity), combined diet+exercise, or control

Observational studies report that physical activity and metformin are associated with improved clinical outcome in patients with cancer. Inflammation is one biological mechanism hypothesized to mediate these associations. In this phase II, multi-center, 2x2 factorial trial, 139 patients with breast and colorectal cancer who completed standard therapy were randomized to one of four treatment groups

Lynch syndrome (LS) is a prevalent hereditary cancer predisposition syndrome. While colorectal cancer is the most common gastrointestinal (GI) cancer in LS, there is also increased risk of gastric and small intestinal cancers. Recommendations for upper GI cancer surveillance in LS vary widely with limited data supporting effectiveness. Herein, we collected data on individuals with a diagnosis of Lynch

Long-term glucocorticoid (GC) exposure causes immunosuppression; therefore, the risk of cancer may be increased in long-term GC users. We investigated whether long-term GC use is associated with a higher risk of cancer in the population without cancer. A population-based cohort study using data from the National Health Insurance Service was conducted among the South Korean adult population in 2010

Cirrhosis is a high-risk state for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) development and represents an opportunity to prevent cancer. In the pre-cancerous state of cirrhosis, there is an accumulation of neoantigens that may be specifically targetable through immunotherapy. We asked if immune checkpoint inhibition could prevent tumorigenesis in a mouse model of diethylnitrosamine (DEN) and carbon tetrachloride

Chronic obstructive lung disease (COPD) is a long-term lung disease characterized by irreversible lung damage resulting in airflow limitation, abnormal permanent air-space enlargement and emphysema. Cigarette smoking is the major cause of COPD with 15% to 30% of smokers developing either disease. About 50% - 80% of lung cancer patients have pre-existing COPD and smokers who have COPD are at an increased

Colorectal cancer(CRC) is preventable and treatable by screening and early detection. Fecal immunochemical tests(FIT) for average risk individuals is an effective strategy for screening. Incidence and mortality in Mexico is increasing and large-scale screening programs do not yet exist. The aim was to evaluate the feasibility of FIT-based CRC screening program in Mexico City. Over 15 months, average

Upper gastrointestinal cancer (UGIC) including esophageal cancer (EC) and gastric cancer (GC), which has been a significant burden in China. Few studies have explored the spatial pattern and association of incidence and mortality using nationwide data. This study aims to explore the spatial pattern and association of incidence and mortality between EC and GC, and identify high-risk areas of the cancers

Primary care provider (PCP) perceptions of colorectal cancer (CRC) screening test effectiveness and their recommendations for testing intervals influence patient screening uptake. Few large studies have examined providers' perceptions and recommendations, including their alignment with evidence suggesting comparable test effectiveness and guideline recommendations for screening frequency. Providers

Over one million women in the U.S. receive biopsy diagnoses of benign breast disease (BBD) each year, which confer a 1.5-4.0-fold increase in breast cancer (BC) risk. Studies in the general population suggest that non-steroidal anti-inflammatory agents (NSAIDs) lower BC risk; however, associations among women with BBD are unknown. We assessed whether NSAID use among women diagnosed with BBD is associated

Periodontal disease may be associated with increased breast cancer risk, but studies have not considered invasive breast cancer and ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) separately in the same population. We assessed the relationship between periodontal disease and breast cancer in a large prospective cohort study. The Sister Study followed women without prior breast cancer aged 35-74 years from 2003-2017

Cascade testing (i.e., genetic testing of family members of individuals with disease) among families affected by hereditary cancer disorders, such as Lynch syndrome (LS), is suboptimal and thus represents a missed opportunity in cancer prevention. We aimed to fill a gap in the literature by exploring multilevel barriers and facilitators to the implementation of cascade testing for LS. We conducted

Breast ductal cytologic atypia is an important risk factor for sporadic breast cancer. Characterization of the associated normal breast tissue is needed to develop additional methods of risk assessment and new targets for breast cancer prevention. We conducted a prospective clinical trial evaluating women at normal risk (NR) or at high-risk (HR) for sporadic breast cancer. Breast ductal cells were

The etiology of triple-negative breast cancers (TNBCs) is poorly understood. As many TNBCs develop prior to the initiation of breast cancer screening or at younger ages when the sensitivity of mammography is comparatively low, understanding the etiology of TNBCs is critical for discovering novel prevention approaches for these tumors. Further, the higher incidence rate of estrogen receptor (ER)-negative

The Women's Health Initiative (WHI) was designed to evaluate the benefits of hormone replacement therapy. The primary goal was to establish the value of synthetic progestin and estrogen or estrogen alone to reduce the risk of coronary heart disease (CHD). The estrogen/synthetic progestin trial was stopped at 5.2 years and the estrogen trial was stopped after 6.8 years. Although the estrogen/synthetic

This study aimed to investigate the blood supply of early lung adenocarcinomas (LACs) in mice and the relationship between tumors and their supplying vessels by using micro-CT. An early LAC model was established in 10 female mice with subcutaneous injections of a 1-methyl-3-nitro-1-nitrosoguanidine solution. Micro-CT pulmonary and bronchial arteriography were performed to demonstrate the blood supply

Mounting evidence indicates a potential beneficial effect of vigorous-intensity physical activity on hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, the association between moderate-intensity physical activity, such as brisk walking, and the risk of HCC remains largely unknown. Two prospective cohorts of 77,535 women from the Nurses' Health Study and 44,540 men from the Health Professionals Follow-up Study

