1.Health risks associated with infertility and non-obstructive azoospermia.
Eric HUYGHE ; Peter Ka-Fung CHIU
Asian Journal of Andrology 2025;27(3):428-432
Non-obstructive azoospermia is a common condition associated with significant health risks, including increased mortality, cancer, and chronic diseases such as metabolic and cardiovascular disorders. This review aims to highlight the potential health challenges faced by men with this condition compared to fertile counterparts. Through a comprehensive bibliographic search on PubMed, using the following algorithm: ("infertility, male" [MeSH Terms] OR "azoospermia" [MeSH Terms]) AND ("mortality" [MeSH Terms] OR "neoplasms" [MeSH Terms] OR "chronic disease" [MeSH Terms] OR "diabetes mellitus" [MeSH Terms] OR "heart diseases" [MeSH Terms]), we analyzed existing literature to explore the associations between infertility, specifically azoospermia, and adverse health outcomes. Findings indicate that infertile men are at a higher risk of death, various cancers (particularly testicular cancer), metabolic syndrome, diabetes, hypogonadism, and cardiovascular disease. Although research specifically addressing azoospermia is limited, available studies support the notion that men with this condition may experience heightened health vulnerabilities. Given these risks, it is imperative for healthcare professionals, especially urologists, to conduct thorough health assessments for men diagnosed with azoospermia. Informing patients of these potential health issues and integrating comprehensive evaluations into their care can facilitate early detection and intervention for life-threatening conditions. Ultimately, men with azoospermia should receive ongoing monitoring to address their specific health concerns, thus improving their long-term health outcomes.
Humans
;
Male
;
Azoospermia/epidemiology*
;
Cardiovascular Diseases/etiology*
;
Metabolic Syndrome/epidemiology*
;
Infertility, Male/complications*
;
Testicular Neoplasms/epidemiology*
;
Hypogonadism/epidemiology*
;
Diabetes Mellitus/epidemiology*
;
Risk Factors
;
Neoplasms/epidemiology*
2.A Prospective Cohort Study on Soy Product Intake and the Risk of Lung Cancer Based on Shanghai Suburban Adult Cohort and Biobank.
Shiyun DING ; Wenhui WU ; Jianing MAO ; Jingrao LI ; Ji ZHENG ; Ye YAO ; Genming ZHAO ; Yiling WU ; Ruoxin ZHANG
Chinese Journal of Lung Cancer 2025;28(4):291-303
BACKGROUND:
Lung cancer is one of the malignant cancers with the highest incidence rate, and it is important to identify the factors contributing to lung cancer carcinogenesis for prevention. Lifestyle and genetic factors play important roles in cancer development, however the impact of dietary factors, such as soy product intake, on lung cancer risk remains inadequately understood. This study aims to explore the associations between soy product intake, genetic risk, and lung cancer incidence, and validate the consistent effects of soy product intake in European populations, thereby providing new insights for lung cancer prevention.
METHODS:
Utilizing the Shanghai Suburban Adult Cohort and Biobank (SSACB) (n=66,311), Cox proportional hazards model was adopted to assess the association between soy product intake and lung cancer incidents, followed by subgroup analyses stratified by gender, smoking status, and pathological types of lung cancer. The UK Biobank (UKB) was used for validation of the effect of soy product intake on lung cancer. To investigate the association between genetic factors and lung cancer, in addition to previously reported loci, we incorporated newly identified loci from two independent studies in Southeast China: a nested case-control population from the SSACB cohort (433 cases/650 controls) and a case-control study from the Shanghai Cancer Center-Taizhou cohort (1359 cases/1359 controls). Meta-analysis and Linkage disequilibrium clumping (LD clumping) of the association results identified 23 loci for polygenic risk score (PRS) construction. Subsequently, conditional Logistic regression model was used to assess the association between genetic risk and lung cancer.
