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J H Olsen

Publications and source records attributed to J H Olsen.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1995

Cancer in the parents of children with cancer.

BACKGROUND: Certain types of cancer in children and young adults have been linked with an increased risk of cancer in close relatives. However, the relation between childhood cancer and familial risk remains to be fully assessed in population-based studies. METHODS: We conducted a nationwide study in Denmark of 11,380 parents of children with cancer. The children were identified from records in the Danish Cancer Registry; their parents were identified from population registers. The occurrence and rate of cancer in the parents were determined with use of the Cancer Registry's files and compared with national incidence rates for various categories of tumor. RESULTS: Overall, 1445 cancers were diagnosed in the parents, as compared with 1496 expected from national incidence rates, to yield standardized incidence ratios of 1.0 (95 percent confidence interval, 0.9 to 1.0) for all parents, 1.0 for mothers, and 0.9 for fathers. The lower rate of cancer among fathers reflected their lower standardized incidence ratio for lung cancer (0.8; 95 percent confidence interval, 0.6 to 0.9), as calculated from 144 observations. CONCLUSIONS: Genetic determinants are important in several types of childhood cancer, but the genetic susceptibility to tumors does not generally extend to the parents of children with cancer, nor do the patterns of incidence point to the influence of shared environmental factors. Thus, cancer in children should not be viewed as a general marker for an increased risk of cancer in the patients' parents.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1995

[Primary intracranial and intraspinal neoplasms in Denmark 1943-1987].

This is a descriptive study of primary intracranial and intraspinal tumours notified to the national Danish Cancer Registry during the years 1943-1987. A total of 19,317 cases of benign and malignant neoplasms were included over these 45 years with a doubling of the age-standardized incidence rates for both men and women from start till end of the registration period. The trend was mainly explained by markedly increasing rates in the age groups 60 years or above at diagnosis. Approximately some 74% of tumours were derived from the brain tissues and 19% from the intracranial and intraspinal meninges. Meningiomas predominate among women with a male:female ratio of 0.5, while tumours of the brain tissues predominate among men (ratio 1.3). Meningiomas are more frequently encountered as a chance finding at autopsy compared to other types of intracranial and intraspinal tumours. The above-mentioned increase in age-specific incidence is due mainly to improved diagnostic capabilities over the period and a subsequent decrease in the underreporting of these tumour types.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1995

[Cancer risk after splenectomy].

Removal of the spleen may possibly affect functions of the immune system. Cancer risk following splenectomy was evaluated by performing a linked register study in Denmark from 1977-89. From the Hospital Discharge Register we identified 1103 patients splenectomized after traumatic rupture of the spleen and 5212 patients splenectomized for various malignant or non-malignant disorders and both groups were followed for cancer occurrence in the Danish Cancer Registry. No increased risk for cancer was observed among patients who underwent splenectomy due to trauma. In contrast, there were excesses of a number of specific cancers among patients who underwent splenectomy for non-traumatic reasons, but to a large extent this could be explained by factors related to the underlying disease and/or treatment of the disease.

Adult↗
PubMed1995

Cancer in patients with ulcerative colitis.

A cohort of 5,546 ulcerative colitis patients was identified from the Danish Hospital Discharge Register for 1977-1989. Patients not included in the cohort comprised those with proctitis, those treated in outpatient clinics and those for whom follow-up was less than 1 year. The cohort was linked to the Danish Cancer Registry in order to assess the risks for colorectal and other cancers. The linkage revealed a significant increase in the number of colorectal cancers over that in the general population (RR = 1.8; n = 42; 95% CI = 1.3-2.4) with consistent relative risks during early and late follow-up. The relative risk was considerably higher among younger (20-39 years: RR = 22; n = 8; 95% CI = 9.7-44) than older patients (> or = 60 years: RR = 1.3; n = 25; 95% CI = 0.8-1.9), but the risk difference between patients and the general population was approximately constant across all ages. In addition, we observed a significant increase in the relative risk of hepatobiliary cancers (RR = 2.3; n = 9; 95% = 1.0-4.3) and a slight but significant increase in the relative risk of non-melanoma skin cancer (RR = 1.4; n = 37; 95% CI = 1.0-1.9). In summary, our population-based study confirms the increased risk of colorectal cancer among patients with ulcerative colitis and provides new leads suggesting that hepatobiliary cancer and non-melanoma skin cancer should be considered as possible sites for future patient monitoring.

