[ RadSafe ] Article: Epidemiology — identifying the causes and preventability of cancer?

[John Jacobus]

>From Nature Reviews Cancer 6, 75-83 (January 2006) 
The entire article can be found at
http://www.nature.com/nrc/journal/v6/n1/full/nrc1784.html

Perspective
Timeline: Epidemiology — identifying the causes and
preventability of cancer?

Graham A. Colditz1, Thomas A. Sellers2 and Edward
Trapido3  About the authors

Abstract:  It has been almost 25 years since Doll and
Peto performed their landmark analysis of
epidemiological data to identify the causes of cancers
and possible modes of cancer prevention. Since then,
there have been many additional studies of cancer
incidence using various epidemiological techniques.
These studies revealed expanded opportunities for
cancer prevention through approaches that include
vaccination, increased physical activity, weight
control and avoidance of post-menopausal hormone
therapy.

Under "Identifying causes of cancer"

RADIATION. Resounding evidence from studies of
occupational exposure and of atomic bomb survivors has
clearly shown a dose–response relationship between
exposure to radiation and the risk of cancer30. More
recently, solar radiation has been identified as a
significant risk factor for melanoma31, with worldwide
incidence of this malignancy increasing rapidly32.
Epidemiological methods continue to be applied to
examine the potential association of other sources of
radiation with cancer risk, such as the association
between exposure to radiation or to power lines and
leukaemia, or a correlation between electromagnetic
radiation from mobile phones and brain tumours33.
Additional studies are underway to understand whether
some of the familial components of risk for tumours
such as breast cancer might be due to increased
sensitivity to radiation in individuals who carry
certain genetic defects, such as mutations in ATM
(ataxia telangiectasia mutated), BRCA1 (breast cancer
1) or BRCA2 (Ref. 34). Observational epidemiological
studies have made significant contributions to our
understanding of the influence that radiation has on
cancer risk and have also provided clues into
mechanisms of cancer pathogenesis.





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"Efforts and courage are not enough without purpose and direction."
"John F. Kennedy, U.S. President and former Naval Officer 

-- John
John Jacobus, MS
Certified Health Physicist
e-mail:  crispy_bird at yahoo.com


		
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