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Objective: We aimed to explore the association between changes in social activities and the occurrence/persis-tence of depressive symptoms and investigate the difference in effect sizes among the types and combinations of social activities.Methods: The study adopted a valid 15-item Geriatric Depression Scale to assess depressive symptoms in 2480 community-dwelling adults aged 64/65 years. Changes in social-related, learning, and personal activities were classified into four categories: continued low frequency (CLF), increased frequency (IF), decreased frequency (DF), and continued regular frequency (CRF)1. Relative ratios (RRs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) were calculated using a modified Poisson regression model.Results: Those without depressive symptoms at baseline and who engaged in social-related (RRIF = 0.56 (0.39, 0.81), RRCRF = 0.55 (0.41, 0.74)), learning (RRIF = 0.63 (0.44, 0.89), RRCRF = 0.62 (0.46, 0.85)), and personal activities (RRIF = 0.37 (0.24, 0.57), RRCRF = 0.41 (0.30, 0.56)) at IF or CRF were less likely to develop depressive symptoms. Those with depressive symptoms at baseline, engaging in personal activities at IF (RR=0.67 (0.51, 0.87)) and CRF (RR= 0.80 (0.65-1.00)) were less likely to have persistent depressive symptoms. Participation in all three activities consistently at a regular frequency was inversely associated with the occurrence/persistence of depressive symptoms.Conclusions: The effect of personal activities was more manifest in preventing depressive symptoms than the other two kinds, regardless of depressive symptoms at baseline. Regularly engaging in a combination of all three activities at baseline and follow-up was associated with the occurrence and persistence of depressive symptoms.

Maintaining physical and mental health of older people is one of the important issues to be addressed in the aging society. Social capital, defined as the resources available to members of social groups, has recently attracted attention as a factor influencing public health. Most of the previous studies targeted various communities having different aging rates or population densities at once to examine the associations of social capital and health outcomes. However, the results of those studies are not always consistent. Moreover, because few studies have targeted a particular advanced aging society, associations of social capital and health at such societies have remained unknown. This study examined how social capital associates with health at a particular city having a very high aging rate and low population density. We targeted Iwamizawa city, Hokkaido, Japan, which is one of the most advanced aging areas, with an aging rate of 36.6% and a population density of 165/km2. We analyzed self-administered questionnaire data obtained from HELLO (HEalth, Lifestyle, and LOcal community of Iwamizawa citizen) Study in 2018. The sample comprised 1237 individuals aged 65 and older. Following previous studies, we regarded three items-social cohesion, reciprocity, and civic participation-as social capital indices, and targeted two health outcomes: self-rated health (SRH) and degree of depression. Multilevel Poisson regression analyses were used to calculate prevalence ratios (PRs). We found that at the individual-level, the PR (95% confidence interval) of having poor SRH among those with more civic participation was 0.81 (0.71-0.93), and that of being depressed among those with more social cohesion was 0.32 (0.21-0.51), even after adjusting for compositional factors. We also found that the community-level civic participation significantly correlated with aging rate. Our findings indicate that social capital positively associates with older people's health at the advanced aging

In Western populations, fecal concentrations of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) are positively correlated with the prevalence of obesity. However, gut microbiota involved in the production of SCFA varies between races. Our purpose was to investigate the associations between fecal SCFAs and the prevalence of obesity in a community-based Japanese population. We classified a total of 568 participants aged >= 18 into four quartiles of fecal concentrations of SCFA subtypes (acetate, butyrate, and propionate) and total SCFAs to compare the prevalence of obesity, defined as a body mass index >= 25.0 kg/m(2). Using the first quartile SCFA group as a reference, the prevalence ratios of obesity were calculated for each SCFA group through a log-binomial regression model adjusted for major potentially confounding factors including age, sex, exercise habits, total energy intake, and total dietary fiber intake. In the study population, the prevalence of obesity was 35.8%. The prevalence ratios (95% confidence intervals) of obesity in the second, third, and fourth quartile groups of fecal total SCFAs were 1.30 (0.89-1.89), 1.74 (1.23-2.47) and 1.70 (1.19-2.41), respectively, after adjusting for the confounders. Similar positive associations were observed for every subtype. The prevalence ratios (95% confidence intervals) in the fourth quartile groups of fecal acetate, butyrate, and propionate were 1.41 (1.02-1.97), 2.16 (1.49-3.14), and 1.97 (1.35-2.89), respectively, after adjusting for the confounders. In conclusion, our results demonstrated that fecal SCFA concentrations of every subtype were positively associated with the prevalence of obesity in a community-based Japanese population.

