WorldWideScience

Sample records for cancer current status

  1. Cancer pain management-current status

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Deepak Thapa

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available Cancer pain is still one of the most feared entities in cancer and about 75% of these patients require treatment with opioids for severe pain. The cancer pain relief is difficult to manage in patients with episodic or incidental pain, neuropathic pain, substance abuse and with impaired cognitive or communication skills. This non-systematic review article aims to discuss reasons for under treatment, tools of pain assessment, cancer pain and anxiety and possibly carve new approaches for cancer pain management in future. The current status of World Health Organization analgesic ladder has also been reviewed. A thorough literature search was carried out from 1998 to 2010 for current status in cancer pain management in MEDLINE, WHO guidelines and published literature and relevant articles have been included.

  2. Lung cancer: Current status and prospects for the future

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mountain, C.F.; Carr, D.T.

    1986-01-01

    This book contains 32 papers. Some of the titles are: Activation of cellular ras genes in human neoplasms; The valve of definitive radiation therapy of unresectable squamous cell carcinoma, large cell carcinoma, and adenocarcinoma of the lung; Current concepts of chemotherapy and radiotherapy for small cell lung cancer, and Current status of immunotherapy for lung cancer

  3. Gastric Cancer: Current Status of Diagnosis and Treatment

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Takahashi, Tsunehiro; Saikawa, Yoshiro; Kitagawa, Yuko

    2013-01-01

    Gastric cancer is the second leading cause of death from malignant disease worldwide and most frequently discovered in advanced stages. Because curative surgery is regarded as the only option for cure, early detection of resectable gastric cancer is extremely important for good patient outcomes. Therefore, noninvasive diagnostic modalities such as evolutionary endoscopy and positron emission tomography are utilized as screening tools for gastric cancer. To date, early gastric cancer is being treated using minimally invasive methods such as endoscopic treatment and laparoscopic surgery, while in advanced cancer it is necessary to consider multimodality treatment including chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and surgery. Because of the results of large clinical trials, surgery with extended lymphadenectomy could not be recommended as a standard therapy for advanced gastric cancer. Recent clinical trials had shown survival benefits of adjuvant chemotherapy after curative resection compared with surgery alone. In addition, recent advances of molecular targeted agents would play an important role as one of the modalities for advanced gastric cancer. In this review, we summarize the current status of diagnostic technology and treatment for gastric cancer

  4. Current status and progress of pancreatic cancer in China.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lin, Quan-Jun; Yang, Feng; Jin, Chen; Fu, De-Liang

    2015-07-14

    Cancer is currently one of the most important public health problems in the world. Pancreatic cancer is a fatal disease with poor prognosis. As in most other countries, the health burden of pancreatic cancer in China is increasing, with annual mortality rates almost equal to incidence rates. The increasing trend of pancreatic cancer incidence is more significant in the rural areas than in the urban areas. Annual diagnoses and deaths of pancreatic cancer in China are now beyond the number of cases in the United States. GLOBOCAN 2012 estimates that cases in China account for 19.45% (65727/337872) of all newly diagnosed pancreatic cancer and 19.27% (63662/330391) of all deaths from pancreatic cancer worldwide. The population's growing socioeconomic status contributes to the rapid increase of China's proportional contribution to global rates. Here, we present an overview of control programs for pancreatic cancer in China focusing on prevention, early diagnosis and treatment. In addition, we describe key epidemiological, demographic, and socioeconomic differences between China and developed countries. Facts including no nationwide screening program for pancreatic cancer, delay in early detection resulting in a late stage at presentation, lack of awareness of pancreatic cancer in the Chinese population, and low investment compared with other cancer types by government have led to backwardness in China's pancreatic cancer diagnosis and treatment. Finally, we suggest measures to improve health outcomes of pancreatic cancer patients in China.

  5. [Nutritional screening before surgery for esophageal cancer - current status and evaluation results].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shimakawa, Takeshi; Asaka, Shinich; Sagawa, Masano; Shimazaki, Asako; Yamaguchi, Kentaro; Usui, Takebumi; Yokomizo, Hajime; Shiozawa, Shunichi; Yoshimatsu, Kazuhiko; Katsube, Takao; Naritaka, Yoshihiko

    2014-10-01

    The incidence of postoperative complications and mortality are usually higher in patients with preoperative malnutrition. Malnutrition often preexists, particularly in patients undergoing surgery for esophageal cancer, which is substantially invasive. It is therefore important to understand the nutritional condition of patients and actively control perioperative nutrition.Our hospital has been providing nutritional status screening for patients before resection of esophageal cancer, and we report the current status and evaluation results in this article.This screening included 158 patients requiring radical resection of esophageal cancer.Age, comorbidity with diabetes, body mass index(BMI), serum albumin(Alb), Onodera's prognostic nutritional index(PNI), and Glasgow prognostic score(GPS)were used as nutritional indicators to stratify patients for analysis.Evaluation parameters included the incidence of postoperative complications(any complication, pulmonary complications, psychiatric disorder, and anastomotic leakage)and rates of long-term postoperative hospitalization.The analysis indicated that age, BMI, serum Alb, PNI, and GPS are useful for predicting the onset of postoperative complications and prolonged postoperative hospitalization.For such patients, more active nutritional control should be provided.

  6. Current Status of HPV Vaccines

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ma, Barbara; Roden, Richard; Wu, T.C.

    2010-01-01

    Cervical cancer is the second largest cause of cancer deaths in women worldwide, with ~500,000 diagnoses and 274,000 deaths annually. It remains a significant source of morbidity and mortality despite effective screening tools and treatments for its precursor high-grade cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN). Increased understanding of cervical pathogenesis has led to the identification of human papillomavirus (HPV) as the etiological agent for cervical cancer and the development of preventive and therapeutic vaccines targeting HPV antigens for the control of cervical cancer. Herein, we discuss the current status of HPV vaccines. PMID:20677402

  7. Current status of brachytherapy in cancer treatment – short overview

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Janusz Skowronek

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available Cancer incidence and mortality depend on a number of factors, including age, socio-economic status and geographical location, and its prevalence is growing around the world. Most of cancer treatments include external beam radiotherapy or brachytherapy. Brachytherapy, a type of radiotherapy with energy from radionuclides inserted directly into the tumor, is increasingly used in cancer treatment. For cervical and skin cancers, it has become a standard therapy for more than 100 years as well as an important part of the treatment guidelines for other malignancies, including head and neck, skin, breast, and prostate cancers. Compared to external beam radiotherapy, brachytherapy has the potential to deliver an ablative radiation dose over a short period of time directly to the altered tissue area with the advantage of a rapid fall-off in dose, and consequently, sparing of adjacent organs. As a result, the patient is able to complete the treatment earlier, and the risks of occurrence of another cancer are lower than in conventional radiotherapy treatment. Brachytherapy has increased its use as a radical or palliative treatment, and become more advanced with the spread of pulsed-dose-rate and high-dose-rate afterloading machines; the use of new 3D/4D planning systems has additionally improved the quality of the treatment. The aim of the present study was to present short summaries of current studies on brachytherapy for the most frequently diagnosed tumors. Data presented in this manuscript should help especially young physicians or physicists to explore and introduce brachytherapy in cancer treatments.

  8. The current status of imaging diagnosis of breast cancer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Liu Fang; Tang Guangcai

    2013-01-01

    In recent years, the incidence and the mortality rate of female breast cancer in our country is increasing, Early diagnosis of breast cancer is particularly important. Precious preoperative staging in the breast cancer is advantageous for the treatment planning. Evaluating the efficacy of chemotherapy is beneficial for adjusting the follow-up plan. Imaging examination has become an important role in breast cancer management. At present, commonly used equipment include mammography, ultrasound, CT, and MRI, etc. This article reviews the present study status of these tools in diagnosis of breast cancer. A reasonable and effective choice of those tools can facilitate clinic diagnosis and treatment. (authors)

  9. Current status of theranostics in prostate cancer

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Virgolini, Irene; Decristoforo, Clemens; Uprimny, Christian [Medical University of Innsbruck, Department of Nuclear Medicine, Innsbruck (Austria); Haug, Alexander [Medical University of Vienna, Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Vienna (Austria); Fanti, Stefano [University of Bologna, S. Orsola Hospital Bologna, Nuclear Medicine Unit, Bologna (Italy)

    2018-03-15

    The aim of this review is to report on the current status of prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA)-directed theranostics in prostate cancer (PC) patients. The value of {sup 68}Ga-PSMA-directed PET imaging as a diagnostic procedure for primary and recurrent PC as well as the role of evolving PSMA radioligand therapy (PRLT) in castration-resistant (CR)PC is assessed. The most eminent data from mostly retrospective studies currently available on theranostics of prostate cancer are discussed. The current knowledge on {sup 68}Ga-PSMA PET/CT implicates that primary staging with PET/CT is meaningful in patients with high-risk PC and that the combination with pelvic multi parametric (mp)MR (or PET/mpMR) reaches the highest impact on patient management. There may be a place for {sup 68}Ga-PSMA PET/CT in intermediate-risk PC patients as well, however, only a few data are available at the moment. In secondary staging for local recurrence, {sup 68}Ga-PSMA PET/mpMR is superior to PET/CT, whereas for distant recurrence, PET/CT has equivalent results and is faster and cheaper compared to PET/mpMR. {sup 68}Ga-PSMA PET/CT is superior to {sup 18}F / {sup 11}Choline PET/CT in primary staging as well as in secondary staging. In patients with biochemical relapse, PET/CT positivity is directly associated with prostate-specific antigen (PSA) increase and amounts to roughly 50% when PSA is raised to ≤0.5 ng/ml and to ≥90% above 1 ng/ml. Significant clinical results have so far been achieved with the subsequent use of radiolabeled PSMA ligands in the treatment of CRPC. Accumulated activities of 30 to 50 GBq of {sup 177}Lu-PSMA ligands seem to be clinically safe with biochemical response and PERCIST/RECIST response in around 75% of patients along with xerostomia in 5-10% of patients as the only notable side effect. On the basis of the current literature, we conclude that PSMA-directed theranostics do have a major clinical impact in diagnosis and therapy of PC patients. We recommend

  10. Prostate cancer chemoprevention: Current status and future prospects

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gupta, Sanjay

    2007-01-01

    Chemoprevention is a strategy that aims to reduce the incidence and burden of cancer through the development of agents to prevent, reverse or delay the carcinogenic process. Prostate cancer is a suitable target for prevention because it has a high incidence and prevalence, as well as a long latency and disease-related mortality, and furthermore it is a disease in which lifestyle and environmental factors may play critical roles. The development of chemoprevention strategies against prostate cancer will have a huge impact, both medically and economically. Large-scale clinical trials suggest that some agents such as selenium, lycopene, soy, green tea, vitamins D and E, anti-inflammatory and inhibitors of 5α-reductase are effective in preventing prostate cancer. Although each agent has the potential to affect the natural history of the disease, it is important to develop strategies to strategically proceed for the design and selection of test agents in order to demonstrate clinical benefit with the minimum of adverse effects. Appropriate selection of agent(s), disease stage, trial design and endpoints is critical in selecting the most promising regimens to accomplish these goals. This review highlights the present status of prostate cancer chemoprevention and discusses future prospects for chemopreventive strategies that are safe and clinically beneficial

  11. A balanced review of the status T cell-based therapy against cancer

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Marincola Francesco M

    2005-04-01

    Full Text Available Abstract A recent commentary stirred intense controversy over the status of anti-cancer immunotherapy. The commentary suggested moving beyond current anti-cancer vaccines since active-specific immunization failed to match expectations toward a more aggressive approach involving the adoptive transfer of in vitro expanded tumor antigen-specific T cells. Although the same authors clarified their position in response to others' rebuttal more discussion needs to be devoted to the current status of T cell-based anti-cancer therapy. The accompanying publications review the status of adoptive transfer of cancer vaccines on one hand and active-specific immunization on the other. Hopefully, reading these articles will offer a balanced view of the current status of antigen-specific ant-cancer therapies and suggest future strategies to foster unified efforts to complement either approach with the other according to specific biological principles.

  12. Current status of sperm banking for young cancer patients in Japanese nationwide survey.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yumura, Yasushi; Tsujimura, Akira; Okada, Hiroshi; Ota, Kuniaki; Kitazawa, Masahumi; Suzuki, Tatsuya; Kakinuma, Tosiyuki; Takae, Seido; Suzuki, Nao; Iwamoto, Teruaki

    2018-02-02

    This study aimed to ascertain the current status of Japanese sperm banking for young cancer patients. During 2015, we mailed the directors of 695 institutes where sperm cryopreservation might be performed with questionnaires requesting information on the number of patients, age, precryopreservation chemotherapy, semen analyses results and diagnoses, cryopreservation success rate, and causes of unsuccessful cryopreservation. Of these 695 institutes, 92 had cryopreserved sperm before chemotherapy within the study period. In all, 820 cancer patients (237 testicular, 383 hematological, 46 bone and soft tissue, 20 brain, and 134 other malignancy) consulted the responding institutes for sperm cryopreservation. Except for testicular tumor, the number of patients whose sperm was preserved before cancer treatment was low compared to that of young cancer patients. Approximately 20% of patients with malignancies other than testicular tumor underwent chemotherapy before cryopreservation. The success rate of cryopreservation in hematological malignancy was 82.5%, significantly lower than that of both the testicular cancer (93.6%) and other malignancy groups (95.6%) (P < 0.05). The primary reasons for preservation failure were azoospermia and poor semen quality. Patients with hematological malignancies had a higher rate of unsuccessful cryopreservation compared to those in other groups, possibly due to the large number of patients requesting sperm cryopreservation after chemotherapy induction. In Japan, information regarding sperm banking prior to cancer treatment appears to be lacking. Information regarding sperm preservation before chemotherapy should be provided to all Japanese oncologists.

  13. Chemoradiotherapy for lung cancer. Current status and perspectives

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ohe, Yuichiro

    2004-01-01

    For many years, thoracic radiotherapy had been regarded as the standard treatment for patients with unresectable locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer. However, meta-analyses show that cisplatin-containing chemoradiotherapy is significantly superior to radiotherapy alone in terms of survival. Moreover, concurrent chemoradiotherapy yields a significantly increased response rate and enhanced survival duration when compared with the sequential approach. Cisplatin-based chemotherapy with concurrent thoracic radiotherapy yields a 5-year survival rate of approximately 15% for patients with unresectable locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer. The state-of-the-art treatment for limited-stage small cell lung cancer is considered to be four cycles of combination chemotherapy with cisplatin plus etoposide combined with early concurrent twice-daily thoracic irradiation (45 Gy). If patients achieve complete remission, prophylactic cranial irradiation should be administered. A 5-year survival rate of approximately 25% is expected with the state-of-the-art treatment for limited-stage small cell lung cancer. Chemoradiotherapy is considered to be a standard treatment for both unresectable locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer and limited-stage small cell lung cancer. Several new strategies are currently being investigated to improve the survival of these patients. The incorporation of target-based drugs such as gefitinib is considered to be the most promising strategy for unresectable locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer. The incorporation of irinotecan is also a promising strategy to improve the survival of patients with limited-stage small cell lung cancer. The Japan Clinical Oncology Group is conducting clinical trials to develop new treatment strategies for both unresectable locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer and limited-stage small cell lung cancer. (author)

  14. Current status and future prospects of hyperthermic intraoperative intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) clinical trials in ovarian cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cowan, Renee A; O'Cearbhaill, Roisin E; Zivanovic, Oliver; Chi, Dennis S

    2017-08-01

    The natural history of advanced-stage epithelial ovarian cancer is one of clinical remission after surgery and platinum/taxane-based intravenous (IV) and/or intraperitoneal (IP) chemotherapy followed by early or late recurrence in the majority of patients. Prevention of progression and recurrence remains a major hurdle in the management of ovarian cancer. Recently, many investigators have evaluated the use of normothermic and hyperthermic intraoperative IP drug delivery as a management strategy. This is a narrative review of the current status of clinical trials of hyperthermic intraoperative intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) in ovarian cancer and the future directions for this treatment strategy. The existing studies on HIPEC in patients with epithelial ovarian cancer are mostly retrospective in nature, are heterogeneous with regards to combined inclusion of primary and recurrent disease and lack unbiased data. Until data are available from evidence-based trials, it is reasonable to conclude that surgical cytoreduction and HIPEC is a rational and interesting, though still investigative, approach in the management of epithelial ovarian cancer, whose use should be employed within prospective clinical trials.

  15. Postoperative outcome after oesophagectomy for cancer: Nutritional status is the missing ring in the current prognostic scores.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Filip, B; Scarpa, M; Cavallin, F; Cagol, M; Alfieri, R; Saadeh, L; Ancona, E; Castoro, C

    2015-06-01

    Several prognostic scores were designed in order to estimate the risk of postoperative adverse events. None of them includes a component directly associated to the nutritional status. The aims of the study were the evaluation of performance of risk-adjusted models for early outcomes after oesophagectomy and to develop a score for severe complication prediction with special consideration regarding nutritional status. A comparison of POSSUM and Charlson score and their derivates, ASA, Lagarde score and nutritional index (PNI) was performed on 167 patients undergoing oesophagectomy for cancer. A logistic regression model was also estimated to obtain a new prognostic score for severe morbidity prediction. Overall morbidity was 35.3% (59 cases), severe complications (grade III-V of Clavien-Dindo classification) occurred in 20 cases. Discrimination was poor for all the scores. Multivariable analysis identified pulse, connective tissue disease, PNI and potassium as independent predictors of severe morbidity. This model showed good discrimination and calibration. Internal validation using standard bootstrapping techniques confirmed the good performance. Nutrition could be an independent risk factor for major complications and a nutritional status coefficient could be included in current prognostic scores to improve risk estimation of major postoperative complications after oesophagectomy for cancer. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

  16. Phytochemicals for breast cancer therapy: current status and future implications.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Siddiqui, Jawed Akhtar; Singh, Aru; Chagtoo, Megha; Singh, Nidhi; Godbole, Madan Madhav; Chakravarti, Bandana

    2015-01-01

    Breast cancer is one of the most common malignancies among women, representing nearly 30% of newly diagnosed cancers every year. Till date, various therapeutic interventions, including surgery, chemotherapy, hormonal therapy, and radiotherapy are available and are known to cause a significant decline in the overall mortality rate. However, therapeutic resistance, recurrence and lack of treatment in metastasis are the major challenges that need to be addressed. Increasing evidence suggests the presence of cancer stem cells (CSCs) in heterogeneous population of breast tumors capable of selfrenewal and differentiation and is considered to be responsible for drug resistance and recurrence. Therefore, compound that can target both differentiated cancer cells, as well as CSCs, may provide a better treatment strategy. Due to safe nature of dietary agents and health products, investigators are introducing them into clinical trials in place of chemotherapeutic agents.This current review focuses on phytochemicals, mainly flavonoids that are in use for breast cancer therapy in preclinical phase. As phytochemicals have several advantages in breast cancer and cancer stem cells, new synthetic series for breast cancer therapy from analogues of most potent natural molecule can be developed via rational drug design approach.

  17. Chemoradiotherapy for esophageal cancer. Current status and perspectives

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ohtsu, Atsushi

    2004-01-01

    The optimal role of chemoradiotherapy in the multimodality treatment of esophageal cancer is still controversial. According to a series of clinical trials, definitive chemoradiotherapy is considered the standard of care for patients with medically inoperable or surgically unresectable esophageal cancer. This modality provides survivals comparable to those in Western series of surgery alone and is one of the standards of care even for resectable-stage disease. Recent reports of primary chemoradiotherapy from Japan suggest survival comparable to that of surgery in Japanese patients with stage I disease, but radical surgery is still the standard treatment for T2-3NanyM0 disease in Japan. However, it is clear that this approach has limitations in treatment outcomes. Trimodality therapy, i.e., preoperative chemoradiotherapy followed by surgery, is more favored than surgery alone in clinical practice, particularly in patients with adenocarcinoma, although current data from randomized trials are insufficient to support this approach. To improve the local control rate of chemoradiotherapy, intensification of the radiation dose has been attempted, but this has failed to demonstrate any superiority in terms of local control or survival. The addition of new agents, including molecular targeting agents, to the current standard chemoradiotherapy has shown more promising results and warrants further investigations in future studies. Salvage treatment for patients who do not achieve a complete response (CR) is necessary to improve the overall treatment results. Salvage surgery, as well as endoscopic resection, in selected patients, may provide an improvement in survival. Until high rates of local control can be consistently achieved with chemoradiotherapy alone, these salvage treatments will be an integral component of multimodality treatment for esophageal cancer, and should be active areas for clinical investigations. (author)

  18. Identifying therapeutic targets in gastric cancer: the current status and future direction

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yu, Beiqin; Xie, Jingwu

    2016-01-01

    Gastric cancer is the third leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide. Our basic understanding of gastric cancer biology falls behind that of many other cancer types. Current standard treatment options for gastric cancer have not changed for the last 20 years. Thus, there is an urgent need to establish novel strategies to treat this deadly cancer. Successful clinical trials with Gleevec in CML and gastrointestinal stromal tumors have set up an example for targeted therapy of cancer. In this review, we will summarize major progress in classification, therapeutic options of gastric cancer. We will also discuss molecular mechanisms for drug resistance in gastric cancer. In addition, we will attempt to propose potential future directions in gastric cancer biology and drug targets. PMID:26373844

  19. Cervical cancer in South Africa: An overview of current status and ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Current estimates are that 493 243 women are diagnosed with cervical cancer per year and 273 505 die from the disease.1. Globally it is the second most common cancer in women and the most common in developing countries. In Africa, which has a population of 267.9 million women aged 15 years or greater, it is

  20. Current Status and Perspectives of Hyperthermia in Cancer Therapy

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hiraoka, Masahiro; Nagata, Yasushi; Mitsumori, Michihide; Sakamoto, Masashi; Masunaga, Shin-ichiro

    2004-08-01

    Clinical trials of hyperthermia in combination with radiation therapy or chemotherapy undertaken over the past decades in Japan have been reviewed. Originally developed heating devices were mostly used for these trials, which include RF (radiofrequency) capacitive heating devices, a microwave heating device with a lens applicator, an RF intracavitary heating device, an RF current interstitial heating device, and ferromagnetic implant heating device. Non-randomized trials for various cancers, demonstrated higher response rate in thermoradiotherapy than in radiotherapy alone. Randomized trials undertaken for esophageal cancers also demonstrated improved local response with the combined use of hyperthermia. Furthermore, the complications associated with treatment were not generally serious. These clinical results indicate the benefit of combined treatment of hyperthermia and radiotherapy for various malignancies. On the other hand, the presently available heating devices are not satisfactory from the clinical viewpoints. With the advancement of heating and thermometry technologies, hyperthermia will be more widely and safely used in the treatment of cancers.

  1. The current status of oncolytic viral therapy for head and neck cancer

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Matthew O. Old

    2016-06-01

    Full Text Available Objective: Cancer affects the head and neck region frequently and leads to significant morbidity and mortality. Oncolytic viral therapy has the potential to make a big impact in cancers that affect the head and neck. We intend to review the current state of oncolytic viruses in the treatment of cancers that affect the head and neck region. Method: Data sources are from National clinical trials database, literature, and current research. Results: There are many past and active trials for oncolytic viruses that show promise for treating cancers of the head and neck. The first oncolytic virus was approved by the FDA October 2015 (T-VEC, Amgen for the treatment of melanoma. Active translational research continues for this and many other oncolytic viruses. Conclusion: The evolving field of oncolytic viruses is impacting the treatment of head and neck cancer and further trials and agents are moving forward in the coming years. Keywords: Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma, Oncolytic viruses, Clinical trials, Novel therapeutics

  2. Cervical cancer in South Africa: An over- view of current status and ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Current estimates are that 493 243 women are diagnosed with cervical cancer per ... estimated that 78 897 women are diagnosed with cervical cancer annually and 61 671 ..... eye aided by a bright light source. ... References. 1. Ferly Bray F ...

  3. [Current status and prospect of perioperative thrombus management in gastrointestinal cancer].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Qin, X Y

    2016-03-01

    Thanks to the progress of surgical theory and skills, as well as the application of modern medical devices in general surgery, both the occurrence of perioperative complications and mortality of gastrointestinal surgery have significantly reduced recently. However, it is still far from optimal in terms of the perioperative venous thromboembolism (VTE) management in gastrointestinal cancer, and what is responsible for that? This paper aims at finding out the reasons contributing to the current status, giving suggestions for how to make improvement at both disease level and hospital management level. At the same time, while paying attention for the prophylaxis of VTE, there have been more and more patients receiving antithrombotic treatment require elective or emergent surgery in clinical practice, due to aging and increased incidence of cardiovascular disease year by year. How to balance the bleeding and thrombosis risk for these patients during perioperative periods is also a question we are going to discuss. In conclusion, as to the issue of the management of perioperative thrombosis, there will be a long way for Chinese doctors to go. Our peers should pay more attention to this problem and take more efforts, so that the thrombotic complications in surgical patients can be reduced.

  4. Current status of lectin-based cancer diagnosis and therapy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Fohona S. Coulibaly

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Lectins are carbohydrate recognizing proteins originating from diverse origins in nature, including animals, plants, viruses, bacteria and fungus. Due to their exceptional glycan recognition property, they have found many applications in analytical chemistry, biotechnology and surface chemistry. This manuscript explores the current use of lectins for cancer diagnosis and therapy. Moreover, novel drug delivery strategies aiming at improving lectin’s stability, reducing their undesired toxicity and controlling their non-specific binding interactions are discussed. We also explore the nanotechnology application of lectins for cancer targeting and imaging. Although many investigations are being conducted in the field of lectinology, there is still a limited clinical translation of the major findings reported due to lectins stability and toxicity concerns. Therefore, new investigations of safe and effective drug delivery system strategies for lectins are warranted in order to take full advantage of these proteins.

  5. Metastatic breast cancer: do current treatments improve quality of life? A prospective study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Fernanda Amado

    Full Text Available CONTEXT AND OBJECTIVE: In metastatic breast cancer cases, the currently available therapeutic approaches provide minimal improvement in survival. As such, quality of life (QOL becomes one of the main objectives of treatment. It is not known whether current treatments derived from trials improve QOL. The aim was to evaluate changes in QOL among metastatic breast cancer patients receiving treatment derived from trials. DESIGN AND SETTING: Prospective observational QOL survey in a tertiary cancer center. METHODS: To evaluate the influence of current treatments on patients' QOL, the Medical Outcomes Study Short Form-36 (SF-36 and the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI were applied on three occasions: before starting treatment and at the 6th and 12th weeks, to consecutive metastatic breast cancer patients over a one-year period. RESULTS: We found an improvement in QOL in the sample evaluated (n = 40, expressed by changes in the overall SF-36 score (p = 0.002 and the BDI (p = 0.004. Taken individually, the SF-36 components Pain, Social Functioning and Mental Health also improved significantly. Patients with worse initial performance status and secondary symptoms displayed greater improvement than those with better initial performance status and asymptomatic disease (p < 0.001. Patients who received more than one type of therapy showed larger gains than those given only one type (p = 0.038. CONCLUSIONS: In our environment, current metastatic breast cancer treatments can improve QOL, especially among symptomatic patients and those with low performance status.

  6. Molecular Cancer Prevention: Current Status & Future Directions

    Science.gov (United States)

    Maresso, Karen Colbert; Tsai, Kenneth Y.; Brown, Powel H.; Szabo, Eva; Lippman, Scott; Hawk, Ernest

    2016-01-01

    The heterogeneity and complexity of advanced cancers strongly supports the rationale for an enhanced focus on molecular prevention as a priority strategy to reduce the burden of cancer. Molecular prevention encompasses traditional chemopreventive agents as well as vaccinations and therapeutic approaches to cancer-predisposing conditions. Despite challenges to the field, we now have refined insights into cancer etiology and early pathogenesis; successful risk assessment and new risk models; agents with broad preventive efficacy (e.g., aspirin) in common chronic diseases, including cancer; and a successful track record of more than 10 agents approved by the FDA for the treatment of precancerous lesions or cancer risk reduction. The development of molecular preventive agents does not differ significantly from the development of therapies for advanced cancers, yet has unique challenges and special considerations given that it most often involves healthy or asymptomatic individuals. Agents, biomarkers, cohorts, overall design, and endpoints are key determinants of molecular preventive trials, as with therapeutic trials, although distinctions exist for each within the preventive setting. Progress in the development and evolution of molecular preventive agents has been steadier in some organ systems, such as breast and skin, than in others. In order for molecular prevention to be fully realized as an effective strategy, a number of challenges to the field must be addressed. Here we provide a brief overview of the context for and special considerations of molecular prevention along with a discussion of the results of major randomized controlled trials. PMID:26284997

  7. Surrogate for oropharyngeal cancer HPV status in cancer database studies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Megwalu, Uchechukwu C; Chen, Michelle M; Ma, Yifei; Divi, Vasu

    2017-12-01

    The utility of cancer databases for oropharyngeal cancer studies is limited by lack of information on human papillomavirus (HPV) status. The purpose of this study was to develop a surrogate that can be used to adjust for the effect of HPV status on survival. The study cohort included 6419 patients diagnosed with oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma between 2004 and 2012, identified in the National Cancer Database (NCDB). The HPV surrogate score was developed using a logistic regression model predicting HPV-positive status. The HPV surrogate score was predictive of HPV status (area under the curve [AUC] 0.73; accuracy of 70.4%). Similar to HPV-positive tumors, HPV surrogate positive tumors were associated with improved overall survival (OS; hazard ratio [HR] 0.73; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.59-0.91; P = .005), after adjusting for important covariates. The HPV surrogate score is useful for adjusting for the effect of HPV status on survival in studies utilizing cancer databases. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  8. Research on cancer diagnosis in Malaysia: current status.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Looi, L M; Zubaidah, Z; Cheah, P L; Cheong, S K; Gudum, H R; Iekhsan, O; Ikram, S I; Jamal, R; Mak, J W; Othman, N H; Puteri, J N; Rosline, H; Sabariah, A R; Seow, H F; Sharifah, N A

    2004-06-01

    Cancer is a major morbidity and mortality concern in Malaysia. Based on National Cancer Registry data, the Malaysian population is estimated to bear a cancer burden of about 40,000 new cases per year, and a cumulative lifetime risk of about 1:4. Cancer research in Malaysia has to consider needs relevant to our population, and resources constraints. Hence, funding bodies prioritise cancers of high prevalence, unique to our community and posing specific clinical problems. Cancer diagnosis is crucial to cancer management. While cancer diagnosis research largely aims at improvements in diagnostic information towards more appropriate therapy, it also impacts upon policy development and other areas of cancer management. The scope of cancer diagnosis upon which this paper is based, and their possible impact on other R&D areas, has been broadly categorized into: (1) identification of aetiological agents and their linkages to the development of precancer and cancer (impact on policy development, cancer prevention and treatment), (2) cancer biology and pathogenesis (impact on cancer prevention, treatment strategies and product development), (3) improvements in accuracy, sensitivity and specificity in cancer detection, monitoring and classification (impact on technology development) and (4) prognostic and predictive parameters (impact on treatment strategies). This paper is based on data collected by the Working Group on Cancer Diagnosis Research for the First National Conference on Cancer Research Coordination in April 2004. Data was collated from the databases of Institutions/Universities where the authors are employed, the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (MOSTI) and targeted survey feedback from key cancer researchers. Under the 7th Malaysia Plan, 76 cancer projects were funded through the Intensified Research in Priority Areas (IRPA) scheme of MOSTI, amounting to almost RM15 million of grant money. 47(61.8%) of these projects were substantially in cancer

  9. Current status in remnant gastric cancer after distal gastrectomy

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ohira, Masaichi; Toyokawa, Takahiro; Sakurai, Katsunobu; Kubo, Naoshi; Tanaka, Hiroaki; Muguruma, Kazuya; Yashiro, Masakazu; Onoda, Naoyoshi; Hirakawa, Kosei

    2016-01-01

    Remnant gastric cancer (RGC) and gastric stump cancer after distal gastrectomy (DG) are recognized as the same clinical entity. In this review, the current knowledges as well as the non-settled issues of RGC are presented. Duodenogastric reflux and denervation of the gastric mucosa are considered as the two main factors responsible for the development of RGC after benign disease. On the other hand, some precancerous circumstances which already have existed at the time of initial surgery, such as atrophic gastritis and intestinal metaplasia, are the main factors associated with RGC after gastric cancer. Although eradication of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) in remnant stomach is promising, it is still uncertain whether it can reduce the risk of carcinogenesis. Periodic endoscopic surveillance after DG was reported useful in detecting RGC at an early stage, which offers a chance to undergo minimally invasive endoscopic treatment or laparoscopic surgery and leads to an improved prognosis in RGC patients. Future challenges may be expected to elucidate the benefit of eradication of H. pylori in the remnant stomach if it could reduce the risk for RGC, to build an optimal endoscopic surveillance strategy after DG by stratifying the risk for development of RGC, and to develop a specific staging system for RGC for the standardization of the treatment by prospecting the prognosis. PMID:26937131

  10. Chemoradiotherapy for uterine cancer. Current status and perspectives

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kuzuya, Kazuo

    2004-01-01

    The conventional local treatment methods (surgery and radiation) for cervical cancer have reached a plateau in terms of survival benefit and, therefore, in this review, new treatment strategies (combined chemotherapy [CT] and local therapy) to overcome the poor prognosis were examined in high-risk groups. The effectiveness of neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) administered prior to radiotherapy (RT) has not been confirmed for any disease stages. But NAC followed by surgery may improve survival in patients with stage Ib2 compared with surgery alone; and in patients with stage Ib2 to IIB compared with RT alone. Five large randomized clinical trials (RCTs) demonstrated a significant survival benefit for patients treated with concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT), using a cisplatin (CDDP)-based regimen, with a 28%-50% relative reduction in the risk of death. In addition, the results of a meta-analysis of 19 RCTs of CCRT (1981-2000) involving 4580 patients showed that CCRT significantly improved overall survival (OS) hazard ratio ([HR] 0.71; P<0.0001), as well as progression-free survival (PFS; HR 0.61; P<0.0001). In line with these results, CCRT is currently recommended as standard therapy for advanced cancer (stage III/IVA) in the United States. However, there remains much controversy and uncertainty regarding the optimal therapeutic approaches, especially for patients with advanced cancer. Additional RCTs should be conducted to find the optimal CT regimen and RT for Japanese patients, considering acute and late complications, as well as differences in pelvic anatomy, total radiation dose, and RT procedures between Japan and other countries. Evidence obtained from such studies should establish the optimal CCRT treatment protocol and define the patient population (disease stage) that the protocol really benefits. (author)

  11. Cancer Disparities - Cancer Currents Blog

    Science.gov (United States)

    Blog posts on cancer health disparities research—including factors that influence disparities, disparities-related research efforts, and diversity in the cancer research workforce—from NCI Cancer Currents.

  12. Cancer Technology - Cancer Currents Blog

    Science.gov (United States)

    Blog posts on technologies that affect cancer research and care—including new technologies for detecting cancer, testing treatments, storing/analyzing data, and improving patient care—from NCI Cancer Currents.

  13. Current status on microRNAs as biomarkers for ovarian cancer

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Prahm, Kira Philipsen; Novotny, Guy Wayne; Høgdall, Claus

    2016-01-01

    Ovarian cancer (OC) is the most lethal gynecological malignancy in the Western world, and has a very poor prognosis, often due to late diagnosis and emergence of chemotherapy resistance. Therefore, there is an essential need for new diagnostic and prognostic markers that can improve and initiate ......RNAs in different types of OC. In this review we summarize the current knowledge of microRNAs as potential biomarkers for OC, with focus on their clinical relevance....

  14. Computer-aided diagnosis for screening of breast cancer on mammograms. Current status and future potential

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Doi, Kunio

    2007-01-01

    Described are the history, current status and future potential of computer-aided diagnosis (CAD) with particular emphasis on screening mammography for breast cancer. The systematic basic and clinical studies on CAD started around 20 years before and the significance of CAD has been well recognized to be evident because of human errors occurring in the visual check by doctors of so numerous screening images. Improvement of diagnostic accuracy by CAD has been demonstrated by statistical analysis of ROC (receiver operating characteristic) curves. In mammography, reviewed is detection of the early stage breast cancer like microcalcifications by computer alone, by CAD plus one or more doctors' reading, and by practical clinical CAD diagnosis. For differential diagnosis for malignancy, microcalcifications and masses are given their characteristic image properties and the results are that the Az-value (area under ROC curve) is higher in CAD than in doctor's (0.80 vs 0.61) in the former and, doctor's (0.93) is improved by CAD to 0.96 in the latter masses. In this diagnosis, similar images in the digital database are useful and the database can learn by repeated input of individual data by neural network. Detection of the lesion and especially, its differential diagnosis will be more important in parallel to database development and CAD will be also useful for doctor' carrier as an educational mean. (R.T.)