RESULTS:
In SSACB cohort, after adjusting for age, gender, smoking, chronic bronchitis, body mass index (BMI), vegetable intake and red meat intake, sufficient soy product intake was significantly associated with a reduced risk of lung cancer [hazard ratio (HR)=0.60, 95%CI: 0.47-0.77, Padj=6.69E-05], an effect that was consistent in males and females, smokers and non-smokers. In UKB, although the association did not reach statistical significance, a protective trend against lung cancer was also observed (HR=0.76, 95%CI: 0.55-1.06, Padj=0.10). In the nested case-control population within SSACB, a PRS score generated in the Chinese population was significantly correlated with lung cancer risk. After adjustment of age, gender, smoking, chronic bronchitis, and soy product intake, the high-PRS group had a 1.88 times higher risk of lung cancer compared to the low-PRS group (Padj=1.84E-03).
CONCLUSIONS
The prospective cohort study found that adequate intake of soy products was significantly associated with a reduced risk of lung cancer, while a high PRS is a risk factor for lung cancer development. Integrating soy product intake and PRS into traditional epidemiological risk factor prediction will guide personalized lung cancer prevention and high-risk population stratification.
Humans
;
Lung Neoplasms/etiology*
;
Male
;
Female
;
China/epidemiology*
;
Middle Aged
;
Adult
;
Aged
;
Prospective Studies
;
Biological Specimen Banks
;
Risk Factors
;
Case-Control Studies
;
Cohort Studies
3.Interaction between CYP3A4 gene polymorphism and obesity on breast cancer susceptibility in Chinese women.
Jiamin ZHU ; Xiaogang ZHAI ; Feng NI ; Cheng TAN ; Yun GUAN ; Baixia YANG ; Jing CAI
Environmental Health and Preventive Medicine 2025;30():88-88
BACKGROUND:
To date, results on relationship between CYP3A4 gene polymorphism were limited and inconclusive, and no study focused on the influence of CYP3A4 gene-obesity interaction on breast cancer risk, especially in Chinese women. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of four single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of CYP3A4 gene, the SNP-SNP and gene-environment interactions on the susceptibility to breast cancer in Chinese women.
METHODS:
Logistic regression was used to explore the relationship between four SNPs of CYP3A4 gene and the risk of breast cancer. Generalized multifactor dimensionality reduction (GMDR) was used to screen the best SNP-SNP and gene-abdominal obesity interaction combinations among four SNPs and abdominal obesity. Haplotype examination among 4 SNPs was conducted using the SHEsis web-based platform.
RESULTS:
Logistic regression analysis showed that carriers of rs2242480- T allele have significantly higher breast cancer risk, than those with rs2242480- CC genotype, adjusted OR (95%CI) was 1.68 (1.23-2.16) and 2.03 (1.53-2.58) for participants with CT genotype and TT genotype under additive model. We did not find any notable interactions between the four SNPs within the CYP3A4 gene. GMDR model found a significant association in a two-locus model involving rs2242480 and obesity, with a p-value of 0.018. Stratified analysis found that breast cancer risk was the highest in obese participants with rs2242480- CT or TT genotype, compared to those non-obese participants with rs2242480- CC genotype, OR (95%CI) was 3.02 (1.83-4.25). We found that all haplotype combinations were not correlated with breast cancer risk.
CONCLUSIONS
We found that the T allele of rs2242480 within the CYP3A4 gene and interaction between rs2242480 and obesity were associated with an increased risk of breast cancer. However, the results of this study were only applicable to the Han ethnic group and cannot be generalized to other ethnic groups in China, and more SNPs of CYP3A4 gene should been enrolled in the analysis in the future, to verify the results obtained in this study.
Adult
;
Aged
;
Female
;
Humans
;
Middle Aged
;
Breast Neoplasms/etiology*
;
China/epidemiology*
;
Cytochrome P-450 CYP3A/metabolism*
;
Gene-Environment Interaction
;
Genetic Predisposition to Disease
;
Haplotypes
;
Obesity/epidemiology*
;
Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide
;
Risk Factors
;
East Asian People
4.Intraoperative renal collecting system damage increases risks of ipsilateral upper urinary tract stones after partial nephrectomy: a 1∶2 propensity-matched case-control study.
