1.Role of physical activity in cancer prevention and treatment: public health applications of cancer evolutionary developmental biology
Shanghai Journal of Preventive Medicine 2026;38(2):93-96
With population aging and the great improvement in life following economic development, the burden (incidence and mortality) of chronic diseases, particularly malignant tumors, is becoming heavier. Carcinogenesis and tumor progression typically arise from persistent inflammation, necrosis, and proliferation in targeted tissues and/or organs on the basis of systemic low-grade chronic inflammation. Factors facilitating this process are the risk factors of cancer. Large-scale prospective cohort studies have demonstrated that regular physical exercise, especially aerobic exercise, significantly decrease the incidence of inflammation-related cancer types and the mortality of all cancer types by attenuating systemic low-grade chronic inflammation, with a dose-dependent effect. The effect of aerobic exercise at the middle level intensity for 117‒600 min per week on the reduction of cancer mortality can be more effective than that of immunotherapy combinations (50% vs 26%). The mechanisms by which regular physical exercise prevents cancer may lie in the long-term, regular physical activity increasing oxygen supply and optimizing gut probiotics, thereby reducing systemic low-grade chronic inflammation caused by immunosenescence, promoting the renewal of immune cells to enhance levels of non-specific immunity, cellular immunity and humoral immunity. Encouraging public physical exercise and other healthy lifestyles including optimizing food components to decrease systemic low-grade chronic inflammation are the most cost-effective public health strategies against cancer.
2.Association between solid fuel exposure and cancer risk among middle-aged and elderly adults with different physical activity levels
Zihan ZHANG ; Jiayi ZHAO ; Guangwen CAO
Shanghai Journal of Preventive Medicine 2025;37(10):842-847
ObjectiveTo determine the association between solid fuel exposure and cancer risk among middle-aged and elderly adults in China, to investigate the underlying biological pathways through selected serological markers, and to examine whether adequate physical activity can mitigate this risk by modulating these pathways. MethodsBased on baseline characteristics, health status indicators and hematological data from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS, 2011‒2018), multivariate logistic regression analyses were conducted to assess the association between solid fuel use and cancer risk, with stratified analyses conducted by physical activity levels. In addition, mediation analyses were performed to evaluate the role of serological markers including hemoglobin concentration and hematocrit in the association between solid fuel use and cancer incidence. ResultsSolid fuel use was significantly associated with an increased cancer risk (OR=1.344, 95%CI: 1.113‒1.615). This association remained significant among individuals with low levels of physical activity ( OR=1.344, 95%CI: 1.067‒1.673 ), but not statistically significant among those with adequate physical activity. Hemoglobin concentration and hematocrit showed a negative mediating effect between solid fuel use and cancer incidence, and this effect was stronger among those with low levels of physical activity. ConclusionIndoor solid fuel use represents an important environmental risk factor for cancer incidence in China’s middle-aged and elderly population, while regular physical activity may reduce carcinogenic risk through modulation of inflammatory levels and hematological indicators such as hemoglobin and hematocrit. Public health strategies should integrate clean energy promotion with exercise interventions to mitigate the cancer burden associated with solid fuel pollution.
