Month: August 2023

CH&E Seminar Series – Dr. Kelvin Fong (Sept 2023)

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We are looking forward to attend our colleague, Dr. Kelvin Fong’s presentation in the Dalhousie University Department of Community Health and Epidemiology‘s Seminar Series on September 13th at 12pm AST (11am EST). Dr. Fong’s presentation is entitled, “How does the Environment Contribute to Health in Atlantic Canada?”  Dr. Fong is an assistant professor at Dalhousie University in the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences and cross-appointed in Community Health and Epidemiology. In 2022, they established the Laboratory for Environmental Assessment and Population Health (LEAPH), which focuses on environmental health disparities. For more information, including how to attend the seminar, please refer to: https://events.dal.ca/event/2364-champe-seminar-series.

Melanoma Risk in Atlantic Canada

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New work from Dr. Ivan Litvinov and Dr. François Lagacé  at McGill University includes Atlantic PATH participants and highlights why Atlantic Canadians are at higher risk for developing melanoma (skin cancer). The SunFit project conducted focus groups in 22 communities across Atlantic Canada.  Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island have the highest rates of melanoma in the country, while rates in New Brunswick and Newfoundland and Labrador are in line with the Canadian average. The team compared UV exposure and relevant behavioural factors and found that higher-income participants had an increased risk, but that participants with a lower income were more likely to work outdoors and experience occupational sun exposure which increases their risk of developing melanoma. Further, females had less sun exposure and higher rates of sunscreen use compared to males. Additional information: Dr. Litvinov was interviewed on CBC’s Maritime Noon. “N.S. and P.E.I. have higher rats of skin cancer than national average. Here’s why.” August 22, 2023. https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/maritimes-skin-cancer-national-average-1.6943582?cmp=rss) McGill University News Room. “Why men, wealthy people and maritime residents are more likely to develop skin cancer.” August 22, 2023.  https://www.mcgill.ca/newsroom/channels/news/why-men-wealthy-people-and-maritime-residents-are-more-likely-develop-skin-cancer-349697 Chronicle Herald article. “Dermatologist probes skin cancer rates.” September 7, 2023.  https://saltwire.pressreader.com/article/281552295441450    

Depression, Anxiety, and the Risk of Cancer: An Individual Participant Data Meta-Analysis

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Authors: LonnekeA. van Tuijl, Maartje Basten, Kuan‐Yu Pan, Roel Vermeulen, Lützen Portengen, Alexander de Graeff, Joost Dekker, Mirjam I. Geerlings, Adriaan Hoogendoorn, Femke Lamers, Adri C. Voogd, Jessica Abell, Philip Awadalla, Aartjan T.F. Beekman, Ottar Bjerkeset, Andy Boyd, |Yunsong Cui, Philipp Frank, Henrike Galenkamp, Bert Garssen, Sean Hellingman, Martijn Huisman, Anke Huss, Trynke R. de Jong, Melanie R. Keats, Almar A. L. Kok, Steinar Krokstad, Flora E. van Leeuwen, Annemarie I. Luik, Nolwenn Noisel, N. Charlotte Onland‐Moret, Yves Payette, Brenda W. J. H. Penninx, Ina Rissanen, Annelieke M. Roest, Rikje Ruiter, Robert A. Schoevers, David Soave, Mandy Spaan, Andrew Steptoe, Karien Stronks, Erik R. Sund, Ellen Sweeney, Emma L. Twait, Alison Teyhan, W. M. Monique Verschuren, Kimberly D. van der Willik, Judith G. M. Rosmalen, Adelita V. Ranchor. Journal: Cancer Abstract: Background: Depression and anxiety have long been hypothesized to be related to an increased cancer risk. Despite the great amount of research that has been conducted, findings are inconclusive. To provide a stronger basis for addressing the associations between depression, anxiety, and the incidence of various cancer types (overall, breast, lung, prostate, colorectal, alcohol-related, and smoking-related cancers), individual participant data (IPD) meta-analyses were performed within the Psychosocial Factors and Cancer Incidence (PSY-CA) consortium. Methods: The PSY-CA consortium includes data from 18 cohorts with measures of depression or anxiety (up to N = 319,613; cancer incidences, 25,803; person-years of follow-up, 3,254,714). Both symptoms and a diagnosis of depression and anxiety were examined as predictors of future cancer risk. Two-stage IPD meta-analyses were run, first by using Cox regression models in each cohort (stage 1), and then by aggregating the results in random-effects meta-analyses (stage 2). Results: No associations were found between depression or anxiety and overall, breast, prostate, colorectal, and alcohol-related cancers. Depression and anxiety (symptoms and diagnoses) were associated with the incidence of lung cancer and smoking-related cancers (hazard ratios [HRs], 1.06–1.60). However, these associations were substantially attenuated when additionally adjusting for known risk factors including smoking, alcohol use, and body mass index (HRs, 1.04–1.23). Conclusions: Depression and anxiety are not related to increased risk for most cancer outcomes, except for lung and smoking-related cancers. This study shows that key covariates are likely to explain the relationship between depression, anxiety, and lung and smoking-related cancers. doi: https://doi.org/10.1002/cncr.34853

