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Background Obesity is positively associated with colorectal cancer. Recently, body size subtypes categorised by the prevalence of hyperinsulinaemia have been defined, and metabolically healthy overweight/obese individuals (without hyperinsulinaemia) have been suggested to be at lower risk of cardiovascular disease than their metabolically unhealthy (hyperinsulinaemic) overweight/obese counterparts. Whether similarly variable relationships exist for metabolically defined body size phenotypes and colorectal cancer risk is unknown. Methods and Findings The association of metabolically defined body size phenotypes with colorectal cancer was investigated in a case–control study nested within the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) study. Metabolic health/body size phenotypes were defined according to hyperinsulinaemia status using serum concentrations of C-peptide, a marker of insulin secretion. A total of 737 incident colorectal cancer cases and 737 matched controls were divided into tertiles based on the distribution of C-peptide concentration amongst the control population, and participants were classified as metabolically healthy if below the first tertile of C-peptide and metabolically unhealthy if above the first tertile. These metabolic health definitions were then combined with body mass index (BMI) measurements to create four metabolic health/body size phenotype categories: (1) metabolically healthy/normal weight (BMI < 25 kg/m2), (2) metabolically healthy/overweight (BMI ≥ 25 kg/m2), (3) metabolically unhealthy/normal weight (BMI < 25 kg/m2), and (4) metabolically unhealthy/overweight (BMI ≥ 25 kg/m2). Additionally, in separate models, waist circumference measurements (using the International Diabetes Federation cut-points [≥80 cm for women and ≥94 cm for men]) were used (instead of BMI) to create the four metabolic health/body size phenotype categories. Statistical tests used in the analysis were all two-sided, and a p-value of, Gunter and colleagues analyse a large European dataset to determine how body size and metabolic profile associates with the risk of developing colorectal cancer., Editors' Summary Background Colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer worldwide and is a leading cause of cancer-related death, killing around 700,000 people every year. It develops when cells in the colon (the final part of the digestive system, which is also known as the large intestine or large bowel) or the rectum (the lower end of the colon) acquire genetic changes that allow them to divide uncontrollably to form a tumor and to move around the body (metastasize). Symptoms of colorectal cancer include blood in the stool, a change in bowel habits, and unexplained weight loss. Treatments for colorectal cancer include surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation. As with other types of cancer, these treatments are more likely to be successful if started when the tumor is very small. Consequently, many countries run screening programs that use colonoscopy, the fecal occult blood test, and other tests to detect the earliest signs of colorectal cancer in apparently healthy people. Why Was This Study Done? Being obese—having too much body fat—is associated with an increased colorectal cancer risk (other risk factors include age, having a family history of colorectal cancer, and eating a high-fat, low-fiber diet). Obesity is also associated with several other chronic diseases, and recent evidence suggests that some obese individuals have a higher risk of developing these diseases than others. For example, overweight/obese individuals who have hyperinsulinemia (abnormally high blood levels of insulin; “metabolically unhealthy”) seem to have a higher risk of cardiovascular disease than their non-hyperinsulinemic (“metabolically healthy”) overweight counterparts. If certain combinations of metabolic health status and body size (“metabolically defined body size phenotypes”) are also associated with colorectal cancer, measurement of insulin levels in conjunction with body fat (adiposity) measurements such as body mass index (BMI; an indicator of body fat calculated by dividing a person’s weight in kilograms by their height in meters squared) might improve colorectal cancer risk assessment. In this nested case–control study, the researchers assess the associations between metabolically defined body size phenotypes and colorectal cancer risk. A nested case–control study identifies everyone in a group (here, participants in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition [EPIC] study) who has a specific condition, identifies matched individuals in the same group without the condition, and asks whether these controls and the cases differ in terms of a specific characteristic or outcome. What Did the Researchers Do and Find? The researchers matched 737 participants in the EPIC study who developed colorectal cancer after study enrollment with 737 controls and used serum concentrations of C-peptide, a marker of insulin secretion, and BMI measurements to classify each individual as metabolically healthy/normal weight, metabolically healthy/overweight, metabolically unhealthy/normal weight, or metabolically unhealthy/overweight. Specifically, the researchers categorized people as metabolically unhealthy if they had a C-peptide level above an arbitrarily chosen