3.Cancer in China:epidemiological characteristics,current prophylaxis and treatment,and future strategy
Academic Journal of Naval Medical University 2025;46(3):279-290
China is heavily affected by cancer.In 2022,the population in Chinese mainland accounted for 18.66%of the world,but new cancer cases and cancer-related deaths accounted for 24.17%and 26.44%of the world,respectively.Lung cancer,liver cancer,gastric cancer,colorectal cancer,and esophageal cancer are the top 5 histological types,accounting for 67.50%of all cancer-related deaths.The age-standardized incidence rate(ASIR)and age-standardized mortality rate(ASMR)of liver cancer,gastric cancer,and esophageal cancer keep decreasing whereas their corresponding crude rates are increasing.The ASMR of lung cancer keeps decreasing in urban areas but increasing in rural areas.The ASIR and ASMR of colorectal cancer are increasing gradually.These data indicate that aging,movement of industrial pollution to rural areas,and alterations in lifestyle seriously affect cancer burden.Due to the rapid transformation of China's economic,modern lifestyle-related risk factors including physical inactivity,smoking and alcohol consumption,metabolic syndrome,unhealthy diet,and psychological problems continue to increase;furthermore,poverty-related risk factors including environmental pollution,food contamination,and chronic infections(including the infections with hepatitis B virus,human papillomavirus,Helicobacter pylori,and Clonorchis sinensis)still exist,both pushing up the high burden of cancers in China at this stage.These causal factors are carcinogenic either by directly interfering genetic and epigenetic mechanisms,or most frequently induce chronic inflammation to inflammation-cancer transformation.Targeted interventions to the modifiable risk factors,such as improving lifestyle and increasing physical activity can reduce systemic inflammation and improve immunity,so as to decrease cancer occurrence and cancer-related death.In addition,cancer screening is helpful in decreasing the ASMRs of several slowly progressive cancer types including colorectal cancer.Epidemiological cohort study and experimental epidemiology are key to clarify the effects of primary prophylaxis,screening,and clinical treatments on the occurrence and prognosis of cancers,which is the key for improvement of cancer tertiary prophylaxis.Optimal combination of cancer prevention and clinical diagnosis and treatment should be an effective strategy to control the cancer-caused loss of life expectancy in a cost-effective way.
4.Association of Leukemia Incidence and Mortality Rate in 2022 and Human Development Index in Global Countries
Yida HE ; Xiaoqiong ZHU ; Zheng LI ; Donghong LIU ; Guangwen CAO
Cancer Research on Prevention and Treatment 2024;51(10):870-876
Objective To compare the association of the incidence and mortality of leukemia and the human development index(HDI)in different countries or regions in 2022,and the trend of leukemia incidence and mortality with age in countries with different HDI levels.Methods GLOBOCAN 2022 data related to leukemia incidence and mortality in different countries or regions worldwide and HDI were evaluated by Pearson correlation analysis and Kruskal-Wallis test.The incidence and mortality rates of each age and the age change trend were analyzed using the Joinpoint Regression model.Results Age-standardized incidence rate(ASIR),age-standardized mortality rate(ASMR),and mortality to incidence ratio(M/I)were statistically significantly different among the four groups of HDI countries(P<0.001).HDI was positively correlated with ASIR and ASMR and negatively correlated with M/I.Among all ages,ASIR and ASMR of leukemia of the four groups had similar trends with age,and the risk of leukemia was high at ages less than 15 and more than 40.The incidence of leukemia in all age groups in China differed from those in other countries with high HDI,while the mortality rate was lower than those in other countries with high HDI.Conclusion Countries or regions with higher HDI have higher ASIR and ASMR and lower M/I because of their better medical condition.
5.Evolution of hepatitis B virus and its promotion effect on hepatocellular carcinoma
LIU Wenbin ; FAN Letian ; CAO Guangwen
China Tropical Medicine 2023;23(10):1043-
Abstract: Chronic infection of hepatitis B virus (HBV) is the major cause of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in China. The occurrence of HCC through chronic inflammation follows the Darwinian evolutionary law, known as "mutation-selection-adaptation". Inflammatory mutagenic molecules promote the generation of somatic mutations, and the most mutant cells are eliminated by inflammatory microenvironment. However, a minority of mutant cells survive the selective pressure and develop to tumor initial cells by activating oncogenic signaling pathway and acquiring "stemness" characteristics. Alongside this process, HBV also evolves under the pressure of inflammatory microenvironment, which is characterized by the accumulation of cancer-promoting viral mutations, reducing the ability to infect new individuals. The high-risk mutant strains are eliminated with the death of hosts, leading to a phenomenon termed as "dead-end evolution". HBV evolution contributes to cancer evolution by maintaining the inflammatory microenvironment, activating oncogenic pathways, inducing somatic cell mutations, and altering metabolic patterns. The combo mutations of HBV and HBV integrations can be applied to predict the occurrence and prognosis of HCC. Anti-viral treatment reduces the risk of HCC by relieving inflammation. This article reviews the molecular epidemiological evidence and mechanistic advances related to the co-evolution of HBV and HCC. Clarifying the co-evolutionary pattern of virus and cancer and the key molecular events involved, is beneficial for identifying new biomarkers and therapeutic targets, thus improving the prevention and treatment strategies for HCC.
