Estimating cancer risk in relation to tritium exposure from routine operation of a nuclear-generating station in Pickering, Ontario

Introduction Evidence suggests that current levels of tritium emissions from CANDU reactors in Canada are not related to adverse health effects. However, these studies lack tritium-specific dose data and have small numbers of cases. The purpose of our study was to determine whether tritium emitted from a nuclear-generating station during routine operation is associated with risk of cancer in Pickering, Ontario. Methods A retrospective cohort was formed through linkage of Pickering and north Oshawa residents (1985) to incident cancer cases (1985–2005). We examined all sites combined, leukemia, lung, thyroid and childhood cancers (6–19 years) for males and females as well as female breast cancer. Tritium estimates were based on an atmospheric dispersion model, incorporating characteristics of annual tritium emissions and meteorology. Tritium concentration estimates were assigned to each cohort member based on exact location of residence. Person-years analysis was used to determine whether observed cancer cases were higher than expected. Cox proportional hazards regression was used to determine whether tritium was associated with radiation-sensitive cancers in Pickering. Results Person-years analysis showed female childhood cancer cases to be significantly higher than expected (standardized incidence ratio [SIR] = 1.99, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.08–3.38). The issue of multiple comparisons is the most likely explanation for this finding. Cox models revealed that female lung cancer was significantly higher in Pickering versus north Oshawa (HR = 2.34, 95% CI: 1.23–4.46) and that tritium was not associated with increased risk. The improved methodology used in this study adds to our understanding of cancer risks associated with low-dose tritium exposure. Conclusion Tritium estimates were not associated with increased risk of radiation-sensitive cancers in Pickering.

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Osteoarthritis and risk of mortality in the USA: a population-based cohort study

International Journal of Epidemiology ◽

10.1093/ije/dyy187 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 47 (6) ◽

pp. 1821-1829 ◽

Cited By ~ 15

Author(s):

Angelico Mendy ◽

JuYoung Park ◽

Edgar Ramos Vieira

Keyword(s):

Proportional Hazards ◽

Population Based ◽

Cox Proportional Hazards ◽

Self Report ◽

Joint Disease ◽

Renal Diseases ◽

X Rays ◽

Risk Of Mortality ◽

Increased Risk ◽

Risk Of Cancer

Abstract Background Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common joint disease, but its association with mortality is unclear. Methods We analysed data on adult participants in the 1988–94 and 1999–2010 National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys, followed for mortality through 2011. OA was defined by self-report, and in a subset of participants 60 years or older with knee X-rays, radiographic knee OA (RKOA) was defined as Kellgren–Lawrence score ≥2. Cox proportional hazards were used to determine the mortality hazard ratio (HR) associated with self-reported OA and RKOA, adjusting for covariates. Results The sample included 51 938 participants followed for a median 8.9 years; 2589 of them had knee X-rays and were followed for a median of 13.6 years. Self-reported OA and RKOA prevalences were 6.6% and 40.6%, respectively. Self-reported OA was not associated with mortality. RKOA was associated with an increased risk of mortality from cardiovascular diseases (CVD) {HR 1.43 [95% confidence interval (CI): 1.32, 1.64]}, diabetes [HR 2.04 (1.87, 2.23)] and renal diseases [HR 1.14 (1.04, 1.25)], but with a reduced risk of cancer mortality [HR 0.88 (0.80, 0.96)]. Participants with early RKOA onset (diagnosed before age 40) had a higher risk of mortality from all causes [HR 1.53 (1.43, 1.65)] and from diabetes [HR 7.18 (5.45, 9.45)]. Obese participants with RKOA were at increased risk of mortality from CVD [HR 1.89 (1.56, 2.29)] and from diabetes [HR: 3.42 (3.01, 3.88)]. Conclusions Self-reported OA was not associated with mortality. RKOA was associated with higher CVD, diabetes and renal mortality, especially in people with early onset of the disease or with obesity.

