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Ji-Yeob Choi

Seoul National University · Medicine

About the Lab

Professor Ji-Yeob Choi's research lab focuses on the molecular epidemiology of cancer, with a particular emphasis on the roles of oxidative stress, genetic polymorphisms, and environmental exposures in carcinogenesis. The lab investigates how genetic variations in antioxidant enzymes (e.g., MnSOD, CAT, GPX1, CYP2E1, NQO1) and epigenetic changes (e.g., DNA hypomethylation) influence susceptibility to prostate, breast, and bladder cancers. Using nested case-control studies within large cohort trials such as the Carotene and Retinol Efficacy Trial (CARET), the lab explores gene-environment interactions related to lifestyle factors like alcohol consumption, iron intake, and paternal age. The research aims to identify biomarkers and genetic risk factors that can inform personalized prevention and early detection strategies.

oxidative stressgenetic polymorphismscancer riskepigeneticsgene-environment interaction

Research Overview

Papers
410
Total Citations
10,154
Papers (5y)
197
Primary Field
Medicine

Research Output Trend

Figures are computed from collected data and may differ slightly.

Publications per year (5y)
197total
2022
2023
2024
2025
2026
Citations per year (5y)
366total
20222023202420252026

Selected Papers

15
1
Article|185 citations·2009
Association between global DNA hypomethylation in leukocytes and risk of breast cancer
Ji‐Yeob Choi, Smitha R. James, Petra A. Link, Susan E. McCann, Chi-Chen Hong, Warren Davis, Mary Nesline, Christine B. Ambrosone, Adam R. Karpf
SJR Q1FWCI 8.5CarcinogenesisOA

These findings suggest that leukocyte DNA hypomethylation is independently associated with development of breast cancer.

Molecular BiologyBiochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology
2
Article|119 citations·2008
Iron intake, oxidative stress-related genes ( MnSOD and MPO ) and prostate cancer risk in CARET cohort
Ji‐Yeob Choi, Marian L. Neuhouser, Matt J. Barnett, Chi‐Chen Hong, Alan R. Kristal, Mark Thornquist, Irena B. King, Gary E. Goodman, Christine B. Ambrosone
SJR Q1FWCI 4.4CarcinogenesisOA

Iron overload may increase prostate cancer risk through stimulation of oxidative stress, and endogenous pro- and antioxidant capabilities, i.e. manganese superoxide dismutase (MnSOD) and myeloperoxidase (MPO), may modify these associations. We investigated this hypothesis in the Carotene and Retinol Efficacy Trial cohort in a nested case-control study. Although there was no association between iron intake and risk overall, there was a suggestion of increased risk of clinically aggressive prostat

Molecular BiologyBiochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology
3
Article|103 citations·2007
Polymorphisms in Oxidative Stress–Related Genes Are Not Associated with Prostate Cancer Risk in Heavy Smokers
Ji‐Yeob Choi, Marian L. Neuhouser, Matt J. Barnett, Matthew B. Hudson, Alan R. Kristal, Mark Thornquist, Irena B. King, Gary E. Goodman, Christine B. Ambrosone
SJR Q1FWCI 3.4Cancer Epidemiology Biomarkers & PreventionOA

Oxidative stress, associated with aging and inflammation, is likely to play a role in the etiology of prostate cancer. We evaluated potential associations between gene variants that result in reduced neutralization of reactive oxygen species (ROS; MnSOD Ala-16Val, CAT -262 C>T, and GPX1 Pro200Leu) and prostate cancer risk among 724 men with incident prostate cancer who participated in the Carotene and Retinol Efficacy Trial (CARET) cohort, a randomized trial for the prevention of lung cancer amo

BiochemistryMedicine
4
Article|85 citations·2005
Association of paternal age at birth and the risk of breast cancer in offspring: a case control study
Ji‐Yeob Choi, Kyoung-Mu Lee, Sue K. Park, Dong‐Young Noh, Sei Hyun Ahn, Keun‐Young Yoo, Daehee Kang
SJR Q2FWCI 1.7BMC CancerOA

These findings suggest that older paternal age increases the risk of breast cancer in their female offspring.

