1.IARC Group 1 Pharmaceuticals and Associated Cancer Risks: A Nationwide Population-Based Cohort Study in Korea
Woojin LIM ; Na Rae LEE ; Ho Gyun SHIN ; Su-Yeon YU ; Sue K. PARK
Cancer Research and Treatment 2026;58(2):376-392
Purpose:
The aim of this study is to summarize cancer risk among patients with clinical indications of immunosuppressive and antineoplastic drugs in Korea, which are pharmaceuticals defined as group 1 by International Agency for Research on Cancer.
Materials and Methods:
We conducted a nationwide population-based retrospective cohort study using the Korean National Health Insurance Service claims data from 2002 to 2018. Patients with clinical indications for group 1 pharmaceuticals from 2002 to 2017 were selected as baseline population, and followed up until 2018. Cox proportional hazards regression model was used to analyze the risk of cancer and dose-response relationship between group 1 pharmaceuticals and cancer.
Results:
Azathioprine use increased the risk of skin and hematologic cancer (hazard ratio [HR], 4.63; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.91 to 7.39 and HR, 3.15; 95% CI, 2.41 to 4.13). Cyclosporine use increased the risk of skin and hematologic cancer (HR, 2.30; 95% CI, 1.79 to 2.95 and HR, 2.96; 95% CI, 2.59 to 3.40). Cyclophosphamide use increased the risk of bladder and hematologic cancer (HR, 2.69; 95% CI, 1.92 to 3.78 and HR, 3.83; 95% CI, 3.20 to 4.59). Chlorambucil use increased the risk of hematologic cancer (HR, 3.51; 95% CI, 2.53 to 4.87) and melphalan use increased the risk of hematologic cancer (HR, 16.31; 95% CI, 13.41 to 19.85). Methoxsalen use increased the risk of skin cancer (HR, 2.32; 95% CI, 1.36 to 3.95).
Conclusion
Group 1 pharmaceuticals were associated with increased risk of cancer. The results are expected to help establish alternative clinical strategies and policies for patients with clinical indications of group 1 pharmaceuticals, by continuous risk analysis and discussions on the surveillance systems.
2.Ethnic Heterogeneity in Reproductive Risk Factors for Breast Cancer, With a Focus on Asian Populations:A Meta-analysis
Youjin HONG ; Soseul SUNG ; Woojin LIM ; Sungji MOON ; Kwang-Pil KO ; Jung Eun LEE ; Inah KIM ; Sun Ha JEE ; Sun-Seog KWEON ; Min-Ho SHIN ; Sangmin PARK ; Seung-Ho RYU ; Sun Young YANG ; Jeongseon KIM ; Sang-Wook YI ; Sue K. PARK
Journal of Cancer Prevention 2026;31(1):20-27
suggest that some reproductive factors associated with BC differ across ethnicities and time trends, perhaps due to the prevalence of reproductive factors and the baseline hazard of BC.
3.A Comparison of Green, Delta, and Monte Carlo Methods to Select an Optimal Approach for Calculating the 95% Confidence Interval of the Population-attributable Fraction: Guidance for Epidemiological Research
Sangjun LEE ; Sungji MOON ; Kyungsik KIM ; Soseul SUNG ; Youjin HONG ; Woojin LIM ; Sue K. PARK
Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health 2024;57(5):499-507
Objectives:
This study aimed to compare the Delta, Greenland, and Monte Carlo methods for estimating 95% confidence intervals (CIs) of the population-attributable fraction (PAF). The objectives were to identify the optimal method and to determine the influence of primary parameters on PAF calculations.
Methods:
A dataset was simulated using hypothetical values for primary parameters (population, relative risk [RR], prevalence, and variance of the beta estimator ) involved in PAF calculations. Three methods (Delta, Greenland, and Monte Carlo) were used to estimate the 95% CIs of the PAFs. Perturbation analysis was performed to assess the sensitivity of the PAF to changes in these parameters. An R Shiny application, the “GDM-PAF CI Explorer,” was developed to facilitate the analysis and visualization of these computations.
