ORIGINAL_ARTICLE
Traffic Air Pollution - Is it Safe to be a Traffic Policeman or Professional Driver?
https://journal.waocp.org/article_24323_bdd42199d1c31d17ff63cf31255f3103.pdf
2005-02-01
107
109
ORIGINAL_ARTICLE
3rd APOCP Regional Conference, Zibakenar, Rasht, Iran April 25-27, 2005
https://journal.waocp.org/article_24324_ed38e7eab6a96fd59e7e21669ff840b3.pdf
2005-02-01
110
112
ORIGINAL_ARTICLE
A Review of Proteomics in Cancer Research
The most functional compartment encoded by the genome is proteome. Therefore study of proteome i.e. proteomics is the promising approach in identification, separation and quantitation of functional changes. It aims to gain a comprehensive understanding of the expressions, modifications, interactions, and regulation of proteins in cells. The power of two-dimensional electrophoresis and advances in mass spectrometric techniques, combined with sequence data base correlation, has enabled speed and accuracy in identification of proteins in complex mixtures. Therefore, proteomics may provide a better understanding of the molecular basis of cancer growth, with identification of potential pathological markers and therapeutic targets. Tobacco related cancers are the major health hazard in Asian countries; the proteomics approach should be employed for understanding the underlying disease processes and hopefully reveal important clues for identifying high risk individuals and early changes during malignant transformation.
https://journal.waocp.org/article_24325_472c5c00896cc7ae288bd00250b952a8.pdf
2005-02-01
113
117
ORIGINAL_ARTICLE
Dietary Cardamom Inhibits the Formation of Azoxymethaneinduced Aberrant Crypt Foci in Mice and Reduces COX-2 and iNOS Expression in the Colon
Recently, considerable attention has been focused on identifying naturally occurring chemopreventive compounds capable of inhibiting, retarding, or reversing the multi-step carcinogenesis. The primary aim of the present study was to identify the effects of a commonly consumed spice, viz., cardamom against azoxymethane (AOM) induced colonic aberrant crypt foci (ACF) in Swiss Albino mice. The secondary aim, was to explore the ability of cardamom to modulate the status of proliferation and apoptosis, and to understand its role in altering cyclooxygenase-2 (COX- 2) and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) expression. Male Swiss albino mice were injected with AOM (dose: 5mg/Kg body weight) or saline (Group 1) weekly once for two weeks. The AOM-injected mice were randomly assigned to two groups (Groups 2 and 3). While all the groups were on standard lab chow, Group 3 received oral doses of 0.5% cardamom, in aqueous suspension, daily for 8 weeks. Following treatment, significant reduction in the incidences of aberrant crypt foci (p<0.05) was observed. This reduction in ACF was accompanied by suppression of cell proliferation (mean Brdu LI in carcinogen control=13.91+3.31, and 0.5%cardamom=2.723+0.830) and induction of apoptosis (mean AI in carcinogen control=1.547+0.42 and 0.5% cardamom= 6.61+0.55). Moreover, reduction of both COX-2 and iNOS expression was also observed. These results suggest that aqueous suspensions of cardamom have protective effects on experimentally induced colon carcinogenesis. Cardamom as a whole and its active components require further attention if the use of this spice is to be recommended for cancer prevention.
https://journal.waocp.org/article_24326_eb1078eeb142ddfd4af4fc82bae6d603.pdf
2005-02-01
118
122
Cardamom
azoxymethane
aberrant crypt foci
COX-2
iNOS
ORIGINAL_ARTICLE
Is it Relevant to Screen Women Younger than 26 Years for Precancerous and Malignant Cervical Lesions ?
Cervical cancer is a serious health problem and most of the cases occur in less developed countries where effective screening systems are lacking. The aim of our present study is to delineate the age for early detection of precancerous cervical lesions. Cervical smears were screened (Pap test) over a period of four and half years from January 2000 to June 2004. The pattern of lesions was found to be almost same among the age groups of 26 to 35 years and 36 to 45 years. This result tempted us to think that detection of cervical lesions at an early age younger than 26 years may be an important step forward towards complete cure.
https://journal.waocp.org/article_24327_7d562a18f93d6d4af25722d000d6d7ca.pdf
2005-02-01
123
124
Pap test
early age
precancerous cervical lesion
ORIGINAL_ARTICLE
Attitudes of Patients to Alternative Medicine For Cancer Treatment
Awareness of attitudes to different types of medicine is very important for estabishment of cancer prevention programs. Alternative medicine has become an important feature of oncology regardless of geographic region, and in India, the majority of cancer patients present at late advance stage of disease when curative treatment cannot be initiated. Given the lack of facilities it is no surprise that many Indian cancer patients try various complementary and alternative medicines, depsite the fact that little is known about their therapeutic efficacy and toxicity. A study was conducted in 300 biopsy proven cancer patients undergoing alternative cancer therapy with Psorinum in Kolkata. The main aim of the study was to analyze the patients’/ caregivers narratives regarding the therapy they have been trying. One hundred and ninety five patients (65%) have consulted their oncologists before trying this therapy. About 18.5 % of the patients expressed satisfaction with the therapy due to the holistic nature and team approach employed for patient management. The cost of the therapy was within the reach of many cancer patients belonging to the underprivileged segment of the society, contributing to its immense popularity in Kolkata. Whether this can be translated into a willingness to use similar natural compounds for cancer prevention and treatment purposes now needs to be analysed.
