L15 Chronic disease epidemiology - cancer

Question 1

Most common cancers = ____1____, ____2____, ____3____, ____4____ - >50% of all new cancers.

Answer 1

1. Breast
2. Lung
3. Prostate
4. Bowel

Question 2

Recent large increases in incidence of many cancers linked to ______, e.g. kidney, liver, skin, oral, uterine.

Answer 2

Lifestyle

Question 3

Cancer is most common in older people, >1/3 in those aged ___+.

Answer 3

75

Question 4

Cancer is more common in white & black males than in ______ males.

Answer 4

Asian

Question 5

Define metastasize.

Answer 5

The ability of a cancer to spread to other sites in the body by metastasis.

Question 6

Read

Radiation

• X-rays in pregnancy increase risk of leukaemia and solid tumours by around 30%
• X-ray therapy increases risk of malignancy – dose related, average 4 fold increased risk
• Environmental Radiation
• Natural radiation – radon, background gamma
  
  • No evidence for increased risk but studies have been flawed

Question 7

Define Kinlen’s Hypothesis.

Answer 7

When populations mix for the first time there is exchange of infectious agents for which the previously isolated and therefore susceptible populations do not have herd immunity. This results in a childhood infection which can be manifest as leukaemia.

Question 8

State the evidence for Kinlen’s Hypothesis.

E.g.? (2)

Answer 8

Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia is higher in communities where population mixing has occurred.

New towns, commuter towns.