Results:
No significant differences were observed among the 3 methods when both the RR and p-value were low. The Delta method performed well under conditions of low prevalence or minimal RR, while Greenland’s method was effective in scenarios with high prevalence. Meanwhile, the Monte Carlo method calculated 95% CIs of PAFs that were stable overall, though it required intensive computational resources. In a novel approach that utilized perturbation for sensitivity analysis, was identified as the most influential parameter in the estimation of CIs.
Conclusions
This study emphasizes the necessity of a careful approach for comparing 95% CI estimation methods for PAFs and selecting the method that best suits the context. It provides practical guidelines to researchers to increase the reliability and accuracy of epidemiological studies.
4.Comparison of Population Attributable Fractions of Cancer Incidence and Mortality Linked to Excess Body Weight in Korea from 2015 to 2030
Youjin HONG ; Jihye AN ; Jeehi JUNG ; Hyeon Sook LEE ; Soseul SUNG ; Sungji MOON ; Inah KIM ; Jung Eun LEE ; Aesun SHIN ; Sun Ha JEE ; Sun-Seog KWEON ; Min-Ho SHIN ; Sangmin PARK ; Seung-Ho RYU ; Sun Young YANG ; Seung Ho CHOI ; Jeongseon KIM ; Sang-Wook YI ; Yoon-Jung CHOI ; Sangjun LEE ; Woojin LIM ; Kyungsik KIM ; Sohee PARK ; Jeong-Soo IM ; Hong Gwan SEO ; Kwang-Pil KO ; Sue K. PARK
Endocrinology and Metabolism 2024;39(6):921-931
Background:
The increasing rate of excess body weight (EBW) in the global population has led to growing health concerns, including cancer-related EBW. We aimed to estimate the population attributable fraction (PAF) of cancer incidence and deaths linked to EBW in Korean individuals from 2015 to 2030 and to compare its value with various body mass index cutoffs.
Methods:
Levin’s formula was used to calculate the PAF; the prevalence rates were computed using the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey data, while the relative risks of specific cancers related to EBW were estimated based on the results of Korean cohort studies. To account for the 15-year latency period when estimating the PAF in 2020, the prevalence rates from 2015 and attributable cases or deaths from 2020 were used.
Results:
The PAF attributed to EBW was similar for both cancer incidence and deaths using either the World Health Organization (WHO) Asian-Pacific region standard or a modified Asian standard, with the WHO standard yielding the lowest values. In the Korean population, the PAFs of EBW for cancer incidence were 2.96% in men and 3.61% in women, while those for cancer deaths were 0.67% in men and 3.06% in women in 2020. Additionally, PAFs showed a gradual increase in both sexes until 2030.
Conclusion
The EBW continues to have a significant impact on cancer incidence and deaths in Korea. Effective prevention strategies targeting the reduction of this modifiable risk factor can substantially decrease the cancer burden.