Yanzhong LIU ; Run ZHU ; Yuzhu LI ; Xin MA ; Haixing MAI
Journal of Southern Medical University 2025;45(9):1880-1888
OBJECTIVES:
To investigate the incidence of ipsilateral upper urinary tract stones after partial nephrectomy and its risk factors.
METHODS:
We retrospectively analyzed baseline patient characteristics (age, gender, and body mass index), smoking, alcohol consumption, comorbidities (hypertension, diabetes, hypertriglyceridemia, hyperuricemia, and cardiovascular diseases), preoperative tumor conditions (tumor diameter, multiple foci, location, hemorrhage, necrosis, cystic changes, and endophytic growth), preoperative glomerular filtration rate and intraoperative factors (renal collecting system damage, ischemia time, operation time, surgical approach, and estimated intraoperative blood loss) to identify the risk factors for ipsilateral upper urinary tract stones following partial nephrectomy in our center.
RESULTS:
The overall incidence of upper urinary tract stones following partial nephrectomy was 7.80% (112/1435). The incidence of ipsilateral upper urinary tract stones was significantly higher than those of contralateral stones (4.95% vs 1.46%, P<0.001) and bilateral stones (4.95% vs 1.39%, P<0.001). Intraoperative damage to the renal collecting system was identified as a significant risk factor for ipsilateral upper urinary tract stones (OR=4.550, 95% CI: 2.237-9.252, P<0.001). Diabetes was a probable risk factor for secondary ipsilateral upper urinary tract stones after partial nephrectomy (OR=2.419, 95% CI: 0.973-6.012, P=0.057).
CONCLUSIONS
The incidence of ipsilateral upper urinary tract stones after partial nephrectomy is higher than that of contralateral and bilateral stones. Intraoperative renal collecting system damage is a risk factor for secondary ipsilateral upper urinary tract stones after partial nephrectomy.
Humans
;
Nephrectomy/methods*
;
Retrospective Studies
;
Risk Factors
;
Male
;
Female
;
Case-Control Studies
;
Middle Aged
;
Aged
;
Kidney Neoplasms/surgery*
;
Adult
;
Intraoperative Complications
;
Kidney Tubules, Collecting/injuries*
;
Propensity Score
;
Incidence
;
Kidney Calculi/etiology*
;
Urinary Calculi/epidemiology*
5.Gallstones, cholecystectomy, and cancer risk: an observational and Mendelian randomization study.
Yuanyue ZHU ; Linhui SHEN ; Yanan HUO ; Qin WAN ; Yingfen QIN ; Ruying HU ; Lixin SHI ; Qing SU ; Xuefeng YU ; Li YAN ; Guijun QIN ; Xulei TANG ; Gang CHEN ; Yu XU ; Tiange WANG ; Zhiyun ZHAO ; Zhengnan GAO ; Guixia WANG ; Feixia SHEN ; Xuejiang GU ; Zuojie LUO ; Li CHEN ; Qiang LI ; Zhen YE ; Yinfei ZHANG ; Chao LIU ; Youmin WANG ; Shengli WU ; Tao YANG ; Huacong DENG ; Lulu CHEN ; Tianshu ZENG ; Jiajun ZHAO ; Yiming MU ; Weiqing WANG ; Guang NING ; Jieli LU ; Min XU ; Yufang BI ; Weiguo HU
Frontiers of Medicine 2025;19(1):79-89
This study aimed to comprehensively examine the association of gallstones, cholecystectomy, and cancer risk. Multivariable logistic regressions were performed to estimate the observational associations of gallstones and cholecystectomy with cancer risk, using data from a nationwide cohort involving 239 799 participants. General and gender-specific two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis was further conducted to assess the causalities of the observed associations. Observationally, a history of gallstones without cholecystectomy was associated with a high risk of stomach cancer (adjusted odds ratio (aOR)=2.54, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.50-4.28), liver and bile duct cancer (aOR=2.46, 95% CI 1.17-5.16), kidney cancer (aOR=2.04, 95% CI 1.05-3.94), and bladder cancer (aOR=2.23, 95% CI 1.01-5.13) in the general population, as well as cervical cancer (aOR=1.69, 95% CI 1.12-2.56) in women. Moreover, cholecystectomy was associated with high odds of stomach cancer (aOR=2.41, 95% CI 1.29-4.49), colorectal cancer (aOR=1.83, 95% CI 1.18-2.85), and cancer of liver and bile duct (aOR=2.58, 95% CI 1.11-6.02). MR analysis only supported the causal effect of gallstones on stomach, liver and bile duct, kidney, and bladder cancer. This study added evidence to the causal effect of gallstones on stomach, liver and bile duct, kidney, and bladder cancer, highlighting the importance of cancer screening in individuals with gallstones.
