Armen A. Ghazarian

Recent trends in the incidence of testicular germ cell tumors in the United States

Testicular germ cell tumors (TGCT), which comprise 98% of all testicular malignancies, are the most commonly occurring cancers among men between the ages of 15 and 44 years in the United States (US). A prior report from our group found that while TGCT incidence among all US men increased between 1973 and 2003, the rate of increase among black men was more pronounced starting in 1989–1993 than was the rate of increase among other men. In addition, TGCT incidence increased among Hispanic white men between 1992 and 2003. To determine whether these patterns have continued, in the current study, we examined temporal trends in incidence through 2011. Between 1992 and 2011, 21 271 TGCTs (12 419 seminomas; 8715 non‐seminomas; 137 spermatocytic seminomas) were diagnosed among residents of the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results 13 registry areas. The incidence of TGCT was highest among non‐Hispanic white men (6.97 per 100 000 man‐years) followed by American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN; 4.66), Hispanic white (4.11), Asian/Pacific Islander (A/PI; 1.95), and black (1.20) men. Non‐Hispanic white men were more likely to present with smaller tumors (3.5 cm) and localized disease (72.6%) than were men of other races/ethnicities. Between 1992 and 2011, TGCT incidence increased significantly among Hispanic white [annual percent change (APC) = 2.94, p < 0.0001], black (APC = 1.67, p = 0.03), non‐Hispanic white (APC = 1.23, p < 0.0001), and A/PI (APC = 1.04, p = 0.05) men. Incidence rates also increased, although not significantly, among AI/AN men (APC = 2.96, p = 0.06). The increases were greater for non‐seminoma than seminoma. In summary, while non‐Hispanic white men in the US continue to have the highest incidence of TGCT, they present at more favorable stages of disease and with smaller tumors than do other men. The increasing rates among non‐white men, in conjunction with the larger proportion of non‐localized stage disease, suggest an area where future research is warranted.

Review of the Gene-Environment Interaction Literature in Cancer: What Do We Know?

Risk of cancer is determined by a complex interplay of genetic and environmental factors. Although the study of gene‐environment interactions (G×E) has been an active area of research, little is reported about the known findings in the literature.

Urinary bisphenol A and age at menarche among adolescent girls: Evidence from NHANES 2003–2010

BACKGROUND Bisphenol A (BPA) is an environmental estrogen used in the manufacture of polycarbonate plastics and epoxy resins used to make food and beverage packaging. Increasing evidence suggests that BPA mimics estrogens in the body and may be associated with putative markers of breast cancer risk. OBJECTIVES We analyzed the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2003-2010 data to investigate the association of BPA with age at menarche in adolescent girls. We hypothesized that urinary BPA, as a surrogate biomarker for BPA exposure, is associated with earlier age at menarche, and that body mass index (BMI) may modulate this association. METHODS We conducted cross-sectional analyses of urinary BPA, BMI and age of menarche in a subsample of 987 adolescent girls aged 12-19, using pooled data from the 2003-2010 NHANES. Unconditional logistic regression was used to estimate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for the association between urinary BPA and early onset of menarche, with adjustment for sampling design. We additionally assessed interaction of BPA with BMI. RESULTS Adolescent girls with moderate BPA levels appeared to be less likely to have early onset of menarche than those with the lowest levels (OR=0.57; 95% CI=0.30, 1.08) after adjusting for age, race/ethnicity, parental education, country of birth, NHANES cycle, BMI and creatinine. BMI appeared to modify the BPA-menarche association. CONCLUSIONS Although a non-significant trend suggests increasing urinary BPA may be associated with delayed menarche in adolescent girls, these results are based on cross-sectional data. Results should be clarified in carefully designed longitudinal cohort studies.

Incidence of testicular germ cell tumors among US men by census region

The incidence of testicular germ cell tumors (TGCTs) in the United States is notably higher among white men versus other men. Previously, however, it was reported that rates were rising among Hispanics in certain areas. To determine whether this finding was evident in a wider area of the United States, data from 39 US cancer registries were examined.