Adult↗
PubMed1995

Cancer risk following primary hemochromatosis: a population-based cohort study in Denmark.

A population-based cohort of 120 Danish men, discharged with a hospital diagnosis of primary hemochromatosis from 1977 to 1989, was followed up to 1989 for subsequent cancer risk. Nineteen subjects (including 6 with primary liver cancers) were excluded from the analysis, either because they died within the same month of hemochromatosis diagnosis or because they had cancer prior to diagnosis of hemochromatosis. Among the 101 remaining subjects, 4 primary liver cancers occurred one year or more after the diagnosis of hemochromatosis, far surpassing the expected number based on incidence rates from the Danish population (standardized incidence ratio 92.9, 95% confidence interval 25.0 to 237.9). The excess of liver cancer was associated with cirrhosis and included cholangiocarcinoma as well as hepatocellular carcinoma. Significantly elevated risks were also observed for non-hepatic cancers (13 cases; SIR 3.5, 95% CI 1.9 to 6.0), notably esophageal cancer (2 cases; SIR 42.9, 95% CI 4.8 to 154.9) and skin melanoma (2 cases; SIR 27.8, 95% CI 3.1 to 100.3). The results of this population-based study are in accordance with the hypothesis that patients with primary hemochromatosis have a substantial risk of primary liver cancer. Further studies of hemochromatosis may be useful in clarifying the relation of non-hepatic malignancies to body iron stores in the general population.

Adult↗
PubMed1995

Cancer risk after splenectomy.

BACKGROUND: Splenectomy may have an impact on immunologic function. To the authors' knowledge, the only previous epidemiologic study investigating cancer risk among patients splenectomized because of trauma reported no increased cancer risk. In contrast, several investigations have suggested that splenectomy in patients with Hodgkin's disease increases the risk for secondary leukemia independent of treatment. METHODS: To evaluate the cancer risk of patients who underwent splenectomy after traumatic rupture of the spleen, 1103 patients were identified between 1977 and 1989 through Danish hospital discharge records. Another 5212 splenectomized patients also were identified to perform additional analyses for assessing cancer risk subsequent to splenectomy for nontraumatic indications including benign and malignant conditions. Cancer occurrence was determined by performing a linkage to the Danish Cancer Registry. For comparison, expected numbers of cases of cancer were calculated from national cancer incidence rates. RESULTS: The number of cancer cases observed among posttraumatic splenectomized patients matched the expected number (relative risk = 1.0; n = 20; 95% confidence interval = 0.6-1.6) in an average follow-up of 6.8 years. Additional analyses identified possible excesses of a number of site-specific neoplasms among certain subgroups of patients undergoing splenectomy for nontraumatic reasons, but the numbers in the subgroup analyses were small. CONCLUSIONS: No increased risk for cancer was observed among patients who underwent splenectomy because of trauma. However, an increased risk for some specific cancer sites was found in patients who underwent splenectomy for nontraumatic reasons, although the effect of treatments for underlying disease and lifestyle habits such as cigarette smoking could not be ruled out in explaining these excess risks.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1995

Antiepileptic treatment and risk for hepatobiliary cancer and malignant lymphoma.

