Reduced risk of serious pneumococcal infections up to 10 years after a dose of pneumococcal conjugate vaccine in established arthritis.

BACKGROUND: To examine rates of serious pneumococcal infections up to 10 years after vaccination with 7-valent conjugated pneumococcal vaccine (PCV7) in patients with arthritis compared to non-vaccinated arthritis patients. METHODS: In total, 595 adult arthritis patients (rheumatoid arthritis; RA = 342, 80 % women and spondylarthropathy; SpA = 253, 45 % women) received one dose of PCV7. Mean age/disease duration were 62/16 and 51/14 years, respectively. For each patient, 4 matched reference subjects were identified. At vaccination, 420 patients received bDMARDs (anti-TNF = 330, tocilizumab = 15, abatacept = 18, anakinra = 1, rituximab = 56). Methotrexate was given as monotherapy (n = 86) or in combination with bDMARD (n = 220). 89 SpA patients received NSAIDs without DMARD. The Skåne Healthcare Register was searched for ICD-10 diagnostic codes for pneumococcal infections (pneumonia, lower respiratory tract infection, septicemia, meningitis, septic arthritis) between January 2000 and December 2018. Frequency of infections after vs before vaccination were calculated (relative risks). Relative risk ratio (RRR) and relative risk reduction (1-RRR) were calculated comparing patients vs non-vaccinated references. Kaplan-Meier and Cox regression were used to investigate time to first event and predictors of infections. RESULTS: Among vaccinated RA and SpA patients, there was a significant relative risk reduction of pneumonia and all serious infections; 53% and 46%, respectively. There was no significant difference in time to first pneumonia or all serious infections after vaccination between patients and references. Higher age, RA diagnosis and concomitant prednisolone were associated with infections. CONCLUSION: One dose of pneumococcal conjugate vaccine may decrease risk of serious pneumococcal infection up to 10 years in patients with arthritis receiving immunomodulating treatment.

Supporting clinical decision making in advanced melanoma by preclinical testing in personalized immune-humanized xenograft mouse models.

BACKGROUND: The mouse strains usually used to generate patient-derived xenografts (PDXs) are immunocompromised, rendering them unsuitable for immunotherapy studies. Here we assessed the value of immune-PDX mouse models for predicting responses to anti-PD-1 checkpoint inhibitor therapy in patients. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Melanoma biopsies contained in a retrospective biobank were transplanted into NOG mice or NOG mice expressing interleukin 2 (hIL2-NOG mice). Tumor growth was monitored, and comparisons were made with clinical data, sequencing data, and current in silico predictive tools. RESULTS: Biopsies grew readily in NOG mice but growth was heterogeneous in hIL2-NOG mice. IL2 appears to activate T-cell immunity in the biopsies to block tumor growth. Biopsy growth in hIL2-NOG mice was negatively associated with survival in patients previously treated with PD-1 checkpoint blockade. In two cases, the prospective clinical decisions of anti-PD-1 therapy or targeted BRAF/MEK inhibitors were supported by the observed responses in mice. CONCLUSIONS: Immune-PDX models represent a promising addition to future biomarker discovery studies and for clinical decision making in patients receiving immunotherapy.

Predictors of work disability after start of anti-TNF therapy in a national cohort of Swedish patients with rheumatoid arthritis: does early anti-TNF therapy bring patients back to work?

OBJECTIVES: To examine predictors of work ability gain and loss after anti-tumour necrosis factor (TNF) start, respectively, in working-age patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) with a special focus on disease duration. METHODS: Patients with RA, aged 19-62 years, starting their first TNF inhibitor 2006-2009 with full work ability (0 sick leave/disability pension days during 3 months before bio-start; n=1048) or no work ability (90 days; n=753) were identified in the Swedish biologics register (Anti-Rheumatic Treatment In Sweden, ARTIS) and sick leave/disability pension days retrieved from the Social Insurance Agency. Outcome was defined as work ability gain ≥50% for patients without work ability at bio-start and work ability loss ≥50% for patients with full work ability, and survival analyses conducted. Baseline predictors including disease duration, age, sex, education level, employment, Health Assessment Questionnaire, Disease Activity Score 28 and relevant comorbidities were estimated using Cox regression. RESULTS: During 3 years after anti-TNF start, the probability of regaining work ability for totally work-disabled patients was 35% for those with disease duration <5 years and 14% for disease duration ≥5 years (adjusted HR 2.1 (95% CI 1.4 to 3.2)). For patients with full work ability at bio-start, disease duration did not predict work ability loss. Baseline disability pension was also a strong predictor of work ability gain after treatment start. CONCLUSIONS: A substantial proportion of work-disabled patients with RA who start anti-TNF therapy regain work ability. Those initiating treatment within 5 years of symptom onset have a more than doubled 3-year probability of regaining work ability compared with later treatment starts. This effect seems largely due to the impact of disease duration on disability pension status.

