Highlights of This Issue

DOI: Published October 2018

Oral HPV and Esophageal Cancer

Agalliu et al.Page 1168

Epidemiologic studies have examined association between human papillomaviruses (HPVs) and esophageal cancer, but results have been inconsistent. Agalliu and colleagues carried out a nested case–control study (125 cases; 372 controls) among 96,650 cancer-free participants in two large cohort studies to investigate associations of alpha, beta, and gamma HPV detection in the oral cavity and risk of esophageal cancer. Oral HPV16 detection was not associated with esophageal cancer (OR = 0.54, 95% confidence interval: 0.1–4.84). Although some oral HPV types were more common in cases than controls, none of the associations were statistically significant. Oral HPVs may not contribute to risk of esophageal cancer.

An Epidemiological Review of Diet and Cutaneous Malignant Melanoma

Yang et al.Page 1115

Melanoma incidence has been rising over decades despite public efforts to promote sun protection behaviors. Dietary factors may also affect the development of melanoma; some have emerged as promising candidates for chemoprevention. Yang and colleagues conducted a narrative review of the relationship between dietary factors, including coffee and caffeine, citrus fruits, alcohol, polyunsaturated fatty acid, niacin/nicotinamide, folate, and vitamin D, with melanoma risk from the perspective of epidemiology. Biological mechanisms and some future directions were also discussed and outlined. The associations discussed may have important public health implications in terms of reducing melanoma incidence through dietary modification.

Adolescents and Young Adults Outcomes in Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (Across Services and On/Off Study)

Wolfson et al.Page 1133

In patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), adolescents and young adults (AYA) experience increased risk of relapse as compared with children, while predictors of relapse among AYA vary by time of relapse. Wolfson and colleagues found that among AYA with ALL, aspects of healthcare delivery (clinical trial enrollment, nonwhite race/ethnicity) are associated with relapse during therapy, and aspects of treatment (shorter duration of maintenance and consolidation) are associated with relapse after completing therapy. These findings highlight the importance of clinical trial enrollment and therapy duration (maintenance, consolidation) in ensuring durable remissions in AYA ALL. Future studies encompassing healthcare delivery, treatment, and biology are needed.

Prenatal Diethylstilbestrol Exposure and Estrogen Metabolism

Troisi et al.Page 1208

Prenatal diethylstilbestrol (DES) exposure is associated with adverse reproductive and neoplastic outcomes. In this study by Troisi and colleagues, age-adjusted ratios of serum estrogens metabolized in the 2-pathway compared to the 16-pathway were about 30% lower in postmenopausal women who were prenatally DES exposed [2-pathway:16-pathway = 0.37, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.31–0.44; n = 40] than unexposed (2-pathway:16-pathway = 0.51, CI = 0.40–0.66; n = 20), and remained lower with adjustment for total estrogen, years since menopause, body mass index, parity, and alcohol intake. Lower 2-pathway metabolism is associated with increased postmenopausal breast cancer risk and could partially explain the modest increased risk observed in DES exposed women.