5.Cooking oil fume exposure and Lung-RADS distribution among school cafeteria workers of South Korea
Minjun KIM ; Yangho KIM ; A Ram KIM ; Woon Jung KWON ; Soyeoun LIM ; Woojin KIM ; Cheolin YOO
Annals of Occupational and Environmental Medicine 2024;36(1):e2-
Cooking oil fumes (COFs) from cooking with hot oil may contribute to the pathogenesis of lung cancer. Since 2021, occupational lung cancer for individual cafeteria workers has been recognized in South Korea. In this study, we aimed to identify the distribution of lung-imaging reporting and data system (Lung-RADS) among cafeteria workers and to determine factors related to Lung-RADS distribution. We included 203 female participants who underwent low-dose computed tomography (LDCT) screening at a university hospital and examined the following variables: age, smoking status, second-hand smoke, height, weight, and years of service, mask use, cooking time, heat source, and ventilation. We divided all participants into culinary and non-culinary workers. Binomial logistic regression was conducted to determine the risk factors on LDCT of Category ≥ 3, separately for the overall group and the culinary group. In this study, Lung-RADS-positive occurred in 17 (8.4%) individuals, all of whom were culinary workers. Binary logistic regression analyses were performed and no variables were found to have a significant impact on Lung-RADS results. In the subgroup analysis, the Lung-RADS-positive, and -negative groups differed only in ventilation. Binary logistic regression showed that the adjusted odds ratio (aOR) of the Lung-RADS-positive group for inappropriate ventilation at the workplace was 14.89 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 3.296–67.231) compared to appropriate ventilation as the reference, and the aOR for electric appliances at home was 4.59 (95% CI: 1.061–19.890) using liquid fuel as the reference. The rate of Lung-RADS-positive was significantly higher among culinary workers who performed actual cooking tasks than among nonculinary workers. In addition, appropriate ventilation at the workplace made the LDCT results differ. More research is needed to identify factors that might influence LDCT findings among culinary workers, including those in other occupations.
6.Comparison of Population Attributable Fractions of Cancer Incidence and Mortality Linked to Excess Body Weight in Korea from 2015 to 2030
Youjin HONG ; Jihye AN ; Jeehi JUNG ; Hyeon Sook LEE ; Soseul SUNG ; Sungji MOON ; Inah KIM ; Jung Eun LEE ; Aesun SHIN ; Sun Ha JEE ; Sun-Seog KWEON ; Min-Ho SHIN ; Sangmin PARK ; Seung-Ho RYU ; Sun Young YANG ; Seung Ho CHOI ; Jeongseon KIM ; Sang-Wook YI ; Yoon-Jung CHOI ; Sangjun LEE ; Woojin LIM ; Kyungsik KIM ; Sohee PARK ; Jeong-Soo IM ; Hong Gwan SEO ; Kwang-Pil KO ; Sue K. PARK
Endocrinology and Metabolism 2024;39(6):921-931
Background:
The increasing rate of excess body weight (EBW) in the global population has led to growing health concerns, including cancer-related EBW. We aimed to estimate the population attributable fraction (PAF) of cancer incidence and deaths linked to EBW in Korean individuals from 2015 to 2030 and to compare its value with various body mass index cutoffs.
Methods:
Levin’s formula was used to calculate the PAF; the prevalence rates were computed using the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey data, while the relative risks of specific cancers related to EBW were estimated based on the results of Korean cohort studies. To account for the 15-year latency period when estimating the PAF in 2020, the prevalence rates from 2015 and attributable cases or deaths from 2020 were used.
Results:
The PAF attributed to EBW was similar for both cancer incidence and deaths using either the World Health Organization (WHO) Asian-Pacific region standard or a modified Asian standard, with the WHO standard yielding the lowest values. In the Korean population, the PAFs of EBW for cancer incidence were 2.96% in men and 3.61% in women, while those for cancer deaths were 0.67% in men and 3.06% in women in 2020. Additionally, PAFs showed a gradual increase in both sexes until 2030.
Conclusion
The EBW continues to have a significant impact on cancer incidence and deaths in Korea. Effective prevention strategies targeting the reduction of this modifiable risk factor can substantially decrease the cancer burden.