cut-off value based on the distribution of C-peptide levels in the control participants and as overweight if they had a BMI of ≥25 kg/m2 (the standard definition of overweight). Compared to metabolically healthy normal weight individuals, metabolically unhealthy normal weight and overweight individuals had an increased colorectal cancer risk; metabolically healthy overweight individuals had a similar colorectal cancer risk to metabolically healthy normal weight individuals. Among overweight individuals, metabolically healthy individuals had a lower colorectal cancer risk than metabolically unhealthy individuals. Finally, similar associations were seen when the researchers used waist circumference instead of BMI as the measure of adiposity. What Do These Findings Mean? These findings suggest that normal weight individuals with hyperinsulinemia (the metabolically unhealthy normal weight phenotype) have a higher risk of colorectal cancer than normal weight individuals without hyperinsulinemia. They also suggest that metabolically unhealthy overweight individuals have a higher risk of colorectal cancer than metabolically healthy overweight individuals. The accuracy of these findings may be limited by the method the researchers used to classify individuals as hyperinsulinemic—there is no universally accepted clinical definition for using C-peptide level to diagnose hyperinsulinemia. Nevertheless, these findings suggest that the assessment of insulin levels in conjunction with adiposity measures might be a better way to assess an individual’s colorectal cancer risk than simply measuring adiposity, and might help to identify those individuals at high risk of colorectal cancer who are most likely to benefit from targeted interventions designed to prevent the onset of clinical disease. Additional Information This list of resources contains links that can be accessed when viewing the PDF on a device or via the online version of the article at http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pmed.1001988. The US National Cancer Institute provides information for patients about all aspects of colorectal cancer; it also provides more detailed information colorectal cancer for health professionals and information on cancer risk and obesity The UK National Health Service Choices website has information and personal stories about colorectal cancer and information on obesity The not-for-profit organization Cancer Research UK provides information about colorectal cancer and about the association between cancer and obesity MedlinePlus provides links to further resources about colorectal cancer and about obesity Wikipedia has a page on hyperinsulinemia (note that Wikipedia is a free online encyclopedia that anyone can edit; available in several languages) More information about the EPIC study is available

Adiposity is a risk factor for colon cancer, but underlying mechanisms are not well understood. We evaluated the extent to which eleven biomarkers with inflammatory and metabolic actions mediate the association of adiposity measures, waist circumference (WC) and body mass index (BMI), with colon cancer in men and women. We analysed data from a prospective nested case-control study among 662 incident colon cancer cases matched within risk-sets to 662 controls. Relative risks (RRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated using conditional logistic regression. The percent effect change and corresponding CI-s were estimated after adjusting for biomarkers shown to be associated with colon cancer risk. After multivariable adjustment, WC was associated with colon cancer risk in men (top vs bottom tertile RR 1.68, 95% CI 1.06 - 2.65; Ptrend = 0.02) and in women (RR 1.67, 95% CI 1.09 - 2.56; Ptrend = 0.03). BMI was associated with risk only in men. The association of WC with colon cancer was accounted mostly for by three biomarkers, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, non-high-molecular-weight adiponectin and soluble leptin receptor, which in combination explained 46% (95% CI 37 to 57%) of the association in men and 50% (95% CI 40 to 65%) of the association in women. Similar results were observed for the associations with BMI in men. These data suggests that alterations in levels of these metabolic biomarkers may represent a primary mechanism of action in the relation of adiposity with colon cancer. Further studies are warranted to determine whether altering their concentrations may reduce colon cancer risk. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Heavy alcohol drinking is a risk factor of colorectal cancer (CRC), but little is known on the effect of polymorphisms in the alcohol-metabolizing enzymes, alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) and aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) on the alcohol-related risk of CRC in Caucasian populations. SUBJECTS/METHODS: A nested case-control study (1269 cases matched to 2107controls by sex, age, study centre and date of blood collection) was conducted within the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) to evaluate the impact of rs1229984 (ADH1B), rs1573496 (ADH7) and rs441 (ALDH2) polymorphisms on CRC risk. Using the wild-type variant of each polymorphism as reference category, CRC risk estimates were calculated using conditional logistic regression, with adjustment for matching factors. RESULTS: Individuals carrying one copy of the rs1229984(A) (ADH1B) allele (fast metabolizers) showed an average daily alcohol intake of 4.3 g per day lower than subjects with two copies of the rs1229984(G) allele (slow metabolizers) (P-diff

