IMPORTANCE: Cigarette smoking is a strong risk factor for mortality in patients diagnosed with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). However, little evidence supports which smoking metric best models the association between smoking and survival in HNSCC. OBJECTIVE: To determine which smoking metric best models a linear association between smoking exposure and overall survival (OS) in patients with HNSCC. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: A retrospective multicenter cohort study of 6 clinical epidemiological studies was performed. Five were part of the Human Papillomavirus, Oral and Oropharyngeal Cancer Genomic Research (VOYAGER) consortium. Participants included patients 18 years and older with pathologically confirmed HNSCC. Data were collected from January 2002 to December 2019, and data were analyzed between January 2022 to November 2024. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: The primary outcome was OS. The performance of 8 smoking metrics, including pack-years, duration, and log cig-years (calculated as log10[cigarettes smoked per day + 1] × number of years smoked) for modeling OS were compared. Metric performance was measured by the strength of association in Cox proportional hazard models, linearity based on P for linear trend, Akaike information criterion (AIC; lower value indicates better model fit), and visual assessment of spline curves. Secondary outcomes included modeling OS in clinicodemographic subgroups and HNSCC anatomic subsites. Exploratory outcomes included cancer-specific survival and noncancer survival. RESULTS: In total, 8875 patients with HNSCC (2114 [24%] female; median [IQR] age, 61 [54-69] years) were included. Of 8 smoking metrics evaluated, smoking duration (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR], 1.11 [95% CI, 1.03-1.19]) and log cig-years (aHR, 1.11 [95% CI, 1.04-1.18]) had the highest aHRs; both had a statistically significant linear association with OS. Log cig-years had the lowest AIC linear value and the most visually linear spline curve when modeling OS. Duration and log cig-years outperformed pack-years for modeling OS regardless of age, smoking status, and cancer stage. Both performed well in lip and oral cavity, laryngeal (only duration was significant), and human papillomavirus-negative oropharyngeal subsites. In an exploratory analysis, duration had the highest aHR (1.15 [95% CI, 1.02-1.29]), and log cig-years had the lowest AIC linear value when modeling noncancer survival. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: In this cohort study, smoking duration and log cig-years best modeled a linear relationship with OS for patients with HNSCC. Both metrics maintained robust performance within specific clinicodemographic subgroups and anatomic subsites. Although most HNSCC survival models control for smoking exposure using smoking status or pack-years, duration and log cig-years may be superior metrics to account for the effects of smoking on survival.

• MeSH
• dlaždicobuněčné karcinomy hlavy a krku * mortalita   MeSH
• kouření cigaret * škodlivé účinky   MeSH
• kouření * škodlivé účinky   MeSH
• lidé středního věku MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• míra přežití MeSH
• nádory hlavy a krku * mortalita   MeSH
• proporcionální rizikové modely MeSH
• retrospektivní studie MeSH
• rizikové faktory MeSH
• senioři MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé středního věku MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• mužské pohlaví MeSH
• senioři MeSH
• ženské pohlaví MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• multicentrická studie MeSH

A growing proportion of head and neck cancer (HNC), especially oropharyngeal cancer (OPC), is caused by human papillomavirus (HPV). There are several markers for HPV-driven HNC, one being HPV early antigen serology. We aimed to investigate the diagnostic accuracy of HPV serology and its performance across patient characteristics. Data from the VOYAGER consortium was used, which comprises five studies on HNC from North America and Europe. Diagnostic accuracy, that is, sensitivity, specificity, Cohen's kappa and correctly classified proportions of HPV16 E6 serology, was assessed for OPC and other HNC using p16INK4a immunohistochemistry (p16), HPV in situ hybridization (ISH) and HPV PCR as reference methods. Stratified analyses were performed for variables including age, sex, smoking and alcohol use, to test the robustness of diagnostic accuracy. A risk-factor analysis based on serology was conducted, comparing HPV-driven to non-HPV-driven OPC. Overall, HPV serology had a sensitivity of 86.8% (95% CI 85.1-88.3) and specificity of 91.2% (95% CI 88.6-93.4) for HPV-driven OPC using p16 as a reference method. In stratified analyses, diagnostic accuracy remained consistent across sex and different age groups. Sensitivity was lower for heavy smokers (77.7%), OPC without lymph node involvement (74.4%) and the ARCAGE study (66.7%), while specificity decreased for cases with <10 pack-years (72.1%). The risk-factor model included study, year of diagnosis, age, sex, BMI, alcohol use, pack-years, TNM-T and TNM-N stage. HPV serology is a robust biomarker for HPV-driven OPC, and its diagnostic accuracy is independent of age and sex. Future research is suggested on the influence of smoking on HPV antibody levels.