https://journal.waocp.org/article_24328_f0436688ad02d3415b6c7c1684e318af.pdf
2005-02-01
125
129
Awareness - alternative cancer therapy –
homeopathy - India
ORIGINAL_ARTICLE
Time Trends in the Occurrence of Major GI Cancers in Iran
Objective: The aim of this study was to study the changes in occurrence of esophageal, stomach and colon cancers (cancers of interest) over the last 30 years in Iran. Material and Methods: Cancer cases referred to two main cancer centers in the country (the Shiraz cancer center and the Tehran cancer center) during last 30 years and published by the two centers were utilized. Morbidity odds ratios (MOR) were used to study trend in the occurrence of each cancer site in each center. For this purpose the cancers of interest were considered as cases; childhood cancers as controls; and calendar year as exposure. A regression line was fitted to morbidity odds ratios over years and the slope of the regression line was considered to indicate the overall trend. MORs and 95% CIs comparing the last five and first five years were computed to measure the magnitude of the change over time. Result: The overall trend for esophageal cancer was decrease (slopes = -0.02 for Shiraz and -0.03 for Tehran); for stomach was increase (slopes = 0.04 for Shiraz and 0.08 for Tehran), and for colon cancer was sharp increase (slopes = 0.02 for Shiraz and 0.10 for Tehran). The magnitude of changes showed stomach cancer to increase by 35% in Shiraz (MOR = 1.35 with 95% CI 1.1, 1.65) and 13% in Tehran (MOR = 1.13 with 95% CI 0.96, 1.38), esophageal cancer to decrease by 20% in Shiraz (MOR = 0.82 with 95% CI 0.62, 1.11) and 50% in Tehran (MOR = 0.52 with 95% CI 0.45, 0.60), and colon cancer to increase by 65% in Shiraz (MOR = 1.65 with 95% CI 1.26, 2.16) and 82% in Tehran (MOR = 1.82 with 95% CI 1.52, 2.25). Conclusion: During the last thirty years the occurrence of major GI cancers has changed in Iran with sharp increase in colon cancer, slight to moderate increase in stomach cancer and sharp decrease in esophageal cancer.
https://journal.waocp.org/article_24329_7bd771f48653bc6e56802425cb87e24d.pdf
2005-02-01
130
134
cancer
time trends
esophagus
stomach
Colon
Iran
ORIGINAL_ARTICLE
Survival Analyses of Breast Cancer Patients-the Shaukat Khanum Memorial Experience
Seven hundred subjects with breast cancer malignancies were followed up in time from December 1994 to December 2002 to determine survival distributions between sub-groups of breast cancer patients who had undergone surgical resection of the tumor followed by adjuvant treatment. Tumor size, nodal status, and Estrogen Receptor (ER) status at the time of presentation were ascertained. Tumors were classified according to the TNM system of the American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC), sixth edition, and grouped into T1/T2 and T3/T4; lymph nodes were categorized as N0 (node-negative) and N1, N2, and N3 combined (node-positive). The endpoint of interest for diseasefree survival was relapse, and for overall survival, it was death. The Wilcoxon statistics for testing the equality of disease-free survival distributions between groups of patients with tumor size greater than 5 versus less than or equal to 5 cm, node-positive versus node-negative, and ER-positive versus ER-negative were found to be statistically significant (p < 0.05). For overall survival, substantial differences were found between groups of patients stratified according to tumor diameter and nodal involvement, but none for ER status.
https://journal.waocp.org/article_24330_60eea6f0146bd0b33f9e3050b29800ed.pdf
2005-02-01
135
138
breast cancer
Estrogen Receptor
nodal status
survival
tumor size
ORIGINAL_ARTICLE
Geographical Variation in the Epidemiology of Esophageal Cancer in Pakistan
Seven hundred subjects with breast cancer malignancies were followed up in time from December 1994 to December 2002 to determine survival distributions between sub-groups of breast cancer patients who had undergone surgical resection of the tumor followed by adjuvant treatment. Tumor size, nodal status, and Estrogen Receptor (ER) status at the time of presentation were ascertained. Tumors were classified according to the TNM system of the American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC), sixth edition, and grouped into T1/T2 and T3/T4; lymph nodes were categorized as N0 (node-negative) and N1, N2, and N3 combined (node-positive). The endpoint of interest for diseasefree survival was relapse, and for overall survival, it was death. The Wilcoxon statistics for testing the equality of disease-free survival distributions between groups of patients with tumor size greater than 5 versus less than or equal to 5 cm, node-positive versus node-negative, and ER-positive versus ER-negative were found to be statistically significant (p < 0.05). For overall survival, substantial differences were found between groups of patients stratified according to tumor diameter and nodal involvement, but none for ER status.
