Occupational asbestos exposure and risk of esophageal, gastric and colorectal cancer in the prospective Netherlands Cohort Study

The evidence for an association between occupational asbestos exposure and esophageal, gastric and colorectal cancer is limited. We studied this association specifically addressing risk differences between relatively low and high exposure, risk associated with cancer subtypes, the influence of potential confounders and the interaction between...

Vegetables and fruits consumption and risk of esophageal and gastric cancer subtypes in the Netherlands Cohort Study

Prospective epidemiologic data on vegetables and fruits consumption and risk of subtypes of esophageal and gastric cancer are sparse. We studied the association between vegetables and fruits consumption and risk of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC), esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC), gastric cardia adenocarcinoma (GCA) and gastric...

A compendium of familial relative risks of cancer among first degree relatives: A population-based study

Familial clustering of cancer is expected to occur at practically all anatomical sites. However, few studies have had sufficient size to investigate different sites simultaneously and with adjustment for confounders. We evaluated familial clustering in the Netherlands Cohort Study in which 120,852 men and women, aged 55-69 years in 1986 were...

Dietary acrylamide intake is not associated with gastrointestinal cancer risk

Acrylamide is a probable human carcinogen that was detected in several heat-treated foods, such as French fries and crisps, in 2002. Prospective studies are needed on acrylamide and human cancer risk. We prospectively investigated the association between acrylamide and gastrointestinal cancer risk. In 1986, 120,852 men and women (aged 55-69 y)...

Clinical evidence for a protective role of lipocalin-2 against MMP-9 autodegradation and the impact for gastric cancer

Recently, complexes of matrix metalloproteinase matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) with lipocalin-2 (neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin) were found in the urine obtained from breast cancer patients, while these were completely absent in that obtained from healthy controls. In vitro data suggested a possible role for lipocalin-2 in the...

Tissue level, activation and cellular localisation of TGF-beta1 and association with survival in gastric cancer patients

Transforming growth factor-beta1 (TGF-beta1), a tumour suppressing as well as tumour-promoting cytokine, is stored as an extracellular matrix-bound latent complex. We examined TGF-beta1 activation and localisation of TGF-beta1 activity in gastric cancer. Gastric tumours showed increased stromal and epithelial total TGF-beta1 staining by...

Nutrition in the prevention of gastrointestinal cancer

Diet has been hypothesized to play a role in the etiology of gastrointestinal cancer for a long time. Initially, strong evidence of such effects was found in retrospective epidemiological studies. Dietary habits, in particular those from the distant past, are difficult to measure, however. Results from recent, prospective and larger studies of...

Matrix metalloproteinase-2 is a consistent prognostic factor in gastric cancer

In a pioneer study, we showed 10 years ago that enhanced tissue levels of the matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) MMP-2 and MMP-9 in gastric cancers, as determined by zymography, were related with worse overall survival of the patients. To corroborate these observations, we now assessed MMP-2 and MMP-9 with new techniques in an expanded group of...

Salt intake, cured meat consumption, refrigerator use and stomach cancer incidence: A prospective cohort study (Netherlands)

Objective: Many case-control studies have reported that salt and cured meat intake are positively, and refrigerator use is inversely, associated with stomach cancer risk. In the current prospective study these associations were evaluated. Methods: The Netherlands Cohort Study consisted of 120,852 men and women ages 55-69 years at baseline in...

Biomarkers in disease and health

Biomarkers have considerable potential in aiding the understanding of the relationship between diet and disease or health. However, to assess the role, relevance and importance of biomarkers on a case by case basis it is essential to understand and prioritise the principal diet and health issues. In the majority of cases, dietary compounds are...

Brassica vegetables and cancer prevention: Epidemiology and mechanisms

This paper first gives an overview of the epidemiological data concerning the cancer-preventive effect of brassica vegetables, including cabbages, kale, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, and cauliflower. A protective effect of brassicas against cancer may be plausible due to their relatively high content of glucosinolates. Certain hydrolysis products...

Intake of butylated hydroxyanisole and butylated hydroxytoluene and stomach cancer risk : results from analyses in the Netherlands : cohort study

Both carcinogenic and anticarcinogenic properties have been reported for the synthetic antioxidants butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) and butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT). The association between dietary intake of BHA and BHT and stomach cancer risk was investigated in the Netherlands Cohort Study (NLCS) that started in 1986 among 120,852 men and...

A prospective cohort study on vegetable and fruit consumption and stomach cancer risk in the netherlands

The association between vegetable and fruit consumption and stomach cancer risk was investigated in the Netherlands Cohort Study among 120,852 men and women aged 55-69 years at the start in September 1986. Analyses were based on 282 incident stomach cancer cases after 6.3 years of follow-up. Age- and sex-adjusted rate ratios of stomach cancer in...

Socioeconomic status and stomach cancer incidence in men: Results from the Netherlands Cohort Study

Study objective - To study the association between socioeconomic status (SES) and stomach cancer incidence (cardia and non-cardia) and the role of lifestyle factors in explaining this association. Design - Prospective cohort study on diet and cancer that started in 1986. Data were collected by means of a self administered questionnaire. Setting ...

Intake of nitrate and nitrite and the risk of gastric cancer: A prospective cohort study

The association between the intake of nitrate or nitrite and gastric cancer risk was investigated in a prospective cohort study started in 1986 in the Netherlands, of 120,852 men and women aged 55-69 years. At baseline, data on dietary intake, smoking habits and other covariates were collected by means of a self-administered questionnaire. For...

Nitrate intake and gastric cancer risk: Results from the Netherlands cohort study