PubMed Health⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

H Tulinius

Publications and source records attributed to H Tulinius.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
PubMed1995

Linkage to BRCA2 region in hereditary male breast cancer.

Breast cancer is rare in men, and family history of the disease is a risk factor. The recently discovered BRCA2 gene on chromosome 13q is thought to account for some families with increased risk of breast cancer, including male breast cancer. We describe a family with multiple cases of male breast cancer but, interestingly, no increase in female breast cancer. Linkage to the BRCA2 region is demonstrated and all the affected men share the same haplotype for the BCRA2 markers and loss of the other alleles in their tumours.

Aged↗
PubMed1995

High levodopa use in periodically time-clustered, Icelandic birth cohorts. A vestige of parkinsonism etiology? Europarkinson Preparatory Activity Research Group.

We evaluated levodopa use (LDU) by the Icelandic population focusing on: 1) annual gross levodopa (LD) sales from wholesalers to pharmacies for the period 1978-1990, using a reported method; 2) data from a prescription survey conducted from October 1st, 1990 to March 31st, 1991; and 3)raw and reported data on prevalences of Parkinson's disease (PD) in 1963 in this country. The standard for adjustments and reference population for LDU comparisons was the Swedish in 1984. Crude gross sales of LD in Iceland in 1990 and in Sweden in 1984 amounted to 1.67 and 1.35 DDD/1000 person days respectively. After respective adjustments for age, and for age and the infant mortality rates, taken as an indicator of health care quality, LDU in Iceland in 1990 was found to be 1.82 and 1.63 (95% CI 1.47-1.89) times that for Sweden. Prevalences of LD-prescription recipients in 1990-1991 and of PD in 1963 increased with age; however, those of drug users were higher than those of PD among the elderly. Higher-than-expected prevalences of PD and LD-prescription users (there being a partial overlap between these two categories) were found in periodically-clustered, one-year birth cohorts. These results support the notion that Iceland has a high LDU and suggest that this variation is due to a high prevalence of LD responsive disorders. Cohorts born after registered whooping cough outbreaks in Iceland may account for the magnitude and birth-related pattern of PD prevalences and LDU levels.

Adult↗
PubMed1994

Gastric cancer in Iceland: a retrospective study of resected gastric specimens in a high-risk country during 30 years (1960-1989).

The world-wide incidence of gastric cancer is decreasing, especially in high-risk populations such as the Icelanders. We examined retrospectively 1,040 specimens of resected gastric cancers from a 30-year period, 1960-1989. The decrease in incidence in both sexes involved mainly the largest histological group, the intestinal-type tumours. In males there was also a decrease in diffuse tumours but in females these remained relatively unchanged. Tumours of the antrum and the corpus decreased in both sexes. In males there was a significant increase in tumours of the cardia and most of these were of the intestinal type. In females there was a minor increase in tumours of the cardia, all of which were of the intestinal type. An increase in incidence of tumours of the cardia concomitant with a decrease in incidence of tumours in other parts of the stomach suggests a difference in aetiological factors. The death risk for patients with tumours of the cardia was 59% higher than that for those with tumours in other parts. The death risk following gastric resection was not significantly different when patients with intestinal-type tumours and diffuse tumours were compared.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1994

Neoplastic diseases in families of breast cancer patients.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether the risk of cancer at all sites, and at individual sites other than breast, prostate, ovaries, and endometrium, is increased among relatives of breast cancer patients compared with the general population. DESIGN: A cohort of family members of breast cancer patients was established. The probands were chosen by year of birth or time of diagnosis. Any influence of knowledge of the cancer experience of the relatives has been avoided. The risk estimates are based on expected numbers computed from age and time specific incidence rates for the Icelandic population. SETTING: Iceland. SUBJECTS: The population of Iceland. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Relative risks by degree of relatedness and age of proband. RESULTS: The relative risk of cancer at all sites is raised for males and females. This is more than expected based on the known familial risk of breast cancer, prostate, and ovarian cancer. The excess risk of breast, prostate, and ovarian cancer is confirmed, but not that of cancer of the endometrium. The risk of cancer of the pancreas in both sexes and the stomach and kidneys in females is significantly raised. No evidence was found for decreased risk for any cancer type. CONCLUSIONS: The risk of cancer at all sites in relatives of breast cancer patients is increased. In addition to the risk of breast, prostate, and ovarian cancer, the risk of pancreas cancer and cancer of the stomach and kidneys in females is raised, but the last mentioned observations need further confirmation.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