https://journal.waocp.org/article_24331_de8685785b3c3ec3de5e09aa00dfd9fe.pdf
2005-02-01
139
142
esophagus
geographic area of residence
sex
site of origin
Squamous Cell Carcinoma
ORIGINAL_ARTICLE
Determination of Sunburn and Skin Cancer Risk of Outpatients in a Dermatology Polyclinic
Public health experts and medical professionals continue to issue warnings to people about the dangers of ultraviolet (UV) radiation fromthe sun, tanning beds, and sun lamps. Skin cancer is more common than any other type of cancer and exposure to sun is known to contribute to all three major types, namely, basal-cell carcinoma, squamouscell carcinoma and cutaneous melanoma. While skin cancer has been associated with sunburn, moderate tanning may also exert an influence. Seven steps to safer sunning are avoiding the sun, using a sunscreen, wearing a hat, wearing sunglasses, covering up, avoiding artificial tanning, and checking skin regularly. Thee spernt study was performed to examine the knowledge, attitudes, and risk factors of individuals concerning skin cancer. A descriptive survey was conducted among 475 patients randomly selected from the Dermatology Polyclinic of Ege University. A self-administered questionnaire was used to investigate their knowledge about skin cancer. A total of 297 female and 178 male participants were questioned, with a mean age of 32.48+15.12. Some 36.8% had skin type II and 39.8% type III. The most common hair and eye color were brown, respectively at 56.0% and 58.7%. 79.8% had a mole(s), 19.2% had birthmark. A total of 8 of the 475 participants consulted for sunburns (1.7%). Glasses were the most popular preventive behaviour (28.8%). A total of 56 of the 475 outpatients questioned did not use any protective measure. Individuals need to be better educated on the dangers of the sun and sun protection as well as skin cancer.
https://journal.waocp.org/article_24332_2de016d41e45bd4c4ba19e9d353396d4.pdf
2005-02-01
143
146
Skin Cancer
Screening
Dermatology
ORIGINAL_ARTICLE
Vitamin-D Receptor (VDR) Gene (Fok-I, Taq-I & Apa-I) Polymorphisms in Healthy Individuals from North Indian Population
The vitamin-D endocrine system is involved in a wide variety of biological processes including bone metabolism, modulation of immune responses, and regulation of cell proliferation and differentiation. Variation in this endocrine system have, thus, been linked to several common diseases, including osteoarthritis (OA), diabetes, cancer, cardiovascular ailments, urolithiasis and tuberculosis. Activity of Vit-D is mediated by the vitamin D receptor (VDR), a ligand dependent receptor. VDR gene polymorphisms thus represent strong positional candidates for different diseases like prostate cancer, urolithiasis, inflammatory bowl disease and osteoporosis. Genetic studies provide excellent opportunities to link molecular insights with epidemiological data and can reveal modest and subtle but true biological effects. The abundance of polymorphisms in the human genome as well as high frequencies in human populations have made them targets to explain variation in risk of common diseases. The present study was carried out to determine the distribution of VDR gene (Fok-I, Taq-I and Apa-I) polymorphisms using a PCR-based restriction analysis in unrelated normal healthy individuals from a north Indian population. We obtained allelic frequencies of (68.5% vs 31.5%), (66% vs 34%) and (58% vs 42%) for (F vs f), (T vs t) and (A vs a) alleles, with 44%, 49% and 7%, respectively, for genotypes FF, Ff and ff , 49%, 40% and 11% for TT, Tt and tt and 36%, 44% and 20% for AA, Aa and aa . Our results suggest that the frequency and distribution of the polymorphisms in India are substantially different from in other populations and ethnic groups. Thus the data signify an impact of ethnicity and provide a basis for future epidemiological and clinical studies.
https://journal.waocp.org/article_24333_30596969138d38c349890ab7eae6f70e.pdf
2005-02-01
147
152
VDR gene
SNPs
PCR-RFLP
North India
ORIGINAL_ARTICLE
CYP1A1 Inducing Potential of Airborne Particulate Extracts Collected during a 25-year Period (1975-2000)
Samples of airborne particles from Sapporo, the capital of Hokkaido, Japan, were collected between 1975 and 2000. Major polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) included in the extracts of airborne particles were investigated for their mutagenicity and potential for inducing drug-metabolizing enzyme cytochrome P450 (CYP)1A1, which is considered to be responsible for the activation of PAHs in airborne particle extracts, as well as in cigarette smoke, to carcinogens and is associated with risk of several cancers. There was a dose-related increase in CYP1A1 activity in human lymphoblastoid cells after exposure to airborne particulates containing PAHs. The mutagenicity of the airborne particles collected in summer was lowest and for those collected in spring was lower than in autumn or winter. Likewise, the winter sample had the strongest CYP1A1 inducing potential while the summer sample had the weakest. CYP1A1 inducing potency was strongly related to the amount of benzo(k)fluorathene (Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient (ã) = 0.97), benzo[a]pyrene ã = 0.96), benzo[g,h,i]perylene (ã = 0.94), benz[a]anthracene (ã = 0.93), chrysene (ã = 0.93) in the extracts during the 25-year period, while the enzyme activity was measurably related to the amount of pyrene (ã = 0.64) and fluorathene (ã = 0.54). During the 25-year period, CYP1A1 inducing potential decreased every year together with a decrease in PAHs in the airborne particle extracts. CYP1A1 inducing potential may be one of the most convenient biomarkers with which to estimate the overall carcinogenicity/mutagenicity of airborne particle extracts.