The possible influence of phenobarbital and phenytoin treatment on cancer risk was investigated in a case-control study nested in a cohort of 8004 epileptic patients in Denmark. Information on anticonvulsive treatments was abstracted for 95% of 60 patients with cancers of the liver and biliary tract or malignant lymphoma and for 94% of 171 cancer-free control patients. Use of anticonvulsive drugs was correlated with angiographic procedures that used Thorotrast, a well-known human liver carcinogen. After exclusion of study subjects exposed to Thorotrast, no association was seen between treatment with phenobarbital and cancer of the liver (odds ratio, 1.0; 95% confidence interval, 0.1-8.0) or biliary tract (odds ratio, 0.8; 95% confidence interval, 0.1-4.2). Furthermore, a histopathological evaluation of slides from 7 of 9 liver cancer patients not treated with Thorotrast revealed that 3 of the 4 cases of hepatocellular carcinoma involved cirrhosis of the liver, which suggested an etiological role for alcohol or viral hepatitis. A possible link was observed between use of phenytoin and risk for non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (1.8; 0.5-6.6), with a rising trend in risk with increasing dose. Our results suggest that the increased risk for cancers of the liver and biliary tract among Danish epileptic patients is likely to be due to Thorotrast administration and factors associated with cirrhosis of the liver rather than to anticonvulsive treatment.

Aged↗
PubMed1995

Formaldehyde and cancer morbidity among male employees in Denmark.

Formaldehyde, a genotoxic and potent animal carcinogen, is widespread in the working environment as well as in private homes. The risk for cancer morbidity in Denmark during 1970-84 was estimated from standardized proportionate incidence ratios (SPIR) among men whose longest employment had been held since 1964, at least 10 years before diagnosis, in 265 companies in which exposure to formaldehyde was identified. The results do not support the hypothesis that formaldehyde is associated with lung cancer (SPIR = 1.0, 410 cases). Significantly elevated risks were found for cancers of the colon (SPIR = 1.2, 166 cases), kidney (SPIR = 1.3, 60 cases), and sino-nasal cavities (SPIR = 2.3, 13 cases). For sino-nasal cancer, a relative risk of 3.0 (95 percent confidence interval = 1.4-5.7) was found among blue-collar workers with no probable exposure to wood dust, the major confounder. This study provides further evidence that occupational exposure to formaldehyde increases the risk for sino-nasal cancer.

Adult↗
PubMed1995

Cancer risk following polymyositis and dermatomyositis: a nationwide cohort study in Denmark.

Polymyositis and dermatomyositis (PM/DM) have been associated with cancer, although the long-term risks are poorly understood. To evaluate the risk of cancer by time periods subsequent to PM/DM diagnosis, a cohort of 539 patients hospitalized with PM/DM in Denmark between 1977 and 1989 was identified from the Danish Central Hospital Discharge Register. Cancer incidence among cohort members was ascertained by linkage to the Danish Cancer Registry using a unique personal-identification number. The overall cancer risk was elevated significantly among patients with DM (standardized incidence ratio [SIR] = 3.8, 95 percent confidence interval [CI] = 2.6-5.4) and to a lesser extent PM (SIR = 1.7, CI = 1.1-2.4). Significant excesses were observed for cancers of lung, ovary, and lymphatic and hematopoietic system. However, the excess cancer incidence declined steadily with increasing years since initial diagnosis of PM/DM. The cancer risk was increased about sixfold (SIR = 5.9, CI = 3.8-8.7) during the first year, but was lower during the second year (SIR = 2.5, CI = 1.1-4.8), with no significant excesses in subsequent years of follow-up. These findings confirm that PM/DM may occur as a paraneoplastic syndrome that calls for steps aimed at early cancer detection and treatment. Among long-term survivors of PM/DM, however, there is little evidence to warrant extensive preventive and screening measures beyond those recommended for the general population.

Adult↗
PubMed1995

Trends in survival after childhood cancer in Denmark, 1943-87: a population-based study.

Survival from cancer in childhood and adolescence was studied in a population-based series of 8312 cases in children aged 0-19 years notified to the Danish Cancer Registry during 1943-87. During the first period (1943-72), 5-year survival rates from all malignant neoplasms increased from 23% (1943-52) to 33% (1963-72). The greatest improvement was seen during the period 1973-87 when 5-year survival rates reached 64% (1983-87). Between 1973-77 and 1983-87, 5-year survival rates increased from 32% to 62% for leukaemia, from 40% to 70% for acute lymphoblastic leukaemia, from 35% to 54% for non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, from 50% to 66% for central nervous system neoplasms and from 25% to 49% for bone tumours. An improvement in 5-year survival rates from Wilms' tumour was seen between 1960 (19%) and 1980 (81%). Up to 1972, the 5-year survival rate from germ-cell neoplasms was approximately 40%; among patients diagnosed in 1983-87, 76% survived for 5-years. Annual lethality decreased by 2.5% for all malignant neoplasms in 1943-72 and by 4.4% in 1972-87. Lethality was similar for boys and girls during the period 1943-72, but was significantly lower for girls subsequently. A marked effect of age at diagnosis was seen in the early registration period, where lethality rate for the age group 0-9 years was substantially higher compared with that in the age group 10-19 years. This inequality persisted only for children less than 2 years of age at the time of diagnosis in the later period.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1994