Validation and development of MTH1 inhibitors for treatment of cancer.

BACKGROUND: Previously, we showed cancer cells rely on the MTH1 protein to prevent incorporation of otherwise deadly oxidised nucleotides into DNA and we developed MTH1 inhibitors which selectively kill cancer cells. Recently, several new and potent inhibitors of MTH1 were demonstrated to be non-toxic to cancer cells, challenging the utility of MTH1 inhibition as a target for cancer treatment. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Human cancer cell lines were exposed in vitro to MTH1 inhibitors or depleted of MTH1 by siRNA or shRNA. 8-oxodG was measured by immunostaining and modified comet assay. Thermal Proteome profiling, proteomics, cellular thermal shift assays, kinase and CEREP panel were used for target engagement, mode of action and selectivity investigations of MTH1 inhibitors. Effect of MTH1 inhibition on tumour growth was explored in BRAF V600E-mutated malignant melanoma patient derived xenograft and human colon cancer SW480 and HCT116 xenograft models. RESULTS: Here, we demonstrate that recently described MTH1 inhibitors, which fail to kill cancer cells, also fail to introduce the toxic oxidized nucleotides into DNA. We also describe a new MTH1 inhibitor TH1579, (Karonudib), an analogue of TH588, which is a potent, selective MTH1 inhibitor with good oral availability and demonstrates excellent pharmacokinetic and anti-cancer properties in vivo. CONCLUSION: We demonstrate that in order to kill cancer cells MTH1 inhibitors must also introduce oxidized nucleotides into DNA. Furthermore, we describe TH1579 as a best-in-class MTH1 inhibitor, which we expect to be useful in order to further validate the MTH1 inhibitor concept.

The evolution of highly variable immunity genes across a passerine bird radiation.

To survive, individuals must be able to recognize and eliminate pathogens. The genes of the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) play an essential role in this process in vertebrates as their diversity affects the repertoire of pathogens that can be recognized by the immune system. Emerging evidence suggests that birds within the parvorder Passerida possess an exceptionally high number of MHC genes. However, this has yet to be directly investigated using a consistent framework, and the question of how this MHC diversity has evolved has not been addressed. We used next-generation sequencing to investigate how MHC class I gene copy number and sequence diversity varies across the Passerida radiation using twelve species chosen to represent the phylogenetic range of this group. Additionally, we performed phylogenetic analyses on this data to identify, for the first time, the evolutionary model that best describes how MHC class I gene diversity has evolved within Passerida. We found evidence of multiple MHC class I genes in every family tested, with an extremely broad range in gene copy number across Passerida. There was a strong phylogenetic signal in MHC gene copy number and diversity, and these traits appear to have evolved through a process of Brownian motion in the species studied, that is following the pattern of genetic drift or fluctuating selection, as opposed to towards a single optimal value or through evolutionary 'bursts'. By characterizing MHC class I gene diversity across Passerida in a systematic framework, this study provides a first step towards understanding this huge variation.

BET bromodomain inhibitors synergize with ATR inhibitors to induce DNA damage, apoptosis, senescence-associated secretory pathway and ER stress in Myc-induced lymphoma cells.

Inhibiting the bromodomain and extra-terminal (BET) domain family of epigenetic reader proteins has been shown to have potent anti-tumoral activity, which is commonly attributed to suppression of transcription. In this study, we show that two structurally distinct BET inhibitors (BETi) interfere with replication and cell cycle progression of murine Myc-induced lymphoma cells at sub-lethal concentrations when the transcriptome remains largely unaltered. This inhibition of replication coincides with a DNA-damage response and enhanced sensitivity to inhibitors of the upstream replication stress sensor ATR in vitro and in mouse models of B-cell lymphoma. Mechanistically, ATR and BETi combination therapy cause robust transcriptional changes of genes involved in cell death, senescence-associated secretory pathway, NFkB signaling and ER stress. Our data reveal that BETi can potentiate the cell stress and death caused by ATR inhibitors. This suggests that ATRi can be used in combination therapies of lymphomas without the use of genotoxic drugs.

