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The Molecular and Genetic Epidemiology of Cancer Vol. 12, 803–805, August 2003 Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention 803 Meeting Report AACR Special Conference: The Molecular and Genetic Epidemiology of Cancer John D. Potter,1 Ellen Goode, and Libby Morimoto candidates genes for specific cancers. Daehee Kang’s presen- ϳ Public Health Sciences, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, tation on a large breast cancer study ( 1400 cases and in Washington 98109 ϳ1400 controls) and candidate genes in estrogen metabolism and DNA repair suggested that the use of larger sample sizes Introduction would also benefit the field, particularly when gene-environ- ment and gene-gene interactions are examined. The AACR Special Conference on The Molecular and Genetic Duncan Thomas discussed sample size estimates for stud- Epidemiology of Cancer was held January 18–23, 2003 at ies involving gene-environment interaction (work with Jim Waikoloa, Hawaii. Approximately 400 attendees from around Gauderman) and the impact of, variously, the way in which the world heard state-of-the-art talks, many with new data on penetrance, dominance, and allele frequency are modeled, the methods and applications. A range of sessions covered epide- nature of the exposure distribution, the magnitude of relative miological, statistical, and laboratory methods; genetic suscep- risks, and the complexity of the interaction demonstrated pro- tibility and human biomonitoring; intermediate endpoints; can- grams available on-line.2 In the same session, Nathaniel Roth- cer interventions; biorepositories; ethics; and the impact of man presented work he has been undertaking with Sholom molecular epidemiology on other fields. In addition, 129 post- Wacholder trying to quantify the problem of a large excess of ers were presented, and participants benefited from both scien- false positives and the issue of multiple comparisons in molec- tific sessions and the widespread, often animated informal ular epidemiology; he recommended the use of a new Bayesian discussions. statistic, “False Positive Result Probability.” Carl Barrett opened the conference with the keynote ad- dress, reminding us that molecular epidemiology is not just about germ-line and somatic genetic changes and that other key Laboratory Challenges concepts and processes, such as epigenetics and apoptosis, play The second theme of the conference covered laboratory chal- critical roles in pathways of carcinogenesis. lenges and included sessions on genotype versus phenotype; genetic polymorphisms in metabolism, DNA repair, and cell Epidemiological and Statistical Issues growth control; and high-throughput genotyping and bioinfor- matics. The first scientific session focused on epidemiologic and sta- Several approaches to understanding the relationship be- tistical issues and included sessions on sample size issues, tween genotype and phenotype were presented by David Hein, multigene and gene-environment interactions, and the interface Peter Shields, and Daniel Nebert who closed with a plea for of molecular and genetic epidemiology. standardizing nomenclature for haplotypes. The speakers introduced some little-used methods in an John Wiencke presented a timely reminder that not all epidemiological setting. For instance, Stephanie London pre- metabolic variation is deleterious, showing that there is a re- sented methods used in case-parent triad studies of childhood duced risk of lung cancer among carriers of the XRCC1 Q allele diseases. Timothy Rebbeck talked about applying computa- among African Americans and Hispanics. Ainsley Weston tional approaches to detect functionally relevant alleles and showed how cross-talk between molecular epidemiology and grouping these alleles in the search for multigene interactions basic biology can be used to elucidate the impact of polymor- and about applying stopping rules, a method used in clinical phisms in cell cycle control genes. Roland Wolf presented data trials to examine whether additional study subjects should be that brought into question the neatness of the canonical Vo- genotyped in association studies. Paul Pharoah wondered gelstein paradigm for molecular progression in colon cancer whether intermediate phenotypes (e.g., hormonal levels and after loss of APC. mammographic density) improve our understanding of why the New methods were the focus in the session on high- common disease/common variant hypothesis has been slow to throughput genotyping and informatics. Gareth Morgan dem- bear fruit. Qingyi Wei, David Phillips, and others picked up this onstrated the utility of certain approaches to pooling DNA for theme later in the conference in relation to integrated measures genotyping and also spent time on potential drawbacks, partic- of DNA damage and repair and DNA