Parry, Susan

Abstract Background: People with germline mutation in one of the DNA mismatch repair (MMR) genes have increased colorectal cancer risk. For these high-risk people, study findings of the relationship between alcohol consumption and colorectal cancer risk have been inconclusive. Methods: 1,925 MMR gene mutations carriers recruited into the Colon Cancer Family Registry who had completed a questionnaire on lifestyle factors were included. Weighted Cox proportional hazard regression models were used to estimate hazard ratios (HR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for the association between alcohol consumption and colorectal cancer. Results: Colorectal cancer was diagnosed in 769 carriers (40%) at a mean (SD) age of 42.6 (10.3) years. Compared with abstention, ethanol consumption from any alcoholic beverage up to 14 g/day and >28 g/day was associated with increased colorectal cancer risk (HR, 1.50; 95% CI, 1.09–2.07 and 1.69; 95% CI, 1.07–2.65, respectively; Ptrend = 0.05), and colon cancer risk (HR, 1.78; 95% CI, 1.27–2.49 and 1.94; 95% CI, 1.19–3.18, respectively; Ptrend = 0.02). However, there was no clear evidence for an association with rectal cancer risk. Also, there was no evidence for associations between consumption of individual alcoholic beverage types (beer, wine, spirits) and colorectal, colon, or rectal cancer risk. Conclusions: Our data suggest that alcohol consumption, particularly more than 28 g/day of ethanol (∼2 standard drinks of alcohol in the United States), is associated with increased colorectal cancer risk for MMR gene mutation carriers. Impact: Although these data suggested that alcohol consumption in MMR carriers was associated with increased colorectal cancer risk, there was no evidence of a dose-response, and not all types of alcohol consumption were associated with increased risk. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev; 26(3); 366–75. ©2016 AACR.

Individuals diagnosed with colorectal cancer (CRC) are at risk of developing a metachronous CRC. We examined the associations between personal, tumour‐related and lifestyle risk factors, and risk of metachronous CRC. A total of 7,863 participants with incident colon or rectal cancer who were recruited in the USA, Canada and Australia to the Colon Cancer Family Registry during 1997‐2012, except those identified as high‐risk, for example, Lynch syndrome, were followed up approximately every 5 years. We estimated the risk of metachronous CRC, defined as the first new primary CRC following an interval of at least one year after the initial CRC diagnosis. Observation time started at the age at diagnosis of the initial CRC and ended at the age at diagnosis of the metachronous CRC, last contact or death whichever occurred earliest, or were censored at the age at diagnosis of any metachronous colorectal adenoma. Cox regression was used to derive hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). During a mean follow‐up of 6.6 years, 142 (1.81%) metachronous CRCs were diagnosed (mean age at diagnosis 59.8; incidence 2.7/1,000 person‐years). An increased risk of metachronous CRC was associated with the presence of a synchronous CRC (HR = 2.73; 95% CI: 1.30–5.72) and the location of cancer in the proximal colon at initial diagnosis (compared with distal colon or rectum, HR = 4.16; 95% CI: 2.80–6.18). The presence of a synchronous CRC and the location of the initial CRC might be useful for deciding the intensity of surveillance colonoscopy for individuals diagnosed with CRC.

Abstract Background: Previous reports suggest that relatives of colorectal cancer (CRC)-affected probands carrying the BRAF p.V600E mutation are at an increased risk of CRC and extracolonic cancers (ECC). In this study, we estimated the association between a family history of either CRC or ECC and risk of CRC with a BRAF p.V600E mutation. Methods: Population-based CRC cases (probands, ages 18–59 years at diagnosis), recruited irrespective of family cancer history, were characterized for BRAF p.V600E mutation and mismatch repair (MMR) status. ORs and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were estimated using multivariable logistic regression. Results: The 690 eligible probands showed a mean age at CRC diagnosis of 46.9 ± 7.8 years, with 313 (47.9%) reporting a family history of CRC and 53 (7.7%) that were BRAF-mutated. Probands with BRAF-mutated, MMR-proficient CRCs were less likely to have a family history of CRC than probands that were BRAF wild-type (OR, 0.46; 95% CI, 0.24–0.91; P = 0.03). For probands with a BRAF-mutated CRC, the mean age at diagnosis was greater for those with a CRC-affected first- or second-degree relative (49.3 ± 6.4 years) compared with those without a family history (43.8 ± 10.2 years; P = 0.04). The older the age at diagnosis of CRC with the BRAF p.V600E mutation, the more likely these probands were to show a family history of CRC (OR, 1.09 per year of age; 95% CI, 1.00–1.18; P = 0.04). Conclusions: Probands with early-onset, BRAF-mutated, and MMR-proficient CRC were less likely to have a family history of CRC than probands that were BRAF-wild-type. Impact: These findings provide useful insights for cancer risk assessment in families and suggest that familial or inherited factors are more important in early-onset, BRAF-wild-type CRC. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev; 22(5); 917–26. ©2013 AACR.

Abstract A substantial proportion of familial colorectal cancer (CRC) is not a consequence of known susceptibility loci, such as mismatch repair (MMR) genes, supporting the existence of additional loci. To identify novel CRC loci, we conducted a genome-wide linkage scan in 356 white families with no evidence of defective MMR (i.e., no tumors with loss of expression of MMR proteins; no microsatellite instability (MSI)-high tumors, and no evidence of linkage to MMR genes). This represents the largest linkage analysis of proficient MMR (pMMR) familial CRC to date. Families were ascertained via the NCI-supported Colon Cancer Family Registry multi-site (Colon CFR) consortium, the City of Hope, and Memorial University of Newfoundland. A total of 1,612 individuals (average 5.0 per family, range 2-10 with an average of 2.2 affected and 2.8 unaffected individuals) were genotyped using genome-wide single nucleotide polymorphism linkage arrays; parametric and non-parametric linkage analysis used MERLIN in a priori-defined family groups. Five lod scores greater than 3.0 were observed, accounting for heterogeneity, in four chromosomal regions. The greatest lod scores were at 4q21.1 among families with mean age of diagnosis less than 50 years (dominant HLOD=4.51, α=0.84, 145.40 cM, rs10518142) and at 12q24.32 among all families (dominant HLOD=3.60, α=0.48, 285.15 cM, rs952093). Among families with four or more affected individuals and among clinic-based families, a common peak was observed at 15q22.31 (101.40 cM, rs1477798; dominant HLOD=3.07, α=0.29; dominant HLOD=3.03, α=0.32, respectively). Analysis of families with only two affected individuals yielded a peak at 8q13.2 (recessive HLOD=3.02, α=0.51, 132.52 cM, rs1319036). These linkage regions comprise previously unreported loci, supporting the hypothesis that novel loci contribute to CRC in familial pMMR cases. These loci are also largely distinct from those identified in case-control GWAS. To follow up on these findings, a custom Agilent Sure Select Target Enrichment panel has been designed for genes in three of these regions, in order to sequence probands using an Illumina HiSeq 2000. This study demonstrates the utility of family-based data and provides evidence for additional alleles for familial CRC. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 103rd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2012 Mar 31-Apr 4; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2012;72(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 2930. doi:1538-7445.AM2012-2930