West Asia Organization for Cancer Prevention (WAOCP), APOCP's West Asia Chapter.Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention1513-736810220090201Members Responses Regarding the Future of the APOCP(C) and APJCP(C)18118224897ENJournal Article19700101In response to the request for comments and suggestions from interested individuals and institutions as tohow the APJCP, and by extension the APOCP, should be organized and financed, we have received a number ofemails. I would like to persaonally thank the individuals involved and hope to make a coordinated response inthe future.West Asia Organization for Cancer Prevention (WAOCP), APOCP's West Asia Chapter.Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention1513-736810220090201Cancer Research and Control Activities in Japan - Contributions to International Efforts18320024898ENJournal Article19700101Since the establishment of the Japanese Foundation for Cancer Research in 1908, Japan has experienced along history of physicians and researchers playing very active roles in both national and international effortsfor cancer control. With the opening of the Japanese Foundation for Cancer Research Cancer Institute andHospital in 1934 and the National Cancer Center in 1962, followed by Aichi Cancer Center in 1964 and thengraduallyt Prefectural Centers across the country, the populace is well endowed with specialist research andclinical facilities. Under the Cancer Control Act, implemented in 2007, these are now being complemented by anetwork of specialist hospitals also involved in efforts to improve training and cancer registration as well asstandardization of cancer treatment. Regional cancer registries have been active since the 1960’s and nationalprograms for cervical and stomach cancer screening were introduced in 1984. Subsequently, such early detectionefforts have been added for the lung, colorectal, endometrial and breast cancers. There are a large number ofacademic scientific societies holding regular research meetings and focusing on all the different aspects of cancercontrol. In addition, there are non-government organizations like the Foundation for Promotion of CancerResearch, the Princess Takamatsu Cancer Research Foundation, the Sapporo Cancer Seminar Foundation andthe Hiroshima Cancer Seminar Foundation, all sponsoring international research meetings and other efforts.Other foundations have been established, for example by patient support groups, and policy research and strategicplanning are now high priorities of the Government. Japan also continues to contribute to international effortsthough its membership in the WHO and the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), as well asthrough individual memberships in the Intrnational Union Against Cancer (UICC).West Asia Organization for Cancer Prevention (WAOCP), APOCP's West Asia Chapter.Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention1513-736810220090201Ultrasonography and Computed Tomography for Management of Adnexal Masses in Iranian Patients with Suspected Ovarian Cancer: Results of a Prospective Study20120424899ENJournal Article19700101<b>Background:</b> To determine and compare the accuracy of sonographic and computerized tomography (CT)scan assessments in distinguishing between benign and malignant adnexal masses in an under-studied populationof Iranian patients. <br/><b>Methods</b>: Transabdominal sonography (TAS) and CT reports of 75 women with adnexalmasses (34 malignant, and 41 benign) who were consecutive operated patients at a tertiary gynecology cancercenter (Tehran, Iran) were examined. The sonography examinations were operated by a radiologist experiencedin the gynecologic oncology field. Biomarkers were determined in blood samples. For CT and TAS, to classifymasses as malignant or benign, receiver operating curves (ROC) were assessed and the areas under the curveswere compared. <br/><b>Results</b>: For TAS the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictivevalue were 91%, 68%, 71% and 90%, respectively. For CT scans the results were 85%, 56 %, 62% and 83%,respectively. The AUC of sonography assessment to diagnose malignancy was significantly higher than that ofCT scan (0.8 vs.0.71; p<0.05). <br/><b>Conclusion</b>: TAS is a sensitive method for preoperative detection and staging ofsuspected ovarian cancer. Biomarkers and CT scan imaging add no additional findings for pre-operativecharacterization of ovarian masses.West Asia Organization for Cancer Prevention (WAOCP), APOCP's West Asia Chapter.Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention1513-736810220090201Cancer Treatment by Radiotherapy in Western Nepal: A Hospital-based Study20520824900ENJournal Article19700101<br/><b>Objective</b>: The aim of this study was to describe utilization of radiotherapy and treatment compliance in thecontext of Nepal. <br/><b>Methods</b>: A retrospective study was carried out on data collected from the radiotherapytreatment records of patients treated at Manipal Teaching Hospital (MTH), Pokhara, between 28 September2000 and 30 May 2008. <br/><b>Results</b>: In the 944 patients, the gender distribution showed a slight female preponderance(53.7 vs. 46.3%). Curative treatment was given to 62.8% (n=593) and palliative to the remaining 37.2% (n=351).Patients older than 50 years were more likely to receive palliative radiotherapy (p=0.001). The commonestcancers treated were head & neck at 23.7% (n=224), followed by lung at 21.3% (n=201) and cervix at 16.1%(n=152). The majority of patients were between 50-70 years of age (n=564). Nineteen percent (n=179) did notcomplete the prescribed dose of radiation. Unplanned treatment interruptions were found in 35.6% (n=336)and this was not affected by age (p=0.1) or gender (p=0.1). The most frequent treatment interruptioncompromising optimal effectiveness of cancer treatment was observed for head and neck cancers, constituting43% (n=96) of patients in the group. <br/><b>Conclusion</b>: Head and neck in both sexes and cervix in females were themost common cancers treated with a curative intent. Lung cancer, the second most common in both genders,was treated with palliative intent in a large number of cases. This indicates the need for early diagnosis for apossible curative treatment.West Asia Organization for Cancer Prevention (WAOCP), APOCP's West Asia Chapter.Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention1513-736810220090201Comparison of S urvival between P atients with H ereditary N on - polyposis C olorectal C ancer (HNPCC) and S poradic C olorectal C ance20921224901ENJournal Article19700101<b>Background:</b> Hereditary non polyposis colorectal cancer (HNPCC) appears to have a better prognosis thansporadic cancer. In the present study we evaluated the clinical outcomes of HNPCC patients in comparison withtheir sporadic colorectal cancer counterparts arising from the general population recorded in a populationbasedcancer registry in Iran. Patients and methods: The population studied consisted of 121 individuals including61 patients with sporadic colorectal cancer and 60 patients with HNPCC who were followed-up between 2003and 2008 in Taleghani hospital Tehran. The subjects with HNPCC were screened according to Amsterdamcriteria II and Bethesda Guidelines. All those with sporadic cancer had no familial history of colorectal cancer.Observed survival was estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method and compared with log rank test. Multivariateanalysis was performed using the Cox regression analysis. <br/><b>Results</b>: In the HNPCC group, 85.0% showed tumorsin the colon, vs. 68.9% in the sporadic cancer group. The 5-year survival was 82.5% in the HNPCC study groupcompared with only 56.4% in the sporadc cancer group (P=0.044). The age distribution at diagnosis of sporadicpatients was significantly higher than HNPCC patients (mean 50.1 years vs 44.3 years P=0.008). The hazardratio for sporadic cases was 2.93 (95% CI 1.06-8.11) compared with the HNPCC group (P=0.038). <br/><b>Conclusion</b>:Our findings corroborate the results of previous studies which showed overall survival of colorectal cancer inpatients with HNPCC is better than for sporadic CRC patients.West Asia Organization for Cancer Prevention (WAOCP), APOCP's West Asia Chapter.Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention1513-736810220090201Health Beliefs and Breast Self-Examination in a Sample of Turkish Women Academicians in a University21321824902ENJournal Article19700101<br/><b>Objective</b>: The purpose of this study was to evaluate health beliefs and BSE behavior of female academiciansin a Turkish university. <br/><b>Methods</b>: This descriptive study was conducted at various faculties located in EgeUniversity, Izmir, Turkey, in 2005. The sample consisted of 224 female academicians. Data were collected usinga self-administered questionnaire and the Turkish version of Champion’s Health Belief Model Scales (HBM).Descriptive statistics, t-test and Mann Whitney u analysis were conducted. <br/><b>Results</b>: The percentage of participantswho regularly performed BSE was 27.7 %. Benefits and health motivation related to BSE ranked either first orsecond, along with confidence. Perceived barriers to BSE had the lowest item mean subscale score in academicians.Single academicians perceived susceptibility and seriousness higher than their married counterparts. Familyhistory of breast cancer of participants affected their health beliefs subscale. <br/><b>Conclusions</b>: BSE performanceamong participants was more likely in women academicians who exhibited higher confidence and those whoperceived fewer barriers related to BSE performance, complying with the conceptual structure of the HBM.Therefore, it is recommended that in order to increase the rates of regular breast cancer screening, mass healthprotective programs based on the HBM should be executed for women.West Asia Organization for Cancer Prevention (WAOCP), APOCP's West Asia Chapter.Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention1513-736810220090201Influence of Dietary Habits, Physical Activity and Affluence Factors on Breast Cancer in East India - A Case-control Study21922224903ENJournal Article19700101The upward trend in breast cancer globally and in India has become a matter of great concern. The higherincidences generally seen in developed countries has lead to the postulation that the disease is due to life style sothat growing industrialization and urbanization may be a major factor. Keeping this in mind, the present casecontrolstudy was undertaken in Chittaranjan National Cancer Institute, Kolkata from 2002 to 2003, focusingon 267 female breast cancer patients and an equal number of age matched controls. The analysis of studyreports demonstrated a positive correlation with a higher standard of living, higher educational status, andhigher intake of animal protein, fat and deep fried foods. This study is the first report from Eastern India toattempt to correlate different life style and dietary factors with breast cancer development.West Asia Organization for Cancer Prevention (WAOCP), APOCP's West Asia Chapter.Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention1513-736810220090201Global Cancer Incidences are Substantially Under-estimated Due to Under-ascertainment in Elderly Cancer Cases22322624904ENJournal Article19700101<b>Background:</b> The cancer incidence in developing countries is 7-16% under-estimated due to underascertainmentof elderly cases in cancer registry data. The global cancer incidence, as a mixture of incidence inall countries, could thus be under-estimated as well. This study was conducted to report corrected global cancerincidence. <br/><b>Methods</b>: The corrected rate in age group 65+ for “All sites excluding skin cancer” was calculated bysumming 1/3 of the original age-specific rate and 2/3 of anti-logarithm of “the predicted value of the logarithmof rate in age group 65+” multiplied by a sex-specific coefficient. Cancer data were obtained from GLOBOCAN2002. <br/><b>Results</b>: The global cancer incidence estimate by the GLOBOCAN 2002 was 8.7% (men 13.3%; women3.4%) under-estimated due to under-ascertainment in elderly cases, which means, worldwide, new cancer casesin 2002 were 11,810,000 (6,574,000 men; 5,236,000 women), topping the original estimate by 1 million.