A Review of NCI's Extramural Grant Portfolio: Identifying Opportunities for Future Research in Genes and Environment in Cancer

Background: Genetic and environmental factors jointly influence cancer risk. The NIH has made the study of gene–environment (GxE) interactions a research priority since the year 2000. Methods: To assess the current status of GxE research in cancer, we analyzed the extramural grant portfolio of the National Cancer Institute (NCI) from Fiscal Years 2007 to 2009. Publications attributed to selected grants were also evaluated. Results: From the 1,106 research grants identified in our portfolio analysis, a random sample of 450 grants (40%) was selected for data abstraction; of these, 147 (33%) were considered relevant. The most common cancer type was breast (20%, n = 29), followed by lymphoproliferative (10%, n = 14), colorectal (9%, n = 13), melanoma/other skin (9%, n = 13), and lung/upper aerodigestive tract (8%, n = 12) cancers. The majority of grants were studies of candidate genes (68%, n = 100) compared with genome-wide association studies (GWAS) (8%, n = 12). Approximately one-third studied environmental exposures categorized as energy balance (37%, n = 54) or drugs/treatment (29%, n = 43). From the 147 relevant grants, 108 publications classified as GxE or pharmacogenomic were identified. These publications were linked to 37 of the 147 grant applications (25%). Conclusion: The findings from our portfolio analysis suggest that GxE studies are concentrated in specific areas. There is room for investments in other aspects of GxE research, including, but not limited to developing alternative approaches to exposure assessment, broadening the spectrum of cancer types investigated, and conducting GxE within GWAS. Impact: This portfolio analysis provides a cross-sectional review of NCI support for GxE research in cancer. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev; 22(4); 501–7. ©2013 AACR.

Future of testicular germ cell tumor incidence in the United States: Forecast through 2026

Testicular germ cell tumors (TGCTs) are rare tumors in the general population but are the most commonly occurring malignancy among males between ages 15 and 44 years in the United States (US). Although non‐Hispanic whites (NHWs) have the highest incidence in the US, rates among Hispanics have increased the most in recent years. To forecast what these incidence rates may be in the future, an analysis of TGCT incidence in the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results program and the National Program of Cancer Registries was conducted.

Abstract LB-15: Frequency of aspirin use and prostate cancer mortality among prostate cancer cases in the control arm of the Prostate, Lung, Colorectal, and Ovarian (PLCO) Cancer Screening Trial.

Proceedings: AACR 104th Annual Meeting 2013; Apr 6-10, 2013; Washington, DC Background: Aspirin may slow progression of cancer through the inhibition of platelet aggregation as experimental research has shown that platelets play a role in cancer cell dissemination and metastatic growth. While a 10% reduction in prostate cancer risk has been associated with regular aspirin use, only a few epidemiological studies have evaluated the association between aspirin use and prostate cancer mortality among prostate cancer cases. Methods: Participants included 3857 men, age 55-74, who were diagnosed with prostate cancer in the control arm of the Prostate, Lung, Colorectal, and Ovarian (PLCO) Cancer Screening Trial between 1993-2009. The frequency of aspirin use one year prior to baseline (1993-2001) was ascertained through a self-administered questionnaire. Death due to prostate cancer was ascertained by annual questionnaire and linkage to the National Death Index. Hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated using COX proportional hazards models using age as the time metric and adjusting for clinical stage, Gleason score, primary treatment, smoking status, body mass index, race, history of heart attack, and history of stroke. Results: After a median of 5 years of follow-up, 136 cases died of prostate cancer. No significant association with prostate cancer mortality was observed between cases who reported pre-diagnostic daily or more than daily aspirin use compared to cases who reported no aspirin use (HR=0.77; 95% CI 0.48-1.25). Among those diagnosed with clinically advanced stage (III, IV) disease, an inverse association with prostate cancer mortality was observed for cases who reported daily or more than daily aspirin use (HR=0.37; 95% CI 0.15-0.92), while no association for daily or more than daily users was seen among those with clinically localized prostate cancer (HR=0.86; 95% CI 0.47-1.58). Conclusion: Pre-diagnostic use of aspirin was not significantly associated with prostate cancer mortality based on cases diagnosed in the PLCO control arm, although a reduction in risk of prostate cancer mortality was observed among those with advanced stage disease in a subgroup analysis. Citation Format: Sarah E. Daugherty, Ruth Pfeiffer, Armen Ghazarian, Grant Izmirlian, Phil Prorok, Katherine McGlynn. Frequency of aspirin use and prostate cancer mortality among prostate cancer cases in the control arm of the Prostate, Lung, Colorectal, and Ovarian (PLCO) Cancer Screening Trial. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 104th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2013 Apr 6-10; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2013;73(8 Suppl):Abstract nr LB-15. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2013-LB-15

Maternal use of personal care products during pregnancy and risk of testicular germ cell tumors in sons

Background: The etiology of testicular germ cell tumors (TGCT) is poorly understood, however, exposure to endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) may be related to increased risk. Personal care products, some of which contain EDCs, are widely used on a daily basis and are known to cross the placenta, be present in breastmilk, and are capable of inducing reproductive tract abnormalities. To determine the association between personal care product use during pregnancy and breastfeeding and TGCT risk, an analysis among mothers of TGCT cases and controls was conducted. Methods: The US Servicemens Testicular Tumor Environmental and Endocrine Determinants (STEED) study enrolled TGCT cases and controls and their mothers between 2002 and 2005. The current analysis examined personal care product use during pregnancy among 527 mothers of TGCT cases and 562 mothers of controls. Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated using unconditional logistic regression adjusting for identified covariates. Results: Maternal use of face lotion more than one time per week was associated with a significantly increased risk of TGCT (OR: 1.42, 95% CI: 1.08–1.86, p‐trend: 0.01). None of the other products examined (perfume, hairspray, nail polish, hair dye, permanent wave, body lotion, deodorant, sunscreen) were associated with TGCT risk. Conclusions: Frequent exposure to face lotion during pregnancy and while breastfeeding may be associated with increased TGCT risk. Further investigation into the endocrine disrupting effects of personal care products is warranted. HighlightsFace lotion use while pregnant and breastfeeding was associated with an elevated risk of testicular germ cell tumors in sons.A possible explanation for the association is that face lotion may contain endocrine disrupting chemicals.Identification of associations with specific chemicals and combinations of chemical formulations of face lotion is warranted.

Testicular cancer among US men aged 50 years and older

BACKGROUND The incidence of testicular cancer in the United States (US) has substantially increased in recent decades. The majority of testicular cancers are germ cell tumors (TGCT), which are the most commonly occurring malignancies among men aged 15-44 years in the US. To date, few studies have focused on testicular cancer among men aged ≥ 50 years. Thus, we sought to examine detailed descriptive features, including incidence rates and age patterns, of tumors that arise in the testes among men aged ≥ 50 years. METHODS Data from forty-one US cancer registries were included for the years 1999-2014. Incidence rates per 100,000 person-years and their 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated by race/ethnicity, histology, and age at diagnosis. Estimates of annual percent change (APC) were also calculated. RESULTS Age-specific incidence rates of spermatocytic tumors, sex cord stromal tumors and lymphomas rose with age, while age-specific incidence rates of seminomas and nonseminomas declined. Between 1999 and 2014, the incidence of nonseminoma (APC = 3.26, 95% CI: 2.27-4.25) increased more than any other tumor type. The incidence of seminoma (APC: 1.15, 95% CI: 0.59-1.71) also increased, while rates of testicular lymphoma (APC: -0.66, 95% CI: -1.16 to -0.16), spermatocytic tumors (APC: 0.42, 95% CI: -1.42 to 2.29), and sex cord stromal tumors (APC: 0.60, 95% CI: -3.21 to 4.55) remained relatively unchanged. CONCLUSION Given the distinct time-trends and age-specific patterns of testicular cancer in men aged ≥50 years, additional investigation of risk factors for these tumors is warranted.

Placental Weight and Risk of Cryptorchidism and Hypospadias in the Collaborative Perinatal Project

Cryptorchidism and hypospadias are the most common congenital anomalies of the genitourinary tract in males, but their etiology remains unclear. Placental insufficiency has been suggested to be linked to both conditions. Placental weight is a commonly used proxy measure for placental insufficiency; thus, we examined placental weight and other placental characteristics in relation to cryptorchidism and hypospadias in the Collaborative Perinatal Project, a US mother-child cohort study. Pregnant women were recruited between 1959 and 1965. The analysis contrasted boys with cryptorchidism (n = 413) and boys with hypospadias (n = 145) with boys without cryptorchidism (n = 23,799) and boys without hypospadias (n = 22,326). Odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals were calculated using unconditional logistic regression. In categorical analyses in which the middle tertile was the referent, cryptorchidism was inversely associated with placental weight (odds ratio = 0.66, 95% confidence interval: 0.46, 0.95) among white boys and positively associated with the lowest tertile of placental weight among black boys (odds ratio = 1.70, 95% confidence interval: 1.11, 2.59). We conclude that lower placental weight may be related to risk of cryptorchidism. Further investigation of placental functioning may offer insights into the etiology of cryptorchidism.