In Western populations, fecal concentrations of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) are positively correlated with the prevalence of obesity. However, gut microbiota involved in the production of SCFA varies between races. Our purpose was to investigate the associations between fecal SCFAs and the prevalence of obesity in a community-based Japanese population. We classified a total of 568 participants aged >= 18 into four quartiles of fecal concentrations of SCFA subtypes (acetate, butyrate, and propionate) and total SCFAs to compare the prevalence of obesity, defined as a body mass index >= 25.0 kg/m(2). Using the first quartile SCFA group as a reference, the prevalence ratios of obesity were calculated for each SCFA group through a log-binomial regression model adjusted for major potentially confounding factors including age, sex, exercise habits, total energy intake, and total dietary fiber intake. In the study population, the prevalence of obesity was 35.8%. The prevalence ratios (95% confidence intervals) of obesity in the second, third, and fourth quartile groups of fecal total SCFAs were 1.30 (0.89-1.89), 1.74 (1.23-2.47) and 1.70 (1.19-2.41), respectively, after adjusting for the confounders. Similar positive associations were observed for every subtype. The prevalence ratios (95% confidence intervals) in the fourth quartile groups of fecal acetate, butyrate, and propionate were 1.41 (1.02-1.97), 2.16 (1.49-3.14), and 1.97 (1.35-2.89), respectively, after adjusting for the confounders. In conclusion, our results demonstrated that fecal SCFA concentrations of every subtype were positively associated with the prevalence of obesity in a community-based Japanese population.

Background & aims: The association between dietary pattern and mortality has been well studied in the general population; however, few studies have focused on the elderly. We aimed to examine the association of dietary pattern with subsequent overall mortality in elderly Japanese, and demonstrate the modifiable effect of lifestyle factors on this association. Methods: Totally 2949 Japanese community-dwelling residents aged 64 or 65 years were included in the NISSIN Project in 1996-2005. A validated food frequency questionnaire was adopted to collect dietary information and factor analysis was used to extract dietary patterns. Unadjusted and adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated through the Cox proportional hazard regression model. Results: Over 31,233 person-years, 253 persons died. Three different dietary patterns were identified: meat-fat, healthy, and dairy-bread pattern. Increased risk for all-cause mortality for meat-fat pattern was observed among those who never smoked (HR, 2.81; 95% Cl, 1.37-5.79); this association for dairy-bread pattern was observed among the never smokers (HR. 2.21; 95% CI, 1.20-4.06) and occasional drinkers (HR, 1.62; 95% CI, 1.09-2.39). For healthy pattern, decreased overall mortality risk was observed among never smokers (HR, 0.44; 95% CI, 0.24-0.80), occasional drinkers (HR, 0.63; 95% CI, 0.42-0.93), and those who walked >= 1 h/day (HR, 0.47; 95% CI, 0.28-0.77). Conclusions: We found that tobacco use, alcohol consumption, and daily walking duration could modify the associations of three patterns with overall mortality. Healthy eating along with other healthy lifestyle factor among elderly populations can decrease the overall mortality risk.