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Obesity and risk of infections: results from men and women in the Swedish National March Cohort

International Journal of Epidemiology ◽

10.1093/ije/dyz129 ◽

2019 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Francesca Ghilotti ◽

Rino Bellocco ◽

Weimin Ye ◽

Hans-Olov Adami ◽

Ylva Trolle Lagerros

Keyword(s):

Proportional Hazards ◽

Cox Model ◽

Normal Weight ◽

Cox Proportional Hazards ◽

Event Analysis ◽

Obese Women ◽

Cox Models ◽

Increased Risk ◽

Repeated Events ◽

Tract Infections

Abstract Background Previous studies have shown an association between body mass index (BMI) and infections, but the literature on type-specific community acquired infections is still limited. Methods We included 39 163 Swedish adults who completed a questionnaire in September 1997 and were followed through record-linkages until December 2016. Information on BMI was self-reported and infections were identified from the Swedish National Patient Register using International Classification of Diseases (ICD), Tenth Revision (ICD-10) codes. We fitted multivariable Cox proportional hazards models for time-to-first-event analysis, and we used extensions of the standard Cox model when repeated events were included. Results During a 19-year follow-up 32% of the subjects had at least one infection requiring health care contact, leading to a total of 27 675 events. We found an increased incidence of any infection in obese women [hazard ratio (HR) = 1.22; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.12; 1.33] and obese men (HR = 1.25; 95% CI = 1.09; 1.43) compared with normal weight subjects. For specific infections, higher incidences were observed for skin infections in both genders (HR = 1.76; 95% CI = 1.47; 2.12 for obese females and HR = 1.74; 95% CI = 1.33; 2.28 for obese males) and gastrointestinal tract infections (HR = 1.44; 95% CI = 1.19; 1.75), urinary tract infections (HR = 1.30; 95% CI = 1.08; 1.55) and sepsis (HR = 2.09; 95% CI = 1.46; 2.99) in obese females. When accounting for repeated events, estimates similar to the aforementioned ones were found. Conclusions Obesity was associated with an increased risk of infections in both genders. Results from multiple-failure survival analysis were consistent with those from classic Cox models.

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506 Role of inflammation and comorbidities in the association between heart failure and incident cancer in the HUNT3 cohort

European Heart Journal Supplements ◽

10.1093/eurheartj/suab130 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 23 (Supplement_G) ◽

Author(s):

Edoardo Bertero ◽

Luca Carmisciano ◽

Christian Jonasson ◽

Christoph Maack ◽

Pietro Ameri

Keyword(s):

Heart Failure ◽

Proportional Hazards ◽

Cox Proportional Hazards ◽

Health Study ◽

Chronic Obstructive ◽

Low Grade ◽

Incident Cancer ◽

Increased Risk ◽

Risk Of Cancer ◽

Low Grade Inflammation

Abstract Aims Conflicting data exist regarding the risk of cancer in patients with heart failure (HF). It was first reported that incident cancer is more common among patients with than without HF, whereas more recent studies indicate that this association is primarily driven by comorbidities. HF, cancer, and comorbidities, such as chronic kidney disease (CKD) and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), share numerous risk factors, including a state of chronic low-grade inflammation reflected by elevated circulating levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines. The objective of this analysis was to assess whether chronic low-grade inflammation, as measured by levels of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP), and comorbidities mediate the association of HF with incident cancer. Methods We used data from the 3rd wave of the Nord-Trøndelag Health Study (HUNT3), a population-based study that enrolled 50 803 individuals ≥18-year-old between October 2006 and June 2008 in the Nord-Trøndelag County (Norway), and from the administrative health care records of the same region. Associations between baseline characteristics and the development of cancer were assessed using Cox proportional hazards regression models, using time from HUNT3 enrolment as the time scale. Analyses were performed using R statistical software, version 4.0.2. Results In HUNT3, hsCRP was measured in 47 571 individuals at the time of enrolment. Of these, we excluded 2308 patients because of missing information, leaving a cohort of 45 263 subjects. The prevalence of cardiovascular disease, comorbidities, and obesity was progressively higher with increasing concentrations of hsCRP. During a median follow-up of 12 years, there were 66/408 cases of incident cancer in patients with HF at baseline and 5024/47 163 in subjects without HF, with a more than 2-fold (HR 2.30; 95% CI 1.80–2.93; P < 0.001) increase in risk of developing cancer. After adjusting for age and sex, the excess risk decreased to 43% (HR 1.43; 95% CI 1.12–1.82). When including hsCRP in the model, the HF-related risk of cancer was 33% (HR 1.33; 95% CI 1.04–1.70; P = 0.022). Furthermore, when body mass index, CKD, COPD, and smoking and drinking habits were included in the model, the risk of cancer in HF patients compared to individuals without HF was no longer significant (HR 1.23; 95% CI 0.94–1.60; P = 0.127). Age, male sex, hsCRP, COPD, obesity, and smoking habits were all associated with an increased risk of cancer. Conclusions The increased risk of cancer in HF patients compared with the general population is at least in part explained by concomitant inflammation and comorbidities.