Risk of prostate, ovarian, and endometrial cancer among relatives of women with breast cancer.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the risk of prostate, ovarian, and endometrial cancer among relatives of patients with breast cancer. DESIGN: Cohort study of 947 pedigrees in which the proband had breast cancer, linked with the Icelandic cancer registry. SETTING: Iceland. SUBJECTS: The 947 pedigrees included 29,725 people, of whom 1539 had breast cancer, 467 had prostate cancer, 135 ovarian cancer, and 105 endometrial cancer. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Risk of prostate, ovarian, and endometrial cancer among blood relatives of women with breast cancer compared with risk in spouses. RESULTS: The risk of prostate cancer was significantly raised for all relatives (1.5), first degree relatives (1.4), and second degree relatives (1.3) of women with breast cancer. Risk of ovarian cancer was raised for all relatives (1.9) and first degree relatives (1.9) and risk of endometrial cancer was raised for all relatives only (1.9). The risk of prostate cancer was raised if the proband with breast cancer had a first degree relative with prostate cancer. CONCLUSIONS: Coaggregation exists between breast cancer and cancers of the prostate, ovaries, and endometrium. This risk relation is probably based on genes which act by increasing the risk for cancer at these sites. Environmental factors that are common among relatives may also play a part. Continued research is required into pathophysiological mechanisms that could explain these observations.

Aged↗
PubMed1992

Trends in childhood leukaemia in the Nordic countries in relation to fallout from atmospheric nuclear weapons testing.

OBJECTIVE: To obtain further information about the risks of childhood leukaemia after exposure to ionising radiation at low doses and low dose rates before or after birth or to the father's testes shortly before conception. DESIGN: Observational study of trends in incidence of childhood leukaemia in relation to estimated radiation exposures due to fallout from atmospheric nuclear weapons testing during the 1950s and 1960s. SETTING: Nordic countries. SUBJECTS: Children aged under 15 years. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Incidence rates of leukaemia by age at diagnosis, sex, country, and calendar year of diagnosis or year of birth; exposure category; relation between leukaemia and exposure for children aged 0-14 and 0-4 separately. RESULTS: During the high fallout period the average estimated dose equivalent to the fetal red bone marrow was around 140 mu Sv and the average annual testicular dose 140 mu Sv. There was little evidence of increased incidence of leukaemia among children born in these years. Doses to the red bone marrow of a child after birth were higher, and during the high exposure period children would have been subjected to an additional dose equivalent of around 1500 mu Sv, similar to doses received by children in several parts of central and eastern Europe owing to the Chernobyl accident and about 50% greater than the annual dose equivalent to the red bone marrow of a child from natural radiation. leukaemia incidence and red marrow dose was not related overall, but rates of leukaemia in the high exposure period were slightly higher than in the surrounding medium exposure period (relative risk for ages 0-14: 1.07, 95% confidence interval 1.00 to 1.14; for ages 0-4: 1.11, 1.00 to 1.24). CONCLUSIONS: Current predicted risks of childhood leukaemia after exposure to radiation are not greatly underestimated for low dose rate exposures.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1992

Latent thyroid carcinoma in Iceland at autopsy.

The annual incidence rate of thyroid carcinoma in Iceland is high, 4.4 pr. 100,000 men, and 11.7 pr. 100,000 women, as published by the Icelandic Cancer Registry for the period 1955-1984. This rate is more than twice that in the other Nordic countries and one of the highest incidence rates reported anywhere. This led us to investigate the prevalence rate of latent thyroid carcinoma in Iceland. We serially sectioned and examined thyroid glands from 201 consecutive forensic autopsies. Altogether, sixteen carcinomas were identified in fourteen glands: fourteen papillary, one follicular and one medullary carcinoma. We conclude that the prevalence rate of latent thyroid carcinoma in each sex does not follow the frequency distribution of clinical disease, being 7.5% in males and 5.1% in females. Comparisons between populations show the same lack of consistency. Further, most, but not all, latent carcinomas of the thyroid gland are of the papillary type. These findings suggest that promoting factors might be of particular importance where incidence and mortality rates are high, but further research is needed into the role of host resistance.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1992

Epidemiology of breast cancer in families in Iceland.

