Publications

Cigarette Smoking, Body Mass and Other Risk Factors for Fractures of the Hip in Women

Determinants of hip fractures were assessed using data from a network of hospital-based case-control studies from northern Italy. For the present analysis, cases were 209 women with fractures of the hip/proximal femur (aged 29 to 74, median age 62) admitted to a network of teaching and general hospitals in the greater Milan area; controls were 1449 women, aged 25 to 74 (median age 55), admitted for non-traumatic, acute conditions to the same network of hospitals. There was a strong direct association with smoking, the relative risk (RR) being significantly and similarly elevated both in ex- and in current smokers (RR 1.7 and 1.5 respectively) which rose to 2.4 for 25 or over cigarettes per day. The risk was associated with duration of smoking and apparently greater in post-menopausal women. Two factors showed significant inverse associations with hip fractures: relative weight, with relative risks of 0.5, 0.4 and 0.3 in subsequent categories of body mass index as compared with thinner ones, and the use of oestrogen replacement treatment (multivariate RR = 0.4, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.2-1.1). No association was observed with education or social class, selected indicator foods or alcohol consumption (RR for the highest consumption level = 1.0). The effects of smoking and body mass index appeared independent: compared with never smoking heavier women, the RR for smoking thin women was 4.6. Thus, this case-control study of hip fractures in a predominantly post-menopausal population of Italian women showed a strong association with smoking and appreciable protection from heavier body mass index and the use of oestrogen replacement treatment.

Morphologic analysis of digestive cancers from the registry of Vaud, Switzerland

Dietary Folate and Risk of Prostate Cancer in Italy

Folate status may affect cancer risk through its role in both methylation and nucleotide synthesis of DNA. A low dietary intake of folate has been linked to risk of several cancers, but epidemiologic studies with reference to prostate cancer are scanty. We therefore analyzed data from a case-control study of prostate cancer conducted between 1991 and 2002 in various areas of Italy. Cases were 1,294 patients with incident, histologically confirmed prostate cancer and controls were 1,451 patients admitted to the same network of hospitals of cases for acute, nonneoplastic conditions. All subjects were < 75 years old. Intake of folate and other nutrients was computed from a validated food frequency questionnaire. We adjusted for energy intake using the residual method, and calculated multivariate odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) using unconditional logistic regression. The OR of prostate cancer was 0.66 (95% CI, 0.51-0.85) for the highest versus the lowest quintile of folate intake. The relation between dietary folate and prostate cancer was consistent across strata of age, methionine, vitamin B6, and alcohol intake, and did not vary substantially according to Gleason score of prostate cancer. The combined OR for high-folate and low-alcohol intake versus low-folate and high-alcohol intake was 0.46 (95% CI, 0.29-0.75). Therefore, this study supports a favorable role of dietary folate on prostate cancer risk.

Mortality Patterns and Trends for Lung Cancer and Other Tobacco-Related Cancers in the Americas, 1955–1989

Mortality from cancers of the oral cavity and pharynx, oesphagus, larynx and lung between 1955 and 1989 has been analysed for USA, Canada and 14 countries in Latin America. Among males, Uruguay, Cuba, Argentina and Puerto Rico have the highest rates for all sites, and Peru, Ecuador, Dominican Republic, Mexico and Colombia have the lowest rates. Among females, Cuba, Colombia and Puerto Rico rank high for all sites, and Mexico, Paraguay, Ecuador and Peru rank low. For both sexes, lung cancer mortality rates from the US and Canada are high, whereas rates from other sites are intermediate. An increasing trend in lung cancer mortality over time is shown in all countries except Cuba (no changes), Argentina, Paraguay and Peru (decreasing trend). In Latin America, the tobacco-related lung cancer epidemic is in its early phase among males, and very early phase among females.

Fumo di sigarette e rischio di infarto miocardico: uno studio caso-controllato nel Nord Italia = Cigarette smoking and the risk of myocardial infarction. A case-controlled study in northern Italy

International Analysis of Age-Specific Mortality Rates From Mesothelioma on the Basis of the International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision

Past analyses of mortality data from mesothelioma relied on unspecific codes, such as pleural neoplasms. We calculated temporal trends in age-specific mortality rates in Canada, the United States, Japan, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, the United Kingdom, and Australia on the basis of the 10th version of the International Classification of Diseases, which includes a specific code for mesothelioma. Older age groups showed an increase (in the United States, a weaker decrease) during the study period, whereas in young age groups, there was a decrease (in Poland, a weaker increase, starting, however, from low rates). Results were consistent between men and women and between pleural and peritoneal mesothelioma, although a smaller number of events in women and for peritoneal mesothelioma resulted in less precise results. The results show the heterogeneous effect of the reduction of asbestos exposure on different age groups; decreasing mortality in young people reflects reduced exposure opportunity, and increasing mortality in the elderly shows the long-term effect of early exposures.

Assessment of Lung Cancer Risk on the Basis of a Biomarker Panel of Circulating Proteins

This study provided a proof of principle in showing that a panel of circulating protein biomarkers may improve lung cancer risk assessment and may be used to define eligibility for computed tomography screening.

Childhood cancer mortality trends in Europe, 1990-2017, with focus on geographic differences

Alcohol and the risk of prostate cancer and benign prostatic hyperplasia