Meniscal ossification. II. The normal pattern in the tiger knee.

Examination of knee menisci of Bengal tigers revealed ossicles within the cartilaginous anterior horn of each medial meniscus. This ossification was not evident in the neonatal animal, but was present in animals aged 20 months or older. The ossicle appeared prior to the completion of skeletal maturation at the knee, and was composed of normal remodeling trabecular bone. While most animals had a single, variably sized ossicle, multiple ossicles also occurred. The meniscal cartilage apposed to the femoral articulation exhibited a distinct columnar pattern in the region of the ossicle, in contrast to the non-columnar pattern throughout the bulk of the meniscus, including the ossicle side apposed to the tibial plateau. In this particular large mammalian species medial meniscal ossification appears to be a normal anatomical variation that progressively develops following birth, and may serve as a model for the phylogenetic (developmental) theory of etiology.

Aging↗
PubMed1994

Cancer morbidity among employees in a Danish pharmaceutical plant.

BACKGROUND: Workers in the pharmaceutical industry may be exposed to many potential carcinogens. We investigated cancer morbidity in a Danish plant where enzymes, insulin, antibiotics and sex hormones were produced in substantial quantities. METHODS: Altogether 10,889 people ever employed (1964-1988) at the pharmaceutical plant were retrieved from the files of a compulsory pension fund, and followed-up in the nationwide Danish Cancer Registry (1964-1989). Site-specific standardized incidence ratios (SIR) were estimated, based on cancer rates for the national population. Information on risk factors for breast cancer, e.g. number of children, age at menarche and first delivery, obesity, and non-occupational use of sex hormones was obtained from samples of the female employees, and compared to equivalent variables from the general population. RESULTS: The overall SIR for women was significantly elevated (n = 5554; SIR = 1.2). Excess risk was particularly seen for breast cancer (n = 97; SIR = 1.5), especially in a subgroup who had started work at the factory aged 30-39 and had continued to work for 1-9 years (SIR = 2.8). The SIR was near unity for men (n = 5335); however, three men with breast cancer versus 0.4 expected were found. Lifestyle components explained only about one-quarter of the excess female breast cancers. Proxy measures of intensity of occupational exposure to sex hormones or insulin showed no association with the risk for breast cancer. CONCLUSIONS: It seems unlikely that either a single occupational factor or an unusual reproductive pattern can explain the elevated breast cancer risk. Therefore, the finding requires further study.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1994

Risk factors for renal cell carcinoma in Denmark: role of medication and medical history.

BACKGROUND: Several recent studies of risk factors for renal cell carcinoma have indicated that use of diuretics may increase risk of this cancer. It has also been suggested that use of weak analgesics, which are known to increase risk of cancer of the renal pelvis and ureter, may also be associated with an increased risk of renal cell carcinoma--the most frequent type of kidney cancer. METHODS: A population-based case-control study was undertaken to investigate the role of diuretics, other anti-hypertensive drugs, analgesics, and medical history in the aetiology of renal cell carcinoma. The study base was the total Danish population, and 368 histologically verified cases and 396 sex- and age-matched controls who were interviewed from February 1989 to May 1992. RESULTS: Response rates were 76% among cases and 79% among controls. We found no general increase in risk among users of diuretics or analgesics, although women taking loop diuretics and heavy users of acetyl salicylic acid had slightly increased risks. The use of nondiuretic anti-hypertensive medications was associated with decreased risk in women. We found non-significantly increased risks for history of hypertension and other cardiovascular disorders. We also observed elevated risks for urological disorders in both sexes which may be a result of recall bias. CONCLUSION: This study provides only limited support for the suggested association between risk of renal cell carcinoma and use of diuretics and analgesics. The coexistence of renal cell carcinoma and cardiovascular diseases could be caused by risk factors that are common to these conditions.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

Cancer incidence and mortality in workers exposed to fluoride.

