2,971 publications from this institution
Lack of significant correlation between the incidence of bloodborne AIDS and that of all AIDS in Western Europe points to important, but little-quantified sources of variation by country in the safety of blood and blood derivatives. Higher rates of TA-AIDS in the elderly and in males in some countries suggest international differences in transfusion practices by age and sex.
Abstract Dietary factors in the aetiology of stomach cancer were investigated using data from a case‐control study conducted in Northern Italy on 206 histologically confirmed carcinomas and 474 control subjects in hospital for acute, non‐digestive conditions, unrelated to any of the potential risk factors for giistric cancer. Dietary histories concerned the frequency of consumption per week of 29 selected food Items (including ttie major sources of starches, proteins, fats, fibres, vitamins A and C, nitrates and nitrites in the Italian diet) and subjective stores for condiments and salt intake. Pasta and rice (the rajor sources of starch), polenta (a porridge made of maize) and ham were positively related with gastric cancer risk, whereas green vegetables and fresh fruit as a whole (and specifically citrus fruit) and selected fibre‐rich aliments (such aii whole‐grain bread or pasta) showed protective effects on giistric cancer risk. Allowance for major identified potential distorting factors (chiefly indicators of socio‐economic status) reduced the positive association with pasta or rice consumption, but did not appreciably modify any of the other risk estimates. When a single logistic model was fitted including all food items significant in univariate analysis, the 3 items remaining statistically significant were green vegetables (rel‐acive risk, RR = 0.27 for upper vs. lower tertile), polenta (f;R = 2.32) and ham (RR = 1.60). Indices of beta‐carotene and ascorbate intake were negatively and strongly related with giistric cancer risk, but the association with these micronu‐trients was no longer evident after simultaneous allowance for various food items. An approximately 7‐fold difference in risk was found between extreme quintiles of a scale measuring major positive and negative associations.
This study assesses the association between dietary transfatty acid (TFA) intake and the risk of selected cancers. Mailed questionnaires were completed between 1994 and 1997 in eight Canadian provinces by 1182 incident, histologically confirmed cases of the stomach, 1727 of the colon, 1447 of the rectum, 628 of the pancreas, 3341 of the lung, 2362 of the breast, 442 of the ovary, 1799 of the prostate, 686 of the testis, 1345 of the kidney, 1029 of the bladder, 1009 of the brain, 1666 non-Hodgkin's lymphomas, 1069 leukemias, and 5039 population controls. Information on dietary habits and nutrition intake was obtained using a food frequency questionnaire, which provided data on eating habits 2 years before the study. Odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidenc530e intervals (CI) were derived by unconditional logistic regression to adjust for total energy intake and other potential confounding factors. Dietary TFA were positively associated with the risk of cancers of the colon (OR: 1.38 for the highest vs. the lowest quartile), breast in premenopause (OR: 1.60), and prostate (OR: 1.42). There were a borderline association for pancreas cancer (OR: 1.38; P=0.06). No significant association was observed for cancers of the stomach, rectum, lung, ovary, testis, kidney, bladder, brain, non-Hodgkin's lymphomas, and leukemia, although the ORs for the highest quartile were above unity for all neoplasms considered, except testis. Our findings add evidence that high TFA is associated with an increased risk of various cancers. Thus, a diet low in transfat may play a role in the prevention of several cancers.
Mortality from cutaneous malignant melanoma (CMM) increased in the past, but trends have been favorable in more recent years in many high-income countries. However, incidence has been increasing in several countries. We provided an up-to-date overview of mortality trends from CMM. We analyzed death certification data from the WHO in selected countries worldwide from 1980 to the most recent available calendar years. We also reported incidence data derived from Cancer Incidence in Five Continents from 1990 to 2012. Separate analyses were performed for young adults aged 20-44 and middle-aged adults aged 45-64 years. Mortality from CMM in all age groups showed a favorable pattern in the majority of the countries considered. Mortality trends declined by 40 to 50% in Australia over the last decades, confirming the importance of prevention measures. Considering young adults aged 20-44, Australia, New Zealand and Northern Europe reported the highest death rates for both sexes (>0.90/100 000 in men and >0.60/100 000 in women) while Japan, the Philippines, and Latin America the lowest ones (<0.50/100 000 and <0.35/100 000 in men and women, respectively). Incidence trends were stable or upward in most countries, with higher rates among women. Our study highlights a global reduction of CMM mortality over the last three decades. The increasing awareness of risk factors, mainly related to UV exposure, along with early diagnosis and progress in treatment for advanced disease played pivotal roles in reducing CMM mortality, particularly in Australia.
Probabilities of cancer death in Italian males and females over the calendar period 1955 to 1980 were computed from age-specific death certification rates for various neoplasms and contemporary general life tables of the whole Italian population. There were substantial increases in eventual probabilities of total cancer mortality: from 16.9 to 27.1% for males and from 15.2 to 19.3% for females. The upward trends were particularly large for lung (from 1.9 to 7.2%) and other tobacco-related sites in males. In females, the largest increases were for neoplasms of the intestines (from 1.6 to 3.0%) and breast (from 1.9 to 3.1%). Separate analyses of probabilities of cancer death in specific age intervals showed more limited changes in middle age, and some moderate decrease at younger ages, probably attributable to improved treatment. The probability estimates presented are clearly based on criticizable assumptions, since they do not allow for any potential subsequent change in mortality and are inappropriate for analyzing the evolution of cancer rates because they reflect (in opposite directions) trends in cancer mortality and in all other causes of death. Nonetheless, a correct interpretation of these estimates does provide some important information from a public health viewpoint, in terms of resource allocation and health care planning, and can help quantify the increasing demand for oncologic services and structures over the next few decades.