  15. The current status of emergency operations at a high-volume cancer center.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Komori, Koji; Kimura, Kenya; Kinoshita, Takashi; Ito, Seiji; Abe, Tetsuya; Senda, Yoshiki; Misawa, Kazunari; Ito, Yuichi; Uemura, Norihisa; Natsume, Seiji; Kawai, Ryosuke; Kawakami, Jiro; Asano, Tomonari; Iwata, Yoshinori; Kurahashi, Shintaro; Tsutsuyama, Masayuki; Shigeyoshi, Itaru; Shimizu, Yasuhiro

    2014-01-01

    This study aimed to assess the pathogenic causes, clinical conditions, surgical procedures, in-hospital mortality, and operative death associated with emergency operations at a high-volume cancer center. Although many reports have described the contents, operative procedures, and prognosis of elective surgeries in high-volume cancer centers, emergency operations have not been studied in sufficient detail. We retrospectively enrolled 28 consecutive patients who underwent emergency surgery. Cases involving operative complications were excluded. The following surgical procedures were performed during emergency operations: closure in 3 cases (10.7%), diversion in 22 cases (78.6%), ileus treatment in 2 cases (7.1%), and hemostasis in 1 case (3.6%). Closure alone was performed only once for peritonitis. Diversion was performed in 17 cases (77.3%) of peritonitis, 4 cases (18.2%) of stenosis of the gastrointestinal tract, and 1 case (4.5%) of bleeding. There was a significant overall difference (P = 0.001). The frequency of emergency operations was very low at a high-volume cancer center. However, the recent shift in treatment approaches toward nonoperative techniques may enhance the status of emergency surgical procedures. The results presented in this study will help prepare for emergency situations and resolve them as quickly and efficiently as possible.

  16. Molecular Diagnostics for Precision Medicine in Colorectal Cancer: Current Status and Future Perspective

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Guoli Chen

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Precision medicine, a concept that has recently emerged and has been widely discussed, emphasizes tailoring medical care to individuals largely based on information acquired from molecular diagnostic testing. As a vital aspect of precision cancer medicine, targeted therapy has been proven to be efficacious and less toxic for cancer treatment. Colorectal cancer (CRC is one of the most common cancers and among the leading causes for cancer related deaths in the United States and worldwide. By far, CRC has been one of the most successful examples in the field of precision cancer medicine, applying molecular tests to guide targeted therapy. In this review, we summarize the current guidelines for anti-EGFR therapy, revisit the roles of pathologists in an era of precision cancer medicine, demonstrate the transition from traditional “one test-one drug” assays to multiplex assays, especially by using next-generation sequencing platforms in the clinical diagnostic laboratories, and discuss the future perspectives of tumor heterogeneity associated with anti-EGFR resistance and immune checkpoint blockage therapy in CRC.

  17. Molecular Diagnostics for Precision Medicine in Colorectal Cancer: Current Status and Future Perspective.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Guoli; Yang, Zhaohai; Eshleman, James R; Netto, George J; Lin, Ming-Tseh

    2016-01-01

    Precision medicine, a concept that has recently emerged and has been widely discussed, emphasizes tailoring medical care to individuals largely based on information acquired from molecular diagnostic testing. As a vital aspect of precision cancer medicine, targeted therapy has been proven to be efficacious and less toxic for cancer treatment. Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most common cancers and among the leading causes for cancer related deaths in the United States and worldwide. By far, CRC has been one of the most successful examples in the field of precision cancer medicine, applying molecular tests to guide targeted therapy. In this review, we summarize the current guidelines for anti-EGFR therapy, revisit the roles of pathologists in an era of precision cancer medicine, demonstrate the transition from traditional "one test-one drug" assays to multiplex assays, especially by using next-generation sequencing platforms in the clinical diagnostic laboratories, and discuss the future perspectives of tumor heterogeneity associated with anti-EGFR resistance and immune checkpoint blockage therapy in CRC.

  18. Association Between Preoperative Nutritional Status and Postoperative Outcome in Head and Neck Cancer Patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Leung, John S L; Seto, Alfred; Li, George K H

    2017-04-01

    Head and neck cancer patients treated with surgery often experience significant postoperative morbidities. Administering preoperative nutritional intervention may improve surgical outcomes, but there is currently a paucity of data reviewing the association between preoperative nutritional status and postoperative outcome. It is therefore of importance to investigate this association among head and neck cancer patients. To assess the association between preoperative nutritional status and postoperative outcome in head and neck cancer patients treated with surgery, a retrospective study of 70 head and neck cancer patients who were surgically treated between 2013 and 2014 in a tertiary referral head and neck surgery center in Hong Kong was conducted. Clinical data regarding preoperative nutritional status and postoperative outcome were retrieved from a computer record system. Logistic and linear regressions were used to analyze the appropriate parameters. A higher preoperative albumin level was associated with lower rates of postoperative complications and better wound healing (P cancer patients, preoperative intervention strategies that boost albumin levels could be considered for improving surgical outcome.

  19. Terahertz endoscopic imaging for colorectal cancer detection: Current status and future perspectives.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Doradla, Pallavi; Joseph, Cecil; Giles, Robert H

    2017-08-16

    Terahertz (THz) imaging is progressing as a robust platform for myriad applications in the field of security, health, and material science. The THz regime, which comprises wavelengths spanning from microns to millimeters, is non-ionizing and has very low photon energy: Making it inherently safe for biological imaging. Colorectal cancer is one of the most common causes of death in the world, while the conventional screening and standard of care yet relies exclusively on the physician's experience. Researchers have been working on the development of a flexible THz endoscope, as a potential tool to aid in colorectal cancer screening. This involves building a single-channel THz endoscope, and profiling the THz response from colorectal tissue, and demonstrating endogenous contrast levels between normal and diseased tissue when imaging in reflection modality. The current level of contrast provided by the prototype THz endoscopic system represents a significant step towards clinical endoscopic application of THz technology for in-vivo colorectal cancer screening. The aim of this paper is to provide a short review of the recent advances in THz endoscopic technology and cancer imaging. In particular, the potential of single-channel THz endoscopic imaging for colonic cancer screening will be highlighted.

  20. Effects of Cognitive Status on Life Participation of Cancer Survivors

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mary F. Baxter PhD, OT, FAOTA

    2014-04-01

    Full Text Available The purposes of this study were to identify the cognitive status of cancer survivors, determine the effect of cognitive status on function and participation in daily activities, and explore how cancer survivors perceive changes in their cognition. The study used a quantitative nonexperimental cross-sectional design. The participants included 35 cancer survivors from two different sites. Instruments included the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA and the Reintegration to Normal Index-Postal Version (RNLI-P in the measurement of cognitive impairment and functional performance respectively. Data were also collected with a supplemental questionnaire to explore participants’ perspectives on their cognitive difficulties and current function. The participant scores on the MoCA indicated cognitive impairment (μ= 25 and their scores on the RNLI-P demonstrated subpar reintegration (μ=9.64. Twenty-one participants answered the supplemental questionnaire. In content analysis of questionnaire responses, 17/21 participants reported some level of cognitive change related to cancer and cancer treatment. Data from an open-ended question were organized into four categories: decreased participation, more selective in activities, balance in activities, and cognitive changes. Study results indicate a large percentage of cancer survivors demonstrate mild cognitive impairment as well as changes in participation in instrumental activities of daily living.

  1. Internet-based technologies to improve cancer care coordination: current use and attitudes among cancer patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Girault, Anne; Ferrua, Marie; Lalloué, Benoît; Sicotte, Claude; Fourcade, Aude; Yatim, Fatima; Hébert, Guillaume; Di Palma, Mario; Minvielle, Etienne

    2015-03-01

    The uses of internet-based technologies (e.g. patient portals, websites and applications) by cancer patients could be strong drive for change in cancer care coordination practices. The goal of this study was to assess the current utilisation of internet-based technologies (IBT) among cancer patients, and their willingness to use them for their health, as well as analyse the influence of socio-demographics on both aspects. A questionnaire-based survey was conducted in June 2013, over seven non-consecutive days within seven outpatient departments of Gustave Roussy, a comprehensive cancer centre (≈160,000 consultations yearly), located just outside Paris. We computed descriptive statistics and performed correlation analysis to investigate patients' usage and attitudes in correspondence with age, gender, socioeconomic status, social isolation, and place of living. We then conducted multinomial logistic regressions using R. The participation level was 85% (n=1371). The median age was 53.4. 71% used a mobile phone everyday and 93% had access to Internet from home. Age and socioeconomic status were negatively associated with the use of IBT (p<0.001). Regarding patients' expected benefits, a wide majority valued its use in health care, and especially, the possibility to enhance communication with providers. 84% of patients reported feeling comfortable with the use of such technologies but age and socioeconomic status had a significant influence. Most patients used IBTs every day. Overall, patients advocated for an extended use of IBT in oncology. Differences in perceived ease of use corresponding to age and socioeconomic status have to be addressed. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  2. [Current Status and Development of Traditional Chemotherapy in Non-small Cell Lung Cancer under the Background of Targeted Therapy].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Guowei; Wang, Huijuan; Zhang, Mina; Li, Peng; Ma, Zhiyong

    2015-09-20

    In recent years, along with rapid development of targeted therapy in non-small cell lung cancer, traditional chemotherapy get less and less attention. Yet it still can not be ignored in the current that how to locate and use traditional chemotherapy so patients could derive maximum benefit. For this purpose, through the literature review and analysis, we point out there are still many traditional chemotherapy irreplaceable places whatever patients' driver gene status. And there are some new treatment modalities of traditional chemotherapy which have been developed to further improve patients' survival. At the same time, through exposition of predictive bio-markers development in chemotherapy, we pointed out that the future of traditional chemotherapy must be part of "targeted therapy".

  3. Minimally invasive radical pancreatectomy for left-sided pancreatic cancer: Current status and future perspectives

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kang, Chang Moo; Lee, Sung Hwan; Lee, Woo Jung

    2014-01-01

    Minimally invasive distal pancreatectomy with splenectomy has been regarded as a safe and effective treatment for benign and borderline malignant pancreatic lesions. However, its application for left-sided pancreatic cancer is still being debated. The clinical evidence for radical antegrade modular pancreatosplenectomy (RAMPS)-based minimally invasive approaches for left-sided pancreatic cancer was reviewed. Potential indications and surgical concepts for minimally invasive RAMPS were suggested. Despite the limited clinical evidence for minimally invasive distal pancreatectomy in left-sided pancreatic cancer, the currently available clinical evidence supports the use of laparoscopic distal pancreatectomy under oncologic principles in well-selected left sided pancreatic cancers. A pancreas-confined tumor with an intact fascia layer between the pancreas and left adrenal gland/kidney positioned more than 1 or 2 cm away from the celiac axis is thought to constitute a good condition for the use of margin-negative minimally invasive RAMPS. The use of minimally invasive (laparoscopic or robotic) anterior RAMPS is feasible and safe for margin-negative resection in well-selected left-sided pancreatic cancer. The oncologic feasibility of the procedure remains to be determined; however, the currently available interim results indicate that even oncologic outcomes will not be inferior to those of open radical distal pancreatosplenectomy. PMID:24605031

  4. Edible vaccines: Current status and future

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lal P

    2007-01-01

    Full Text Available Edible vaccines hold great promise as a cost-effective, easy-to-administer, easy-to-store, fail-safe and socioculturally readily acceptable vaccine delivery system, especially for the poor developing countries. It involves introduction of selected desired genes into plants and then inducing these altered plants to manufacture the encoded proteins. Introduced as a concept about a decade ago, it has become a reality today. A variety of delivery systems have been developed. Initially thought to be useful only for preventing infectious diseases, it has also found application in prevention of autoimmune diseases, birth control, cancer therapy, etc. Edible vaccines are currently being developed for a number of human and animal diseases. There is growing acceptance of transgenic crops in both industrial and developing countries. Resistance to genetically modified foods may affect the future of edible vaccines. They have passed the major hurdles in the path of an emerging vaccine technology. Various technical obstacles, regulatory and non-scientific challenges, though all seem surmountable, need to be overcome. This review attempts to discuss the current status and future of this new preventive modality.

  5. Physical and mental health status and health behaviors in male breast cancer survivors: a national, population-based, case-control study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Andrykowski, Michael A

    2012-09-01

    Identify the current physical and mental health status and health behaviors of male breast cancer survivors. Using data from the national, population-based, 2009 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) survey, 66 cases of male breast cancer were identified (mean age = 66.2 years, mean time since diagnosis = 12.0 years). Male breast cancer cases were matched with 198 male BRFSS respondents with no history of cancer (control group) on age, education, and minority status. The male breast cancer and control groups were compared on physical and mental health status and health behaviors, using t-test and logistic regression analyses. The male breast cancer group reported poorer physical and mental health than controls. Male breast cancer survivors were significantly (p mental health (Effect Size = 0.49), and physical health (Effect Size = 0.29) were not good. In contrast, the male breast cancer and control groups were similar with regard to current health behaviors, including tobacco and alcohol use, diet, exercise, and health care. The diagnosis and treatment of male breast cancer may be associated with clinically important and long-term deficits in physical and mental health status, deficits which may exceed those evidenced by long-term female breast cancer survivors. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  6. Perioperative nutritional status changes in gastrointestinal cancer patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shim, Hongjin; Cheong, Jae Ho; Lee, Kang Young; Lee, Hosun; Lee, Jae Gil; Noh, Sung Hoon

    2013-11-01

    The presence of gastrointestinal (GI) cancer and its treatment might aggravate patient nutritional status. Malnutrition is one of the major factors affecting the postoperative course. We evaluated changes in perioperative nutritional status and risk factors of postoperative severe malnutrition in the GI cancer patients. Nutritional status was prospectively evaluated using patient-generated subjective global assessment (PG-SGA) perioperatively between May and September 2011. A total of 435 patients were enrolled. Among them, 279 patients had been diagnosed with gastric cancer and 156 with colorectal cancer. Minimal invasive surgery was performed in 225 patients. PG-SGA score increased from 4.5 preoperatively to 10.6 postoperatively (pgastric cancer patients, postoperative severe malnourishment increased significantly (p60, pgastric cancer (pgastric cancer, and open surgery remained significant as risk factors of severe malnutrition. The prevalence of severe malnutrition among GI cancer patients in this study increased from 2.3% preoperatively to 26.3% after an operation. Old age, preoperative weight loss, gastric cancer, and open surgery were shown to be risk factors of postoperative severe malnutrition. In patients at high risk of postoperative severe malnutrition, adequate nutritional support should be considered.

  7. Marital status and optimism score among breast cancer survivors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Croft, Lindsay; Sorkin, John; Gallicchio, Lisa

    2014-11-01

    There are an increasing number of breast cancer survivors, but their psychosocial and supportive care needs are not well-understood. Recent work has found marital status, social support, and optimism to be associated with quality of life, but little research has been conducted to understand how these factors relate to one another. Survey data from 722 breast cancer survivors were analyzed to estimate the association between marital status and optimism score, as measured using the Life Orientation Test-Revised. Linear regression was used to estimate the relationship of marital status and optimism, controlling for potential confounding variables and assessing effect modification. The results showed that the association between marital status and optimism was modified by time since breast cancer diagnosis. Specifically, in those most recently diagnosed (within 5 years), married breast cancer survivors had a 1.50 higher mean optimism score than unmarried survivors (95 % confidence interval (CI) 0.37, 2.62; p = 0.009). The difference in optimism score by marital status was not present more than 5 years from breast cancer diagnosis. Findings suggest that among breast cancer survivors within 5 years since diagnosis, those who are married have higher optimism scores than their unmarried counterparts; this association was not observed among longer-term breast cancer survivors. Future research should examine whether the difference in optimism score among this subgroup of breast cancer survivors is clinically relevant.

  8. Cancer pain management in China: current status and practice implications based on the ACHEON survey

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Xia Z

    2017-08-01

    Full Text Available Zhongjun Xia Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, Guangdong, ChinaPurpose: Cancer pain can seriously impact the quality of life (QoL of patients, and optimal management practices are therefore of paramount importance. The ACHEON survey queried physicians and patients from 10 Asian countries/regions to assess current clinical practices in cancer pain management in Asia. This study presents the data obtained for cancer pain management in mainland China, with an emphasis on practices related to opioid drugs.Materials and methods: In several tertiary hospitals across China, 250 patients experiencing cancer pain and 100 physicians were surveyed on questions designed to assess current cancer pain management practices and cancer pain impact on QoL.Results: The patient survey showed that 88% of patients reported moderate-to-severe cancer pain, with a median duration of 6 months. The physician survey showed that medical school/residency training with regard to cancer pain management was inadequate in ~80% of physicians. A total of 80% of physicians and 67.2% of patients reported that pain scale was used during pain assessment; 84% of physicians expressed that physician-perceived pain severity was not completely consistent with actual pain the patient experienced. Of the 147 patients who recalled the medication received, 83.7% were administered opioid prescriptions. Of the 240 patients who received treatment, 43.8% perceived the inadequacy of controlling pain. The primary barriers from physicians perceived to optimal pain management included patients’ fear of side effects (58%, patients’ fear of addiction (53%, patients’ reluctance to report pain (43%, physicians’ reluctance to prescribe (29%, physicians’ inadequacy of pain assessment (27% and excessive regulation of opioid analgesics (47%.Conclusion: Knowledge of cancer pain management should be strengthened among physicians. Quantitative pain assessment and principle-based pain

  9. Text mining of cancer-related information: review of current status and future directions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Spasić, Irena; Livsey, Jacqueline; Keane, John A; Nenadić, Goran

    2014-09-01

    This paper reviews the research literature on text mining (TM) with the aim to find out (1) which cancer domains have been the subject of TM efforts, (2) which knowledge resources can support TM of cancer-related information and (3) to what extent systems that rely on knowledge and computational methods can convert text data into useful clinical information. These questions were used to determine the current state of the art in this particular strand of TM and suggest future directions in TM development to support cancer research. A review of the research on TM of cancer-related information was carried out. A literature search was conducted on the Medline database as well as IEEE Xplore and ACM digital libraries to address the interdisciplinary nature of such research. The search results were supplemented with the literature identified through Google Scholar. A range of studies have proven the feasibility of TM for extracting structured information from clinical narratives such as those found in pathology or radiology reports. In this article, we provide a critical overview of the current state of the art for TM related to cancer. The review highlighted a strong bias towards symbolic methods, e.g. named entity recognition (NER) based on dictionary lookup and information extraction (IE) relying on pattern matching. The F-measure of NER ranges between 80% and 90%, while that of IE for simple tasks is in the high 90s. To further improve the performance, TM approaches need to deal effectively with idiosyncrasies of the clinical sublanguage such as non-standard abbreviations as well as a high degree of spelling and grammatical errors. This requires a shift from rule-based methods to machine learning following the success of similar trends in biological applications of TM. Machine learning approaches require large training datasets, but clinical narratives are not readily available for TM research due to privacy and confidentiality concerns. This issue remains the main

  10. Current status of first-line therapy for elderly patients with proatate cancer in Kyushu and Okinawa areas. A questionnaire study

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nishiyama, Kenryu; Nakagawa, Masayuki; Koga, Hirofumi

    2005-01-01

    A survey based on a questionnaire to urologists in Kyushu and Okinawa areas was carried out to assess the current status of first-line therapy for elderly patients with prostate cancer. Ninety-three urologists from 93 institutes answered the questionnaire. Endocrine therapy is widely performed as first-line therapy for elderly patients with prostate cancer. They mostly receive immediate-continuous therapy regardless of their clinical factors. Only 8 (9%) and 7 (8%) institutes have the options of deferred and intermittent therapy, respectively. LH-RH analogue and non-steroidal anti-androgens are commonly used. Chemoendocrine therapy is performed in 33 (35%) institutes for selected patients. Estramustine and 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) derivatives are commonly used as chemotherapeutic agents. Sixty (65%) institutes do not have this modality as a treatment option. Risks arising from the treatment and quality of life (QOL) disturbance are the main reasons for this. Radiation therapy and radical prostatectomy are performed in 53 (57%) and 47 (51%) institutes, respectively, for selected patients with loco-regional disease. However, 22 (24%) institutes do not have these definitive therapies as treatment options. QOL and risks arising from the treatments are the main factors for selecting definitive or non-definitive therapy. In elderly patients with prostate cancer, cancer control is not always the goal of treatment. QOL within a relatively shorter life expectancy is an important factor for decision making in the management of these patients. (authors)

  11. Therapeutic Potential of Curcumin in Treatment of Pancreatic Cancer: Current Status and Future Perspectives.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hosseini, Mina; Hassanian, Seyed Mahdi; Mohammadzadeh, Elham; ShahidSales, Soodabeh; Maftouh, Mina; Fayazbakhsh, Hasan; Khazaei, Majid; Avan, Amir

    2017-07-01

    Pancreatic cancer is among the leading cause of deaths due to cancer with extremely poor prognosis. Gemcitabine is being used in the treatment of patient with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), although, the response rate is bellow 12%. A recent phase III trial revealed that FOLFIRINOX could be an option for the treatment of metastatic PDAC patients, although it is associated with increased toxicity. Therefore, identification of novel agents that either improves gemcitabine activity, within novel combinatorial approaches, or with a better efficacy than gemcitabine is warranted. The antitumor activity of curcumin in several tumors, including prostate, breast and colorectal cancers have investigated. A recent phase II trial explored the effects of curcumin in advanced pancreatic cancer patient. They found that oral curcumin was well tolerated. Another trial showed the activity of 8,000 mg of curcumin in combination with gemcitabine in patients with advanced pancreatic cancer. This review summarizes the current knowledge about possible molecular mechanisms of curcumin in PDAC with particular emphasis on preclinical/clinical studies in pancreatic cancer treatment. J. Cell. Biochem. 118: 1634-1638, 2017. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  12. Change in employment status of 5-year cancer survivors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Torp, Steffen; Nielsen, Roy A; Fosså, Sophie D; Gudbergsson, Saevar B; Dahl, Alv A

    2013-02-01

    To follow the employment status of 5-year cancer survivors for 5 years after diagnosis with their first lifetime invasive cancer and to identify socio-demographic, work-related and cancer-related predictors of employment status after 5 years. This prospective registry study concerned all 3278 people in Norway (18-61 years old) diagnosed with their first lifetime invasive cancer in 1999 and alive in 2004 and a cancer-free control group (n = 6368) matched by sex, age, educational level and employment status in 1998. The employment rate among male cancer survivors declined steadily every year, from 94% the year before diagnosis (1998) to 77% 5 years after diagnosis (2004). This change did not differ significantly from that of male controls. The employment rate of female survivors also declined steadily, from 87% (1998) to 69% (2004). This decline was greater than that among female controls, and in 2004 survivors had a significantly lower employment rate. For both men and women, the significant pre-diagnosis predictors of being employed in 2004 concerned higher socio-economic position. For both sexes, lung cancer survivors had the highest decline in employment rate, and male skin cancer survivors had a lower decline in employment rate than controls. Socio-demographic and work-related factors explained more of the variance in employment status than did cancer diagnosis. The employment rate among 5-year cancer survivors did not change significantly except for female survivors. Low socio-economic position is a risk factor for decline in employment rate and should be focused on to prevent cancer-related inequity.

  13. Identifying Malnutrition: Nutritional Status in Newly Diagnosed Patients With Cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Krishnasamy, Karthikayini; Li Yoong, Tang; Mei Chan, Chong; Peng Choong, Lau; Chinna, Karuthan

    2017-02-01

    Malnutrition is common among patients with cancer, but little attention is given to its risks and consequences. The aim of this study is to assess the nutritional status and identify the factors associated with malnutrition among newly diagnosed patients with cancer. Patients admitted with newly diagnosed cancer at a teaching hospital in Malaysia were recruited from January to April 2015. Nutritional status was assessed before treatment initiation, and patients were classified into three categories. A total of 132 pretreatment patients were recruited into the study. About half were severely malnourished. Patients with stage III cancer had the highest prevalence of severe malnourishment. Clinical parameters and disease characteristics were significantly associated with nutritional status. Demographic variables were also statistically significantly associated with severe nutritional status.

  14. Effects of nutritional and psychological status of the patients with advanced stomach cancer on physical performance status.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tian, Jun; Chen, Zhen-chun; Hang, Li-Fang

    2009-10-01

    The aim of this study was to assess the associations between coping mode, nutritional status, and psychological status and performance status of the patients with advanced stomach cancer. An epidemiological survey was conducted among 233 patients with advanced stomach cancer in Fujian, China. In-person interviews were performed for the participants with respect to information of psychological status prior to chemotherapy, nutritional status during chemotherapy, and physical performance status after chemotherapy. Multivariate logistic regression analyses showed that the level of hemoglobin (HB), level of daily calorie intake, score of Depression Status Inventory (DSI), and score of confrontation subscale of Medical Coping Modes Questionnaire had a significant influence on performance status (P or =40 versus DSI score confrontation versus high score of confrontation, respectively. Depression, low score of "Confrontation", low levels of HB, and low level of daily calorie intake may be the risk factors of poor performance status of the patients with advanced stomach cancer.

  15. Nanomedicine applications in the treatment of breast cancer: current state of the art.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wu, Di; Si, Mengjie; Xue, Hui-Yi; Wong, Ho-Lun

    2017-01-01

    Breast cancer is the most common malignant disease in women worldwide, but the current drug therapy is far from optimal as indicated by the high death rate of breast cancer patients. Nanomedicine is a promising alternative for breast cancer treatment. Nanomedicine products such as Doxil ® and Abraxane ® have already been extensively used for breast cancer adjuvant therapy with favorable clinical outcomes. However, these products were originally designed for generic anticancer purpose and not specifically for breast cancer treatment. With better understanding of the molecular biology of breast cancer, a number of novel promising nanotherapeutic strategies and devices have been developed in recent years. In this review, we will first give an overview of the current breast cancer treatment and the updated status of nanomedicine use in clinical setting, then discuss the latest important trends in designing breast cancer nanomedicine, including passive and active cancer cell targeting, breast cancer stem cell targeting, tumor microenvironment-based nanotherapy and combination nanotherapy of drug-resistant breast cancer. Researchers may get insight from these strategies to design and develop nanomedicine that is more tailored for breast cancer to achieve further improvements in cancer specificity, antitumorigenic effect, antimetastasis effect and drug resistance reversal effect.

  16. Nutritional status and quality of life of cancer patients needing exclusive chemotherapy: a longitudinal study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Salas, Sebastien; Mercier, Sophie; Moheng, Benjamin; Olivet, Sandrine; Garcia, Marie-Eve; Hamon, Sophie; Sibertin-Blanc, Camille; Duffaud, Florence; Auquier, Pascal; Baumstarck, Karine

    2017-04-27

    The aims of this study were to report nutritional status in a large panel of patients with cancer requiring exclusive chemotherapy and to study the influence of nutritional status on their quality of life (QoL). This work was a longitudinal cohort study performed at a French university teaching hospital. Eligible patients were individuals with a cancer needing treatment based on exclusive chemotherapy. Three work-ups were performed: i) before the administration of the first course of chemotherapy: T1, ii) before the administration of the second (for patients with 3 planned courses) or third (patients with 6 planned courses) course: T2, and iii) before the administration of the last planned course: T3. The following data were collected: general health (performance status) and nutritional status (weight, anorexia grading, albuminemia, pre-albuminemia, and C-reactive protein) and QoL. The nutritional status of patients with cancer was preserved. Functional impairment, the presence of anorexia, the palliative nature of the chemotherapy, and an elevated C-reactive protein dosage were independent predictive factors of a lower QoL among patients assessed at the end of chemotherapy. Although larger studies should corroborate these findings, clinicians may include this information in the management of patients with cancer requiring exclusive chemotherapy to identify the most vulnerable patients. Current controlled trials NCT01687335 (registration date: October 6, 2011).

  17. Cancer Control in Central and Eastern Europe: Current Situation and Recommendations for Improvement.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vrdoljak, Eduard; Bodoky, Gyorgy; Jassem, Jacek; Popescu, Razvan A; Mardiak, Jozef; Pirker, Robert; Čufer, Tanja; Bešlija, Semir; Eniu, Alexandru; Todorović, Vladimir; Kubáčková, Kateřina; Kurteva, Galia; Tomašević, Zorica; Sallaku, Agim; Smichkoska, Snezhana; Bajić, Žarko; Šikić, Branimir I

    2016-10-01

    : The incidence of many cancers is higher in Western European (WE) countries, but mortality is frequently higher in Central and Eastern European (CEE) countries. A panel of oncology leaders from CEE countries participating in the South Eastern European Research Oncology Group (SEEROG) was formed in 2015, aiming to analyze the current status and trends of oncology care in CEE and to propose recommendations leading to improved care and outcomes. The SEEROG panel, meeting during the 11th Central European Oncology Congress, proposed the following: (a) national cancer control plans (NCCPs) required in all CEE countries, defining priorities in cancer care, including finance allocation considering limited health care budgets; (b) national cancer registries, describing in detail epidemiological trends; (c) efforts to strengthen comprehensive cancer centers; (d) that multidisciplinary care should be mandated by the NCCPs; (e) that smaller hospitals should be connected to multidisciplinary tumor boards via the Internet, providing access to specialized expertise; (f) nationwide primary prevention programs targeting smoking, obesity, and alcohol consumption and centrally evaluated secondary prevention programs for cervical, colorectal, and breast cancers; (g) prioritize education for all involved in cancer care, including oncology nurses, general practitioners, and palliative care providers; (h) establish outpatient care in day hospitals to reduce costs associated with the current inpatient model of care in CEE countries and to improve patients' quality of life; (i) long-term pharmacoeconomic evaluations of new therapies in CEE countries; (j) increase national oncology budgets in view of the higher mortality rates in CEE compared with WE countries; and (k) CEE countries urgently need help from the European Union to increase and monitor overall investment in cancer care. Significant differences in cancer incidence and mortality have been observed between European countries

  18. Heterogenous mismatch-repair status in colorectal cancer

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Joost, Patrick; Veurink, Nynke; Holck, Susanne

    2014-01-01

    BACKGROUND: Immunohistochemical staining for mismatch repair proteins is efficient and widely used to identify mismatch repair defective tumors. The tumors typically show uniform and widespread loss of MMR protein staining. We identified and characterized colorectal cancers with alternative......, heterogenous mismatch repair protein staining in order to delineate expression patterns and underlying mechanisms. METHODS: Heterogenous staining patterns that affected at least one of the mismatch repair proteins MLH1, PMS2, MSH2 and MSH6 were identified in 14 colorectal cancers. Based on alternative....... CONCLUSIONS: Heterogenous mismatch repair status can be demonstrated in colorectal cancer. Though rare, attention to this phenomenon is recommended since it corresponds to differences in mismatch repair status that are relevant for correct classification. VIRTUAL SLIDES: The virtual slide(s) for this article...

  19. Does HPV status influence survival after vulvar cancer?

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Rasmussen, Christina Louise; Sand, Freja Laerke; Hoffmann Frederiksen, Marie

    2018-01-01

    High-risk human papillomavirus (HPV) infection is essential in the carcinogenesis of a substantial part of anogenital and oropharyngeal cancers and has additionally been shown to be a possible predictive marker for survival, especially in oropharyngeal cancer. Studies examining the influence of HPV...... status on survival after vulvar cancer have been conflicting and limited by small study populations. Therefore, the aim of this review and meta-analysis was to examine whether HPV status influences survival after vulvar cancer, which, to our knowledge, has not been done before. We conducted a systematic...... search of PubMed, Cochrane Library and Embase to identify studies examining survival after histologically verified and HPV tested vulvar cancer. A total of 18 studies were eligible for inclusion. Study-specific and pooled HRs of the 5-year OS and DFS were calculated using a fixed effects model. The I2...

  20. Controlling Nutritional Status (CONUT) score is a prognostic marker for gastric cancer patients after curative resection.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kuroda, Daisuke; Sawayama, Hiroshi; Kurashige, Junji; Iwatsuki, Masaaki; Eto, Tsugio; Tokunaga, Ryuma; Kitano, Yuki; Yamamura, Kensuke; Ouchi, Mayuko; Nakamura, Kenichi; Baba, Yoshifumi; Sakamoto, Yasuo; Yamashita, Yoichi; Yoshida, Naoya; Chikamoto, Akira; Baba, Hideo

    2018-03-01

    Controlling Nutritional Status (CONUT), as calculated from serum albumin, total cholesterol concentration, and total lymphocyte count, was previously shown to be useful for nutritional assessment. The current study investigated the potential use of CONUT as a prognostic marker in gastric cancer patients after curative resection. Preoperative CONUT was retrospectively calculated in 416 gastric cancer patients who underwent curative resection at Kumamoto University Hospital from 2005 to 2014. The patients were divided into two groups: CONUT-high (≥4) and CONUT-low (≤3), according to time-dependent receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis. The associations of CONUT with clinicopathological factors and survival were evaluated. CONUT-high patients were significantly older (p nutritional status but also for predicting long-term OS in gastric cancer patients after curative resection.

  1. Predictive Toxicology: Current Status and Future Outlook (EBI ...

    Science.gov (United States)

    Slide presentation at the EBI-EMBL Industry Programme Workshop on Predictive Toxicology and the currently status of Computational Toxicology activities at the US EPA. Slide presentation at the EBI-EMBL Industry Programme Workshop on Predictive Toxicology and the currently status of Computational Toxicology activities at the US EPA.

  2. Pharmacogenetics and breast cancer management: current status and perspectives.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ciccolini, Joseph; Fanciullino, Raphaelle; Serdjebi, Cindy; Milano, Gérard

    2015-05-01

    Breast cancer has benefited from a number of innovative therapeutics over the last decade. Cytotoxics, hormone therapy, targeted therapies and biologics can now be given to ensure optimal management of patients. As life expectancy of breast cancer patients has been significantly stretched and that several lines of treatment are now made available, determining the best drug or drug combinations to be primarily given and the best dosing and scheduling for each patient is critical for ensuring an optimal toxicity/efficacy balance. Defining patient's characteristics at the tumor level (pharmacogenomics) and the constitutional level (pharmacogenetics) is a rising trend in oncology. This review covers the latest strategies based upon the search of relevant biomarkers for efficacy, resistance and toxicity to be undertaken at the bedside to shift towards precision medicine in breast cancer patients. In the expanding era of bioguided medicine, identifying relevant and clinically validated biomarkers from the plethora of published material remains an uneasy task. Sorting the variety of genetic and molecular markers that have been investigated over the last decade on their level of evidence and addressing the issue of drug exposure should help to improve the management of breast cancer therapy.

  3. The relationship between socio-economic status and cancer detection at screening

    Science.gov (United States)

    Taylor-Phillips, Sian; Ogboye, Toyin; Hamborg, Tom; Kearins, Olive; O'Sullivan, Emma; Clarke, Aileen

    2015-03-01

    It is well known that socio-economic status is a strong predictor of screening attendance, with women of higher socioeconomic status more likely to attend breast cancer screening. We investigated whether socio-economic status was related to the detection of cancer at breast screening centres. In two separate projects we combined UK data from the population census, the screening information systems, and the cancer registry. Five years of data from all 81 screening centres in the UK was collected. Only women who had previously attended screening were included. The study was given ethical approval by the University of Warwick Biomedical Research Ethics committee reference SDR-232-07- 2012. Generalised linear models with a log-normal link function were fitted to investigate the relationship between predictors and the age corrected cancer detection rate at each centre. We found that screening centres serving areas with lower average socio-economic status had lower cancer detection rates, even after correcting for the age distribution of the population. This may be because there may be a correlation between higher socio-economic status and some risk factors for breast cancer such as nullparity (never bearing children). When applying adjustment for age, ethnicity and socioeconomic status of the population screened (rather than simply age) we found that SDR can change by up to 0.11.

  4. Current status of oncothermia therapy for lung cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Szasz, Andras

    2014-04-01

    Lung cancer is one of the most common malignant tumors, and it has the highest death rate. Oncothermia is a feasible and successful treatment for lung cancer. Results show a remarkable survival benefit for patients, with a good quality of life. The treatment has no, or in some cases mild, side-effects and could decrease the adverse effects of the complementary treatment. Applying oncothermia together with other treatment methods could increase the effects and result in better performance. A comparison of studies demonstrates a good correspondence in the data, which strengthens the reliability of the studies, and clearly shows the feasibility of the application of oncothermia to treating all kinds of pulmonary malignancies including non-small-cell and small-cell primary tumors, and all of the metastatic diseases of the pulmonary system.

  5. Nanomedicine applications in the treatment of breast cancer: current state of the art

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Wu D

    2017-08-01

    Full Text Available Di Wu, Mengjie Si, Hui-Yi Xue, Ho-Lun Wong Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Temple University School of Pharmacy, Philadelphia, PA, USA Abstract: Breast cancer is the most common malignant disease in women worldwide, but the current drug therapy is far from optimal as indicated by the high death rate of breast cancer patients. Nanomedicine is a promising alternative for breast cancer treatment. Nanomedicine products such as Doxil® and Abraxane® have already been extensively used for breast cancer adjuvant therapy with favorable clinical outcomes. However, these products were originally designed for generic anticancer purpose and not specifically for breast cancer treatment. With better understanding of the molecular biology of breast cancer, a number of novel promising nanotherapeutic strategies and devices have been developed in recent years. In this review, we will first give an overview of the current breast cancer treatment and the updated status of nanomedicine use in clinical setting, then discuss the latest important trends in designing breast cancer nanomedicine, including passive and active cancer cell targeting, breast cancer stem cell targeting, tumor microenvironment-based nanotherapy and combination nanotherapy of drug-resistant breast cancer. Researchers may get insight from these strategies to design and develop nanomedicine that is more tailored for breast cancer to achieve further improvements in cancer specificity, antitumorigenic effect, antimetastasis effect and drug resistance reversal effect. Keywords: nanomedicine, breast cancer, targeted delivery, drug therapy, drug resistance, tumor microenvironment 

  6. Inadequate Nutritional Status of Hospitalized Cancer Patients

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ali Alkan

    2017-03-01

    Full Text Available Objective: In oncology practice, nutrition and also metabolic activity are essential to support the nutritional status and prevent malignant cachexia. It is important to evaluate the patients and plan the maneuvers at the start of the therapy. The primary objective of the study is to define the nutritional status of hospitalized patients and the factors affecting it in order to define the most susceptible patients and maneuvers for better nutritional support. Methods: Patients hospitalized in oncology clinic for therapy were evaluated for food intake and nutritional status through structured interviews. The clinical properties, medical therapies, elements of nutritional support were noted and predictors of inadequate nutritional status (INS were analyzed. Results: Four hundred twenty three patients, between 16-82 years old (median: 52 were evaluated. Nearly half of the patients (185, 43% reported a better appetite at home than in hospital and declared that hospitalization is an important cause of loss of appetite (140/185, 75.6%. Presence of nausea/vomiting (N/V, depression, age less than 65 and use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs were associated with increased risk of INS in hospitalized cancer patients. On the contrary, steroid medication showed a positive impact on nutritional status of cancer patients. Conclusion: N/V, younger age, presence of depression and NSAIDs medication were associated with INS in hospitalized cancer patients. Clinicians should pay more attention to this group of patients. In addition, unnecessary hospitalizations and medications that may disturb oral intake must be avoided. Corticosteroids are important tools for managing anorexia and INS.

