title: Sex disparities in the association of lung adenocarcinoma with colorectal cancer.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Most cancers share common risk factors. It might provide evidence of shared risk factors with cancers by investigating cross-country and cross-township comparisons.
  
  
  METHODS
  The data were obtained from International Association of Cancer Registries/World Health Organization and the National Cancer Registration Program of Taiwan. Age standardized incidence rates were calculated among gastric cancer, colorectal cancer and lung adenocarcinoma in 19 countries from 1995 to 1998. The Pearson correlations were also compared among 3 types of cancers for both sexes.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The incidence rates of gastric and colorectal cancer throughout different countries show male dominance with a male-to-female sex ratio of around 2 and 1.5, respectively. Significant cross-country correlations in colorectal cancer (r=0.918, p<0.001), gastric cancer (r=0.985, p<0.001) and lung adenocarcinoma (r=0.685, p=0.001) were observed between men and women. There was a significant international correlation between colorectal cancer and lung adenocarcinoma in men (r=0.526, p=0.021), but not in women. In cross-township comparisons of Taiwan, there were significant correlations in colorectal cancer (r=0.451, p<0.001), gastric cancer (r=0.486, p<0.001), and lung adenocarcinoma (r=0.217, p<0.001) between men and women. There were links of lung adenocarcinoma and gastric cancer (r=0.122, p=0.024) and colorectal cancer (r=0.128, p=0.018) in women, and lung adenocarcinoma and colorectal cancer in men (r=0.276, p<0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There were associations between lung adenocarcinoma and colorectal cancer between and in both sexes in Taiwan, but not in cross-country comparisons. The results suggest that some factor, like genes, may be important as determinants for the association between lung adenocarcinoma and colorectal cancer.
authors: 1. Department of Public Health and Institute of Public Health, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung City 40201, Taiwan;
authors: Zhi-Hong
authors: ZH
authors: Jian
authors: Chia-Chi
authors: CC
authors: Lung
authors: Jing-Yang
authors: JY
authors: Huang
authors: Shih-Yung
authors: SY
authors: Su
authors: Chien-Chang
authors: CC
authors: Ho
authors: Yi-Chen
authors: YC
authors: Chiang
authors: Yung-Po
authors: YP
authors: Liaw
keywords: Colorectal cancer; Lung adenocarcinoma; Pearson correlation.