Background: B-vitamins are essential for one-carbon metabolism and have been linked to colorectal cancer. Although associations with folate have frequently been studied, studies on other plasma vitamins B2, B6, and B12 and colorectal cancer are scarce or inconclusive. Methods: We carried out a nested case-control study within the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition, including 1,365 incident colorectal cancer cases and 2,319 controls matched for study center, age, and sex.We measured the sum of B2 species riboflavin and flavin mononucleotide, and the sum of B6 species pyridoxal 5′-phosphate, pyridoxal, and 4-pyridoxic acid as indicators for vitamin B2 and B6 status, as well as vitamin B12 in plasma samples collected at baseline. In addition, we determined eight polymorphisms related to one-carbon metabolism. Relative risks for colorectal cancer were estimated using conditional logistic regression, adjusted for smoking, education, physical activity, body mass index, alcohol consumption, and intakes of fiber and red and processed meat. Results: The relative risks comparing highest to lowest quintile were 0.71 [95% confidence interval (95% CI), 0.56-0.91; Ptrend = 0.02] for vitamin B2, 0.68 (95% CI, 0.53-0.87; Ptrend (0.001) for vitamin B6, and 1.02 (95% CI, 0.80-1.29; Ptrend = 0.19) for vitamin B12. The associations for vitamin B6 were stronger in males who consumed ≥30 g alcohol/day. The polymorphisms were not associated with colorectal cancer. Conclusions: Higher plasma concentrations of vitamins B2 and B6 are associated with a lower colorectal cancer risk. Impact: This European population-based study is the first to indicate that vitamin B2 is inversely associated with colorectal cancer, and is in agreement with previously suggested inverse associations of vitamin B6 with colorectal cancer. ©2010 AACR.

Udgivelsesdato: 2009-Dec OBJECTIVE: Dietary linoleic acid, an n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acid, is metabolised to arachidonic acid, a component of colonocyte membranes. Metabolites of arachidonic acid have pro-inflammatory properties and are increased in the mucosa of patients with ulcerative colitis. The aim of this investigation was to conduct the first prospective cohort study investigating if a high dietary intake of linoleic acid increases the risk of developing incident ulcerative colitis. DESIGN AND SETTING: Dietary data from food frequency questionnaires were available for 203 193 men and women aged 30-74 years, resident in the UK, Sweden, Denmark, Germany or Italy and participating in a prospective cohort study, the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC). These participants were followed up for the diagnosis of ulcerative colitis. Each case was matched with four controls and the risk of disease calculated by quartile of intake of linoleic acid adjusted for gender, age, smoking, total energy intake and centre. RESULTS: A total of 126 participants developed ulcerative colitis (47% women) after a median follow-up of 4.0 years (range, 1.7-11.3 years). The highest quartile of intake of linoleic acid was associated with an increased risk of ulcerative colitis (odds ratio (OR) = 2.49, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.23 to 5.07, p = 0.01) with a significant trend across quartiles (OR = 1.32 per quartile increase, 95% CI = 1.04 to 1.66, p = 0.02 for trend). CONCLUSIONS: The data support a role for dietary linoleic acid in the aetiology of ulcerative colitis. An estimated 30% of cases could be attributed to having dietary intakes higher than the lowest quartile of linoleic acid intake.

Although large-scale prospective cohort studies have related hyperglycemia to increased risk of cancer overall, studies specifically on colorectal cancer have been generally small. We investigated the association between prediagnostic levels of glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c), a marker for average glucose level in blood, and colorectal cancer risk in a case-control study nested within the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition cohort. One thousand and twenty-six incident colorectal cancer cases (561 men and 465 women) and 1,026 matched controls were eligible for the study. Multivariate conditional logistic regression was used to estimate odds ratios (ORS) adjusted for possible confounders. Increasing HbA1c percentages were statistically significantly associated with a mild increase in colorectal cancer risk in the whole population [OR, 1.10; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.01,1.19 for a 10% increase in HbA1c]. In women, increasing HbA1c percentages were associated with a statistically significant increase in colorectal cancer risk (OR, 1.16; 95% CI, 1.01, 1.32 for a 10% increase in HbA1c) and with a borderline statistically significant increase in rectum cancer (OR, 1.22; 95% CI, 0.99,1.50 for a 10% increase in HbA1c). No significant association with cancer risk was observed in men. The results of the current study suggest a mild implication of hyperglycemia in colorectal cancer, which seems more important in women than in men, and more for cancer of the rectum than of the colon. Copyright © 2008 American Association for Cancer Research.