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Levels of ankle–brachial index and the risk of diabetes mellitus complications

BMJ Open Diabetes Research & Care ◽

10.1136/bmjdrc-2019-000977 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 8 (1) ◽

pp. e000977

Author(s):

Lia Alves-Cabratosa ◽

Marc Comas-Cufí ◽

Anna Ponjoan ◽

Maria Garcia-Gil ◽

Ruth Martí-Lluch ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Type 2 Diabetes ◽

Proportional Hazards ◽

Microvascular Complications ◽

Ankle Brachial Index ◽

Cardiovascular Prevention ◽

Cox Proportional Hazards ◽

Cox Models ◽

Complications Of Diabetes ◽

Increased Risk

ObjectiveWe sought to compare the association of categorized ankle–brachial index (ABI) with mortality and complications of diabetes in persons with no symptoms of peripheral arterial disease (PAD) and in primary cardiovascular disease prevention.Research design and methodsThis is a retrospective cohort study of persons with type 2 diabetes aged 35–85 years, from 2006 to 2011. Data were obtained from the Sistema d'Informació per al Desenvolupament de la Investigació en Atenció Primària (SIDIAPQ). Participants had an ABI measurement that was classified into six categories. For each category of ABI, we assessed the incidence of mortality; macrovascular complications of diabetes: acute myocardial infarction (AMI), ischemic stroke, and a composite of these two; and microvascular complications of this metabolic condition: nephropathy, retinopathy, and neuropathy. We also estimated the HRs for these outcomes by ABI category using Cox proportional hazards models.ResultsData from 34 689 persons with type 2 diabetes were included. The mean age was 66.2; 51.5% were men; and the median follow-up was 6.0 years. The outcome with the highest incidence was nephropathy, with 24.4 cases per 1000 person-years in the reference category of 1.1≤ABI≤1.3. The incidences in this category for mortality and AMI were 15.4 and 4.1, respectively. In the Cox models, low ABI was associated with increased risk and was significant from ABI lower than 0.9; below this level, the risk kept increasing steeply. High ABI (over 1.3) was also associated with significant increased risk for most outcomes.ConclusionsThe studied categories of ABI were associated with different risks of type 2 diabetes complications in persons asymptomatic for PAD, who were in primary cardiovascular prevention. These findings could be useful to optimize preventive interventions according to the ABI category in this population.

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Long-term risk of cancer following pregnancies complicated by vaginal bleeding

10.1101/2021.12.29.21268235 ◽

2022 ◽

Author(s):

Elena Dudukina ◽

Erzsébet Horváth-Puhó ◽

Henrik Toft Sørensen ◽

Vera Ehrenstein

Keyword(s):