6.Malignant tumor incidence and mortality in Daishan county,Zhoushan,Zhejiang Province from 2014 to 2019
Jiaying SHEN ; Dongming JIANG ; Ling YE ; Xiaoqiong ZHU ; Jiluo LIU ; Yifan CHEN ; Kunyan WANG ; Guangwen CAO
Tumor 2023;43(2):97-105
Objective:To provide scientific basis for prevention and control measures of island regions through analyzing the characteristics of malignant tumor incidence and mortality in eastern island areas of China and comparing the data with the national cancer mortality data in the same period. Methods:Using the incidence and mortality data of malignant tumor in Daishan county,Zhoushan collected by the Daishan Center for Disease Control and Prevention(CDC)from 2014 to 2019,which was stratified by gender,the crude incidence rates(CIR)and crude mortality rates(CMR)were calculated,and the top 10 malignant tumors with the highest incidence or mortality rates were then ranked.The Segi's world standard population was used to calculate the age-standardized incidence(ASIR)and age-standardized mortality rate(ASMR).The local data were compared with the national cancer mortality data from 2014 to 2019,and Chi-square test was used to analyze the differences between these two sets of data using the SPSS software.The difference was considered statistically significant when P<0.05. Results:There was a total of 7 305 incidence cases of malignant tumors in Daishan county,Zhoushan from 2014 to 2019.The CIR was 662.39/105 and the ASIR was 306.81/105.Notably,the CIR was the highest in the age group of 75-79 years old.The top 5 malignant tumors with the highest incidence rates were lung cancer(27.15%),gastric cancer(12.76%),liver cancer(10.95%),colorectal cancer(6.92%)and breast cancer(5.42%),whose ASIR were 75.09/105,32.06/105,31.01/105,17.81/105 and 18.36/105,respectively.There was a total of 3 412 mortality cases of malignant tumors in Daishan county,Zhoushan from 2014 to 2019.The CMR was 309.39/105 and the ASMR was 122.73/105.Notably,the CMR was the highest in the age group of 80-85 years old.The top 5 malignant tumors with the highest mortality rates were lung cancer(24.94%),liver cancer(18.64%),gastric cancer(17.00%),colorectal cancer(7.56%)and esophageal cancer(5.72%),whose ASMR were 29.65/105,24.97/105,19.01/105,8.75/105 and 6.60/105,respectively.The total ASMR of malignant tumors in Daishan county,Zhoushan was higher than national total ASMR from 2014 to 2019(100.34/105)(P<0.001).Specifically,the ASMR of gastric cancer,lung cancer and colorectal cancer in Daishan county were significantly higher than national levels(gastric cancer:12.46/105;liver cancer:16.45/105;colorectal cancer:6.63/105)(P<0.01),whereas no significant difference in the ASMR of lung cancer and esophageal cancer between Daishan county and the whole nation(lung cancer:28.06/105;esophageal cancer:7.61/105)was observed. Conclusion:Lung cancer,gastric cancer,liver cancer and colorectal cancer were malignant tumors with higher incidence and mortality rates in Daishan county,Zhoushan from 2014 to 2019.Particularly,the ASMR of gastric cancer,liver cancer and colorectal cancer were significantly higher than the national levels,and these malignant tumors should be considered as the major focus of cancer prevention and control.
7.Effects and underlying mechanisms of telomerase reverse transcriptase in carcinogenesis and cancer progression
Zhimin WEI ; Zishuai LI ; Wenbin LIU ; Guangwen CAO
Tumor 2023;43(5):448-456
As a limiting factor in telomerase activity,telomerase reverse transcriptase(TERT)controls cellular senescence and apoptosis by maintaining telomere length.TERT is not expressed or little expressed in most normal cells.However,the abnormal overexpression of TERT promotes the ability of tumor cells to replicate indefinitely.This review summarizes the regulatory mechanisms of TERT expression,including the main transcription factor families,single nucleotide polymorphism sites,and epigenetic modification changes such as DNA methylation,histone modification,and non-coding RNA.The role of these molecular mechanisms as well as significant TERT single-base variants and virus integration variants in the occurrence and development of cancer are reviewed.On this basis,its application in tumor diagnosis and prognosis is discussed.
