Environmental exposome study for prostate cancer in elderly men from Western China: preliminary findings from a case–control study in the WeEndPd cohort

SMOKING, ENVIRONMENTAL EXPOSURES, AND CHRONIC LUNG DISEASE AS KEY RISK FACTORS FOR LUNG CANCER IN NORTH SUMATRA.

Smoking exposure, occupational hazards, unhealthy indoor environments, and chronic pulmonary diseases are important determinants of lung cancer in North Sumatra and public health strategies focusing on tobacco control, improved workplace safety, and reduction of indoor air pollution may substantially reduce lung cancer burden.

Urinary Trace Element Concentrations in Congolese Patients With Prostate Cancer: A Case‐Control Study

Introduction Prostate cancer (PCa) is one of the most common cancers among men and a major cause of cancer‐related mortality worldwide. In the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), PCa represents an important public health challenge, with limited data available on environmental factors that may be associated with disease occurrence. Recent evidence suggests that trace element exposure may influence prostate carcinogenesis. This study aimed to compare urinary trace element concentrations between PCa patients and age‐matched controls in the DRC. Methodology This case‐control analytical study was conducted between April 5, 2018, and April 5, 2023, in Haut‐Katanga Province, DRC. The study included 94 PCa patients and 94 controls matched according to age and sociodemographic characteristics. Urinary concentrations of 12 selected trace elements were measured using inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry. Statistical comparisons were performed using the Wilcoxon–Mann–Whitney U test due to the non‐normal distribution of trace element concentrations. Results Compared with controls, PCa patients showed significantly higher urinary concentrations of arsenic, cadmium, cobalt, chromium, copper, manganese, selenium and zinc (p < 0.05), whereas aluminium concentrations were significantly lower. No significant differences were observed for nickel, lead or strontium. These findings indicate distinct urinary trace element profiles among PCa patients and controls. Conclusion Altered urinary concentrations of several trace elements, including toxic and essential elements, were associated with PCa status in this Congolese population. Because urinary concentrations mainly reflect recent exposure, further studies using complementary biological matrices and longitudinal designs are needed to clarify the biological significance and potential role of trace elements in PCa development.

Ultra-Processed Food Intake, Cumulative Antibiotic Exposure, and Markers of Gut Inflammation as Risk Factors for Early-Onset Colorectal Cancer:A Matched Case-Control Study in a Resource-Limited Community-Academic Health System

Background: Early-onset colorectal cancer (EOCRC), diagnosed in adults younger than 50 years, has increased at approximately 1.5–2.0% per year in both high-income and South Asian populations. The independent and joint roles of ultra-processed food (UPF) consumption, cumulative antibiotic exposure, and systemic inflammation have not been examined in resource-limited settings. Methods: We conducted a retrospective 1:2 matched case-control study at the Bolan Medical Complex / Sandeman Provincial Hospital, Quetta (2018–2026). Cases (n=174) were adults aged 18–49 with histologically confirmed colorectal adenocarcinoma (ICD-10 C18–C20); controls (n=348) were matched on age (±2 years), sex, race/ethnicity, BMI category, and index year. UPF intake was measured via a validated 28-item NOVA-adapted food frequency questionnaire. Antibiotic exposure was extracted from the pharmacy database. Inflammation markers (hsCRP, ESR, fecal calprotectin) were retrieved from the electronic health record. Conditional logistic regression estimated adjusted odds ratios. Mediation analysis quantified the proportion of the UPF–EOCRC association mediated by hsCRP elevation. STROBE guidelines were followed. Results: High UPF intake (top tertile, ≥9.8 servings/day) was independently associated with 65% higher odds of EOCRC (aOR 1.65; 95% CI 1.21–2.26). Cumulative antibiotic exposure ≥3 courses was associated with aOR 1.47 (95% CI 1.09–1.99). A statistically significant multiplicative interaction was observed between high UPF and ≥3 antibiotic courses (combined aOR 2.98; interaction OR 1.89; p=0.031). Elevated hsCRP mediated 24.3% (95% CI 12.1–38.6%) of the UPF–EOCRC association. Associations were stronger for distal/rectal tumours (aOR 1.82) than proximal tumours (aOR 1.31; p-heterogeneity=0.042) and amplified in the lowest SES quartile (aOR 2.04). Conclusions: High UPF intake and cumulative antibiotic exposure independently and synergistically increase odds of EOCRC, with a substantial proportion mediated through systemic inflammation. These findings identify actionable targets for dietary counselling, antibiotic stewardship, and risk-stratified screening in young South Asian adults.