Identification of tumorigenic and therapeutically actionable mutations in transplantable mouse tumor cells by exome sequencing.

Cancer development occurs in response to the successive accumulation of mutations that eventually targets key regulators of cell proliferation. As most mutations likely occur randomly, cancer driver mutations can only be found if they are recurrent. Here we use exome sequencing of the mouse cell lines Panc02, L1210 and Colon 26 to identify genetic alterations (single-nucleotide polymorphisms and small insertion and deletions) that occurred in three different strains of mice and that resulted in tumorigenesis. We identify known mutations in genes like Kras, Cdkn2a/b, Smad4 and Trp53 and a large list of genes whose causal link to cancer is unknown. Interestingly, by screening a compound library we find that the identified oncogenic Kras mutation in Colon 26 cells correlates with its sensitivity to MEK inhibitors in vitro and in vivo. Our analysis of these mouse tumor exomes show that their manageable number of mutations could facilitate the identification of novel mutations or pathways driving tumor development. Furthermore, their use as tools is now enhanced as they can be used to create syngenic transplant models for utilization in drug discovery and validation. Finally, by showing that Kras mutant Colon 26 cells are sensitive to MEK inhibitors, we provide one proof-of-principle experiment that a platform containing targeted resequencing and drug screens could be a valuable addition in the clinic to devise anti-cancer drug schemes.

Incidence, mortality rates and causes of deaths in haemophilia patients in Sweden.

Sweden has been a pioneer in the treatment of haemophilia, with the first concentrate available in the 1950s. Treatment has improved over the years to its current state-of-the art. The aim of the current study was to evaluate the long-term outcome of haemophilia in terms of incidence, morbidity and mortality. Patients diagnosed with haemophilia A or B registered at the national haemophilia centres and/or the Patient Registry and born before 2009 and alive in 1968 were enrolled and linked to the Cause of Death-, Migration- and Medical Birth registries. Five age- and sex-matched controls were selected for each patient. A total of 1431 patients with haemophilia A or B were compared with 7150 controls. The 3-year moving average incidence rate per 100,000 population varied between 21 and 36. The hazard ratio for all-cause mortality compared with controls was 2.2, 95% CI: [1.8; 2.7], P < 0.001 for the entire group of patients and 1.7, 95% CI: [1.3; 2.2], P < 0.001 when patients with HIV and/or viral hepatitis were excluded. The corresponding figures for the severe haemophilia subgroup were 6.6, 95% CI: [4.5; 10.0], P < 0.001 and 8.2, 95% CI [3.2; 20.8], P < 0.001 respectively. The most common causes of death were related to malignancies and the haemostatic defect. People with haemophilia were 57% less likely to die from ischaemic heart disease than controls. People with haemophilia in Sweden demonstrate higher mortality over time, independent of HIV and viral hepatitis, despite relatively advantageous access to clotting factor concentrates.

Smoking, low formal level of education, alcohol consumption, and the risk of rheumatoid arthritis.

OBJECTIVE: Suggested predictors of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) include environmental exposure, such as smoking. Our purpose was to investigate potential predictors of RA in a nested case-control study based on a prospective cohort. METHOD: Between 1991 and 1996, 30,447 persons were included in the Malmö Diet and Cancer Study (MDCS). Individuals who developed RA after inclusion up to 31 December 2004 were identified by linking the database to different registers. Four controls were selected for every case. Data on lifestyle factors were collected in the MDCS. RESULTS: We identified 172 incident cases of RA [36 men/136 women, mean age at diagnosis 63 years, 69% rheumatoid factor (RF) positive, median time from inclusion to diagnosis 5 (range 1-13) years]. In bivariate analyses, baseline smoking [odds ratio (OR) 2.02, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.31-3.12] and a low level of formal education (i.e. ≤ 8 years; OR 2.42, 95% CI 1.18-4.93 vs. University degree) predicted subsequent development of RA. Infrequent baseline alcohol consumption was a predictor of RA (OR 3.47, 95% CI 1.91-6.30) compared to recent use (within the past month), and individuals with moderate baseline alcohol consumption (3.5-15.2 g/day vs. < 3.5 g/day) tended to have a reduced risk of RA (OR 0.48, 95% CI 0.22-1.05) in multivariate analyses, adjusted for smoking and level of education. CONCLUSIONS: Smoking and a low level of formal education were found to be independent predictors of RA. Moderate alcohol consumption may also be associated with a reduced risk.

Extra-articular manifestations in a community-based sample of patients with rheumatoid arthritis: incidence and relationship to treatment with TNF inhibitors.