Objective: The present cross-sectional study investigated the relationship between serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D-3 (25[OH]D-3) levels and the presence of poor sleep quality in a community-based Japanese adult population. Methods: Poor sleep quality, defined as poor subjective sleep quality and/or use of sleep medications, was assessed using a self-administered questionnaire. The prevalence of poor sleep quality was compared among 512 Japanese participants aged 35-79 years, based on serum 25(OH) D-3 levels, which were determined using tandem mass spectrometry. A logistic regression model was used to calculate the odds ratios (ORs) for the presence of poor sleep quality in each group with the highest quartile of 25(OH) D-3 serving as the reference group. Results: Poor sleep quality was reported by 33.2% of the total study population. The prevalence of poor sleep quality was higher in the first quartile group (25[OH] D-3: 2.08-18.13 ng/mL) than in the second, third and fourth quartile groups (18.14-23.07 ng/mL, 23.08-28.32 ng/mL, and 28.33-78.83 ng/mL, respectively). The ORs for poor sleep quality were 1.86 (95% confidence interval, 1.08-3.20) for the first quartile group, 0.73 (0.41-1.29) for the second quartile group, and 0.73 (0.42-1.27) for the third quartile group after adjusting for age, sex, and sociodemographic, lifestyle, physical and environmental factors, while the ORs were 1.68 (0.96-2.95), 0.69 (0.39-1.24), and 0.65 (0.37-1.15) after further adjustment for overall health status and depression status. Conclusions: The first quartile group of serum 25(OH) D-3 was associated with the presence of poor sleep quality. (c) 2019 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Objective: The present cross-sectional study investigated the relationship between serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D-3 (25[OH]D-3) levels and the presence of poor sleep quality in a community-based Japanese adult population. Methods: Poor sleep quality, defined as poor subjective sleep quality and/or use of sleep medications, was assessed using a self-administered questionnaire. The prevalence of poor sleep quality was compared among 512 Japanese participants aged 35-79 years, based on serum 25(OH) D-3 levels, which were determined using tandem mass spectrometry. A logistic regression model was used to calculate the odds ratios (ORs) for the presence of poor sleep quality in each group with the highest quartile of 25(OH) D-3 serving as the reference group. Results: Poor sleep quality was reported by 33.2% of the total study population. The prevalence of poor sleep quality was higher in the first quartile group (25[OH] D-3: 2.08-18.13 ng/mL) than in the second, third and fourth quartile groups (18.14-23.07 ng/mL, 23.08-28.32 ng/mL, and 28.33-78.83 ng/mL, respectively). The ORs for poor sleep quality were 1.86 (95% confidence interval, 1.08-3.20) for the first quartile group, 0.73 (0.41-1.29) for the second quartile group, and 0.73 (0.42-1.27) for the third quartile group after adjusting for age, sex, and sociodemographic, lifestyle, physical and environmental factors, while the ORs were 1.68 (0.96-2.95), 0.69 (0.39-1.24), and 0.65 (0.37-1.15) after further adjustment for overall health status and depression status. Conclusions: The first quartile group of serum 25(OH) D-3 was associated with the presence of poor sleep quality. (c) 2019 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Objective: A few reports have investigated the association of dietary vitamin intakes with risk of heart failure in Asia. Therefore, we examined the relation of dietary intakes of fat-soluble vitamins A, K E, and D with mortality from heart failure in Japanese population. Research Methods and Procedures: A total of 23,099 men and 35,597 women aged 40-79 years participated in the Japan Collaborative Cohort Study and completed a food frequency questionnaire, from which dietary intakes of vitamin A, K, E and D were calculated. Cox proportional hazard model was used to estimate the sex-specific risk of heart failure mortality according to increasing quintiles of fat soluble vitamin intakes. Results: During median 19.3-year follow-up, there were 567 deaths from heart failure (395 men and 307 women). Dietary vitamin A intake showed no association with heart failure mortality in both genders; contrary, the reduced risk was observed in women but not in men with dietary intakes of vitamin K, E and D. The multivariable HRs (95% CI) in the highest versus the lowest intake quintiles among women were 0.63 (0.45, 0.87; P for trend=0.006) for vitamin K, 0.55 (0.36, 0.78; P for trend=0.006) for vitamin E and 0.66 (0.48, 0.93; P for trend= 0.01) for vitamin D. The association for each vitamin was slightly attenuated but remained statistically significant after mutual adjustment for other vitamins. Conclusions: High dietary intakes of fat soluble vitamins K, E and D were associated with reduced risk of heart failure mortality in Japanese women but not men.