Black Tea and Coffee Intake and Prostate Cancer: A Case-Control Study

Association of coffee intake with risk of all-cause and colorectal cancer-specific mortality among individuals with colorectal cancer in the Multiethnic Cohort Study

Coffee may influence colorectal cancer (CRC) survival, but prior studies had limited generalizability. We analyzed 1,098 participants from the Multiethnic Cohort study diagnosed with CRC between 1993–2008 who completed a food frequency questionnaire after diagnosis and were followed through 2019. Multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression models were used to examine coffee (total, caffeinated, decaffeinated) in relation to all-cause and CRC-specific mortality. Secondarily, we examined caffeine intake and explored associations by race and ethnicity. Overall, coffee intake was not associated with risk of mortality. However, decaffeinated coffee was associated with lower risk of all-cause mortality (HR ≥1 vs. 0 cups/day: 0.71; 95% CI [0.55 – 0.91]). Additionally, associations were observed between total and caffeinated coffee in relation to all-cause mortality among Native Hawaiian participants (HR per 1 cup/day: 0.62 [0.41 – 0.94] and 0.55 [0.31 – 0.97], respectively); and with CRC-specific mortality among White participants (HR per 1 cup/day: 0.48 [0.25–0.94] and 0.45 [0.23 – 0.90], respectively). In the total cohort, caffeine intake was associated with 22% lower risk of all-cause mortality (HR 4th quartile vs. 1st quartile: 0.78 [0.62—0.99]) and 52% lower risk of CRC-specific mortality (HR 0.48 [0.27—0.87]). Overall, coffee intake after CRC diagnosis was not associated with all-cause or CRC-specific mortality. Decaffeinated coffee was associated with lower risk of all-cause mortality, and caffeine was associated with lower risk of all-cause and CRC-specific mortality.

Association of Low Serum Vitamin B12 Concentration with Colorectal Cancer Risk and All-Cause Mortality: A Global Multi-Institutional Retrospective Cohort Study.

BACKGROUND The association between vitamin B12 deficiency and colorectal cancer (CRC) risk remains uncertain. We evaluated the association between low serum vitamin B12 concentration (<200 pg/mL) and CRC incidence and all-cause mortality, using a midrange reference group (400-600 pg/mL). METHODS In this retrospective propensity score-matched cohort study, adults with serum B12 measurements between 2006 and 2020 were identified from the TriNetX Global Collaborative Network. Patients with any neoplasm diagnosis within 5 years before the index date (first B12 measurement) were excluded. Patients with B12 <200 pg/mL were matched 1:1 to those with 400-600 pg/mL and followed for up to 10 years. Time-stratified, landmark, subgroup, E-value, and outcome-control analyses were performed. RESULTS After matching, 184,126 pairs were included. Low serum B12 was associated with higher CRC risk (HR 1.16; 95% CI, 1.09-1.23) and all-cause mortality (HR 1.16; 95% CI, 1.14-1.18). The CRC association persisted at the 2-year landmark (HR 1.16; 95% CI, 1.07-1.26) but attenuated at the 3-year (HR 1.07; 95% CI, 0.98-1.18) and 5-year (HR 1.12; 95% CI, 0.99-1.25) landmarks, whereas all-cause mortality remained elevated across all landmarks. The appendicitis negative control was null (HR 0.92; 95% CI, 0.84-1.02), whereas clavicle fracture was weakly positive (HR 1.08; 95% CI, 1.01-1.16). CONCLUSIONS Low serum vitamin B12 was associated with higher all-cause mortality; its association with CRC was less robust at longer landmarks. IMPACT The mortality association was more robust; the CRC finding requires prospective confirmation with serial B12 measurements.