OBJECTIVES: To determine the incidence of severe extra-articular rheumatoid arthritis (ExRA) in a community-based cohort of RA patients, and to evaluate whether treatment with tumour necrosis factor (TNF) inhibitors has any effect on the risk of ExRA. METHODS: In a review of clinical records from 1 July 1997 to 31 December 2004, severe ExRA manifestations were classified according to predefined criteria. Patients were censored at the development of ExRA, death, emigration, or 31 December 2004. Exposure to anti-TNF treatment has continuously and independently been recorded as part of a regional follow-up system. RESULTS: During treatment with TNF inhibitors, there were two patients with new onset of ExRA in 408 person-years at risk (pyr) [0.49/100 pyr, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.06-1.77]. Among those without anti-TNF treatment there were 63 patients with ExRA in 5425 pyr (1.16/100 pyr, 95% CI 0.89-1.49). The relative risk comparing those treated to those not treated with TNF inhibitors was 0.42 (95% CI 0.10-1.73). CONCLUSION: Our data show a lower incidence of ExRA in patients treated with TNF inhibitors but further studies with a larger sample size are needed for a more accurate estimate of the size of the effect.

Changes in body composition after 2 years with rheumatoid arthritis.

OBJECTIVES: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is associated with cardiovascular disease (CVD). Possible predictors for CVD are early changes in body composition. We therefore evaluated changes in lean body mass (LBM), lean mass of arms and legs (LMAL), total body fat mass (BFM), and truncal fat distribution (FD) after 2 years with RA and possible predictors. METHODS: We registered 63 (45 women) RA patients with disease duration of ≤ 12 months at baseline and after 2 years. Disease Activity Score using 28 joint counts (DAS28), Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ) score, body mass index (BMI), comorbidities, smoking, and medications were recorded. Total and regional lean mass and fat mass were measured with dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). The data were compared with 63 age- and gender-matched controls. RESULTS: LBM and LMAL at baseline in RA patients were significantly lower in men (p = 0.020 and 0.002, respectively) compared to matched controls. Truncal FD was non-significantly increased in RA patients (women p = 0.133, men p = 0.119). The age-related deterioration with decreased LBM after 2 years (p = 0.002 in women and men) and increased BFM (p < 0.001) and truncal FD (p = 0.020) in women were all significantly less pronounced in RA patients than in matched controls. CONCLUSIONS: In patients with early RA and after initiation of therapy, the age-related deterioration with decreasing LBM and increasing truncal FD was lower than in control subjects in this observational study. These potentially harmful alterations seem to be modifiable factors in patients with early RA.

Cut-off value for self-reported abnormal cold sensitivity and predictors for abnormality and severity in hand injuries.

Our aim was to identify a cut-off value for self-reported, abnormal cold sensitivity and to identify cold sensitivity predictors after hand injuries. The Cold Intolerance Symptom Severity (CISS) questionnaire and a VAS question concerning discomfort on exposure to cold were investigated in 94 normal people and 88 patients. A CISS score >50 was defined as abnormal cold sensitivity. Multiple injured digits, an increased number of injured vessels, complete nerve injury and replantation were variables associated with high VAS scores. Factors linked to both abnormality and worse CISS or VAS scores were: the presence of bone injury; a larger number of repaired vessels; the use of vascular grafts and a high Hand Injury Severity Score (HISS). The causes of abnormality and severity suggest a multifactorial aetiology with bony, vascular and neural components. A cut-off for abnormality is useful for descriptive, comparative and assessment purposes.

Variables determining outcome in total hip replacement surgery.

In this study we hypothesised that anxiety/depression, one of five dimensions in the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) measurement tool EQ-5D, could predict outcome after total hip replacement surgery. Pre-operative and one-year post-operative data from the Swedish Hip Arthroplasty Register, including 6158 patients with primary osteoarthritis of the hip, were analysed. In order to examine the association between anxiety and outcome with respect to pain and satisfaction an analysis of covariance was used. The pre-operative EQ-5D anxiety/depression dimension was a strong predictor for pain relief and patient satisfaction (p < 0.001). Orthopaedic surgeons involved in the care of patients eligible for total hip replacement surgery should be aware that mental health may influence post-operative pain and HRQoL. An appropriate assessment of mental health may enable a modification in the way these patients are managed in order to optimise the outcome after joint replacement surgery.

Improved outcome in Wegener's granulomatosis and microscopic polyangiitis? A retrospective analysis of 95 cases in two cohorts.