Background: Colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer worldwide, and in Japan, it is estimated that about 10% of men and 8% of women will be diagnosed with colorectal cancer during their lifetime. Methods: We focused on 5864 participants (3699 men and 2165 women) who had colorectal cancer and were registered with BioBank Japan (BBJ) between April 2003 and March 2008. Characteristics of colon and rectal cancer patients were calculated separately. Among the enrolled patients registered in BBJ within 90 days after diagnosis, we also calculated the 5-year cumulative and relative survival rates, and estimated the effect of lifestyle factors on all-cause mortality. Results: Our participants included younger men than those in the Patient Survey and the Cancer Registry Japan. In more than 95% of cases the histological type was adenocarcinoma both in colon and rectal cancer. Rectal cancer patients tended to eat more meat and less green leafy vegetables compared with colon cancer patients. The 5-year cumulative survival rate was 73.0% (95% CI; 70.1%-75.7%) and the 5year relative survival rate was 80.6% (77.4%-83.6%), respectively, for colon cancer. For rectal cancer, the rates were 73.3% (69.1%-77.0%) and 80.9% (76.3%-85.0%), in the same order. Lifestyle factors such as consuming less green leafy vegetables, being underweight, smoking, not consuming alcoholic beverages and being physically inactive were found to be related to poor survival. Conclusions: We described lifestyle characteristics of colorectal cancer patients in BBJ and examined the impacts on subsequent all-cause mortality.

Background: Prostate cancer is the sixth leading cause of cancer-related deaths in Japan. We aimed to elucidate the clinical and histopathological characteristics of patients with prostate cancer in the BioBank Japan (BBJ) project. Methods: Four thousand, seven hundred and ninety-three patients diagnosed with prostate cancer in the BBJ project were included. Clinical and histopathological data, including causes of death, were analyzed. Relative survival (RS) rates of prostate cancer were calculated. Results: Four thousand, one hundred and seventy-one prostate cancer patients with available histological data had adenocarcinoma. The mean age of the patients was 72.5 years. The proportion of patients who were non-smokers, non-drinkers, had a normal body mass index, did not exercise, had a normal prostate-specific antigen level, and had a family history of prostate cancer were 30.7%, 28.0%, 66.6%, 58.1%, 67.6%, and 6.5%, respectively. The proportion of patients with Stage II, III, and IV disease were 24.4%, 7.3%, and 4.4%, respectively. After limiting to patients with a time from the initial diagnosis of prostate cancer to entry into the study cohort of ≤90 days (n = 869), the 5- and 10-year RS rates were 96.3% and 100.5%, respectively, although we were unable to consider management strategies due to a plenty of data missing. Conclusions: We provide an overview of patients with prostate cancer in the BBJ project. Our findings, coupled with those from various high throughput “omics” technologies, will contribute to the implementation of prevention interventions and medical management of prostate cancer patients.

Background: Liver cancer is the fifth cause of cancer-related deaths in Japan. The BioBank Japan (BBJ) project included 200,000 patients with 47 diseases and samples; their clinical information can be used for further studies. Methods: Patients diagnosed with liver cancer (n = 1733; 1316 men, 417 women) were included. Histology, patient characteristics, clinical characteristics, and causes of death were collected. Cumulative and relative survival rates for liver cancer were calculated. Results: Of the 1354 patients with available liver cancer histology, 91.9% had hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Compared with the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, greater proportions of the male patients in this cohort were daily alcohol consumers (26%), and a greater proportion of the men was overweight/obesity (22%). Although Japan is the only Asian country with a predominance of hepatitis C virus (HCV)-related HCC, the prevalence of HCV infection (44%) was lower than that in a previous study. The 3-, 5-, and 10-year cumulative survival rates were 57%, 47%, and 25% in men, respectively, and 49%, 41%, and 27% in women, respectively. Conclusions: The present results provide an overview of the patients with liver cancer in the BBJ project. We are planning further analyses combined with various high-throughput ‘omics’ technologies.

