Study
PLCO
(Learn more about this study)
Project ID
PLCO-1948
Initial CDAS Request Approval
Jul 11, 2025
Title
Healthy lifestyle and risk of smoking-related cancers and diseases among former smokers.
Summary
Smoking is one of the strongest and most modifiable health risk factors, accounting for an estimated 2.01 million cancer-related deaths (95% UI: 1.68 to 2.4) globally in 2021. Although smoking cessation significantly reduces cancer and other health risks (eg, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes), elevated health risks, particularly lung cancer risk and cardiovascular diseases, among former smokers, can persist for many years after quitting smoking. Previous studies have shown that adherence to healthy lifestyles lowers the risk of multiple chronic diseases. However, few studies have examined the role of adherence to healthy lifestyles in lowering health risks among former smokers, particularly research on the underlying biological mechanisms is even rarer. We propose a comprehensive study in the PLCO to evaluate multiple healthy lifestyle factors in association with the risk of smoking-related cancers and other chronic diseases among former smokers and apply metabolomics data to reveal the underlying biological mechanisms for the long-lasting health risk related to past smoking and their modifiers.
Aims
We propose to complete the following research tasks:
1. To investigate the association between adherence to healthy lifestyles and the risk of 12 smoking-related cancers and other smoking-related diseases among former smokers, and compare those for never smokers and current smokers. This analysis will involve all PLCO participants with valid smoking, alcohol, physical activity, and diet information.
2. To identify metabolites associated with long-lasting smoking effects and adherence to healthy lifestyles and create corresponding metabolite signatures. This analysis will include PLCO participants with existing metabolomics data.
3. To assess the long-lasting smoking effect metabolite and healthy lifestyle metabolite signatures in association with the risk of 12 smoking-related cancers and other smoking-related diseases among former smokers and estimate their mediation effects on former smoking- and healthy lifestyle-disease risks. This analysis will include PLCO participants with existing metabolomics data.
Collaborators
Prof. Hui Cai, MD. PhD. Vanderbilt University Medical Center