adducts. ularly the inability to establish haplotypes or explore gene- Christine Ambrosone postulated that inconsistency of re- environment interactions. sults in molecular epidemiology may stem from a lack of focus on mechanisms of action and biological plausibility in picking New Approaches in Human Biomonitoring Novel approaches in human biomonitoring was the third theme of the conference, which included sessions on biochemical and Received 6/3/03; accepted 6/3/03. immunological methods, chemical and spectroscopic methods, The costs of publication of this article were defrayed in part by the payment of page charges. This article must therefore be hereby marked advertisement in accordance with 18 U.S.C. Section 1734 solely to indicate this fact. 1 To whom requests for reprints should be addressed. 2 http://dceg.cancer.gov/POWER/and http://hydra.usc.edu/gxe. Downloaded from cebp.aacrjournals.org on September 26, 2021. © 2003 American Association for Cancer Research. 804 Meeting Report: Molecular and Genetic Epidemiology of Cancer dietary measurements, assessment of complex exposures, and problems of artifact in measurement from underestimation us- exogenous and endogenous DNA adducts. The sessions in- ing enzyme methods (such as the comet assay) to overestima- cluded presentations by Bernadette Schoket, Regina Santella, tion using high-performance liquid chromatography. Mimi Piorier, and Peter Farmer on methods of measurement by 32 P-postlabeling, chemiluminescence and other immunoassays, Intermediate End Points immunohistochemistry, and mass spectrometry. Steve Hecht The fourth theme of the conference focused on intermediate end discussed the use of signature biomarkers of exposure, specif- points and included sessions on mutagenesis, DNA damage, ically urinary markers of tobacco-related exposure to ni- and changes in gene expression. trosamines and PAHs.3 Steve Tannenbaum’s presentation In the session on mutagenesis, James Felton discussed focused on ways of increasing specificity using high-perfor- methods of identifying and quantifying environmental expo- mance liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry methods sures, using heterocyclic amines and the Ames test as the to the point of being able to identify exact mass and structure primary hooks on which to hang his narrative. He noted that we of the relevant marker molecule. currently explain only 25% of the mutagenicity in meat with Christopher Wild showed the value of undertaking parallel known compounds. studies in humans and cells, in this instance exploring molec- Richard Albertini discussed his work on somatic muta- ular progression in Barrett esophagus patients and studying the tions in humans as mechanistic probes for exposure. He noted effects of acid and bile salts on esophageal cells in vitro. the value of using markers such as hypoxanthine phosphoribo- Measuring diet remains a major problem for epidemio- syltransferase in “forward mode” as integrated indicators of logic studies as a result of a wide variety of influences including both exposure and biological impact. He further described the real within-person variation; changes over time, both in behav- capacity to use such markers in “reverse mode” to probe for cell ior and food supply; measurement error; difficulties with mem- kinetics and mutability in target cells. He demonstrated the ory and recall; and mismatches between foods analyzed for increase of in vivo mutation frequency of hypoxanthine phos- dietary tables and foods actually consumed. An approach to phoribosyltransferase with age, smoking, radiation, and so eliminating some of the flaws inherent in food frequency ques- forth. He also noted the mutagenic effect of depleted uranium tionnaires involves the use of diaries, long thought impractical exposure in Gulf War veterans. In discussing DNA damage in in the setting of large epidemiologic studies. Sheila Bingham, in the setting of the EPIC cohort study, Paolo Vineis noted the the setting of the EPIC study of half a million individuals across complex relations among exposure, adducts, genetic variability Europe, demonstrated the value, even superiority, of this ap- in repair capacity, and cancer, looking, eventually, to methods proach, comparing the data with biomarkers and with data that allow us to integrate exposure, intermediate biology, early generated using food frequency questionnaires. outcomes, and late outcomes in more sophisticated and in- Yasuhito Yuasa reported on increased methylation (more formed models than current epidemiologic approaches allow. marked in males) of specific HOX genes (genes central to basic Stefano Bonassi presented data on micronuclei, but whether body design in animals) in gastric cancer and in its precursor micronuclei predict cancer risk remains unresolved. condition,
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