7.Comparison of Population Attributable Fractions of Cancer Incidence and Mortality Linked to Excess Body Weight in Korea from 2015 to 2030
Youjin HONG ; Jihye AN ; Jeehi JUNG ; Hyeon Sook LEE ; Soseul SUNG ; Sungji MOON ; Inah KIM ; Jung Eun LEE ; Aesun SHIN ; Sun Ha JEE ; Sun-Seog KWEON ; Min-Ho SHIN ; Sangmin PARK ; Seung-Ho RYU ; Sun Young YANG ; Seung Ho CHOI ; Jeongseon KIM ; Sang-Wook YI ; Yoon-Jung CHOI ; Sangjun LEE ; Woojin LIM ; Kyungsik KIM ; Sohee PARK ; Jeong-Soo IM ; Hong Gwan SEO ; Kwang-Pil KO ; Sue K. PARK
Endocrinology and Metabolism 2024;39(6):921-931
Background:
The increasing rate of excess body weight (EBW) in the global population has led to growing health concerns, including cancer-related EBW. We aimed to estimate the population attributable fraction (PAF) of cancer incidence and deaths linked to EBW in Korean individuals from 2015 to 2030 and to compare its value with various body mass index cutoffs.
Methods:
Levin’s formula was used to calculate the PAF; the prevalence rates were computed using the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey data, while the relative risks of specific cancers related to EBW were estimated based on the results of Korean cohort studies. To account for the 15-year latency period when estimating the PAF in 2020, the prevalence rates from 2015 and attributable cases or deaths from 2020 were used.
Results:
The PAF attributed to EBW was similar for both cancer incidence and deaths using either the World Health Organization (WHO) Asian-Pacific region standard or a modified Asian standard, with the WHO standard yielding the lowest values. In the Korean population, the PAFs of EBW for cancer incidence were 2.96% in men and 3.61% in women, while those for cancer deaths were 0.67% in men and 3.06% in women in 2020. Additionally, PAFs showed a gradual increase in both sexes until 2030.
Conclusion
The EBW continues to have a significant impact on cancer incidence and deaths in Korea. Effective prevention strategies targeting the reduction of this modifiable risk factor can substantially decrease the cancer burden.
8.Cooking oil fume exposure and Lung-RADS distribution among school cafeteria workers of South Korea
Minjun KIM ; Yangho KIM ; A Ram KIM ; Woon Jung KWON ; Soyeoun LIM ; Woojin KIM ; Cheolin YOO
Annals of Occupational and Environmental Medicine 2024;36(1):e2-
Cooking oil fumes (COFs) from cooking with hot oil may contribute to the pathogenesis of lung cancer. Since 2021, occupational lung cancer for individual cafeteria workers has been recognized in South Korea. In this study, we aimed to identify the distribution of lung-imaging reporting and data system (Lung-RADS) among cafeteria workers and to determine factors related to Lung-RADS distribution. We included 203 female participants who underwent low-dose computed tomography (LDCT) screening at a university hospital and examined the following variables: age, smoking status, second-hand smoke, height, weight, and years of service, mask use, cooking time, heat source, and ventilation. We divided all participants into culinary and non-culinary workers. Binomial logistic regression was conducted to determine the risk factors on LDCT of Category ≥ 3, separately for the overall group and the culinary group. In this study, Lung-RADS-positive occurred in 17 (8.4%) individuals, all of whom were culinary workers. Binary logistic regression analyses were performed and no variables were found to have a significant impact on Lung-RADS results. In the subgroup analysis, the Lung-RADS-positive, and -negative groups differed only in ventilation. Binary logistic regression showed that the adjusted odds ratio (aOR) of the Lung-RADS-positive group for inappropriate ventilation at the workplace was 14.89 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 3.296–67.231) compared to appropriate ventilation as the reference, and the aOR for electric appliances at home was 4.59 (95% CI: 1.061–19.890) using liquid fuel as the reference. The rate of Lung-RADS-positive was significantly higher among culinary workers who performed actual cooking tasks than among nonculinary workers. In addition, appropriate ventilation at the workplace made the LDCT results differ. More research is needed to identify factors that might influence LDCT findings among culinary workers, including those in other occupations.