Growing data indicate an association between periodontal disease and the development of cancer. However, the evidence for colorectal cancer has been inconsistent and longitudinal study examining its precursor lesions is lacking. We prospectively collected information on periodontal disease and number of tooth loss in the Nurses' Health Study (1992–2002) and the Health Professionals Follow-up Study

Identifying persons at high risk for gastric cancer is needed for targeted interventions for prevention and control in low-incidence regions. Combining ethnic/cultural factors with conventional gastric cancer risk factors may enhance identification of high-risk persons. Data from a prior case–control study (40 gastric cancer cases and 100 controls) were used. A “conventional model” using risk factors

Ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS), which accounts for one out of every five new breast cancer diagnoses, will progress to potentially lethal invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC) in about 50% of cases. Vitamin D compounds have been shown to inhibit progression to IDC in the MCF10DCIS model. This inhibition appears to involve a reduction in the cancer stem cell–like population in MCF10DCIS tumors. To identify

Prostate cancer chemoprevention by sulforaphane, which is a metabolic by-product of glucoraphanin found in broccoli, in preclinical models is associated with induction of both apoptosis and autophagy. However, the molecular mechanism underlying sulforaphane-mediated autophagy, which is protective against apoptotic cell death by this phytochemical, is still poorly understood. This study demonstrates

Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) was the 7th most common malignancy worldwide in 2018 and despite therapeutic advances, the overall survival rate for oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC; ∼50%) has remained unchanged for decades. The most common types are OSCC and oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC, survival rate ∼85%). Tobacco smoking is a major risk factor of HNSCC. In the developed

Global interest in genetic testing for cancer susceptibility genes (CSG) has surged with falling costs, increasing awareness, and celebrity endorsement. Current access to genetic testing is based on clinical criteria/risk model assessment which uses family history as a surrogate. However, this approach is fraught with inequality, massive underutilization, and misses 50% CSG carriers. This reflects

The human gut microbiome intimately complements the human genome and gut microbial factors directly influence health and disease. Here we outline how the gut microbiota uniquely contributes to cancer etiology by processing products of human drug and endobiotic metabolism. We formally propose that the reactions performed by the gut microbiota should be classified as “Phase IV xenobiotic and endobiotic

Cancer immune-interception for prevention of recurrence in patients with high-risk familial cancer like Muir-Torre syndrome or Lynch syndrome using immune checkpoint blockade inhibitors is a promising approach. Albeit, as described in a case report by Pollak and colleagues in the April 2020 issue of Cancer Prevention Research, it has the potential to be used as immune-interceptive with alternative

Almost all pancreatic ductal adenocarcinomas (PDA) develop following KRAS activation, which triggers epithelial transformation and recruitment of desmoplastic stroma through additional transcriptional and epigenetic regulation, but only a few of these regulatory mechanisms have been described. We profiled dysregulated miRNAs starting with the earliest premalignant pancreatic intraepithelial neoplasias

Social, economic, and cultural factors have been associated with the level of participation in cervical cancer screening programs. This study identified factors associated with nonparticipation in cervical cancer screening, as well as reasons for not attending, in the context of a population-based, cluster-randomized trial in Ethiopia. A total of 2,356 women aged 30 to 49 years in 22 clusters were

We conducted a multiinstitutional, placebo-controlled phase IIB trial of the lignan secoisolariciresinol diglucoside (SDG) found in flaxseed. Benign breast tissue was acquired by random periareolar fine needle aspiration (RPFNA) from premenopausal women at increased risk for breast cancer. Those with hyperplasia and ≥2% Ki-67 positive cells were eligible for randomization 2:1 to 50 mg SDG/day (Brevail)

Evidence suggests that physical activity (PA) is positively associated with (health-related) quality of life (QOL) in colorectal cancer survivors. However, little is known regarding long-term effects of PA on QOL and if prediagnosis PA is associated with QOL in the years after diagnosis. Our study aimed to investigate the association of prediagnosis and postdiagnosis PA with long-term QOL in colorectal

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a highly morbid condition with lack of effective treatment options. HCC arises from chronically inflamed and damaged liver tissue; therefore, chemoprevention may be a useful strategy to reduce HCC incidence. Several reports suggest that epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), extracted from green tea, can suppress liver inflammation and fibrosis in animal models, but its

Despite major advancements in genomic medicine, research to optimize the design and communication of genetically informed interventions in behavioral health has lagged. The goal of this study was to engage potential end users in participatory codesign of a personalized genetically informed risk tool to intervene on high-risk health behaviors. We used structured interviews to examine end-user attitudes

Cruciferous vegetables have been of special interest due to the rich presence of bioactive compounds such as sulforaphane which show promising potential on cancer prevention and therapy as an epigenetic dietary strategy. Abnormal epigenetic alteration as one of the primary contributors to tumor development is closely related to breast cancer initiation and progression. In the present study, we investigated

Advanced glycation end-products (AGEs) are implicated in the pathogenesis of several chronic diseases including cancer. AGEs are produced endogenously but can also be consumed from foods. AGE formation in food is accelerated during cooking at high temperatures. Certain high fat or highly processed foods have high AGE values. The objective of the study was to assign and quantify Nϵ-carboxymethyl-lysine