Background: In Japanese males and females, lung cancer is currently the second and fourth most common type of cancer, and the first and second leading cause of cancer-related deaths, respectively. Methods: Of all Japanese male and female lung cancer patients aged ≥20 years whom the BioBank Japan Project originally enrolled between 2003 and 2008, 764 males and 415 females were registered within 90 days after their diagnosis. We described the lifestyle and clinical characteristics of these patients at study entry. Furthermore, we examined the effect of these characteristics on all-cause mortality. Results: In the lung cancer patients registered within 90 days, the frequencies of occult or stage 0, stage I, II, III and IV were 0.4%, 55.8%, 10.8%, 22.0% and 11.0% for males and 0.3%, 62.4%, 9.9%, 17.1% and 10.2% for females, respectively. The proportions of histological types in males and females were 56.3% and 82.4% for adenocarcinoma, 26.9% and 8.2% for squamous cell carcinoma, 4.5% and 1.5% for large cell carcinoma, 7.7% and 4.1% for small cell carcinoma and 4.6% and 3.8% for others, respectively. Among 1120 participants who registered within 90 days, 572 participants died during 5811 person-years of follow-up. Low body mass index, ever smoker, more advanced stage, squamous cell or small cell carcinoma and high serum carcinoembryonic antigen level at study entry were crudely associated with an increased risk of all-cause mortality after adjustment for age. Conclusions: This study showed the association of several lifestyle and clinical characteristics with all-cause mortality in lung cancer patients.

Background: Several studies have evaluated associations between the characteristics of patients with esophageal and gastric cancer and survival, but these associations remain unclear. We described the distribution of demographic and lifestyle factors among patients with esophageal and gastric cancer in Japan, and investigated their potential effects on survival. Methods: Between 2003 and 2007, 24-to 95-year-old Japanese patients with esophageal and gastric cancer were enrolled in the BioBank Japan Project. The analysis included 365 patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) and 1574 patients with gastric cancer. Hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for mortality were estimated using medical institution-stratified Cox proportional hazards models. Results: During follow-up, 213 patients with ESCC (median follow-up, 4.4 years) and 603 patients with gastric cancer (median follow-up, 6.1 years) died. Among patients with ESCC, the mortality risk was higher in ever drinkers versus never drinkers (multivariable HR = 2.37, 95% CI: 1.24, 4.53). Among patients with gastric cancer, the mortality risk was higher in underweight patients versus patients of normal weight (multivariable HR = 1.66, 95% CI: 1.34, 2.05). Compared to patients with gastric cancer with no physical exercise habit, those who exercised ≥3 times/week had a lower mortality risk (multivariate HR = 0.75, 95% CI = 0.61, 0.93). However, lack of stage in many cases was a limitation. Conclusions: Among patients with ESCC, alcohol drinkers have a poor prognosis. Patients with gastric cancer who are underweight also have a poor prognosis, whereas patients with physical exercise habits have a good prognosis.

Background and aims: Limited evidence has been available on the relationship between apoptosis and cardiovascular disease in population-based samples. We examined whether blood soluble Fas (sFas) are associated with mortality from cardiovascular diseases. Methods: In a nested case-control study under a large prospective cohort, the Japan Collaborative Cohort (JACC) Study, where a total of 39,242 subjects, 40-79 years of age, provided serum samples and were followed up for 9 years, we measured sFas levels among cases and controls, matched for sex, age, area of residence and year of serum storage. Conditional logistic regression models were used to calculate odds ratio (95% CI) of mortality from stroke and stroke types, according to quartiles and 1-SD increment of sFas levels. Results: During the follow-up (1988-1997), we identified 233 (121 in men and 112 in women) deaths from total stroke, comprising 49 (18 and 31) subarachnoid hemorrhages, 55 (27 and 28) intra-parenchymal hemorrhages, 71 (44 and 27) ischemic strokes, and 97 (53 and 44) coronary heart diseases. After adjustment for cardiovascular risk factors, the multivariable odds ratio (95% CI) of subarachnoid hemorrhage associated with a 1-SD increment of sFas (1.3 ng/ml in both men and women) was 4.04 (1.07-15.3; p = 0.04). No association was found between blood sFas levels and risk of intraparenchymal hemorrhage, ischemic stroke or coronary heart disease. Conclusions: Higher blood sFas levels were associated with higher mortality from subarachnoid hemorrhage, suggesting a potential role of apoptosis factors in the development or prognosis of subarachnoid hemorrhage.