https://journal.waocp.org/article_24334_658e15b71765cc2e0a7b01129fd4cf0b.pdf
2005-02-01
153
158
CYP1A1
airborne particles
Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons
Salmonella/microsome assay
ORIGINAL_ARTICLE
Cancer Occurrence in Semnan Province, Iran: Results of a Population-Based Cancer Registry
Introduction: suitable information of different cancers in special geographic areas can help define medical programs for treatment and screening of high-risk groups. Aims and Methods: The provincial health authority reported a high mortality rate from upper GI cancer in the center of Iran. A comprehensive search was undertaken to survey and register all cases of cancer during a 5-year (1998-2002) period among the indigenous population of Semnan Province. Diagnosis of cancer was based on histopathology, clinical or radiological findings, and death certificates. Results: A total of 1732 patients with cancers (mean age 59.41%+19.08% years) were found during the study. Of these, 936(54.86%) were in males. Crude rates were 124.8/100’000 and 112.1/100,000 for males and females, respectively. Age-standardized ratios (ASRs) for all cancers in males and females were 156/100’000 and 136/100,000 person-year, respectively. Gastric cancer was the most common tumor with an incidence rate of 19.7 per 100,000 people (ASR=27.5). In upper gastrointestinal cancers, gastric cancer was the most common (47.17%), followed by colon malignancies (8.1%, 9.5 per 100,000 populations), esophagus (6.8%, 7.9 per 100,000 populations), liver (2.4%, and 2.8 per 100,000 populations). In women, breast, uterine and ovary, stomach and skin were the most common cancers. In the child population the most common tumors were of the brain, acute lymphocytic leukemia, and bone. Conclusion: Gastric cancer alone constitutes one-sixth of all cancers in Semnan, with the highest ASR incidence rate reported from Iran up to now.
https://journal.waocp.org/article_24335_33b6af66f653ad430c87bec900daa593.pdf
2005-02-01
159
164
Cancer Incidence
Semnan province
Iran
ORIGINAL_ARTICLE
Minimal Sizes of Cases with a Susceptible Genotype and Minimal Odds Ratios among Susceptible Individuals in Case-control Studies
Objective: Disease risk elevation due to an environmental factor only for individuals with a susceptible genotype is a typical example of gene-environment interaction. In order to identify risk factors interacting with susceptible genotypes in case-control studies, presumptions on minimal size of cases with the susceptible genotype (Smin) and odds ratio (OR) among the susceptible individuals (ORsusceptible) are useful. Model: Proportion of exposed cases (P1) and OR for whole cases (ORwhole) statistically detectable in a case-control study can be calculated in a conventional method. P1 was assumed to be a weighted sum of the exposed among cases with the genotype (Px) and cases without the genotype (equal to proportion of the exposed among controls, P0), i.e., S Px + (1 - S) P0, where S is the size (proportion) of cases with the genotype. For each calculated P1, S became the minimum (Smin) in case of Px = 1. ORsusceptible was calculated by {Px (1 - P0)} / {(1 - Px) P0}. Results: Smin and ORsusceptible were listed for the combinations of the above components. For example, a detectable P1 was 0.638 for P0=0.5 in a case-control study with 200 cases (N1) and 200 controls (N0), when á error of a two-sided test was 0.05 with an 80% of power. In case of P1=0.638, ORwhole was 1.77, producing Smin=0.277 for infinite ORsusceptible. It indicates that an environmental factor cannot be detected in case that a high-risk genotype frequency is less than 0.277. Interpretation: If the size of cases with a susceptible genotype is expected to be less than Smin, case-control studies are unlikely to detect a significant OR of the environmental factor.
https://journal.waocp.org/article_24336_7f513988469eb4599e95b11ed6c9c581.pdf
2005-02-01
165
169
gene-environment interaction –
genetic polymorphism –
sample size –
case-control studies
ORIGINAL_ARTICLE
Lack of an Association between Serum Level of Transforming Growth Factor β -1 and Stomach Cancer Risk in the JACC Study
Alterations in the serum concentration of transforming growth factor a-1 (TGFa1) have been observed in gastric cancer patients. No study, however, has ever examined the association between the serum TGFa1 level and stomach cancer prospectively. We conducted a prospective, nested case-control analysis among apparently healthy men and women who were followed for up to 8 years in the JACC Study to assess whether serum level of total TGFa1 is associated with a subsequent risk of stomach cancer. The concentration of serum TGFa1 in previously collected blood samples was analyzed by ELISA for 209 individuals in whom a diagnosis of stomach cancer was documented, and for 409 controls matched with them for gender, age and study area. Baseline blood levels of TGFa1 were not related to the risk of stomach cancer in either men or women, a finding unchanged even after adjustment for potential confounders. The multivariate-adjusted odds ratio of stomach cancer in men and women was 1.10 (95% CI, 0.82 to 1.48) and 1.09 (95% CI, 0.80 to 1.48), respectively, for each increase of 1 SD in the TGFa1 value. In conclusion, serum TGFa1 levels were not associated with increased risks of subsequent stomach cancer.