Western style diets and lifestyles are associated with increasing rates of obesity, diabetes and insulin resistance. Higher circulating insulin levels may modulate cell proliferation and apoptosis either directly or indirectly by increasing the bioactivity of IGF-I and decreasing the bioactivity of some of its binding proteins. The objective of this study was to determine the association of increasing levels of serum C-peptide, a biomarker of pancreatic insulin secretion, and IGF binding proteins (IGFBP) -1 and -2 with colorectal cancer risk in a case-control study nested within the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC), a large cohort involving 10 Western European countries. A total of 1,078 colorectal cancer cases were matched (age, date of blood donation, fasting status, gender, study center) to an equal number of control subjects. Relative cancer risks were estimated using conditional logistic regression models. Serum C-peptide concentration was positively associated with an increased colorectal cancer risk for the highest versus the lowest quintile (OR = 1.56, 95% CI = 1.16-2.09, ptrend < 0.01), which was slightly attenuated after adjustment for BMI and physical activity (OR = 1.37, 95% CI = 1.00-1.88, ptrend = 0.10). When stratified by anatomical site, the cancer risk was stronger in the colon (OR = 1.67, 95% CI = 1.14-2.46, ptrend < 0.01) than in the rectum (OR = 1.42, 95% CI = 0.90-2.25, ptrend = 0.35). The cancer risk estimates were not heterogeneous by gender or fasting status. No clear colorectal cancer risk associations were observed for IGFBP-1 or -2. This large prospective study confirms that hyperinsulinemia, as determined by C-peptide levels, is associated with an increased colorectal cancer risk. © 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Alcohol consumption may be associated with risk of colorectal cancer (CRC), but the epidemiological evidence for an association with specific anatomical subsites, types of alcoholic beverages and current vs. lifetime alcohol intake is inconsistent. Within the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC), 478,732 study subjects free of cancer at enrolment between 1992 and 2000 were followed up for an average of 6.2 years, during which 1,833 CRC cases were observed. Detailed information on consumption of alcoholic beverages at baseline (all cases) and during lifetime (1,447 CRC cases, 69% of the cohort) was collected from questionnaires. Cox proportional hazard models were used to examine the alcohol-CRC association. After adjustment for potential confounding factors, lifetime alcohol intake was significantly positively associated to CRC risk (hazard ratio, HR = 1.08, 95%CI = 1.04-1.12 for 15 g/day increase), with higher cancer risks observed in the rectum (HR = 1.12, 95%CI = 1.06-1.18) than distal colon (HR = 1.08, 95%CI = 1.01-1.16), and proximal colon (HR = 1.02, 95%CI = 0.92-1.12). Similar results were observed for baseline alcohol intake. When assessed by alcoholic beverages at baseline, the CRC risk for beer (HR = 1.38, 95%CI = 1.08-1.77 for 20-39.9 vs. 0.1-2.9 g/day) was higher than wine (HR = 1.21, 95%CI = 1.02-1.44), although the two risk estimates were not significantly different from each other. Higher HRs for baseline alcohol were observed for low levels of folate intake (1.13, 95%CI = 1.06-1.20 for 15 g/day increase) compared to high folate intake (1.03, 95%CI = 0.98-1.09). In this large European cohort, both lifetime and baseline alcohol consumption increase colon and rectum cancer risk, with more apparent risk increases for alcohol intakes greater than 30 g/day. © 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Tree nuts, peanuts and seeds are nutrient dense foods whose intake has been shown to be associated with reduced risk of some chronic diseases. They are regularly consumed in European diets either as whole, in spreads or from hidden sources (e.g. commercial products). However, little is known about their intake profiles or differences in consumption between European countries or geographic regions. The objective of this study was to analyse the population mean intake and average portion sizes in subjects reporting intake of nuts and seeds consumed as whole, derived from hidden sources or from spreads. Data was obtained from standardised 24-hour dietary recalls collected from 36 994 subjects in 10 different countries that are part of the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC). Overall, for nuts and seeds consumed as whole, the percentage of subjects reporting intake on the day of the recall was: tree nuts = 4· 4%, peanuts = 2·3% and seeds = 1·3%. The data show a clear northern (Sweden: mean intake = 0·15 g/d, average portion size = 15·1 g/d) to southern (Spain: mean intake = 2·99 g/d, average portion size = 34·7 g/d) European gradient of whole tree nut intake. The three most popular tree nuts were walnuts, almonds and hazelnuts, respectively. In general, tree nuts were more widely consumed than peanuts or seeds. In subjects reporting intake, men consumed a significantly higher average portion size of tree nuts (28·5 v. 23·1 g/d, P,0·01) and peanuts (46·1 v. 35·1 g/d, P,0·01) per day than women. These data may be useful in devising research initiatives and health policy strategies based on the intake of this food group. © The Authors 2006.