Background: Breast cancer is currently the most common type of cancer in Japanese females. Unlike most other types of cancer, breast cancer develops more frequently in middle-aged females than in elderly females. Methods: Of all Japanese female breast cancer patients aged ≥20 years whom the BioBank Japan Project originally enrolled between 2003 and 2008, 2034 were registered within 90 days after their diagnosis. We described the lifestyle and clinical characteristics of these patients at study entry. Furthermore, we examined the effect of these characteristics on all-cause mortality. Results: In the female patients registered within 90 days after diagnosis, the frequency of stage 0 or unclassified, stage I, II, III and IV were 11.4%, 47.9%, 37.0%, 2.9% and 0.8%, respectively. The proportion of histological types was 12.9% for non-invasive carcinoma (ductal carcinoma and lobular carcinoma), 81.0% for invasive carcinoma (papillotubular carcinoma, solid tubular carcinoma, scirrhous carcinoma and special types), 0.2% for Paget's diseases and 5.8% for others. Those positive for the estrogen and progesterone receptors accounted for 75.8% and 62.1% of all patients, respectively. Among 1860 female participants registered within 90 days, 218 participants died during 144,54 person-years of follow-up. More advanced stage, elevation of serum carcinoembryonic antigen and carbohydrate antigen 15-3 levels and absence of the estrogen receptor at study entry were crudely associated with an increased risk of all-cause mortality after adjustment for age. Conclusions: This study showed the association of several clinical characteristics with all-cause mortality in female breast cancer patients.

Background: This study aimed to examine the association between recurrent pregnancy loss and the risk of cardiovascular disease mortality. Methods: We identified 54,652 women who were pregnant during the Japan Collaborative Cohort Study. These women were 40-79 years at the date of cohort entry between 1988 and 1990. Participants received municipal health screening examinations and completed self-administered questionnaires. The cause of death was confirmed by annual or biannual follow-up surveys for a median of 18 years. The exposure was the number of pregnancy loss. The outcome was mortality from total cardiovascular disease and its subtypes according to the International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision. Adjustment variables included age, number of deliveries, education, body mass index, physical activity, smoking status, and drinking status. Kaplan-Meier survival curves were used to estimate the cumulative mortality. Results: The number of pregnancy loss tended to be inversely associated with the risk of mortality from total stroke, intracerebral hemorrhage, and total cardiovascular disease. The multivariable hazard ratio of total cardiovascular disease for >= 2 pregnancy losses versus no pregnancy loss was.84 (95% confidence interval, .74-0.95). A 2-fold excess risk of mortality from ischemic stroke associated with >= 2 pregnancy losses was observed in women aged 40-59 years, with a multivariable hazard ratio of 2.19 (95% confidence interval, 1.06-4.49), but not in older women. Conclusions: Recurrent pregnancy loss tends to be associated with a lower risk of mortality from cardiovascular disease at 40-79 years. Younger women have an excess risk of ischemic stroke mortality associated with recurrent pregnancy loss.

