Lifecourse research in cancer: context, challenges, and opportunities when exploring exposures in early life and cancer risk in adulthood [version 3; peer review: 2 approved, 1 approved with reservations]
As the global population ages, and rates of modifiable risk factors for cancer change, cancer incidence and mortality continue to increase. While we understand many modifiable risk factors related to diet, nutrition, bodyweight, and physical activity in adulthood that influence cancer risk, how expo...
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F1000 Research Ltd
2025-03-01
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| Online Access: | https://healthopenresearch.org/articles/6-16/v3 |
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| author | Ken Ong Helen Croker Ellen Kampman Jennifer L. Baker Trudy Voortman Vanessa L.Z Gordon-Dseagu Zdenko Herceg Doris Chan Teresa Norat Sian Robinson |
| author_facet | Ken Ong Helen Croker Ellen Kampman Jennifer L. Baker Trudy Voortman Vanessa L.Z Gordon-Dseagu Zdenko Herceg Doris Chan Teresa Norat Sian Robinson |
| author_sort | Ken Ong |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | As the global population ages, and rates of modifiable risk factors for cancer change, cancer incidence and mortality continue to increase. While we understand many modifiable risk factors related to diet, nutrition, bodyweight, and physical activity in adulthood that influence cancer risk, how exposure during childhood, adolescence, and young adulthood impacts cancer risk is less clear. This is partly because the timeline from initial mutation to cancer development and diagnosis can span several decades. This long latency period creates methodological, ethical, and financial issues; as well as resource and feasibility challenges in the design, implementation, and data analysis of lifecourse studies. As such, the large majority of lifecourse studies are observational, often using recall data which has inherent bias issues. Concurrently, a new research era has begun, with mature birth cohort studies that are phenotyped/genotyped and can support studies on adult cancer risk. Several studies and consortia contain information spanning the lifecourse. These resources can support association, mechanistic and epigenetic investigations into the influences of multi-disciplinary (e.g. genetic, behavioural, environmental) factors, across the lifecourse and critical time periods. Ultimately, we will be able to produce high-quality evidence and identify how/when early life risk factors impact cancer development and survival. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-d65b6ccffd25490e92b35177339a6cbf |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2753-6416 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-03-01 |
| publisher | F1000 Research Ltd |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Health Open Research |
| spelling | doaj-art-d65b6ccffd25490e92b35177339a6cbf2025-08-20T02:52:59ZengF1000 Research LtdHealth Open Research2753-64162025-03-01610.12688/healthopenres.13748.314946Lifecourse research in cancer: context, challenges, and opportunities when exploring exposures in early life and cancer risk in adulthood [version 3; peer review: 2 approved, 1 approved with reservations]Ken Ong0Helen Croker1https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7247-6599Ellen Kampman2Jennifer L. Baker3Trudy Voortman4Vanessa L.Z Gordon-Dseagu5Zdenko Herceg6Doris Chan7Teresa Norat8Sian Robinson9MRC Epidemiology Unit, Institute of Metabolic Science, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, England, UKWorld Cancer Research Fund International, London, England, UKDivision of Human Nutrition and Health, Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen, The NetherlandsCenter for Clinical Research and Prevention, Copenhagen University Hospital-Bispebjerg and Frederiksberg, University of Copenhagen, Frederiksberg, DenmarkDepartment of Epidemiology, Erasmus MC, Erasmus, Rotterdam, The NetherlandsWorld Cancer Research Fund International, London, England, UKInternational Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), World Health Organisation, Lyon, FranceDepartment of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Imperial College London, London, England, UKDepartment of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Imperial College London, London, England, UKAGE Research Group, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, England, UKAs the global population ages, and rates of modifiable risk factors for cancer change, cancer incidence and mortality continue to increase. While we understand many modifiable risk factors related to diet, nutrition, bodyweight, and physical activity in adulthood that influence cancer risk, how exposure during childhood, adolescence, and young adulthood impacts cancer risk is less clear. This is partly because the timeline from initial mutation to cancer development and diagnosis can span several decades. This long latency period creates methodological, ethical, and financial issues; as well as resource and feasibility challenges in the design, implementation, and data analysis of lifecourse studies. As such, the large majority of lifecourse studies are observational, often using recall data which has inherent bias issues. Concurrently, a new research era has begun, with mature birth cohort studies that are phenotyped/genotyped and can support studies on adult cancer risk. Several studies and consortia contain information spanning the lifecourse. These resources can support association, mechanistic and epigenetic investigations into the influences of multi-disciplinary (e.g. genetic, behavioural, environmental) factors, across the lifecourse and critical time periods. Ultimately, we will be able to produce high-quality evidence and identify how/when early life risk factors impact cancer development and survival.https://healthopenresearch.org/articles/6-16/v3Lifecourse Cancer Risk factorseng |
| spellingShingle | Ken Ong Helen Croker Ellen Kampman Jennifer L. Baker Trudy Voortman Vanessa L.Z Gordon-Dseagu Zdenko Herceg Doris Chan Teresa Norat Sian Robinson Lifecourse research in cancer: context, challenges, and opportunities when exploring exposures in early life and cancer risk in adulthood [version 3; peer review: 2 approved, 1 approved with reservations] Health Open Research Lifecourse Cancer Risk factors eng |
| title | Lifecourse research in cancer: context, challenges, and opportunities when exploring exposures in early life and cancer risk in adulthood [version 3; peer review: 2 approved, 1 approved with reservations] |
| title_full | Lifecourse research in cancer: context, challenges, and opportunities when exploring exposures in early life and cancer risk in adulthood [version 3; peer review: 2 approved, 1 approved with reservations] |
| title_fullStr | Lifecourse research in cancer: context, challenges, and opportunities when exploring exposures in early life and cancer risk in adulthood [version 3; peer review: 2 approved, 1 approved with reservations] |
| title_full_unstemmed | Lifecourse research in cancer: context, challenges, and opportunities when exploring exposures in early life and cancer risk in adulthood [version 3; peer review: 2 approved, 1 approved with reservations] |
| title_short | Lifecourse research in cancer: context, challenges, and opportunities when exploring exposures in early life and cancer risk in adulthood [version 3; peer review: 2 approved, 1 approved with reservations] |
| title_sort | lifecourse research in cancer context challenges and opportunities when exploring exposures in early life and cancer risk in adulthood version 3 peer review 2 approved 1 approved with reservations |
| topic | Lifecourse Cancer Risk factors eng |
| url | https://healthopenresearch.org/articles/6-16/v3 |
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