Background: Body weight and body mass index (BMI) are positively related to risk of colon cancer in men, whereas weak or no associations exist in women. This discrepancy may be related to differences in fat distribution between sexes or to the use of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) in women. Methods: We used multivariable adjusted Cox proportional hazards models to examine the association between anthropometric measures and risks of colon and rectal cancer among 368 277 men and women who were free of cancer at baseline from nine countries of the European Prospective Investigation Into Cancer and Nutrition. All statistical tests were two-sided. Results: During 6.1 years of follow-up, we identified 984 and 586 patients with colon and rectal cancer, respectively. Body weight and BMI were statistically significantly associated with colon cancer risk in men (highest versus lowest quintile of BMI, relative risk [RR] = 1.55, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.12 to 2.15; P trend =.006) but not in women. In contrast, comparisons of the highest to the lowest quintile showed that several anthropometric measures, including waist circumference (men, RR = 1.39, 95% CI = 1.01 to 1.93; P trend = .001; women, RR = 1.48, 95% CI = 1.08 to 2.03; P trend = .008), waist-to-hip ratio (WHR; men, RR = 1.51, 95% CI = 1.06 to 2.15; P trend = .006; women, RR = 1.52, 95% CI = 1.12 to 2.05; P trend = .002), and height (men, RR = 1.40, 95% CI = 0.99 to 1.98; P trend = .04; women, RR = 1.79, 95% CI = 1.30 to 2.46; P trend

Background. Current evidence suggests that high red meat intake is associated with increased colorectal cancer risk. High fish intake may be associated with a decreased risk, but the existing evidence is less convincing. Methods: We prospectively followed 478040 men and women from 10 European countries who were free of cancer at enrollment between 1992 and 1998. Information on diet and lifestyle was collected at baseline. After a mean follow-up of 4.8 years, 1329 incident colorectal cancers were documented. We examined the relationship between intakes of red and processed meat, poultry, and fish and colorectal cancer risk using a proportional hazards model adjusted for age, sex, energy (nonfat and fat sources), height, weight, work-related physical activity, smoking status, dietary fiber and folate, and alcohol consumption, stratified by center. A calibration substudy based on 36994 subjects was used to correct hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for diet measurement errors. All statistical tests were two-sided. Results: Colorectal cancer risk was positively associated with intake of red and processed meat (highest [> 160 g/day] versus lowest [< 20 g/day] intake, HR = 1.35, 95% CI = 0.96 to 1.88; P-trend = .03) and inversely associated with intake of fish (> 80 g/day versus < 10 g/day, HR = 0.69, 95% CI = 0.54 to 0.88; P-trend < .001), but was not related to poultry intake. Correcting for measurement error strengthened the associations between colorectal cancer and red and processed meat intake (per 100-g increase HR = 1.25, 95% CI = 1.09 to 1.41, P-trend = .001 and HR = 1.55, 95% CI = 1.19 to 2.02, P-trend = .001 before and after calibration, respectively) and for fish (per 100 g increase HR = 0.70, 95% CI = 0.57 to 0.87, P-trend < .001 and HR = 0.46, 95% CI = 0.27 to 0.77, P-trend = .003; before and after correction, respectively). In this study population, the absolute risk of development of colorectal cancer within 10 years for a study subject aged 50 years was 1.71% for the highest category of red and processed meat intake and 1.28% for the lowest category of intake and was 1.86% for subjects in the lowest category of fish intake and 1.28% for subjects in the highest category of fish intake. Conclusions: Our data confirm that colorectal cancer risk is positively associated with high consumption of red and processed meat and support an inverse association with fish intake.