Marital status and prostate cancer incidence: a pooled analysis of 12 case-control studies from the PRACTICAL consortium

Quantifying Suicide Risk in Prostate Cancer: A SEER-Based Predictive Model

BACKGROUND

Prostate cancer patients have a significantly higher risk of suicide compared to the general population. This study aimed to develop a nomogram for identifying high-risk patients and providing empirical evidence to guide effective intervention strategies.

METHODS

We analyzed data from 176,730 prostate cancer patients diagnosed between 2004 and 2021, sourced from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database. Patients were randomly allocated to training (n = 123,711) and validation (n = 53,019) cohorts in a 7:3 ratio. Feature selection was conducted using the Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selection Operator (LASSO), followed by model construction with Cox proportional hazards regression. The results were visualized using nomogram. Model performance was evaluated with time-dependent receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves, concordance index (C-index), and internal validation.

RESULTS

Multivariate analysis identified seven independent predictors of suicide. The nomogram demonstrated favorable discriminative capability in both cohorts, with C-index of 0.746 and 0.703 for the training and bootstrapped validation cohorts. Time-dependent ROC analysis indicated strong accuracy in predicting suicide risk. Calibration plots displayed high concordance between predicted probabilities and actual outcomes, Kaplan-Meier analysis confirmed the model's significant discriminative ability among risk groups.

LIMITATIONS

This retrospective study, based on SEER data, lacks detailed clinical and mental health information. Additionally, potential coding errors and reporting biases may affect the accuracy of the results.

CONCLUSION

We developed a applicable nomogram for the individualized quantification of suicide risk in prostate cancer patients. This model provides clinicians with a robust tool for identifying high-risk patients and implementing timely interventions.

A nomogram for predicting cancer-specific survival in patients with locally advanced unresectable esophageal cancer: development and validation study

Background

Immunotherapy research for esophageal cancer is progressing rapidly, particularly for locally advanced unresectable cases. Despite these advances, the prognosis remains poor, and traditional staging systems like AJCC inadequately predict outcomes. This study aims to develop and validate a nomogram to predict cancer-specific survival (CSS) in these patients.

Methods

Clinicopathological and survival data for patients diagnosed between 2010 and 2021 were extracted from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database. Patients were divided into a training cohort (70%) and a validation cohort (30%). Prognostic factors were identified using the Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selection Operator (LASSO) regression. A nomogram was constructed based on the training cohort and evaluated using the concordance index (C-index), net reclassification improvement (NRI), integrated discrimination improvement (IDI), calibration plots, and area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC). Kaplan-Meier survival curves were used to validate the prognostic factors.

Results

The study included 4,258 patients, and LASSO-Cox regression identified 10 prognostic factors: age, marital status, tumor location, tumor size, pathological grade, T stage, American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) stage, SEER stage, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy. The nomogram achieved a C-index of 0.660 (training set) and 0.653 (validation set), and 1-, 3-, and 5-year AUC values exceeded 0.65. Calibration curves showed a good fit, and decision curve analysis (DCA), IDI, and NRI indicated that the nomogram outperformed traditional AJCC staging in predicting prognosis.

Conclusions

We developed and validated an effective nomogram model for predicting CSS in patients with locally advanced unresectable esophageal cancer. This model demonstrated significantly superior predictive performance compared to the traditional AJCC staging system. Future research should focus on integrating emerging biomarkers, such as PD-L1 expression and tumor mutational burden (TMB), into prognostic models to enhance their predictive accuracy and adapt to the evolving landscape of immunotherapy in esophageal cancer management.

Prostate-specific antigen testing in the United States during 2008-2022 in relation to the US preventive services task force recommendations

The prevalence of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) testing has consistently fallen for several years. This study explored how the decreasing trend differs by selected variables and reasons for taking the PSA test. Analyses involved men, aged 40 years or older, who completed the Behavior Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) survey in even number years from 2008 through 2022. Trends in PSA testing rates within the past year declined by 46% from 2008 to 2020 and then increased 21% from 2020 to 2022. The greatest changes corresponded with the years of new USPSTF guidelines. Declining PSA testing rates occurred across the levels of all variables considered but were more pronounced in younger men and men never married, less educated, and without health care coverage. After adjusting for these variables, declining PSA testing rates did not significantly differ between racial/ethnic groups or between income groups. The level of several variables influenced the decline, as a function of perceived risk, accessibility, and desire for the test. Inconsistencies with the USPSTF's guidelines were seen in higher PSA testing in older and more educated men. The distribution of main reasons for taking the test (part of a routine exam [72%], prostate problem/cancer [12%], family history [6%], and other [10%]) remained constant. PSA testing as part of a routine exam (vs. no PSA test) increased with age and was higher in non-Hispanic Blacks, married (or cohabitating), and in men with higher education, higher income, and health care coverage. PSA testing because of a prostate problem/cancer or family history of prostate cancer according to these variables are also described in this study.

Association and causal mediation between marital status and depression in seven countries

Depression represents a significant global public health challenge, and marital status has been recognized as a potential risk factor. However, previous investigations of this association have primarily focused on Western samples with substantial heterogeneity. Our study aimed to examine the association between marital status and depressive symptoms across countries with diverse cultural backgrounds using a large-scale, two-stage, cross-country analysis. We used nationally representative, de-identified individual-level data from seven countries, including the USA, the UK, Mexico, Ireland, Korea, China and Indonesia (106,556 cross-sectional and 20,865 longitudinal participants), representing approximately 541 million adults. The follow-up duration ranged from 4 to 18 years. Our analysis revealed that unmarried individuals had a higher risk of depressive symptoms than their married counterparts across all countries (pooled odds ratio, 1.86; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.61-2.14). However, the magnitude of this risk was influenced by country, sex and education level, with greater risk in Western versus Eastern countries (β = 0.36; 95% CI, 0.16-0.56; P < 0.001), among males versus females (β = 0.25; 95% CI, 0.003-0.47; P = 0.047) and among those with higher versus lower educational attainment (β2 = 0.34; 95% CI, 0.11-0.56; P = 0.003). Furthermore, alcohol drinking causally mediated increased later depressive symptom risk among widowed, divorced/separated and single Chinese, Korean and Mexican participants (all P < 0.001). Similarly, smoking was as identified as a causal mediator among single individuals in China and Mexico, and the results remained unchanged in the bootstrap resampling validation and the sensitivity analyses. Our cross-country analysis suggests that unmarried individuals may be at greater risk of depression, and any efforts to mitigate this risk should consider the roles of cultural context, sex, educational attainment and substance use.

