Southern Community Cohort Study Archives

Novel lung cancer biomarker

Jan. 9, 2023—Autoantibodies against the p53 tumor suppressor protein may be a novel biomarker for identifying people, especially African Americans, at high risk for lung cancer.

H. pylori and lung cancer

Aug. 1, 2022—Specific biomarkers for H. pylori — a bacterium that infects the stomach — were associated with increased risk of lung cancer, Vanderbilt researchers have discovered.

Study measures Alzheimer’s risk reductions associated with healthy lifestyles

Jun. 13, 2022—Reported June 13 in Neurology, an Alzheimer’s disease risk study from Vanderbilt University Medical Center measures significantly reduced risk associated with healthy lifestyles, including non-smoking, leisure-time exercise, low-to-moderate alcohol consumption, adequate sleep and healthy diet.

Diet and colorectal cancer risk

Feb. 14, 2022—Higher dietary intake of antioxidant compounds found in fruits, vegetables, teas and spices was associated with lower risk of colorectal cancer, and intake was lower among Black participants, potentially contributing to colorectal cancer health disparities.

Oral microbes and gastric cancer

Dec. 13, 2021—Studies in three large population cohorts that include Asian, African American and European American people support a role for the oral microbiota — the collection of microbial species in the mouth — in gastric cancer development.

Study to evaluate how environment impacts cancer risk

Oct. 21, 2021—Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center is leading an ambitious project to assess the impact of environmental exposures on cancer risk for people living in Southern states.

Spirituality may help reduce end-stage kidney disease risk

Mar. 25, 2021—Researchers from Vanderbilt’s Division of Nephrology and Hypertension have identified an under-studied characteristic that may have a protective effect on end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) risk among vulnerable populations.

Study links Medicaid expansion and recipients’ health status

Jan. 6, 2020—In Southern states that expanded their Medicaid programs under the Affordable Care Act, adults experienced lower rates of decline in both physical and mental health, according to research published this month in the journal Health Affairs.

Mouth microbes and colorectal cancer

Jun. 6, 2019—Microbial species in the mouth could be playing a role in colorectal cancer development, according to new research from epidemiologists at VUMC.

Study finds higher death rates in poor neighborhoods

Jan. 18, 2018—Living in an economically disadvantaged neighborhood is likely to lead to death at an earlier age, especially among African-Americans, new research shows. The death rate is even more pronounced among disadvantaged individuals with unhealthy lifestyle habits.

middle aged african american man outdoors

Role for mouth microbes in diabetes?

Mar. 8, 2017—A higher abundance of certain bacterial species in the mouth appears to reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes, Vanderbilt investigators have discovered.