  7. The current status of proton therapy in the world, the European Union and Slovakia

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ruzicka, J.

    2011-01-01

    Proton therapy is considered to be very promising cancer treatment modality, and therefore many countries of the world are trying to (regardless of the high investment costs) to build their own atomic centre (or other proton centres if they operate already some). Proton therapy allows better control of therapeutic doses of radiation to which the patient is exposed. Proton irradiation of the tumor can kill more cancer cells while minimizing damage of healthy tissue. Currently there is about 33 facilities in operation in the world where proton therapy can be carried out. Proton therapy complex with new, highly sophisticated equipment is also being constructed in Slovakia - in The Central Military Hospital in Ruzomberok. The project is in its final stage of implementation. The paper describes the current status of proton therapy in the world, the European Union (EU) and Slovakia. In conclusion principally new Proton therapy unit complex built in Slovakia with similar facilities currently existing in EU countries (old 15 member states) is compared (especially from technical and medical aspects). (author)

  8. Ezrin expression combined with MSI status in prognostication of stage II colorectal cancer.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Khadija Slik

    Full Text Available Currently used factors predicting disease recurrence in stage II colorectal cancer patients are not optimal for risk stratification. Thus, new biomarkers are needed. In this study the applicability of ezrin protein expression together with MSI status and BRAF mutation status were tested in predicting disease outcome in stage II colorectal cancer. The study population consisted of 173 stage II colorectal cancer patients. Paraffin-embedded cancer tissue material from surgical specimens was used to construct tissue microarrays (TMAs with next-generation technique. The TMA-slides were subjected to following immunohistochemical stainings: MLH1, MSH2, MSH6, PMS2, ezrin and anti-BRAF V600E antibody. The staining results were correlated with clinicopathological variables and survival. In categorical analysis, high ezrin protein expression correlated with poor disease-specific survival (p = 0.038. In univariate analysis patients having microsatellite instabile / low ezrin expression tumors had a significantly longer disease-specific survival than patients having microsatellite stable / high ezrin expression tumors (p = 0.007. In multivariate survival analysis, the presence of BRAF mutation was associated to poor overall survival (p = 0.028, HR 3.29, 95% CI1.14-9.54. High ezrin protein expression in patients with microsatellite stable tumors was linked to poor disease-specific survival (p = 0.01, HR 5.68, 95% CI 1.53-21.12. Ezrin protein expression is a promising biomarker in estimating the outcome of stage II colorectal cancer patients. When combined with microsatellite status its ability in predicting disease outcome is further improved.

  9. Nutritional status assessment in colorectal cancer patients

    OpenAIRE

    Joana Pedro Lopes; Paula Manuela de Castro Cardoso Pereira; Ana Filipa dos Reis Baltazar Vicente; Alexandra Bernardo; María Fernanda de Mesquita

    2013-01-01

    The present study intended to evaluate the nutritional status of Portuguese colorectal patients and associated it with surgery type as well as quality of life outcomes. Malnutrition can affect up to 85% of cancer patients and specifically 30-60% in colorectal cancer and can significantly influence health outcomes. A sample of 50 colorectal cancer patients was evaluated in what refers to several anthropometric measures, food intake, clinical history, complications rate before and after surgery...

  10. Sociodemographic status, stress, and risk of prostate cancer. A prospective cohort study

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Nielsen, Naja Rod; Kristensen, Tage S; Zhang, Zuo-Feng

    2007-01-01

    PURPOSE: The social gradient in prostate cancer incidence observed in several studies may be a result of differential access to prostate cancer screening. We aim to assess if socioeconomic status, stress, and marital status are associated with prostate cancer risk in a population with free access...... to health care. METHODS: The 5,496 men who participated in the Copenhagen City Heart Study were asked about their income, educational level, stress level, and marital status during 1981-1983. These men were prospectively followed up in the Danish Cancer Registry until the end of 2002 and fewer than 0...... in prostate cancer risk according to stress (HR = 0.99; 95% CI: 0.90-1.09) or marital status. CONCLUSION: In a racially homogeneous population of Caucasians with free access to health care, we found no evidence of a relation between sociodemographic variables or stress and subsequent risk of prostate cancer....

  11. Current pharmacotherapy options for cancer anorexia and cachexia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Macciò, Antonio; Madeddu, Clelia; Mantovani, Giovanni

    2012-12-01

    Anorexia and cachexia syndrome represents a complex clinical picture that occurs in the late stage of several chronic inflammatory diseases, including cancer. Unless counteracted cancer-related anorexia and cachexia syndrome affects quality of life (QL) and survival. However, to date a standard effective treatment is lacking. The aim of this review is to describe the current pharmacological approaches for anorexia and cachexia syndrome, focusing on cancer-related syndrome. The several pharmacological agents tested so far are discussed, distinguishing them in unproven drugs, effective drugs, and drugs under investigation. Moreover, a section is devoted to the promising use of nutritional supplements and nutraceuticals. The emerging role of a multitargeted combined treatment approach is exhaustively reviewed. Considering the complex clinical picture and the multifactorial pathogenesis of anorexia and cachexia syndrome, we believe that its clinical management requires a multidisciplinary and multipharmacological approach. In our opinion the anorexia and cachexia syndrome treatment should include drugs that target the following conditions: inflammatory status, oxidative stress, nutritional disorders, muscle catabolism, anemia, immunosuppression, and fatigue. The multidimensional therapies for anorexia and cachexia syndrome should ideally be introduced within a context of the "best supportive care," which includes optimal symptom management and careful psychosocial counseling.

  12. Molecular subtyping of cancer: current status and moving toward clinical applications.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhao, Lan; Lee, Victor H F; Ng, Michael K; Yan, Hong; Bijlsma, Maarten F

    2018-04-12

    Cancer is a collection of genetic diseases, with large phenotypic differences and genetic heterogeneity between different types of cancers and even within the same cancer type. Recent advances in genome-wide profiling provide an opportunity to investigate global molecular changes during the development and progression of cancer. Meanwhile, numerous statistical and machine learning algorithms have been designed for the processing and interpretation of high-throughput molecular data. Molecular subtyping studies have allowed the allocation of cancer into homogeneous groups that are considered to harbor similar molecular and clinical characteristics. Furthermore, this has helped researchers to identify both actionable targets for drug design as well as biomarkers for response prediction. In this review, we introduce five frequently applied techniques for generating molecular data, which are microarray, RNA sequencing, quantitative polymerase chain reaction, NanoString and tissue microarray. Commonly used molecular data for cancer subtyping and clinical applications are discussed. Next, we summarize a workflow for molecular subtyping of cancer, including data preprocessing, cluster analysis, supervised classification and subtype characterizations. Finally, we identify and describe four major challenges in the molecular subtyping of cancer that may preclude clinical implementation. We suggest that standardized methods should be established to help identify intrinsic subgroup signatures and build robust classifiers that pave the way toward stratified treatment of cancer patients.

  13. Association between socioeconomic status, surgical treatment and mortality in patients with colorectal cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dik, V K; Aarts, M J; Van Grevenstein, W M U; Koopman, M; Van Oijen, M G H; Lemmens, V E; Siersema, P D

    2014-08-01

    High socioeconomic status is associated with better survival in colorectal cancer (CRC). This study investigated whether socioeconomic status is associated with differences in surgical treatment and mortality in patients with CRC. Patients diagnosed with stage I-III CRC between 2005 and 2010 in the Eindhoven Cancer Registry area in the Netherlands were included. Socioeconomic status was determined at a neighbourhood level by combining the mean household income and the mean value of the housing. Some 4422 patients with colonic cancer and 2314 with rectal cancer were included. Patients with colonic cancer and high socioeconomic status were operated on with laparotomy (70·7 versus 77·6 per cent; P = 0·017), had laparoscopy converted to laparotomy (15·7 versus 29·5 per cent; P = 0·008) and developed anastomotic leakage or abscess (9·6 versus 12·6 per cent; P = 0·049) less frequently than patients with low socioeconomic status. These differences remained significant after adjustment for patient and tumour characteristics. In rectal cancer, patients with high socioeconomic status were more likely to undergo resection (96·3 versus 93·7 per cent; P = 0·083), but this was not significant in multivariable analysis (odds ratio (OR) 1·44, 95 per cent confidence interval 0·84 to 2·46). The difference in 30-day postoperative mortality in patients with colonic cancer and high and low socioeconomic status (3·6 versus 6·8 per cent; P socioeconomic status have more favourable surgical treatment characteristics than patients with low socioeconomic status. The lower 30-day postoperative mortality found in patients with colonic cancer and high socioeconomic status is largely explained by patient and surgical factors. © 2014 BJS Society Ltd. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  14. Teleradiology - current status

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Baltadjiev, D.; Charakchiev

    2000-01-01

    Tele-radiology is a term becoming increasingly popular in the medical literature. Nevertheless, terminological definitions in this particular field are still rather vague. The scope of applications extend from simple image presenting via analogue telephone lines to transmission of 3-D medical images through a satellite. It is a matter of standards highly differing in terms of data transmission rates, safety, technical demands on the systems and the like. In this article new information technologies, technical aspects, as well as some major applications of tele-radiology are discussed. The current status of tele-medicine/tele-radiology in this country is likewise briefly outlined

  15. Current status of secondary leukemia following cancer chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kawashima, Kohei; Nagura, Ei-ichi.

    1990-01-01

    As part of a study on hematopoietic effects of A-bombing, a nationwide questionnaire survey was made in 1,487 facilities to analyze secondary leukemia. A total of 232 patients, who were reported to have developed secondary hematopoietic or solid tumor, were eligible for this study. For 62 each evaluable male and female patients, the most common primary solid cancer was gastric cancer (27/62) for men; and breast cancer (25/62) and urinary cancer (27/62) for women. Of a total of 124 patients, 73 (59%) developed acute leukemia as secondary hematopoietic tumor, 53 of whom had underwent chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy for primary cancer. For primary hematopoietic tumor seen in 90 patients, non-Hodgkin's disease was the most common (38%, 34/90), followed by multiple myeloma (20%, 18/90). Of a total of 155 patients developing secondary hematopoietic tumor, 111 had received chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy. Chemotherapy or radiotherapy for primary cancer may have the potential risk for developing secondary cancer. (N.K.)

  16. Current status of immunologic studies in human lung cancer

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Gross, R.L.

    1978-06-01

    Several aspects of the immunology of human malignancy are reviewed, with particular emphasis on relevant findings in lung cancer. The existence of tumor-specific cell-mediated immune responses in patients with cancer has been demonstrated in numerous tumor types. Of more relevance in clinical situations is the association of generalized immunologic depression with malignancy. In the vast majority of cases, progressive declines in both tumor-specific and nonspecific immunologic parameters are observed with advancing disease. The approach to the immunologic evaluation of cancer patients and the potential usefulness of this approach to the diagnosis, prognosis, management, and assessment of therapeutic response are discussed. Evidence aimed at elucidating the mechanism of immunosuppression in malignancy, such as serum-blocking factors, immunoregulatory alpha globulins, and suppressor cells, is presented. Finally, emphasis is placed on the various forms of immunotherapy, including both specific active methods such as tumor cell or tumor antigen vaccines and nonspecific active immunotherapy involving agents like Bacillus Calmette-Guerin and levamisole. Early results from clinical immunotherapeutic trials are discussed.

  17. Current status of gene therapy for breast cancer: progress and challenges

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    McCrudden CM

    2014-11-01

    Full Text Available Cian M McCrudden, Helen O McCarthySchool of Pharmacy, Queen’s University Belfast, Belfast, UKAbstract: Breast cancer is characterized by a series of genetic mutations and is therefore ideally placed for gene therapy intervention. The aim of gene therapy is to deliver a nucleic acid-based drug to either correct or destroy the cells harboring the genetic aberration. More recently, cancer gene therapy has evolved to also encompass delivery of RNA interference technologies, as well as cancer DNA vaccines. However, the bottleneck in creating such nucleic acid pharmaceuticals lies in the delivery. Deliverability of DNA is limited as it is prone to circulating nucleases; therefore, numerous strategies have been employed to aid with biological transport. This review will discuss some of the viral and nonviral approaches to breast cancer gene therapy, and present the findings of clinical trials of these therapies in breast cancer patients. Also detailed are some of the most recent developments in nonviral approaches to targeting in breast cancer gene therapy, including transcriptional control, and the development of recombinant, multifunctional bio-inspired systems. Lastly, DNA vaccines for breast cancer are documented, with comment on requirements for successful pharmaceutical product development.Keywords: breast cancer, gene therapy, nonviral, clinical trial

  18. [ENTERAL NUTRITION ON THE NUTRITIONAL STATUS OF CANCER].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Escortell Sánchez, Raquel; Reig García-Galbis, Manuel

    2015-10-01

    to identify what effect causes enteral nutrition on nutritional status of cancer. a search was performed using the keywords "Cancer" AND "Enteral Nutrition" AND "Supplementation" in four document databases: Pubmed, EBSCO, ProQuest, and Web of Science. age of the sample, major than 18 years; submitted to surgery for cancer; that the intervention program was including diet and employment or not of nutritional Supplementation; clinical trials published between January 2004 and December 2014, in scientific journals indexed. we analyzed 660 articles, of which only 2% has been included. 58% of intervention programs are applied outside Spain; 84% of the interventions was carried out in a hospitable ambient; 58% of the sample is formed by adults older than 54 years; 33% of the interventions were multidisciplinary and its duration ranges between 1 and 4 years. we found just a few national interventions in cancer participants and there two types of interventions: by exclusive polymeric enteral formula or mixed with immunonutrition. enteral nutrition shows against the parenteral and its introduction at an early stage, it helps to improve nutritional status of the patient; polymeric formulas next immunonutrition, it helps to reduce the time of hospitalization; the analytical parameters are shown as a measurement pattern when assessing the improvement in nutritional status in cancer. It is recommended to increase the research in this field, especially in children. Copyright AULA MEDICA EDICIONES 2014. Published by AULA MEDICA. All rights reserved.

  19. Nutritional status and related factors of patients with advanced gastrointestinal cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Liyan; Lu, Yuhan; Fang, Yu

    2014-04-14

    The scored Patient-Generated Subjective Global Assessment (PG-SGA) is considered to be the most appropriate tool for detecting malnutrition in cancer patients. In particular, malignant tumours derived from the gastrointestinal tract may impair nutrient intake and absorption and cause malnutrition. We carried out a cross-sectional study to assess the nutritional status and related factors of patients with gastrointestinal cancer. Nutritional status was determined using the scored PG-SGA in patients (n 498) with advanced gastrointestinal cancer admitted to the Gastrointestinal Medical Oncology Unit at Beijing Cancer Hospital between 1 August 2012 and 28 February 2013. The possible related factors including age, sex, hospitalisation frequency and pathology were explored. We found that 98% of the patients required nutrition intervention and 54% of the patients required improved nutrition-related symptom management and/or urgent nutritional support (PG-SGA score ≥9). Factors related to malnutrition were age (r 0.103, Pcancer had a lower risk of malnutrition than patients with other types of gastrointestinal cancer (F=35.895, Pnutritional status of gastrointestinal patients, especially those at a higher risk of malnutrition, such as elderly patients, those hospitalised for the first time, male patients and those with other types of gastrointestinal cancer except rectal cancer. The nutritional status of these patients should be evaluated and they should be given proper nutrition education and nutritional support in a timely manner.

  20. Current Status on Stem Cells and Cancers of the Gastric Epithelium

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Werner Hoffmann

    2015-08-01

    Full Text Available Gastric cancer is still a leading cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide in spite of declining incidence. Gastric cancers are, essentially, adenocarcinomas and one of the strongest risk factors is still infection with Helicobacter pylori. Within the last years, it became clear that gastric self-renewal and carcinogenesis are intimately linked, particularly during chronic inflammatory conditions. Generally, gastric cancer is now regarded as a disease resulting from dysregulated differentiation of stem and progenitor cells, mainly due to an inflammatory environment. However, the situation in the stomach is rather complex, consisting of two types of gastric units which show bidirectional self-renewal from an unexpectedly large variety of progenitor/stem cell populations. As in many other tumors, cancer stem cells have also been characterized for gastric cancer. This review focuses on the various gastric epithelial stem cells, how they contribute to self-renewal and which routes are known to gastric adenocarcinomas, including their stem cells.

  1. Individual socioeconomic status and breast cancer diagnostic stages: a French case-control study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Orsini, Mattea; Trétarre, Brigitte; Daurès, Jean-Pierre; Bessaoud, Faiza

    2016-06-01

    Health inequalities have increased over the last 30 years. Our goal was to investigate the relationship between low individual socioeconomic status and poor breast cancer prognosis. Our hypothesis was: low socioeconomic status patients have a higher risk of being diagnosed with late stage breast cancer than high socioeconomic status ones due to delayed diagnosis. We conducted a matched case-control study on 619 women with breast cancer, living in the Hérault, a French administrative area. Both Cases and Controls were recruited among invasive cases diagnosed in 2011 and 2012 and treated in Hérault care centers. Cases were defined as patients with advanced stages. Controls were composed of early stage patients. Individual socioeconomic status was assessed using a validated individual score adapted to the French population and health care system. We observed that low socioeconomic status patients have a 2-fold risk of having late stage breast cancer regardless of cancer characteristics and detection mode (screening vs. clinical signs). One reason explaining those results could be that low socioeconomic status patients have less regular follow-up which can lead to later and poorer diagnosis. Follow-up is improved for women with a better awareness of breast cancer. Health policy makers could reduce health inequalities by reducing the delay in breast cancer diagnosis for low socioeconomic status women. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Public Health Association. All rights reserved.

  2. Impact of socioeconomic status on survival for patients with anal cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lin, Daniel; Gold, Heather T; Schreiber, David; Leichman, Lawrence P; Sherman, Scott E; Becker, Daniel J

    2018-04-15

    Although outcomes for patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the anus (SCCA) have improved, the gains in benefit may not be shared uniformly among patients of disparate socioeconomic status. In the current study, the authors investigated whether area-based median household income (MHI) is predictive of survival among patients with SCCA. Patients diagnosed with SCCA from 2004 through 2013 in the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results registry were included. Socioeconomic status was defined by census-tract MHI level and divided into quintiles. Multivariable Cox proportional hazards models and logistic regression were used to study predictors of survival and radiotherapy receipt. A total of 9550 cases of SCCA were included. The median age of the patients was 58 years, 63% were female, 85% were white, and 38% were married. In multivariable analyses, patients living in areas with lower MHI were found to have worse overall survival and cancer-specific survival (CSS) compared with those in the highest income areas. Mortality hazard ratios for lowest to highest income were 1.32 (95% confidence interval [95% CI], 1.18-1.49), 1.31 (95% CI, 1.16-1.48), 1.19 (95% CI, 1.06-1.34), and 1.16 (95% CI, 1.03-1.30). The hazard ratios for CSS similarly ranged from 1.34 to 1.22 for lowest to highest income. Older age, black race, male sex, unmarried marital status, an earlier year of diagnosis, higher tumor grade, and later American Joint Committee on Cancer stage of disease also were associated with worse CSS. Income was not found to be associated with the odds of initiating radiotherapy in multivariable analysis (odds ratio of 0.87 for lowest to highest income level; 95% CI, 0.63-1.20). MHI appears to independently predict CSS and overall survival in patients with SCCA. Black race was found to remain a predictor of SCCA survival despite controlling for income. Further study is needed to understand the mechanisms by which socioeconomic inequalities affect cancer care and

  3. Selenium status and risk of prostate cancer in a Danish population

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Outzen, Malene; Tjønneland, Anne; Larsen, Erik Huusfeldt

    2016-01-01

    Low-Se status may be associated with a higher risk of notably advanced prostate cancer. In a Danish population with a relatively low Se intake, we investigated the association between pre-diagnostic Se status and (1) the risk of total, advanced and high-grade prostate cancer and (2) all-cause and...

  4. Associations between quality of life and marital status in cancer patients and survivors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Han, Kyu-Tae; Kim, Sun Jung; Song, Haiyan; Chun, Sung-Youn; Kim, Chan Ok; Kim, Jung-Soo; Park, Eun-Cheol

    2014-01-01

    The cancer survival rate in Korea has substantially increased, necessitating the management of not only patients with cancer but also longer term survivors. Although the divorce rate has drastically increased in Korea, there is not sufficient research regarding the relationship between changes in marital status and quality of life (QOL) in cancer patients and survivors. Thus, we aimed to examine the relationship between marital status and QOL in such cases. This study was performed using the Community Health Survey of 2008 administered by the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (N=169,328). We used t-tests and Chi-square tests to compare demographic variables between men and women, and analysis of variance (ANOVA) to compare QOL scores among comparison groups. We also performed a multilevel analysis on the relationship between QOL and marital status while accounting for provincial differences. Decline of EuroQOL five dimensions (EQ-5D) in single patients with cancer was greater than in any other marital status group, but there was no statistically significant decline in survivors of cancer with regard to marital status. In the general population, the decline of EQ-5D was higher among single people than married people. Using the EuroQOL visual analog scale (EQ-VAS), single people had higher values than those of other marital status among both patients with cancer and survivors of cancer. In the general population, EQ-VAS values were higher for single people compared to married people. There may be a significant relationship between marital status and QOL in cancer patients and survivors. Policy interventions to manage patients with cancer who experience a decline in QOL as well as marital problems should be conducted.

  5. Nutritional status assessment in colorectal cancer patients qualified to systemic treatment

    OpenAIRE

    Ziętarska, Monika; Krawczyk-Lipiec, Joanna; Kraj, Leszek; Zaucha, Renata; Małgorzewicz, Sylwia

    2017-01-01

    Aim of the study Cancer is usually associated with impaired nutritional status, which is one of the factors contributing to the deterioration of the results of surgery, chemotherapy, or radiotherapy. The aim of this study was the assessment of the nutritional status of patients with CRC qualified to chemotherapy. Material and methods Seventy-five persons aged 40–86 years with colorectal cancer were examined. To evaluate the nutritional status NRS 2002, SGA, SCRINIO Working Group classificatio...

  6. Nutritional status assessment in colorectal cancer patients qualified to systemic treatment

    OpenAIRE

    Monika Ziętarska; Joanna Krawczyk-Lipiec; Leszek Kraj; Renata Zaucha; Sylwia Małgorzewicz

    2017-01-01

    Aim of the study . Cancer is usually associated with impaired nutritional status, which is one of the factors contributing to the deterioration of the results of surgery, chemotherapy, or radiotherapy. The aim of this study was the assessment of the nutritional status of patients with CRC qualified to chemotherapy. Material and methods : Seventy-five persons aged 40–86 years with colorectal cancer were examined. To evaluate the nutritional status NRS 2002, SGA, SCRINIO Working Group...

  7. Current evaluation of the clinical utility of fluoromethyl choline-(18F) PET/CT in prostate cancer

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Talbot, Jean-Noel [Hopital Tenon AP-HP, Paris (France); Universite Pierre et Marie Curie, Paris (France); E-mail: jean-noel.talbot@tnn.ap-hop-paris.fr; Chevalme, Yanna-Marina [Agence Francaise de Securite Sanitaire des Produits de Sante (AFSSAPS), St Denis (France)

    2008-12-15

    This short review is dedicated to the current status of the assessment of a new PET radiopharmaceutical, fluoromethylcholine-(18F) or FCH, which is taken-up by prostate cancer tissue, in contrary to fluorodeoxyglucose- (18F) or FDG. It seems that FCH could become 'the FDG of prostate cancer', with the same type of achievements (detection of distant metastases and of occult recurrences, restaging prior to invasive treatments), and the same drawbacks (false negative results in case of small lesions, in particular lymph nodes metastases, and false positive results in case of infection/inflammation, in particular prostatitis). Current evidence is summarised and discussed for each of the potential settings of FCH PET/CT imaging in prostate cancer. The perspectives for granting a marketing authorisation to a FCH preparation are briefly analysed. (author)

  8. Current status and prospect of therapy with advanced cancer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Watari, Tsutomu

    1979-01-01

    Symtomatic or palliative therapy of the patients with advanced cancer must be directed to the relief of specific distressing symptoms caused by or associated with neoplasm. The radiotherapy must have a clear concepts of the potential accomplishments of other treatment modalities, such as neurosurgery, anesthesiology, chemotherapy, pharmacology and psychotherapy, so that he may use his own method in proper perspective. I discussed following is an list of contents in this papers. Relief of pain, Psychotherapy, SVC obstruction, Obstructive jaundice, Brain and lung metastasis, prevention of fracture, Skin metastasis, Liver metastasis and treatment of advanced pediaric tumor etc. For the future: 1) Establishment of Stage and Grade of advanced cancer. 2) Development of new chemotherapeutic drug and immunotherapy. 3) Combination of multidisciplinary team and multidisciplinary treatment. (author)

  9. Gastrointestinal ostomies and sexual outcomes: a comparison of colorectal cancer patients by ostomy status.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Reese, J B; Finan, P H; Haythornthwaite, J A; Kadan, M; Regan, K R; Herman, J M; Efron, J; Diaz, L A; Azad, N S

    2014-02-01

    Research examining effects of ostomy use on sexual outcomes is limited. Patients with colorectal cancer were compared on sexual outcomes and body image based on ostomy status (never, past, and current ostomy). Differences in depression were also examined. Patients were prospectively recruited during clinic visits and by tumor registry mailings. Patients with colorectal cancer (N = 141; 18 past ostomy; 25 current ostomy; and 98 no ostomy history) completed surveys assessing sexual outcomes (medical impact on sexual function, Female Sexual Function Index, International Index of Erectile Function), body image distress (Body Image Scale), and depressive symptoms (Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale-Short Form). Clinical information was obtained through patient validated self-report measures and medical records. Most participants reported sexual function in the dysfunctional range using established cut-off scores. In analyses adjusting for demographic and medical covariates and depression, significant group differences were found for ostomy status on impact on sexual function (p ostomy groups reported worse impact on sexual function than those who never had an ostomy (p ostomy group reported worse body image distress than those who never had an ostomy (p ostomies as part of their treatment. Clinical information and support should be offered.

  10. Total antioxidant status in women with breast cancer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mahmood, I.H.; Abdullah, K.S.; Abdullah, M.S.

    2009-01-01

    Objective: To measure the concentration of total antioxidant status (TAS) in women with breast cancer. Methodology: This is a case control study conducted in Al-Salam Hospital and Department of Pharmacology in Mosul Medical College. Twenty women having histologically confirmed breast cancer and twenty age-matched healthy volunteer women participated in the study. Serum total antioxidant status (TAS) was measured in both groups. Results: Mean TAS of the patient group (0.91 +- 0.32 mmol/l) was significantly lower (P<0.001) than that of the control group (1.82 +- 0.14 mmol/l). Conclusion: The present study demonstrated that women with breast cancer have a low level of TAS as compared to those of healthy women. It further emphasizes the growing concern that oxidative damage may occur in those patients that exhaust the antioxidant defense of the body leading to a low levels of TAS. Administration of antioxidant supplements such as a combination of vitamins A, C and E are necessary in women at high risk of developing breast cancer or after surgery or with anticancer drugs. (author)

  11. Nutritional status assessment in colorectal cancer patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lopes, Joana Pedro; de Castro Cardoso Pereira, Paula Manuela; dos Reis Baltazar Vicente, Ana Filipa; Bernardo, Alexandra; de Mesquita, María Fernanda

    2013-01-01

    The present study intended to evaluate the nutritional status of Portuguese colorectal patients and associated it with surgery type as well as quality of life outcomes. Malnutrition can affect up to 85% of cancer patients and specifically 30-60% in colorectal cancer and can significantly influence health outcomes. A sample of 50 colorectal cancer patients was evaluated in what refers to several anthropometric measures, food intake, clinical history, complications rate before and after surgery procedure. The sample was divided between convention and fast-track procedures. Most of the individuals were overweight or obese but had lost weight on the past six months. Despite mild, there were signs of malnutrition in this sample with high losses of fat free mass, weight and also fat mass during the hospitalization period. These results reinforce the importance of malnutrition assessment in colorectal patients as well as consider weight loss on the past months and body composition in order to complement nutritional status evaluation. Copyright © AULA MEDICA EDICIONES 2013. Published by AULA MEDICA. All rights reserved.

  12. Breast cancer incidence by estrogen receptor status in Denmark from 1996 to 2007

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Bigaard, J; Stahlberg, C; Jensen, M-B

    2012-01-01

    During the past 50 years, breast cancer incidence has increased by 2-3 % annually. Despite many years of testing for estrogen receptors (ER), evidence is scarce on breast cancer incidence by ER status. The aim of this paper was to investigate the increase in breast cancer incidence by ER status...

  13. Longitudinal changes in lifestyle behaviors and health status in colon cancer survivors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Satia, Jessie A; Campbell, Marci K; Galanko, Joseph A; James, Aimee; Carr, Carol; Sandler, Robert S

    2004-06-01

    Lifestyle changes in persons diagnosed with cancer are important because they may impact prognosis, co-morbidities, and survival. This report describes longitudinal changes in lifestyle behaviors and health status among colon cancer survivors (n = 278) and population-based controls (n = 459) in North Carolina (39% African American), and examines demographic and psychosocial correlates of healthy lifestyle changes following a colon cancer diagnosis. Data are from surveys of a population-based cohort of colon cancer patients on diagnosis (the North Carolina Colon Cancer Study, NCCCS) and approximately 2 years post-diagnosis [the North Carolina Strategies to Improve Diet, Exercise, and Screening Study (NC STRIDES)], and population-based controls. Both studies collected information on demographic/lifestyle characteristics and medical history. The NCCCS reflects pre-diagnosis or pre-interview patterns, whereas NC STRIDES queried on current practices. Between the NCCCS and NC STRIDES, colon cancer survivors reported significant increases in vegetable intake, physical activity, and supplement use (all P dietary supplement post-diagnosis, whereas being retired correlated with increased vegetable intake, all P Colon cancer survivors reported making significant improvements in multiple health-related behaviors. Health care providers should communicate with persons diagnosed with colon cancer to ensure that they are making healthy lifestyle changes.

  14. Awareness of incurable cancer status and health-related quality of life among advanced cancer patients: a prospective cohort study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Myung Kyung; Baek, Sun Kyung; Kim, Si-Young; Heo, Dae Seog; Yun, Young Ho; Park, Sook Ryun; Kim, Jun Suk

    2013-02-01

    Many patients near death report an interest in knowing their prognoses. Patients' awareness of disease status may lead to more appropriate care and maintained or improved quality of life. However, it is not known whether advanced cancer patients' awareness of disease status is associated with patients' quality of life. We aimed to examine the effect of patients' awareness of disease status on the health-related quality of life (HRQOL) among advanced cancer patients undergoing palliative chemotherapy. In this prospective cohort study, patients were followed-up at 4-6 weeks and 2-3 months after the initial palliative chemotherapy. Patients' awareness of disease status, and demographic and clinical characteristics were assessed at baseline, and depression and anxiety using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) and HRQOL using the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire (EORTC QLQ-C30) were assessed three times. In total, 100 patients with advanced cancer starting palliative chemotherapy were recruited from two tertiary university hospitals and from the Korea National Cancer Center. Patients with advanced cancer undergoing palliative chemotherapy experienced deteriorated HRQOL. Of these, the patients who were aware of their disease status as incurable had significantly higher role (p=0.002), emotional (p=0.025), and social functioning (p=0.002), and lower fatigue (p=0.008), appetite loss (p=0.039), constipation (p=0.032), financial difficulties (p=0.019), and anxiety (p=0.041) compared with patients unaware of disease status. Our findings demonstrate the importance of patients' awareness of disease status to HRQOL.

  15. Impact of County-Level Socioeconomic Status on Oropharyngeal Cancer Survival in the United States.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Megwalu, Uchechukwu C

    2017-04-01

    Objective To evaluate the impact of county-level socioeconomic status on survival in patients with oropharyngeal cancer in the United States. Study Design Retrospective cohort study via a large population-based cancer database. Methods Data were extracted from the SEER 18 database (Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results) of the National Cancer Institute. The study cohort included 18,791 patients diagnosed with oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma between 2004 and 2012. Results Patients residing in counties with a low socioeconomic status index had worse overall survival (56.5% vs 63.0%, P socioeconomic status index. On multivariable analysis, residing in a county with a low socioeconomic status index was associated with worse overall survival (hazard ratio, 1.21; 95% CI, 1.14-1.29; P status, year of diagnosis, site, American Joint Committee on Cancer stage group, presence of distant metastasis, presence of unresectable tumor, histologic grade, surgical resection of primary site, treatment with neck dissection, and radiation therapy. Conclusion Residing in a county with a low socioeconomic status index is associated with worse survival. Further research is needed to elucidate the mechanism by which socioeconomic status affects survival in oropharyngeal cancer.

  16. Processes of code status transitions in hospitalized patients with advanced cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    El-Jawahri, Areej; Lau-Min, Kelsey; Nipp, Ryan D; Greer, Joseph A; Traeger, Lara N; Moran, Samantha M; D'Arpino, Sara M; Hochberg, Ephraim P; Jackson, Vicki A; Cashavelly, Barbara J; Martinson, Holly S; Ryan, David P; Temel, Jennifer S

    2017-12-15

    Although hospitalized patients with advanced cancer have a low chance of surviving cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), the processes by which they change their code status from full code to do not resuscitate (DNR) are unknown. We conducted a mixed-methods study on a prospective cohort of hospitalized patients with advanced cancer. Two physicians used a consensus-driven medical record review to characterize processes that led to code status order transitions from full code to DNR. In total, 1047 hospitalizations were reviewed among 728 patients. Admitting clinicians did not address code status in 53% of hospitalizations, resulting in code status orders of "presumed full." In total, 275 patients (26.3%) transitioned from full code to DNR, and 48.7% (134 of 275 patients) of those had an order of "presumed full" at admission; however, upon further clarification, the patients expressed that they had wished to be DNR before the hospitalization. We identified 3 additional processes leading to order transition from full code to DNR acute clinical deterioration (15.3%), discontinuation of cancer-directed therapy (17.1%), and education about the potential harms/futility of CPR (15.3%). Compared with discontinuing therapy and education, transitions because of acute clinical deterioration were associated with less patient involvement (P = .002), a shorter time to death (P cancer were because of full code orders in patients who had a preference for DNR before hospitalization. Transitions due of acute clinical deterioration were associated with less patient engagement and a higher likelihood of inpatient death. Cancer 2017;123:4895-902. © 2017 American Cancer Society. © 2017 American Cancer Society.

  17. Fatherhood status and risk of prostate cancer: nationwide, population-based case-control study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wirén, Sara M; Drevin, Linda I; Carlsson, Sigrid V; Akre, Olof; Holmberg, Erik C; Robinson, David E; Garmo, Hans G; Stattin, Pär E

    2013-08-15

    Previous studies have shown a decreased risk of prostate cancer for childless men; however, the cause of the association remains to be elucidated. The aim of our study was to assess the risk of prostate cancer by fatherhood status, also considering potential confounding factors. In a case-control study in Prostate Cancer data Base Sweden 2.0, a nationwide, population-based cohort, data on number of children, marital status, education, comorbidity and tumor characteristics obtained through nationwide healthcare registers and demographic databases for 117,328 prostate cancer cases and 562,644 controls, matched on birth year and county of residence, were analyzed. Conditional logistic regression was used to estimate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) for prostate cancer overall and by risk category, adjusting for marital status and education. Childless men had a decreased risk of prostate cancer compared to fathers, OR = 0.83 (95% CI = 0.82-0.84), and risk was lower for low-risk prostate cancer, OR = 0.74 (95% CI = 0.72-0.77), than for metastatic prostate cancer, OR = 0.93 (95% CI = 0.90-0.97). Adjustment for marital status and education attenuated the association in the low-risk category, adjusted OR = 0.87 (95% CI = 0.84-0.91), whereas OR for metastatic cancer remained virtually unchanged, adjusted OR = 0.92 (95% CI = 0.88-0.96). Our data indicate that the association between fatherhood status and prostate cancer to a large part is due to socioeconomic factors influencing healthcare-seeking behavior including testing of prostate-specific antigen levels. Copyright © 2013 UICC.

