Prediagnosis plasma concentrations of enterolactone and survival after colorectal cancer: the Danish Diet, Cancer and Health cohort

Abstract

The association between lifestyle and survival after colorectal cancer has received limited attention. The female sex hormone, oestrogen, has been associated with lower colorectal cancer risk and mortality after colorectal cancer. Phyto-oestrogens are plant compounds with structure similar to oestrogen, and the main sources in Western populations are plant lignans. We investigated the association between the main lignan metabolite, enterolactone and survival after colorectal cancer among participants in the Danish Diet, Cancer and Health cohort. Prediagnosis plasma samples and lifestyle data, and clinical data from time of diagnosis from 416 women and 537 men diagnosed with colorectal cancer were used. Enterolactone was measured in plasma using a liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) method. Participants were followed from date of diagnosis until death or end of follow-up. During this time, 210 women and 325 men died (170 women and 215 men died due to colorectal cancer). The Cox proportional hazards model was used to estimate hazard ratios (HR) and 95 % CI. Enterolactone concentrations were associated with lower colorectal cancer-specific mortality among women (HRper doubling: 0·88, 95 % CI 0·80, 0·97, P=0·0123). For men, on the contrary, enterolactone concentrations were associated with higher colorectal cancer-specific mortality (HRper doubling: 1·10, 95 % CI 1·01, 1·21, P=0·0379). The use of antibiotics affects enterolactone production, and the associations between higher enterolactone and lower colorectal cancer-specific mortality were more pronounced among women who did not use antibiotics (analysis on a subset). Our results suggest that enterolactone is associated with lower risk of mortality among women, but the opposite association was found among men.

Biomolecular condensates: Formation mechanisms, biological functions, and therapeutic targets

“…Concentrations of the super elongation complex component, ENL, were associated with colorectal cancer‐specific mortality. 222 Recent studies have shown that the condensates formed by ENL can isolate and concentrate positive TF b in inactive HEXIM1 and activate transcription processes. 83 BRD4 is strongly enriched at TERT promoter in colon cancer cells.…”

“…Colorectal cancer originates in the mucosal epithelium of the colon and rectum. Concentrations of the super elongation complex component, ENL, were associated with colorectal cancer‐specific mortality 222 . Recent studies have shown that the condensates formed by ENL can isolate and concentrate positive TF b in inactive HEXIM1 and activate transcription processes 83 .…”

Adherence to the Danish food-based dietary guidelines and risk of colorectal cancer: a cohort study

“…The outcome of the study was incidence of CRC, differentiated into colon cancer (CC) and rectum cancer (RC), identified through the Danish Cancer Registry and defined on the basis of relevant diagnostic codes from International Classification of Diseases 10 codes C18 (CC), C19 (cancer in the rectosigmoid junction), and C20 (RC)). Cancers coded as C19 were grouped with all CCs (C18), and cancers of the rectum (C20) were grouped as RC [24][25][26]. Participants were followed for incidence of CRC from inclusion in DCH and up to 31 December 2016.…”

New developments in the BJN

“…For example, we published recently our first Special Themed Issue on 'Nutrition and Cancer' which contains twelve peer-reviewed articles (see https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/british-journalof-nutrition/issue/781E01A32EEB80B9745F37F868830915). This Issue is accompanied by a specially commissioned animation, based on the paper by Kyrø et al (6) , which was designed to communicate the findings from the study to non-specialist audiences though social media as well as via the BJN website. Our second Special Themed Issue on 'Cut-Offs for Nutritional Status in Nutrition Research' will be published shortly.…”