• MeSH
• infekce papilomavirem * MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• lidské papilomaviry MeSH
• lidský papilomavirus 16 MeSH
• nádory hlavy a krku * diagnóza   MeSH
• nádory orofaryngu * MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH

BACKGROUND: The association between duration of smoking abstinence before non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) diagnosis and subsequent survival can influence public health messaging delivered in lung-cancer screening. We aimed to assess whether the duration of smoking abstinence before diagnosis of NSCLC is associated with improved survival. METHODS: In this retrospective, pooled analysis of cohort studies, we used 26 cohorts participating in Clinical Outcomes Studies of the International Lung Cancer Consortium (COS-ILCCO) at 23 hospitals. 16 (62%) were from North America, six (23%) were from Europe, three (12%) were from Asia, and one (4%) was from South America. Patients enrolled were diagnosed between June 1, 1983, and Dec 31, 2019. Eligible patients had smoking data before NSCLC diagnosis, epidemiological data at diagnosis (obtained largely from patient questionnaires), and clinical information (retrieved from medical records). Kaplan-Meier curves and multivariable Cox models (ie, adjusted hazard ratios [aHRs]) were generated with individual, harmonised patient data from the consortium database. We estimated overall survival for all causes, measured in years from diagnosis date until the date of the last follow-up or death due to any cause and NSCLC-specific survival. FINDINGS: Of 42 087 patients with NSCLC in the COS-ILCCO database, 21 893 (52·0%) of whom were male and 20 194 (48·0%) of whom were female, we excluded 4474 (10·6%) with missing data. Compared with current smokers (15 036 [40·0%] of 37 613), patients with 1-3 years of smoking abstinence before NSCLC diagnosis (2890 [7·7%]) had an overall survival aHR of 0·92 (95% CI 0·87-0·97), patients with 3-5 years of smoking abstinence (1114 [3·0%]) had an overall survival aHR of 0·90 (0·83-0·97), and patients with more than 5 years of smoking abstinence (10 841 [28·8%]) had an overall survival aHR of 0·90 (0·87-0·93). Improved NSCLC-specific survival was observed in 4301 (44%) of 9727 patients who had quit cigarette smoking and was significant at abstinence durations of more than 5 years (aHR 0·87, 95% CI 0·81-0·93). Results were consistent across age, sex, histology, and disease-stage distributions. INTERPRETATION: In this large, pooled analysis of cohort studies across Asia, Europe, North America, and South America, overall survival was improved in patients with NSCLC whose duration of smoking abstinence before diagnosis was as short as 1 year. These findings suggest that quitting smoking can improve overall survival, even if NSCLC is diagnosed at a later lung-cancer screening visit. These findings also support the implementation of public health smoking cessation strategies at any time. FUNDING: The Alan B Brown Chair, The Posluns Family Fund, The Lusi Wong Fund, and the Princess Margaret Cancer Foundation.

• MeSH
• kohortové studie MeSH
• kouření epidemiologie   MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• nádory plic * diagnóza   MeSH
• nemalobuněčný karcinom plic * diagnóza   MeSH
• retrospektivní studie MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé MeSH
• mužské pohlaví MeSH
• ženské pohlaví MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural MeSH