Humans
;
Mendelian Randomization Analysis
;
Gallstones/complications*
;
Female
;
Male
;
Cholecystectomy/statistics & numerical data*
;
Middle Aged
;
Risk Factors
;
Aged
;
Adult
;
Neoplasms/etiology*
;
Stomach Neoplasms/epidemiology*
6.Indoor Radon Survey in 31 Provincial Capital Cities and Estimation of Lung Cancer Risk in Urban Areas of China.
Xiaoxiang MIAO ; Yinping SU ; Changsong HOU ; Yanchao SONG ; Bowei DING ; Hongxing CUI ; Yunyun WU ; Quanfu SUN
Biomedical and Environmental Sciences 2024;37(11):1294-1302
OBJECTIVE:
We aimed to analyze the current indoor radon level and estimate the population risk of radon-induced lung cancer in urban areas of China.
METHODS:
Using the passive monitoring method, a new survey on indoor radon concentrations was conducted in 2,875 dwellings across 31 provincial capital cities in Chinese mainland from 2018 to 2023. The attributable risk of lung cancer induced by indoor radon exposure was estimated based on the risk assessment model.
RESULTS:
The arithmetic mean (AM) and geometric mean (GM) of indoor radon concentrations were 65 Bq/m³ and 55 Bq/m³, respectively, with 13.6% of measured dwellings exceeding 100 Bq/m³ and 0.6% exceeding 300 Bq/m³. The estimated number of lung cancer deaths induced by indoor radon exposure was 150,795, accounting for 20.30% (95% CI: 20.21%-20.49%) of the lung cancer death toll.
CONCLUSION
This study provided the most recent data on national indoor radon levels in urban areas and the attributable risk of lung cancer. These results served as an important foundation for further research on the disease burden of indoor radon exposure and radon mitigation efforts.
Radon/analysis*
;
China/epidemiology*
;
Air Pollution, Indoor/analysis*
;
Lung Neoplasms/etiology*
;
Humans
;
Cities/epidemiology*
;
Air Pollutants, Radioactive/adverse effects*
;
Neoplasms, Radiation-Induced/etiology*
;
Risk Assessment
;
Radiation Monitoring
7.Spatial Association of Surface Water Quality and Cancer in the Huaihe River Basin.