Gaps in the usage and reporting of multiple imputation for incomplete data: findings from a scoping review of observational studies addressing causal questions

BACKGROUND

Missing data are common in observational studies and often occur in several of the variables required when estimating a causal effect, i.e. the exposure, outcome and/or variables used to control for confounding. Analyses involving multiple incomplete variables are not as straightforward as analyses with a single incomplete variable. For example, in the context of multivariable missingness, the standard missing data assumptions ("missing completely at random", "missing at random" [MAR], "missing not at random") are difficult to interpret and assess. It is not clear how the complexities that arise due to multivariable missingness are being addressed in practice. The aim of this study was to review how missing data are managed and reported in observational studies that use multiple imputation (MI) for causal effect estimation, with a particular focus on missing data summaries, missing data assumptions, primary and sensitivity analyses, and MI implementation.

METHODS

We searched five top general epidemiology journals for observational studies that aimed to answer a causal research question and used MI, published between January 2019 and December 2021. Article screening and data extraction were performed systematically.

RESULTS

Of the 130 studies included in this review, 108 (83%) derived an analysis sample by excluding individuals with missing data in specific variables (e.g., outcome) and 114 (88%) had multivariable missingness within the analysis sample. Forty-four (34%) studies provided a statement about missing data assumptions, 35 of which stated the MAR assumption, but only 11/44 (25%) studies provided a justification for these assumptions. The number of imputations, MI method and MI software were generally well-reported (71%, 75% and 88% of studies, respectively), while aspects of the imputation model specification were not clear for more than half of the studies. A secondary analysis that used a different approach to handle the missing data was conducted in 69/130 (53%) studies. Of these 69 studies, 68 (99%) lacked a clear justification for the secondary analysis.

CONCLUSION

Effort is needed to clarify the rationale for and improve the reporting of MI for estimation of causal effects from observational data. We encourage greater transparency in making and reporting analytical decisions related to missing data.

Pattern, Clinical Characteristics, and Impact of Family History on Prostate-Specific Antigen in Prostate Cancer: A Multicenter Study

Prostate cancer (PCa) is a major cause of illness and death in men of Sub-Sahara African origin. The study assessed the pattern of PCa, the effect of family history on PSA at diagnosis, and clinical characteristics of PCa in Nigeria. A cross-sectional survey of 200 participants was performed within a 12-month period in Nigeria. Data were collected through patients' interview and hospital records and analyzed using SPSS version 25. Descriptive and inferential statistics were performed. P values <.05 were significant. Mean age of 68.5 years was observed among the 200 study participants. Only 64 (32.0%) had a positive immediate family history of PCa, and 61 (30.5%) were not aware of their family cancer history. Most patients 140 (70.0%) had lower urinary tract symptom (LUTS)/lower back pain/leg pain, and the average Gleason score was 7.55 (±0.876). Symptoms of LUTS/lower back pain mostly occurred in patients between 58 and 79 years, while LUTS/leg pain was more common in persons between 60 and 84. Average PSA differed among participants; persons with no family cancer history (M = 143.989; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 114.849-173.129), family history of PCa (M = 165.463; 95% CI = 131.435), family history of cervical cancer (M = 133.456; 95% CI = 49.335-217.576), and persons with no knowledge of their family cancer history (M = 121.546; 95% CI = 89.234-153.857). Univariate one-way (F-Tests) showed that family history of cancer had no significant impact on patients' PSA (R2 = 0.017; adjusted R2 = 0.002; df = 3; F = 1.154; p = .329) at diagnosis. PCa mostly occurred in men within 60 to 70 years of age, and family history of cancer did not predict PSA at diagnosis. Patients presented to health facilities at advanced or metastatic stages. These findings highlight the need for policies and strategies that encourage early PCa screening.

Explainable machine learning predicts survival of retroperitoneal liposarcoma: A study based on the SEER database and external validation in China

OBJECTIVE

We have developed explainable machine learning models to predict the overall survival (OS) of retroperitoneal liposarcoma (RLPS) patients. This approach aims to enhance the explainability and transparency of our modeling results.

METHODS

We collected clinicopathological information of RLPS patients from The Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database and allocated them into training and validation sets with a 7:3 ratio. Simultaneously, we obtained an external validation cohort from The First Affiliated Hospital of Naval Medical University (Shanghai, China). We performed LASSO regression and multivariate Cox proportional hazards analysis to identify relevant risk factors, which were then combined to develop six machine learning (ML) models: Cox proportional hazards model (Coxph), random survival forest (RSF), ranger, gradient boosting with component-wise linear models (GBM), decision trees, and boosting trees. The predictive performance of these ML models was evaluated using the concordance index (C-index), the integrated cumulative/dynamic area under the curve (AUC), and the integrated Brier score, as well as the Cox-Snell residual plot. We also used time-dependent variable importance, analysis of partial dependence survival plots, and the generation of aggregated survival SHapley Additive exPlanations (SurvSHAP) plots to provide a global explanation of the optimal model. Additionally, SurvSHAP (t) and survival local interpretable model-agnostic explanations (SurvLIME) plots were used to provide a local explanation of the optimal model.