BACKGROUND: Although a recent bioassay showed increased frequency of bone cancer in rats with high oral intake of fluoride, the data are reported as equivocal evidence of carcinogenicity. In humans, occupational fluoride exposure may cause skeletal fluorosis, and our earlier follow-up of fluoride-exposed workers showed increased incidence of respiratory cancers. PURPOSE: To further evaluate occupational fluoride exposure as a carcinogenic risk factor, we extended by approximately one decade the follow-up of a cohort of 425 men and 97 women employed for at least 6 months in the period 1924-1961 at the Copenhagen cryolite processing plant. Cryolite ore contains about 50% fluoride. METHODS: Cancer mortality was determined for the period 1941-1989, and incidence for 1943-1987. For comparison, we used national mortality rates and cancer incidence rates for the Copenhagen area. RESULTS: Among the men, 300 deaths occurred; 223 were expected. Respiratory (lung and laryngeal) cancers and violent death were responsible for most of this excess; rates for mortality from cardiovascular disease were close to the rates expected. Of the 423 male workers, 119 developed cancers; 103.6 were expected. There was excess incidence of cancers of the lungs (35 men; standard incidence ratio [SIR] = 1.35), larynx (5 men; SIR = 2.29), and urinary bladder (17 men; SIR = 1.84). Maximum incidence occurred after 10-19 years of employment, but otherwise, no stable relationship between cancer incidence and duration of employment was observed. The incidence of respiratory and urinary cancers was particularly high in men less than 35 years old at first employment. Cancers in female workers were too few to allow detailed evaluation. CONCLUSIONS: The increased incidence of respiratory cancers suggests that cigarette smoking was frequent in this cohort, despite the unremarkable cardiovascular mortality, but the disproportionate increase in the incidence of bladder cancer is difficult to explain by smoking habits alone. Because this industrial cohort was exposed to high concentrations of fluoride dust, heavy respiratory exposure to fluoride may have contributed to the increased cancer risk. If these workers inhaled a carcinogenic substance partly excreted in the urine, an increased incidence of respiratory and bladder cancers would not be inconceivable. IMPLICATION: The potential role of fluoride as a cause of bladder cancer needs to be explored.

Adult↗
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

Multiple myeloma among Danish women: employment history and workplace exposures.

To investigate the role of employment history and workplace exposures as risk factors for multiple myeloma among women, a population-based case-control study using the Danish Cancer Registry data linkage system was conducted. All cases of myeloma diagnosed in Danish women between 1970 and 1984 (1,010 cases) and 4,040 age-matched women alive at the time of case-diagnosis were identified. Industrial histories from 1964 forward were obtained from the nationwide Pension Fund for 363 cases and 1,517 controls, and the most recent occupation on the tax record was available for 607 cases and 2,596 controls. Using industry/occupational-code combinations for the cases and controls who had industry employment, Danish industrial hygienists assessed the likelihood of exposure to 47 workplace substances. An increased myeloma risk (odds ratio [OR] = 1.2, 95 percent confidence interval [CI] = 1.0-1.5) was seen for women not in the Pension Fund, but who had an occupational title coded as 'Mrs/homemaker.' Nonsignificantly elevated risks of 1.3 or greater were observed for employment in: production of agricultural products; orchards/nurseries; spinning/weaving; other textile and plastics manufacturing; hotel, entertainment, and social services industries. Elevated, but nonsignificant risks were observed for possible and probable exposure to exhaust fumes, formaldehyde, wood dust, animals or animal products, and pesticides. The strongest association with myeloma was employment in the agricultural industry (OR = 1.5, CI = 0.8-2.8), however, the number of women who worked on family farms was unknown and could not be included in this risk estimate.

Adult↗