https://journal.waocp.org/article_24337_1cf0a1c8365abb7b4ebb8ba738956f56.pdf
2005-02-01
170
176
transforming growth factor β
stomach cancer
nested case-control study
Helicobacter pylori
JACC study
ORIGINAL_ARTICLE
Association between Breast Cancer and Vitamin C, Vitamin E and Selenium Levels : Results of a Case-control Study in India
In women, cancer of the breast is generally the most prevalent neoplasm and cause of cancer death. Though a large number of women are affected with breast cancer, very few studies have been undertaken in India on the association between micronutrients and the risk of breast cancer. We conducted a hospital based case- control study to examine the associations of vitamin C, vitamin E and selenium with breast cancer. One hundred and sixty breast cancer patients and an equal number of normal healthy individuals constituted the study population. Venous blood was collected from the cases and controls for estimation of vitamin C, vitamin E and selenium utilizing standard procedures. Univariate logistic regression analysis was carried out to calculate odds ratios and confidence intervals. The mean vitamin C, vitamin E and selenium levels were lower in patients as compared to the controls. There was a 84% and 77% lower risk of breast cancer if the levels of vitamin C and vitamin E were increased by 1 unit, respectively. Similarly, there was a 7% lower risk of breast cancer if the level of selenium was increased by 1 unit. The results of the present study thus indicated a strong association of vitamin C, vitamin E and selenium with breast cancer in the Indian population.
https://journal.waocp.org/article_24338_14c79090edbaa51fad5bee17fc929556.pdf
2005-02-01
177
180
breast cancer
nutrition
Micronutrients
risk factors
ORIGINAL_ARTICLE
Anti-tumour Promoting Activity of Diphenylmethyl Selenocyanate Against Two-stage Mouse Skin Carcinogenesis
Epidemiological, clinical and experimental evidence collectively suggests that Se in different inorganic and organic forms provides a potential cancer chemopreventive agent, active against several types of cancer. It can exert preventive activity in all the three stages of cancer: initiation, promotion and progression. Literature reports revealed that organoselenocyanates have more potential as chemopreventive agents than inorganic forms due to their lower toxicity. In our previous report we showed chemopreventive efficacy of diphenylmethyl selenocyanate during the initiation and pre- plus post-initiation phases of skin and colon carcinogenesis process. The present study was undertaken to explore the anti-tumour promoting activity of diphenylmethyl selenocyanate in a 7,12-dimethylbenz (a) anthracene (DMBA)-croton oil two-stage skin carcinogenesis model. The results obtained showed significant (p<0.01) reduction of the incidence and number of skin papillomas, precancerous skin lesions, along with significant (p<0.01) elevation of phase II detoxifying enzymes (GST, Catalase and SOD) and inhibition of lipid peroxidation in liver and skin. Thus, the present data strongly suggest that diphenylmethyl selenocyanate also has the potential to act as antitumour promoter agent in a two-stage skin carcinogenesis mouse model, pointing to possible general efficacy.
https://journal.waocp.org/article_24339_88e3406db1ce11b0d5c2118853ddb9ae.pdf
2005-02-01
181
188
Antitumour promoter
diphenylmethyl selenocyanate
DMBA- croton oil
phase II enzymes
Lipid peroxidation
ORIGINAL_ARTICLE
Coping Mechanisms Among Long-term Survivors of Breast and Cervical Cancers in Mumbai, India
Accumulated evidence indicates that the positive coping means a good quality of life, which will contribute significantly to improvement in the prognosis. In low resource settings, it is a challenge for medical teams and patient families to provide psychological and emotional support throughout the fight against the disease. This paper appraises coping mechanisms among the long-term survivors of breast and cervical cancers in Mumbai. Women surviving for at least five years were extracted from the Bombay cancer registry patient index for evaluation: a simple and locally developed instrument was used for In-depth Interviews (IDI’s) at patient residences. A total of 80 survivors were interviewed but only findings for 52 subjects with complete information are presented in this paper. Parameters were studied in the order of personal, psychological, emotional, physical and spiritual well being of the patients. The analysis is mostly descriptive in its nature: qualitative analysis techniques (free listing and clustering) were adopted to present the data. Positive thinking, purpose in life, and strong family support played key roles in achieving completion of treatment then prolonging survival. An appropriative health seeking behaviour, good general medication, and emotional support from friends and family members were revealed to be very important factors for coping capably. An unmet need for knowledge of symptoms was identified, which suggests that appropriate messages should be generated to reach women in conventional families. Despite the small sample size, our findings broadly provide a base for large-scale future studies and suggest gaps to be filling in counselling interventions in Mumbai.