  18. Fatherhood status and risk of prostate cancer: Nationwide, population-based case–control study

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wirén, Sara M; Drevin, Linda I; Carlsson, Sigrid V; Akre, Olof; Holmberg, Erik C; Robinson, David E; Garmo, Hans G; Stattin, Pär E

    2013-01-01

    Previous studies have shown a decreased risk of prostate cancer for childless men; however, the cause of the association remains to be elucidated. The aim of our study was to assess the risk of prostate cancer by fatherhood status, also considering potential confounding factors. In a case–control study in Prostate Cancer data Base Sweden 2.0, a nationwide, population-based cohort, data on number of children, marital status, education, comorbidity and tumor characteristics obtained through nationwide healthcare registers and demographic databases for 117,328 prostate cancer cases and 562,644 controls, matched on birth year and county of residence, were analyzed. Conditional logistic regression was used to estimate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) for prostate cancer overall and by risk category, adjusting for marital status and education. Childless men had a decreased risk of prostate cancer compared to fathers, OR = 0.83 (95% CI = 0.82–0.84), and risk was lower for low-risk prostate cancer, OR = 0.74 (95% CI = 0.72–0.77), than for metastatic prostate cancer, OR = 0.93 (95% CI = 0.90–0.97). Adjustment for marital status and education attenuated the association in the low-risk category, adjusted OR = 0.87 (95% CI = 0.84–0.91), whereas OR for metastatic cancer remained virtually unchanged, adjusted OR = 0.92 (95% CI = 0.88–0.96). Our data indicate that the association between fatherhood status and prostate cancer to a large part is due to socioeconomic factors influencing healthcare-seeking behavior including testing of prostate-specific antigen levels. PMID:23354735

  19. Relationships between Family Levels of Socioeconomic Status and Distribution of Breast Cancer Risk Factors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mohaghegh, Pegah; Yavari, Parvin; Akbari, Mohammad Esmaeil; Abadi, Alireza; Ahmadi, Farzaneh; Shormeij, Zeinab

    2015-01-01

    Not only the expand development of knowledge for reducing risk factors, but also the improvement in early diagnosis and treatment of cancer, and socioeconomic inequalities could affect cancer incidence, diagnosis stage, and mortality. The aim of this study was investigation the relationships between family levels of socioeconomic status and distribution of breast cancer risk factors. This descriptive cross-sectional study has conducted on 526 patients who were suffering from breast cancer, and have registered in Cancer Research Center of Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences from March 2008 to December 2013. A reliable and valid questionnaire about family levels of socioeconomic status has filled by interviewing the patients via phone. For analyzing the data, Multinomial logistic regression, Kendal tau-b correlation coefficient and Contingency Coefficient tests have executed by SPSS19. The mean age of the patients was 48.30 (SD=11.41). According to the results of this study, there was a significant relationship between family socioeconomic status and patient's age at diagnosis of breast cancer (p valuesocioeconomic status and number of pregnancies, and duration of breast feeding were significant (p value> 0.001). In the multiple logistic regressions, the relationship between excellent socioeconomic status and number of abortions was significant (p value> 0.007). Furthermore, the relationships between moderate and good socioeconomic statuses and smoking were significant (p value=0.05 and p value=0.02, respectively). The results have indicated that among those patients having better socioeconomic status, age at cancer diagnosis, number of pregnancies and duration of breast feeding was lower, and then number of abortions was more than the others. According to the results of this study, it was really important to focus on family socioeconomic status as a critical and effective variable on breast cancer risk factors among the Iranian women.

  20. Current status of treatment of cancer of uterine cervix, (1)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Arai, Tatsuo; Morita, Shinroku; Murakami, Yuko; Motoya, Yoshifumi

    1981-01-01

    High dose rate intracavitary irradiation for cancer of the uterine cervix was examined. The 5-year survival rate of this method showed no significant difference from that of the low dose rate intracavitary irradiation, nor did the onset of regional injury show any difference. The optimal dose for stage 1 and 2 was 2900 +- 300 rad, which was approx. 60% of that of the low dose rate method. Elevation of ESR affected the survival rate only in stage 3 and 4 cases. The 5-year survival rate of cases with normal kidney function was twice that of abnormal cases. Radiotherapy of cancer of uterine cervix produced a 5-year survival rate of 58.8% and a cancer morbidity rate of 33.1%; patients with metastasis cannot be cured. The basic form of dose distribution by intracavitary irradiation was tumbler of Manchester's technique. The radiation source was placed in accordance with the conditions established by this technique, and the dose distribution was corrected with a computer. (Chiba, N.)

  1. Immediate preoperative nutritional status of patients with colorectal cancer: a warning.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Barbosa, Luiza Regina L S; Lacerda-Filho, Antonio; Barbosa, Livia Cristina L S

    2014-01-01

    Weight loss and malnutrition are disorders observed in colorectal cancer patients. We sought to evaluate the immediate preoperative nutritional status of patients with colorectal cancer. This is a cross-sectional clinical study conducted at a single center. Sixty-six consecutive patients in preoperative for elective surgical treatment were studied. The clinical history, socio-demographic data and nutritional status of the patients were evaluated using Subjective Global Assessment and objective (anthropometry) methods. The primary outcome measures were nutritional status classification as nourished or malnourished and the relationship between nutritional status and socio-demographic and clinical features. Most of patients exhibited left colon tumors and disease stage II. According to the Subjective Global Assessment, 36.4% of patients were malnourished. Malnutrition ranged from 7.6% to 53% depending on the evaluation method used, with poor correlation to Subjective Global Assessment. The prevalence of malnutrition was significantly greater in females and non-married patients and in those with two or more symptoms of colorectal cancer. More than a third of patients in the immediate preoperative period for colorectal cancer exhibited malnutrition. Therefore, routine nutritional assessment is highly advisable so that appropriate measures may be taken to minimize the potential postoperative complications.

  2. Interaction of mammographic breast density with menopausal status and postmenopausal hormone use in relation to the risk of aggressive breast cancer subtypes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yaghjyan, Lusine; Tamimi, Rulla M; Bertrand, Kimberly A; Scott, Christopher G; Jensen, Matthew R; Pankratz, V Shane; Brandt, Kathy; Visscher, Daniel; Norman, Aaron; Couch, Fergus; Shepherd, John; Fan, Bo; Chen, Yunn-Yi; Ma, Lin; Beck, Andrew H; Cummings, Steven R; Kerlikowske, Karla; Vachon, Celine M

    2017-09-01

    We examined the associations of mammographic breast density with breast cancer risk by tumor aggressiveness and by menopausal status and current postmenopausal hormone therapy. This study included 2596 invasive breast cancer cases and 4059 controls selected from participants of four nested case-control studies within four established cohorts: the Mayo Mammography Health Study, the Nurses' Health Study, Nurses' Health Study II, and San Francisco Mammography Registry. Percent breast density (PD), absolute dense (DA), and non-dense areas (NDA) were assessed from digitized film-screen mammograms using a computer-assisted threshold technique and standardized across studies. We used polytomous logistic regression to quantify the associations of breast density with breast cancer risk by tumor aggressiveness (defined as presence of at least two of the following tumor characteristics: size ≥2 cm, grade 2/3, ER-negative status, or positive nodes), stratified by menopausal status and current hormone therapy. Overall, the positive association of PD and borderline inverse association of NDA with breast cancer risk was stronger in aggressive vs. non-aggressive tumors (≥51 vs. 11-25% OR 2.50, 95% CI 1.94-3.22 vs. OR 2.03, 95% CI 1.70-2.43, p-heterogeneity = 0.03; NDA 4th vs. 2nd quartile OR 0.54, 95% CI 0.41-0.70 vs. OR 0.71, 95% CI 0.59-0.85, p-heterogeneity = 0.07). However, there were no differences in the association of DA with breast cancer by aggressive status. In the stratified analysis, there was also evidence of a stronger association of PD and NDA with aggressive tumors among postmenopausal women and, in particular, current estrogen+progesterone users (≥51 vs. 11-25% OR 3.24, 95% CI 1.75-6.00 vs. OR 1.93, 95% CI 1.25-2.98, p-heterogeneity = 0.01; NDA 4th vs. 2nd quartile OR 0.43, 95% CI 0.21-0.85 vs. OR 0.56, 95% CI 0.35-0.89, p-heterogeneity = 0.01), even though the interaction was not significant. Our findings suggest that associations of mammographic

  3. Lung cancer risk perception and distress: difference by smoking status, and role of physical activity and race among US population

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sunil Mathur

    2013-06-01

    Full Text Available Background: cigarette smoking is the greatest known risk factor for lung cancer, and people with different smoking status may process risk information differently. While psychological distress has been linked with smoking status, little is known about the impact of distress on lung cancer perception or the moderating role of physical activity and race. This study explores the association of lung cancer perception and distress and investigates the effects of physical activity and race on that association.Methods: the study uses a national, biennial survey (the Health Information National Trends Survey that was designed to collect nationally representative data on the American public’s need for, access to, and use of cancer-related information using a cross-sectional, complex sample survey design. Out of 5 586 participants, 1 015 were current smokers, 1 599 were former smokers, 2 877 were never smokers. Of the sample, 1 765 participants answered the lung cancer risk perception question and had no personal history of lung cancer. Statistical analysis contrasts smokers, former smokers, and never smokers to examine the association of lung cancer perception and distress and the moderating role of physical activity and race.Results: distress and lung cancer risk perception were significantly positively associated (p value < 0.001. Respondents who were current smokers and were distressed had very high odds of agreeing that they have a somewhat high chance (odds ratio=900.8, CI: 94.23, 8 611.75; p value < 0.001 or a very high chance (odds ratio=500.44 CI: 56.53, 4 430.02, p value < 0.001 of developing lung cancer in the future as compared to not distressed never smokers. However, race and physical activity status did not significantly affect perception of risk. Perceptions of risk are important precursors of health change.Conclusions: elevated distress level and higher perceived risk, in addition to physical activity status and race, could potentially

  4. Current status of quantum electrical metrology

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Urano, Chiharu; Kaneko, Nobuhisa; Kiryu, Shogo

    2005-01-01

    Physical background, current status of proof systems and researches of the next generation standards of Josephson voltage and Quantized Hall Resistance (QHR) standard system are described. Josephson effect, the principle and theory of quantized hall effect, usual voltage standard system, standard feed of direct current resistance, and researches of voltage standard and direct current resistance standard are explained. The current-voltage of Josephson element in the usual voltage standard proof system and bias method, outline of typical Josephson voltage standard proof system and GaAs/AlGaAs heterostructure used as resistance standard are stated. Cryogenic Current Comparator (CCC) and Direct Current Comparator (DCC) proofread usual resistor. New Quantum Hall Array Resistance Standard (QHARS) is studied by BNM-LNE group in French, and the other new AC Quantized Hall Resistance (AC-QHR) by the European ACQHE Project. (S.Y.)

  5. Current concepts for chronochemotherapy of cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Laerum, O D; Smaaland, R; Abrahamsen, J F

    1995-01-01

    In this article, a survey on the concepts and scientific basis for applying chemotherapy against malignant tumors on a circadian schedule is given. The idea is to give the cytostatic drugs at times of the day when optimal effect on the tumor is achieved, but at the same time causing minimal toxic side effects. Following a brief description of the complexity of cancer tissue, some aspects of the present status of cancer chemotherapy in general are reviewed. Applications of chronobiology in cancer treatment are then surveyed together with possibilities to increase cytostatic doses and reduce side effects. When optimal tumor cell kill is achieved, the next step is to address the circadian aspects of normal organs, including the proliferative behavior of tissues with rapid cell renewal. Finally, the question of how regulatory mechanisms responsible for normal circadian rhythms can be interfered with is addressed. Cancer chronochemotherapy today combined with modern infusional technology is a promising field for improving cancer treatment in general and reducing side effects and is expected to make important progress in the near future.

  6. Cancer Currents Now Available in Spanish

    Science.gov (United States)

    As part of our effort to more effectively reach patients, health care providers, and researchers with timely, authoritative, and scientifically accurate cancer information, we are now offering selected Cancer Currents blog posts in Spanish.

  7. Correlation between apparent diffusion coefficients and HER2 status in gastric cancers: pilot study

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    He, Jian; Shi, Hua; Zhou, Zhuping; Chen, Jun; Guan, Wenxian; Wang, Hao; Yu, Haiping; Liu, Song; Zhou, Zhengyang; Yang, Xiaofeng; Liu, Tian

    2015-01-01

    To evaluate whether apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) value of gastric cancer obtained from diffusion weighted imaging (DWI) correlates with the HER2 status. Forty-five patients, who had been diagnosed with gastric cancer through biopsy, were enrolled in this IRB-approved study. Each patient underwent a DWI (b values: 0 and 1,000 sec/mm 2 ) prior to surgery (curative gastrectomy or palliative resection). Postoperative microscopic findings, HER2 status by immunohistochemical analysis and fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) were obtained. HER2 status was compared among gastric cancers with various histopathological features using the chi square test. The ADC values of gastric cancers with positive and negative HER2 were compared using the student t test. A weak yet significant correlation was observed between the mean ADC values and HER2 status (r = 0.312, P = 0.037) and scores (r = 0.419, P = 0.004). The mean ADC value of HER2-positive gastric cancers was significantly higher than those of HER2-negative tumors (1.211 vs. 0.984 mm 2 /s, P = 0.020). The minimal ADC value of HER2-positive gastric cancers was significantly higher than those of HER2-negative tumors (1.105 vs. 0.905 × 10 −3 mm 2 /s, P = 0.036). In this pilot study, we have demonstrated that the ADC values of gastric cancer correlate with the HER2 status. Future research is warranted to see if DWI can predict HER2 status and help in tailoring therapy for gastric cancer

  8. Cancer management in Sudan: Current status and future perspectives

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Introduction: Sudan is one of the developing countries that face a great challenge with cancer management. About 5700 cases had been seen during year 2007 in Radiation and Isotope Center- Khartoum (RICK) and Institute of Nuclear medicine, Molecular biology, and Oncology (INMO) Wadmedani which are the only ...

  9. Quantum Dots for Cancer Research: Current Status, Remaining Issues, and Future Perspectives

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fang, Min; Peng, Chun-wei; Pang, Dai-Wen; Li, Yan

    2012-01-01

    Cancer is a major threat to public health in the 21st century because it is one of the leading causes of death worldwide. The mechanisms of carcinogenesis, cancer invasion, and metastasis remain unclear. Thus, the development of a novel approach for cancer detection is urgent, and real-time monitoring is crucial in revealing its underlying biological mechanisms. With the optical and chemical advantages of quantum dots (QDs), QD-based nanotechnology is helpful in constructing a biomedical imaging platform for cancer behavior study. This review mainly focuses on the application of QD-based nanotechnology in cancer cell imaging and tumor microenvironment studies both in vivo and in vitro, as well as the remaining issues and future perspectives

  10. IMMEDIATE PREOPERATIVE NUTRITIONAL STATUS OF PATIENTS WITH COLORECTAL CANCER: a warning

    OpenAIRE

    Luiza Regina L S BARBOSA; Antonio LACERDA-FILHO; Livia Cristina L S BARBOSA

    2014-01-01

    Context Weight loss and malnutrition are disorders observed in colorectal cancer patients. Objectives We sought to evaluate the immediate preoperative nutritional status of patients with colorectal cancer. Methods This is a cross-sectional clinical study conducted at a single center. Sixty-six consecutive patients in preoperative for elective surgical treatment were studied. The clinical history, socio-demographic data and nutritional status of the patients were evaluated using Subjective...

  11. Current status and prospects for Chernobyl Ukritiye

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jampsin, B.

    1996-01-01

    Current status and prospects for Chernobyl Ukritiye (sarcophagus) are described, including the following issues: the accident; the sarcophagus; the radioactive inventory; the design basis criteria; the analysis of the present state; a way forward

  12. Current Status of On-Site Wastewater Management

    Science.gov (United States)

    Senn, Charles L.

    1978-01-01

    Wastewater management is becoming an important environmental issue nationally. This article reports the history and current status of wastewater management. Regulatory programs are discussed with specific state examples. Needs assessment is also included. (MA)

  13. The relationship between dignity status and quality of life in iranian terminally ill patients with cancer

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Abbas Hosseini

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Background: Palliative care is an approach that has been used to care for terminally ill patients. The current study was performed to assess the association between the status of patient dignity and quality of life (QOL in Iranian terminally ill patients with cancer. Materials and Methods: This descriptive correlational study was conducted on 210 end-stage cancer patients (102 men and 108 women who were referred to Seyed Al-Shohada Hospital, Isfahan, Iran, in 2015. To assess dignity status, we used the Patient Dignity Inventory. The Persian version of the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire was used for QOL assessment. Results: There was a significant negative association between total dignity status and QOL scales. In addition, significant negative relationship was observed between dignity-related domains (loss of worth sense: r = −0.50, P< 0.001; anxiety and uncertainty: r = −0.51, P< 0.001; symptom distress: r = −0.62, P< 0.001; and loss of autonomy: r = −0.61, P< 0.001 and functional scale and some subscales of the QOL scale. In contrast, a significant positive relationship was found between dignity-related domains, and total symptom scale and fatigue. No significant relationship was observed between different items of dignity and global health status/QOL scale. Conclusions: High dignity status in terminally ill patients was associated with higher QOL in terms of functional intactness and lower symptom distress. Further studies are necessary to shed light to our findings.

  14. The WIMP Paradigm: Current Status

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Feng, Jonathan

    2011-01-01

    The WIMP paradigm is the glue that joins together much of the high energy and cosmic frontiers. It postulates that most of the matter in the Universe is made of weakly-interacting massive particles, with implications for a broad range of experiments and observations. I will review the WIMP paradigm's underlying motivations, its current status in view of rapid experimental progress on several fronts, and recent theoretical variations on the WIMP paradigm theme.

  15. Dietary intake and nutritional status in cancer patients; comparing adults and older adults.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gómez Valiente da Silva, Henyse; Fonseca de Andrade, Camila; Bello Moreira, Annie Seixas

    2014-04-01

    Evaluate the nutrient intake and nutritional status of food in cancer patients admitted to a university hospital, with comparison of adult and older adult age category. Cross-sectional study. This study involved cancer patients admitted to a hospital in 2010. Dietary habits were collected using a Brazilian food frequency questionnaire. Participants were divided in two groups: adults or older adults and in 4-cancer category: hematologic, lung, gastrointestinal and others. Body Mass Index evaluated nutritional status. A total of 86 patients with a mean age of 56.5 years, with 55% males and 42% older adults were evaluated. The older adult category had a higher frequency of being underweight (24.4% vs 16.3%, p cancer, nor with nutritional status. The food intake, macro and micronutrients ingestion is insufficient among cancer individuals. Food intake of older adults was inferior, when compared to the adult category. There was a high prevalence of BMI excess in the adult group and a worst nutritional status in the older adult category. Copyright AULA MEDICA EDICIONES 2014. Published by AULA MEDICA. All rights reserved.

  16. The West Midlands breast cancer screening status algorithm - methodology and use as an audit tool.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lawrence, Gill; Kearins, Olive; O'Sullivan, Emma; Tappenden, Nancy; Wallis, Matthew; Walton, Jackie

    2005-01-01

    To illustrate the ability of the West Midlands breast screening status algorithm to assign a screening status to women with malignant breast cancer, and its uses as a quality assurance and audit tool. Breast cancers diagnosed between the introduction of the National Health Service [NHS] Breast Screening Programme and 31 March 2001 were obtained from the West Midlands Cancer Intelligence Unit (WMCIU). Screen-detected tumours were identified via breast screening units, and the remaining cancers were assigned to one of eight screening status categories. Multiple primaries and recurrences were excluded. A screening status was assigned to 14,680 women (96% of the cohort examined), 110 cancers were not registered at the WMCIU and the cohort included 120 screen-detected recurrences. The West Midlands breast screening status algorithm is a robust simple tool which can be used to derive data to evaluate the efficacy and impact of the NHS Breast Screening Programme.

  17. REMPAN at international level: current status

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Souchkevitch, Guennadi

    1997-01-01

    This document describes the current status of the Radiation Emergency medical Preparedness and Assistance Network - REMPAN, for the promotion of radiation emergency medical and public health preparedness and for practical assistance and advising countries, in a case of overexposure from any sources of radiation, by initiative of the World Health Organization - WHO

  18. Current status of ion source development

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ishikawa, Junzo

    2001-01-01

    In this report, the current status of ion source development will be discussed. In September 2001, the 9th International Conference on Ion Sources (ICIS01) was held in Oakland, U.S.A. Referring the talks presented at ICIS01, recent topics in the ion source research fields will be described. (author)

  19. IMMEDIATE PREOPERATIVE NUTRITIONAL STATUS OF PATIENTS WITH COLORECTAL CANCER: a warning

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Luiza Regina L S BARBOSA

    2014-12-01

    Full Text Available Context Weight loss and malnutrition are disorders observed in colorectal cancer patients. Objectives We sought to evaluate the immediate preoperative nutritional status of patients with colorectal cancer. Methods This is a cross-sectional clinical study conducted at a single center. Sixty-six consecutive patients in preoperative for elective surgical treatment were studied. The clinical history, socio-demographic data and nutritional status of the patients were evaluated using Subjective Global Assessment and objective (anthropometry methods. The primary outcome measures were nutritional status classification as nourished or malnourished and the relationship between nutritional status and socio-demographic and clinical features. Results Most of patients exhibited left colon tumors and disease stage II. According to the Subjective Global Assessment, 36.4% of patients were malnourished. Malnutrition ranged from 7.6% to 53% depending on the evaluation method used, with poor correlation to Subjective Global Assessment. The prevalence of malnutrition was significantly greater in females and non-married patients and in those with two or more symptoms of colorectal cancer. Conclusions More than a third of patients in the immediate preoperative period for colorectal cancer exhibited malnutrition. Therefore, routine nutritional assessment is highly advisable so that appropriate measures may be taken to minimize the potential postoperative complications.

  20. Association of nutritional status with quality of life in breast cancer survivors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mohammadi, Shooka; Sulaiman, Suhaina; Koon, Poh Bee; Amani, Reza; Hosseini, Seyed Mohammad

    2013-01-01

    Nutritional status and dietary intake play a significant role in the prognosis of breast cancer and may modify the progression of disease. The aim of this study was to determine the influence of nutritional status on the quality of life of Iranian breast cancer survivors. Cross-sectional data were collected for 100 Iranian breast cancer survivors, aged 32 to 61 years, attending the oncology outpatient clinic at Golestan Hospital, Ahvaz, Iran. Nutritional status of subjects was assessed by anthropometric measurements, Patient-Generated Subjective Global Assessment (PG-SGA) and three non-consecutive 24-hour diet recalls. The European Organization of Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life form (EORTC QLQ-C30) was used to assess quality of life. Ninety-four percent of the survivors were well-nourished, 6% were moderately malnourished or suspected of being malnourished while none were severely malnourished. Prevalence of overweight and obesity was 86%. Overall, participants had an inadequate intake of vitamin D, E, iron and magnesium according to dietary reference intake (DRI) recommendations. Survivors with better nutritional status had better functioning scales and experienced fewer clinical symptoms. It appears important to provide educational and nutritional screening programs to improve cancer survivor quality of life.

  1. Nutritional status and health-related quality of life of breast cancer patients on chemotherapy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lua, P L; Salihah, N Z; Mazlan, N

    2012-08-01

    Nutritional decline is typically accepted as a consequent of the course of treatment for cancer. This study aimed to (1) assess body weight status and dietary intake of breast cancer patients on chemotherapy and (2) to correlate Body Mass Index (BMI), energy and protein intake with health-related quality of life (HRQoL) profile. A cross-sectional study was conducted in two government hospitals in the East coast of Peninsular Malaysia using convenience sampling. Women aged > or =18 years, who were diagnosed with breast cancer and receiving chemotherapy were invited to participate. The following aspects were evaluated: body weight status, usual dietary intake (diet history) and HRQoL (EORTC QLQ-C30). Descriptive statistics and non-parametric tests were employed (SPSS 16). Of the respondents, 41 were 49 +/- 9.6 years of age; 92.7% were Malay; 97.6% (response rate = 91%) were on moderately emetogenic chemotherapy. Over half of the patients were overweight or obese (mean BMI = 25.3 +/- 1.1 kg/m2). The majority self-reported weight reduction (46.3%) but positive energy balance was detected with the current energy and protein intakes recorded at 1792.6 +/- 304.9 kcal/day (range= 1200-2500) and 74.5 g/day (IqR= 37.7) respectively. Dietary intakes were, however, not correlated with HRQoL, but greater BMI was associated with better emotional and cognitive functioning and less fatigue. Although most patients declared losing weight, obesity and excess dietary intake were noted. Additionally, body weight status has been shown to be important in HRQoL profile, underlining the necessity for effective nutritional assessments and support to the cancer population.

  2. Current knowledge on pancreatic cancer

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Juan eIovanna

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available Pancreatic cancer is the fourth leading cause of cancer death with a median survival of 6 months and a dismal 5-year survival rate of 3-5%. The development and progression of pancreatic cancer are caused by the activation of oncogenes, the inactivation of tumor suppressor genes and the deregulation of many signalling pathways. Therefore, the strategies targeting these molecules as well as their downstream signalling could be promising for the prevention and treatment of pancreatic cancer. However, although targeted therapies for pancreatic cancer have yielded encouraging results in vitro and in animal models, these findings have not been translated into improved outcomes in clinical trials. This failure is due to an incomplete understanding of the biology of pancreatic cancer and to the selection of poorly efficient or imperfectly targeted agents. In this review, we will critically present the current knowledge regarding the molecular, biochemical, clinical and therapeutic aspects of pancreatic cancer.

  3. Current Knowledge on Pancreatic Cancer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Iovanna, Juan; Mallmann, Maria Cecilia; Gonçalves, Anthony; Turrini, Olivier; Dagorn, Jean-Charles

    2012-01-01

    Pancreatic cancer is the fourth leading cause of cancer death with a median survival of 6 months and a dismal 5-year survival rate of 3–5%. The development and progression of pancreatic cancer are caused by the activation of oncogenes, the inactivation of tumor suppressor genes, and the deregulation of many signaling pathways. Therefore, the strategies targeting these molecules as well as their downstream signaling could be promising for the prevention and treatment of pancreatic cancer. However, although targeted therapies for pancreatic cancer have yielded encouraging results in vitro and in animal models, these findings have not been translated into improved outcomes in clinical trials. This failure is due to an incomplete understanding of the biology of pancreatic cancer and to the selection of poorly efficient or imperfectly targeted agents. In this review, we will critically present the current knowledge regarding the molecular, biochemical, clinical, and therapeutic aspects of pancreatic cancer.

  4. Current Knowledge on Pancreatic Cancer

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Iovanna, Juan [INSERM U624, Stress Cellulaire, Parc Scientifique et Technologique de Luminy, Marseille (France); Mallmann, Maria Cecilia [Centre d’Investigation Clinique de Marseille, Marseille (France); Gonçalves, Anthony [Département d’Oncologie Médicale, Institut Paoli-Calmettes, Marseille (France); Turrini, Olivier [Département de Chirurgie Oncologique, Institut Paoli-Calmettes, Marseille (France); Dagorn, Jean-Charles, E-mail: juan.iovanna@inserm.fr [INSERM U624, Stress Cellulaire, Parc Scientifique et Technologique de Luminy, Marseille (France)

    2012-01-31

    Pancreatic cancer is the fourth leading cause of cancer death with a median survival of 6 months and a dismal 5-year survival rate of 3–5%. The development and progression of pancreatic cancer are caused by the activation of oncogenes, the inactivation of tumor suppressor genes, and the deregulation of many signaling pathways. Therefore, the strategies targeting these molecules as well as their downstream signaling could be promising for the prevention and treatment of pancreatic cancer. However, although targeted therapies for pancreatic cancer have yielded encouraging results in vitro and in animal models, these findings have not been translated into improved outcomes in clinical trials. This failure is due to an incomplete understanding of the biology of pancreatic cancer and to the selection of poorly efficient or imperfectly targeted agents. In this review, we will critically present the current knowledge regarding the molecular, biochemical, clinical, and therapeutic aspects of pancreatic cancer.

  5. Current Challenges in Cancer Treatment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zugazagoitia, Jon; Guedes, Cristiano; Ponce, Santiago; Ferrer, Irene; Molina-Pinelo, Sonia; Paz-Ares, Luis

    2016-07-01

    In this review, we highlight the current concepts and discuss some of the current challenges and future prospects in cancer therapy. We frequently use the example of lung cancer. We conducted a nonsystematic PubMed search, selecting the most comprehensive and relevant research articles, clinical trials, translational papers, and review articles on precision oncology and immuno-oncology. Papers were prioritized and selected based on their originality and potential clinical applicability. Two major revolutions have changed cancer treatment paradigms in the past few years: targeting actionable alterations in oncogene-driven cancers and immuno-oncology. Important challenges are still ongoing in both fields of cancer therapy. On the one hand, druggable genomic alterations are diverse and represent only small subsets of patients in certain tumor types, which limits testing their clinical impact in biomarker-driven clinical trials. Next-generation sequencing technologies are increasingly being implemented for molecular prescreening in clinical research, but issues regarding clinical interpretation of large genomic data make their wide clinical use difficult. Further, dealing with tumor heterogeneity and acquired resistance is probably the main limitation for the success of precision oncology. On the other hand, long-term survival benefits with immune checkpoint inhibitors (anti-programmed death cell protein-1/programmed death cell ligand-1[PD-1/L1] and anti-cytotoxic T lymphocyte antigen-4 monoclonal antibodies) are restricted to a minority of patients, and no predictive markers are yet robustly validated that could help us recognize these subsets and optimize treatment delivery and selection. To achieve long-term survival benefits, drug combinations targeting several molecular alterations or cancer hallmarks might be needed. This will probably be one of the most challenging but promising precision cancer treatment strategies in the future. Targeting single molecular

  6. Employment status and occupational level of adult survivors of childhood cancer in Great Britain: The British childhood cancer survivor study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Frobisher, Clare; Lancashire, Emma R; Jenkinson, Helen; Winter, David L; Kelly, Julie; Reulen, Raoul C; Hawkins, Michael M

    2017-06-15

    The British Childhood Cancer Survivor Study (BCCSS) provides the first detailed investigation of employment and occupation to be undertaken in a large population-based cohort. Previous studies have been limited by design issues such as using small numbers of survivors with specific diagnoses, and involved limited assessment of employment status and occupational level. The BCCSS includes 17,981 5-year survivors of childhood cancer. Employment status and occupational level were ascertained by questionnaire from eligible survivors (n = 14,836). Multivariate logistic regression was used to explore factors associated with employment and occupation, and to compare survivors to their demographic peers in the general population. Employment status was available for 10,257 survivors. Gender, current age, cancer type, radiotherapy, age at diagnosis and epilepsy were consistently associated with being: employed; unable to work; in managerial or non-manual occupations. Overall, survivors were less likely to be working than expected (OR (99% CI): 0.89 (0.81-0.98)), and this deficit was greatest for irradiated CNS neoplasm survivors (0.34 (0.28-0.41)). Compared to the general population, survivors were fivefold more likely to be unable to work due to illness/disability; the excess was 15-fold among CNS neoplasm survivors treated with radiotherapy. Overall survivors were less likely to be in managerial occupations than expected (0.85 (0.77-0.94)). However, bone sarcoma survivors were more likely to be in these occupations than expected (1.37 (1.01-1.85)) and also similarly for non-manual occupations (1.90 (1.37-2.62)). Survivors of retinoblastoma (1.55 (1.20-2.01)) and 'other' neoplasm group (1.62 (1.30-2.03)) were also more likely to be in non-manual occupations than expected. © 2017 The Authors International Journal of Cancer published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of UICC.

  7. Radiotherapy in the curative treatment of breast cancer: current status and future trends. An opinion sample of radiation oncologists active in breast cancer research

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kurtz, J.M.

    1994-01-01

    A questionnaire regarding the current practice of breast cancer radiotherapy and possible future trends in this field was filled out by 13 radiation oncologists active in breast cancer research. In the opinion of this small group, radiotherapy is presently included in the initial treatment of the large majority of early breast cancers, particularly in the framework of breast-conserving therapy, which is currently used in >50% of these patients. Indications for post-mastectomy irradiation vary greatly among respondents, as do attitudes toward the potentially negative aspects of adjuvant radiotherapy. Most respondents feel that their future practices will be significantly influenced by an increase in screen-detected cancers, the aging of the population, the increasing influence of medical oncologists, participation in clinical trials, and increased patient participation in treatment decisions. An increase is foreseen in the use of breast-conserving approaches, radiotherapy, and systemic therapies, and a decrease in the use of both total mastectomy and axillary dissection. Most respondents feel that there will be a modest decrease in the percentage of conservatively operated patients receiving radiotherapy. A future role is seen for neo-adjuvant chemotherapy, at least in well-defined subgroups, increasing the number of patients offered breast-conserving approaches. Most respondents expect that irradiation of lymph nodal areas will gain new credibility and be used more often. No majority opinion could be elicited regarding ways of improving the therapeutic ratio in breast cancer radiotherapy. (author)

  8. Current status of the AUSTRON project

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rauch, H.; Regler, M.; Lechner, R.E.; Weber, H.

    2001-01-01

    The current status of the AUSTRON spallation source project is described with reference to the need for neutrons in Europe and - due to a certain West-East imbalance of large research facilities - especially in Central Europe. A short overview about technical aspects of proton accelerator, rapid cycling synchrotron, storage ring, target and instrumentation is presented. (author)

  9. COHERENT Experiment: current status

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Akimov, D; Belov, V; Bolozdynya, A; Burenkov, A; Albert, J B; Del Valle Coello, M; D’Onofrio, M; Awe, C; Barbeau, P S; Cervantes, M; Becker, B; Cabrera-Palmer, B; Collar, J I; Cooper, R J; Cooper, R L; Cuesta, C; Detwiler, J; Eberhardt, A; Dean, D; Dolgolenko, A G

    2017-01-01

    The COHERENT Collaboration is realizing a long term neutrino physics research program. The main goals of the program are to detect and study elastic neutrino-nucleus scattering (CEνNS). This process is predicted by Standard Model but it has never been observed experimentally because of the very low energy of the recoil nucleus. COHERENT is using different detector technologies: CsI[Na] and NaI scintillator crystals, a single-phase liquid Ar and a Ge detectors. The placement of all the detector setups is in the basement of the Spallation Neutron Source (SNS) at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL). The current status of the COHERENT experimental program is presented. (paper)

  10. CMS Data Analysis: Current Status and Future Strategy

    CERN Document Server

    Innocente, V

    2003-01-01

    We present the current status of CMS data analysis architecture and describe work on future Grid-based distributed analysis prototypes. CMS has two main software frameworks related to data analysis: COBRA, the main framework, and IGUANA, the interactive visualisation framework. Software using these frameworks is used today in the world-wide production and analysis of CMS data. We describe their overall design and present examples of their current use with emphasis on interactive analysis. CMS is currently developing remote analysis prototypes, including one based on Clarens, a Grid-enabled client-server tool. Use of the prototypes by CMS physicists will guide us in forming a Grid-enriched analysis strategy. The status of this work is presented, as is an outline of how we plan to leverage the power of our existing frameworks in the migration of CMS software to the Grid.

  11. Health Status of Current National Guard Members

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    Proctor, Susan P

    2005-01-01

    .... The objectives are to: 1) describe the current health status of this ARNG cohort, 2) examine to what extent the job strain of ARNG service affects the relationship between Civilian job strain and health and job performance outcomes and, 3...

  12. Incremental Innovation and Progress in Advanced Squamous Cell Lung Cancer: Current Status and Future Impact of Treatment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Langer, Corey J; Obasaju, Coleman; Bunn, Paul; Bonomi, Philip; Gandara, David; Hirsch, Fred R; Kim, Edward S; Natale, Ronald B; Novello, Silvia; Paz-Ares, Luis; Pérol, Maurice; Reck, Martin; Ramalingam, Suresh S; Reynolds, Craig H; Socinski, Mark A; Spigel, David R; Wakelee, Heather; Mayo, Carlos; Thatcher, Nick

    2016-12-01

    Squamous cell lung cancer (sqCLC) is an aggressive form of cancer that poses many therapeutic challenges. Patients tend to be older, present at a later stage, and have a high incidence of comorbidities, which can compromise treatment delivery and exacerbate toxicity. In addition, certain agents routinely available for nonsquamous cell histologic subtypes, such as bevacizumab and pemetrexed, are contraindicated or lack efficacy in sqCLC. Therapeutic progress has been much slower for advanced sqCLC, with median survival times of approximately 9 to 11 months in most studies. Herein, we discuss the current therapeutic landscape for patients with sqCLC versus with nonsquamous NSCLC. Current evidence indicates that new targeted treatments, notably monoclonal antibodies such as ramucirumab and necitumumab, and immunotherapies such as nivolumab and pembrolizumab can provide survival prolongation, although the benefits are still relatively modest. These incremental improvements, all realized since 2012, in aggregate, will very likely have a clinically meaningful impact for patients with sqCLC. We also discuss recent genomic studies of sqCLC that have identified potentially actionable molecular targets, as well as the relevant targeted agents in clinical development. Finally, we discuss the magnitude of survival benefit and the risk-to-benefit ratio that would prove clinically meaningful in this underserved patient population with unmet needs. Copyright © 2016 International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  13. Current status of fusion-relevant covariance data

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Muir, D.W.

    1994-01-01

    The following review of the current status of formatted data covariance files and their multigroup processing is a contribution to the IAEA Advisory Group Meeting on ''Improved Evaluations and Integral Data Testing for FENDL,'' to be held at the Max-Planck-Institut fuer Plasmaphysik, Garching, Germany, 12--16 September 1994. The draft agenda of this meeting lists as Item 6 the ''assessment of present status and role of uncertainty files, their processing and sensitivity studies related to FENDL.'' We conclude that this is an important and timely topic and recommend needed actions in this field

  14. Current status of methods for shielding analysis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Engle, W.W.

    1980-01-01

    Current methods used in shielding analysis and recent improvements in those methods are discussed. The status of methods development is discussed based on needs cited at the 1977 International Conference on Reactor Shielding. Additional areas where methods development is needed are discussed

  15. Supporting women with advanced breast cancer: the impact of altered functional status on their social roles.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Bai Qi Peggy; Parmar, Monica P; Gartshore, Kimberley

    2014-01-01

    Despite early detection of breast cancer and the progress of treatment modalities, metastasis-specific symptoms continue to impact women's functional status and daily living. The aim of this study was to explore the experience of altered functional status and social roles of women with advanced breast cancer. Using qualitative descriptive methodology, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 10 women diagnosed with advanced breast cancer and altered functional status attending a tertiary care cancer centre. Results illustrated the adaptive experience of women living with their illness as they reshaped their social roles to fit with their altered functional status and advanced disease. These findings highlight the opportunity for supportive care nursing interventions to facilitate the behavioural and cognitive transitions that are experienced by women with advanced breast cancer and altered functional status. These results may have implications for women with other advanced chronic diseases, though more research is required.