OBJECTIVES: Mortality rates for Wegener's granulomatosis (WG) and microscopic polyangiitis (MPA) have decreased after the introduction of cyclophosphamide. Standardized mortality ratio (SMR) expresses the overall mortality of patients compared with the general population. The aims of this study were to compare survival in an old and a recent cohort of patients with WG and MPA using SMR and to determine predictors for death in both groups combined. DESIGN: Survival analyses were performed by Kaplan-Meier survival curves, SMR and proportional hazards regression models. SETTING: The nephrology and rheumatology clinics at Linköping University Hospital, Sweden. SUBJECTS: All patients diagnosed with WG or MPA in the catchment area during 1978-2005 were divided into two cohorts; patients diagnosed before (n=32, old cohort) and after (n=63, recent cohort) December 31, 1996. RESULTS: The two cohorts differed regarding the proportion of WG (75% vs. 56%, P=0.03) and a tendency for more pronounced kidney involvement in the old cohort: 266 micromol L(-1) (16% dialysis-dependent) vs. 192 micromol L(-1) (5% dialysis-dependent), but were comparable regarding disease severity. SMR at 1 and 5 years were 2.1 (95% CI: 0.43-6.09) and 1.6 (95% CI: 0.6-3.2) in the recent cohort and 5.2 (95% CI: 1.07-15.14) and 2.5 (95% CI: 0.93-5.52) in the old cohort. Five-year survival was 87% and 81%. Serum creatinine, age, end-stage renal disease, diagnosis before 1997 and first relapse were independent predictors for death. CONCLUSION: Patient survival in WG and MPA analysed with SMR may be better than previously believed. Severe renal disease and disease relapse were the major predictors of reduced survival.

Breast feeding, but not use of oral contraceptives, is associated with a reduced risk of rheumatoid arthritis.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether breast feeding or the use of oral contraceptives (OCs) affects the future risk of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in a community-based prospective cohort. METHODS: A community-based health survey (18 326 women) was linked to regional and national registers, and incident cases of RA were identified. All women with a diagnosis of RA after inclusion in the health survey (n = 136) and four female controls for every case, who were alive and free from RA when the index person was given a diagnosis of RA, were included in a case-control study. Data on lifestyle factors at baseline were derived from a self-administered questionnaire. Potential predictors were examined in logistic regression models. RESULTS: 136 women with incident RA were compared with 544 age-matched controls. A longer history of breast feeding was associated with a reduced risk of RA (OR 0.46 (95% CI 0.24 to 0.91) for women who had breast fed for >/=13 months and OR 0.74 (95% CI 0.45 to 1.20) for those who had breast fed for 1-12 months, compared with those who had never breast fed). The protective effect of longer breast feeding remained significant after adjustment for smoking and level of education in multivariate models, and point estimates were protective also when the analyses were restricted to parous women. Neither parity nor OC use had any significant effect on the risk of RA. CONCLUSION: In this study, long-term breast feeding, but not OC use, was associated with a significant reduction in the risk of RA.

Clinical course and prognosis of never-smokers with severe alpha-1-antitrypsin deficiency (PiZZ).

BACKGROUND: Previous studies of non-smoking individuals with severe alpha(1)-antitrypsin deficiency (PiZZ) have been sparse and included only a limited number of individuals, mostly identified by respiratory symptoms. The aim of this study was to estimate the prognosis of non-smoking PiZZ individuals and to analyse the most common causes of death by including a large number of individuals who had been identified by other means than respiratory symptoms. METHODS: The study included 568 non-smoking PiZZ subjects who were selected from the Swedish National AAT Deficiency Registry and followed up from 1991 to September 2007. Of these, 156 (27%) were identified by respiratory symptoms (respiratory cases) and 412 were identified by extrapulmonary symptoms or screening (non-respiratory cases). RESULTS: 93 subjects (16%) died during the follow-up period. The specific standardised mortality rate (SMR) for the whole study population was 2.32 (95% CI 1.87 to 2.83) with no significant difference between men and women. The SMR was 2.55 (95% CI 1.91 to 2.83) for the respiratory cases and 2.07 (95% CI 1.49 to 2.81) for the non-respiratory cases. Further calculation of SMR for subgroups in the non-respiratory cases showed that the SMR was 0.70 (95% CI 0.14 to 2.04) for individuals identified by family/population screening. Emphysema and liver cirrhosis were the most common causes of death (45% and 28%, respectively). Malignant transformation was found in 38% of the cases with cirrhosis. CONCLUSION: Non-smoking PiZZ individuals identified by screening do not have an increased mortality risk compared with the Swedish general population.