Vaginal Bleeding ◽

Proportional Hazards ◽

Uterine Cancer ◽

Incidence Rates ◽

Cox Proportional Hazards ◽

Sensitivity Analyses ◽

Danish Health ◽

Increased Risk ◽

Risk Of Cancer

Objective: To investigate an association of vaginal bleeding-affected deliveries with the long-term risk of cancer as compared with vaginal bleeding-unaffected deliveries and pregnancies ending in a termination or miscarriage. Design: Registry-based cohort study in Denmark, 1995-2017. Setting: Danish health and administrative registries. Participants: Deliveries (N=37,085) affected by vaginal bleeding (VB) within 20 gestational weeks among 35,517 women, VB-unaffected deliveries (N=1,362,760) among 783,020 women, pregnancies ending in a termination (N=324,395) among 239,729 women or miscarriage (N=137,040) among 121,303 women. Main outcome measures: Incidence rates (IR) per 10,000 person-years and cumulative incidence of cancer at the end of up to 24 years of follow-up, hazard ratios (HR) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) adjusted for age, calendar year, reproductive history, history of chronic conditions, medication use, and socioeconomic factors using Cox proportional hazards regression. Results: We observed 1,725 cancer events (IR=32.1, 95% CI: 30.6-33.6) following VB-affected deliveries, 52,620 events (IR=31.5, 95% CI: 31.2-31.7) following VB-unaffected deliveries, 12,925 events (IR=30.1, 95% CI: 29.6-30.6) following a termination and 6,080 events (IR=34.3, 95% CI: 33.4-35.1) following a miscarriage. We found no association between VB and any cancer in comparison with VB-unaffected deliveries (HR=0.98, 95% CI: 0.93-1.03), terminations (HR=1.00, 95% CI: 0.94-1.06) and miscarriages (HR=1.04, 95% CI: 0.94-1.14). Specifically, there was no increase in relative risk of breast (HR=0.94, 95% CI: 0.86-1.03), cervical (0.94, 0.77-1.14), ovarian and fallopian tube (1.16, 0.81-1.66), uterine cancer (0.78, 0.46-1.33) and other site-specific cancers across all comparisons and in sensitivity analyses. Conclusions: Having a VB-affected pregnancy ending in a delivery was not associated with an increased risk of cancer in women in comparison with having a VB-unaffected pregnancy ending in a delivery, termination or miscarriage.

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Real-World Implications of Nonbiological Factors with Staging, Prognosis and Clinical Management in Colon Cancer

Cancers ◽

10.3390/cancers10080263 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 10 (8) ◽

pp. 263 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Qi Liu ◽

Dakui Luo ◽

Sanjun Cai ◽

Qingguo Li ◽

Xinxiang Li

Keyword(s):

Colon Cancer ◽

Proportional Hazards ◽

Staging System ◽

Tnm Staging ◽

Cox Proportional Hazards ◽

Metastatic Colon Cancer ◽

Cancer Specific Survival ◽

Increased Risk ◽

Tnm Staging System ◽

Risk Of Cancer

Background: The present study analyzed the nonbiological factors (NBFs) together with the American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) Tumor-Node-Metastasis (TNM) staging system to generate a refined, risk-adapted stage for the clinical treatment of colon cancer. Methods: Eligible patients (N = 28,818) with colon cancer between 1 January 2010 and 31 December 2014, were identified from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database. Kaplan-Meier curves and Cox proportional hazards regression, analyzed the probabilities of cancer-specific survival (CSS) in patients with colon cancer, with different NBF-TNM stages. Results: Insurance status, marital status, and median household income were significant prognostic NBFs in the current study (p < 0.05). The concordance index of NBF-TNM stage was 0.857 (95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.8472–0.8668). Multivariate Cox analyses, indicated that NBF1-stage was independently associated with a 50.4% increased risk of cancer-specific mortality in colon cancer (p < 0.001), which increased to 77.1% in non-metastatic colon cancer. NBF0-stage improved in CSS as compared to the NBF1-stage in the respective stages (p < 0.05). Conclusions: The new proposed NBF-stage was an independent prognostic factor in colon cancer. Effect of NBFs on the survival of colon cancer necessitates further clinical attention. Moreover, the incorporation of NBF-stage into the AJCC TNM staging system is essential for prognostic prediction, and clinical guidance of adjuvant chemotherapy in stage II and III colon cancer.

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Factors that contribute to urban–rural gradients in risk of schizophrenia: Comparing Danish and Western Australian registers

Australian & New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry ◽

10.1177/00048674211009615 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 000486742110096

Author(s):

Oleguer Plana-Ripoll ◽

Patsy Di Prinzio ◽

John J McGrath ◽

Preben B Mortensen ◽

Vera A Morgan

Keyword(s):

Confidence Interval ◽

Western Australia ◽

Urban Areas ◽

Proportional Hazards ◽

Cox Proportional Hazards ◽

Hazard Ratio ◽

Indigenous Status ◽

Increased Risk ◽

The Relationship ◽

Western Australian

Introduction: An association between schizophrenia and urbanicity has long been observed, with studies in many countries, including several from Denmark, reporting that individuals born/raised in densely populated urban settings have an increased risk of developing schizophrenia compared to those born/raised in rural settings. However, these findings have not been replicated in all studies. In particular, a Western Australian study showed a gradient in the opposite direction which disappeared after adjustment for covariates. Given the different findings for Denmark and Western Australia, our aim was to investigate the relationship between schizophrenia and urbanicity in these two regions to determine which factors may be influencing the relationship. Methods: We used population-based cohorts of children born alive between 1980 and 2001 in Western Australia ( N = 428,784) and Denmark ( N = 1,357,874). Children were categorised according to the level of urbanicity of their mother’s residence at time of birth and followed-up through to 30 June 2015. Linkage to State-based registers provided information on schizophrenia diagnosis and a range of covariates. Rates of being diagnosed with schizophrenia for each category of urbanicity were estimated using Cox proportional hazards models adjusted for covariates. Results: During follow-up, 1618 (0.4%) children in Western Australia and 11,875 (0.9%) children in Denmark were diagnosed with schizophrenia. In Western Australia, those born in the most remote areas did not experience lower rates of schizophrenia than those born in the most urban areas (hazard ratio = 1.02 [95% confidence interval: 0.81, 1.29]), unlike their Danish counterparts (hazard ratio = 0.62 [95% confidence interval: 0.58, 0.66]). However, when the Western Australian cohort was restricted to children of non-Aboriginal Indigenous status, results were consistent with Danish findings (hazard ratio = 0.46 [95% confidence interval: 0.29, 0.72]). Discussion: Our study highlights the potential for disadvantaged subgroups to mask the contribution of urban-related risk factors to risk of schizophrenia and the importance of stratified analysis in such cases.

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Elevated plasma growth and differentiation factor 15 predicts incident anemia in older adults aged 60 years and older

The Journals of Gerontology Series A ◽

10.1093/gerona/glaa324 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Yuko Yamaguchi ◽

Marta Zampino ◽

Toshiko Tanaka ◽

Stefania Bandinelli ◽

Yusuke Osawa ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Proportional Hazards ◽

Proportional Hazards Model ◽

Cox Proportional Hazards ◽

Cox Proportional Hazards Model ◽

Differentiation Factor ◽

Hazards Model ◽

Increased Risk ◽

The Relationship

Abstract Background Anemia is common in older adults and associated with greater morbidity and mortality. The causes of anemia in older adults have not been completely characterized. Although elevated circulating growth and differentiation factor 15 (GDF-15) has been associated with anemia in older adults, it is not known whether elevated GDF-15 predicts the development of anemia. Methods We examined the relationship between plasma GDF-15 concentrations at baseline in 708 non-anemic adults, aged 60 years and older, with incident anemia during 15 years of follow-up among participants in the Invecchiare in Chianti (InCHIANTI) Study. Results During follow-up, 179 (25.3%) participants developed anemia. The proportion of participants who developed anemia from the lowest to highest quartile of plasma GDF-15 was 12.9%, 20.1%, 21.2%, and 45.8%, respectively. Adults in the highest quartile of plasma GDF-15 had an increased risk of developing anemia (Hazards Ratio 1.15, 95% Confidence Interval 1.09, 1.21, P<.0001) compared to those in the lower three quartiles in a multivariable Cox proportional hazards model adjusting for age, sex, serum iron, soluble transferrin receptor, ferritin, vitamin B12, congestive heart failure, diabetes mellitus, and cancer. Conclusions Circulating GDF-15 is an independent predictor for the development of anemia in older adults.

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Towards refining WCRF/AICR cancer prevention recommendations for red and processed meat intake: Insights from Alberta’s Tomorrow Project cohort

British Journal Of Nutrition ◽

10.1017/s0007114521001240 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 1-38

Author(s):

Ala Al Rajabi ◽

Geraldine Lo Siou ◽

Alianu K. Akawung ◽

Kathryn L McDonald ◽

Tiffany R. Price ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Cancer Prevention ◽

Proportional Hazards ◽

Red Meat ◽

Cox Proportional Hazards ◽

Processed Meat ◽

Carcinogenic Effect ◽

Meat Intake ◽

Increased Risk ◽

Red Meats ◽

Red And Processed Meat

ABSTRACT Current cancer prevention recommendations advise limiting red meat intake to <500g/week and avoiding consumption of processed meat, but do not differentiate the source of processed meat. We examined the associations of processed meat derived from red vs. non-red meats with cancer risk in a prospective cohort of 26,218 adults who reported dietary intake using the Canadian Diet History Questionnaire. Incidence of cancer was obtained through data linkage with Alberta Cancer Registry with median (IQR) follow-up of 13.3 (5.1) years. Multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression models were adjusted for covariates and stratified by age and gender. The median (IQR) consumption (g/week) of red meat, processed meat from red meat and processed meat from non-red meat were 267.9 (269.9), 53.6 (83.3), and 11.9 (31.8), respectively. High intakes (4th Quartile) of processed meat from red meat was associated with increased risk of gastro-intestinal cancer Adjusted Hazard Ratio (AHR) (95% CI): 1.68 (1.09 – 2.57) and colorectal cancers AHR (95% CI): 1.90 (1.12 – 3.22), respectively in women. No statistically significant associations were observed for intakes of red meat or processed meat from non-red meat. Results suggests that the carcinogenic effect associated with processed meat intake may be limited to processed meat derived from red meats. The findings provide preliminary evidence toward refining cancer prevention recommendations for red and processed meat intake.

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Sex-Specific Associations between Blood Pressure and Risk of Atrial Fibrillation Subtypes in the Tromsø Study

Journal of Clinical Medicine ◽

10.3390/jcm10071514 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 10 (7) ◽

pp. 1514

Author(s):

Hilde Espnes ◽

Jocasta Ball ◽

Maja-Lisa Løchen ◽

Tom Wilsgaard ◽

Inger Njølstad ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Atrial Fibrillation ◽

Blood Pressure ◽

Proportional Hazards ◽

Cox Proportional Hazards ◽

Pressure Management ◽

Reference Models ◽

Proportional Hazards Regression ◽

Hazard Ratios ◽

Increased Risk

The aim of this study was to explore sex-specific associations between systolic blood pressure (SBP), hypertension, and the risk of incident atrial fibrillation (AF) subtypes, including paroxysmal, persistent, and permanent AF, in a general population. A total of 13,137 women and 11,667 men who participated in the fourth survey of the Tromsø Study (1994–1995) were followed up for incident AF until the end of 2016. Cox proportional hazards regression analysis was conducted using fractional polynomials for SBP to provide sex- and AF-subtype-specific hazard ratios (HRs) for SBP. An SBP of 120 mmHg was used as the reference. Models were adjusted for other cardiovascular risk factors. Over a mean follow-up of 17.6 ± 6.6 years, incident AF occurred in 914 (7.0%) women (501 with paroxysmal/persistent AF and 413 with permanent AF) and 1104 (9.5%) men (606 with paroxysmal/persistent AF and 498 with permanent AF). In women, an SBP of 180 mmHg was associated with an HR of 2.10 (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.60–2.76) for paroxysmal/persistent AF and an HR of 1.80 (95% CI 1.33–2.44) for permanent AF. In men, an SBP of 180 mmHg was associated with an HR of 1.90 (95% CI 1.46–2.46) for paroxysmal/persistent AF, while there was no association with the risk of permanent AF. In conclusion, increasing SBP was associated with an increased risk of both paroxysmal/persistent AF and permanent AF in women, but only paroxysmal/persistent AF in men. Our findings highlight the importance of sex-specific risk stratification and optimizing blood pressure management for the prevention of AF subtypes in clinical practice.

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