  16. Current questions in HIV-associated lung cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shcherba, Marina; Shuter, Jonathan; Haigentz, Missak

    2013-09-01

    In this review, we explore current questions regarding risk factors contributing to frequent and early onset of lung cancer among populations with HIV infection, treatment, and outcomes of lung cancer in HIV-infected patients as well as challenges in a newly evolving era of lung cancer screening. Lung cancer, seen in three-fold excess in HIV-infected populations, has become the most common non-AIDS defining malignancy in the highly active antiretroviral therapy era. HIV-associated lung cancer appears to be associated with young age at diagnosis, cigarette smoking, advanced stage at presentation, and a more aggressive clinical course. There is no unified explanation for these observations, and aside from traditional risk factors, HIV-related immunosuppression and biological differences might play a role. In addition to smoking cessation interventions, screening and early cancer detection in HIV-infected populations are of high clinical importance, although evidence supporting lung cancer screening in this particularly high-risk subset is currently lacking, as are prospective studies of lung cancer therapy. There is an urgent need for prospective clinical trials in HIV-associated lung cancer to improve understanding of lung cancer pathogenesis and to optimize patient care. Several clinical trials are in progress to address questions in cancer biology, screening, and treatment for this significant cause of mortality in persons with HIV infection.

  17. Current Status of Single-incision Laparoscopic Surgery

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Ahmed, Irfan; Ciancio, Fabio; Ferrara, Vincenzo

    2012-01-01

    Recent advances in minimally invasive surgery have centered on reducing the number of incisions required, which has led to the development of the single-incision laparoscopic technique. A panel of European single-incision laparoscopy experts met to discuss the current status of, and the future...

  18. Current status of Uganda Kob (Kobus Kob Thomasi Neumann) in ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Current status of Uganda Kob (Kobus Kob Thomasi Neumann) in Toro Game Reserve, Uganda. ... As part of a biological assessment of Toro Game Reserve, the status of Uganda kob Kobus kob Thomasi ... AJOL African Journals Online.

  19. Endoscopic submucosal dissection in the West: Current status and future directions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ma, Michael X; Bourke, Michael J

    2018-05-01

    Endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) was first conceptually described almost 30 years ago in Japan and is now widely practiced throughout East Asia. ESD expands the boundaries of endoscopic resection (ER) by allowing en bloc resection of large early neoplastic lesions within the gastrointestinal tract (GIT). This offers advantages over other ER techniques by facilitating definitive histological staging and curative treatment of early cancer in selected cases. Indeed, the experience of ESD in Eastern countries is significant, and excellent outcomes from high-volume centers are reported. The potential benefits of ESD are recognized by Western endoscopists, but its adoption has been limited. A number of factors contribute to this, including epidemiological differences in GIT neoplasia between Western and Eastern populations and limitations in training opportunities. In this review, we discuss the role of ESD, its current status and the future in Western endoscopic practice. © 2017 Japan Gastroenterological Endoscopy Society.

  20. A Study on BRCA1/2 Mutations, Hormone Status and HER-2 Status in Korean Women with Early-onset Breast Cancer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Choi, Doo Ho; Jin, So Young; Lee, Dong Wha; Kim, Eun Seog; Kim, Yong Ho

    2008-01-01

    Women with breast cancer diagnosed at an age of 40 years or younger have a greater prevalence of germline BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations than the prevalence of women with breast cancer diagnosed at older ages. Several immunohistochemical characteristics have been identified in breast cancers from studies of Caucasian women with BRCA1/2 mutations having familial or early-onset breast cancers. The aim of this study is to determine whether early-onset breast cancer in BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutation carriers, who were not selected from a family history, could be distinguished by the use of immunohistochemical methods and could be distinguished from breast cancer in women of a similar age without a germline BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutation. We also analyzed the prognostic difference between BRCA1/2 related and BRCA1/2 non-related patients by the use of univariate and multivariate analysis. Breast cancer tissue specimens from Korean women with early-onset breast cancers were studied using a tumor tissue microarray. Immunohistochemical staining of estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR) and HER-2, as well as the histology and grade of these specimens, were compared. The prognostic impact of immunohistochemical and histological factors as well as the BRCA1/2 mutation status was investigated separately. There were 14 cases and 16 deleterious BRCA1/2 mutations among 101 patients tested. A family history (4/14) and bilateral breast cancers (3/9) were high risk factors for BRCA1/2 mutations. BRCA1/2- associated cancers demonstrated more expression of ER-negative (19.4% versus 5.1%, p=0.038) and HER-2 negative than BRCA1/2 negative tumors, especially for tumors with BRCA1 tumors The BRCA1/2 mutation rate for patients with triple negative tumors (negative expression of ER, PR and HER-2) was 24.2%. Tumor size, nodal status, and HER-2 expression status were significantly associated with disease free survival, as determined by univariate and multivariate analysis, but the BRCA1/2 status was

  1. Marital status and survival in patients with rectal cancer: A population-based STROBE cohort study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Zhuyue; Wang, Kang; Zhang, Xuemei; Wen, Jin

    2018-05-01

    To examine the impact of marital status on overall survival (OS) and rectal cancer-specific survival (RCSS) for aged patients.We used the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results database to identify aged patients (>65 years) with early stage rectal cancer (RC) (T1-T4, N0, M0) in the United States from 2004 to 2010. Propensity score matching was conducted to avoid potential confounding factors with ratio at 1:1. We used Kaplan-Meier to compare OS and RCSS between the married patients and the unmarried, respectively. We used cox proportion hazard regressions to obtain hazard rates for OS, and proportional subdistribution hazard model was performed to calculate hazard rates for RCSS.Totally, 5196 patients were included. The married (2598 [50%]) aged patients had better crude 5-year overall survival rate (64.2% vs 57.3%, P vs 75.9%, P unmarried (2598 (50%)), respectively. In multivariate analyses, married patients had significantly lower overall death than unmarried patients (HR = 0.77, 95% CI = 0.71-0.83, P married patients had no cancer-specific survival benefit versus the unmarried aged patients (HR = 0.92, 95% CI = 0.81-1.04, P = .17).Among old population, married patients with early stage RC had better OS than the unmarried, while current evidence showed that marital status might have no protective effect on cancer-specific survival.

  2. Macromolecular contrast agents for MR mammography: current status

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Daldrup-Link, Heike E.; Brasch, Robert C.

    2003-01-01

    Macromolecular contrast media (MMCM) encompass a new class of diagnostic drugs that can be applied with dynamic MRI to extract both physiologic and morphologic information in breast lesions. Kinetic analysis of dynamic MMCM-enhanced MR data in breast tumor patients provides useful estimates of tumor blood volume and microvascular permeability, typically increased in cancer. These tumor characteristics can be applied to differentiate benign from malignant lesions, to define the angiogenesis status of cancers, and to monitor tumor response to therapy. The most immediate challenge to the development of MMCM-enhanced mammography is the identification of those candidate compounds that demonstrate the requisite long intravascular distribution and have the high tolerance necessary for clinical use. Potential mammographic applications and limitations of various MMCM, defined by either experimental animal testing or clinical testing in patients, are reviewed in this article. (orig.)

  3. Current management of oral cancer. A multidisciplinary approach.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ord, R A; Blanchaert, R H

    2001-11-01

    Recent basic science discoveries have contributed to our understanding of the etiology of oral cancer and allowed us to consider innovative approaches to therapy. The authors evaluated and summarized current approaches to the management of oral cancer, emphasizing the multidisciplinary team approach to coordinate surgery, radiation therapy and chemotherapy. Current concepts in management, including complications of therapy, are described. State-of-the-art surgical techniques can spare patients with oral cancer from much of the morbidity and complications common in the past. The refinement of treatment strategies reduces complications and improves efficacy. Many exciting new clinical trials in the areas of gene therapy and immunomodulation are showing promise. Management of oral cancer has undergone radical change in the past 10 years and continues to evolve rapidly. Discoveries in molecular biology, diagnosis, surgery, radiation therapy and medical oncology have altered many traditional concepts and practices. General dental practitioners need to understand current treatment modalities for oral and pharyngeal cancers to determine to whom they should refer patients for the most appropriate treatment, and to make recommendations regarding complications associated with these cancers.

  4. Radiation processing. Current status and future possibilities

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Woods, R.J.

    2000-01-01

    Radiation processing developed following the Second World War and employees gamma- or electron-irradiation to process polymers, cure alkene-based inks and coatings, sterilize medical supplies, irradiate food, and manage wastes. The current status of these applications is described with the probable direction of future developments. (author)

  5. Relationship between the depression status of patients with resectable non-small cell lung cancer and their family members in China.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wu, Xian-Ning; Su, Dan; Li, Hui-Ping; Wang, Wei-Li; Wu, Wei-Qin; Yang, Ya-Juan; Yu, Feng-Lei; Zhang, Jing-Ping

    2013-10-01

    Less work on depression status has been done with family members of patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). This study investigated depression status of patients and their family members; and the relationship of the depression status between these two groups. This cross-sectional study enrolled 194 patients diagnosed with non-small cell lung cancer as well as their family members. In this study, a self-administered General Information Questionnaire was used to collect general information and the Self-rating Depression Scale (SDS) to assess depression status. Linear correlation analysis was used to probe the relationship of the depression status between patients and their family members. Of the 194 patients, 148 (76.3%) showed symptoms of depression. 148 (76.3%) family members had depression symptoms. The severity of depression in patients was positively correlated with that of family members (r = 0.577, p family members suffered depression, and the two were correlated. A prospective study might prove helpful in determining the real relationship existing between the two groups' mental status and whether early detection and intervention might ameliorate this current situation. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  6. Current status of high-T{sub c} wire

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Vase, Per [Nordic Superconductor Technologies A/S, Priorparken 685, DK 2605 Broendby (Denmark); Fluekiger, Rene [Departement de Physique de la Matiere Condensee, Universite de Geneve (Switzerland); Leghissa, Martino [Siemens AG, Corporate Technology, Erlangen (Germany); Glowacki, Bartek [Department of Material Science and Metallurgy, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3QZ (United Kingdom)

    2000-07-01

    This paper is the result of the work of a SCENET (The European Network for Superconductivity) material working group's efforts on giving values for present and future expected performance of high-temperature superconducting (HTS) wires and tapes. The purpose of the work is to give input to the design of HTS applications like power cables, motors, current leads, magnets, transformers and generators. The current status performance values are supposed to be used in the design of today's prototypes and the future values for the design of fully commercial HTS applications of the future. We focus on what is expected to be the relevant parameters for HTS application design. The most successful technique by far for making HTS tapes has been on the (Bi, Pb){sub 2}Sr{sub 2}Ca{sub 2}Cu{sub 3}O{sub x} (Bi-2223) material by the powder-in-tube (PIT) technique and this paper therefore focuses on giving the current status and expected future performance for Bi-2223 tapes. (author)

  7. Clonal Evaluation of Prostate Cancer by ERG/SPINK1 Status to Improve Prognosis Prediction

    Science.gov (United States)

    2017-12-01

    19 NIH Exploiting drivers of androgen receptor signaling negative prostate cancer for precision medicine Goal(s): Identify novel potential drivers...AWARD NUMBER: W81XWH-14-1-0466 TITLE: Clonal evaluation of prostate cancer by ERG/SPINK1 status to improve prognosis prediction PRINCIPAL...Sept 2017 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER Clonal Evaluation of Prostate Cancer by ERG/SPINK1 Status to Improve Prognosis Prediction 5b

  8. CIMP status of interval colon cancers: another piece to the puzzle.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Arain, Mustafa A; Sawhney, Mandeep; Sheikh, Shehla; Anway, Ruth; Thyagarajan, Bharat; Bond, John H; Shaukat, Aasma

    2010-05-01

    Colon cancers diagnosed in the interval after a complete colonoscopy may occur due to limitations of colonoscopy or due to the development of new tumors, possibly reflecting molecular and environmental differences in tumorigenesis resulting in rapid tumor growth. In a previous study from our group, interval cancers (colon cancers diagnosed within 5 years of a complete colonoscopy) were almost four times more likely to demonstrate microsatellite instability (MSI) than non-interval cancers. In this study we extended our molecular analysis to compare the CpG island methylator phenotype (CIMP) status of interval and non-interval colorectal cancers and investigate the relationship between the CIMP and MSI pathways in the pathogenesis of interval cancers. We searched our institution's cancer registry for interval cancers, defined as colon cancers that developed within 5 years of a complete colonoscopy. These were frequency matched in a 1:2 ratio by age and sex to patients with non-interval cancers (defined as colon cancers diagnosed on a patient's first recorded colonoscopy). Archived cancer specimens for all subjects were retrieved and tested for CIMP gene markers. The MSI status of subjects identified between 1989 and 2004 was known from our previous study. Tissue specimens of newly identified cases and controls (between 2005 and 2006) were tested for MSI. There were 1,323 cases of colon cancer diagnosed over the 17-year study period, of which 63 were identified as having interval cancer and matched to 131 subjects with non-interval cancer. Study subjects were almost all Caucasian men. CIMP was present in 57% of interval cancers compared to 33% of non-interval cancers (P=0.004). As shown previously, interval cancers were more likely than non-interval cancers to occur in the proximal colon (63% vs. 39%; P=0.002), and have MSI 29% vs. 11%, P=0.004). In multivariable logistic regression model, proximal location (odds ratio (OR) 1.85; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1

  9. Association between an inflammatory-nutritional index and nutritional status in cancer patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alberici Pastore, Carla; Paiva Orlandi, Silvana; González, María Cristina

    2013-01-01

    Cachexia is a multifatorial syndrome characterized by loss of body weight, fat and muscle, increasing morbidity and mortality. The use of an index accounting for both serum albumin and C Reactive Protein levels could make early identification of cachexia easier. To evaluate the variation of an inflammatory nutritional index related to nutritional status in cancer patients. Cross sectional study including patients with gastrointestinal and lung cancer of a public chemotherapy service in Brazil. Serum albumin and C Reactive Protein were measured and the nutritional status was defined by Subjective Global Assessment. Statistical analyses were performed using Stata 9.2(TM). A total of 74 patients were evaluated, 58.1% of them were male, mean age 63.4 ± 11.9 years old. Gastrointestinal cancer was the most prevalent type (71.6%). Only 13.7% of the patients were well nourished and 21.9% were severely malnourished. C Reactive Protein significantly increased according to nutritional status decline (p=0.03). When the albumin from patients with systemic inflammation was evaluated, there was no significant variation in relation to nutritional status (p=0.06). The Inflammatory Nutritional Index significantly varied in relation to nutritional status independent of the systemic inflammation (p=0.02). Inflammatory Nutritional Index can be an adjuvant way for biochemical nutritional assessment and follow up in cancer patients with systemic inflammation. Copyright © AULA MEDICA EDICIONES 2013. Published by AULA MEDICA. All rights reserved.

  10. Marital status independently predicts testis cancer survival--an analysis of the SEER database.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Abern, Michael R; Dude, Annie M; Coogan, Christopher L

    2012-01-01

    Previous reports have shown that married men with malignancies have improved 10-year survival over unmarried men. We sought to investigate the effect of marital status on 10-year survival in a U.S. population-based cohort of men with testis cancer. We examined 30,789 cases of testis cancer reported to the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER 17) database between 1973 and 2005. All staging were converted to the 1997 AJCC TNM system. Patients less than 18 years of age at time of diagnosis were excluded. A subgroup analysis of patients with stages I or II non-seminomatous germ cell tumors (NSGCT) was performed. Univariate analysis using t-tests and χ(2) tests compared characteristics of patients separated by marital status. Multivariate analysis was performed using a Cox proportional hazard model to generate Kaplan-Meier survival curves, with all-cause and cancer-specific mortality as the primary endpoints. 20,245 cases met the inclusion criteria. Married men were more likely to be older (38.9 vs. 31.4 years), Caucasian (94.4% vs. 92.1%), stage I (73.1% vs. 61.4%), and have seminoma as the tumor histology (57.3% vs. 43.4%). On multivariate analysis, married status (HR 0.58, P married status (HR 0.60, P married and unmarried men (44.8% vs. 43.4%, P = 0.33). Marital status is an independent predictor of improved overall and cancer-specific survival in men with testis cancer. In men with stages I or II NSGCT, RPLND is an additional predictor of improved overall survival. Marital status does not appear to influence whether men undergo RPLND. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  11. Higher-status occupations and breast cancer: a life-course stress approach.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pudrovska, Tetyana; Carr, Deborah; McFarland, Michael; Collins, Caitlyn

    2013-07-01

    Using the 1957-2011 data from 3682 White non-Hispanic women (297 incident breast cancer cases) in the Wisconsin Longitudinal Study, United States, we explore the effect of occupation in 1975 (at age 36) on breast cancer incidence up to age 72. Our study is motivated by the paradoxical association between higher-status occupations and elevated breast cancer risk, which presents a challenge to the consistent health advantage of higher social class. We found that women in professional occupations had 72122% and women in managerial occupations had 57-89% higher risk of a breast cancer diagnosis than housewives and women in lower-status occupations. We explored an estrogen-related pathway (reproductive history, health behaviors, and life-course estrogen cycle) as well as a social stress pathway (occupational experiences) as potential explanations for the effect of higher-status occupations. The elevated risk of breast cancer among professional women was partly explained by estrogen-related variables but remained large and statistically significant. The association between managerial occupations and breast cancer incidence was fully explained by job authority defined as control over others' work. Exercising job authority was related to higher breast cancer risk (HR = 1.57, 95% CI: 1.12, 2.18), especially with longer duration of holding the professional/managerial job. We suggest that the assertion of job authority by women in the 1970s involved stressful interpersonal experiences that may have promoted breast cancer development via prolonged dysregulation of the glucocorticoid system and exposure of the breast tissue to adverse effects of chronically elevated cortisol. Our study emphasizes complex biosocial pathways through which women's gendered occupational experiences become embodied and drive forward physiological repercussions. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  12. Current treatments for advanced stage non-small cell lung cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stinchcombe, Thomas E; Socinski, Mark A

    2009-04-15

    Lung cancer remains the leading cause of cancer mortality in the United States, and the majority of patients will have non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and will present with locally advanced or metastatic disease. In the United States, the most common histology is adenocarcinoma, followed by squamous cell, large cell, and not otherwise specified. For patients with a preserved performance status (PS), double agent platinum-based therapy extends survival, improves quality of life (Qol), and reduces disease-related symptoms. The addition of a third cytotoxic agent increases toxicity without any clinical benefit. However, the addition of a targeted agent (bevacizumab, an antiangioegenesis agent, or cetuximab, an antibody against the epidermal growth factor receptor [EGFR]) to platinum-based therapy has yielded an improvement in survival compared with platinum-based therapy alone. To receive bevacizumab, patients are required to have nonsquamous histology, a PS of 0 or 1, and no evidence of brain metastases, hemoptysis, uncontrolled hypertension, and no need for therapeutic anticoagulation. The benefits of chemotherapy for patients with a poor performance status are less well defined, and the current recommendations are for treatment with single-agent chemotherapy. Elderly patients (defined as age > or = 70 yr) derive a survival and Qol benefit from chemotherapy treatment, and for the majority of elderly patients single-agent chemotherapy is the standard. However, elderly patients with a good performance status and without co-morbidities can tolerate platinum-based therapy without excessive toxicity and appear to derive a survival benefit similar to that in younger patients. Recently, a separate population of patients defined by a light or never-smoking history has been identified. This patient population appears to have unique clinical and molecular characteristics, and may benefit from initial therapy with an EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor. Once patients have

  13. Reproductive status in adult male long-term survivors of childhood cancer

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Tromp, K.; Claessens, J. J. M.; Knijnenburg, S. L.; van der Pal, H. J. H.; van Leeuwen, F. E.; Caron, H. N.; Beerendonk, C. C. M.; Kremer, L. C. M.

    2011-01-01

    This study assessed the long-term effects of cancer therapies on reproductive status in adult male childhood cancer survivors, evaluated the treatment-related risk factors for hypergonadotropic hypogonadism and assessed the association between the FSH levels and the later need for assisted

  14. Reproductive status in adult male long-term survivors of childhood cancer

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Tromp, K.; Claessens, J.J.M.; Knijnenburg, S.L.; Pal, H.J. van der; Leeuwen, F.E. van; Caron, H.N.; Beerendonk, C.C.M.; Kremer, L.C.

    2011-01-01

    BACKGROUND: This study assessed the long-term effects of cancer therapies on reproductive status in adult male childhood cancer survivors, evaluated the treatment-related risk factors for hypergonadotropic hypogonadism and assessed the association between the FSH levels and the later need for

  15. Current status of neutron scattering in Thailand

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kornduangkaeo, Areeratt; Pongkasem, Somchai; Putchar, Suriya; Ampornrat, Pantip; Kajornrith, Varavuth; Chamchang, Jipawat

    2006-01-01

    The current neutron powder diffractometer at the Thai Research Reactor-1/Modification 1 (TRR-1/M1) has been modified from the obsolete neutron diffractometer which had been used during 1968-1975. The upgraded diffractometer has medium resolution and is appropriate for studying samples with small unit cell dimensions and training university students in the field of neutron scattering. This paper describes the current activities of neutron scattering research in Thailand, the current status of a new research reactor project at Ongkarak for enlarging the perspectives of its utilization in the future as well as the organizational reformation of the Office of Atomic Energy for Peace (OAEP). (author)

  16. Selenium status and cancer mortality in subjects residing in four Canadian provinces

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Morris, J.S.; Horsman, T.L.; Spate, V.L.; Baskett, C.K.; Mason, M.M.; Nichols, T.A.; Rohan, T.; Soskolne, C.L.; Jain, M.

    2001-01-01

    Selenium status in male and female Canadian subjects was measured relative to cancer mortality in their respective provinces. Toenail specimens from 755 subjects, 377 males and 378 females, living in Vancouver (186), Edmonton (188), Toronto (197) and Montreal (184) were analyzed by instrumental neutron activation analysis giving means of 0.968 ± 0.177, 0.950 ± 0.148, 0.932 ± 0.135 and 0.896 ± 0.127 ppm Se, respectively. The effect of selenium determinants such as gender, selenium supplementation and smoking on selenium status is presented. Details of the observed inverse relationship of selenium status and cancer mortality are discussed. (author)

  17. Computer-aided detection in computed tomography colonography. Current status and problems with detection of early colorectal cancer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Morimoto, Tsuyoshi; Nakijima, Yasuo; Iinuma, Gen; Arai, Yasuaki; Shiraishi, Junji; Moriyama, Noriyuki; Beddoe, G.

    2008-01-01

    The aim of this study was to evaluate the usefulness of computer-aided detection (CAD) in diagnosing early colorectal cancer using computed tomography colonography (CTC). A total of 30 CTC data sets for 30 early colorectal cancers in 30 patients were retrospectively reviewed by three radiologists. After primary evaluation, a second reading was performed using CAD findings. The readers evaluated each colorectal segment for the presence or absence of colorectal cancer using five confidence rating levels. To compare the assessment results, the sensitivity and specificity with and without CAD were calculated on the basis of the confidence rating, and differences in these variables were analyzed by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis. The average sensitivities for the detection without and with CAD for the three readers were 81.6% and 75.6%, respectively. Among the three readers, only one reader improved sensitivity with CAD compared to that without. CAD decreased specificity in all three readers. CAD detected 100% of protruding lesions but only 69.2% of flat lesions. On ROC analysis, the diagnostic performance of all three readers was decreased by use of CAD. Currently available CAD with CTC does not improve diagnostic performance for detecting early colorectal cancer. An improved CAD algorithm is required for detecting fiat lesions and reducing the false-positive rate. (author)

  18. Long-term survivors of childhood cancer report quality of life and health status in parity with a comparison group.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sundberg, Kay K; Doukkali, Eva; Lampic, Claudia; Eriksson, Lars E; Arvidson, Johan; Wettergren, Lena

    2010-08-01

    There is a need for more knowledge about how survivors of childhood cancer perceive their lives and what influence current health status has on their quality of life. The purpose was to describe this among a group of long-term survivors and among a comparison group. Telephone interviews were performed with a cohort of 246 long-term survivors and 296 randomly selected from the general population using the Schedule for the Evaluation of Individual Quality of Life-Direct Weighting (SEIQoL-DW). The participants nominated the areas they considered to be most important in life and rated the current status of each area on a seven-point category scale. An overall individual index score was calculated as a measure of quality of life. Self-reported health status was assessed using the Short Form Health Survey (SF-36). Long-term survivors rated their overall quality of life and self-reported health status almost in parity with the comparison group. In both groups, family life, relations to other people, work and career, interests and leisure activities were the areas most frequently reported to influence quality of life. The survivors only differed from the comparison group on one of eight SF-36 scales reflecting problems with daily activities owing to physical health. Health status was not shown to have a major impact on overall quality of life, indicating that health and quality of life should be evaluated distinctively as different constructs. This should be taken in consideration in clinical care of children with childhood cancer and long-term survivors. (c) 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

  19. Current status of research on microRNA associated with colorectal cancer liver metastasis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    WANG Dongxu

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available Tumor metastasis is a complicated process with multiple steps, and liver metastasis is the most common metastatic mode of colorectal cancer. Deep understanding and study of metastatic mechanism helps to find solutions for colorectal cancer liver metastasis. Recent studies have shown that microRNA are involved in tumor metastasis and recurrence, and studies on microRNA associated with colorectal cancer liver metastasis can provide new thoughts for the development and progression, diagnosis and treatment, and prognosis of the disease. This article summarizes the research advances in microRNA associated with colorectal cancer liver metastasis and reviews the biological function and molecular mechanism of microRNA, which suggests that microRNA have a vital significance in the field of tumor metastasis, especially colorectal cancer liver metastasis.

  20. Relationship between nutritional status, physical activity and quality of life among gastrointestinal cancer survivors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zalina, A Z; Lee, V C; Kandiah, M

    2012-08-01

    The objective of this study was to determine the relationship between nutritional status, physical activity and quality of life among gastrointestinal cancer survivors. A cross-sectional study was conducted among gastrointestinal cancer survivors attending the oncology outpatient clinic in Hospital Selayang, Malaysia. A total of 70 gastrointestinal cancer survivors with a mean age of 52.54 +/- 14.59 years (95% CI: 47.48 - 57.60) were included in this study. Results showed that 40% of the patients were classified as having low physical activity. The mean Patient Generated Subjective Global Assessment (PGSGA) score was 10.27 +/- 7.36 (95% CI: 8.23-12.31) and nearly half the patients (48.6%) were identified as severely malnourished (Stage C). Mean Gastrointestinal Quality of Life Index (GQLFI) score was 103.57 +/- 23.85 (95% CI: 92.94-114.20), and about 24.3% of the patients were classified as having a low quality of life. Pearson's correlation test showed a highly significant negative relationship between nutritional status and quality of life (r = -0.661, pnutritional status (low total mean score of PGSGA), the better the quality of life of the survivors (high total mean score of GQLFI). There was a significant negative relationship between physical activity level and nutritional status score (r = -0.309, pnutritional status (low total mean score of PGSGA). This study shows a significant relationship between nutritional status, physical activity and quality of life among gastrointestinal cancer survivors. Those low in nutritional status have a low quality of life while survivors with higher nutritional status have a better quality of life.

  1. The current status of treatment for oropharyngeal cancer in Japan. A multi-institutional retrospective observation study

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Homma, Akihiro; Hayashi, Ryuichi; Kawabata, Kazuyoshi

    2013-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to assess the current status of the treatment for oropharyngeal cancer (OPC) in Japan to assist the planning of clinical trials in the future. The data for 523 patients with previously untreated OPC were obtained from 12 institutions from April 2005 to N/larch 2007. Of the 523 patients, 471 patients with squamous cell carcinoma and with curative intent were included in an analysis of the treatment and its results. Of the 471 patients with OPC treated with curative intent, 186 patients (39.5%) were treated with surgery, 118 (25.1%) with radiotherapy (RT) alone and 167 (355%) with CRT. Surgery was indicated for 60.4% of the patients with stage I, 47.8% in stage II, 29.4% in stage III, and 36.44% in stage IV. CRT was indicated for 8.3% in stage II, but the percentage increased with higher stage. The percentage of RT was around 30% among stage I-III, but in stage IV, 21.3% of the patients were indicated for RT. The median follow-up period was 4 years and 5 months. The 2-year and 5-year overall survival rates for the 471 patients were 85% and 69.9%, respectively. The 5-year overall survival rates for patients treated initially with surgery, RT and CRT were 73%, 69.1% and 65.6%, respectively. The 5-year overall survival rates for patients with stage I, II, III, IVA, and IVB were 78.9%. 87.3%, 69.7%, 66.6%, and 47.7%, respectively. Although this study was retrospective, we could understand the tendency of treatment choice according to various factors and treatment results. The information will be useful for planning clinical trials in the future. (author)

  2. Dark Matter Detection: Current Status

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Akerib, Daniel S.

    2011-01-01

    Overwhelming observational evidence indicates that most of the matter in the Universe consists of non-baryonic dark matter. One possibility is that the dark matter is Weakly-Interacting Massive Particles (WIMPs) that were produced in the early Universe. These relics could comprise the Milky Way's dark halo and provide evidence for new particle physics, such as Supersymmetry. This talk focuses on the status of current efforts to detect dark matter by testing the hypothesis that WIMPs exist in the galactic halo. WIMP searches have begun to explore the region of parameter space where SUSY particles could provide dark matter candidates.

  3. ATM in Europe: analysis of current status

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    1999-01-01

    This deliverable provides an overview of the current status of the European market for ATM services. The offer of ATM services by principal operators in Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden and United Kingdom is described. In addition, a number...... of international providers of ATM in Europe are presented....

  4. Current status of accreditation for drug testing in hair.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cooper, Gail; Moeller, Manfred; Kronstrand, Robert

    2008-03-21

    At the annual meeting of the Society of Hair Testing in Vadstena, Sweden in 2006, a committee was appointed to address the issue of guidelines for hair testing and to assess the current status of accreditation amongst laboratories offering drug testing in hair. A short questionnaire was circulated amongst the membership and interested parties. Fifty-two responses were received from hair testing laboratories providing details on the amount and type of hair tests they offered and the status of accreditation within their facilities. Although the vast majority of laboratories follow current guidelines (83%), only nine laboratories were accredited to ISO/IEC 17025 for hair testing. A significant number of laboratories reporting that they were in the process of developing quality systems with a view to accrediting their methods within 2-3 years. This study provides an insight into the status of accreditation in hair testing laboratories and supports the need for guidelines to encourage best practice.

  5. Targeted alpha therapy: Applications and current status

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bruchertseifer, Frank

    2017-01-01

    Full text: The field of targeted alpha therapy has been developed rapidly in the last decade. Besides 223 Ra, 211 At and 212 Pb/ 212 Bi the alpha emitters 225 Ac and 213 Bi are promising therapeutic radionuclides for application in targeted alpha therapy of cancer and infectious diseases. The presentation will give a short overview about the current clinical treatments with alpha emitting radionuclides and will place an emphasis on the most promising clinical testing of peptides and antibodies labelled with 225 Ac and 213 Bi for treatment of metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer patients with glioma and glioblastoma multiform, PSMA-positive tumor phenotype and bladder carcinoma in situ. (author)

  6. Quality of life and nutritional status among cancer patients on chemotherapy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vergara, Nunilon; Montoya, Jose Enrique; Luna, Herdee Gloriane; Amparo, Jose Roberto; Cristal-Luna, Gloria

    2013-07-01

    Malnutrition is prevalent among cancer patients, and maybe correlated with altered quality of life. The objective of this study is to determine wether quality of life among cancer patients on chemotherapy at the National Kidney and Transplant Institute- Cancer Unit differs from patients with normal nutrition based on the Subjective Global Assessment scale. A cross sectional study was conducted among cancer patients admitted for chemotherapy at the National Kidney and Transplant Institute-Cancer Unit from January to May 2011. Demographic profile, performance status by Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance scale, nutritional status assessment by Subjective Global Assessment, and quality of life assessment by the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer QoL-30 core module were obtained. Descriptive statistics and ANOVA were performed for analysis of quality of life parameters and nutritional status. A total of 97 subjects were included in this study, 66 subjects (68.04%) were females and 31 (31.96%) were males. Mean age was 54.55 ± 11.14 years, while mean performance status by the Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group classification was 0.88 ± 0.83 with a range of 0-3. According to the Subjective Global Assessment, there were 58 patients with SGA A, classified to have adequate nutrition, and 39 patients (40.21%) were considered malnourished. Among these 39 patients, 32 were classified SGA-B (moderately malnourished) and 7 were classified SGA C (severely malnourished) mean global quality of life was 68.73 ± 19.05. Results from ANOVA test revealed that patients were statistically different across the Subjective Global Assessment groups according to global quality of life (p<0.001), physical (p<0.001), role (p<0.001), emotional (p<0.001), and cognitive functioning (p<0.001); fatigue (p<0.001), nausea and vomiting (p<0.001), pain (p<0.001), insomnia (p<0.001), and appetite loss (p<0.001). GLOBAL QUALITY OF LIFE AND ITS PARAMETERS: physical state

  7. Quality of Life and Nutritional Status Among Cancer Patients on Chemotherapy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nunilon Vergara

    2013-07-01

    Full Text Available Objectives: Malnutrition is prevalent among cancer patients, and maybe correlated with altered quality of life. The objective of this study is to determine whether quality of life among cancer patients on chemotherapy at the National Kidney and Transplant Institute- Cancer Unit differs from patients with normal nutrition based on the Subjective Global Assessment scale.Methods: A cross sectional study was conducted among cancer patients admitted for chemotherapy at the National Kidney and Transplant Institute-Cancer Unit from January to May 2011. Demographic profile, performance status by Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance scale, nutritional status assessment by Subjective Global Assessment, and quality of life assessment by the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer QoL-30 core module were obtained. Descriptive statistics and ANOVA were performed for analysis of quality of life parameters and nutritional status.Results: A total of 97 subjects were included in this study, 66 subjects (68.04% were females and 31 (31.96% were males. Mean age was 54.55 ± 11.14 years, while mean performance status by the Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group classification was 0.88 ± 0.83 with a range of 0-3. According to the Subjective Global Assessment, there were 58 patients with SGA A, classified to have adequate nutrition, and 39 patients (40.21% were considered malnourished. Among these 39 patients, 32 were classified SGA-B (moderately malnourished and 7 were classified SGA C (severely malnourished mean global quality of life was 68.73 ± 19.05. Results from ANOVA test revealed that patients were statistically different across the Subjective Global Assessment groups according to global quality of life (p<0.001, physical (p<0.001, role (p<0.001, emotional (p<0.001, and cognitive functioning (p<0.001; fatigue (p<0.001, nausea and vomiting (p<0.001, pain (p<0.001, insomnia (p<0.001, and appetite loss (p<0.001.Conclusion: Global

  8. Current status of neutron capture therapy

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    NONE

    2001-05-01

    There are about 6000 new glioblastoma multiform brain tumours diagnosed each year in the United States of America alone. This cancer is usually fatal within six months of diagnosis even with current standard treatments. Research on boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT) has been considered as a method of potentially curing such cancers. There is a great interest at under-utilised research reactors institutions to identify new medical utilization, attractive to the general public. Neutron capture therapy is a true multidisciplinary topic with a large variety of individuals involved. This publication attempts to provide current information for all those thinking about being involved with NCT, based on the knowledge and experience of those who have pioneered the treatment. It covers the whole range of NCT from designing reactor conversions or new facilities, through to clinical trials and their effectiveness. However, since most work has been done with boron capture therapy for brain tumours using modified thermal research reactors, this tends to be the focus of the report. One of the factors which need to be addressed at the beginning is the timing of the further development of NCT facilities. It should be emphasised that all current work is still at the research stage. Many of those now involved believe that there is little need for many more research facilities until such time as the treatment shows more promising results. For this and other reasons discussed in the report, very serious consideration should be given by research reactor owners and operators before spending large sums of money converting their facilities for NCT.

