Seoul National University · Medicine
Professor Aesun Shin's research lab focuses on epidemiological and molecular investigations into the etiology and prevention of gastrointestinal cancers, particularly gastric and colorectal cancers, with an emphasis on population-based cohort and case-control studies in Asian populations. The lab explores the roles of environmental, dietary, and genetic factors—such as *H. pylori* infection, dietary nutrients (e.g., calcium, fiber), and genetic polymorphisms (e.g., TGF-beta1) —in cancer development. A key research direction involves understanding etiological heterogeneity across colorectal cancer subsites (proximal colon, distal colon, rectum) and identifying modifiable risk factors for early intervention. The lab also examines psychological comorbidities in chronic conditions, such as atopic dermatitis in adolescents, highlighting a growing interest in the intersection of physical and mental health in chronic disease.
Figures are computed from collected data and may differ slightly.
Gastric cancer has been the most commonly diagnosed cancer in Korea although the age-standardized mortality and incidence has decreased gradually during last two decades. Helicobacter pylori infection and cigarette smoking are well-established risk factors, and the role of dietary factors, such as salted foods, fresh vegetables and fruits, soy foods, and processed or grilled meats on gastric carcinogenesis has been suggested. In this review, we review national and international gastric cancer st
The rapid increase in colorectal cancer incidence is mainly attributed to the increase in colon cancer, especially distal colon cancer, and may be explained by a transition of risk factors for subsites or by the effect of colorectal cancer screening.
We evaluated the associations of dietary intake of calcium, fiber and vitamins with colorectal cancer risk in a population-based prospective cohort study conducted among Chinese women in Shanghai. Subjects were recruited in urban Shanghai from March 1997 to May 2000. All subjects were interviewed in-person to obtain information on demographic and lifestyle factors and anthropometric measurement was conducted. Usual dietary intake, using a validated food frequency questionnaire was assessed at th
Adolescents who have AD are associated with a higher prevalence of depression symptoms and suicidal behaviors. Adolescent AD patients may need interventions from clinicians and caregivers that use a holistic approach to prevent psychological comorbidities, although further research is needed to clarify this relationship.
Transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) inhibits the proliferation of carcinomas in early stages of breast cancer, whereas it promotes tumor growth and metastasis in later stages of cancer. We evaluated a possible association between TGF-beta1 gene polymorphisms and breast cancer risk in a population-based case-control study of Chinese women living in Shanghai, which included 1,127 breast cancer cases and 1,228 population controls. Two polymorphisms, C-509T and T+29C, were in strong linkage d
We investigated the association of colorectal cancer risk factors with different colorectal cancer subsites to assess etiological differences for cancers of the proximal colon, distal colon, and rectum. Included in this study were 869,725 men and 395,501 women who participated in a health examination provided by the Korean National Health System between 1996 and 1997. During up to 7 years of follow-up, 4,144 incident colorectal cancer cases were detected (3,051 men and 1,093 women). Greater heig
Although meat intake has been fairly consistently linked to the risk of colorectal cancer, only a few studies have evaluated meat intake by doneness level and the heterocyclic amines (HCAs) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) produced by high temperature cooking of meat in relation to colorectal adenomatous and hyperplastic polyps. We evaluated these associations in a large colonoscopy-based case-control study. Included in this study were participants with adenomatous polyp only (n = 573
Colorectal cancer (CRC) has been recognized as one of the major malignancies in Korea. Analyses of dietary patterns can provide insight into the complex interactions of foods, nutrients, and biologically active components within a diet, which vary among populations. We aimed to investigate the associations between dietary patterns and colorectal cancer risk in Koreans. In a study of 923 cases and 1846 controls, principal component analysis was used to identify dietary patterns based on 33 predef
The epidemiology of lung cancer in Korea has changed over a short time span, with decreasing mortality and improving survival rates. Further study is warranted to determine the cause of these changes.
The role of diet-associated inflammation in colorectal cancer is of interest. Accordingly, we aimed to examine whether the dietary inflammatory index (DII) was associated with the risk of colorectal cancer in a case-control study conducted in Korea. The DII was based on dietary intake, which was determined by a 106-item semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire completed by 923 colorectal cancer cases and 1846 controls. Logistic regression was used to estimate odd ratios (ORs) and 95% confi
Most colorectal cancers arise from adenomatous polyps or certain hyperplastic polyps. Only a few studies have investigated potential genetic modifiers of the associations between meat intake and polyp risk, and results are inconsistent. Using data from the Tennessee Colorectal Polyp Study, a large colonoscopy-based study, including 1,002 polyp cases (557 adenoma only, 250 hyperplastic polyp only, 195 both polyps) and 1,493 polyp-free patients, we evaluated the association of colorectal polyp ris
Open papers in the app to read, cite, and organize with AI.