The Icelandic Cancer Registry has collected 989 pedigrees of breast cancer patients since 1972. In addition to the probands, the families also include 401 other women with breast cancer, so family information exists for 1390 women with breast cancer out of a total of 2748 diagnosed with the disease from 1910 to 1988. Most of the probands have been selected with care to avoid the bias of selecting families with a known history of breast cancer. After excluding all those who did not conform to the strict selection criteria, 947 pedigrees remained for this analysis. First, second, and third degree relatives all had a significantly increased risk of breast cancer: 2.26, 1.43, and 1.49, respectively. Male relatives also had a significantly increased risk, whereas females related by marriage had not. Of the first degree relatives, sisters had the largest increase in risk. When pedigrees were classified by the age at diagnosis of breast cancer of the proband, the risk was highest in the relatives of probands who were young at diagnosis. Bilaterality of breast cancer increased the risk in relatives and the highest risk (9.04) was found in sisters of probands with bilateral disease and an age at diagnosis of first cancer of less than 45 years (95% confidence limits 4.14, 17.18). Sisters consistently have the highest risk, significantly higher than other first degree relatives. This points to an important role of shared environmental aetiological factors acting after birth and it can not yet be excluded that most of the increase in risk can be explained by this.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adult↗
PubMed1992

Tumours in Iceland. 16. Malignant tumours of the stomach. Histological classification and description of epidemiological changes in a high-risk population during 30 years.

Iceland is one of the high-risk countries for stomach cancer. During the period 1955-84 the incidence declined from 76 to 28 per 10(5) p.a. for males and from 30 to 12 for females. Tissue material from the primary site in 978 males and 448 females was available for histological typing. By the WHO classification tubular carcinoma was most frequent in both sexes, 66% in males and 63% in females, and signet-ring carcinoma second, 13% in males and 16% in females. By the Laurén classification in males 78.1% were intestinal and 16.5% diffuse carcinomas, and in females 73.1% were intestinal and 20.7% diffuse carcinomas. The decline in stomach cancer in Icelanders has mostly affected the intestinal type of tumour (Laurén) and the tubular type of tumour (WHO). Diffuse type tumours (Laurén) have declined slightly. This supports the theory that intestinal carcinomas are more influenced by environmental and especially dietary factors, and that diffuse carcinomas are more influenced by other as yet unknown factors. For epidemiological studies both histological classifications have their value, the WHO especially in that it is based on standard histopathological criteria and the Laurén especially in that it only includes two tumour types. The WHO classification can roughly be transcribed to the Laurén classification as tubular, mucinous and papillary carcinomas fall into the group of intestinal tumours, and signet-ring and more than half of undifferentiated carcinomas into the group of diffuse tumours.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1991

Cancer of the pancreas in Iceland. An epidemiologic and clinical study, 1974-85.

A retrospective study was performed of all patients diagnosed as having pancreatic cancer in Iceland during the period 1974-85 (12 years). The incidence of the disease during the period according to this study was 10.7 per 100,000 males and 9.8 per 100,000 females, with age-adjusted world standard incidences of 9.0 per 100,000 males and 6.7 per 100,000 females. A total of 301 patients were identified; adequate information could be obtained for 281 patients, and 225 (74.8%) had the diagnosis histologically confirmed. Two hundred and five patients with adenocarcinoma were accepted for detailed analysis. Of the patients with adenocarcinoma 139 (67.8%) were diagnosed at laparotomy, and 33 of them had the tumour resected, with an operative mortality of 12.1%. The cancer was located in the head of the pancreas in 102 patients (49.8%), and in 159 (77.6%) metastases were found at the time of diagnosis. The median survival time for the patients with adenocarcinoma was 95.4 days (SD +/- 11.1 days), although there were two patients in this group who were alive 5 years after diagnosis. The median survival for the total group of 281 patients was 98.3 days (SD +/- 11.0 days), although 6 of these patients lived for more than 5 years. The percentage of histologically confirmed tumours in Iceland is high compared with many previously reported studies.

Adenocarcinoma↗
PubMed1991

Latent malignancies at autopsy: a little used source of information on cancer biology.

Latent carcinomas, found incidentally at autopsy, are defined, and information about such tumours in the prostate, adrenal gland, kidney and thyroid is reviewed. A previously unsuspected carcinoma of the prostate was found in 350 of 1327 (26.4%) autopsies performed in seven countries on men over 45 years of age. The prevalence of latent carcinoma of the prostate at autopsy was greater in older men and in areas of higher incidence and/or mortality, as for clinical carcinomas. Neuroblastomas of the adrenal gland have been reported at a rate of 1:39 in newborn infants who died of other causes; this rate is comparable to that of latent prostatic carcinoma. Neuroblastomas are not found in the adrenal glands of infants older than three months, indicating that the body has a method for destroying them. Latent carcinomas are also found in the thyroid gland at autopsy, at rates ranging from 10 to 30%. The age and area differences seen for prostatic carcinoma do not appear to be operative for these tumours; moreover, latent carcinomas are found more frequently in males, whereas the clinical disease is twice as frequent in females. More research should be carried out to elucidate the differences between people who develop clinical carcinoma, those who have a latent carcinoma 'under control' and those who have neither.