  9. Current status of neutron capture therapy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    2001-05-01

    There are about 6000 new glioblastoma multiform brain tumours diagnosed each year in the United States of America alone. This cancer is usually fatal within six months of diagnosis even with current standard treatments. Research on boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT) has been considered as a method of potentially curing such cancers. There is a great interest at under-utilised research reactors institutions to identify new medical utilization, attractive to the general public. Neutron capture therapy is a true multidisciplinary topic with a large variety of individuals involved. This publication attempts to provide current information for all those thinking about being involved with NCT, based on the knowledge and experience of those who have pioneered the treatment. It covers the whole range of NCT from designing reactor conversions or new facilities, through to clinical trials and their effectiveness. However, since most work has been done with boron capture therapy for brain tumours using modified thermal research reactors, this tends to be the focus of the report. One of the factors which need to be addressed at the beginning is the timing of the further development of NCT facilities. It should be emphasised that all current work is still at the research stage. Many of those now involved believe that there is little need for many more research facilities until such time as the treatment shows more promising results. For this and other reasons discussed in the report, very serious consideration should be given by research reactor owners and operators before spending large sums of money converting their facilities for NCT

  10. Changes in employment status and experience of discrimination among cancer patients: findings from a nationwide survey in Korea.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Park, Jae-Hyun; Park, Jong-Hyock; Kim, Sung-Gyeong; Lee, Kyung-Sook; Hahm, Myung-Il

    2010-12-01

    As the number of working cancer patients increases, workplace discrimination and its relationship to changes in employment status among cancer patients is becoming an increasingly important social concern. The aim of this study is to provide a comprehensive overview of the relationship between changes in employment status and discrimination following a diagnosis of cancer. A total of 748 cancer patients, aged 18 years and older, who were employed before receiving a diagnosis of cancer, were enrolled in this study. Patients were recruited from ten cancer centers in Korea. Sociodemographic data, work-related data, and clinical information, as well as information on changes in employment status and incidences of discrimination, were collected from all patients. A change in employment status was reported by 73.4% of the sample, with unemployment being the most common change (46.4%). Forty-two (5.6%) patients reported that they had experienced discrimination in the workplace. Reports of discrimination were only weakly correlated with changes in employment status, but were significantly correlated with forced unemployment. Additional analyses revealed that being female, being from a lower socioeconomic status group and having a disability were risk-factors for unemployment, while being male, being from a higher socioeconomic status group and having a disability were risk-factors for workplace discrimination or forced unemployment. More attention should be paid to vulnerable who are diagnosed with cancer. An individualized and culture-based approach should be taken to minimize undesirable changes in employment status and to reduce discrimination among patients receiving a diagnosis of cancer. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  11. Role of nutritional status in predicting quality of life outcomes in cancer--a systematic review of the epidemiological literature.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lis, Christopher G; Gupta, Digant; Lammersfeld, Carolyn A; Markman, Maurie; Vashi, Pankaj G

    2012-04-24

    Malnutrition is a significant factor in predicting cancer patients' quality of life (QoL). We systematically reviewed the literature on the role of nutritional status in predicting QoL in cancer. We searched MEDLINE database using the terms "nutritional status" in combination with "quality of life" together with "cancer". Human studies published in English, having nutritional status as one of the predictor variables, and QoL as one of the outcome measures were included. Of the 26 included studies, 6 investigated head and neck cancer, 8 gastrointestinal, 1 lung, 1 gynecologic and 10 heterogeneous cancers. 24 studies concluded that better nutritional status was associated with better QoL, 1 study showed that better nutritional status was associated with better QoL only in high-risk patients, while 1 study concluded that there was no association between nutritional status and QoL. Nutritional status is a strong predictor of QoL in cancer patients. We recommend that more providers implement the American Society of Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition (ASPEN) guidelines for oncology patients, which includes nutritional screening, nutritional assessment and intervention as appropriate. Correcting malnutrition may improve QoL in cancer patients, an important outcome of interest to cancer patients, their caregivers, and families.

  12. Prognostic effect of estrogen receptor status across age in primary breast cancer

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Bentzon, N.; During, M.; Rasmussen, B.B.

    2008-01-01

    prognostic factor over all age groups. This effect was limited to the first 5 years after diagnosis, RR: 2.08 (95% CI: 1.95-2.22, p ER negative tumors, RR of death: 0.89 (95% CI: 0.79-1.00, p = 0.049). Results were......Estrogen receptor (ER) status is considered as an important prognostic factor as well as a predictive factor for endocrine responsiveness in breast cancer. We analyzed the distribution of ER status across age and estimated variations in the prognostic impact of ER status related to patients' age...... and time since diagnosis. Overall, 26,944 patients with primary breast cancer diagnosed from 1989 to 2004 were included. The proportion of ER positive tumors increased over age from 51 to 82%. In multivariate analysis of overall survival, ER positive status was found to be a significantly positive...

  13. Impact of socioeconomic status on survival of colorectal cancer patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Qian; Wang, Yufu; Hu, Hanqing; Huang, Rui; Xie, Lei; Liu, Enrui; Chen, Ying-Gang; Wang, Guiyu; Wang, Xishan

    2017-12-01

    Socioeconomic status (SES) has an impact on the survival of various cancers, but it has not been fully understood in colorectal cancer (CRC). The Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results database was adopted to detect the role of SES in the survival outcomes of CRC. A total of 184,322 eligible patients were included and SES status was analyzed. The multivariable analysis showed that Non-Hispanic Black (HR, 1.20; 95% CI, 1.15-1.24), being widowed (HR, 1.04; 95% CI, 1.01-1.07), any Medicaid (HR, 1.36; 95% CI, 1.33-1.39) and the lowest education level group patients had relative poorer prognosis. Besides, sex, tumor location, age, differentiation level and American Joint Committee on Cancer stage also had significant effects on overall survival of CRC. The individuals were further divided into five groups according to the number of survival-adverse factors. All of the four groups containing adverse factors showed impaired survival outcomes compared with the group containing no adverse factor.

  14. Pathogenesis of ovarian cancer: current perspectives | Chesang ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Objective: To present a review of current knowledge of the pathogenesis of ovarian cancer and its clinical implications. Data Source: Extensive literature search was conducted to identify relevant studies. Study Selection: Studies in the English language about or related to pathogenesis of ovarian cancer were selected.

  15. Application of Quantum Dots-Based Biotechnology in Cancer Diagnosis: Current Status and Future Perspectives

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Chun-Wei Peng

    2010-01-01

    Full Text Available The semiconductor nanocrystal quantum dots (QDs have excellent photo-physical properties, and the QDs-based probes have achieved encouraging developments in cellular and in vivo molecular imaging. More and more researches showed that QDs-based technology may become a promising approach in cancer research. In this review, we focus on recent application of QDs in cancer diagnosis and treatment, including early detection of primary tumor such as ovarian cancer, breast cancer, prostate cancer and pancreatic cancer, as well as regional lymph nodes and distant metastases. With the development of QDs synthesis and modification, the effect of QDs on tumor metastasis investigation will become more and more important in the future.

  16. Targeted alpha therapy: Applications and current status

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Bruchertseifer, Frank, E-mail: frank.bruchertseifer@ec.europa.eu [European Commission, Joint Research Centre, Karlsruhe (Germany)

    2017-07-01

    Full text: The field of targeted alpha therapy has been developed rapidly in the last decade. Besides {sup 223}Ra, {sup 211}At and {sup 212}Pb/{sup 212}Bi the alpha emitters {sup 225}Ac and {sup 213}Bi are promising therapeutic radionuclides for application in targeted alpha therapy of cancer and infectious diseases. The presentation will give a short overview about the current clinical treatments with alpha emitting radionuclides and will place an emphasis on the most promising clinical testing of peptides and antibodies labelled with {sup 225}Ac and {sup 213}Bi for treatment of metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer patients with glioma and glioblastoma multiform, PSMA-positive tumor phenotype and bladder carcinoma in situ. (author)

  17. Optimal breast cancer screening strategies for older women: current perspectives

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Braithwaite D

    2016-02-01

    Full Text Available Dejana Braithwaite,1 Joshua Demb,1 Louise M Henderson2 1Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of California, San Francisco, CA, 2Department of Radiology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA Abstract: Breast cancer is a major cause of cancer-related deaths among older women, aged 65 years or older. Screening mammography has been shown to be effective in reducing breast cancer mortality in women aged 50–74 years but not among those aged 75 years or older. Given the large heterogeneity in comorbidity status and life expectancy among older women, controversy remains over screening mammography in this population. Diminished life expectancy with aging may decrease the potential screening benefit and increase the risk of harms. In this review, we summarize the evidence on screening mammography utilization, performance, and outcomes and highlight evidence gaps. Optimizing the screening strategy will involve separating older women who will benefit from screening from those who will not benefit by using information on comorbidity status and life expectancy. This review has identified areas related to screening mammography in older women that warrant additional research, including the need to evaluate emerging screening technologies, such as tomosynthesis among older women and precision cancer screening. In the absence of randomized controlled trials, the benefits and harms of continued screening mammography in older women need to be estimated using both population-based cohort data and simulation models. Keywords: aging, breast cancer, precision cancer screening

  18. Chemical Reaction Engineering: Current Status and Future Directions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dudukovic, M. P.

    1987-01-01

    Describes Chemical Reaction Engineering (CRE) as the discipline that quantifies the interplay of transport phenomena and kinetics in relating reactor performance to operating conditions and input variables. Addresses the current status of CRE in both academic and industrial settings and outlines future trends. (TW)

  19. The nonparametric bootstrap for the current status model

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Groeneboom, P.; Hendrickx, K.

    2017-01-01

    It has been proved that direct bootstrapping of the nonparametric maximum likelihood estimator (MLE) of the distribution function in the current status model leads to inconsistent confidence intervals. We show that bootstrapping of functionals of the MLE can however be used to produce valid

  20. Associations between nutritional status, weight loss, radiotherapy treatment toxicity and treatment outcomes in gastrointestinal cancer patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hill, Amanda; Kiss, Nicole; Hodgson, Belinda; Crowe, Timothy C; Walsh, Adam D

    2011-02-01

    Patients with gastrointestinal cancers are susceptible to nutritional deterioration which may be compounded by radiotherapy treatment toxicities. This study aimed to determine whether nutritional status at radiotherapy commencement or changes in nutritional status throughout radiotherapy were associated with treatment toxicity and outcomes in gastrointestinal cancer patients. Seventy-three gastrointestinal cancer patients receiving curative radiotherapy underwent medical record audits assessing body weight, radiotherapy toxicity, unplanned treatment breaks or hospital admissions and completion of prescribed treatment/s. Nutritional status was assessed in a subset of patients (n = 11) using the Patient-Generated Subjective Global Assessment tool. Seventy-five percent of patients lost weight throughout radiotherapy. Weight loss was significantly greater in patients experiencing unplanned radiotherapy breaks (-3.1% vs -1.6%, p nutritional status during radiotherapy (as measured by weight loss) may be associated with poorer short-term treatment outcomes in gastrointestinal cancer patients. Patient numbers were too small to definitively determine the effect of nutritional status at radiotherapy commencement or changes in nutritional status throughout radiotherapy (defined by PG-SGA) on treatment outcomes. Further research is required to investigate this in larger, longer-term studies. Copyright © 2010. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

  1. Dual color chromogenic in situ hybridization for determination of HER2 status in breast cancer: a large comparative study to current state of the art fluorescence in situ hybridization

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mollerup Jens

    2012-02-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Chromogenic in situ hybridization (CISH is fast becoming a well established technique for easy and sensitive determination of HER2 gene status in breast cancer. However, for the chromogenic method to achieve status as a safe and reliable technique, the method needs to be validated against already known and validated FISH techniques. Methods Here it is reported from a comparative study where HER2 gene status obtained by HER2 CISH pharmDx™ Kit was compared to HER2 gene status obtained by the FDA approved HER2 FISH pharmDx™ Kit and the PathVysion HER-2 DNA probe Kit. The study included 365 formalin fixed and paraffin-embedded invasive breast cancer tissue specimens collected consecutively at a US reference laboratory. Results The data obtained revealed an overall HER2 status concordance of approximately 98% for comparisons of HER2 CISH pharmDx™ Kit to both HER2 FISH pharmDx™ Kit and PathVysion HER-2 DNA Probe Kit. Conclusions The concordance between results obtained using the recently FDA approved HER2 CISH pharmDx™ Kit with previously FDA approved FISH techniques for HER2 gene status determination indicate that the HER2 CISH pharmDx™ Kit is a reliable chromogenic alternative to fluorescence-based methods.

  2. Dual color chromogenic in situ hybridization for determination of HER2 status in breast cancer: a large comparative study to current state of the art fluorescence in situ hybridization

    Science.gov (United States)

    2012-01-01

    Background Chromogenic in situ hybridization (CISH) is fast becoming a well established technique for easy and sensitive determination of HER2 gene status in breast cancer. However, for the chromogenic method to achieve status as a safe and reliable technique, the method needs to be validated against already known and validated FISH techniques. Methods Here it is reported from a comparative study where HER2 gene status obtained by HER2 CISH pharmDx™ Kit was compared to HER2 gene status obtained by the FDA approved HER2 FISH pharmDx™ Kit and the PathVysion HER-2 DNA probe Kit. The study included 365 formalin fixed and paraffin-embedded invasive breast cancer tissue specimens collected consecutively at a US reference laboratory. Results The data obtained revealed an overall HER2 status concordance of approximately 98% for comparisons of HER2 CISH pharmDx™ Kit to both HER2 FISH pharmDx™ Kit and PathVysion HER-2 DNA Probe Kit. Conclusions The concordance between results obtained using the recently FDA approved HER2 CISH pharmDx™ Kit with previously FDA approved FISH techniques for HER2 gene status determination indicate that the HER2 CISH pharmDx™ Kit is a reliable chromogenic alternative to fluorescence-based methods. PMID:22333181

  3. Job monitoring on the WLCG scope: Current status and new strategy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Andreeva, Julia; Casey, James; Gaidioz, Benjamin; Karavakis, Edward; Kokoszkiewicz, Lukasz; Lanciotti, Elisa; Maier, Gerhild; Rodrigues, Daniele Filipe Rocha Da Cuhna; Rocha, Ricardo; Saiz, Pablo; Sidorova, Irina; Boehm, Max; Belov, Sergey; Tikhonenko, Elena; Dvorak, Frantisek; Krenek, Ales; Mulac, Milas; Sitera, Jiri; Kodolova, Olga; Vaibhav, Kumar

    2010-01-01

    Job processing and data transfer are the main computing activities on the WLCG infrastructure. Reliable monitoring of the job processing on the WLCG scope is a complicated task due to the complexity of the infrastructure itself and the diversity of the currently used job submission methods. The paper will describe current status and the new strategy for the job monitoring on the WLCG scope, covering primary information sources, job status changes publishing, transport mechanism and visualization.

  4. Chemoradiotherapy for rectal cancer. Current status and perspectives

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Watanabe, Toshiaki; Kiyomatsu, Tomomichi; Kanazawa, Takamitsu; Tada, Tomohiro; Komuro, Yasuhiro; Tsurita, Giichiro; Nagawa, Hirokazu; Muto, Tetsuichiro

    2004-01-01

    Lateral node dissection has been widely performed in rectal cancer surgery in Japan. In Western countries, radiotherapy and chemoradiotherapy are conducted as adjuvant therapy, and their effectiveness is reviewed and discussed in this paper. First, three modalities, preoperative (PRE), intraoperative and postoperative (POST) radiation, are discussed for their respective benefits and disadvantages. Secondly, randomized trials for PRE vs POST adjuvant radiotherapy are reviewed including earlier one and recent three ones (2 in US and 1 in Germany). The latter three involve conventional doses and radiotherapy techniques, and chemotherapy with 5-fluorouracil. Third, the time interval between PRE radiotherapy and surgery is pointed out not fully examined. Fourth, results of studies on PRE and POST radiotherapy are reviewed and, fifth, chemotherapy and chemoradiotherapy are also reviewed in relation to recurrence and survival rates. Last, preoperative radiotherapy and lateral node dissection are discussed for effectiveness and adverse effects. In Japan, comparison of the lateral node dissection with or without total mesorectal excision is now studied. Further studies focusing on patient's quality of life are concluded to be necessary. (N.I.)

  5. Marine current energy devices: Current status and possible future applications in Ireland

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rourke, Fergal O.; Boyle, Fergal; Reynolds, Anthony

    2010-01-01

    There is a growing demand for the use of renewable energy technologies to generate electricity due to concerns over climate change. The oceans provide a huge potential resource of energy. Energy extraction using marine current energy devices (MCEDs) offers a sustainable alternative to conventional sources and a predictable alternative to other renewable energy technologies. A MCED utilises the kinetic energy of the tides as opposed to the potential energy which is utilised by a tidal barrage. Over the past decade MCEDs have become an increasingly popular method of energy extraction. However, marine current energy technology is still not economically viable on a large scale due to its current stage of development. Ireland has an excellent marine current energy resource as it is an island nation and experiences excellent marine current flows. This paper reviews marine current energy devices, including a detailed up-to-date description of the current status of development. Issues such as network integration, economics, and environmental implications are addressed as well as the application and costs of MCEDs in Ireland. (author)

  6. Structural Learning Theory: Current Status and New Perspectives.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Scandura, Joseph M.

    2001-01-01

    Presents the current status and new perspectives on the Structured Learning Theory (SLT), with special consideration given to how SLT has been influenced by recent research in software engineering. Topics include theoretical constructs; content domains; structural analysis; cognition; assessing behavior potential; and teaching and learning issues,…

  7. Neutrino astronomy current status, future prospects

    CERN Document Server

    Karle, Albrecht

    2017-01-01

    This review volume is motivated by the recent discovery of high-energy astrophysical neutrinos by IceCube. The aim of the book is to bring together chapters on the status of current and future neutrino observatories with chapters on the implications and possible interpretations of the present observations and their upper limits. Each chapter is a mini-review of one aspect of the subject by leading experts. Taken together, the chapters constitute an up-to-date review of high-energy astrophysical neutrinos and their potential sources.

  8. Health status after cancer: does it matter which hospital you belong to?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fiva, Jon H; Haegeland, Torbjørn; Rønning, Marte

    2010-07-13

    Survival rates are widely used to compare the quality of cancer care. However, the extent to which cancer survivors regain full physical or cognitive functioning is not captured by this statistic. To address this concern we introduce post-diagnosis employment as a supplemental measure of the quality of cancer care. This study is based on individual level data from the Norwegian Cancer Registry (n = 46,720) linked with data on labor market outcomes and socioeconomic status from Statistics Norway. We study variation across Norwegian hospital catchment areas (n = 55) with respect to survival and employment five years after cancer diagnosis. To handle the selection problem, we exploit the fact that cancer patients in Norway (until 2001) have been allocated to local hospitals based on their place of residence. We document substantial differences across catchment areas with respect to patients' post-diagnosis employment rates. Conventional quality indicators based on survival rates indicate smaller differences. The two sets of indicators are only moderately correlated. This analysis shows that indicators based on survival and post-diagnosis employment may capture different parts of the health status distribution, and that using only one of them to capture quality of care may be insufficient.

  9. [Current Status of Endoscopic Resection of Early Gastric Cancer in Korea].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jung, Hwoon Yong

    2017-09-25

    Endoscopic resection (Endoscopic mucosal resection [EMR] and endoscopic submucosal dissection [ESD]) is already established as a first-line treatment modality for selected early gastric cancer (EGC). In Korea, the number of endoscopic resection of EGC was explosively increased because of a National Cancer Screening Program and development of devices and techniques. There were many reports on the short-term and long-term outcomes after endoscopic resection in patients with EGC. Long-term outcome in terms of recurrence and death is excellent in both absolute and selected expanded criteria. Furthermore, endoscopic resection might be positioned as primary treatment modality replacing surgical gastrectomy. To obtain these results, selection of patients, perfect en bloc procedure, thorough pathological examination of resected specimen, accurate interpretation of whole process of endoscopic resection, and rational strategy for follow-up is necessary.

  10. Nutritional status in children with cancer: Before, during and after therapy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Barr, R D

    2015-01-01

    Malnutrition is prevalent in children with cancer at diagnosis, especially in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC) where the great majority of children live. It is associated with an added burden of morbidity and mortality. Answers were sought to the best measure of nutritional status in LMIC, the impact of anti-neoplastic therapy, effective interventions to achieve normal nutritional status and the impact of these on clinical outcomes. Arm anthropometry offers reasonable estimates of fat mass and lean body mass that are both impacted adversely by treatment. Nutritional supplementation, including the use of simple local resources, is beneficial and can improve survival. Long-term survivors may continue to exhibit perturbed nutritional status. The prevalence and severity of malnutrition in children with cancer in LMIC demand attention. Opportunities exist to conduct studies in India to examine the effects of nutritional interventions, including on the overall well-being of survivors.

  11. Gastric cancer, nutritional status, and outcome

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Liu X

    2017-04-01

    Full Text Available Xuechao Liu,1,2,* Haibo Qiu,1,2,* Pengfei Kong,1,2,* Zhiwei Zhou,1,2 Xiaowei Sun1,2 1State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, 2Department of Gastric Surgery, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, People’s Republic of China *These authors contributed equally to this work Background: We aim to investigate the prognostic value of several nutrition-based indices, including the prognostic nutritional index (PNI, performance status, body mass index, serum albumin, and preoperative body weight loss in patients with gastric cancer (GC.Materials and methods: We retrospectively analyzed the records of 1,330 consecutive patients with GC undergoing curative surgery between October 2000 and September 2012. The relationship between nutrition-based indices and overall survival (OS was examined using Kaplan–Meier analysis and Cox regression model.Results: Following multivariate analysis, the PNI and preoperative body weight loss were the only nutritional-based indices independently associated with OS (hazard ratio [HR]: 1.356, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.051–1.748, P=0.019; HR: 1.152, 95% CI: 1.014–1.310, P=0.030, retrospectively. In stage-stratified analysis, multivariate analysis revealed that preoperative body weight loss was identified as an independent prognostic factor only in patients with stage III GC (HR: 1.223, 95% CI: 1.065–1.405, P=0.004, while the prognostic significance of PNI was not significant (all P>0.05. In patients with stage III GC, preoperative body weight loss stratified 5-year OS from 41.1% to 26.5%. When stratified by adjuvant chemotherapy, the prognostic significance of preoperative body weight loss was maintained in patients treated with surgery plus adjuvant chemotherapy and in patients treated with surgery alone (P<0.001; P=0.003.Conclusion: Preoperative body weight loss is an independent prognostic factor for OS in patients with GC, especially in

  12. Cancer patients' perceptions of quality-of-care attributes-Associations with age, perceived health status, gender and education.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Suhonen, Riitta; Stolt, Minna; Berg, Agneta; Katajisto, Jouko; Lemonidou, Chryssoula; Patiraki, Elisabeth; Sjövall, Katarina; Charalambous, Andreas

    2018-01-01

    The aim of this study was to explore the associations between patients' gender, education, health status in relation to assessments of patient-centred quality and individuality in care and trust in nurses for those education were not related to their assessments of care quality attributes: person-centred care quality, individuality in care and trust in nurses. Subgroup analysis of the older adults and those of working age showed clear associations with patients' assessments of quality-of-care attributes and perceived health status. The lower the perceived health status, the lower the assessment of care quality attributes. The results suggest that the cancer itself is the strongest determinant of the care delivered, rather than any patient characteristics, such as age, education or gender. Perceived health status, in association with cancer patient assessments of care quality attributes, may be useful in the development of patient-centred, individualised care strategies alongside a stronger focus on people instead of cancer-care-related processes and duties. Health status was the only factor associated with cancer patients' assessments of care quality attributes. Cancer itself may be the strongest determinant of the care quality perceptions, rather than any patient characteristics. The findings of this study have implications for cancer care professionals in terms of patient assessment and care planning. The measures may be useful in assessing quality of cancer nursing care. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  13. Machine learning approaches to decipher hormone and HER2 receptor status phenotypes in breast cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Adabor, Emmanuel S; Acquaah-Mensah, George K

    2017-10-16

    Breast cancer prognosis and administration of therapies are aided by knowledge of hormonal and HER2 receptor status. Breast cancer lacking estrogen receptors, progesterone receptors and HER2 receptors are difficult to treat. Regarding large data repositories such as The Cancer Genome Atlas, available wet-lab methods for establishing the presence of these receptors do not always conclusively cover all available samples. To this end, we introduce median-supplement methods to identify hormonal and HER2 receptor status phenotypes of breast cancer patients using gene expression profiles. In these approaches, supplementary instances based on median patient gene expression are introduced to balance a training set from which we build simple models to identify the receptor expression status of patients. In addition, for the purpose of benchmarking, we examine major machine learning approaches that are also applicable to the problem of finding receptor status in breast cancer. We show that our methods are robust and have high sensitivity with extremely low false-positive rates compared with the well-established methods. A successful application of these methods will permit the simultaneous study of large collections of samples of breast cancer patients as well as save time and cost while standardizing interpretation of outcomes of such studies. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  14. Current status of mammography

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Crymes, J.E.

    1979-01-01

    Great progress has been made in recent years in the diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer; however, breast cancer continues to be the most common and lethal cancer in women today. Early diagnosis is essential in order for treatmet to be given before the tumor spreads beyond the breast. The radiation risks of mammography have been greatly reduced with the use of newer low-dose techniques, and the benefits of mammography have increased because of a better understanding of the natural history of breast cancer, as well as improved methods of treatment. Radiologists must continue to take an active role in the early diagnosis of breast cancer. Continued research is needed in order to improve screening methods and to develop newer, noninvasive techniques

  15. The Relationship between RUNX3 Expression, Nursing Strategies and Nutritional Status in Elderly Patients with Advanced Gastric Cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Song, Wen; Teng, Wenhui; Shi, Xinyan; Liu, Xiaozhen; Cui, Zheng; Tian, Zibin

    2017-06-01

    The aim of this study was to explore the relationship between nutritional status and expression of RUNX3 in gastric cancer cells and to investigate the effects of nursing strategies on the nutritional status of elderly patients with advanced gastric cancer. Forty-eight elderly patients admitted at Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University with advanced gastric cancer and 30 healthy controls were selected as subjects from 2014-15. The correlation between RNX3 gene expression and nutritional status of the gastric cancer patients was investigated. The patients with advanced gastric cancer who had low expression of RUNX3 gene were treated with holistic nursing while routine nursing was taken for those patients who had normal or high expression of RUNX3 gene. The nutritional statuses of these patients were evaluated after 3 months of nursing. After a follow-up of 1 year, the influence of different nursing methods on the survival time was evaluated. Compared with normal gastric tissue, the expression of RUNX3 gene and protein in tissues of advanced gastric cancer were significantly decreased ( P nutritional statuses of advanced gastric cancer patients with low expressions of RUNX3 were lower ( P nutritional statuses of patients with low expressions of RUNX3 were notably improved after holistic nursing, becoming equivalent to those with normal or high expression of RUNX3 who received routine nursing ( P >0.05). The survival time of patients with low expression of RUNX3 who received holistic nursing were similar to patients with normal or high expression of RUNX3 who received routine nursing ( P >0.05). RUNX3 is correlated with the occurrence and development of advanced gastric cancer. The low nutritional status of elderly advanced gastric cancer patients with low expressions of RUNX3 can be significantly enhanced by holistic nursing, thereby prolonging survival time.

  16. Current status and installation of dental PACS

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Park, Chang Seo; Kim, Kee Deog; Park, Hyok; Jeong, Ho Gul

    2004-01-01

    Picture Archiving and Communication System (PACS) is difficult to implement in the best of situations, but evidence is growing that the benefits are significant. The aims of this study are to analyze the current status of full PACS and establish successful installation standard of dental PACS. Materials and Methods were based on the investigation of current working status and installation standard of PACS, and observation of variable issues to installation of dental PACS. By September 30, 2004, full PACS implementations in their facilities were 88.1% in specialized general hospitals (37 installations out of total 42 hospitals), 59.8% in general hospitals (144 installations out of total 241 hospitals), 12.3% in medical hospitals (116 installations out of total 941 hospitals) and 3.6% in dental hospitals (4 installations out of total 110 hospitals). Only 4 university dental hospitals currently have installed and are operating full PACS. Major obstacle to wide spread of dental PACS is initial high investments. Clinical environments of dental PACS differed from medical situation. Because of characteristic dental practice, the initial investments for dental PACS are generally much greater than those of medical PACS. Also new economic crisis makes users scruple. The best way to overcome these limitations is to establish an economic installation standard for dental PACS. Also the clear technical communication between the customer and the supplier before both sides are committed to the obstacles are critical to its success.

  17. Awareness and current knowledge of breast cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Akram, Muhammad; Iqbal, Mehwish; Daniyal, Muhammad; Khan, Asmat Ullah

    2017-10-02

    Breast cancer remains a worldwide public health dilemma and is currently the most common tumour in the globe. Awareness of breast cancer, public attentiveness, and advancement in breast imaging has made a positive impact on recognition and screening of breast cancer. Breast cancer is life-threatening disease in females and the leading cause of mortality among women population. For the previous two decades, studies related to the breast cancer has guided to astonishing advancement in our understanding of the breast cancer, resulting in further proficient treatments. Amongst all the malignant diseases, breast cancer is considered as one of the leading cause of death in post menopausal women accounting for 23% of all cancer deaths. It is a global issue now, but still it is diagnosed in their advanced stages due to the negligence of women regarding the self inspection and clinical examination of the breast. This review addresses anatomy of the breast, risk factors, epidemiology of breast cancer, pathogenesis of breast cancer, stages of breast cancer, diagnostic investigations and treatment including chemotherapy, surgery, targeted therapies, hormone replacement therapy, radiation therapy, complementary therapies, gene therapy and stem-cell therapy etc for breast cancer.

  18. Current status of superficial pharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma in Japan.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rikitake, Ryoko; Ando, Mizuo; Saito, Yuki; Yoshimoto, Seiichi; Yamasoba, Tatsuya; Higashi, Takahiro

    2017-10-01

    To investigate the status and treatment of superficial pharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma in Japan. We analyzed all cases diagnosed between 2011 and 2013, as recorded in the national database of hospital-based cancer registries. We extracted data on patient sex, age, tumor locations, histology, presentation routes, initial treatments, and TNM stages. Additionally, we compared the characteristics of pharyngeal carcinoma to those of esophageal cancer. A total of 16,521 oropharyngeal and hypopharyngeal cancers from 409 institutions were included. Diagnosis of Tis tumors was infrequent, and both cancers were likely to be diagnosed at an advanced stage (n = 866, 5.3%). Tis diseases were the most commonly detected during follow-up examinations for other diseases (n = 608, 70%). While more oropharyngeal Tis patients were men compared to T1-4 patients (88 vs 82%, respectively), hypopharyngeal cancer patients comprised an equally high proportion of men (94 vs 92%, respectively). The most common location of oropharyngeal Tis tumors was the posterior wall (32%), whereas T1-4 tumors were most commonly found on the lateral wall (36%). In hypopharyngeal cancer, both Tis and T1-4 were most commonly located in the pyriform sinus (62%). The proportion of Tis tumors diagnosed at individual institutions showed a positive correlation with the number of endoscopic treatments (r = 0.32, P squamous cell carcinoma patients in Japan. Further improvements in early diagnosis and standardized treatments are warranted.

  19. Socioeconomic status and patterns of care in lung cancer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hui, A.; Vinod, S.K.; Jalaludin, B.; Yuile, P.; Delaney, G.P.; Barton, M.

    2003-01-01

    This retrospective study aims to explore any associations between socioeconomic factors and lung cancer management and outcome in the Australian setting. The study population consisted of patients newly diagnosed with lung cancer in 1996 who were living in the Northern Sydney Area Health Service (NSAHS) or South Western Sydney Area Health Service (SWSAHS). These two Area Health Services differ in socioeconomic profiles based on socioeconomic indexes for areas (SEIFA), median income, education level and unemployment rate. Data on patient demographics, tumour characteristics, management details, recurrence and survival were collected, and the patterns of care were analysed. Socioeconomic status indicators of the two Area Health Services were imputed from the Australian Bureau of Statistics data. There were 270 and 256 new cases of lung cancer identified in NSAHS and SWSAHS respectively. Patients in NSAHS were slightly older (median age 73 versus 68 years) and there was less male predominance. The stage distributions and performance status of the two cohorts were similar. There were no significant differences in the utilisation rates of different treatment modalities between the two areas: radiotherapy (54% in NSAHS and 55% in SWSAHS), chemotherapy (34% and 25%), surgery (26% and 21%) and no treatment (22% and 25%). The 5-year overall survival was slightly in favour of NSAHS (10.5% and 7.4%), but did not reach statistical significance. Despite differences in socioeconomic profiles between the two area health services, patients with lung cancer had similar patterns of care and survival

  20. Higher-Status Occupations and Breast Cancer: A Life-Course Stress Approach

    OpenAIRE

    Pudrovska, Tetyana; Carr, Deborah; McFarland, Michael; Collins, Caitlyn

    2013-01-01

    Using the 1957-2011 data from 3,682 White non-Hispanic women (297 incident breast cancer cases) in the Wisconsin Longitudinal Study, United States, we explore the effect of occupation in 1975 (at age 36) on breast cancer incidence up to age 72. Our study is motivated by the paradoxical association between higher-status occupations and elevated breast cancer risk, which presents a challenge to the consistent health advantage of higher social class. We found that women in professional occupatio...

  1. [Current status and future prospect of internal medicine treatment for advanced esophageal cancer].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, F; Fan, Q X

    2016-09-23

    Esophageal cancer (EC) is one of common malignant tumors, and the incidence and mortality of EC in China rank the first place in the world. Because of the occult onset, the early atypical symptoms, and the lack of effective early diagnostic methods, most of patients are diagnosed at an advanced stage of the disease and lost the chance of surgery. Comprehensive treatment including palliative medical treatment, molecular targeted therapy, immunotherapy and so on is appropriate for these patients. How to choose the chemotherapy regimen and formulate reasonable treatment plan has become a hot spot in clinical research. Molecular targeted drugs have become a new developmental direction in cancer treatment because of their high specificity and antitumor activity, but the effects on esophageal cancer remain controversial. With the development of immune check point blockade treatment, breakthrough has been made in tumor immunotherapy, which has become an important means in cancer comprehensive treatment and shown a good prospect of treatment.

  2. Geographical associations between radon and cancer: is domestic radon level a marker of socioeconomic status?

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wolff, S.P.; Stern, G.

    1991-01-01

    Previous studies showing a geographical association between radon and various cancers, particularly the leukaemias and lymphomas, appear to be confounded by the role of radon levels as a surrogate for socioeconomic status. Higher socioeconomic status (at least at the UK county level) is correlated with higher levels of domestic radon. Controlling for the relationship between socioeconomic status and radon removes the correlation between radon exposure and lymphoproliferative disease. Reported associations between radon and lymphoproliferative disease (and possibly other cancers) may be secondary to socioeconomic variables. (author)

  3. Mismatch repair status and synchronous metastases in colorectal cancer

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Nordholm-Carstensen, Andreas; Krarup, Peter-Martin; Morton, Dion

    2015-01-01

    The causality between the metastatic potential, mismatch repair status (MMR) and survival in colorectal cancer (CRC) is complex. This study aimed to investigate the impact of MMR in CRC on the occurrence of synchronous metastases (SCCM) and survival in patients with SCCM on a national basis....... A nationwide cohort study of 6,692 patients diagnosed with CRC between 2010 and 2012 was conducted. Data were prospectively entered into the Danish Colorectal Cancer Group's database and merged with data from the Danish Pathology Registry and the National Patient Registry. Multivariable and multinomial...

  4. Nutrient intake and nutritional status of newly diagnosed patients with cancer from the East Coast of Peninsular Malaysia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Menon, Kavitha; Razak, Shariza Abdul; Ismail, Karami A; Krishna, Bhavaraju Venkata Murali

    2014-09-30

    Cancer therapy in Malaysia primarily focuses on the clinical management of patients with cancer and malnutrition continues to be one of the major causes of death in these patients. There is a dearth of information on the nutrient intake and status of newly diagnosed patients with cancer prior to the initiation of treatment. The present study aims to assess the nutrient intake and status of newly diagnosed patients with cancer from the East Coast of Peninsular Malaysia. A cross-sectional study was conducted using a convenient sample of newly diagnosed adult patients with cancer (n = 70) attending the Oncology clinic, Hospital Universiti Sains Malaysia in the East Coast of Peninsular Malaysia. Information on socio-demographic characteristics, clinical status, anthropometry, dietary intake and biochemical data including blood samples was obtained. The mean (SD) age, triceps skin fold (TSF), mid upper arm circumference (MUAC) and body mass index (BMI) of participants was 21.1(3.9) years, 17.6(7.9) mm, 24.1(5.5) cm, and 21.1(3.9) Kg/m(2), respectively; 39% participants had BMI cancer were undernourished (i.e. women: MUAC cancer from the East Coast of Peninsular Malaysia were underweight and undernourished. The majority of patients with cancer had poor micronutrient intakes; the older women had a poor macro and micronutrient intakes. Before the initiation of rigorous clinical management of patients with cancer, screening for nutritional status, subsequent nutrition counseling, and interventions are essential to improve their nutritional status; consequently, response to cancer therapy, survival and quality of life.

  5. Assessment of nutritional status and quality of life in patients treated for head and neck cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Prevost, V; Joubert, C; Heutte, N; Babin, E

    2014-04-01

    The purpose of this study was to identify tools for the assessment of nutritional status in head and neck cancer patients, to evaluate the impact of malnutrition on therapeutic management and quality of life and to propose a simple screening approach adapted to routine clinical practice. The authors conducted a review of the literature to identify tools for the assessment of nutritional status in head and neck cancer patients published in French and English. Articles were obtained from the PubMed database and from the references of these articles and selected journals, using the keywords: "nutritional assessment", and "head and neck" and "cancer". Anthropometric indices, laboratory parameters, dietary intake assessment, clinical scores and nutritional risk scores used in patients with head and neck cancers are presented. The relevance of these tools in clinical practice and in research is discussed, together with the links between nutritional status and quality of life. This article is designed to help teams involved in the management of patients with head and neck cancer to choose the most appropriate tools for assessment of nutritional status according to their resources and their objectives. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  6. Socio-economic Status Plays Important Roles in Childhood Cancer Treatment Outcome in Indonesia

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Mostert, S.; Gunawan, S.; Wolters, E.; van de Ven, P.M.; Sitaresmi, M.N.; van Dongen, J.; Veerman, A.J.P.; Mantik, M.F.J.; Kaspers, G.J.L.