New Publication – Depression, Anxiety and Risk of Cancer

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We are pleased to share that the first results from the Psychosocial Factors and Cancer Incidence (PSY-CA) consortium have been published in Cancer. Led from the Netherlands by Dr. Lonneke van Tuijl and Dr. Joost Dekker, this study includes 18 cohorts with more than 300,000 participants including Atlantic PATH, the Ontario Health Study and CARTaGENE from CanPath. Our local team members include Mr. Yunsong Cui (Atlantic PATH) who completed all local analyses, Dr. Ellen Sweeney (Atlantic PATH) and Dr. Melanie Keats (Dalhousie University). Depression and anxiety have long been hypothesized to be related to an increased cancer risk, but, to date, findings are inconclusive. Individual participant data meta-analyses were performed within the PSY-CA consortium to assess the associations between depression, anxiety, and the incidence of various cancer types (overall, breast, lung, prostate, colorectal, alcohol-related, and smoking-related cancers). Findings from the study indicate that depression and anxiety are not related to increased risk for most cancer outcomes, except for lung and smoking-related cancers. This study shows that key covariates are likely to explain the relationship between depression, anxiety, and lung and smoking-related cancers. Link to publication: https://acsjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/cncr.34853 Link to Neuroscience News article: https://neurosciencenews.com/depression-anxiety-cancer-23769/    

COVID Global Mental Health Consortium Funded – 23 cohorts with 2.8 million participants

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We’re excited to share that the collaborative project, “International Evaluation of Modifiable Social Determinants of Health on COVID-related Mental Health Outcomes” has been approved for funding from the National Institute of Mental Health (Mental Health Research Grant, award number 1RF1MH134638-01). Led by Dr. Jordan Smoller (Harvard University, Massachusetts General Hospital), Dr. Sarah Bauermeister (University of Oxford), and Dr. André Russowsky Brunoni (University of Sao Paulo), the COVID Global Mental Health Consortium (CGMHC) will produce a global evaluation of pandemic-related mental health outcomes using individual-level harmonized longitudinal data. The CGHMC is comprised of 23 global cohorts representing 2.8 million participants.1  This work will address critical knowledge gaps related to the impact of policy, psychological and social factors on mental health in the COVID-19 pandemic. 2 We look forward to participating in the CGHMC and contributing to this important research.   1 CGMHC cohorts include CanPath, Health and Retirement Study, Brains for Dementia Research, English Longitudinal Study of Ageing, National Study of Health and Development, Oxwell, Generation Scotland, UK Biobank, Igana Mayuge Health and Demographic Surveillance Site, Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development Study, All of Us, Einstein Study, Mass Gen Brigham Biobank, Study to Assess Risk and Resilience in Service Members Longitudinal Study, COVID-19 Mental Health Survey, FinnGen, Taiwan Biobank, University of College London COVID Study, The Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing, COVIDMENT, Qatar Biobank, Brazilian High Risk Cohort Study, and the Brazilian Longitudinal Study of Adult Health (ELSA). 2 CanPath was represented on this application by Dr. Ellen Sweeney, Dr. Philip Awadalla, Dr. Robin Urquhart, and Mr. Yunsong Cui. Atlantic PATH is pleased to lead this work on behalf of CanPath.