Selected Articles from This Issue

There is limited information on the positive predictive value (PPV) of symptoms as indicators of early-onset colorectal cancer. To evaluate the PPV of symptoms for detecting early-onset colorectal cancer, Chubak and colleagues conducted a study across 72 medical centers within three community-based integrated healthcare systems that harmonized their colorectal cancer testing data as part of the PRECISE study. Results suggested that specific symptoms and combinations may identify patients with a ≥3% prevalence of colorectal cancer in those aged 42 to 49 and that fecal testing results may further identify patients with a higher probability of colorectal cancer. Future research is needed to develop high PPV strategies for identifying early-onset colorectal cancer without compromising sensitivity.Using SEER data from 739,448 breast cancer cases (2000–2016), Lu and colleagues evaluated whether social vulnerability contributes to racial and ethnic disparities in late-stage diagnosis and breast cancer–specific mortality. Social vulnerability partially mediated these disparities, with socioeconomic status and overall vulnerability explaining portions of the excess risk among non-Hispanic Black and Hispanic women. Among Hispanic women, social vulnerability accounted for up to 31% of higher mortality risk. For Asian/Pacific Islander women, household composition and minority status/language influenced mortality differences. The findings suggest that distinct dimensions of social vulnerability affect breast cancer outcomes differently across populations, underscoring the need for targeted structural interventions to reduce inequities.Zhao and colleagues aimed to comprehensively evaluate the potential association between Helicobacter pylori infection and metabolic dysfunction–associated steatotic liver (MASLD) using UK Biobank data and a meta-analysis of eight prospective cohorts. In the UK Biobank cohort. H. pylori seropositivity was linked to a trend toward higher MASLD risk, while seropositivity for the virulence factor CagA was significantly associated with increased risk. Participants positive for both H. pylori and CagA had the greatest risk. The pooled analysis showed a 24% higher risk of MASLD among infected individuals, supporting a potential role for H. pylori, particularly CagA-positive strains, in MASLD development and risk stratification. If confirmed, these findings could have implications for risk stratification and inform targeted eradication or prevention strategies.Lung cancer in young adults is a biologically distinct disease, predominantly affecting women and never-smokers, with 84% of cases harboring targetable mutations that are largely unrelated to active or passive tobacco exposure, yet the environmental factors contributing to risk remain poorly understood. Gorbatov and colleagues used data from 187 participants in the Epidemiology of Young Lung Cancer study, to identify distinct mutation-specific environmental and lifestyle patterns. EGFR Pathway and Fusion-Positive patients had the highest diet quality scores, driven primarily by higher intake of vegetables, fruits, and whole grains, food categories with established protective associations and documented pesticide residues. These findings highlight potential nontobacco risk factors and support further investigation of dietary and hormonal influences in young-onset lung cancer.