https://journal.waocp.org/article_24340_7950043d320ebc07200abe135d574fee.pdf
2005-02-01
189
194
coping
Quality of Life
cancer survivors
Developing countries
Breast
Cervix
cancer
ORIGINAL_ARTICLE
Gastric Carcinoma: 5 Year Experience of a Single Institute
Puropse: Gastric cancer (GC) is the most common cause of cancer death registered in cancer institute. Background clinical information is important for cancer prevention and therefore we here present characteristics and outcome of GC patients, more than half coming from northern parts of Iran. Materials and Methods: we retrospectively studied records patients with pathologic diagnosis of GC referred to the Medical Oncology Department of the Cancer Institute from 1998 to 2003. Results: Four hundred and thirteen patients were registered with GC with the average age of 58 and a male to female ratio of 3/1. Tumor stage based on AJCC was stage 2(12.5%),stage 3(22%),stage 4(63%) and 2% unknown. Most common site of involvement was cardia (43%). Median survival time of all patients (with or without treatment) was 10 months overall. Gastrectomy was performed for 214 patients(39% with positive surgical margins), and 175 of the gastrectomised patients received chemotherapy. Median survival with surgery only was 7 months but 20 months with both surgery and chemotherapy. Only 21 patients received neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Median survival of patients who had response to preoperative chemotherapy was 30 months. By multivariate analysis lower extent of disease (p=0.0024), free surgical margin (p=0.0017), and chemotherapy (p=0.001) were associated with better prognosis. Conclusions: Only curative resection with free margins was associated with a survival benefit in this study. More than 80% of patients were diagnosed in locally advanced or metastatic stage of disease and even with neoadjuvant chemotherapy and salvage surgery the outcome was poor. Clearly more efforts need to be given to early detection of lesions to allow a better cure rate.
https://journal.waocp.org/article_24341_9d528c82afaa3d8f4aa389fffab891aa.pdf
2005-02-01
195
196
Gastric adenocarcinoma
site of origin
clinical characteristics
ORIGINAL_ARTICLE
Chemopreventive Action of Emblica Officinalis on Skin Carcinogenesis in Mice
Chemoprevention with food phytochemicals is currently regarded as one of the most important strategies for cancer control. Emblica officinalis (Family: Euphorbiaceae) indigenous to India, is valued for its unique tannins and flavanoids, which contain very powerful antioxidant properties. The inhibition of tumor incidences by fruit extract of this plant has been evaluated on two-stage process of skin carcinogenesis in Swiss albino mice, induced by a single application of 7, 12-dimethyabenz(a)anthrecene (100 ìg/ 100 ìl acetone), and two weeks later, promoted by repeated application of croton oil (1% in acetone/thrice a week) till the end of the experiment (16 weeks). The tumor incidence, tumor yield, tumor burdon and cumulative number of papillomas were found to be higher in the control (without EO treatment) as compared to experimental animals (EO treated). The differences in the values of the results of experimental groups were statistically analysed and found to be significant in comparison to the control group (p< 0.05). The present study demonstrates the chemopreventive potential of Emblica officinalis fruit extract on DMBA induced skin tumorigenesis in Swiss albino mice.
https://journal.waocp.org/article_24342_64e2f35c9eb46e9e5a45faca522e03da.pdf
2005-02-01
197
201
Emblica officinalis
skin-carcinogenesis
Chemoprevention
Antioxidant enzymes
Lipid peroxidation
ORIGINAL_ARTICLE
Assessment of Risk Factors in Laryngeal Cancer in India : A Case- Control Study
Cancer of the larynx is fourteenth most common cancer in the world. Limited data are available from India on associations with risk factors and hence the present hospital based matched case-control study was conducted. Three hundred and five laryngeal cancer patients and an equal number of healthy controls matched for their age within 2 years, sex and place of residence constituted the study population. A pre-tested, semi-structured questionnaire was administered to each individual to elicit information on their socio-demographic profile, food habits and risk factors and dietary consumption patterns. Univariate logistic regression analysis and multivariate forward stepwise conditional logistic analysis were performed. In the univarite analysis a lower consumption of roots and tubers green leaf vegetable other vegetables and fruits, and higher consumption of milk, eggs, meat, tea, alcohol , smoking, consumption of betel leaf with tobacco as well as a preference for spicy and fried foods emerged as significant positive variables. After adjusting for education, years of use of alcohol, smoking, chewing of betel leaf with tobacco in the model, low green leafy vegetables and preference for spicy foods were found to be positively related to the risk of laryngeal cancer. There was a significant difference in the dietary consumption patterns of laryngeal cancer patients and controls, indicating a role for nutritional factors in the etiology of laryngeal cancer in the Indian population.