9.Comparison of Population Attributable Fractions of Cancer Incidence and Mortality Linked to Excess Body Weight in Korea from 2015 to 2030
Youjin HONG ; Jihye AN ; Jeehi JUNG ; Hyeon Sook LEE ; Soseul SUNG ; Sungji MOON ; Inah KIM ; Jung Eun LEE ; Aesun SHIN ; Sun Ha JEE ; Sun-Seog KWEON ; Min-Ho SHIN ; Sangmin PARK ; Seung-Ho RYU ; Sun Young YANG ; Seung Ho CHOI ; Jeongseon KIM ; Sang-Wook YI ; Yoon-Jung CHOI ; Sangjun LEE ; Woojin LIM ; Kyungsik KIM ; Sohee PARK ; Jeong-Soo IM ; Hong Gwan SEO ; Kwang-Pil KO ; Sue K. PARK
Endocrinology and Metabolism 2024;39(6):921-931
Background:
The increasing rate of excess body weight (EBW) in the global population has led to growing health concerns, including cancer-related EBW. We aimed to estimate the population attributable fraction (PAF) of cancer incidence and deaths linked to EBW in Korean individuals from 2015 to 2030 and to compare its value with various body mass index cutoffs.
Methods:
Levin’s formula was used to calculate the PAF; the prevalence rates were computed using the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey data, while the relative risks of specific cancers related to EBW were estimated based on the results of Korean cohort studies. To account for the 15-year latency period when estimating the PAF in 2020, the prevalence rates from 2015 and attributable cases or deaths from 2020 were used.
Results:
The PAF attributed to EBW was similar for both cancer incidence and deaths using either the World Health Organization (WHO) Asian-Pacific region standard or a modified Asian standard, with the WHO standard yielding the lowest values. In the Korean population, the PAFs of EBW for cancer incidence were 2.96% in men and 3.61% in women, while those for cancer deaths were 0.67% in men and 3.06% in women in 2020. Additionally, PAFs showed a gradual increase in both sexes until 2030.
Conclusion
The EBW continues to have a significant impact on cancer incidence and deaths in Korea. Effective prevention strategies targeting the reduction of this modifiable risk factor can substantially decrease the cancer burden.
10.Cooking oil fume exposure and Lung-RADS distribution among school cafeteria workers of South Korea
Minjun KIM ; Yangho KIM ; A Ram KIM ; Woon Jung KWON ; Soyeoun LIM ; Woojin KIM ; Cheolin YOO
Annals of Occupational and Environmental Medicine 2024;36(1):e2-
Cooking oil fumes (COFs) from cooking with hot oil may contribute to the pathogenesis of lung cancer. Since 2021, occupational lung cancer for individual cafeteria workers has been recognized in South Korea. In this study, we aimed to identify the distribution of lung-imaging reporting and data system (Lung-RADS) among cafeteria workers and to determine factors related to Lung-RADS distribution. We included 203 female participants who underwent low-dose computed tomography (LDCT) screening at a university hospital and examined the following variables: age, smoking status, second-hand smoke, height, weight, and years of service, mask use, cooking time, heat source, and ventilation. We divided all participants into culinary and non-culinary workers. Binomial logistic regression was conducted to determine the risk factors on LDCT of Category ≥ 3, separately for the overall group and the culinary group. In this study, Lung-RADS-positive occurred in 17 (8.4%) individuals, all of whom were culinary workers. Binary logistic regression analyses were performed and no variables were found to have a significant impact on Lung-RADS results. In the subgroup analysis, the Lung-RADS-positive, and -negative groups differed only in ventilation. Binary logistic regression showed that the adjusted odds ratio (aOR) of the Lung-RADS-positive group for inappropriate ventilation at the workplace was 14.89 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 3.296–67.231) compared to appropriate ventilation as the reference, and the aOR for electric appliances at home was 4.59 (95% CI: 1.061–19.890) using liquid fuel as the reference. The rate of Lung-RADS-positive was significantly higher among culinary workers who performed actual cooking tasks than among nonculinary workers. In addition, appropriate ventilation at the workplace made the LDCT results differ. More research is needed to identify factors that might influence LDCT findings among culinary workers, including those in other occupations.

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