Background and aims: Evidence on the association between passive smoking and risk of aortic dissection or aneurysm is limited. This study aimed to investigate whether passive smoking increases risk of mortality from aortic dissection or aneurysm. Methods: The Japan Collaborative Cohort (JACC) Study is a prospective community-based cohort study begun in 1988-90 and followed up to the end of 2009. We examined 48,677 individuals (mean age, 56 years; women, 46%) without history of stroke, coronary heart disease, or cancer, who provided valid responses to a lifestyle questionnaire including questions on active and passive smoking. We used 3 categories (passive smoking out of home, passive smoking at home, and passive smoking out of or at home combined) to divide never-smokers into 3 exposure groups: low, intermediate, and high exposures, respectively. The endpoint was underlying cause of death from aortic dissection or aneurysm. Results: During the median 19-year follow-up of 48,677 study participants, 66 died of aortic dissection, and 75 of aortic aneurysm. Multivariable hazard ratios (95% confidence intervals) for the high passive-smoking group as compared with the low passive-smoking group were 2.45 (1.02-5.88) out of home, 1.82 (0.84-3.96) at home, and 2.35 (1.09-5.09) out of or at home combined. The corresponding hazard ratios for current smokers as compared with the low passive-smoking group were 3.97 (2.14-7.39), 3.41 (1.84-6.32) and 4.09 (1.99-8.39), respectively. Conclusions: Out-of-home passive smoking and out-of-or at-home combined passive smoking were associated with increased mortality from aortic dissection or aneurysm.

Background: Colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer worldwide, and in Japan, it is estimated that about 10% of men and 8% of women will be diagnosed with colorectal cancer during their lifetime. Methods: We focused on 5864 participants (3699 men and 2165 women) who had colorectal cancer and were registered with BioBank Japan (BBJ) between April 2003 and March 2008. Characteristics of colon and rectal cancer patients were calculated separately. Among the enrolled patients registered in BBJ within 90 days after diagnosis, we also calculated the 5-year cumulative and relative survival rates, and estimated the effect of lifestyle factors on all-cause mortality. Results: Our participants included younger men than those in the Patient Survey and the Cancer Registry Japan. In more than 95% of cases the histological type was adenocarcinoma both in colon and rectal cancer. Rectal cancer patients tended to eat more meat and less green leafy vegetables compared with colon cancer patients. The 5-year cumulative survival rate was 73.0% (95% CI; 70.1%-75.7%) and the 5year relative survival rate was 80.6% (77.4%-83.6%), respectively, for colon cancer. For rectal cancer, the rates were 73.3% (69.1%-77.0%) and 80.9% (76.3%-85.0%), in the same order. Lifestyle factors such as consuming less green leafy vegetables, being underweight, smoking, not consuming alcoholic beverages and being physically inactive were found to be related to poor survival. Conclusions: We described lifestyle characteristics of colorectal cancer patients in BBJ and examined the impacts on subsequent all-cause mortality.

Background: Prostate cancer is the sixth leading cause of cancer-related deaths in Japan. We aimed to elucidate the clinical and histopathological characteristics of patients with prostate cancer in the BioBank Japan (BBJ) project. Methods: Four thousand, seven hundred and ninety-three patients diagnosed with prostate cancer in the BBJ project were included. Clinical and histopathological data, including causes of death, were analyzed. Relative survival (RS) rates of prostate cancer were calculated. Results: Four thousand, one hundred and seventy-one prostate cancer patients with available histological data had adenocarcinoma. The mean age of the patients was 72.5 years. The proportion of patients who were non-smokers, non-drinkers, had a normal body mass index, did not exercise, had a normal prostate-specific antigen level, and had a family history of prostate cancer were 30.7%, 28.0%, 66.6%, 58.1%, 67.6%, and 6.5%, respectively. The proportion of patients with Stage II, III, and IV disease were 24.4%, 7.3%, and 4.4%, respectively. After limiting to patients with a time from the initial diagnosis of prostate cancer to entry into the study cohort of ≤90 days (n = 869), the 5- and 10-year RS rates were 96.3% and 100.5%, respectively, although we were unable to consider management strategies due to a plenty of data missing. Conclusions: We provide an overview of patients with prostate cancer in the BBJ project. Our findings, coupled with those from various high throughput “omics” technologies, will contribute to the implementation of prevention interventions and medical management of prostate cancer patients.