https://journal.waocp.org/article_24343_055b8baa712c47ac89f379243ba841f0.pdf
2005-02-01
202
207
laryngeal cancer
Case-control study
risk factors
Diet
nutrition
ORIGINAL_ARTICLE
Consistency of Cytology Diagnosis for Cervical Cancer between Two Laboratories
The principal approach to the prevention of cancer of the cervix uteri has been through screening programmes,using the cervical smear (Pap test) to detect precursor lesions. The sensitivity and specificity of Pap smears dependon the skill of the observer in recognizing and classifying a variety of cellular abnormalities. We have studied thereproducibility of cytological diagnosis, according the Bethesada classification, made by cytologists in Khon Kaen,north-east Thailand, and in Helsinki, Finland, on smears taken from rural women undergoing screening during1994-2001. A total of 313 slides were reviewed. The prevalence of abnormalities was relatively high, since the seriesincluded smears judged abnormal in Khon Kaen or from women who developed cancer during follow-up, as well asa group whose smears were negative.In general, the reviewing cytologist in Finland evaluated more slides as abnormal than in the initial report. Thelevel of agreement between the two observers was evaluated by calculating the coefficient of concordance (Kappa).The kappa score depended upon the degree of detail in the diagnosis; it was 0.43 for the presence or not of anepithelial abnormality (the General Categorization of the Bethesda system), and rather higher (0.5) for separatinglow grade from high grade (HSIL or worse) abnormalities or glandular lesions. Agreement was only fair (0.37) whenthe more detailed Bethesda categories (seven) were used.The reproducibility of cervical cytology evaluations is critical to the success of screening programmes, and in thisprogramme in a moderate-high risk population of women in rural Thailand, we found that agreement betweenskilled observers, at the level of tests requiring diagnostic follow-up or not, was only moderate. The women in thisstudy are being traced to evaluate the true sensitivity of screening in terms of the lesions found on histology, duringa prolonged follow up of 4 or more years.
https://journal.waocp.org/article_24251_aa566c511918ae7e95aa2d192e1d8fd0.pdf
2005-02-01
208
212
Cytology
cervical cancer screening
reproducibility
Thailand
ORIGINAL_ARTICLE
Hepatitis Virus B is Not a Risk Factor in Hepatoblastoma Patients
The prevalence of primary liver cancer varies throughout the world. Hepatoblastoma is the most common pediatric liver malignancy, comprising approximately 1% of all pediatric cancers. The exact etiology of hepatoblastoma remains undetermined. Concerning hepatitis B infection, whether there are links with hepatoblastoma is poorly documented. Here, we summarize knowledge on the prevalence of hepatitis B seropositives among the patients with hepatoblastoma. According to the literature review, six reports were recruited for metanalysis, with a total of 60 cases. The overall prevalence of seropositive cancer was 3.3 % (2/560). Further analysis revealed no correlation between prevalence rate and nationality of the studied population (P > 0.05). Therefore, hepatitis B infection does not appear to be a contributing factor for hepatoblastoma. Further studies are needed to clarify which are the risk factors for the hepatoblastoma.
https://journal.waocp.org/article_24344_f3c75dcbb89d7ae6c399cb4bc6d29879.pdf
2005-02-01
213
214
Hepatitis B
hepatoblastoma
seropositive
ORIGINAL_ARTICLE
Individuals with HGV-RNA are at High Risk of B Cell Non - Hodgkin’s Lymphoma Development
Lymphoma is a common hematological malignancy. Hepatitis viruses, especially hepatitis B and hepatitis C, are known risk factors for development of non-Hodgkin lymphomas. However, there are a number of patients with hepatitis in whom no virus can be identified and it was therefore postulated that there may be other agents which may be causing hepatitis. Many new hepatitis viruses have indeed been identified and proposed to have possible roles in pathogenesis of many disorders. Hepatitis G virus (HGV) is an example of a newly detected hepatitis virus. Whethere there is a correlation between infection and development of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma is of interest. Therefore an appraisal of the prevalence of HGV RNA among patients with B cell non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma comparing with healthy control subjects was performed. According to the literature review, three reports covering 247 cases of non Hodgkin’s lymphoma were recruited. The overall prevalence of HGV RNA positivity was found to be 7.2 % (18/247). Of the three reports, only two had complete data on the prevalence in both patients with B cell non - Hodgkin’s lymphoma and healthy control subjects andwere used for further metanalysis study, covering 178 cases and 355 healthy subjects. The overall antibody positive rate in the patients and healthy subjects were 8.4 % (15/178) and 0.8 % (3/355), respectively, with an odds ratio is 10.8. According to this study, it can be seen that individuals who are HGV RNA positive may be at very high risk of B cell non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma development.