Head and neck cancer is often diagnosed late and prognosis for most head and neck cancer patients remains poor. To aid early detection, we developed a risk prediction model based on demographic and lifestyle risk factors, human papillomavirus (HPV) serological markers and genetic markers. A total of 10 126 head and neck cancer cases and 5254 controls from five North American and European studies were included. HPV serostatus was determined by antibodies for HPV16 early oncoproteins (E6, E7) and regulatory early proteins (E1, E2, E4). The data were split into a training set (70%) for model development and a hold-out testing set (30%) for model performance evaluation, including discriminative ability and calibration. The risk models including demographic, lifestyle risk factors and polygenic risk score showed a reasonable predictive accuracy for head and neck cancer overall. A risk model that also included HPV serology showed substantially improved predictive accuracy for oropharyngeal cancer (AUC = 0.94, 95% CI = 0.92-0.95 in men and AUC = 0.92, 95% CI = 0.88-0.95 in women). The 5-year absolute risk estimates showed distinct trajectories by risk factor profiles. Based on the UK Biobank cohort, the risks of developing oropharyngeal cancer among 60 years old and HPV16 seropositive in the next 5 years ranged from 5.8% to 14.9% with an average of 8.1% for men, 1.3% to 4.4% with an average of 2.2% for women. Absolute risk was generally higher among individuals with heavy smoking, heavy drinking, HPV seropositivity and those with higher polygenic risk score. These risk models may be helpful for identifying people at high risk of developing head and neck cancer.

• MeSH
• genetické markery MeSH
• infekce papilomavirem * MeSH
• lidé středního věku MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• lidské papilomaviry MeSH
• lidský papilomavirus 16 genetika   MeSH
• nádory hlavy a krku * MeSH
• nádory orofaryngu * MeSH
• onkogenní proteiny virové * genetika   MeSH
• protilátky virové MeSH
• rizikové faktory MeSH
• transkripční faktory genetika   MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé středního věku MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• mužské pohlaví MeSH
• ženské pohlaví MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural MeSH

BACKGROUND: Somatic EGFR mutations define a subset of non-small cell lung cancers (NSCLC) that have clinical impact on NSCLC risk and outcome. However, EGFR-mutation-status is often missing in epidemiologic datasets. We developed and tested pragmatic approaches to account for EGFR-mutation-status based on variables commonly included in epidemiologic datasets and evaluated the clinical utility of these approaches. METHODS: Through analysis of the International Lung Cancer Consortium (ILCCO) epidemiologic datasets, we developed a regression model for EGFR-status; we then applied a clinical-restriction approach using the optimal cut-point, and a second epidemiologic, multiple imputation approach to ILCCO survival analyses that did and did not account for EGFR-status. RESULTS: Of 35,356 ILCCO patients with NSCLC, EGFR-mutation-status was available in 4,231 patients. A model regressing known EGFR-mutation-status on clinical and demographic variables achieved a concordance index of 0.75 (95% CI, 0.74-0.77) in the training and 0.77 (95% CI, 0.74-0.79) in the testing dataset. At an optimal cut-point of probability-score = 0.335, sensitivity = 69% and specificity = 72.5% for determining EGFR-wildtype status. In both restriction-based and imputation-based regression analyses of the individual roles of BMI on overall survival of patients with NSCLC, similar results were observed between overall and EGFR-mutation-negative cohort analyses of patients of all ancestries. However, our approach identified some differences: EGFR-mutated Asian patients did not incur a survival benefit from being obese, as observed in EGFR-wildtype Asian patients. CONCLUSIONS: We introduce a pragmatic method to evaluate the potential impact of EGFR-status on epidemiological analyses of NSCLC. IMPACT: The proposed method is generalizable in the common occurrence in which EGFR-status data are missing.

• MeSH
• analýza přežití MeSH
• erbB receptory genetika   MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• mutace MeSH
• nádory plic * epidemiologie   genetika   MeSH
• nemalobuněčný karcinom plic * epidemiologie   genetika   MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural MeSH

Although several oropharyngeal cancer (OPC) susceptibility loci have been identified, most previous studies lacked detailed information on human papillomavirus (HPV) status. We conduct a genome-wide analysis by HPV16 serology status in 4,002 oral cancer cases (OPC and oral cavity cancer (OCC)) and 5,256 controls. We detect four susceptibility loci pointing to a distinct genetic predisposition by HPV status. Our most notable finding in the HLA region, that is now confirmed to be specific of HPV(+)OPC risk, reveal two independent loci with strong protective effects, one refining the previously reported HLA class II haplotype association. Antibody levels against HPV16 viral proteins strongly implicate the protective HLA variants as major determinants of humoral response against L1 capsid protein or E6 oncoprotein suggesting a natural immune response against HPV(+)OPC promoted by HLA variants. This indicates that therapeutic vaccines that target E6 and attenuate viral response after established HPV infections might protect against HPV(+)OPC.

