Pan-Cancer Risks and Mortality: Multidimensional Associations with Lifestyle, Sociodemographics, and Diet/Nutrition Using the PLCO Database
Dietary factors: Plant-based proteins reduce systemic inflammation linked to colorectal, breast, and prostate cancers, while processed meats increase risks for gastrointestinal and hormone-related cancers.
Lifestyle factors: Smoking is a known pan-cancer driver, associated with 17 cancer types, while sedentary behavior and alcohol use synergistically promote hepatobiliary, colorectal, and aerodigestive tract cancers.
Sociodemographic disparities: Low socioeconomic status correlates with higher pan-cancer mortality due to limited healthcare access and cumulative exposure to risk factors.
However, relationships between lifestyle, sociodemographics, dietary/nutritional factors and specific cancers need further exploration.
Using the PLCO database, we aimed to investigate these associations, including but not limited to:
1. Evaluate associations between plant-based phytochemicals (isoflavones, coumestrol) and lung cancer risk
Hypothesis: Higher intake of soy-derived phytochemicals reduces lung cancer incidence via anti-inflammatory pathways.
Approach: Quantify dietary isoflavones/coumestrol from DHQ data and link to lung cancer outcomes using Cox models.
2. Assess the role of dietary glycemic index (GI) in lung cancer incidence and mortality
Hypothesis: High-GI diets elevate lung cancer risk through insulin/IGF-1 axis activation.
Approach: Calculate GI from carbohydrate-rich food items and test dose-response relationships.
3. Investigate protein quality (plant/animal ratio) and risks of lung/colorectal cancers
Hypothesis: Diets dominated by animal protein increase colorectal cancer risk via heme iron-induced oxidative stress.
Approach: Develop a Macronutrient Quality Index and compare effects across cancer subtypes.
4. Examine the MIND diet’s impact on pan-cancer incidence and mortality
Hypothesis: MIND diet adherence lowers pan-cancer mortality by targeting neuro-inflammation and metabolic dysregulation.
Approach: Score MIND diet compliance and model associations with all-cancer outcomes.
5. Explore Additional Diet-Cancer Associations Across High-Risk Cancers
Focus: Investigate understudied dietary factors (e.g., processed meats, antioxidants, micronutrients) and their associations with colorectal, gastric, liver, pancreatic, lung, and head/neck cancers.
Rationale: Expand evidence on site-specific risks to inform tailored prevention strategies for cancers with high global burden.
Collaborators will be added as needed to align with data access policies and project requirements. Current analysis will rely on publicly available PLCO documentation and authorized computational platforms