RESULTS

The final ML models are consisted of six factors: patient's age, gender, marital status, surgical history, as well as tumor's histopathological classification, histological grade, and SEER stage. Our prognostic model exhibits significant discriminative ability, particularly with the ranger model performing optimally. In the training set, validation set, and external validation set, the AUC for 1, 3, and 5 year OS are all above 0.83, and the integrated Brier scores are consistently below 0.15. The explainability analysis of the ranger model also indicates that histological grade, histopathological classification, and age are the most influential factors in predicting OS.

CONCLUSIONS

The ranger ML prognostic model exhibits optimal performance and can be utilized to predict the OS of RLPS patients, offering valuable and crucial references for clinical physicians to make informed decisions in advance.

The role of positive psychological wellbeing in walking speed differences among married and unmarried English older adults

Objectives: Walking speed has been identified as an important indicator of functional independence and survival among older adults, with marital status being related to walking speed differences. We explored explanatory factors, with a focus on positive psychological wellbeing, in walking speed differences between married and non-married individuals in later life. Methods: We used wave 8 (2016/17) cross-sectional data from adults aged 60-79 years who participated in the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (n = 3,743). An Oaxaca-Blinder decomposition was used to compute walking speed differences between married and unmarried individuals, and the portion of those differences that could be explained by characteristic differences in those groups, particularly wellbeing. Results: Overall, married individuals had walking speeds that were 0.073 m/s (95% confidence interval: 0.055-0.092 m/s) faster than their unmarried counterparts. This was primarily driven by differences between the married and separated/divorced group, and the widowed group. Included covariates explained roughly 89% of the overall walking speed difference. Positive psychological wellbeing consistently explained a significant portion of walking speed differences, ranging between 7% to 18% across comparisons. Conclusion: Although wealth has been previously found to partially explain walking speed differences by marital status, we found that positive psychological wellbeing also demonstrated pertinence to these differences.

An antihypertensive drug-AT1 inhibitor attenuated BRCA development promoted by chronic psychological stress via Ang II/PARP1/FN1 pathway

Chronic psychological stress contributes to the occurrence of cancer and activates the renin-angiotensin system (RAS). However, the mechanisms by which RAS promotes the progression of breast cancer (BRCA) under chronic psychological stress are remain unknown. In this study, we observed elevated levels of Angiotensin II (Ang II) in both serum and BRCA tissue under chronic stress, leading to accelerated BRCA growth in a mouse model. An antihypertensive drug, candesartan (an AT1 inhibitor), effectively attenuated Ang II-induced cell proliferation and metastasis. Utilizing mass spectrometry and weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA), we identified fibronectin 1 (FN1) as the hub protein involved in chronic stress-Ang II/AT1 axis. Focal adhesion pathway was identified as a downstream signaling pathway activated during the progression of chronic stress. Depletion of FN1 significantly attenuated Ang II-induced proliferation and metastasis of BRCA cells. Poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase 1 (PARP1) was found to bind to the DNA promoter of FN1, leading to the transcription of FN1. Ang II upregulated PARP1 expression, resulting in increased FN1 levels. Recombinant FN1 partially restored the progress of BRCA malignancy induced by the Ang II/PARP1 pathway. In vivo, candesartan reversed the progressive effect of chronic psychological stress on BRCA. In clinical samples, Ang II levels in both serum and tumor tissues are higher in stressed patients compared to control patients. Serum Ang II levels were positively correlated with chronic stress indicators. In conclusion, our study demonstrated that chronic psychological stress accelerates the malignancy of BRCA, and the AT1 inhibitor candesartan counteracts these effects by suppressing the Ang II-AT1 axis and the downstream PARP1/FN1/focal adhesion pathway.

The impact of marital status on tumor aggressiveness, treatment, and screening among black and white men diagnosed with prostate cancer

PURPOSE

To examine the association of marital status with prostate cancer outcomes in a racially-diverse cohort.

METHODS

The study population consisted of men (1010 Black; 1070 White) with incident prostate cancer from the baseline North Carolina-Louisiana Prostate Cancer (PCaP) cohort. Marital status at time of diagnosis and screening history were determined by self-report. The binary measure of marital status was defined as married (including living as married) vs. not married (never married, divorced/separated, or widowed). High-aggressive tumors were defined using a composite measure of PSA, Gleason Score, and stage. Definitive treatment was defined as receipt of radical prostatectomy or radiation. Multivariable logistic regression was used to examine the association of marital status with (1) high-aggressive tumors, (2) receipt of definitive treatment, and (3) screening history among Black and White men with prostate cancer.

RESULTS

Black men were less likely to be married than White men (68.1% vs. 83.6%). Not being married (vs. married) was associated with increased odds of high-aggressive tumors in the overall study population (adjusted Odds Ratio (aOR): 1.56; 95% Confidence Interval (CI): 1.20-2.02) and both Black and White men in race-stratified analyses. Unmarried men were less likely to receive definitive treatment in the overall study population (aOR: 0.68; 95% CI: 0.54-0.85). In race-stratified analyses, unmarried Black men were less likely to receive definitive treatment. Both unmarried Black and White men were less likely to have a history of prostate cancer screening than married men.

CONCLUSION

Lower rates of marriage among Black men might signal decreased support for treatment decision-making, symptom management, and caregiver support which could potentially contribute to prostate cancer disparities.