8.Epidemiological investigation and management of a case of severe Chlamydia psittaci pneumonia
Peng QIAO ; Qianru XIE ; Xue HAN ; Guangwen CAO
Shanghai Journal of Preventive Medicine 2023;35(6):561-563
ObjectiveTo identify causal factors of a case of severe Chlamydia psittaci pneumonia in Yangpu District and provide a scientific basis for effective prevention and control. MethodsBasic information and epidemiological data of the patient were collected through telephone interviews and field epidemiological surveys. Specimens from the patient, close contacts and the environment were collected for pathogen detection. Metagenomics next-generation sequencing (mNGS) was used to identify unknown pathogens. ResultsA 65-year-old male patient with a history of hypertension and diabetes was admitted to the hospital with symptoms of fatigue, poor appetite for a week, fever and cough for four days. A chest computer tomography (CT) scan showed scattered inflammation in the left lung with infiltration of multiple lobes. Blood gas analysis showed type I respiratory failure. The results of mNGS on the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid of the patient indicated that he was infected with Chlamydia psittaci. Epidemiological investigation showed a clear history of avian exposure, with an incubation period of 30 days. ConclusionThis serious pneumonia is a zoonotic disease caused by Chlamydia psittaci. A clear history of avian exposure and the use of mNGS technology can help in the timely diagnosis of this disease.
9.Application of prediction models in clinical research
Zheyun NIU ; Jiaying SHEN ; Zihan ZHANG ; Dongming JIANG ; Hongwei ZHANG ; Guangwen CAO
Shanghai Journal of Preventive Medicine 2023;35(1):56-65
Chronic diseases have become an important public health problem for people under 70 years of age worldwide, while also causing a great economic burden. The establishment of clinical prediction models can help to predict the risk of a disease or the prognostic effect of a study subject in advance by means of index testing at the early stage of chronic diseases, and plays an increasingly important role in clinical practice. This study introduces clinical diagnostic prediction models and clinical prognostic prediction models, and reviews clinical data processing, clinical prediction model building, visualization methods and model evaluation from the perspective of the application of clinical prediction models, which contribute to the correct and reasonable use of prediction models in clinical research.
10.Incidence and mortality of lung cancer in countries with different human development index
Xiaoqiong ZHU ; Dongming JIANG ; Jiaying SHEN ; Zheyun NIU ; Ming HU ; Huixian ZENG ; Zhiyu YANG ; Zihan ZHANG ; Cunxi ZHAO ; Guangwen CAO
Shanghai Journal of Preventive Medicine 2023;35(4):305-313
ObjectiveTo compare the annual and age trends of the age-standard incidence rate (ASIR) and the age-standard mortality rate (ASMR) of lung cancer in countries with different human development index (HDI) from 1990 to 2019. MethodsThe data were collected from the global burden of disease study and GLOBOCAN 2020. The average annual percentage change (AAPC) and age trends of ASIR and ASMR in lung cancer were analyzed by the Joinpoint regression model, and the comparison between the four groups was analyzed by Kruskale-Wallis analysis. ResultsIn 2020, the incidence and mortality of lung cancer gradually increased with age and HDI grade. From 1990 to 2019, the global ASIR and ASMR of lung cancer decreased, and the ASIR of lung cancer among male decreased, while the ASIR of lung cancer among female increased. The results showed that ASIR of lung cancer in female residents in countries with very high HDI increased significantly from 1996 to 2011, resulting in an overall upward trend in female ASIR, while the other groups showed a downward trend. It was found that ASIR and ASMR of lung cancer in China and India were on the rise, while ASIR and ASMR of lung cancer in Russia and the United States were on the decline. ConclusionAlthough very high/high HDI countries face a higher burden of lung cancer occurrence and death, the accumulation of lung cancer burden is completed in the transitioning period. Therefore, lung cancer prevention measures in countries in transition are critical for global lung cancer control.

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