    2012-01-01

    Background: The influence of parental socio-economic status on childhood cancer treatment outcome in low-income countries has not been sufficiently investigated. Our study examined this influence and explored parental experiences during cancer treatment of their children in an Indonesian academic

  7. Race/Ethnicity, Gender, Weight Status, and Colorectal Cancer Screening

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Heather Bittner Fagan

    2011-01-01

    The literature on colorectal cancer (CRC screening is contradictory regarding the impact of weight status on CRC screening. This study was intended to determine if CRC screening rates among 2005 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS respondent racial/ethnic and gender subgroups were influenced by weight status. Methods. Univariable and multivariable logistic regression analyses were performed to determine if CRC screening use differed significantly among obese, overweight, and normal-weight individuals in race/ethnic and gender subgroups. Results. Multivariable analyses showed that CRC screening rates did not differ significantly for individuals within these subgroups who were obese or overweight as compared to their normal-weight peers. Conclusion. Weight status does not contribute to disparities in CRC screening in race/ethnicity and gender subgroups.

  8. Differences in marital status and mortality by race/ethnicity and nativity among California cancer patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Martínez, María Elena; Anderson, Kristin; Murphy, James D; Hurley, Susan; Canchola, Alison J; Keegan, Theresa H M; Cheng, Iona; Clarke, Christina A; Glaser, Sally L; Gomez, Scarlett L

    2016-05-15

    It has been observed that married cancer patients have lower mortality rates than unmarried patients, but data for different racial/ethnic groups are scarce. The authors examined the risk of overall mortality associated with marital status across racial/ethnic groups and sex in data from the California Cancer Registry. California Cancer Registry data for all first primary invasive cancers diagnosed from 2000 through 2009 for the 10 most common sites of cancer-related death for non-Hispanic whites (NHWs), blacks, Asians/Pacific Islanders (APIs), and Hispanics were used to estimate multivariable hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for marital status in relation to overall mortality by race/ethnicity and sex. The study cohort included 393,470 male and 389,697 female cancer patients and 204,007 and 182,600 deaths from all causes, respectively, through December 31, 2012. All-cause mortality was higher in unmarried patients than in married patients, but there was significant variation by race/ethnicity. Adjusted HRs (95% CIs) ranged from 1.24 (95% CI, 1.23-1.26) in NHWs to 1.11 (95% CI, 1.07-1.15) in APIs among males and from 1.17 (95% CI, 1.15-1.18) in NHWs to 1.07 (95% CI, 1.04-1.11) in APIs among females. All-cause mortality associated with unmarried status compared with married status was higher in US-born API and Hispanic men and women relative to their foreign-born counterparts. For patients who have the cancers that contribute most to mortality, being unmarried is associated with worse overall survival compared with being married, with up to 24% higher mortality among NHW males but only 6% higher mortality among foreign-born Hispanic and API females. Future research should pursue the identification of factors underlying these associations to inform targeted interventions for unmarried cancer patients. Cancer 2016;122:1570-8. © 2016 American Cancer Society. © 2016 American Cancer Society.

  9. Single Marital Status and Infectious Mortality in Women With Cervical Cancer in the United States.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Machida, Hiroko; Eckhardt, Sarah E; Castaneda, Antonio V; Blake, Erin A; Pham, Huyen Q; Roman, Lynda D; Matsuo, Koji

    2017-10-01

    Unmarried status including single marital status is associated with increased mortality in women bearing malignancy. Infectious disease weights a significant proportion of mortality in patients with malignancy. Here, we examined an association of single marital status and infectious mortality in cervical cancer. This is a retrospective observational study examining 86,555 women with invasive cervical cancer identified in the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program between 1973 and 2013. Characteristics of 18,324 single women were compared with 38,713 married women in multivariable binary logistic regression models. Propensity score matching was performed to examine cumulative risk of all-cause and infectious mortality between the 2 groups. Single marital status was significantly associated with young age, black/Hispanic ethnicity, Western US residents, uninsured status, high-grade tumor, squamous histology, and advanced-stage disease on multivariable analysis (all, P single marital status was significantly associated with increased cumulative risk of all-cause mortality (5-year rate: 32.9% vs 29.7%, P single marital status remained an independent prognostic factor for increased cumulative risk of all-cause mortality (adjusted hazards ratio [HR], 1.15; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.11-1.20; P single marital status remained significantly increased risk of infectious mortality after propensity score matching (adjusted HR, 2.24; 95% CI, 1.34-3.73; P = 0.002). Single marital status was associated with increased infectious mortality in women with invasive cervical cancer.

  10. [Nutritional status in patients first hospital admissions service hematology National Cancer Institute].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Baltazar Luna, E; Omaña Guzmán, L I; Ortiz Hernández, L; Ñamendis-Silva, S A; De Nicola Delfin, L

    2013-01-01

    To determine the nutritional status of patients admitted to hospital for the first time the hematology service and who have not received treatment for cancer, to know if the nutritional status assessed by the EGS-GP and serum albumin related mortality of patients A longitudinal, prospective, analytical. EGS-Through GP assessed the nutritional status of patients, we used SPSS 19.0 for data analysis. Evaluaron 119 patients, 52.1% female and 47.9% male. The most common diagnosis was non-Hodgkin lymphoma in 43.7%. According to the EGS-GP 50.4% of patients had some degree of malnutrition or was at risk of suffering of which: 31.1% had moderate and 19.3% had severe malnutrition. The 49.6% of patients had an adequate nutritional status. 30.3% of the patients who died, 37% had severe malnutrition and 50% severe decrease in albumin concentration. The prevalence of malnutrition in hematological patients treated at the National Cancer Institute of Mexico that have not received medical treatment was high. There is an association between nutritional status and mortality in this patient group. Copyright © AULA MEDICA EDICIONES 2013. Published by AULA MEDICA. All rights reserved.

  11. Health Status After Cancer: Does It Matter Which Hospital You Belong To?

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-01-01

    Background Survival rates are widely used to compare the quality of cancer care. However, the extent to which cancer survivors regain full physical or cognitive functioning is not captured by this statistic. To address this concern we introduce post-diagnosis employment as a supplemental measure of the quality of cancer care. Methods This study is based on individual level data from the Norwegian Cancer Registry (n = 46,720) linked with data on labor market outcomes and socioeconomic status from Statistics Norway. We study variation across Norwegian hospital catchment areas (n = 55) with respect to survival and employment five years after cancer diagnosis. To handle the selection problem, we exploit the fact that cancer patients in Norway (until 2001) have been allocated to local hospitals based on their place of residence. Results We document substantial differences across catchment areas with respect to patients' post-diagnosis employment rates. Conventional quality indicators based on survival rates indicate smaller differences. The two sets of indicators are only moderately correlated. Conclusions This analysis shows that indicators based on survival and post-diagnosis employment may capture different parts of the health status distribution, and that using only one of them to capture quality of care may be insufficient. PMID:20626866

  12. Health Status After Cancer: Does It Matter Which Hospital You Belong To?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hægeland Torbjørn

    2010-07-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Survival rates are widely used to compare the quality of cancer care. However, the extent to which cancer survivors regain full physical or cognitive functioning is not captured by this statistic. To address this concern we introduce post-diagnosis employment as a supplemental measure of the quality of cancer care. Methods This study is based on individual level data from the Norwegian Cancer Registry (n = 46,720 linked with data on labor market outcomes and socioeconomic status from Statistics Norway. We study variation across Norwegian hospital catchment areas (n = 55 with respect to survival and employment five years after cancer diagnosis. To handle the selection problem, we exploit the fact that cancer patients in Norway (until 2001 have been allocated to local hospitals based on their place of residence. Results We document substantial differences across catchment areas with respect to patients' post-diagnosis employment rates. Conventional quality indicators based on survival rates indicate smaller differences. The two sets of indicators are only moderately correlated. Conclusions This analysis shows that indicators based on survival and post-diagnosis employment may capture different parts of the health status distribution, and that using only one of them to capture quality of care may be insufficient.

  13. The Association Between Immigration Status and Office-based Medical Provider Visits for Cancer Patients in the United States.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Yang; Wilson, Fernando A; Chen, Li-Wu

    2017-06-01

    We examined differences in cancer-related office-based provider visits associated with immigration status in the United States. Data from the 2007-2012 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey and National Health Interview Survey included adult patients diagnosed with cancer. Univariate analyses described distributions of cancer-related office-based provider visits received, expenditures, visit characteristics, as well as demographic, socioeconomic, and health covariates, across immigration groups. We measured the relationships of immigrant status to number of visits and associated expenditure within the past 12 months, adjusting for age, sex, educational attainment, race/ethnicity, self-reported health status, time since cancer diagnosis, cancer remission status, marital status, poverty status, insurance status, and usual source of care. We finally performed sensitivity analyses for regression results by using the propensity score matching method to adjust for potential selection bias. Noncitizens had about 2 fewer visits in a 12-month period in comparison to US-born citizens (4.0 vs. 5.9). Total expenditure per patient was higher for US-born citizens than immigrants (not statistically significant). Noncitizens (88.3%) were more likely than US-born citizens (76.6%) to be seen by a medical doctor during a visit. Multivariate regression results showed that noncitizens had 42% lower number of visiting medical providers at office-based settings for cancer care than US-born citizens, after adjusting for all the other covariates. There were no significant differences in expenditures across immigration groups. The propensity score matching results were largely consistent with those in multivariate-adjusted regressions. Results suggest targeted interventions are needed to reduce disparities in utilization between immigrants and US-born citizen cancer patients.

  14. Special Education History, Current Status and Future: India

    Science.gov (United States)

    Antony, Pavan John

    2013-01-01

    Education of all children in public schools, including those with disabilities, continues to be an unresolved issue in many countries around the globe. While education of all children is mandated by law and considered a basic human right in many countries, the current status of implementation varies. India, for example, is an ancient country that…

  15. Variations in Oncologist Recommendations for Chemotherapy for Stage IV Lung Cancer: What Is the Role of Performance Status?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tisnado, Diana; Malin, Jennifer; Kahn, Katherine; Landrum, Mary Beth; Fletcher, Robert; Klabunde, Carrie; Clauser, Steven; Rogers, Selwyn O; Keating, Nancy L

    2016-07-01

    Chemotherapy prolongs survival in patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer. However, few studies have included patients with poor performance status. This study examined rates of oncologists' recommendations for chemotherapy by patient performance status and symptoms and how physician characteristics influence chemotherapy recommendations. We surveyed medical oncologists involved in the care of a population-based cohort of patients with lung cancer from the CanCORS (Cancer Care Outcomes Research and Surveillance) study. Physicians were queried about their likelihood to recommend chemotherapy to patients with stage IV lung cancer with varying performance status (Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status 0 [good] v 3 [poor]) and presence or absence of tumor-related pain. Repeated measures logistic regression was used to estimate the independent associations of patients' performance status and symptoms and physicians' demographic and practice characteristics with chemotherapy recommendations. Nearly all physicians (adjusted rate, 97% to 99%) recommended chemotherapy for patients with good performance status, and approximately half (adjusted rate, 38% to 53%) recommended chemotherapy for patients with poor performance status (P factors, physician and practice characteristics were less strongly associated with chemotherapy recommendations in adjusted analyses. Strong consensus among oncologists exists for chemotherapy in patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer and good performance status. However, the relatively high rate of chemotherapy recommendations for patients with poor performance status despite the unfavorable risk-benefit profile highlights the need for ongoing work to define high-value care in oncology and to implement and evaluate strategies to align incentives for such care. Copyright © 2016 by American Society of Clinical Oncology.

  16. Cancer and heart attack survivors’ expectations of employment status: results from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Saskia F. A. Duijts

    2017-08-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Sociodemographic, health- and work-related factors have been found to influence return to work in cancer survivors. It is feasible though that behavioural factors, such as expectation of being at work, could also affect work-related outcomes. Therefore, the effect of earlier identified factors and expectation of being at work on future employment status in cancer survivors was explored. To assess the degree to which these factors specifically concern cancer survivors, a comparison with heart attack survivors was made. Methods Data from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing were used. Cancer and heart attack survivors of working age in the UK were included and followed up for 2 years. Baseline characteristics of both cancer and heart attack survivors were compared regarding employment status. Univariate and multivariate regression analyses were performed in survivors at work, and the interaction between independent variables and diagnose group was assessed. Results In cancer survivors at work (N = 159, alcohol consumption, participating in moderate or vigorous sport activities, general health and participation were univariate associated with employment status at two-year follow-up. Only fair general health (compared to very good general health remained statistically significant in the multivariate model (OR 0.31; 95% CI 0.13–0.76; p = 0.010. In heart attack survivors at work (N = 78, gender, general health and expectation of being at work were univariate associated with employment status at follow-up. Female gender (OR 0.03; 95% CI 0.00–0.57; p = 0.018 and high expectation of being at work (OR 10.68; 95% CI 1.23–93.92; p = 0.033 remained significant in the multivariate model. The influence of gender (p = 0.066 and general health (p = 0.020 regarding employment status was found to differ significantly between cancer and heart attack survivors. Conclusions When predicting future employment status in cancer

  17. Cancer and heart attack survivors' expectations of employment status: results from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Duijts, Saskia F A; van der Beek, Allard J; Bleiker, Eveline M A; Smith, Lee; Wardle, Jane

    2017-08-07

    Sociodemographic, health- and work-related factors have been found to influence return to work in cancer survivors. It is feasible though that behavioural factors, such as expectation of being at work, could also affect work-related outcomes. Therefore, the effect of earlier identified factors and expectation of being at work on future employment status in cancer survivors was explored. To assess the degree to which these factors specifically concern cancer survivors, a comparison with heart attack survivors was made. Data from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing were used. Cancer and heart attack survivors of working age in the UK were included and followed up for 2 years. Baseline characteristics of both cancer and heart attack survivors were compared regarding employment status. Univariate and multivariate regression analyses were performed in survivors at work, and the interaction between independent variables and diagnose group was assessed. In cancer survivors at work (N = 159), alcohol consumption, participating in moderate or vigorous sport activities, general health and participation were univariate associated with employment status at two-year follow-up. Only fair general health (compared to very good general health) remained statistically significant in the multivariate model (OR 0.31; 95% CI 0.13-0.76; p = 0.010). In heart attack survivors at work (N = 78), gender, general health and expectation of being at work were univariate associated with employment status at follow-up. Female gender (OR 0.03; 95% CI 0.00-0.57; p = 0.018) and high expectation of being at work (OR 10.68; 95% CI 1.23-93.92; p = 0.033) remained significant in the multivariate model. The influence of gender (p = 0.066) and general health (p = 0.020) regarding employment status was found to differ significantly between cancer and heart attack survivors. When predicting future employment status in cancer survivors in the UK, general health is the most relevant factor

  18. Current status of agricultural extension services for market oriented ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Current status of agricultural extension services for market oriented agricultural development in Ethiopia: Results from a household baseline ... Log in or Register to get access to full text downloads. ... http://dx.doi.org/10.4314/afrrev.v10i3.1.

  19. The ENIQ pilot study: current status

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lemaitre, P; Eriksen, B; Crutzen, S [European Commission, DG Joint Research Centre, Petten (Netherlands); Hansch, M [Preussische Elektrizitaets-AG (Preussenelektra), Hannover (Germany); Whittle, J [AEA Technology, Warrington (United Kingdom)

    1998-11-01

    A pilot study is currently being carried out by ENIQ (European Network for Inspection Qualification) in order to explore the issues involved in inspection qualification applied along the general principles of the European methodology. The components selected for the pilot study are austenitic pipe to pipe and pipe to elbows welds typical of those in BWR recirculation loops. A range of defect parameters has been defined. A suitable inspection procedure designed to find the designated defects will be applied to geometrically representative test pieces. The procedure/equipment will be qualified through open trials and technical justification. The personnel qualification will be done in a blind way. Once all features of the inspection system will have been qualified an in-service inspection will be simulated in order to test the feasibility of the qualification approach followed. In this paper the current status of this pilot study is discussed. (orig.)

  20. Comparison of Quality of Life and Nutritional Status in Gastric Cancer Patients Undergoing Gastrectomies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lim, Hee-Sook; Cho, Gyu-Seok; Park, Yoon-Hyung; Kim, Soon-Kyung

    2015-07-01

    The aim of this study was to compare the quality of life (QoL) depending on the postoperative survival period or nutritional status in gastric cancer patients. Surviving gastric cancer patients (n = 222) after the gastrectomy were included in the study at Soonchunhyang University Bucheon Hospital from April 2010 to August 2012. The Korean versions of the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) Quality of Life Questionnaire Core 30 (QLQ-C30) and a gastric cancer-specific module, the EORTC QLQ-STO22, were used to assess the QoL. The postoperative survival period of the patients fell into two groups; the less-than-1-year group or the more-than-1-year group, and the nutritional status of the patients fell into three groups by a score of patient generated-subjective global assessment (SGA)-A, B, and C. As a result, the rate of malnutrition was 34.5% in the less-than-1-year group and 19.8% in the more-than-1-year group, respectively. Score for the fatigue (p = 0.006), loss of appetite (p = 0.002), reflux (p = 0.027) and body image (p = 0.004) in which the QoL was significantly lower in the less-than-1-year group than in the more-than-1-year group. The score of QoL according to the nutritional status of all subjects, overall health status (p = 0.043), physical functioning (p = 0.016), fatigue (p = 0.006), pain (p = 0.028), loss of appetite (p = 0.017), reflux (p = 0.003), eating restriction (p = 0.002), anxiety (p = 0.010), and body image (p = 0.001) was significantly lower in the SGA-C group than in other SGA groups. These results suggest that the nutritional status of the gastrectomy patients with stomach cancer may impact on their QoL. It is necessary to to develop nutritional intervention to improve QoL in gastric cancer patients with postoperative malnutrition.

  1. Current status of laparoscopic central pancreatectomy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    CAO Yang

    2017-04-01

    Full Text Available Central pancreatectomy is an ideal surgical procedure for the treatment of benign or low-grade malignant tumors in the pancreatic neck or the proximal body of the pancreas, and it can preserve more normal pancreatic tissue in order to reduce the incidence of endocrine and exocrine insufficiency after surgery. Although some clinical studies have demonstrated the feasibility and safety of this procedure, laparoscopic central pancreatectomy was technically challenging with a few number of cases. This article reviews the current status of laparoscopic central pancreatectomy and introduces our clinical experience of laparoscopic central pancreatectomy and pancreaticojejunostomy.

  2. Insurance status effects on stage of diagnosis and surgical options used in the treatment of breast cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lukavsky, Robert; Sariego, Jack

    2015-05-01

    Insurance status has the potential to play a significant role in an individual's health care by affecting the time of diagnosis and the treatment options used. Our study reviewed insurance status as a determinant of the time of a breast cancer diagnosis as well as the surgical treatment options offered. The American College of Surgeons' National Cancer Database benchmark reports were used to examine first-course surgery stratified by the stage of breast cancer diagnosed between 2000 and 2010. The data were stratified according to insurance status with a focus on insured patients versus underinsured patients. The relations among insurance status, breast cancer stage at the time of presentation, and initial treatment offered were then evaluated. There was a statistically significant relation between breast cancer stage at the time of diagnosis and insurance status. There also was a relation between insurance status and the treatment offered. Adequately insured patients presented at an earlier stage than did underinsured patients. In addition, in patients who present with early-stage disease, insured patients had a higher rate of breast-conserving surgery than did underinsured patients, 62.4% and 55.5%, respectively. This trend continued in late-stage breast cancer, in which mastectomy was the predominant treatment option overall. Despite this, insured patients underwent breast-conserving therapy more frequently than did underinsured patients, 24.2% and 21.2%, respectively. The discrepancy of the stage of diagnosis between insured patients and underinsured patients can be attributed to a host of factors, among which are access to regular office visits and screening tests for breast cancer. In addition, the surgical treatment options used may depend on the cost of treatment and accessibility to and compliance with follow-up care.

  3. Role of nutritional status in predicting quality of life outcomes in cancer – a systematic review of the epidemiological literature

    Science.gov (United States)

    2012-01-01

    Malnutrition is a significant factor in predicting cancer patients’ quality of life (QoL). We systematically reviewed the literature on the role of nutritional status in predicting QoL in cancer. We searched MEDLINE database using the terms “nutritional status” in combination with “quality of life” together with “cancer”. Human studies published in English, having nutritional status as one of the predictor variables, and QoL as one of the outcome measures were included. Of the 26 included studies, 6 investigated head and neck cancer, 8 gastrointestinal, 1 lung, 1 gynecologic and 10 heterogeneous cancers. 24 studies concluded that better nutritional status was associated with better QoL, 1 study showed that better nutritional status was associated with better QoL only in high-risk patients, while 1 study concluded that there was no association between nutritional status and QoL. Nutritional status is a strong predictor of QoL in cancer patients. We recommend that more providers implement the American Society of Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition (ASPEN) guidelines for oncology patients, which includes nutritional screening, nutritional assessment and intervention as appropriate. Correcting malnutrition may improve QoL in cancer patients, an important outcome of interest to cancer patients, their caregivers, and families. PMID:22531478

  4. Current status of accelerator-based boron neutron capture therapy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kreiner, A. J.; Bergueiro, J.; Di Paolo, H.; Castell, W.; Vento, V. Thatar; Cartelli, D.; Kesque, J.M.; Valda, A.A.; Ilardo, J.C.; Baldo, M.; Erhardt, J.; Debray, M.E.; Somacal, H.R.; Estrada, L.; Sandin, J.C. Suarez; Igarzabal, M.; Huck, H.; Padulo, J.; Minsky, D.M.

    2011-01-01

    The direct use of proton and heavy ion beams for radiotherapy is a well established cancer treatment modality, which is becoming increasingly widespread due to its clear advantages over conventional photon-based treatments. This strategy is suitable when the tumor is spatially well localized. Also the use of neutrons has a long tradition. Here Boron Neutron Capture Therapy (BNCT) stands out, though on a much smaller scale, being a second-generation promising alternative for tumors which are diffuse and infiltrating. On this sector, so far only nuclear reactors have been used as neutron sources. In this paper we describe the current situation worldwide as far as the use of accelerator-based neutron sources for BNCT is concerned (so-called Accelerator-Based (AB)-BNCT). In particular we discuss the present status of an ongoing project to develop a folded Tandem-ElectroStatic-Quadrupole (TESQ) accelerator at the Atomic Energy Commission of Argentina. The project goal is a machine capable of delivering 30 mA of 2.4 MeV protons to be used in conjunction with a neutron production target based on the 7 Li(p,n) 7 Be reaction. These are the specifications needed to produce sufficiently intense and clean epithermal neutron beams to perform BNCT for deep-seated tumors in less than an hour. (author)

  5. Current status of pediatric minimal access surgery at Sultan Qaboos ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Keywords: current status, laparoscopy, minimal access surgery, thoracoscopy. Departments of ... Materials and methods ... procedures, the open technique was used for the creation ... operated for bilateral inguinal herniotomy had recurrence.

  6. Assessment of nutritional status in cancer--the relationship between body composition and pharmacokinetics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Prado, Carla M M; Maia, Yara L M; Ormsbee, Michael; Sawyer, Michael B; Baracos, Vickie E

    2013-10-01

    Several nutritional assessment tools have been used in oncology settings to monitor nutritional status and its associated prognostic significance. Body composition is fundamental for the assessment of nutritional status. Recently, the use of accurate and precise body composition tools has significantly added to the value of nutritional assessment in this clinical setting. Computerized tomography (CT) is an example of a technique which provides state-of-the-art assessment of body composition. With use of CT images, a great variability in body composition of cancer patients has been identified even in people with identical body weight or body mass index. Severe muscle depletion (sarcopenia) has emerged as a prevalent body composition phenotype which is predictive of poor functional status, shorter time to tumor progression, shorter survival, and higher incidence of dose-limiting toxicity. Variability in body composition of cancer patients may be a source of disparities in the metabolism of cytotoxic agents. Future clinical trials investigating dose reductions in patients with sarcopenia and dose-escalating studies based on pre-treatment body composition assessment have the potential to alter cancer treatment paradigms.

  7. Computer-aided diagnosis in radiological imaging: current status and future challenges

    Science.gov (United States)

    Doi, Kunio

    2009-10-01

    Computer-aided diagnosis (CAD) has become one of the major research subjects in medical imaging and diagnostic radiology. Many different types of CAD schemes are being developed for detection and/or characterization of various lesions in medical imaging, including conventional projection radiography, CT, MRI, and ultrasound imaging. Commercial systems for detection of breast lesions on mammograms have been developed and have received FDA approval for clinical use. CAD may be defined as a diagnosis made by a physician who takes into account the computer output as a "second opinion". The purpose of CAD is to improve the quality and productivity of physicians in their interpretation of radiologic images. The quality of their work can be improved in terms of the accuracy and consistency of their radiologic diagnoses. In addition, the productivity of radiologists is expected to be improved by a reduction in the time required for their image readings. The computer output is derived from quantitative analysis of radiologic images by use of various methods and techniques in computer vision, artificial intelligence, and artificial neural networks (ANNs). The computer output may indicate a number of important parameters, for example, the locations of potential lesions such as lung cancer and breast cancer, the likelihood of malignancy of detected lesions, and the likelihood of various diseases based on differential diagnosis in a given image and clinical parameters. In this review article, the basic concept of CAD is first defined, and the current status of CAD research is then described. In addition, the potential of CAD in the future is discussed and predicted.

  8. Current status of low energy EB machine

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Toshiro Nishikimi; Shuichi Taniguchi; Kenichi Mizusawa

    1999-01-01

    Electron beam processing systems have been in use in a variety of applications such as curing of paints and printing inks, crosslinking of PE products, treating of rubber tire and so on. Low energy electron processing systems have become popular as self-shielded machines, which are compact and easy to use and do not require special facility as an irradiation room. This manuscript introduces the status of low energy EB (electron beam) machine through Nissin's products current

  9. Impact of marital status in patients undergoing radical cystectomy for bladder cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pruthi, Raj S; Lentz, Aaron C; Sand, Matthew; Kouba, Erik; Wallen, Eric M

    2009-08-01

    Married (vs. unmarried) individuals have improved health status and longer life expectancies in a variety of benign and malignant disease states, including prostate, breast, head/neck, and lung cancers. We sought to evaluate a cohort of patients undergoing cystectomy for bladder cancer to evaluate the impact of marital status on demographic, peri-operative, and pathological outcomes in order to better understand the factors which may contribute to the survival differences observed. Two-hundred and two patients underwent radical cystectomy and urinary diversion for bladder cancer. Patients were categorized based on marital status as either married or unmarried (widowed, divorced, never married). Correlations were made to demographic factors (age, race, gender, BMI, tobacco use, alcohol use), perioperative factors (pre-op renal function (creatinine), hematocrit, EBL, hospital stay, choice of diversion), and pathological outcomes (organ-confined status, LN positivity). Of the 202 patients, 74% were married. Married individuals (vs. unmarried) were more often male (84 vs. 62%) and had a higher BMI (28.1 vs. 25.9). Married persons had a significantly lower pre-op creatinine (1.1 vs. 1.4) and higher hematocrit (39 vs. 34). Hospital stay was shorter in married patients by a mean of 1.6 days. Regarding operative pathology, married patients had a higher rate of organ-confined disease (59 vs. 47%) (P = 0.05, 0.08 on multivariate) and trended towards a lower rate of LN positivity (15 vs. 21%; P = 0.10, 0.12 multivariate). In patients undergoing cystectomy for bladder cancer, married individuals appear to have improved pre-operative laboratory variables, shorter hospitalization, and improved pathological outcomes versus unmarried patients in our case series. These findings may support the evidence (observed in other tumor types and other disease states) that married persons present earlier than unmarried individuals, and this may help explain the improved survival outcomes

  10. Association of code status discussion with invasive procedures among advanced-stage cancer and noncancer patients

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sasaki A

    2017-07-01

    Full Text Available Akinori Sasaki,1 Eiji Hiraoka,1 Yosuke Homma,2 Osamu Takahashi,3 Yasuhiro Norisue,4 Koji Kawai,5 Shigeki Fujitani4 1Department of Internal Medicine, 2Department of Emergency Medicine, Tokyo Bay Urayasu Ichikawa Medical Center, Urayasu City, Chiba, 3Department of Internal Medicine, St. Luke’s International Hospital, Chuo-ku, Tokyo, 4Department of Critical Care Medicine, Tokyo Bay Urayasu Ichikawa Medical Center, Urayasu City, Chiba, 5Department of Gastroenterology, Ito Municipal Hospital, Ito City, Shizuoka, Japan Background: Code status discussion is associated with a decrease in invasive procedures among terminally ill cancer patients. We investigated the association between code status discussion on admission and incidence of invasive procedures, cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR, and opioid use among inpatients with advanced stages of cancer and noncancer diseases. Methods: We performed a retrospective cohort study in a single center, Ito Municipal Hospital, Japan. Participants were patients who were admitted to the Department of Internal Medicine between October 1, 2013 and August 30, 2015, with advanced-stage cancer and noncancer. We collected demographic data and inquired the presence or absence of code status discussion within 24 hours of admission and whether invasive procedures, including central venous catheter placement, intubation with mechanical ventilation, and CPR for cardiac arrest, and opioid treatment were performed. We investigated the factors associated with CPR events by using multivariate logistic regression analysis. Results: Among the total 232 patients, code status was discussed with 115 patients on admission, of which 114 (99.1% patients had do-not-resuscitate (DNR orders. The code status was not discussed with the remaining 117 patients on admission, of which 69 (59% patients had subsequent code status discussion with resultant DNR orders. Code status discussion on admission decreased the incidence of central venous

  11. Regression analysis of informative current status data with the additive hazards model.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhao, Shishun; Hu, Tao; Ma, Ling; Wang, Peijie; Sun, Jianguo

    2015-04-01

    This paper discusses regression analysis of current status failure time data arising from the additive hazards model in the presence of informative censoring. Many methods have been developed for regression analysis of current status data under various regression models if the censoring is noninformative, and also there exists a large literature on parametric analysis of informative current status data in the context of tumorgenicity experiments. In this paper, a semiparametric maximum likelihood estimation procedure is presented and in the method, the copula model is employed to describe the relationship between the failure time of interest and the censoring time. Furthermore, I-splines are used to approximate the nonparametric functions involved and the asymptotic consistency and normality of the proposed estimators are established. A simulation study is conducted and indicates that the proposed approach works well for practical situations. An illustrative example is also provided.

  12. The effect of marital status on breast cancer-related outcomes in women under 65: A SEER database analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hinyard, Leslie; Wirth, Lorinette Saphire; Clancy, Jennifer M; Schwartz, Theresa

    2017-04-01

    Marital status is strongly associated with improved health and longevity. Being married has been shown to be positively associated with survival in patients with multiple different types of malignancy; however, little is known about the relationship between marital status and breast cancer in younger women. The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of marital status on diagnosis, and survival of women under the age of 65 with breast cancer. The SEER 18 regions database was used to identify women between the ages of 25-64 diagnosed with invasive breast cancer in the years 2004-2009. Logistic regression was used to predict later stage diagnosis by marital status and Cox proportional hazards models were used to compare breast cancer-related and all-cause survival by marital status classification. Models were stratified by AJCC stage. After adjusting for age, race, and ER status, unmarried women were 1.18 times more likely to be diagnosed at a later stage than married women (95% CI 1.15, 1.20). In adjusted analysis unmarried women were more likely to die of breast cancer and more likely to die of all causes than married women across all AJCC stages. Younger unmarried women with breast cancer may benefit from additional counseling, psychosocial support and case management at the time of diagnosis to ensure their overall outcomes are optimized. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  13. Helicopter Rotor Noise Prediction: Background, Current Status, and Future Direction

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brentner, Kenneth S.

    1997-01-01

    Helicopter noise prediction is increasingly important. The purpose of this viewgraph presentation is to: 1) Put into perspective the recent progress; 2) Outline current prediction capabilities; 3) Forecast direction of future prediction research; 4) Identify rotorcraft noise prediction needs. The presentation includes an historical perspective, a description of governing equations, and the current status of source noise prediction.

  14. Gene expression patterns associated with p53 status in breast cancer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Troester, Melissa A; Herschkowitz, Jason I; Oh, Daniel S; He, Xiaping; Hoadley, Katherine A; Barbier, Claire S; Perou, Charles M

    2006-01-01

    Breast cancer subtypes identified in genomic studies have different underlying genetic defects. Mutations in the tumor suppressor p53 occur more frequently in estrogen receptor (ER) negative, basal-like and HER2-amplified tumors than in luminal, ER positive tumors. Thus, because p53 mutation status is tightly linked to other characteristics of prognostic importance, it is difficult to identify p53's independent prognostic effects. The relation between p53 status and subtype can be better studied by combining data from primary tumors with data from isogenic cell line pairs (with and without p53 function). The p53-dependent gene expression signatures of four cell lines (MCF-7, ZR-75-1, and two immortalized human mammary epithelial cell lines) were identified by comparing p53-RNAi transduced cell lines to their parent cell lines. Cell lines were treated with vehicle only or doxorubicin to identify p53 responses in both non-induced and induced states. The cell line signatures were compared with p53-mutation associated genes in breast tumors. Each cell line displayed distinct patterns of p53-dependent gene expression, but cell type specific (basal vs. luminal) commonalities were evident. Further, a common gene expression signature associated with p53 loss across all four cell lines was identified. This signature showed overlap with the signature of p53 loss/mutation status in primary breast tumors. Moreover, the common cell-line tumor signature excluded genes that were breast cancer subtype-associated, but not downstream of p53. To validate the biological relevance of the common signature, we demonstrated that this gene set predicted relapse-free, disease-specific, and overall survival in independent test data. In the presence of breast cancer heterogeneity, experimental and biologically-based methods for assessing gene expression in relation to p53 status provide prognostic and biologically-relevant gene lists. Our biologically-based refinements excluded genes

  15. Current knowledge of US metal and nonmetal miner health: Current and potential data sources for analysis of miner health status

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yeoman, K. M.; Halldin, C. N.; Wood, J.; Storey, E.; Johns, D.; Laney, A. S.

    2016-01-01

    ABSTRACT Little is known about the current health status of US metal and nonmetal (MNM) miners, in part because no health surveillance systems exist for this population. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) is developing a program to characterize burden of disease among MNM miners. This report discusses current knowledge and potential data sources of MNM miner health. Recent national surveys were analyzed, and literature specific to MNM miner health status was reviewed. No robust estimates of disease prevalence were identified, and national surveys did not provide information specific to MNM miners. Because substantial gaps exist in the understanding of MNM miners' current health status, NIOSH plans to develop a health surveillance program for this population to guide intervention efforts to reduce occupational and personal risks for chronic illness. PMID:25658684

  16. Current status of radiation treatment of water and wastewater

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pikaev, A.K.

    1997-01-01

    This is a brief review of the current status of radiation treatment of surface water, groundwater, wastewaters, and sewage sludges. Sources of ionizing radiation, and combination radiation methods for purification are described in some detail. Special attention is paid to pilot and industrial facilities. (author)

  17. Socio-economic status plays important roles in childhood cancer treatment outcome in Indonesia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mostert, Saskia; Gunawan, Stefanus; Wolters, Emma; van de Ven, Peter; Sitaresmi, Mei; Dongen, Josephine van; Veerman, Anjo; Mantik, Max; Kaspers, Gertjan

    2012-01-01

    The influence of parental socio-economic status on childhood cancer treatment outcome in low-income countries has not been sufficiently investigated. Our study examined this influence and explored parental experiences during cancer treatment of their children in an Indonesian academic hospital. Medical charts of 145 children diagnosed with cancer between 1999 and 2009 were reviewed retrospectively. From October 2011 until January 2012, 40 caretakers were interviewed using semi-structured questionnaires. Of all patients, 48% abandoned treatment, 34% experienced death, 9% had progressive/ relapsed disease, and 9% overall event-free survival. Prosperous patients had better treatment outcome than poor patients (Pfate or God (55%). Causes of cancer were thought to be destiny (35%) or God's punishment (23%). Alternative treatment could (18%) or might (50%) cure cancer. Most parents (95%) would like more information about cancer and treatment. More contact with doctors was desired (98%). Income decreased during treatment (55%). Parents lost employment (48% fathers, 10% mothers), most of whom stated this loss was caused by their child's cancer (84% fathers, 100% mothers). Loss of income led to financial difficulties (63%) and debts (55%). Treatment abandonment was most important reason for treatment failure. Treatment outcome was determined by parental socio-economic status. Childhood cancer survival could improve if financial constraints and provision of information and guidance are better addressed.