Autopsy↗
PubMed1991

Cholecystectomy and colorectal carcinoma: a total-population historical prospective study.

The relationship between cholecystectomy and colorectal cancer in the Icelandic population was analyzed in a historical prospective study. A total of 3,425 individuals (857 males and 2,568 females) who underwent cholecystectomy during a 26-yr period (1955-1980) were followed for 8-33 yr. The risk of colonic cancer in Icelandic males increased significantly 11 yr or more after operation (relative risk, 2.73; 95% confidence interval, 1.25-5.19). This is the only study that shows a significantly increased risk of colonic cancer in males only. In spite of this increased risk, regular screening for colonic cancer in Icelandic males would probably not be warranted, since almost 70% of the males are 70 yr old or older at the time of diagnosis.

Adenocarcinoma↗
PubMed1990

Reproductive factors and breast cancer risk in Iceland. A second cohort study.

In a previous prospective study we showed elevated risks for breast cancer in nulliparous women compared to parous women, in those having their first pregnancy at a higher age, and those with few children. This was based on 216 women diagnosed with breast cancer during 1965 to 1975 among 34,525 women having attended the cervix cancer detection clinic in Iceland by the end of 1974, and born between 1906 and 1945. The present investigation on 848 cases, diagnosed among 61,040 women attending the cervix cancer detection clinic during 1964 to 1984 and born between 1901 and 1960, shows the same risk factors to be significant. The relative risks are, however, smaller. The reasons for the difference in relative risks are discussed. We find that the effect of age at first birth is significant for women up to the age of 65 and not for older women. In both cohorts, women older than 55 are underrepresented and more so in the earlier report. In addition, the small number of cases in the reference group with age at first birth below 20 appears to have made the figures of our earlier report unreliable.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

Age at first birth, parity and risk of breast cancer: a meta-analysis of 8 studies from the Nordic countries.

Several large epidemiological studies in the Nordic countries have failed to confirm an association between age at first birth and breast cancer independent of parity. To assess whether lack of power or heterogeneity between the countries could explain this, a meta-analysis was performed of 8 population-based studies (3 cohort and 5 case-control) of breast cancer and reproductive variables in the Nordic countries, including a total of 5,568 cases. It confirmed that low parity and late age at first birth are significant and independent determinants of breast-cancer risk. Nulliparity was associated with a 30% increase in risk compared with parous women, and for every 2 births, the risk was reduced by about 16%. There was a significant trend of increasing risk with increasing age at first birth, women giving first birth after the age of 35 years having a 40% increased risk compared to those with a first birth before the age of 20 years. Tests for heterogeneity between studies were not significant for any of the examined variables. In the absence of bias, this suggests that several individual Nordic studies may have had too little power to detect the weak effect of age at first birth observed in the meta-analysis.

Breast Neoplasms↗
PubMed1990

Left and right sided breast cancer.

Many studies have shown that unilateral breast cancer is more frequent in the left breast than in the right. This has been investigated in the Icelandic Cancer Registry. Information on all but 18 female breast cancer cases diagnosed in the forty-year-period from 1948 to 1987, a total of 2139 cases, was used. Of these 2011 were unilateral, 1069 were in the left breast, an excess of 13%. Primary breast cancer in both breasts was diagnosed in 81 women, 35 in the left breast first, and 46 in the right breast first. The excess risk of developing cancer remains for the left breast also for women who have already lost one breast because of cancer. Information on whether their relatives had developed breast cancer existed for 1197 of these women. Patients with an affected first degree relative were of 2.54 fold risk of developing contralateral primary breast cancer, but women with no affected relative were at a reduced risk (not significant). Patients with right sided breast cancer are more likely to have a relative with breast cancer. The breast cancer status of the relatives did not influence the risk of death, so a better survival of familial cases could not be shown.

Breast Neoplasms↗
PubMed1989

The value of screening as an approach to cervical cancer control in Iceland, 1964-1986.

The effect of screening for cervical cancer on time trends in incidence and mortality from that disease, and the occurrence of pre-invasive cervical lesions during the period 1964-1986, were analyzed. After commencement of screening in 1964 all the above parameters increased for a short initial period but then fell markedly. From 1980, coinciding with a sharp rise in regular attendance rate, there was an increase in incidence up to 1984, followed by a decrease. The rate of pre-invasive stages also increased from 1980, but appears to be levelling off. The cervical cancer mortality rate decreased significantly during the study period. In more recent years, a shift in the occurrence of cervical cancer and pre-invasive lesions from older to younger women has been observed. Screening still appears to be effective in the control of squamous-cell carcinomas of stages I B and over, but not of adeno- and adenosquamous carcinomas.

Adult↗