• MeSH
• celogenomová asociační studie MeSH
• exprese genu MeSH
• genetická predispozice k nemoci MeSH
• haplotypy MeSH
• HLA antigeny klasifikace   genetika   imunologie   MeSH
• humorální imunita * MeSH
• infekce papilomavirem genetika   imunologie   patologie   virologie   MeSH
• kouření patofyziologie   MeSH
• lidé středního věku MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• lidský papilomavirus 16 imunologie   patogenita   MeSH
• lokus kvantitativního znaku MeSH
• metaanalýza jako téma MeSH
• nádory orofaryngu genetika   imunologie   patologie   virologie   MeSH
• nádory úst genetika   imunologie   patologie   virologie   MeSH
• onkogenní proteiny virové genetika   imunologie   MeSH
• protilátky virové biosyntéza   MeSH
• represorové proteiny genetika   imunologie   MeSH
• rizikové faktory MeSH
• senioři MeSH
• studie případů a kontrol MeSH
• virové plášťové proteiny genetika   imunologie   MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé středního věku MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• mužské pohlaví MeSH
• senioři MeSH
• ženské pohlaví MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural MeSH

Recent studies suggest that rare variants exhibit stronger effect sizes and might play a crucial role in the etiology of lung cancers (LC). Whole exome plus targeted sequencing of germline DNA was performed on 1045 LC cases and 885 controls in the discovery set. To unveil the inherited causal variants, we focused on rare and predicted deleterious variants and small indels enriched in cases or controls. Promising candidates were further validated in a series of 26,803 LCs and 555,107 controls. During discovery, we identified 25 rare deleterious variants associated with LC susceptibility, including 13 reported in ClinVar. Of the five validated candidates, we discovered two pathogenic variants in known LC susceptibility loci, ATM p.V2716A (Odds Ratio [OR] 19.55, 95%CI 5.04-75.6) and MPZL2 p.I24M frameshift deletion (OR 3.88, 95%CI 1.71-8.8); and three in novel LC susceptibility genes, POMC c.*28delT at 3' UTR (OR 4.33, 95%CI 2.03-9.24), STAU2 p.N364M frameshift deletion (OR 4.48, 95%CI 1.73-11.55), and MLNR p.Q334V frameshift deletion (OR 2.69, 95%CI 1.33-5.43). The potential cancer-promoting role of selected candidate genes and variants was further supported by endogenous DNA damage assays. Our analyses led to the identification of new rare deleterious variants with LC susceptibility. However, in-depth mechanistic studies are still needed to evaluate the pathogenic effects of these specific alleles.

• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH

Few germline mutations are known to affect lung cancer risk. We performed analyses of rare variants from 39,146 individuals of European ancestry and investigated gene expression levels in 7,773 samples. We find a large-effect association with an ATM L2307F (rs56009889) mutation in adenocarcinoma for discovery (adjusted Odds Ratio = 8.82, P = 1.18 × 10-15) and replication (adjusted OR = 2.93, P = 2.22 × 10-3) that is more pronounced in females (adjusted OR = 6.81 and 3.19 and for discovery and replication). We observe an excess loss of heterozygosity in lung tumors among ATM L2307F allele carriers. L2307F is more frequent (4%) among Ashkenazi Jewish populations. We also observe an association in discovery (adjusted OR = 2.61, P = 7.98 × 10-22) and replication datasets (adjusted OR = 1.55, P = 0.06) with a loss-of-function mutation, Q4X (rs150665432) of an uncharacterized gene, KIAA0930. Our findings implicate germline genetic variants in ATM with lung cancer susceptibility and suggest KIAA0930 as a novel candidate gene for lung cancer risk.

• MeSH
• adenokarcinom genetika   MeSH
• alely MeSH
• ATM protein genetika   MeSH
• běloši genetika   MeSH
• databáze genetické MeSH
• genetická predispozice k nemoci MeSH
• genotypizační techniky MeSH
• heterozygot MeSH
• lidé středního věku MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• missense mutace MeSH
• nádory plic genetika   MeSH
• odds ratio MeSH
• rizikové faktory MeSH
• rodokmen MeSH
• sekvenční analýza hybridizací s uspořádaným souborem oligonukleotidů MeSH
• sekvenování transkriptomu MeSH
• senioři MeSH
• zárodečné mutace MeSH
• židé genetika   MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé středního věku MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• mužské pohlaví MeSH
• senioři MeSH
• ženské pohlaví MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural MeSH
• Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S. MeSH

