Consuming certain foods that contain the probable carcinogen acrylamide does not appear to increase the risk of large bowel, kidney, or bladder cancers in humans, a new study has found.
Acrylamide is formed through a heat-activated reaction between amino acids and sugars commonly found in starchy foods when such foods are baked or fried at high temperatures. Animal studies have suggested an association between acrylamide and certain types of cancers, but it is less clear whether the association holds up in humans.
In a study in the January 27 issue of the British Journal of Cancer, Lorelei Mucci, Ph.D., of the Harvard School of Public Health in Boston, and her colleagues examined data on the dietary habits of 987 people with cancer and 538 people without cancer.
After adjusting for other cancer risk factors, the researchers found no relationship between acrylamide consumed in the diet and any increase in risk of bladder or kidney cancer. They did find that high amounts of acrylamide were associated with a reduced risk of bowel cancer, but the researchers noted that this reduced risk may also be explained by the high fiber content in some foods.
See also News, June 19, 2002, p. 876, "Acrylamide and Cancer: Tunnel Leak in Sweden Prompted Studies."
Study Ties More HPV Types to Cervical Cancer
Infection with human papillomavirus (HPV) types 16 and 18 is known to put women at high risk of developing cervical cancer. A new analysis now suggests that more than a dozen other types of HPV also should be classified as high risk.
Nubia Muñoz, M.D., of the International Agency for Research on Cancer in Lyon, France, and colleagues analyzed data from 11 studies involving 1918 women with cervical cancer and 1928 women without cervical cancer from nine countries with a broad range of cervical cancer rates.
HPV DNA was detected in 96.6% of the women with cervical cancer and 15.6% of the women without cervical cancer. HPV16 and HPV18 were the two most common types of HPV, followed by HPV types 45, 31, 33, 52, 58, and 35.
Five HPV types previously classified as low risk or of undetermined risk (26, 53, 66, 73, and 82) should now be added to the list of high-risk or probable high-risk types, the researchers concluded. The study was published in the February 6 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
See also News, January 15, p. 102, "Success of Vaccine Offers Promise of Cervical Cancer Prevention."
Erbitux Available Through Expanded Access Program
The experimental cancer drug cetuximab (Erbitux) is now available through an expanded access program to a limited number of terminally ill patients with advanced colon cancer who have exhausted all treatment options and are not eligible for clinical trials of the drug.
Initially, 30 patients a month will be selected at random to participate in the program, which will be administered by the National Organization for Rare Disorders, a patient advocacy group.
Cetuximab is marketed by ImClone Systems Inc. and Bristol-Myers Squibb. In late 2001, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration rejected ImClones application for approval of cetuximab, citing flaws in the clinical trial. The companies are beginning new clinical trials to gain federal approval for the drug.
See also News, December 18, 2002, p. 1824, "Erbitux Trial Flawed From the Beginning, Committee Finds," and November 20, 2002, p. 1668, "Demand Grows for Early Access to Promising Cancer Drugs."
Linda Wang
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