The association between hyperglycemia and fracture risk in middle age. A prospective, population-based study of 22,444 men and 10,902 women.

AIMS: Type 1 diabetes mellitus is associated with increased fracture risk, whereas the risk associated with type 2 diabetes is less obvious. Elevated fasting blood glucose and high 2-h glucose during an oral glucose tolerance test indicate impaired glucose tolerance or diabetes. The associations among fasting blood glucose, 2-h glucose, and the risk of fracture were investigated. METHODS: The Malmö Preventive Project consists of 22,444 men (44+/-6.6 yr) and 10,902 women (50+/-7.4 yr), with a follow-up of 19 yr (+/-3.9) and 15 yr (+/-4.5) for incident fractures. Baseline assessment included multiple examinations and lifestyle information. A logistic regression model was used. Adjustments were made for age, body mass index (BMI), and smoking. RESULTS: Low-energy fractures were recorded in 1246 men and 1236 women. A 2-h glucose measurement between 4.3 and 6.2 mmol/liter in men (second and third quartile), and above 6.5 mmol/liter in women (third and fourth quartile), adjusted for age, BMI, and smoking, was significantly associated with a decreased risk of multiple fractures, in men [odds ratios (ORs) 0.57-0.71] and women (ORs 0.38-0.66). In women, a 2-h glucose measurement above 7.5 mmol/liter was associated with a decreased risk of osteoporotic fractures (OR 0.57, 95% confidence interval 0.44-0.74). CONCLUSIONS: In middle-aged men and women, elevated 2-h glucose levels were associated with decreased risks of multiple and osteoporotic fractures, independent of age, BMI, and smoking. A high 2-h glucose level is characterized by peripheral insulin resistance with a high insulin level. Our findings indirectly suggest a positive effect on bone from hyperglycemia.

Mortality risks among heavy-smokers with special reference to women: a long-term follow-up of an urban population.

Increased mortality risks associated with smoking are well established among men. There are very few population-based studies comprising a sufficient number of heavily smoking women, measuring the direct effect of smoking on mortality risks. Between 1974 and 1992, 8,499 women and 13,888 men attended a health screening programme including reporting of smoking habits. Individuals were followed for total mortality until 2005. All-cause, cancer, cardiovascular, lung cancer and respiratory mortality were calculated in smoking categories <10 g per day, 10-19 g per day, and > or =20 g per day with never-smokers as a reference group and with adjustments for co-morbidities, socio-economic and marital status. For respiratory mortality and lung cancer adjustments for FEV(1), socio-economic and marital status were performed. Smoking was associated with a two to almost threefold increased mortality risk among women and men. The relative risk (RR) with 95% confidence interval, (CI) for women who smoked 10-19 g per day was 2.44 (2.07-2.87), and for those who smoked 20 g per day or more the RR (95% CI) was 2.42 (2.00-2.92). Smoking was a strong risk factor for cardiovascular mortality among women, the RR (95% CI) for women who smoked 10-19 g per day was 4.52 (3.07-6.64). Ex-smoking women showed increased risks of all-cause mortality; RR (95% CI) 1.26 (1.04-1.52) cancer (excluding lung cancer); RR (95% CI) 1.42 (1.07-1.88) and lung cancer RR (95% CI) 2.71 (1.02-7.23) mortality. However, the cardiovascular; RR (95% CI) 1.18 (0.69-2.00) and respiratory; RR (95% CI) 0.79 (0.16-3.84) mortality risks were not statistically significant. This study confirms that as for men, middle-aged heavily smoking women have a two to threefold increased mortality risk. Adjustments for co-morbidity, socio-economic and marital status did not change these results.

Metabolic enzymes regulated by the Myc oncogene are possible targets for chemotherapy or chemoprevention.

The Myc oncogenes are dysregulated in 70% of human cancers. They encode transcription factors that bind to E-box sequences in DNA, driving the expression of a vast amount of target genes. The biological outcome is enhanced proliferation (which is counteracted by apoptosis), angiogenesis and cancer. Based on the biological effects of Myc overexpression it was originally assumed that the important Myc target genes are those encoding components of the cell cycle machinery. Recent work has challenged this notion and indicates that Myc target genes encoding metabolic enzymes deserve attention, as they may be critical arbiters of Myc in cancer. Thus targeting metabolic enzymes encoded by Myc-target genes may provide a new means to treat cancer that have arisen in response to deregulated Myc oncogenes.