BACKGROUND: Evidence from observational studies of telomere length (TL) has been conflicting regarding its direction of association with cancer risk. We investigated the causal relevance of TL for lung and head and neck cancers using Mendelian Randomization (MR) and mediation analyses. METHODS: We developed a novel genetic instrument for TL in chromosome 5p15.33, using variants identified through deep-sequencing, that were genotyped in 2051 cancer-free subjects. Next, we conducted an MR analysis of lung (16 396 cases, 13 013 controls) and head and neck cancer (4415 cases, 5013 controls) using eight genetic instruments for TL. Lastly, the 5p15.33 instrument and distinct 5p15.33 lung cancer risk loci were evaluated using two-sample mediation analysis, to quantify their direct and indirect, telomere-mediated, effects. RESULTS: The multi-allelic 5p15.33 instrument explained 1.49-2.00% of TL variation in our data (p = 2.6 × 10-9). The MR analysis estimated that a 1000 base-pair increase in TL increases risk of lung cancer [odds ratio (OR) = 1.41, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.20-1.65] and lung adenocarcinoma (OR = 1.92, 95% CI: 1.51-2.22), but not squamous lung carcinoma (OR = 1.04, 95% CI: 0.83-1.29) or head and neck cancers (OR = 0.90, 95% CI: 0.70-1.05). Mediation analysis of the 5p15.33 instrument indicated an absence of direct effects on lung cancer risk (OR = 1.00, 95% CI: 0.95-1.04). Analysis of distinct 5p15.33 susceptibility variants estimated that TL mediates up to 40% of the observed associations with lung cancer risk. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings support a causal role for long telomeres in lung cancer aetiology, particularly for adenocarcinoma, and demonstrate that telomere maintenance partially mediates the lung cancer susceptibility conferred by 5p15.33 loci.

• MeSH
• adenokarcinom plic epidemiologie   MeSH
• dlaždicobuněčné karcinomy hlavy a krku epidemiologie   MeSH
• homeostáza telomer genetika   MeSH
• leukocyty metabolismus   MeSH
• lidé středního věku MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• lidské chromozomy, pár 5 genetika   MeSH
• mendelovská randomizace MeSH
• nádory hlavy a krku epidemiologie   MeSH
• nádory plic epidemiologie   MeSH
• senioři nad 80 let MeSH
• senioři MeSH
• spinocelulární karcinom epidemiologie   MeSH
• telomery metabolismus   MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé středního věku MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• mužské pohlaví MeSH
• senioři nad 80 let MeSH
• senioři MeSH
• ženské pohlaví MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural MeSH
• Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S. MeSH

The development of cancer is driven by the accumulation of many oncogenesis-related genetic alterations and tumorigenesis is triggered by complex networks of involved genes rather than independent actions. To explore the epistasis existing among oncogenesis-related genes in lung cancer development, we conducted pairwise genetic interaction analyses among 35,031 SNPs from 2027 oncogenesis-related genes. The genotypes from three independent genome-wide association studies including a total of 24,037 lung cancer patients and 20,401 healthy controls with Caucasian ancestry were analyzed in the study. Using a two-stage study design including discovery and replication studies, and stringent Bonferroni correction for multiple statistical analysis, we identified significant genetic interactions between SNPs in RGL1:RAD51B (OR=0.44, p value=3.27x10-11 in overall lung cancer and OR=0.41, p value=9.71x10-11 in non-small cell lung cancer), SYNE1:RNF43 (OR=0.73, p value=1.01x10-12 in adenocarcinoma) and FHIT:TSPAN8 (OR=1.82, p value=7.62x10-11 in squamous cell carcinoma) in our analysis. None of these genes have been identified from previous main effect association studies in lung cancer. Further eQTL gene expression analysis in lung tissues provided information supporting the functional role of the identified epistasis in lung tumorigenesis. Gene set enrichment analysis revealed potential pathways and gene networks underlying molecular mechanisms in overall lung cancer as well as histology subtypes development. Our results provide evidence that genetic interactions between oncogenesis-related genes play an important role in lung tumorigenesis and epistasis analysis, combined with functional annotation, provides a valuable tool for uncovering functional novel susceptibility genes that contribute to lung cancer development by interacting with other modifier genes.

• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH