Landmarks in the History of Cancer Epidemiology

Greenwald, Peter; Dunn, Barbara K.

doi:10.1158/0008-5472.can-09-0416

Cited by 32 publications

(24 citation statements)

References 106 publications

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“…Traditional epidemiology research has investigated lifestyle, environmental or genetic factors that might increase or decrease risk of developing colorectal cancer 6 7. The weight of the evidence, in conjunction with results from in vitro and animal models or human experimental trials, can lead to particular factors being widely considered to be aetiologically linked to cancer.…”

Section: Emergence and Evolution Of Molecular Pathological Epidemiologymentioning

confidence: 99%

Molecular pathological epidemiology of colorectal neoplasia: an emerging transdisciplinary and interdisciplinary field

Ogino

Chan

Fuchs

et al. 2010

Gut

469

499

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Colorectal cancer is a complex disease resulting from somatic genetic and epigenetic alterations, including locus-specific CpG island methylation and global DNA or LINE-1 hypomethylation. Global molecular characteristics such as microsatellite instability (MSI), CpG island methylator phenotype (CIMP), global DNA hypomethylation, and chromosomal instability cause alterations of gene function in a genome-wide scale. Activation of oncogenes including KRAS, BRAF and PIK3CA affects intracellular signaling pathways and has been associated with CIMP and MSI. Traditional epidemiology research has investigated various factors in relation to an overall risk of colon and/or rectal cancer. However, colorectal cancers comprise a heterogeneous group of diseases with different sets of genetic and epigenetic alterations. To better understand how a particular exposure influences the carcinogenic process, somatic molecular changes and tumor biomarkers have been studied in relation to the exposure of interest. Moreover, an investigation of interactive effects of tumor molecular changes and the exposures of interest on tumor behavior (prognosis or clinical outcome) can lead to a better understanding of tumor molecular changes, which may be prognostic or predictive tissue biomarkers. These new research efforts represent "Molecular Pathologic Epidemiology", which is a multidisciplinary field of investigations of the interrelationship between exogenous and endogenous (e.g., genetic) factors, tumoral molecular signatures and tumor progression. Furthermore, integrating genome-wide association studies (GWAS) with molecular pathologic investigation is a promising area. Examining the relationship between susceptibility alleles identified by GWAS and specific molecular alterations can help elucidate the function of these alleles and provide insights into whether susceptibility alleles are truly causal. Although there are challenges, molecular pathologic epidemiology has unique strengths, and can provide insights into the pathogenic process and help optimize personalized prevention and therapy. In this review, we overview this relatively new field of research and discuss measures to overcome challenges and move this field forward.

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Section: Emergence and Evolution Of Molecular Pathological Epidemiologymentioning

confidence: 99%

Molecular pathological epidemiology of colorectal neoplasia: an emerging transdisciplinary and interdisciplinary field

Ogino

Chan

Fuchs

et al. 2010

Gut

469

499

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“…There is no better example of the important link between cancer prevention and cancer epidemiology than that reflected by lung cancer risk and its smoking-related epidemiology beginning as early as the 1700s (208 4 Beginning in the 1970s, antismoking regulations included nonsmoking areas in public places and, most important, the smoke-free workplace, which has had the biggest impact on smoking control; the overall age-adjusted U.S. smoking rate by 1979 was 33.3%. 4 Studies of the addictive nature of tobacco use began in the early 1900s (215), and studies of the biology of carcinogenesis induced by the numerous carcinogens in tobacco smoke seem to date back at least to the early 1950s (216)(217)(218).…”

Section: Behavioral Preventionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Cancer Prevention: From 1727 to Milestones of the Past 100 Years

Lippman¹,

Hawk

2009

Cancer Research

118

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The rich, multidisciplinary history of cancer prevention recounted here begins with surgical and workplace recommendations of the 1700s and ends with 2009 results of the enormous (35,535 men) Selenium and Vitamin E [prostate] Cancer Prevention Trial (SELECT). This history comprises a fascinating array of chemopreventive, vaccine, surgical, and behavioral science research, both preclinical and clinical.

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“…Malignant brain tumors cause most deaths among children and are the second most common pediatric cancers after leukemia [2, 10]. In Africa, including Morocco, there is a paucity of descriptive cancer data especially on pediatric brain tumors.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Epidemiologic profile of pediatric brain tumors in Morocco

Karkouri

Zafad²,

Khattab³

et al. 2010

Childs Nerv Syst

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Introduction Brain tumors are the most common solid tumors diagnosed among children below 15 years worldwide. However, little is known about the profile of pediatric brain tumors in Africa. The purpose of this study was to further elaborate the epidemiological profile of pediatric brain tumors in Africa, specifically Morocco. Methods A retrospective review was conducted of all patients with primary brain tumors in the age group 0–19 years, from 2003 to 2007, from multiple centers in two cities of Rabat and Casablanca, Morocco. Only patients with histopathological confirmation were included (n=542). Descriptive epidemiologic profiles were created for the patients by age, sex, and histological subtypes of brain tumors. Results Overall medulloblastoma was the most common brain tumor (34.5%), followed by pilocytic astrocytoma (17.3%) and diffuse astrocytoma grade 2 (12.5%). Brain tumors occurred most commonly in 5–9-year age group followed by 10–14-year age group with the former being more common among males and the latter being more common among females. We also found medulloblastoma to be the most common brain tumor in the 0–14-year-olds. Conclusions In this rare study focused on pediatric brain tumors in Morocco, most of the findings were consistent with past studies from other parts of the world. However, we found medulloblastoma to be the most common pediatric brain tumor followed by astrocytoma.

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Landmarks in the History of Cancer Epidemiology

Abstract: The application of epidemiology to cancer prevention is relatively new, although observations of the potential causes of cancer have been reported for more than 2

Cited by 32 publications

References 106 publications

Molecular pathological epidemiology of colorectal neoplasia: an emerging transdisciplinary and interdisciplinary field

Molecular pathological epidemiology of colorectal neoplasia: an emerging transdisciplinary and interdisciplinary field

Cancer Prevention: From 1727 to Milestones of the Past 100 Years

Epidemiologic profile of pediatric brain tumors in Morocco

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