Publications

These publications are examples of research made possible with data from CanPath and its regional cohorts.

2021

Metabolomics and cancer preventive behaviors in the BC Generations Project

Authors: J. Qi, J. J. Spinelli, T. J. B. Dummer, P. Bhatti, M. C. Playdon, J. Olin Levitt, B. Hauner, S. C. Moore & R. A. Murphy

To better understand links between behaviours and cancer, researchers measured metabolites in blood samples from 1,319 BC Generations Project participants. The study found a large number of metabolites were different between health behaviours. Highlights include lower levels of metabolites that are involved in pathways that play a role in cancer development among participants who consumed more fruits and vegetables and had a healthy body weight.

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2021

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.

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2020

Associations between Neighborhood Walkability, Physical Activity, and Chronic Disease in Nova Scotian Adults: An Atlantic PATH Cohort Study

Authors: Melanie Keats, Yunsong Cui, Vanessa Declercq, Scott Grandy, Ellen Sweeney, Trevor Dummer

The study investigated the association between neighbourhood walkability and chronic disease. A cross-sectional study was used to determine that there were health protective benefits of higher levels of physical activity and a reduction in the prevalence of certain chronic diseases in areas where there was a higher walk score.

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2020

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.

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2020

Diet Quality and Neighborhood Environment in the Atlantic Partnership for Tomorrow’s Health Project

Authors: Kaitlyn Gilham, Qianqian Gu, Trevor Dummer, John Spinelli, Rachel Murphy

This study looked at the differences that exist beween diet quality and someone’s geographical location. It was found that diet quality tended to be lower in areas that were were more socially deprived. Areas with socially deprived and high-density areas were associated with lower-quality data.

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2020

Reduced Cognitive Assessment Scores Among Individuals With Magnetic Resonance Imaging–Detected Vascular Brain Injury

Authors: Sonia S. Anand, Matthias G. Friedrich, Dipika Desai, Karleen M. Schulze, Philip Awadalla, David Busseuil, Trevor J.B. Dummer, Sébastien Jacquemont, Alexander Dick, David Kelton, Anish Kirpalani, Scott A. Lear, Jonathan Leipsic, Michael D. Noseworthy, Louise Parker, Grace Parraga, Paul Poirier, Paula Robson, Jean-Claude Tardif, Koon Teo, Jennifer Vena, Salim Yusuf, Alan R. Moody, Sandra E. Black, Eric E. Smith,

This study investigated if scores on a cognitive screen were lower in individuals with higher cardiovascular risk, and those with covert vascular brain injury. Among a middle-aged community-dwelling population, scores on a cognitive screen were lower in individuals with higher cardiovascular risk factors or MRI vascular brain injury. Much of the population attributable risk of low cognitive scores can be attributed to lower educational attainment, higher cardiovascular risk factors, and MRI vascular brain injury.

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2019

The Establishment of the Household Air Pollution Consortium (HAPCO)

Authors: H. Dean Hosgood, Madelyn Klugman, Keitaro Matuso, Alexandra White, Atusko Sadakane, Xiao-Ou Shu, Ruy Lopez-Ridaura, Aesun Shin, Ichiro Tsuji, Reza Malekzadeh, Nolwenn Noisel, Parveen Bhatti, Gong Yang, Eiko Saito, Shaifuir Rahman, Wei hu, Bryan Bassig, George Downward, Roel Vemeulen, Xiaonan Xue, Thomas Rohan, Sarah Abe, Philippe Broet, Eric Grant, Trevor Dummer, Nat Rothman, Manami Inoue, Martin Lajouis, Keun-Young Yoo, Hidemi Ito, Dale Sandler, Habib Ashan, Wei Zheung, Paolo Boffetta, Qing Lan

This article looked at some of the dangers surrounding household air pollution and and it’s association with lung cancer. The Household Air Pollution Consortium will make sure that there is research being done to address public health concerns associated with HAP.

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2018

Metabolic profiling of adherence to diet, physical activity and body size recommendations for cancer prevention

Authors: Qianqian Gu, John Spinelli, Trevor Dummer, Treena McDonald, Steven Moore, Rachel Murphy

This study examined cross-sectional associations between metabolites and cancer preventive behaviors as well as the relevance to cancer-related pathways among 120 participants with no history of smoking or cancer. Cancer preventive behaviors were associated with complex metabolic signatures, including alterations in pathways known to be involved in cancer pathogenesis.

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2018

Cohort Profile: The British Columbia Generations Project (BCGP)

Authors: Anar Dhalla, Treena E McDonald, Richard P Gallagher, John J Spinelli, Angela R Brooks-Wilson, Tim K Lee, Calvin Lai, Marilyn J Borugian, Ryan R Woods, Nhu D Le, Trevor J B Dummer

29850 people in BC were surveyed between the ages of 35-69. Information such as health and lifestyle, physical measurements, biosamples, and genotyping were done.

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2018

Physical Activity and Cancer Incidence in Alberta’s Tomorrow Project: Results from a Prospective Cohort of 26,538 Participants.

Authors: AM Barberio, CM Friedenreich, BM Lynch, KL Campbell, P Arora, DR Brenner

They were able to determine that a moderate to high level of physical activity could lead to a modest protection against the development of all cancer.

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