Jing ZHAO ; Wei HAN ; Xiao-Bo GUO ; Lu-Wen ZHANG ; Fang XUE ; Jing-Mei JIANG
Acta Academiae Medicinae Sinicae 2024;46(6):849-861
Objective To reveal the spatial distribution patterns of key pollutants in the Huaihe River Basin and quantify the risks and burdens of non-gastrointestinal cancers by the grade of pollution,providing targets and data support for enhanced management of water pollution in the Huaihe River Basin. Methods Surface water quality data of the Huaihe River Basin were obtained from the National Surface Water Environmental Quality Monitoring Network(2021).Incidence data of seven cancers were extracted from the 2019 Annual Report of the China Cancer Registry.Random forest and SHapley Additive exPlanations were employed to select key pollutants,and pollution was graded based on the spatial analysis of the Huaihe River Basin.The cancer risks and population attributable fractions were calculated under pollution grades. Results Five key pollutants linked to cancers were identified,including total nitrogen,total phosphorus,chemical oxygen demand,biochemical oxygen demand after 5 days,and arsenic.Pollution was graded into three levels regarding the combined effects of pollutants.Compared with the low pollution areas,high pollution areas showed increased risks of lung cancer(RR=1.26,95%CI:1.06-1.50),breast cancer(female)(RR=1.46,95%CI:1.21-1.77),pancreatic cancer(RR=1.46,95%CI:1.06-2.01),brain cancer(RR=1.44,95%CI:1.05-1.98),and gallbladder cancer(RR=1.60,95%CI:1.03-2.50).The grade of pollution contributed to more than 5% of cases for most cancers above. Conclusions The potential cancer risks and burdens attributed to surface water pollution cannot be overlooked.Addressing this challenge necessitates close collaboration of various stakeholders to strengthen policy development,enhance environmental governance,and implement public health interventions.
Humans
;
China/epidemiology*
;
Rivers/chemistry*
;
Neoplasms/etiology*
;
Water Quality
;
Environmental Monitoring
;
Water Pollutants, Chemical/analysis*
;
Phosphorus/analysis*
;
Spatial Analysis
;
Nitrogen/analysis*
;
Arsenic/analysis*
;
Water Pollution/adverse effects*
;
Female
8.Risk factors of post-anaesthesia care unit delirium in patients undergoing non-cardiac surgery in Singapore.
Yuhe KE ; Sophia CHEW ; Edwin SEET ; Wan Yi WONG ; Vera LIM ; Nelson CHUA ; Jinbin ZHANG ; Beatrice LIM ; Vanessa CHUA ; Ne-Hooi Will LOH ; Lian Kah TI
Singapore medical journal 2023;64(12):728-731
INTRODUCTION:
Post-anaesthesia care unit (PACU) delirium affects 5%-45% of patients after surgery and is associated with postoperative delirium and increased mortality. Up to 40% of PACU delirium is preventable, but it remains under-recognised due to a lack of awareness of its diagnosis. The nursing delirium screening scale (Nu-DESC) has been validated for diagnosing PACU delirium, but is not routinely used locally. This study aimed to use Nu-DESC to establish the incidence and risk factors of PACU delirium in patients undergoing non-cardiac surgery in the surgical population.
METHODS:
We conducted an audit of eligible patients undergoing major surgery in three public hospitals in Singapore over 1 week. Patients were assessed for delirium 30-60 min following their arrival in PACU using Nu-DESC, with a total score of ≥2 indicative of delirium.
RESULTS:
A total of 478 patients were assessed. The overall incidence rate of PACU delirium was 18/478 (3.8%), and the incidence was 9/146 (6.2%) in patients aged > 65 years. Post-anaesthesia care unit delirium was more common in females, patients with malignancy and those who underwent longer operations. Logistic regression analysis showed that the use of bispectral index (P < 0.001) and the presence of malignancy (P < 0.001) were significantly associated with a higher incidence of PACU delirium.
CONCLUSION
In this first local study, the incidence of PACU delirium was 3.8%, increasing to 6.2% in those aged > 65 years. Understanding these risk factors will form the basis for which protocols can be established to optimise resource management and prevent long-term morbidities and mortality in PACU delirium.
Female
;
Humans
;
Delirium/epidemiology*
;
Postoperative Complications/etiology*
;
Singapore/epidemiology*
;
Prospective Studies
;
Anesthesia/adverse effects*
;
Risk Factors
;
Neoplasms
9.Lung Cancer Risk Attributable to Active Smoking in China: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.
