Healthy behavioral choices and cancer screening in persons living with HIV/AIDS are different by sex and years since HIV diagnosis

Associations of Oral Contraceptives with Mammographic Breast Density in Premenopausal Women

BACKGROUND

We investigated the associations of oral contraceptives (OC) with percent breast density (PD), absolute dense area (DA), nondense area (NDA), and a novel image intensity variation (V) measure in premenopausal women.

METHODS

This study included 1,233 controls from a nested case-control study within Nurses' Health Study II cohort. Information on OCs was collected in 1989 and updated biennially. OC use was defined from the questionnaire closest to the mammogram date. PD, DA, and NDA were measured from digitized film mammograms using a computer-assisted thresholding technique; the V measure was obtained with a previously developed algorithm measuring the SD of pixel values in the eroded breast region. Generalized linear regression was used to assess associations between OCs and density measures (square root-transformed PD, DA, and NDA, and -untransformed V).

RESULTS

OC use was not associated with PD [current vs. never: β = -0.06; 95% confidence interval (CI), -0.37-0.24; past vs. never: β = 0.10; 95% CI, -0.09-0.29], DA (current vs. never: β = -0.20; 95% CI -0.59-0.18; past vs. never: β = 0.13; 95% CI, -0.12-0.39), and NDA (current vs. never: β = -0.19; 95% CI, -0.56-0.18; past vs. never: β = -0.01; 95% CI, -0.28-0.25). Women with younger age at initiation had significantly greater V-measure (<20 years vs. never: β = 26.88; 95% CI, 3.18-50.58; 20-24 years vs. never: β = 20.23; 95% CI, -4.24-44.71; 25-29 years vs. never: β = 2.61; 95% CI -29.00-34.23; ≥30 years vs. never: β = 0.28; 95% CI, -34.16-34.72, P _trend = 0.03).

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings suggest that an earlier age at first OC use was associated with significantly greater V.

IMPACT

These findings could guide decisions about the age for OC initiation.

The Florida Cohort study: methodology, initial findings and lessons learned from a multisite cohort of people living with HIV in Florida

In 2013, Florida had the highest rate of new HIV infections and only 56% of persons living with HIV (PLWH) were virally suppressed. In response, we initiated a new HIV cohort in Florida to better understand issues affecting HIV health outcomes. This manuscript will describe the procedures of the Florida Cohort; summarize information regarding enrollment, follow-up, and findings to date; and discuss challenges and lessons learned during the establishment of a multisite cohort of PLWH. Florida Cohort participants were enrolled from eight clinics and community-based organizations geographically diverse counties across Florida. Data were obtained from participant questionnaires, medical records, and state surveillance data. From 2014-2018, 932 PLWH (44% ≥50 years, 64% male, 55% black, 20% Latinx) were enrolled. At baseline, 83% were retained in care and 75% were virally suppressed. Research findings to date have focused on outcomes such as the HIV care continuum, HIV-related comorbidities, alcohol and drug use, and mHealth interventions interest. Strengths included the diversity of the sample and the linkage of participant surveys with existing surveillance data. However, the study had several challenges during planning and follow-up. The lessons learned from this study can be helpful when initiating a new longitudinal cohort study.

Adolescent caffeine consumption and mammographic breast density in premenopausal women

PURPOSE

Previous studies suggest that coffee and caffeine intake may be associated with reduced breast cancer risk. To date, there is limited and inconsistent epidemiologic evidence for associations of adolescent diet with mammographic breast density, a strong and consistent predictor of breast cancer. We investigated the association of adolescent caffeine intake with mammographic density in premenopausal women.

METHODS

This study included 751 cancer-free women within the Nurses' Health Study II cohort. Percent breast density (PD), absolute dense (DA) and non-dense areas (NDA) were measured from digitized film mammograms using a computer-assisted thresholding technique; all measures were square root-transformed. Energy-adjusted adolescent caffeine intake was estimated using the data from a food frequency questionnaire. Information regarding breast cancer risk factors was obtained from questionnaires closest to the mammogram date. We used generalized linear regression to quantify associations of caffeine intake with breast density measures.

RESULTS

In multivariable analyses, adolescent caffeine intake was not associated with any of the density phenotypes (caffeine 4th vs. 1st quartile: β = - 1.27, 95% CI - 4.62; 2.09, p-trend = 0.55 for percent density; β = - 0.21, 95% CI - 0.76, 0.34, p-trend = 0.65 for absolute dense area, and β = 0.23, 95% CI - 0.28, 0.74, p-trend = 0.50 for non-dense area). Additional adjustment of the models for body mass index at age 18 resulted in attenuation of the risk estimates.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings do not support the hypothesis that adolescent caffeine intake is associated with premenopausal mammographic breast density.