The role of lifestyle risk factors on mortality from colorectal cancer in populations of the Asia-Pacific region

Huxley R (2007) The role of lifestyle risk factors on mortality from colorectal cancer in populations of the Asia-Pacific region. Asian Pac J Cancer Prev 8:191-198

Although colorectal cancer is one of the leading malignancies worldwide, there are few data on aetiological relationships from the Asia-Pacific region. Therefore, a collaborative study was conducted involving over half a million subjects from 33 cohort studies in the region. Age-adjusted death rates from colorectal cancer, over an average of 6.8 years follow-up, were 12 and 14 per 100,000 person-years among Asian women and men, respectively; corresponding values in Australasia were 31 and 41. Height was strongly associated with death from colorectal cancer: an extra 5 cm of height was associated with 10% (95%confidence interval, 3% - 18% additional risk, after adjustment for other factors. Smoking increased risk by 43% (9% - 88%), although no significant dose-response relationship was discerned (p>0.05). Other significant (p <0.05) risk="" factors="" were="" body="" mass="" index="" and="" lack="" of="" physical="" activity.="" there="" was="" no="" significant="" effect="" on="" colorectal="" cancer="" mortality="" for="" alcohol="" consumption,="" waist="" circumference,="" fasting="" blood="" glucose="" or="" diabetes,="" although="" the="" latter="" conferred="" a="" notable="" 26%="" additional="" risk.="" height="" may="" be="" a="" biomarker="" for="" some="" currently="" unknown="" genetic,="" or="" environmental,="" risk="" factors="" that="" are="" related="" both="" to="" skeletal="" growth="" and="" mutanogenesis.="" understanding="" such="" mechanisms="" could="" provide="" opportunities="" for="" novel="" preventive="" and="" therapeutic="">