Jian ZHAO ; Yu Lin SHI ; Yu Tong WANG ; Fei Ling AI ; Xue Wei WANG ; Wen Yi YANG ; Jing Xin WANG ; Li Mei AI ; Kui Ru HU ; Xia WAN
Biomedical and Environmental Sciences 2023;36(9):850-861
OBJECTIVE:
No consensus exists on the relative risk ( RR) of lung cancer (LC) attributable to active smoking in China. This study aimed to evaluate the unified RR of LC attributable to active smoking among the Chinese population.
METHODS:
A systematic literature search of seven databases was conducted to identify studies reporting active smoking among smokers versus nonsmokers in China. Primary articles on LC providing risk estimates with their 95% confidence intervals ( CIs) for "ever" "former" or "current" smokers from China were selected. Meta-analysis was used to estimate the pooled RR of active smoking.
RESULTS:
Forty-four unique studies were included. Compared with that of nonsmokers, the pooled RR (95% CI) for "ever" "former" and "current" smokers were 3.26 (2.79-3.82), 2.95 (1.71-5.08), and 5.16 (2.58-10.34) among men, 3.18 (2.78-3.63), 2.70 (2.08-3.51), and 4.27 (3.61-5.06) among women, and 2.71 (2.12-3.46), 2.66 (2.45-2.88), and 4.21 (3.25-5.45) in both sexes combined, respectively.
CONCLUSION
The RR of LC has remained relatively stable (range, 2-6) over the past four decades in China. Early quitting of smoking could reduce the RR to some extent; however, completely refraining from smoking is the best way to avoid its adverse effects.
Male
;
Humans
;
Female
;
Smoking/epidemiology*
;
Smoking Cessation
;
Smokers
;
Risk
;
Lung Neoplasms/etiology*
;
Risk Factors
10.The Association between Exposure to Second-Hand Smoke and Disease in the Chinese Population: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.
Yu Tong WANG ; Kui Ru HU ; Jian ZHAO ; Fei Ling AI ; Yu Lin SHI ; Xue Wei WANG ; Wen Yi YANG ; Jing Xin WANG ; Li Mei AI ; Xia WAN
Biomedical and Environmental Sciences 2023;36(1):24-37
OBJECTIVE:
To analyze the association between exposure to second-hand smoke (SHS) and 23 diseases, categorized into four classifications, among the Chinese population.
METHODS:
We searched the literature up to June 30, 2021, and eligible studies were identified according to the PECOS format: Participants and Competitors (Chinese population), Exposure (SHS), Outcomes (Disease or Death), and Study design (Case-control or Cohort).
RESULTS:
In total, 53 studies were selected. The odds ratio (OR) for all types of cancer was 1.79 (1.56-2.05), and for individual cancers was 1.92 (1.42-2.59) for lung cancer, 1.57 (1.40-1.76) for breast cancer, 1.52 (1.12-2.05) for bladder cancer, and 1.37 (1.08-1.73) for liver cancer. The OR for circulatory system diseases was 1.92 (1.29-2.85), with a value of 2.29 (1.26-4.159) for stroke. The OR of respiratory system diseases was 1.76 (1.13-2.74), with a value of 1.82 (1.07-3.11) for childhood asthma. The original ORs were also shown for other diseases. Subgroup analyses were performed for lung and breast cancer. The ORs varied according to time period and were significant during exposure in the household; For lung cancer, the OR was significant in women.
CONCLUSION
The effect of SHS exposure in China was similar to that in Western countries, but its definition and characterization require further clarification. Studies on the association between SHS exposure and certain diseases with high incidence rates are insufficient.
Child
;
Female
;
Humans
;
Asthma/epidemiology*
;
Breast Neoplasms
;
East Asian People
;
Lung Neoplasms/etiology*
;
Tobacco Smoke Pollution/adverse effects*
;
China

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