Publications

Towards refining World Cancer Research Fund/American Institute for Cancer Research cancer prevention recommendations for red and processed meat intake: insights from Alberta’s Tomorrow Project cohort

Authors: Ala Al Rajabi, Geraldine Lo Siou, Alianu K. Akawung, Kathryn McDonald, Tiffany R. Price, Grace Shen-Tu, Paula J. Robson, Paul J. Veugelers, Katerina Maximova

This study examined the associations of processed meat derived from red versus non-red meats with cancer risk in the Alberta’s Tomorrow Project cohort of 26 218 adults who reported dietary intake using the Canadian Diet History Questionnaire. Incidence of cancer was obtained through data linkage with the Alberta Cancer Registry.

A longitudinal residential relocation study of changes in street layout and physical activity

Researchers sourced data from 5,944 Alberta’s Tomorrow Project participants to estimate physical activity differences between non-movers and movers – those moving to neighbourhoods with less or more integrated street layouts. They found that moving to more integrated areas led to more leisure walking and more moderate- and vigorous-intensity physical activity.

A Prospective Analysis of Plasma Phospholipid Fatty Acids and Breast Cancer Risk in 2 Provinces in Canada

Authors: Marnie Newell, Sunita Ghosh, Susan Goruk, Mohammedreza Pakseresht, Jennifer Vena, Trevor Dummer, Catherine Field

This study compared participants from BCGP and ATP and examined whether there was an association between fatty acid status and the risk of breast cancer, including location, menopausal status, and waist-to-hip ratio as key variables. Findings suggest that regional variations in fatty acid status influence breast cancer risk and highlights the complexity and difficulty in using fatty acid status to predict breast cancer risk in diverse populations without the consideration of other risk factors.

Administering a combination of online dietary assessment tools, the Automated Self-Administered 24-Hour Dietary Assessment Tool and Diet History Questionnaire-II, in a cohort of adults in Alberta’s Tomorrow Project

Authors: Nathan Solbak, Paula Robson, Geraldine Lo Siou, Ala Al Rajabi, Seol Paek, Jennifer Vena, Sharon Kirkpatrick

This study determined the feasibility and acceptability of combining the ASA24-2016 and the past-year Diet History Questionnaire web-based tools in a subset of participants in the ATP cohort. The study found that combining ASA24-2016 recalls and the DHQ-II is feasible in this group of ATP participants.

Normal sex and age-specific parameters in a multi-ethnic population: a cardiovascular magnetic resonance study of the Canadian Alliance for Healthy Hearts and Minds cohort

Authors: Judy M. Luu, Catherine Gebhard, Chinthanie Ramasundarahettige, Dipika Desai, Karleen Schulze, Francois Marcotte, Philip Awadalla, Philippe Broet, Trevor Dummer, Jason Hicks, Eric Larose, Alan Moody, Eric E. Smith, Jean-Claude Tardif, Tiago Teixeira, Koon K. Teo, Jennifer Vena, Douglas S. Lee, Sonia S. Anand, Matthias G. Friedrich

Researchers sought to create a robust, reference value set for cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) parameters, and understand their relationship with age and sex in people without cardiovascular disease (CVD) history or risk factors. They were able to uncover a significant influence of sex and age on these parameters for use in clinical evaluations of CVD.

Social Jetlag and Prostate Cancer Incidence in Alberta’s Tomorrow Project: A Prospective Cohort Study

Authors: Liang Hu, Andrew Harper, Emily Heer, Jessica McNeil, Chao Cao, Yikyung Park, Kevin Martell, Geoffrey Gotto, Grace Shen-Tu, Cheryl Peters, Darren Brenner, Lin Yang

Social jetlag has been linked with obesity, metabolic disorders, and cardiovascular risk in previous research. This study assessed social jetlag in 7455 cancer-free men in Alberta’s Tomorrow Project and followed them for on average 9.6 years, 250 men were diagnosed with prostate cancer. The study found that the more social jetlag men experienced, the greater their prostate cancer risk was.

The Importance of Cancer Registry Linkage for Studying Rare Cancers in Prospective Cohorts

Authors: Emily Maplethorpe, Emily V. Walker, Trenton Smith, Faith G. Davis, Yan Yuan

This research study evaluated the validity of self-reported cancer diagnosis in ATP by linking to the Alberta Cancer Registry. The first instance of self-reported cancer in a follow-up survey was compared to the first cancer diagnosis in the ACR after enrollment. The study found that rare cancers were less likely to be captured by active follow-up than common cancers.

Combinations of modifiable lifestyle behaviours in relation to colorectal cancer risk in Alberta’s Tomorrow Project

Authors: Dylan E. O’Sullivan, Amy Metcalfe, Troy W. R. Hillier, Will D. King, Sangmin Lee, Joy Pader, Darren R. Brenner

The researchers sought to identify distinct clusters of individuals that exhibit unique patterns of modifiable life-style related behaviours and determine how these patterns are associated with the risk of developing colorectal cancer. The team identified 7 unique behaviours where the cancer risk was 2.34-2.87 times higher for the high-risk groups than the low-risk groups.

Diabetes, Brain Infarcts, Cognition and Small Vessels in the Canadian Alliance for Healthy Hearts and Minds Study

Authors: Hertzel Gerstein, Eric Smith, Chinthanie Ramasundarahettige, Dipika Desai, Philip Awadalla, Philippe Broet, Sandra Black, Trevor Dummer, Jason Hicks, Alan Moody, Jean-Claude Tardif, Koon Teo, Jennifer Vena, Salim Yusuf, Douglas Lee, Matthias Friedrich, Sonia Anand

The CAHHM study collected brain and carotid magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and two cognitive tests (DSST and MoCA) in a cross-sectional sample of 7,733 men and women. It was concluded that small vessel disease characterizes much of the relationship between diabetes and vascular brain injury. However, additional factors are required to disentangle the relationship between diabetes and cognitive impairment.

High-sensitivity C-reactive protein, hemoglobin A1c and breast cancer risk: a nested case–control study from Alberta’s Tomorrow Project cohort

Authors: Tiffany Price, Christine Friedenreich, Paula Robson, Haocheng Li, Darren Brenner

This study examined the associations between high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) and hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), common biomarkers of inflammation and insulin resistance, respectively, with breast cancer risk, while adjusting for measures of excess body size. These data suggest that hsCRP may be associated with elevated breast cancer risk, independent of excess body size. However, elevated concentrations of HbA1c did not appear to increase breast cancer risk in apparently healthy women.