The role of physical activity in primary cancer prevention

Differences in the Effect of Physical Activity on the Prevention of Gastric Cancer According to Sex

PURPOSE

Physical activity (PA) is considered a potentially effective factor in the primary prevention of gastric cancer (GC). As body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference (WC) differ by sex, particularly with age, this study aimed to investigate the impact of PA on GC development, considering BMI and WC variations by sex.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We analyzed the impact of PA on GC development using Cox proportional hazard regression in a cohort of 314,525 Korean individuals from the National Health Insurance Service-Health Screening database, using data from 2009-2019. Additionally, subgroup analyses were conducted based on BMI and WC. The models were adjusted for age, sex, smoking status, alcohol consumption, BMI, and comorbidities.

RESULTS

The effect of PA on the prevention of GC development was relatively evident in males. The high PA group (metabolic equivalents of task, METs/week of 500-999) showed a lower risk of GC compared to the group with METs/week of 0 (hazard ratio [HR], 0.88; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.79-0.98). Especially in males with WC <90 cm and BMI <23 kg/m², a lower risk of GC was observed in the group with METs/week of 1-499 compared to the group with METs/week of 0 (HR, 0.80; 95% CI, 0.67-0.96). In contrast, no consistent association was observed between PA levels and risk of GC in females.

CONCLUSIONS

Moderate PA had a preventive effect on GC development in males, particularly in those with low BMI and WC. However, this effect was not observed in females.

A systematic review of computational approaches to understand cancer biology for informed drug repurposing

Cancer is the second leading cause of death globally, trailing only heart disease. In the United States alone, 1.9 million new cancer cases and 609,360 deaths were recorded for 2022. Unfortunately, the success rate for new cancer drug development remains less than 10%, making the disease particularly challenging. This low success rate is largely attributed to the complex and poorly understood nature of cancer etiology. Therefore, it is critical to find alternative approaches to understanding cancer biology and developing effective treatments. One such approach is drug repurposing, which offers a shorter drug development timeline and lower costs while increasing the likelihood of success. In this review, we provide a comprehensive analysis of computational approaches for understanding cancer biology, including systems biology, multi-omics, and pathway analysis. Additionally, we examine the use of these methods for drug repurposing in cancer, including the databases and tools that are used for cancer research. Finally, we present case studies of drug repurposing, discussing their limitations and offering recommendations for future research in this area.

Physical Activity and Gastric Cancer Risk in Patients with and without Helicobacter pylori Infection in A Korean Population: A Hospital-Based Case-Control Study

Although physical activity (PA) is beneficial for prolonging lifespan, evidence for the protective role of PA against the development of gastric cancer (GC) is not yet well established. This study assessed the association between PA and GC risk in patients with and without Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection in a Korean population. In total, 415 GC patients and 830 controls were enrolled at the National Cancer Center, Korea. The International Physical Activity Questionnaire-Short Form was used to collect PA data. The odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated using unconditional logistic regression models. In the H. pylori-positive group, subjects who engaged in regular exercise showed a significantly reduced risk of GC in the entire population (OR = 0.52, 95% CI = 0.38⁻0.70) and in females (OR = 0.60, 95% CI = 0.21⁻0.64). Subjects who engaged in a high level of total PA showed a significantly reduced risk of GC relative to subjects in the lowest tertile in the fully adjusted model (OR = 0.46, 95% CI = 0.32⁻0.65, p-trend < 0.001). There was an inverse association between PA and GC risk in the entire population, and in the H. pylori-positive subgroup. Our data indicate the need for the promotion of all domains of PA, especially for Korean populations.

Mapping a Decade of Physical Activity Interventions for Primary Prevention: A Protocol for a Scoping Review of Reviews

BACKGROUND

Physical activity is a key behavioral component for the primary prevention of noncommunicable disease. The uptake of physical activity is influenced by individual and broader factors including social, economic, and environmental conditions.

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this paper is to describe a protocol for a scoping review of reviews (SRR) that aims to map a decade of research focused on physical activity interventions within the domain of primary prevention.

METHODS

The 5 stages of our SRRs design were adapted from a seminal scoping review methodology. Our search strategy was developed for the following databases: SPORTDiscus, PubMed, Scopus, the Cochrane Library, the Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, PsycINFO, and Educational Resources Information Centre. Two reviewers (LG and AK) independently screened eligible studies and compared results to determine the final study selection. One reviewer will conduct the data extraction (LG); a second reviewer (AK) will assess the results to ensure comprehensiveness and accuracy of the scoping review synthesis.

RESULTS

The SRRs will provide a broad overview of the physical activity research literature specific to primary prevention, and will describe key features of physical activity interventions. Potential gaps in the physical activity action areas will be identified, and thus, the results will inform future research directions.

CONCLUSIONS

This paper describes an innovative approach for comprehensively mapping an important topic's research trends in the last decade.