Survival benefit of combined immunotherapy and chemoradiotherapy in locally advanced unresectable esophageal cancer: an analysis based on the SEER database

Background

While simultaneous chemoradiotherapy remains the established therapeutic modality for patients afflicted with locally advanced esophageal cancer, the effectiveness of this radical approach falls short of the desired outcome. Numerous investigations have illuminated the prospect of enhancing therapeutic efficacy through the amalgamation of chemoradiotherapy and immunotherapeutic interventions. Consequently, we embarked on an examination to scrutinize the potential survival advantages conferred by the confluence of chemoradiotherapy and immunotherapy in relation to locally advanced unresectable esophageal carcinoma, drawing upon the extensive SEER database for our analysis.

Methods

We extracted clinicopathological attributes and survival statistics of patients afflicted with locally advanced unresectable esophageal carcinoma, diagnosed within the temporal span encompassing the years 2004-2014 and 2019-2020, from the extensive SEER database. To discern disparities in both overall survival (OS) and cancer-specific survival (CSS) between the cohorts subjected to chemoradiotherapy combined with immunotherapy and chemoradiotherapy alone, we employed analytical tools such as Kaplan-Meier analysis, the Log-rank test, the Cox regression proportional risk model, and propensity-matched score (PSM) methodology.

Results

A total of 7,758 eligible patients were encompassed in this research, with 6,395 individuals having undergone chemoradiotherapy alone, while 1,363 patients received the combined treatment of chemoradiotherapy and immunotherapy. After 1:4 propensity score matching, 6,447 patients were successfully harmonized, yielding a well-balanced cohort. The Kaplan-Meier curves demonstrated a substantial enhancement in OS (P = 0.0091) and CSS (P < 0.001) for the group subjected to chemoradiotherapy combined with immunotherapy as compared to chemoradiotherapy alone. Further multivariable analysis with PSM confirmed that chemoradiotherapy combined with immunotherapy benefits OS(HR=0.89, 95% CI 0.81-0.98) and CSS (HR=0.68, 95% CI 0.61-0.76). In addition, Univariable and multivariable Cox regression analyses of the matched patient groups unveiled several independent prognostic factors for OS and CSS, including sex, age, marital status, tumor location, tumor size, pathologic grade, SEER historic staging, and treatment modality. Among these factors, being female, married, and receiving chemoradiotherapy combined with immunotherapy emerged as independent protective factors, while age exceeding 75 years, non-superior segment tumor location, tumor size greater than 6 cm, Grade 3-4 pathology, and regional SEER historic staging were all found to be independent risk factors. The survival advantage of the chemoradiotherapy combined with the immunotherapy group over the chemoradiotherapy alone group was substantial.

Conclusions

This investigation furnishes compelling evidence that the integration of immunotherapy with chemoradiotherapy confers a noteworthy survival advantage when contrasted with conventional chemoradiotherapy for individuals grappling with locally advanced unresectable esophageal carcinoma.

Marital Status Is a Prognostic Factor for Cardiovascular Mortality but Not a Prognostic Factor for Cancer Mortality in Siewert Type II Adenocarcinoma of the Esophagogastric Junction

Background

The impact of marital status on the prognosis of patients with Siewert type II adenocarcinoma of the esophagogatric junction (AEG) remained unclear. This study aimed to investigate the associations of marital status with cancer-specific death risk and cardiovascular death risk in Siewert type II AEG patients.

Methods

Data for Siewert type II AEG patients were obtained from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database from 2010 to 2015. A 1:1 propensity score matching (PSM) was applied to reduce inter-group bias between the married and unmarried groups. Kaplan-Meier analysis, a competing risk model and the Fine-Gray multivariable regression model were used to identify the prognostic value of marital status.

Results

In total, 1,623 subjects were included. After PSM, according to Fine-Gray multivariable regression analysis, there was no significant difference in the cumulative cancer-specific death rate between the married and the unmarried groups (hazard ratio (HR): 1.160, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.994 - 1.354, P = 0.060). Patients in unmarried group had a higher cardiovascular death rate than patients in married group (HR: 3.066, 95% CI: 1.372 - 6.850, P = 0.006).

Conclusions

Our study demonstrates that unmarried Siewert type II AEG patients are associated with higher cardiovascular death risk but not cancer-specific death risk compared with married patients.

Neighbourhood social deprivation and risk of prostate cancer

BACKGROUND

Striking geographic variations in prostate cancer incidence suggest an aetiological role for spatially-distributed factors. We assessed whether neighbourhood social deprivation, which can reflect limited social contacts, unfavourable lifestyle and environmental exposures, is associated with prostate cancer risk.

METHODS

In 2005-2012, we recruited 1931 incident prostate cancer cases and 1994 controls in a case-control study in Montreal, Canada. Lifetime residential addresses were linked to an area-based social deprivation index around recruitment (2006) and about 10 years earlier (1996). Logistic regression estimated adjusted odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs).

RESULTS

Men residing in areas characterised by greater social deprivation had elevated prostate cancer risks (ORs of 1.54 and 1.60 for recent and past exposures, respectively; highest vs lowest quintiles), independently from area- and individual-level confounders and screening patterns. The increase in risk with recent high social deprivation was particularly elevated for high-grade prostate cancer at diagnosis (OR 1.87, 95% CI 1.32-2.64). Associations were more pronounced for neighbourhoods with higher proportions of separated/divorced or widowed individuals in the past, and with higher percentages of residents living alone recently.

CONCLUSIONS

These novel findings, suggesting that neighbourhood-level social deprivation increases the risk of prostate cancer, point out to potential targeted public health interventions.