https://journal.waocp.org/article_24345_c52044f244623e707a6e7bcffa55ff30.pdf
2005-02-01
215
216
non –
Hodgkin’s lymphoma - HGV
ORIGINAL_ARTICLE
Urinary Bladder Carcinoma and Human Papilloma Virus Infection, an Appraisal of Risk
Human papilloma virus (HPV) is a well known risk factor for cancer development in different body sites, involved in the pathogenesis of several intraepithelial lesions and cancers, for example of the upper alimenatry and respiratory tracts and cervix. Urinary bladder carcinoma is a common urological malignancy for which a relationship with human HPV has been indicated, but the results are controversial. Here, the author performed an appraisal of the previous reports on the studies to document correlation between HPV infection, defined as DNA positive, and urinary bladder carcinoma. According to the literature review, 5 reports were recruited for metanalysis, including 239 cases and 52 healthy subjects. The overall HPV DNA positive rates for the patients and healthy control subjects were 25.5 % (61/239) and 11.5 % (6/52), respectively, the odds ratio of 2.6 pointing to potential as a risk factor.
https://journal.waocp.org/article_24346_30468785260440d9ccd629d75850f0d9.pdf
2005-02-01
217
218
Urinary bladder carcinoma
HPV DNA
ORIGINAL_ARTICLE
Cancer Risk for Thai Traffic Police Exposed to Traffic Benzene Vapor
Benzene exposure is of particular concern because recent research indicates that it can result in chronic toxicity, with an elevated risk of carcinogenesis. Exposure to benzene from automobile exhaust can be an important occupational problem for police. The present study was conducted to estimate risk of Thai traffic police developing cancer due to contact with traffic benzene vapor during daily work. According to the data obtained, the estimated predicted cancer incidence for traffic police is 0.05 case per 70 - year period, simply translated as 1.8 cancer cases per 100,000 traffic police per year. This is clearly a cause of concern and annual check up and monitoring for benzene exposure among traffic police should be set up as part of a program for primary prevention of occupational – related cancer.
https://journal.waocp.org/article_24347_3e7dba0d3973abd59100180a4d34257b.pdf
2005-02-01
219
220
Police
Benzene
cancer
risk
ORIGINAL_ARTICLE
Assessing Cancer Burden in Rural India : An Analysis by Cause of Death Statistics
India lacks nationwide cancer registration and systematic death registration. Gaining insight into the magnitude of the cancer problem in India depends mainly on14 population based cancer registries, which provide relatively accurate statistics although the area and population cover by these registries is minimal at about 7% (20% Urban and 1 % Rural). With estimation of cancer burden from other sources, paucity of adequate data on the one hand and the complex pathogenesis of disease on other makes for complexity in dealing with rural populations. However, surveys of cause of death do reveal some interesting patterns that may very well be of use for international comparisons. In this paper an attempt has been made to estimate the cancer burden in rural India using the information available from surveys of cause of death for rural populations conducted by the Government of India.
https://journal.waocp.org/article_24348_0e2424758512e6638e88c0033fa32b15.pdf
2005-02-01
221
223
cancer
Survey
Cause of Death
rural and urban
ORIGINAL_ARTICLE
Cancer and its Prevention by Some Horticultural and Field Crops in Turkey
Diet is considered to play an important role in the etiology of carcinogenesis, and almost 30 % of cancer development is known to have a dietary background. Many diets appear to contain groups of food components that can prevent, slow down, or even reverse carcinogenesis. In the present commentary, discussion is focused on the following crops: almonds, apricots, plums, peaches and nectarines, cherries, pears, figs, chestnuts, hazelnuts, pistachios, walnuts, grapes, strawberries, avocados, bananas, olives, lemons and limes, oranges (tangerines, mandarins, clemetines, satsuma), grapefruit and pomelons, artichokes, potatoes, green beans, carrots, cabbages, melons, watermelons, pupkins, cucumbers, garlic, cauliflower, peppers, eggplants, tomatoes, onions, dry bean, soybeans, maize, barley, wheat, rye, and lentils. According to results some of epidemiology, numbers of horticultural and field crops of Turkey are likely to be associated with reduced risk of different cancers. Associations with protection in individual cases are here reviewed reviewed.
https://journal.waocp.org/article_24349_e75e2606bdc87469559470111ac0ef1b.pdf
2005-02-01
224
230
Horticultural and field crops
nutrition
Cancer Prevention
Turkey
ORIGINAL_ARTICLE
How Far Should we Promote Smoking Reduction in Order to Promote Smoking Cessation?
Smoking is the greatest preventable cause of death worldwide. In recent years considerable efforts have been devoted to reducing exposure to tobacco and related products. The ultimate aim has been to persuade people to stop smoking. It is generally recognized that smoking cessation is effective in reducing the burden of disease associated with smoking. However, smoking is an addiction to nicotine and relatively few people can quit successfully without professional help. Many do not want even to try. There is evidence that a reduction in cigarette consumption could result in improved health and provide an intermediate step before complete cessation, especially for those smokers who are not ready or willing to quit. Smoking reduction intervention with counselling and/or nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) have been shown by randomised controlled trials to be effective in reducing cigarette consumption for the general smoking population. We here present the argument that there may be a case for promoting smoking reduction both as a desirable goal in itself and as a first step towards smoking cessation.
https://journal.waocp.org/article_24350_5bb61751480f18c8b938a9809a4b3f7f.pdf
2005-02-01
231
234
smoking reduction
cessation
quitting