Background: In Japanese males and females, lung cancer is currently the second and fourth most common type of cancer, and the first and second leading cause of cancer-related deaths, respectively. Methods: Of all Japanese male and female lung cancer patients aged ≥20 years whom the BioBank Japan Project originally enrolled between 2003 and 2008, 764 males and 415 females were registered within 90 days after their diagnosis. We described the lifestyle and clinical characteristics of these patients at study entry. Furthermore, we examined the effect of these characteristics on all-cause mortality. Results: In the lung cancer patients registered within 90 days, the frequencies of occult or stage 0, stage I, II, III and IV were 0.4%, 55.8%, 10.8%, 22.0% and 11.0% for males and 0.3%, 62.4%, 9.9%, 17.1% and 10.2% for females, respectively. The proportions of histological types in males and females were 56.3% and 82.4% for adenocarcinoma, 26.9% and 8.2% for squamous cell carcinoma, 4.5% and 1.5% for large cell carcinoma, 7.7% and 4.1% for small cell carcinoma and 4.6% and 3.8% for others, respectively. Among 1120 participants who registered within 90 days, 572 participants died during 5811 person-years of follow-up. Low body mass index, ever smoker, more advanced stage, squamous cell or small cell carcinoma and high serum carcinoembryonic antigen level at study entry were crudely associated with an increased risk of all-cause mortality after adjustment for age. Conclusions: This study showed the association of several lifestyle and clinical characteristics with all-cause mortality in lung cancer patients.

Background: Liver cancer is the fifth cause of cancer-related deaths in Japan. The BioBank Japan (BBJ) project included 200,000 patients with 47 diseases and samples; their clinical information can be used for further studies. Methods: Patients diagnosed with liver cancer (n = 1733; 1316 men, 417 women) were included. Histology, patient characteristics, clinical characteristics, and causes of death were collected. Cumulative and relative survival rates for liver cancer were calculated. Results: Of the 1354 patients with available liver cancer histology, 91.9% had hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Compared with the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, greater proportions of the male patients in this cohort were daily alcohol consumers (26%), and a greater proportion of the men was overweight/obesity (22%). Although Japan is the only Asian country with a predominance of hepatitis C virus (HCV)-related HCC, the prevalence of HCV infection (44%) was lower than that in a previous study. The 3-, 5-, and 10-year cumulative survival rates were 57%, 47%, and 25% in men, respectively, and 49%, 41%, and 27% in women, respectively. Conclusions: The present results provide an overview of the patients with liver cancer in the BBJ project. We are planning further analyses combined with various high-throughput ‘omics’ technologies.

Background: Breast cancer is currently the most common type of cancer in Japanese females. Unlike most other types of cancer, breast cancer develops more frequently in middle-aged females than in elderly females. Methods: Of all Japanese female breast cancer patients aged ≥20 years whom the BioBank Japan Project originally enrolled between 2003 and 2008, 2034 were registered within 90 days after their diagnosis. We described the lifestyle and clinical characteristics of these patients at study entry. Furthermore, we examined the effect of these characteristics on all-cause mortality. Results: In the female patients registered within 90 days after diagnosis, the frequency of stage 0 or unclassified, stage I, II, III and IV were 11.4%, 47.9%, 37.0%, 2.9% and 0.8%, respectively. The proportion of histological types was 12.9% for non-invasive carcinoma (ductal carcinoma and lobular carcinoma), 81.0% for invasive carcinoma (papillotubular carcinoma, solid tubular carcinoma, scirrhous carcinoma and special types), 0.2% for Paget's diseases and 5.8% for others. Those positive for the estrogen and progesterone receptors accounted for 75.8% and 62.1% of all patients, respectively. Among 1860 female participants registered within 90 days, 218 participants died during 144,54 person-years of follow-up. More advanced stage, elevation of serum carcinoembryonic antigen and carbohydrate antigen 15-3 levels and absence of the estrogen receptor at study entry were crudely associated with an increased risk of all-cause mortality after adjustment for age. Conclusions: This study showed the association of several clinical characteristics with all-cause mortality in female breast cancer patients.