Association between greenspace and cancer: evidence from a systematic review and meta-analysis of multiple large cohort studies

Cancer is a chronic disease that seriously endangers human health, and studies on its association with greenspace have been published. We aimed to systematically review the epidemiological evidence and obtain the best available evidence. PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, and Cochrane Library were used as search databases, the time limit was September 12, 2022, and the cited articles were manually supplemented. Two researchers independently performed literature screening and data extraction. We performed a meta-analysis of data using a normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) as the greenspace measure, providing hazard ratio (HR) and corresponding 95% CI. After standardization of the data, we used a random effects model for pooling. We also assessed the risk of bias for each study and the quality of each evidence body. We identified 10,108 items and included 14 studies from 11 institutions in eight countries. All studies had a low risk of bias. Quantitative analysis of 13 studies found a beneficial association of greenspace with the mortality of lung cancer (pooled HR [95% CI]=0.965 [0.947, 0.983]) and prostate cancer (HR [95% CI]=0.939 [0.898, 0.980]) based on 0.1-unit NDVI increment and a potential beneficial association with the incidence of prostate, lung, and breast cancer. Greenspace had opposite associations with cancer mortality for urban and rural populations. Indirect comparisons did not find statistically significant differences in the effects of greenspace on different cancer outcomes. The evidence body assessment was considered to be "very low." This review indicated potential beneficial associations between greenspace for lung, prostate, and breast cancer outcomes. However, there was a lack of mediation analysis to explore the underlying mechanism of a causal association. Meanwhile, the interstudy heterogeneity was large. Therefore, future studies should consider more accurate exposure assessment and more comprehensive covariate coverage, while focusing on mediating analysis. PROSPERO: CRD42022361068.

2022 Update on Prostate Cancer Epidemiology and Risk Factors-A Systematic Review

CONTEXT

Prostate cancer (PCa) is one of the most common cancers worldwide. Understanding the epidemiology and risk factors of the disease is paramount to improve primary and secondary prevention strategies.

OBJECTIVE

To systematically review and summarize the current evidence on the descriptive epidemiology, large screening studies, diagnostic techniques, and risk factors of PCa.

EVIDENCE ACQUISITION

PCa incidence and mortality rates for 2020 were obtained from the GLOBOCAN database of the International Agency for Research on Cancer. A systematic search was performed in July 2022 using PubMed/MEDLINE and EMBASE biomedical databases. The review was conducted in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses guidelines and was registered in PROSPERO (CRD42022359728).

EVIDENCE SYNTHESIS

Globally, PCa is the second most common cancer, with the highest incidence in North and South America, Europe, Australia, and the Caribbean. Risk factors include age, family history, and genetic predisposition. Additional factors may include smoking, diet, physical activity, specific medications, and occupational factors. As PCa screening has become more accepted, newer approaches such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and biomarkers have been implemented to identify patients who are likely to harbor significant tumors. Limitations of this review include the evidence being derived from meta-analyses of mostly retrospective studies.

CONCLUSIONS

PCa remains the second most common cancer among men worldwide. PCa screening is gaining acceptance and will likely reduce PCa mortality at the cost of overdiagnosis and overtreatment. Increasing use of MRI and biomarkers for the detection of PCa may mitigate some of the negative consequences of screening.

PATIENT SUMMARY

Prostate cancer (PCa) remains the second most common cancer among men, and screening for PCa is likely to increase in the future. Improved diagnostic techniques can help reduce the number of men who need to be diagnosed and treated to save one life. Avoidable risk factors for PCa may include factors such as smoking, diet, physical activity, specific medications, and certain occupations.

Investigating the Anti-inflammatory Effect of Allopurinol on the Prevention of Prostate Cancer

Introduction Gout is a form of arthritis that arises from the accumulation of uric acid in the bloodstream. Allopurinol, a medication that reduces uric acid levels, has also been shown to have anti-inflammatory effects. Research in this area seems to have mixed results. Furthermore, limited research has examined the relationship between gout treated with Allopurinol and its possible protective factors against prostate cancer. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between Allopurinol use and prostate cancer, controlling for demographic and metabolic factors. Methods Information was collected from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) dataset of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Logistic regression analysis was employed to establish the correlation between the usage of Allopurinol and the occurrence of prostate cancer while considering variables such as weight, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, race, educational level, and marital status. The research received approval from the review board of the Physician's Journal of Medicine. Results We found no significant association between Allopurinol use and prostate cancer, controlling for covariates. Age was found to have a positive association with prostate cancer. Marriage was found to have a negative association with prostate cancer. Conclusion The results of this study did not find a significant association between Allopurinol use and the risk of prostate cancer. However, this study adds to the limited body of research examining the relationship between gout, Allopurinol, and prostate cancer and suggests that further research is needed in this area. Overall, while Allopurinol has been shown to have anti-inflammatory effects and is used to treat gout, its use does not appear to have a significant impact on the risk of developing prostate cancer.

Quantifying the Contributions of Environmental Factors to Prostate Cancer and Detecting Risk-Related Diet Metrics and Racial Disparities

The relevance of nongenetic factors to prostate cancer (PCa) has been elusive. We aimed to quantify the contributions of environmental factors to PCa and identify risk-related diet metrics and relevant racial disparities. We performed a unique analysis of the Diet History Questionnaire data of 41 830 European Americans (EAs) and 1282 African Americans (AAs) in the PLCO project. The independent variables in the regression models consisted of age at trial entry, race, family history of prostate cancer (PCa-fh), diabetes history, body mass index (BMI), lifestyle (smoking and coffee consumption), marital status, and a specific nutrient/food factor (X). P < .05 and a 95% confidence interval excluding zero were adopted as the criteria for determining a significant difference (effect). We established a priority ranking among PCa risk-related genetic and environmental factors according to the deviances explained by them in the multivariate Cox-PH regression analysis: age > PCa-fh > diabetes ⩾ race > lifestyle ⩾marital-status ⩾BMI > X. We confirmed previous studies showing that (1) high protein and saturated fat levels in diet were related to increased PCa risk, (2) high-level supplementary selenium intake was harmful rather than beneficial for preventing PCa, and (3) supplementary vitamin B6 was beneficial for preventing benign PCa. We obtained the following novel findings: high-level organ meat intake was an independent predictor for increased aggressive PCa risk; supplementary iron, copper and magnesium increased benign PCa risk; and the AA diet was "healthy" in terms of the relatively lower protein and fat levels and was "unhealthy" in that it more commonly contained organ meat. In conclusion, we established a priority ranking among the contributing factors for PCa and identified several risk-related diet metrics and the racial disparities. Our findings suggested some new approaches to prevent PCa such as restriction of organ meat intake and supplementary microminerals.