OncologyMedicine
5
Article|68 citations·2003
Role of alcohol and genetic polymorphisms of CYP2E1 and ALDH2 in breast cancer development
Ji‐Yeob Choi, Josef Abel, Thomas J. Neuhaus, Yon Ko, Volker Harth, Nobuyuki Hamajima, Kazuo Tajima, Keun-Young Yoo, Sue K. Park, Dong‐Young Noh, Wonshik Han, Kuk‐Jin Choe
FWCI 1.6Pharmacogenetics

This study therefore suggests that the CYP2E1 c2 allele may influence the individual susceptibility to breast cancer in alcohol-consuming women.

Molecular BiologyBiochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology
6
Article|66 citations·2003
CYP2E1 and NQO1 genotypes, smoking and bladder cancer
Ji‐Yeob Choi, Eunil Lee, Soo-Hun Cho, Soo-Woong Kim, Han-Yong Choi, Sang‐Yoon Lee, Hyoung‐June Im, Ki Jung Yoon, Hwang Choi, Inmi Choi, Ari Hirvonen, Richard B. Hayes
FWCI 2.8Pharmacogenetics

Our findings suggest that CYP2E1 and NQO1 genotypes may play an important role in development of smoking related bladder cancer among Korean men.

Molecular BiologyBiochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology
7
Article|56 citations·2005
Genetic Polymorphisms of <i>SULT1A1</i> and <i>SULT1E1</i> and the Risk and Survival of Breast Cancer
Ji‐Yeob Choi, Kyoung-Mu Lee, Sue K. Park, Dong‐Young Noh, Sei-Hyun Ahn, Hyewon Chung, Wonshik Han, Jeong Soo Kim, Sang Goo Shin, In‐Jin Jang, Keun‐Young Yoo, Ari Hirvonen
SJR Q1FWCI 1.4Cancer Epidemiology Biomarkers & PreventionOA

We examined whether common single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) in SULT1A1 (c.779G>A, *14A>G, and *85C>T) and SULT1E1 (IVS1-447C>A, IVS4-1653T>C, and *959G>A) genes influenced the risk and survival of breast cancer. Our study population consisted of 989 histologically confirmed sporadic breast cancer patients and 1,054 controls without history of cancer recruited from three teaching hospitals in Seoul. Odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) were estimated by logistic regression

Molecular BiologyBiochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology
8
Article|55 citations·2003
hOGG1 Ser326Cys Polymorphism and Breast Cancer Risk among Asian Women
Ji‐Yeob Choi, Nobuyuki Hamajima, Kazuo Tajima, Keun-Young Yoo, Kyung‐Sik Yoon, Sue K. Park, Sook-Un Kim, Kyung-Mu Lee, Dong‐Young Noh, Se-Hyun Ahn, Kuk‐Jin Choe, Wonshik Han
SJR Q1FWCI 2.1Breast Cancer Research and Treatment
Molecular BiologyBiochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology
9
Article|52 citations·2009
Nitric Oxide Synthase Variants and Disease-Free Survival among Treated and Untreated Breast Cancer Patients in a Southwest Oncology Group Clinical Trial
Ji‐Yeob Choi, William E. Barlow, Kathy S. Albain, Chi‐Chen Hong, Javier G. Blanco, Robert B. Livingston, Warren Davis, James M. Rae, I‐Tien Yeh, Laura F. Hutchins, Peter M. Ravdin, Silvana Martino
SJR Q1FWCI 4.4Clinical Cancer ResearchOA

Variants encoding lower activity of NOS3 may affect outcomes in breast cancer patients, with the direction of risk differing depending on chemotherapy status. These results may mirror the known dual functions of nitric oxide and nitric oxide synthase, depending on oxidative environment.

GeneticsBiochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology
10
Article|38 citations·2006
Genetic Polymorphisms of eNOS, Hormone Receptor Status, and Survival of Breast Cancer
Ji‐Yeob Choi, Eunil Lee, Dong‐Young Noh, Sei‐Hyun Ahn, Jongeun Lee, Wonshik Han, In‐Jin Jang, Sang‐Goo Shin, Keun‐Young Yoo, Richard B. Hayes, Daehee Kang
SJR Q1FWCI 2.1Breast Cancer Research and Treatment
PhysiologyMedicine
11
Review|35 citations·2006
The Role of Genetic Variability in Drug Metabolism Pathways in Breast Cancer Prognosis
Ji‐Yeob Choi, Susan Nowell, Javier G. Blanco, Christine B. Ambrosone
SJR Q3FWCI 5.9Pharmacogenomics

Among patients receiving adjuvant therapy for breast cancer, there is variability in treatment outcomes, and it is unclear which patients will receive the most benefit from treatment and which will have better disease-free survival. To date, most studies of breast cancer prognosis have focused on tumor characteristics, but it is likely that pharmacogenetics, genetic variability in the metabolism of therapeutic agents, also plays a role in the prediction of survival. In this paper, we briefly dis

PharmacologyPharmacology, Toxicology and Pharmaceutics
12
Article|20 citations·2015
Tumor Subtype-Specific Associations of Hormone-Related Reproductive Factors on Breast Cancer Survival
Nan Song, Ji‐Yeob Choi, Hyuna Sung, Sujee Jeon, Seokang Chung, Minkyo Song, Sue K. Park, Wonshik Han, Jong Won Lee, Mi Kyung Kim, Keun‐Young Yoo, Sei Hyun Ahn
SJR Q1FWCI 1.1PLoS ONEOA

It is suggested that reproductive factors, specifically age at menarche, number of children, time since last birth, and duration of estrogen exposure, could influence breast tumor progression, especially in the HR+ HER2+ subtype.

OncologyMedicine
13
Review|19 citations·2014
The Associations between Immunity-Related Genes and Breast Cancer Prognosis in Korean Women
Jaesung Choi, Jaesung Choi, Nan Song, Sohee Han, Seokang Chung, Hyuna Sung, Ji‐Young Lee, Sun Jae Jung, Sue K. Park, Keun‐Young Yoo, Wonshik Han, Jong Won Lee
SJR Q1FWCI 0.4PLoS ONEOA

We investigated the role of common genetic variation in immune-related genes on breast cancer disease-free survival (DFS) in Korean women. 107 breast cancer patients of the Seoul Breast Cancer Study (SEBCS) were selected for this study. A total of 2,432 tag single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in 283 immune-related genes were genotyped with the GoldenGate Oligonucleotide pool assay (OPA). A multivariate Cox-proportional hazard model and polygenic risk score model were used to estimate the effe

Molecular BiologyBiochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology
14
Article|19 citations·2023
Associations Between Modifiable Risk Factors and Changes in Glycemic Status Among Individuals With Prediabetes
Salma Nabila, Ji-Eun Kim, Jaesung Choi, JooYong Park, Aesun Shin, Sang‐Ah Lee, Jong‐Koo Lee, Daehee Kang, Ji‐Yeob Choi
SJR Q1FWCI 3.8Diabetes CareOA

More favorable modifiable factors were related to a higher probability of returning to normoglycemia and a lower probability of progression to type 2 diabetes.

Endocrinology, Diabetes and MetabolismMedicine
15
Article|17 citations·2013
Heterogeneity of epidemiological factors by breast tumor subtypes in Korean women: A case-case study
Nan Song, Ji‐Yeob Choi, Hyuna Sung, Seokang Chung, Minkyo Song, Sue K. Park, Wonshik Han, Jong Won Lee, Mi Kyung Kim, Keun‐Young Yoo, Sei-Hyun Ahn, Dong‐Young Noh
SJR Q1FWCI 0.2International Journal of CancerOA

Breast cancer is heterogeneous in clinical behavior by subtypes; however, it is unclear how this heterogeneity is related to epidemiological factors. To evaluate the differences in epidemiological factors by breast tumor subtypes, we investigated the associations of epidemiological factors between tumor subtypes in Korean women. From the Seoul Breast Cancer Study, a total of 3,058 patients with breast cancer were included in the analyses. Tumor subtypes were classified based on hormone receptor

Cancer ResearchBiochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology

Research Areas

General Health ProfessionsGeneticsOncologyMolecular BiologyPhysiologyPublic Health, Environmental and Occupational Health

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