<br/><b>Conclusions</b>: The global cancer incidence estimate is substantially under-estimated due to under-ascertainmentin elderly cases. This correction is performed mathematically; the results, however, emphasize the need forpractical strategies to prevent under-ascertainment in the elderly.West Asia Organization for Cancer Prevention (WAOCP), APOCP's West Asia Chapter.Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention1513-736810220090201Institution-based Cancer Incidence in a Local Population in Pakistan: Nine Year Data Analysis22723024905ENJournal Article19700101At present no national level of cancer registry program exists in Pakistan and the data available from differentsources, necessary for incidence, prevalence, morbidity/mortality, and etiological assessment of cancer and cancercontrol programs, are from hospital or institutional databases. Karachi Institute of Radiotherapy and NuclearMedicine (KIRAN) is a comprehensive healthcare facility for diagnosis, treatment and research of all cancers.This is a retrospective analysis of the cancer patients of both genders of all age groups to determine frequenciesof different cancers presented to this Institute from 1st January 2000 to 31 December 2008. A total of 16,351cancer patients were registered at KIRAN during the nine year period. Male cancers accounted for 48.1% andfemale cancers 51.8%. Some 558 (3.4%) were in children (0-15 years). The mean ages at presentation for malesand females were 50±9.6 and 47±7.4 years respectively. In males the five most frequent malignancies were headand neck (32.6%), lung (15%), gastrointestinal tract (GIT) (6.9%), lymphoma (6.1%), and bone and soft tissue(4.9%). In females breast cancer was the most common cancer accounting for 38.2% followed by head & neck(15.1%), cervical (5.5%), ovarian (4.9%) and GIT cancer (4.9%) respectively. Cancer prevalence in differentage groups with respect to gender and the epidemiologies of most common cancers with reference to our culturaland environmental factors and dietary habits are also discussed. Overall cancer incidence in nine years in thistertiary care cancer institution showed that head and neck cancers in males and breast cancers in females aremost common, at rates almost highest in Asia. Mean age and male to female ratio in all other cancers areessentially comparable to other developing countries.West Asia Organization for Cancer Prevention (WAOCP), APOCP's West Asia Chapter.Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention1513-736810220090201Applicability of Allele/genotype Frequency from Documented Controls for Case-Control Studies on Genotypes among Japanese: MTHFR C677T as an Example23123624906ENJournal Article19700101In a case-control study, controls have to be selected from the population where cases are identified. However,there is an idea to make common controls applicable for different case-control studies, which could reducestudy costs. This study compared methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase C677T among subjects from differentstudies, to examine the applicability of combined subjects as controls. Case-control studies and cross-sectionalstudies with more than 100 Japanese controls or subjects were selected from PubMed in December 2008. Between1996 and 2008, 31 eligible studies with 14,510 subjects in total were published; the 677T allele frequency variedfrom 0.300 to 0.438. The genotype frequencies were all in Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. The average weightedwith the number of subjects was 0.385. The 95% confidence interval (95%CI) of 10 studies did not include theweighted average. The study whose proximal limit of 95%CI was furthest from the weighted average was removed,and then the weighted average was recalculated. Through the process, 7 studies were excluded, resulting in theremaining 24 studies having a 95%CI including the weighted average (0.391) with 10,854 subjects. Of the 7excuded studies, one was from patients enrolled in a clinical study (0.431), two were relatively isolated (0.300and 0.438), two were published ten years ago (0.315 and 0.334), one was from a study whose allele frequency offemale subjects was 0.382 (0.436), and one had a large sample size (0.360). This example demonstrated that theallele frequency of MTHFR 677T was in common among 24 out of 31 Japanese studies, suggesting that thecalculated allele frequency could be used for Japanese case-control studies, whose cases are sampled in a generalpopulation.West Asia Organization for Cancer Prevention (WAOCP), APOCP's West Asia Chapter.Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention1513-736810220090201Frequency of bcl-2 Gene Rearrangement in B-Cell Non Hodgkin’s Lymphoma23724024907ENJournal Article19700101<br/><b>Objective</b>: The objective of the study was to determine the frequency of bcl-2 gene rearrangement in B-cellNon-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (NHL) and identify different breakpoints of bcl-2 gene. <br/><b>Methods</b>: Thirty cases of Bcelllymphoma (including 8 cases of follicular lymphoma, 19 cases of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma and 3 casesof T-cell rich B-cell lymphoma) were included in the study. Good quality of DNA was extracted in 4 cases fromformalin fixed paraffin embedded tissue and in 26 cases from fine needle aspirate. The polymerase chain reactionwas done for major break point region (mbr), minor cluster region (mcr) and intermediate cluster region (icr) ofbcl-2 gene. <br/><b>Results</b>: The bcl-2 gene rearrangement was identified in 23.3% of B-cell lymphoma, 50% of follicularlymphoma, 15% of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma and no bcl-2 rearrangement was identified in any of the T-cellrich B-cell lymphomas. Further analysis showed, icr breakpoint in 16.7% of B-cell lymphoma, 37.5% of follicularlymphoma and 10.5% of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. Involvement of mbr breakpoint was found in 6.7% ofB-cell lymphoma, 12.5% of follicular lymphoma, 5.3% of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. Involvement of mcrbreakpoint was not seen in any of the case. <br/><b>Conclusion</b>: The bcl-2 gene rearrangement is quite frequent infollicular lymphoma, followed by diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. The commonest breakpoint in present series isicr followed by mbr. This indicates that primers for bcl-2 gene must include icr primer, whenever bcl-2 gene isbeing evaluated for B-cell NHL in this part of the world and this might reduce the variability of frequency ofbcl-2 gene rearrangement within and between different regions.West Asia Organization for Cancer Prevention (WAOCP), APOCP's West Asia Chapter.Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention1513-736810220090201A Nested Case-Control Study of Female Breast Cancer in Karunagappally Cohort in Kerala, India24124624908ENJournal Article19700101Lifestyle factors related to breast cancer risk were examined in a case-control study nested in a cohort inKarunagappally, Kerala, South India. We sought interviews with all the residents in Karunagappally with thepopulation of 385,103 (191,149 males and 193,954 females) in the 1991 census and established a cohort of 359,619(93% of the population in 1991) in 1990. For analysis 264 breast cancer cases with age ≥20 years were selectedfrom 438 breast cancer cases reported during the period 1990-2004 and for each case 3 non-cancer controlswere randomly selected matched for age, religion and place of residence through the Cancer Registry,Karunagappally. Conditional logistic regression was used for the analysis. In the present study, in addition to alow number of pregnancies (P <0.001 and P for trend <0.001), more frequent intake of roots and tubers excepttapioca (cassava) (OR for ≥ 5 times =1.56, 95% CI=1.09, 3.09, P for trend <0.05), milk drinking (OR=1.78, 95%CI=1.17-2.69, P<0.01) and consumption of chicken meat (OR=1.84, 95%CI=1.09-3.09, P<0.05) were found toincrease breast cancer risk. The present study further showed that consumption of tapioca which is a commonlyused food item in South India, particularly in Kerala, reduced breast cancer risk (OR=0.55, 95%CI=0.37-0.83,P<0.01). Risk analysis was attempted among pre- and post-menopausal women separately and similar oddsratio were obtained. Consumption of tapioca (cassava) decreased risk of developing breast cancer among premenopausalwomen (P<0.001 and OR=0.35, 95%CI=0.18, 0.65) and a low number of pregnancies (P<0.01),consumption of roots & tubers (P<0.05), usage of chicken meat (P=0.05) increased the risk of breast canceramong post-menopausal women. Further studies seem warranted to confirm the possible protective effect oftapioca consumption. There is an increasing need of breast cancer prevention programs responsive to the culturalpractices of the people and the study results should provide leads to cancer control programs especially in ruralareas.West Asia Organization for Cancer Prevention (WAOCP), APOCP's West Asia Chapter.Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention1513-736810220090201Level of Awareness Regarding Breast Cancer and its Screening amongst Indian Teachers24725024909ENJournal Article19700101A total of 441 women teachers from 8 of the schools located in Delhi, India participated in this cross-sectionalstudy, conducted from July 2007 to February 2008. The mean age was 37.2 years. Some 92.7% of the teacherswere aware of at least one sign or symptom of the disease and 63.0% knew at least one high risk factor. However,only 36.1% had heard of the term breast self examination. Only 13.4% knew the correct frequency of once amonth, only 7.3% the correct position and only 1.36% participants the correct time. This dismal awarenesslevel reflects the fact that none had ever practiced breast self-examination. Similarly, v ery few attended regularclinical breast examination (CBE) or had undergone a mammogram. Only 11.8% were aware of the normallook of the breast and 5.4% of the normal feel. There is clearly a need to increase the level of awareness regardingbreast cancer and its screening amongst teachers in India.West Asia Organization for Cancer Prevention (WAOCP), APOCP's West Asia Chapter.Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention1513-736810220090201Risk Factors for Cholangiocarcinoma in Khon Kaen, Thailand: A Nested Case-Control Study25125724910ENJournal Article19700101The present nested case-control study within the Khon Kaen cohort study was conducted to assess riskfactors for cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) development. Cases were 108 subjects with proven CCA by ultrasoundat least and controls also numbered 108, matched by sex, age (not more than 3 years difference) and period ofrecruitment to the cohort (not more than 3 months difference). A questionnaire was constructed based on thatemployed for the Khon Kaen cohort study recruitment. McNemar’s chi-square test and conditional logisticregression were used for crude analysis and multivariables analysis. Results revealed a sex ratio of 2:1 formales:females. The current study found a statistically significant association when adjusted for other potentialcovariate factors between cholangiocarcinoma and the consumption of total fruits 1.0-2.08 times per day (OR0.32; 95%CI: 0.12-0.88) and history of Opisthorchis viverrini (OV) eggs in stools at recruitment plus consumptionof meat < 0.45 times per day (OR 2.99; 95%CI: 1.04-8.62). The findings suggest that OV infestation is thestrongest risk factor for development of cholangiocarcinoma and also suggests decrease in risk among individualswho consume more fruit.West Asia Organization for Cancer Prevention (WAOCP), APOCP's West Asia Chapter.Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention1513-736810220090201Multi-institution Hospital-based Cancer Incidence Data for Nepal - An Initial Report25926224911ENJournal Article19700101While comprehensive cancer registration data are available for some locations in India and Pakistan, thesituation regarding other countries in South Asia is less clear. Only one publication with cancer incidence datais available in the literature for Nepal, for one hospital in the Western provinces. The present study was conductedto assess burden across a greater proportion of country with data from 7 major hospitals where cancer is diagnosedand treated. Data from each were transferred to the BP Koirala Memorial Cancer Hospital in Bharatput, theNational Cancer Center of Nepal, for compilation. Overall the most common site in males was the lung, followedby the oral cavity and stomach, while the first three in females were cervix uteri, breast and lung. Shifts in thethe main cancers were noted with different ages, with leukemias and lymphomas in young individuals replacedby lung, oral and stomach in middle age and lung, stomach and larynx in the oldest category of males. Infemales the shift was to breast in young women, then cervix in middle age followed by lung in the very aged.There was also variation between hospitals, but this appeared largely due to the differences in the therapeuticmodalities available in different institutions.West Asia Organization for Cancer Prevention (WAOCP), APOCP's West Asia Chapter.Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention1513-736810220090201Suppressive Properties of Extracts from Japanese Edible Plants regarding Nitric Oxide Generation26327224912ENJournal Article19700101Acetone extracts from a total of 30 species (197 samples) of plants commonly eaten in Japan were tested fortheir in vitro inhibitory properties against nitric oxide (NO) generation in a murine macrophage cell line, RAW264.7, that had been stimulated with lipopolysaccharide in combination with interferon-γ. Evaluation of theeffects of treatment with 100 mg/mL revealed that 6 extracts (3.1%) exerted a strong inhibitory effect (inhibitionrate (IR) ≥70%) with strong cell viability (CV≥70%). However, nine extracts that exhibited an IR of greaterthan 70% were not considered to exert a significant effect at 100 μg/mL due to their low CV (<70%). Of the 14plant families evaluated, Cucurbitaceae (extracts of watermelon 1 and melon 2), Liliaceae (extracts of garlic 1and 2) and Solanaceae (extracts of tomato 3 and eggplant 5) were shown to be promising candidates for theinhibition of NO generation at the tested concentration. When tested at 20 μg/mL, 6 extracts, one of garlandchrysamthemums(sample 5), one of lettuce (sample 2), one of tomatoes (sample 3), two of Japanese hornworts(Mitsuba 1 and 2), and one of carrots (sample 4) showed strong inhibition of NO generation (IR≥70%). Eventhough one of the test samples (sample 2) of Japanese hornwort had a CV of less than 70% (67.8%), Japanesehornwort was still considered to be a highly promising species for the inhibition of NO generation. Furthermore,the activity varied significantly among samples from the same species for several plants. This variation mayhave been due to differences between cultivars and/or growing districts, or to differences in post-harvestingtreatment. Taken together, the results of the present study may provide an experimental basis for new strategiesfor the production of highly functional dietary plants and food items.West Asia Organization for Cancer Prevention (WAOCP), APOCP's West Asia Chapter.Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention1513-736810220090201Lack of Association between Serum Transforming Growth Factor-beta 1 and Cancer Mortality Risk in a Nested Case-control Study in Japan27327824913ENJournal Article19700101We examined the potential role of serum TGF-beta 1 levels to predict cancer mortality risk in a nested casecontrolstudy within a large prospective cohort of middle-aged and elderly Japanese subjects. The cases were893 persons who provided blood samples at baseline and subsequently died of cancer from all sites during thefollow-up period. A total of 2,824 subjects were selected from the main study as controls, matched with the casesfor sex, age and study area. Serum TGF-beta 1 levels were measured using a quantitative sandwich enzymeimmunoassay. The odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals for each quartile were calculated using a conditionallogistic regression model. Mean serum TGF-beta 1 levels were approximately 36 ng/ml in both cases and controls,with no significant difference . Overall, serum TGF- beta 1 levels were not associated with total cancer mortalityafter adjustment for potential confounding factors like age, body mass index or cigarette smoking. Serum TGFbeta1 levels may thus not be associated with cancer mortality risk in apparently health individuals.West Asia Organization for Cancer Prevention (WAOCP), APOCP's West Asia Chapter.Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention1513-736810220090201Obesity and Kidney Cancer Risk in Men - a Meta-analysis (1992-2008)27928624914ENJournal Article19700101We conducted a quantitative summary analysis to evaluate the recent evidence of kidney cancer risk accordingto body mass index (BMI) among men. The studies included in this quantitative review were all cohort and casecontrolstudies, which provided information on kidney cancer risk associated with obesity/overweight, publishedbetween 1992 and 2008. The details of studies have been identified through searches on the MEDLINE database.We first estimated the risk associated with a unit increase in BMI (1 kg/m2) for individual studies using logitlinearmodel. After deriving the natural logarithm of the risk per unit of BMI for all studies, we calculated apooled estimate and corresponding 95% confidence interval (CI) as a weighted average of the risk obtained inindividual studies, by giving a weight proportional to its precision. A total of 27 studies (13 cohort studies and 14case-control studies) that provided kidney cancer risk according to BMI in men were included in the presentanalysis. The strength of association was almost similar in most of the cohort studies [relative risk (RR) rangedfrom 1.04-1.06 per unit increase in BMI] and in one study RR was 1.08. There was no heterogeneity acrossstudies (p-value=0.164). The pooled risk was 1.05 (95% CI=1.04-1.06) per unit increase in BMI based on thecohort studies. The present analysis confirmed the evidence of kidney cancer risk with increased BMI in menand obesity may be responsible at least in part for the rising incidence rates.West Asia Organization for Cancer Prevention (WAOCP), APOCP's West Asia Chapter.Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention1513-736810220090201Urinary Bladder Cancer Risk Among Motor Vehicle Drivers: A Meta-analysis of the Evidence, 1977-200828729424915ENJournal Article19700101<b>Background:</b> The aim of the study was to summarize bladder cancer risk in motor vehicle drivers andrailroad workers using meta-analysis techniques. <br/><b>Methods</b>: We retrieved all published results (3 cohort studiesand 27 case-control studies) during 1977-2008. We assessed the heterogeneity of the results assuming a fixedeffectmodel. For cohort studies, the observed and the expected number of cases were added, respectively, toyield pooled observed/expected ratio. For case-control studies, we calculated pooled odds ratio (OR) andcorresponding 95% confidence interval (CI) as a weighted average of the ORs in each study, by giving a weightproportional to the inverse of the variance of the ORs. <br/><b>Results</b>: No overall meta-analysis was performed becauseof heterogeneity in results. The overall pooled risk among motor vehicle and railroad workers based on allcohort studies was 1.08 (95%: 1.00-1.17). The overall pooled risk among truck drivers was 1.18 (95% CI: 1.09-1.28 based on 18 case-control studies). The stratified analysis by year of publication indicated that pooled riskamong truck drivers was 1.20 (95% CI: 1.00-1.40) for the period 1998-2008. The corresponding risk for theperiod 1977-1987 was 1.30 (95%: 1.16-1.46). The overall pooled risk among bus drivers was 1.23 (95% CI: 1.06-1.44 based on 10 case-control studies). The pooled risk among bus drivers was 1.21 (95% CI: 0.72-2.01) for theperiod 1998-2008 and the corresponding risk for the period 1977-1987 was 1.30 (95%CI: 1.10-1.53). The pooledrisk among railroad workers was 1.20 (95% CI: 1.02-1.41 based on 15 case-control studies). Stratified analysisby year of publication was not statistically significant among railroad workers. <br/><b>Conclusion</b>: The pooled analysissuggested an increased bladder cancer risk among motor vehicle drivers and railroad workers. However, therisk among these workers is reduced in recent publications compared to the earlier publications.West Asia Organization for Cancer Prevention (WAOCP), APOCP's West Asia Chapter.Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention1513-736810220090201Interleukin-4-Receptor Alpha Gene Polymorphism and the Risk of Renal Cell Carcinoma in a South Indian Population29529824916ENJournal Article19700101The renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is a rare condition, accounting for only 3% of all adult malignancies althoughconstituting 90% of kidney cancers. The tumor is immunogenic and the host immune system may modulate theclinical course of the disease. It has been reported that genetic polymorphisms in the interleukin-4-receptoralpha gene are associated with risk and prognosis in RCCs. The present study is aimed at analyzing the presenceand significance of the interleukin-4-receptor alpha Ile50Val and Gln576Arg polymorphisms in a group of RCCpatients from South India. PCR-RFLP analysis was performed on genomic DNA isolated from blood samplesand the genotypes deduced. A significant association was found between the IL4 R alpha Val/Val genotype andincreased risk of RCC (OR: 3.45, CI: 1.15–10.38, P: 0.04). The Val/Val genotype was also found to be significantlyassociated with increased risk in individuals below 54 years (OR: 5.79, CI: 1.33–25.07 P: 0.03) of age and infemales (OR: 7.47, CI: 1.4–39.84, P: 0.03). However, no significant association was observed with the Gln576Argpolymorphism. Stratified analysis based on the genotypes and the stage of tumor revealed no significantassociation. Thus, the present study indicates that IL4Ralpha could be a candidate gene for assessing the risk ofRCC.West Asia Organization for Cancer Prevention (WAOCP), APOCP's West Asia Chapter.Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention1513-736810220090201Cholangiocarcinoma in Experimental Hamsters with Long-standing Opisthorchis viverrini Infection29930224917ENJournal Article19700101Liver fluke infection of Opisthorchis viverrini (O. viverrini) is closely associated with several hepatobiliarydiseases including cholangiocarcinoma (CCA), but no reports have described these diseases in chronic andlong-standing experimental opisthorchiasis in hamsters more than 10 months of age. A longer period of infectioncould induce different pathological lesions. To prove the hypothesis, we therefore sequentially investigatedhistological changes of the hepatobiliary system in 4 groups of hamster: O. viverrini infection (OV group) for upto 20 months, O. viverrini infection combined with short-term DMN (OV+DMN group) until 7 months, longtermtreatment with DMN (DMN group) to 7 months and normal control group for up to 20 months. Pathologicalchanges in hamsters of the OV group gradually increased. Induction of CCA in this study was apparent with allthree protocols. Importantly, this is the first report of CCA-induction in hamsters solely with long-termopisthorchiasis for up to 20 months. Although the histopathology of CCA in the OV group showed some differencesin appearance from the OV+DMN and DMN groups, overall, O. viverrini itself can really induce CCA. Inaddition, this study confirms the previous studies both in vitro and in vivo on of effects of parasites and theirmetabolic products inducing cell proliferation, resulting in cholangiocarcinogenesis.West Asia Organization for Cancer Prevention (WAOCP), APOCP's West Asia Chapter.Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention1513-736810220090201Prevalence of Human Papillomavirus in Abnormal Cervical Smears in Malaysian Patients30330624918ENJournal Article19700101Cervical cancer is the second most common female malignancy in Malaysia. Despite advances in treatment,the overall survival for this disease has not changed in the last decade. Infection by certain types of HPV isrecognized as a causal and necessary factor for its development. This study was carried out to determine theprevalence of HPV infection in abnormal cervical smears in Malaysian patients using archival cervical smearsretrieved from the Cytopathology Unit, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Medical Centre (UKMMC) betweenthe years 1992-1995. DNA was extracted from 38 abnormal smears comprising 25 intraepithelial lesions and 13cervical carcinomas and 10 normal smears. Amplification of HPV genes was carried out using the polymerasechain reaction (PCR) technique. HPV genotypes were determined using direct sequencing and the results werecompared to the database from Genebank. DNA was successfully extracted from all 48 cervical smears. HighriskHPV (HR-HPV) genotypes were detected in 95% of the abnormal smears. Eight high-risk oncogenic typeswere identified: 16, 18, 31, 51, 52, 56, 58 and 66. All (100%) cervical cancer smears showed presence of HR-HPVcompared to 92% of the cervical intraepithelial lesions. Among the eight HR-HPV genotypes identified, HPV 16and 52 were the commonest (23.7% each) HPV genotypes encountered and among the CIN lesions, HPV 16(28%) was the most frequent. We conclude that HPV 16 is the most prevalent HPV genotype present in abnormalcervical smears in Malaysian patients, and that the use of archival material to assess the presence of HPV ispotentially worthwhile, and can be utilized for longitudinal studies of HPV presence and persistence.West Asia Organization for Cancer Prevention (WAOCP), APOCP's West Asia Chapter.Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention1513-736810220090201Cancer Deaths in a Cohort of Japanese Barbers in Aichi Prefecture30731024919ENJournal Article19700101Barbers have frequent occasion to come in contact with hair and beauty products that contain many chemicalsubstances, which could have harmful effects on health. Subjects were barbers belonging to the Barbers’ Unionof Aichi Prefecture who responded to a questionnaire in 1976. Deaths from all sites of cancers in the subjectswere observed over 27 years. Mortalities of several cancers in the subjects were compared with individuals inthe Japanese population, calculating standardized mortality ratios (SMRs) using the general Japanese populationas a standard. Subjects included 8,360 people (4,674 men). There were a total of 551 deaths (469 men) duringthe follow-up period, and 277 deaths (211 men) from all cancers. The male and female SMRs (95%CI) were 0.62(0.58-0.66) and 0.25 (0.16-0.34) for all deaths, 0.46 (0.39-0.53) and 0.41 (0.35-0.53) for all cancers combined, 0.49(0.35-0.63) and 0.40 (0.12-0.68) for stomach, 0.40 (0.24-0.56) and 0.30 (0.10-0.70) for lung, 0.56 (0.39-0.73) and0.26 (0.02-0.76) for liver, 0.38 (0.16-0.60) and 0.30 (0.07-0.67) for colon, and 0.48 (0.08-0.88) and 0.22 (0.04-0.79)for blood cancers, respectively, with significantly fewer deaths than in the general population. The femaleSMRs were 0.90 (0.74-1.06) for breast and 0.55 (0.06-1.04) for ovarian cancer, lacking significance. Thus, noexcess mortality of any cancer sites was observed compared with the general population in both Japan overalland in Aichi Prefecture.West Asia Organization for Cancer Prevention (WAOCP), APOCP's West Asia Chapter.Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention1513-736810220090201Hysterectomy in Gestational Trophoblastic Neoplasia: Chiang Mai University Hospital’s Experience31131324920ENJournal Article19700101Indications and outcomes of hysterectomy in women with gestational trophoblastic neoplasia (GTN) werereviewed at Chiang Mai University Hospital, Chiang Mai, Thailand. From January 1998 through December2008, 18 women underwent simple transabdominal hysterectomy (TAH). Indications for TAH included suspiciouslesions confined to the uterus (5), chemoresistant lesions confined to the uterus (7), hemoperitonium (4), andother diagnoses of gynecologic diseases (2). The final histology reports included choriocarcinoma (9), invasivemole (6), placental site trophoblastic tumor or PSTT (1), uterine fibroid without residual GTN (1), and unknown(1). Two women experienced massive blood loss (4700 ml and 7500 ml, respectively). Postoperatively, only onewoman with diagnosis of PSTT did not receive other adjuvant treatment. One woman failed to survive. Inconclusion, hysterectomy continues to be an important treatment strategy for selected women with GTN. Thecommon indications include drug-insensitive disease, PSTT, and hemorrhagic complications.West Asia Organization for Cancer Prevention (WAOCP), APOCP's West Asia Chapter.Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention1513-736810220090201Normal CA 19-9 Levels in Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis31531824921ENJournal Article19700101Carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA 19-9) is a glycosphingolipid of the Lewis blood group that for years has beenproposed as a useful marker for epithelial type gastrointestinal cancers. It is well known that moderately increasedconcentrations of CA 19-9 can be found in 15-36 % of patients with benign conditions such as pancreatic, liver,biliary diseases and benign hydronephrosis. In current study, we investigated whether there was any tendencyfor CA 19-9 elevation in 71 patients with Hashimoto’s thyroiditis. Patients with malignancy, benign pancreas,liver, lung and biliary diseases, inflammatory bowel diseases, urinary tract infection, hydronephrosis,endometriosis, diabetes mellitus and chronic renal failure were excluded. In the Hashimoto’s thyroiditis cases,mean serum CA 19-9 level was 12.5 ± 10.4 (range, 2.5-55), while it was 11.9 ± 9 (range, 2.5-29.3) and 10.3 ± 8(range, 2.5-28.9) in patients with Graves’ and healthy volunteers respectively, without any significant intergroupdifferences. Although the American Society of Clinical Oncology does not recommend tumor markers like CA19-9 in screening for malignancies, they may be used for this purpose. In contrast to case reports showingpossible elevation of CA 19-9 in Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, we did not detect such a relation. Moreover, there wasno pointers to change in CA 19-9 levels in patients with hypo-, hyper- or eu-thyroidism.West Asia Organization for Cancer Prevention (WAOCP), APOCP's West Asia Chapter.Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention1513-736810220090201Short Text Messages (SMS) as a Reminder System for Making Working Women from Delhi Breast Aware31932124922ENJournal Article19700101A community based study was conducted with women employees in a private sector office of Delhi. A totalof 106 women who volunteered to participate in the study were trained in the technique of breast self-examination(BSE) with the help of a lecture, video, demonstration of the technique on breast model by the investigatorfollowed by feedback demonstration by the technique participants. Susequently, short text meassges (SMS)were sent according to the last menstrual period (LMP) information collected. Women who did not menstruatewere sent reminders on the first of every month. Statistical analysis was done using epinfo software. All the 106participants owned a personal mobile number, while 89% had a private connection of cell phone and 11% hada connection provided by a government agency. Some 76 (71.7%) of the women had a regular menstrual period,11 (10.3%) had an irregular menstrual period and 19(18%) had stopped menstruating either because ofmenopause, surgery or some medication. The delivery status of the SMS could be confirmed in majority of theinstances. From amongst those who did not do the self exam the main barriers to BSE identified were that theyforgot to do it and will do it now (54%), busy (47%), anxiety (12%), pain in the breasts (4%), and some questionregarding the exam(4%). Multiple responses were included. After the first two months of sending reminder thepractice of BSE increased significantly (p<0.05).West Asia Organization for Cancer Prevention (WAOCP), APOCP's West Asia Chapter.Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention1513-736810220090201Prostatic Carcinoma: A Pakistani Perspective32332424923ENJournal Article19700101As in many countries of the world, prostatic adenocarcinoma is extremely common in Pakistan. In a studycarried out in our section, it was the third commonest malignancy in males, comprising almost 7% of all malignantneoplasms. Furthermore, another investigation revealed it to be the commonest malignant neoplasm in males inthe seventh and eight decades, comprising 15% and 25% of respectively of all malignant neoplasms in these agegroups. Recent data extracted from radical prostatectomy specimens in our department have revealed that themajority of carcinomas are advanced (like most other cancers in our country) when they are first diagnosed ortreated. The majority of cases in which radical prostatectomy was performed showed not only advanced stage(pT3a or pT3b) but also exhibited extra-prostatic extension and positive surgical margins. For a cancer whichis so common in our population, the diagnostic and therapeutic modalities available are extremely limited.West Asia Organization for Cancer Prevention (WAOCP), APOCP's West Asia Chapter.Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention1513-736810220090201Mathematical Models for Human Cancer Incidence Rates - Application to Results from Europe, including North Cyprus32533524924ENJournal Article19700101The overall cancer incidence rate declines at very old age. Possible causes of this decline include the effects ofcross-sectional data that transform cohort dynamics into age patterns, population heterogeneity that selectsindividuals susceptible to cancer, a decline in some carcinogenic exposure in older individuals, underdiagnosis,and the effects of individual aging that slow down major physiological processes in an organism. Here severalmathematical models contributing to the explanation of this phenomenon are discussed with extension of theStrehler and Mildvan model of aging and mortality to the analysis of data on cancer incidence at old age (datasource: International Agency for Research on Cancer). The model can help explain the observed time trendsand age patterns of cancer incidence rates.