Marital status and perceived stress in men with advanced prostate cancer: A randomized-controlled trial of cognitive behavioral stress management

OBJECTIVE

Relationship status predicts numerous outcomes among medical populations. Few interventions evaluate the role of marital status on response to psychosocial treatment, and no such studies exist within advanced prostate cancer (APC). This study examined whether marital status modified the effect of a cognitive behavioral stress management (CBSM) intervention on perceived stress.

METHODS

Men with APC (N = 190) were randomized to 10-week CBSM or a health promotion (HP) intervention (#NCT03149185). The Perceived Stress Scale assessed perceived stress at baseline and 12-month follow-up. Medical status and sociodemographics were captured at enrollment.

RESULTS

Participants were mostly White (59.5%), non-Hispanic (97.4%), heterosexual (97.4%) men, 66.8% of whom were partnered. Neither condition nor marital status predicted perceived stress change at follow-up. However, a significant interaction was found between condition and marital status (p = 0.014; Cohen's f = 0.07), such that partnered men who received CBSM and unpartnered men who received HP reported greater reductions in perceived stress.

CONCLUSION

This is the first study to assess the impact of marital status on psychosocial intervention effects among men with APC. Partnered men derived greater benefit from a cognitive-behavioral intervention and unpartnered men equally benefitted from a HP intervention. Further research is necessary to understand the mechanisms underlying these relationships.

Effect of transoral laser microsurgery vs open partial laryngectomy on the prognosis of patients with early laryngeal carcinoma: propensity score-based analysis

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the effect of surgical procedures (transoral laser microsurgery (TLM) and open partial laryngectomy (OPL)) on the prognosis of patients with early laryngeal cancer.

METHODS

A total of 760 patients diagnosed with early laryngeal cancer (T1-2N0M0) and treated with TLM (n = 416) or OPL (n = 344) between 2004 and 2015 were abstracted from the SEER database. Propensity score matching (PSM) and stabilized inverse probability of treatment weighting (SIPTW) were performed to obtain comparable cohorts. The survival rates were estimated by the Kaplan-Meier method, and compared using the log-rank test. Univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses with a false discovery rate (FDR) correction were applied to contrast the association between two surgical approaches and overall survival (OS) and disease-specific survival (DSS).

RESULTS

The 5-year OS for the TLM group was 79.5% versus 77.7% for the OPL group (P = 0.619). Similar results were revealed for the comparison of 5-year DSS rates (91.1% versus 91.5%, P = 0.891). After PSM and SIPTW balance the confounding factors, no significant difference was observed in the OS and DSS of patients treated with TLM compared to patients treated with OPL. The consistent results were still yielded (all P > 0.05), when stratified by gender, age, year of diagnosis, residence, household income, tumor site, T stage, differentiation, and adjuvant therapy.

CONCLUSION

This study provides strong evidence that there is no significant difference in the prognosis of early laryngeal carcinoma between the treatment of TLM and OPL, which may be helpful to guide the clinical decision-making of these patients.

Cervical lymphadenopathy as initial presentation of metastatic prostate cancer: A retrospective study of five cases and literature review

Cervical lymphadenopathy as the initial presentation of metastatic prostate cancer is particularly uncommon, and easily misdiagnosed. In the current study, we describe five cases of metastatic prostate cancer in our hospital that presented with cervical lymphadenopathy as an initial symptom. The diagnosis was confirmed by needle biopsy of the suspicious lymph nodes and the serum prostate specific antigen (PSA) levels of all patients exceeded 100 ng/ml. The five patients were treated with hormonal therapy; four received traditional hormonal therapy, including bicalutamide and goserelin; one patient received hormonal therapy that included abiraterone and goserelin. Case 1 developed into castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) after 7 months and died after 12 months. Case 2 rejected regular hormonal therapy for personal reasons and died 6 months after the initial diagnosis. Case 3 was still alive at the time of writing. Case 4 was administered with abiraterone, prednisolone and goserelin; the treatment was effective and the patient has remained symptom-free for the last 24 months. Case 5 was treated with hormonal and chemotherapy but died 8 months after diagnosis. In conclusion, any elderly male presenting with cervical lymphadenopathy should be considered the possibility of prostate cancer, especially when the needle biopsy reveals adenocarcinoma. The prognosis for patients presented with cervical lymphadenopathy as the initial presentation is usually poor. Hormone therapy based on abiraterone may yield a better response in such cases.

The profile of Black South African men diagnosed with prostate cancer in the Free State, South Africa

BACKGROUND

Prostate cancer (PCa) ranks high in terms of morbidity and mortality, especially in Africa. Prostate-specific antigen (PSA) screening remains a practical method of screening for and thereby detecting PCa early, especially among African men who are more negatively affected. Modifiable risk factors for PCa are mostly behavioural and lifestyle. Understanding community-specific determinants is important when developing health promotion interventions.

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to determine the profile of African men with PCa in the Free State, South Africa.

METHOD

A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted using case record information and self-administered questionnaires among 341 African men with PCa attending the oncology and urology clinics of a tertiary hospital.

RESULT

Participants' median age at diagnosis was 66 years. Only 76 (22.3%) participants had ever heard of PCa prior to being diagnosed with the disease, 36 (47.4%) of whom had ever had screening performed. The majority (n = 298, 87.4%) were symptomatic; 50% sought medical help within six months. At diagnosis, 133 (39.0%) men presented with stage T3 or T4 disease, 75 (22.0%) with metastatic disease and 84 (24.6%) with Gleason score ≥ 8. Factors associated with advanced and high-grade disease included smoking, decreased sunlight exposure and physical activity, relatively increased ingestion of dairy products and red meat. Factors associated with early stage and low-grade disease included relatively increased ingestion of fruits, vegetables and fish.

CONCLUSION

Advanced and high-grade PCa disease is not uncommon among men ≥ 60 years in this study setting. Certain modifiable risk factors associated with advanced disease were established in this study. The majority had lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) prior to PCa diagnosis, but they were of poor health-seeking behaviour. Although there seems not to be a systematic delay in the definitive diagnosis and initiation of treatment for PCa, there is a need to improve on health education and awareness in the study setting.

Development and validation of a prognostic nomogram for extrahepatic bile duct adenocarcinoma

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study is to establish a prognostic nomogram for patients with extrahepatic bile duct adenocarcinoma (EBDA).

METHODS

From the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database, we retrieved clinical data from 1,485 patients diagnosed with EBDA between 2004 and 2015. These patients were randomly assigned to either the training or validation group in a ratio of 2:1. Cox proportional risk regression models were used to analyze the association of each variable with overall survival (OS). Univariate and multifactorial Cox regression analyses were performed to identify prognostic factors, and prognostic nomograms were created on the basis of the results of Cox multifactorial regression analysis. Performance was assessed by calibration curves and ROC curves. Internal validation was performed using the validation cohort. The Kaplan-Meier method was used to perform log-rank constructions for different risk groups.

RESULTS

The results indicated that age, race, N and M stages of tumor-lymph node metastases based on AJCC version 6, surgery, and chemotherapy were independent prognostic factors for OS in patients with EBDA. The constructed nomograms showed decent classification in predicting both 3- and 5-year survival rates. The calibration curves also show a high degree of agreement between the predicted and actual operating systems.

CONCLUSIONS

The nomogram that we constructed provides a relatively accurate and applicable prediction of survival outcome in patients with EBDA, which helps to provide reference and guidance for patient treatment.

Influence of Active Surveillance on Gleason Score Upgrade and Prognosis in Low- and Favorable Intermediate-Risk Prostate Cancer

Few studies have focused on the link between active surveillance (AS) and Gleason score upgrade (GSU) and its impact on the prognosis of patients with prostate cancer (PCa). This study aimed to analyze the effect of AS duration on GSU and prognostic value based on risk stratification. All eligible patients were risk-stratified according to AUA guidelines into low-risk (LR), favorable intermediate-risk (FIR), and unfavorable intermediate-risk (UIR) PCa. Within the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program (SEER) database, 28,368 LR, 27,243 FIR, and 12,210 UIR PCa patients were included. The relationship between AS duration and GSU was identified with univariate and multivariate logistic regression. Discrimination according to risk stratification of AS duration and GSU was tested by Kaplan-Meier analysis and competing risk regression models. The proportion of patients who chose AS was the highest among LR PCa (3434, 12.1%), while the proportion in UIR PCa was the lowest (887, 7.3%). The AS duration was only associated with GSU in LR PCa, with a high Gleason score (GS) at diagnosis being a strong predictor of GSU for FIR and UIR PCa. Kaplan-Meier analysis indicated that long-term surveillance only made a significant difference in prognosis in UIR PCa. The competing risk analysis indicated that once GS was upgraded to 8 or above, the prognosis in each group was significantly worse. AS is recommended for LR and FIR PCa until GS is upgraded to 8, but AS may not be suitable for some UIR PCa patients.

Association of Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone Agonists for Prostate Cancer With Cardiovascular Disease Risk and Hypertension in Men With Diabetes

IMPORTANCE

Men with type 2 diabetes have an increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). Meanwhile, gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) agonists used in prostate cancer (PCa) are associated with increased risk of CVD.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the association between GnRH agonist use, PCa diagnosis per se, and CVD risk in men with type 2 diabetes.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS

This nationwide population-based cohort study identified men with type 2 diabetes by use of data in the Prostate Cancer Data Base Sweden version 4.1 and the Swedish National Diabetes Register, with longitudinal data from 2006 to 2016. These data were used to create 2 cohorts, 1 including men with and without PCa and the other including men with PCa who received and did not receive GnRH agonists. Data analysis was conducted from January 2006 to December 2016.

EXPOSURES

Treatment with GnRH agonists and PCa diagnosis were the primary exposures.

MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES

Primary outcome was a 10% increase in predicted 5-year CVD risk score. Secondary outcome was worsening hypertension as defined by the European Society of Hypertension Guidelines. Cox proportional hazards regression models were used to analyze the association.

RESULTS

The PCa exposure cohort included 5714 men (median [IQR] age, 72.0 [11.0]), and the non-PCa cohort included 28 445 men without PCa (median [IQR] age, 72.0 [11.0]). The GnRH agonist-exposure cohort included 692 men with PCa who received a GnRH agonist, compared with 3460 men with PCa who did not receive a GnRH agonist. Men with PCa receiving GnRH agonists had an increased estimated 5-year CVD risk score compared with men without PCa (hazard ratio [HR], 1.25; 95% CI, 1.16-1.36) and compared with men with PCa not receiving GnRH agonists (HR, 1.53; 95% CI, 1.35-1.74). Men receiving GnRH agonists had decreased blood pressure compared with men without PCa (HR, 0.70; 95% CI, 0.61-0.80) and compared with men with PCa not receiving GnRH agonists (HR, 0.68; 95% CI, 0.56-0.82).

CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE

In this population-based cohort study, there was an increased risk of CVD in men with type 2 diabetes who received a GnRH agonist for PCa. These findings highlight the need to closely control CVD risk factors in men with type 2 diabetes treated with GnRH agonists. The association between GnRH agonist use and decreased blood pressure levels warrants further study.

Effects of marital status on survival of retroperitoneal liposarcomas stratified by age and sex: A population-based study

BACKGROUND

Previous studies have shown that marital status is associated with survival in patients with a variety of cancer types, including lung cancer, prostate cancer, and bladder cancer. However, to date, the impact of marital status on the survival of patients with retroperitoneal liposarcomas (RPLs) has not been established.

METHODS

A total of 1211 eligible patients diagnosed with RPLs were identified in the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database. The relationships between marital status and survival in patients with RPLs were assessed. Patients were stratified by age to determine whether an association exists between marital status and age. We also probed the association between marital status and survival in males and females.

RESULTS

Our findings suggest that divorced, separated, or widowed patients have more advanced cancer stages, and more of these patients do not undergo surgery. Meanwhile, divorced, separated, or widowed patients have worse survival outcomes than married patients (overall survival (OS): HR = 1.66 (95% CI, 1.12, 2.46)); cancer-specific survival (CSS): HR = 1.90 (95% CI, 1.13, 3.19)). OS does not differ between single patients and married patients (HR = 1.21 [95% CI, 0.81, 1.81]) or CSS (HR = 1.36 [95% CI, 0.80, 2.29]). In addition, these results demonstrate that being divorced, separated, or widowed can play a significant detrimental role in mortality in older and female patients.

CONCLUSION

Married patients have earlier disease stages at diagnosis and better survival outcomes than divorced, separated, or widowed patients with RPLs. In addition, this effect is especially pronounced in older people and females.

Development and Validation of Nomograms to Predict Cancer-Specific Survival and Overall Survival in Elderly Patients With Prostate Cancer: A Population-Based Study

Objective

Prostate cancer (PC) is the most common non-cutaneous malignancy in men worldwide. Accurate predicting the survival of elderly PC patients can help reduce mortality in patients. We aimed to construct nomograms to predict cancer-specific survival (CSS) and overall survival (OS) in elderly PC patients.

Methods

Information on PC patients aged 65 years and older was downloaded from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database. Univariate and multivariate Cox regression models were used to determine independent risk factors for PC patients. Nomograms were developed to predict the CSS and OS of elderly PC patients based on a multivariate Cox regression model. The accuracy and discrimination of the prediction model were tested by the consistency index (C-index), the area under the subject operating characteristic curve (AUC), and the calibration curve. Decision curve analysis (DCA) was used to test the clinical value of the nomograms compared with the TNM staging system and D’Amico risk stratification system.

Results

135183 elderly PC patients in 2010-2018 were included. All patients were randomly assigned to the training set (N=94764) and the validation set (N=40419). Univariate and multivariate Cox regression model analysis revealed that age, race, marriage, histological grade, TNM stage, surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, biopsy Gleason score (GS), and prostate-specific antigen (PSA) were independent risk factors for predicting CSS and OS in elderly patients with PC. The C-index of the training set and the validation set for predicting CSS was 0.883(95%CI:0.877-0.889) and 0.887(95%CI:0.877-0.897), respectively. The C-index of the training set and the validation set for predicting OS was 0.77(95%CI:0.766-0.774)and 0.767(95%CI:0.759-0.775), respectively. It showed that the proposed model has excellent discriminative ability. The AUC and the calibration curves also showed good accuracy and discriminability. The DCA showed that the nomograms for CSS and OS have good clinical potential value.

Conclusions

We developed new nomograms to predict CSS and OS in elderly PC patients. The models have been internally validated with good accuracy and reliability and can help doctors and patients to make better clinical decisions.

Establishment of Prognostic Nomograms for Early-Onset Prostate Cancer Patients: A SEER Database Analysis

OBJECTIVE

Clinical prostate cancer (PCa) is rare in men aged <50 years (early-onset). A well-designed nomogram for prognosis prediction in patients with early-onset PCa has not been studied. Here, we tried to establish nomogram models of overall survival (OS) and cancer-specific survival (CSS) in patients with early-onset PCa.

METHODS

The clinical variables of patients diagnosed with early-onset PCa between 2004 and 2016 were retrieved from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database and randomly divided into training and validation groups at a ratio of 7:3. Multivariate Cox regression analyses were used to select prognostic factors associated with OS or CSS, followed by the construction and validation of nomograms.

RESULTS

We enrolled 8259 patients with early-onset PCa. New nomograms were established and showed good discriminative abilities. Finally, ROC curve analysis demonstrated that these nomograms were superior to the TNM stage and Gleason score in predicting both OS and CSS for patients with early-onset PCa.

CONCLUSION

This is the first study to establish nomograms with effective and high accuracy for prognosis in patients with early-onset PCa.

"Partner", "Caregiver", or "Co-Survivor"-Might the Label We Give the Partners of Cancer Patients Affect the Health Outcome of the Patients and Their Partners?

Having a life partner significantly extends survival for most cancer patients. The label given to the partners of cancer patients may, however, influence the health of not just the patients but their partners. "Caregiver" is an increasingly common label for the partners of patients, but it carries an implicit burden. Referring to partners as "caregivers" may be detrimental to the partnerships, as it implies that the individuals are no longer able to be co-supportive. Recognizing this, there has been some effort to relabel cancer dyads as "co-survivors". However, many cancer patients are not comfortable being called a "survivor", and the same may apply to their partners. Cancer survivorship, we argue, could be enhanced by helping keep the bond between patients and their partners strong. This includes educating patients and partners about diverse coping strategies that individuals use when facing challenges to their health and wellbeing. We suggest that preemptive couples' counselling in cancer centers may benefit both patients and their partners.