  18. Relationship between nutritional status and the Glasgow Prognostic Score in patients with colorectal cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Maurício, Sílvia Fernandes; da Silva, Jacqueline Braga; Bering, Tatiana; Correia, Maria Isabel Toulson Davisson

    2013-04-01

    The association between nutritional status and inflammation was assessed in patients with colorectal cancer and to verify their association with complications during anticancer treatment. The agreement between the Subjective Global Assessment (SGA) and different nutritional assessment methods was also evaluated. A cross-sectional, prospective, and descriptive study was performed. The nutritional status was defined by the SGA and the severity of inflammation was defined by the Glasgow Prognostic Score (GPS). The complications were classified using the Common Toxicity Criteria, version 3. Anthropometric measurements such as body mass index, triceps skinfold, midarm circumference, midarm muscle area, and adductor pollicis muscle thickness were also performed, as were handgrip strength and phase angle. The chi-square test, Fisher exact test, Spearman correlation coefficient, independent t test, analysis of variance, Gabriel test, and κ index were used for the statistical analysis. P cancer (60.4 ± 14.3 y old) were included. The nutritional status according to the SGA was associated with the GPS (P nutritional assessment methods with the SGA, there were statistically significant differences. Malnutrition is highly prevalent in patients with colorectal cancer. The nutritional status was associated with the GPS. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  19. Cancer Incidence in Five Continents: Inclusion criteria, highlights from Volume X and the global status of cancer registration.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bray, F; Ferlay, J; Laversanne, M; Brewster, D H; Gombe Mbalawa, C; Kohler, B; Piñeros, M; Steliarova-Foucher, E; Swaminathan, R; Antoni, S; Soerjomataram, I; Forman, D

    2015-11-01

    Cancer Incidence in Five Continents (CI5), a longstanding collaboration between the International Agency for Research on Cancer and the International Association of Cancer Registries, serves as a unique source of cancer incidence data from high-quality population-based cancer registries around the world. The recent publication of Volume X comprises cancer incidence data from 290 registries covering 424 populations in 68 countries for the registration period 2003-2007. In this article, we assess the status of population-based cancer registries worldwide, describe the techniques used in CI5 to evaluate their quality and highlight the notable variation in the incidence rates of selected cancers contained within Volume X of CI5. We also discuss the Global Initiative for Cancer Registry Development as an international partnership that aims to reduce the disparities in availability of cancer incidence data for cancer control action, particularly in economically transitioning countries, already experiencing a rapid rise in the number of cancer patients annually. © 2015 UICC.

  20. Nutritional status assessment in colorectal cancer patients qualified to systemic treatment

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Monika Ziętarska

    2017-06-01

    Full Text Available Aim of the study . Cancer is usually associated with impaired nutritional status, which is one of the factors contributing to the deterioration of the results of surgery, chemotherapy, or radiotherapy. The aim of this study was the assessment of the nutritional status of patients with CRC qualified to chemotherapy. Material and methods : Seventy-five persons aged 40–86 years with colorectal cancer were examined. To evaluate the nutritional status NRS 2002, SGA, SCRINIO Working Group classification, VAS scale for appetite, and FAACT questionnaire were used. The health status of patients was evaluated based on the Karnofsky Performance Scale. Anthropometric measurements were made. Results : The results indicate that 75% of patients present pre-cachexia status based on SCRINIO Working Group classification. According to both NRS-2002 and SGA, 73.3% of patients were moderately malnourished and 2.7% were severely malnourished. 37.0% of patients had moderate appetite and 6.0% (n = 5 had poor appetite. The Karnofsky score indicates the state of normal activity, and minor signs and symptoms of the disease among most of the patients. A statistically significant positive correlation was found between the VAS and the Karnofsky score (R = 0,4; p < 0.05. The FACCT average score (78.5 indicates a reduction in the quality of life of the patients in all aspects of functioning. Conclusions : Evaluation of the baseline nutritional status of patients with CRC should be a part of routine clinical practice. Because of the high incidence of confirmed pre-cachexia, this group of patients also requires early adequate nutrition intervention.

  1. [Current status and prospects of gene doping detection].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Wenjun; Zhang, Sichun; Xu, Jingjuan; Xia, Xinghua; Tian, Yaping; Zhang, Xinrong; Chen, Hong-Yuan

    2008-07-01

    The fast development of biotechnology promotes the development of doping. From recombinant protein to gene doping, there is a great challenge to their detection. The improvement of gene therapy and potential to enhance athletic performance open the door for gene doping. After a brief introduction of the concept of gene doping, the current status and prospects of gene doping detection are reviewed.

  2. Distal protection in cardiovascular medicine: current status.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ali, Onn Akbar; Bhindi, Ravinay; McMahon, Aisling C; Brieger, David; Kritharides, Leonard; Lowe, Harry C

    2006-08-01

    Iatrogenic and spontaneous downstream microembolization of atheromatous material is increasingly recognized as a source of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Devising ways of reducing this distal embolization using a variety of mechanical means--distal protection--is currently under intense and diverse investigation. This review therefore summarizes the present status of distal protection. It examines the problem of distal embolization, describes the available distal protection devices, reviews those areas of cardiovascular medicine where distal protection devices are being investigated, and discusses potential future developments.

  3. Cancer pain and current theory for pain control.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kahan, Brian

    2014-05-01

    This article discusses current trends in managing cancer pain, with specific regard to opioid transmission, descending pathway inhabitation, and ways to facilitate the endogenous antinociceptive chemicals in the human body. Various techniques for opioid and nonopioid control of potential pain situations of patients with cancer are discussed. The benefits of using pharmacogenetics to assess the appropriate medications are addressed. Finally, specific treatment of abdominal cancer pain using radiofrequency lesioning is discussed. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  4. Meta-analysis of racial disparities in survival in association with socioeconomic status among men and women with colon cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Du, Xianglin L; Meyer, Tamra E; Franzini, Luisa

    2007-06-01

    Few studies have addressed racial disparities in survival for colon cancer by adequately incorporating both treatment and socioeconomic factors, and the findings from those studies have been inconsistent. The objectives of the current study were to systematically review the existing literature and provide a more stable estimate of the measures of association between socioeconomic status and racial disparities in survival for colon cancer by undertaking a meta-analysis. For this meta-analysis, the authors searched the MEDLINE database to identify articles published in English from 1966 to August 2006 that met the following inclusion criteria: original research articles that addressed the association between race/ethnicity and survival in patients with colon or colorectal cancer after adjusting for socioeconomic status. In total, 66 full articles were reviewed, and 56 of those articles were excluded, which left 10 studies for the final analysis. The pooled hazard ratio (HR) for African Americans compared with Caucasians was 1.14 (95% confidence interval [95% CI], 1.00-1.29) for all-cause mortality and 1.13 (95% CI, 1.01-1.28) for colon cancer-specific mortality. The test for homogeneity of the HR was statistically significant across the studies for all-cause mortality (Q=31.69; Pcolon cancer-specific mortality (Q=7.45; P=.114). Racial disparities in survival for colon cancer between African Americans and Caucasians were only marginally significant after adjusting for socioeconomic factors and treatment. Attempts to modify treatment and socioeconomic factors with the objective of reducing racial disparities in health outcomes may have important clinical and public health implications. (c) 2007 American Cancer Society.

  5. Current status of patient-controlled analgesia in cancer patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ripamonti, C; Bruera, E

    1997-03-01

    Patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) is a relatively new technique in which patients are able to self-administer small doses of opioid analgesics when needed. Many different devices are available for opioid infusion, including a syringe pump, disposable plastic cylinder, and battery-operated computer-driven pump. These devices allow patients to choose an intermittent (demand) bolus, continuous infusion, or both modes of administration. Parameters, such as route, drug concentration dose, frequency, and maximum daily or hourly dose, are programmed by the physician. The patient decides whether or not to take a dose. Devices can be used to deliver the drug into a running intravenous infusion, the epidural space, or subcutaneously. Controlled trials indicate that PCA is probably superior to regular opioid administration in postoperative pain. Reported advantages include greater patient satisfaction, decreased sedation and anxiety, and reduced nursing time and hospitalization. Preliminary experience suggests that PCA is also useful and safe for cancer pain, but further research is greatly needed.

  6. Quality of life and understanding of disease status among cancer patients of different ethnic origin.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tchen, N; Bedard, P; Yi, Q-L; Klein, M; Cella, D; Eremenco, S; Tannock, I F

    2003-08-18

    Patients managed in European or North American cancer centres have a variety of ethnic backgrounds and primary languages. To gain insight into the impact of ethnic origin, we have investigated understanding of disease status and quality of life (QoL) for 202 patients. Patients completed questionnaires in their first language (52 English, 50 Chinese, 50 Italian, 50 Spanish or Portuguese), including the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy - General (FACT-G) QoL instrument, questions about disease status, expectations of cure and the language and/or type of interpretation used at initial consultation. Physicians also evaluated their status of disease and expectation of cure, and performance status was estimated by a trained health professional. The initial consultation was usually provided in English (except for 32% of Chinese-speaking patients); interpretation was provided by a family member for 34% of patients with limited English proficiency (LEP) and by a bilingual member of staff for 21%. Patients underestimated their extent of disease and overestimated their probability of cure (P=0.001 and cultural differences is important for optimal management of patients with cancer.

  7. Smoking Status and Incidence of Cancer After Myocardial Infarction: A Follow-Up Study of over 20 Years.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lotan, Katrin; Goldbourt, Uri; Gerber, Yariv

    2017-09-01

    We evaluated long-term incidence of cancer after myocardial infarction among current, former, and never smokers, and assessed whether reducing cigarette consumption is associated with decreased cancer risk. Consecutive patients aged ≤65 years discharged from 8 hospitals in central Israel after first myocardial infarction in 1992-1993 were followed for cancer and death. Extensive data including smoking habits were obtained at the index hospitalization and 4 time points during follow-up. Survival methods were applied to assess the hazard ratios (HRs) for cancer associated with smoking categories. Included in the study were 1486 cancer-free participants (mean age, 54 years; 81% men), among whom 787 were current smokers at baseline (average daily cigarette consumption = 29). Smokers were younger than nonsmokers and more likely to be male and of lower socioeconomic status. Over a median follow-up of 21.4 years, 273 (18.4%) patients developed cancer. Baseline smoking was associated with a ∼40% excess adjusted risk of cancer; ∼25% after accounting for death as a competing event. Considering changes in smoking during follow-up, the excess risk was confined to persistent smokers (adjusted HR 1.75; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.22-2.50), whereas post- (HR 1.14; 95% CI, 0.80-1.62) and pre-myocardial infarction quitters (HR 1.02; 95% CI, 0.71-1.47) were comparable with never smokers. Among persistent smokers, each reduction of 10 cigarettes relative to pre-myocardial infarction consumption was associated with a ∼10% reduced adjusted risk. Among young survivors of first myocardial infarction followed-up longitudinally, smoking cessation is associated with lower risk of cancer. Reducing consumption among smokers may also be beneficial. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  8. [Internal quality control on HER2 status determination in breast cancers: Experience of a cancer center].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ngo, Carine; Laé, Marick; Ratour, Julia; Hamel, Frédérique; Taris, Corinne; Caly, Martial; Le Cunff, Annie; Reyal, Fabien; Kirova, Youlia; Pierga, Jean-Yves; Vincent-Salomon, Anne

    The implementation of an internal quality control is mandatory to guarantee the accuracy of HER2 status in invasive breast cancers. To evaluate the impact of our quality control assurance on HER2 status results in invasive breast carcinomas from 2008 to 2014. HER2 status was determined by immunohistochemistry as the first-line indication, completed by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) for scores 2+ by immunohistochemistry. Internal quality control of HER2 status relied on the standardization of pre-analytical phases, the use of external controls with a known number of HER2 gene copies determined by FISH and continued monitoring of concordance between immunohistochemistry and FISH. The proportion of HER2-positive cases corresponding to scores 3+ by immunohistochemistry and 2+ amplified by FISH varied from 10.6% to 13.8% (median of 11.3%). The proportion of scores 2+ amplified by FISH varied from 13.3% to 32.7% during period of study. The rate of concordance between FISH and immunohistochemistry for score 0/1+ and 3+ cases were≥97%. Eight among 12 discordant cases were false positive resulting from errors in interpretation of immunohistochemistry (score 2+ instead of 3+). Calibration of immunohistochemistry on FISH for HER2 status contributes to limit variability of immunohistochemistry results due to technical issues or interpretation. The implementation of an external control of score 3+ on each slide enables accurate interpretation of score 2+ and 3+ by immunohistochemistry. Copyright © 2017 Société Française du Cancer. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  9. The current status of wind energy in Turkey and in the world

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ilkilic, Cumali; Aydin, Hueseyin; Behcet, Rasim

    2011-01-01

    The rapid increase in world energy demand, the depletion of conventional energy sources and the pollution caused by conventional fuels have increased the importance of developing new and renewable energy sources. Additionally, technological developments have resulted in increased energy demand for the entire world, including Turkey, especially for electrical energy. At present, wind energy is receiving considerable attention. This report focuses on the current status of wind energy in Turkey and in the world. An overview of wind energy in Turkey is presented, and its current status, application, support mechanisms and associated legislation in Turkey are described. Wind energy and its status in the world are also addressed. It can be concluded from this analysis that wind energy utilization in Turkey and throughout world has sharply increased. Turkey has an abundance of wind energy sources. - Research highlights: →The importance of wind energy utilization. →Wind energy status, potential, applications, legislations and supports in Turkey. →An overview of wind energy the world.

  10. NY-ESO-1 Based Immunotherapy of Cancer: Current Perspectives

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Remy Thomas

    2018-05-01

    Full Text Available NY-ESO-1 or New York esophageal squamous cell carcinoma 1 is a well-known cancer-testis antigen (CTAs with re-expression in numerous cancer types. Its ability to elicit spontaneous humoral and cellular immune responses, together with its restricted expression pattern, have rendered it a good candidate target for cancer immunotherapy. In this review, we provide background information on NY-ESO-1 expression and function in normal and cancerous tissues. Furthermore, NY-ESO-1-specific immune responses have been observed in various cancer types; however, their utility as biomarkers are not well determined. Finally, we describe the immune-based therapeutic options targeting NY-ESO-1 that are currently in clinical trial. We will highlight the recent advancements made in NY-ESO-1 cancer vaccines, adoptive T cell therapy, and combinatorial treatment with checkpoint inhibitors and will discuss the current trends for future NY-ESO-1 based immunotherapy. Cancer treatment has been revolutionized over the last few decades with immunotherapy emerging at the forefront. Immune-based interventions have shown promising results, providing a new treatment avenue for durable clinical responses in various cancer types. The majority of successful immunotherapy studies have been reported in liquid cancers, whereas these approaches have met many challenges in solid cancers. Effective immunotherapy in solid cancers is hampered by the complex, dynamic tumor microenvironment that modulates the extent and phenotype of the antitumor immune response. Furthermore, many solid tumor-associated antigens are not private but can be found in normal somatic tissues, resulting in minor to detrimental off-target toxicities. Therefore, there is an ongoing effort to identify tumor-specific antigens to target using various immune-based modalities. CTAs are considered good candidate targets for immunotherapy as they are characterized by a restricted expression in normal somatic tissues

  11. Hidden Breast Cancer Disparities in Asian Women: Disaggregating Incidence Rates by Ethnicity and Migrant Status

    Science.gov (United States)

    Quach, Thu; Horn-Ross, Pamela L.; Pham, Jane T.; Cockburn, Myles; Chang, Ellen T.; Keegan, Theresa H. M.; Glaser, Sally L.; Clarke, Christina A.

    2010-01-01

    Objectives. We estimated trends in breast cancer incidence rates for specific Asian populations in California to determine if disparities exist by immigrant status and age. Methods. To calculate rates by ethnicity and immigrant status, we obtained data for 1998 through 2004 cancer diagnoses from the California Cancer Registry and imputed immigrant status from Social Security Numbers for the 26% of cases with missing birthplace information. Population estimates were obtained from the 1990 and 2000 US Censuses. Results. Breast cancer rates were higher among US- than among foreign-born Chinese (incidence rate ratio [IRR] = 1.84; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.72, 1.96) and Filipina women (IRR = 1.32; 95% CI = 1.20, 1.44), but similar between US- and foreign-born Japanese women. US-born Chinese and Filipina women who were younger than 55 years had higher rates than did White women of the same age. Rates increased over time in most groups, as high as 4% per year among foreign-born Korean and US-born Filipina women. From 2000–2004, the rate among US-born Filipina women exceeded that of White women. Conclusions. These findings challenge the notion that breast cancer rates are uniformly low across Asians and therefore suggest a need for increased awareness, targeted cancer control, and research to better understand underlying factors. PMID:20147696

  12. State-level differences in breast and cervical cancer screening by disability status: United States, 2008.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Armour, Brian S; Thierry, JoAnn M; Wolf, Lesley A

    2009-01-01

    Despite reported disparities in the use of preventive services by disability status, there has been no national surveillance of breast and cervical cancer screening among women with disabilities in the United States. To address this, we used state-level surveillance data to identify disparities in breast and cervical cancer screening among women by disability status. Data from the 2008 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System were used to estimate disability prevalence and state-level differences in breast and cervical cancer screening among women by disability status. Overall, modest differences in breast cancer screening were found; women with a disability were less likely than those without to report receiving a mammogram during the past 2 years (72.2% vs. 77.8%; p < .001). However, disparities in breast cancer screening were more pronounced at the state level. Furthermore, women with a disability were less likely than those without a disability to report receiving a Pap test during the past 3 years (78.9% vs. 83.4%; p < .001). This epidemiologic evidence identifies an opportunity for federal and state programs, as well as other stakeholders, to form partnerships to align disability and women's health policies. Furthermore, it identifies the need for increased public awareness and resource allocation to reduce barriers to breast and cervical cancer screening experienced by women with disabilities.

  13. Current status of neutron scattering in Thailand

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ampornrat, Pantip

    2000-01-01

    The neutron scattering experiments in Thailand have been done continuously since the start up of the reactor. In 1977, Thai research reactor was modified into TRIGA MARK III core. After that, the neutron spectrometer was installed again under a development program. Installation of upgrading spectrometer was delayed because of some problems involving the neutron intensity and instruments. However, these problems were solved and the setup is almost completed. The paper reports the current status of neutron spectrometer, the problems and plans for the experiments. (author)

  14. Nutritional status of cancer patients admitted for chemotherapy at the National Kidney and Transplant Institute.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Montoya, J E; Domingo, F; Luna, C A; Berroya, R M; Catli, C A; Ginete, J K; Sanchez, O S; Juat, N J; Tiangco, B J; Jamias, J D

    2010-11-01

    Malnutrition is common among cancer patients. This study aimed to determine the overall prevalence of malnutrition among patients undergoing chemotherapy and to determine the predictors of malnutrition among cancer patients. A cross-sectional study was conducted on 88 cancer patients admitted for chemotherapy at the National Kidney and Transplant Institute, Philippines, from October to November 2009. Subjective Global Assessment (SGA), anthropometric data and demographic variables were obtained. Descriptive statistics, ANOVA and logistic regression analysis were performed between the outcome and variables. A total of 88 cancer patients were included in the study. The mean age of the patients was 55.7 +/- 14.8 years. The mean duration of illness was 9.7 +/- 8.7 months and the mean body mass index (BMI) was 22.9 kg/m2. The mean Karnofsky performance status was 79.3. 29.55 percent of the patients had breast cancer as the aetiology of their illness. 38 patients (43.2 percent) had SGA B and four (4.5 percent) had SGA C, giving a total malnutrition prevalence of 47.7 percent. The patients were statistically different with regard to their cancer stage (p is less than 0.001), weight (p is 0.01), BMI (p is 0.004), haemoglobin level (p is 0.001) and performance status by Karnofsky score (p is less than 0.001), as evaluated by ANOVA. Logistic regression analysis showed that cancer stage and Karnofsky performance score were predictors of malnutrition. About 47.7 percent of cancer patients suffer from malnutrition, as classified by SGA. Only cancer stage and Karnofsky performance status scoring were predictive of malnutrition in this select group of patients.

  15. Axin gene methylation status correlates with radiosensitivity of lung cancer cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yang, Lian-He; Stoecker, Maggie; Wang, Endi; Xu, Ke; Wang, En-Hua; Han, Yang; Li, Guang; Xu, Hong-Tao; Jiang, Gui-Yang; Miao, Yuan; Zhang, Xiu-Peng; Zhao, Huan-Yu; Xu, Zheng-Fan

    2013-01-01

    We previously reported that Axin1 (Axin) is down-regulated in many cases of lung cancer, and X-ray irradiation increased Axin expression and inhibited lung cancer cells. The mechanisms, however, were not clear. Four lung cancer cell lines were used to detect the methylation status of Axin with or without X-ray treatment. Real-time PCR was used to quantify the expression of Axin, and western blot analysis was applied to measure protein levels of Axin, β-catenin, Cyclin D1, MMP-7, DNMTS, MeCP2 and acetylated histones. Flow cytometric analysis, colony formation assay, transwell assay and xenograft growth experiment were used to study the biological behavior of the cells with hypermethylated or unmethylated Axin gene after X-ray treatment. Hypermethylated Axin gene was detected in 2 of 4 cell lines, and it correlated inversely with Axin expression. X-ray treatment significantly up-regulated Axin expression in H446 and H157 cells, which possess intrinsic hypermethylation of the Axin gene (P<0.01), but did not show up-regulation in LTE and H460 cells, which have unmethylated Axin gene. 2Gy X-ray significantly reduced colony formation (from 71% to 10.5%) in H157 cells, while the reduction was lower in LTE cells (from 71% to 20%). After X-ray irradiation, xenograft growth was significantly decreased in H157 cells (from 1.15 g to 0.28 g) in comparison with LTE cells (from 1.06 g to 0.65 g). Significantly decreased cell invasiveness and increased apoptosis were also observed in H157 cells treated with X-ray irradiation (P<0.01). Down-regulation of DNMTs and MeCP2 and up-regulation of acetylated histones could be detected in lung cancer cells. X-ray-induced inhibition of lung cancer cells may be mediated by enhanced expression of Axin via genomic DNA demethylation and histone acetylation. Lung cancer cells with a different methylation status of the Axin gene showed different radiosensitivity, suggesting that the methylation status of the Axin gene may be one important factor

  16. Nutritional status at diagnosis in children with cancer. 2. An assessment by arm anthropometry.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Barr, Ronald; Collins, Laura; Nayiager, Trishana; Doring, Nancy; Kennedy, Charlene; Halton, Jacqueline; Walker, Scott; Sala, Alessandra; Webber, Colin

    2011-04-01

    Assessment of nutritional status in children with cancer is important but measures based on weight can be problematic at diagnosis, especially in those with advanced disease. Likewise, dual energy x-ray absorptiometry may be confounded by other radiological procedures and is not commonly available in low-income countries where most children with cancer live. Arm anthropometry is not subject to these constraints. In a study sample of 99 Canadian patients with cancer at diagnosis, mid-upper arm circumference correlated well with lean body mass as measured by dual energy x-ray absorptiometry but triceps skin fold thickness was a poor predictor of fat mass. Arm anthropometry can be a useful tool for the measurement of nutritional status in children with cancer. However, further studies, particularly in low-income countries and in children with solid tumors at diagnosis, are required to determine the full extent of its utility.

  17. Pre-diagnosis employment status and financial circumstances predict cancer-related financial stress and strain among breast and prostate cancer survivors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sharp, Linda; Timmons, Aileen

    2016-02-01

    Cancer may have a significant financial impact on patients, but the characteristics that predispose patients to cancer-related financial hardship are poorly understood. We investigated factors associated with cancer-related financial stress and strain in breast and prostate cancer survivors in Ireland, which has a complex mixed public-private healthcare system. Postal questionnaires were distributed to 1373 people diagnosed with cancer 3-24 months previously identified from the National Cancer Registry Ireland. Outcomes were cancer-related financial stress (impact of cancer diagnosis on household ability to make ends meet) and financial strain (concerns about household financial situation since cancer diagnosis). Modified Poisson regression was used to estimate relative risks (RR) for factors associated with cancer-related financial stress and strain. Seven hundred forty survivors participated (response rate = 54 %). Of the respondents, 48 % reported cancer-related financial stress and 32 % cancer-related financial strain. Compared to those employed at diagnosis, risk of cancer-related financial stress was significantly lower in those not working (RR = 0.71, 95 % CI 0.58-0.86) or retired (RR = 0.48, 95 % CI 0.34-0.68). It was significantly higher in those who had dependents; experienced financial stress pre-diagnosis; had a mortgage/personal loans; had higher direct medical out-of-pocket costs; and had increased household bills post-diagnosis. For cancer-related financial strain, significant associations were found with dependents, pre-diagnosis employment status and pre-diagnosis financial stress; risk was lower in those with higher direct medical out-of-pocket costs. Cancer-related financial stress and strain are common. Pre-diagnosis employment status and financial circumstances are important predictors of post-diagnosis financial wellbeing. These findings could inform development of tools to identify patients/survivors most in need of financial

  18. Dietary intake and nutritional status in cancer patients: comparing adults and older adults

    OpenAIRE

    Gómez Valiente da Silva, Henyse; Fonseca de Andrade, Camila; Seixas Bello Moreira, Annie

    2014-01-01

    Objective: Evaluate the nutrient intake and nutritional status of food in cancer patients admitted to a university hospital, with comparison of adult and older adult age category Methods: Cross-sectional study. This study involved cancer patients admitted to a hospital in 2010. Dietary habits were collected using a Brazilian food frequency questionnaire. Participants were divided in two groups: adults or older adults and in 4-cancer category: hematologic, lung, gastrointestinal and others. Bo...

  19. Current status of cancer immunodetection with radiolabeled human monoclonal antibodies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    De Jager, R; Abdel-Nabi, H; Serafini, A; Pecking, A; Klein, J L; Hanna, M G

    1993-04-01

    The use of radiolabeled murine monoclonal antibodies (MoAbs) for cancer immunodetection has been limited by the development of human antimouse antibodies (HAMA). Human monoclonal antibodies do not elicit a significant human antihuman (HAHA) response. The generation and production of human monoclonal antibodies met with technical difficulties that resulted in delaying their clinical testing. Human monoclonal antibodies of all isotypes have been obtained. Most were immunoglobulin (Ig) M directed against intracellular antigens. Two antibodies, 16.88 (IgM) and 88BV59 (IgG3k), recognize different epitopes on a tumor-associated antigen, CTA 16.88, homologous to cytokeratins 8, 18, and 19. CTA 16.88 is expressed by most epithelial-derived tumors including carcinomas of the colon, pancreas, breast, ovary, and lung. The in vivo targeting by these antibodies is related to their localization in nonnecrotic areas of tumors. Repeated administration of 16.88 over 5 weeks to a cumulative dose of 1,000 mg did not elicit a HAHA response. Two of 53 patients developed a low titer of HAHA 1 to 3 months after a single administration of 88BV59. Planar imaging of colorectal cancer with Iodine-131 (131I)-16.88 was positive in two studies in 9 of 12 and 16 of 20 patients preselected by immunohistochemistry. Tumors less than 2 cm in diameter are usually not detected. The lack of immunogenicity and long tumor residence time (average = 17 days) makes 16.88 a good candidate for therapy. Radioimmunlymphoscintigraphy with indium-111 (111In)-LiLo-16.88 administered by an intramammary route was used in the presurgical staging of primary breast cancer. The negative predictive value of lymph node metastases for tumors less than 3 cm was 90.5%. Planar and single photon emission computed tomography imaging of colorectal carcinoma with technetium-99m (99mTc) 88BV59 was compared with computed tomography (CT) scan in 36 surgical patients. The antibody scan was more sensitive than the CT scan in detecting

  20. IVS: Current Status and Future Plans

    Science.gov (United States)

    Behrend, D.; Nothnagel, A.; Petrachenko, W. T.; Tuccari, G.

    2016-12-01

    The International VLBI Service for Geodesy and Astrometry (IVS) is a globally operating service that coordinates and performs Very Long Baseline Interferometry (VLBI) activities through its constituent components. The VLBI activities are associated with the creation, provision, dissemination, and archiving of relevant VLBI data and products. The products mostly pertain to the determination of the celestial and terrestrial reference frames, the Earth orientation parameters (EOP), atmospheric parameters as well as other ancillary parameters. The IVS observational network currently consists of about 40 radio telescopes worldwide. Subsets of these telescopes (8-12 stations) participate in 24-hour observing sessions that are run several times per week and in 1-hour intensive sessions for UT1 determination every day. The current VLBI network was developed mainly in the 1970s and 1980s. A number of factors, including aging infrastructure and demanding new scientific requirements, started to challenge its future sustainability and relevance. In response, the IVS and other groups developed and started implementing the next generation VLBI system, called VGOS (VLBI Global Observing System), at existing and new sites. The VGOS network is expected to reach maturity in the early 2020s. We describe the current status, progress, and anticipated prospects of geodetic/astrometric VLBI and the IVS.

  1. Current Status and Scope of Lymph Node Micrometastasis in Gastric Cancer

    OpenAIRE

    Lee, Chang Min; Park, Sung-Soo; Kim, Jong-Han

    2015-01-01

    Recently, lymph node micrometastasis has been evaluated for its prognostic value in gastric cancer. Lymph node micrometastasis cannot be detected via a usual pathologic examination, but it can be detected by using some other techniques including immunohistochemistry and reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction assay. With the development of such diagnostic techniques, the detection rate of lymph node micrometastasis is constantly increasing. Although the prognostic value of lymph node ...

  2. Breast cancer treatment: historical review and current approaches

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kulakowski, A.

    1994-01-01

    The evolution and development of opinions on the diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer since Galen to present time is presented. The concept of breast cancer as a local disease has been replaced by the understanding of its systemic character. On this background described are the methods of surgical treatment beginning from early - supraradical, to present -conservative approaches. The ''milestones'' in diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer of the last 40 years are presented. Current methods of breast cancer management include correct diagnosis (clinical examination, mammography, ultrasound, fine needle aspiration biopsy), TNM staging, adequate loco-regional therapy, systemic therapy, rehabilitation, reconstruction and careful follow-up. (author)

  3. Socioeconomic status and stomach cancer incidence in men: Results from the Netherlands Cohort Study

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Loon, A.J.M. van; Goldbohm, R.A.; Brandt, P.A. van den

    1998-01-01

    Study objective - To study the association between socioeconomic status (SES) and stomach cancer incidence (cardia and non-cardia) and the role of lifestyle factors in explaining this association. Design - Prospective cohort study on diet and cancer that started in 1986. Data were collected by means

  4. Marital status is an independent prognostic factor for tracheal cancer patients: an analysis of the SEER database.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Mu; Dai, Chen-Yang; Wang, Yu-Ning; Chen, Tao; Wang, Long; Yang, Ping; Xie, Dong; Mao, Rui; Chen, Chang

    2016-11-22

    Although marital status is an independent prognostic factor in many cancers, its prognostic impact on tracheal cancer has not yet been determined. The goal of this study was to examine the relationship between marital status and survival in patients with tracheal cancer. Compared with unmarried patients (42.67%), married patients (57.33%) had better 5-year OS (25.64% vs. 35.89%, p = 0.009) and 5-year TCSS (44.58% vs. 58.75%, p = 0.004). Results of multivariate analysis indicated that marital status is an independent prognostic factor, with married patients showing better OS (hazard ratio [HR] = 0.78, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.64-0.95, p = 0.015) and TCSS (HR = 0.70, 95% CI 0.54-0.91, p = 0.008). In addition, subgroup analysis suggested that marital status plays a more important role in the TCSS of patients with non-low-grade malignant tumors (HR = 0.71, 95% CI 0.53-0.93, p = 0.015). We extracted 600 cases from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database. Variables were compared by Pearson chi-squared test, t-test, log-rank test, and multivariate Cox regression analysis. Overall survival (OS) and tracheal cancer-specific survival (TCSS) were compared between subgroups with different pathologic features and tumor stages. Marital status is an independent prognostic factor for survival in patients with tracheal cancer. For that reason, additional social support may be needed for unmarried patients, especially those with non-low-grade malignant tumors.

  5. Community Health Status Indicators (CHSI) to Combat Obesity, Heart Disease and Cancer

    Data.gov (United States)

    U.S. Department of Health & Human Services — Community Health Status Indicators (CHSI) to combat obesity, heart disease, and cancer are major components of the Community Health Data Initiative. This dataset...

  6. Current status of RCA projects and strategies for future implementation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kim, Kyoung Pyo; Lee, Jeong Kong

    1998-12-01

    This report is intended to provide basic overall information about ways to promote technical cooperation within the framework of RCA to accelerate and coordinate cooperative activities in nuclear science and technology in Asia and the Pacific region through a thorough review on the current status and through suggesting future implementation strategies. The contents of this report include an overall introduction of RCA, guidelines and operating rules for RCA programmes, current status and future plans for RCA projects as well as the RCA vision for the next 25 years. By reviewing the current status and future implementation strategies for RCA projects, it will help to set up a national nuclear policy aimed at seeking maximum benefits from participation in RCA projects and to implement programmes for nuclear cooperation with Asian-Pacific countries. It is expected that as a lead country for the energy sector, which is one of five thematic areas for the year 1999 - 2000 cycle programmes, Korea will continue to make significant contributions towards the implementation of RCA programmes in the future. With this report, we plan to keep up with future developments as well as implement an effective cooperation with the countries in the region so that the opinion of Korea, one of the nuclear advanced countries in the region, can be fully reflected in the establishment of future plans for RCA programmes. (author). 3 refs., 5 tabs., 1 fig

  7. Current management of liver metastases of colon cancer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mainieri Breedy, Giovanna

    2010-01-01

    Colon cancer has been one of the major tumors in the world, both men and women; and it is constituted the third most commonly diagnosed tumor, with approximately 1.2 million of new cases per year. This cancer type is considered of great importance in Costa Rica and has occupied the fifth place. Age is the main risk factor, followed by environmental, diabetic and genetic factors. An IV colon cancer has been manifested with any T, with any N and metastases. Metastases from colon cancer to liver can be classified according to whether have been synchronous (20 to 25%) or metachronous (15 to 29%). In turn, they can be synchronous, resectable or unresectable or mechanical resectable or unresectable. The liver has been the most common site of metastases, and the status of this organ has been an important determinant of overall survival in patients with advanced disease. Half of the patients developed metastases during the course of the disease. Metastases has represented the leading cause of death from this tumor. With the advent of new surgical techniques, new anesthetic care, new chemotherapeutic and molecular agents, together with new radiofrequency modalities and ablative treatment, the approach of metastases from colon cancer to the liver has been shown to be decisive in the prolongation of survival of the patient, who in the past was considered a terminal patient [es

  8. Current Status of Yongbyon Nuclear Complex

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Hwang, Yong Soo [Korea Institute of Nuclear Non-proliferation and Control, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

    2016-05-15

    The DPRK has developed Yongbyon Nuclear Complex in Figure 1 since 1960's. Currently it is composed of the reactor facility, fuel fabrication facility including the enrichment center, and the radiochemistry center. Even though many facilities are not modern and economic in the western standards, Yongbyon Nuclear Complex is fully equipped with the entire life cycle of the nuclear installation. The key facilities have been added step by step. For example, the DPRK's nuclear reactor fleet started with the 2 MW IRT-2000 reactor in the middle of 80's. It started with a small scale radioactive isotope separation center nearby. But nowadays the DPRK is constructing a much more larger isotope separation center in the vicinity of its enrichment center along with a potential new UF6 conversion center. The general description over Yongbyon Nuclear Complex is given in this paper. More detailed context of the current status of the center will be discussed in the main symposium purely based on the open source information study.

  9. Current status and future direction of the MONK software package

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Smith, Nigel; Armishaw, Malcolm; Cooper, Andrew

    2003-01-01

    The current status of the MONK criticality software package is summarized in terms of recent and current developments and envisaged directions for the future. The areas of the discussion are physics modeling, geometry modeling, source modeling, nuclear data, validation, supporting tools and customer services. In future development plan, MONK continues to be focused on meeting the short and long-term needs of the code user community. (J.P.N.)

  10. Association of nutritional status and functional capacity in gastrointestinal cancer patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pérez-Cruz, Elizabeth; Camacho-Limas, Christian Patricio

    To determine the nutritional status and its association with functional capacity in patients with digestive tract cancer. We retrospectively studied all adult patients hospitalized who were diagnosed as having a cancer of the digestive tract. Nutritional status and functional capacity were assessed. Descriptive statistic and odds ratio were used to determine the association in SPSS 14.0. 57 patients were included, 96% had weight loss. Using subjective global assessment (SGA) as a method of screening, 82.5% of the patients were found malnutrition and by biochemical and immunological test 82% and 65% respectively. Functional capacity was assessed by Karnofsky index, finding that 75.5% of the patients have some activity limitation. Results show an association between malnutrition by SGA and limitation in functional capacity (c2 = 1.56; p = 0.212; OR: 2.46; 95% confidence interval [95% CI]: 0.581-10.465). In addition, we observe an association between the total lymphocyte count and limitation in functional capacity (χ2 = 6.94; p = 0.008; OR: 5.23; 95% CI: 1.441-19.025). Malnutrition in patients with digestive tract cancer was associated with limitation in functional capacity. Copyright: © 2017 SecretarÍa de Salud

  11. Assessment of hepatitis B immunization status after antineoplastic therapy in children with cancer

    OpenAIRE

    Karaman, Serap; Vural, Sema; Yildirmak, Yildiz; Urganci, Nafiye; Usta, Merve

    2011-01-01

    BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Hepatitis B is a disease that is preventable with vaccination. Antibody levels after vaccination may be affected by suppression of the immune system due to cancer therapy. Children with cancer have a high risk of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. We aimed to assess the pretreatment immunization status against HBV infection and the rate of continuity of immunization after therapy in children with cancer. DESIGN AND SETTING: Retrospective case review of patients trea...

  12. Cost Estimating in DoD: Current Status, Trends, and What the Future Holds

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    Nussbaum, Daniel A

    2005-01-01

    (1) Current Status: Baseline analysis of current cost estimating community, including which organizations are responsible for developing and reviewing cost estimates, how many personnel there are, what...

  13. Relationship between social support and the nutritional status of patients receiving radiation therapy for cancer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pulliam, L.W.

    1985-01-01

    The purpose of this descriptive, correlational study was to ascertain if there is a relationship between social support and the nutritional status of patients receiving radiation therapy for cancer. The data collection instruments used included the Norbeck Social Support Questionnaire (NSSQ), the Personal Characteristics Form, the abbreviated Health History, the Flow Sheet for Nutritional Data, and the Interview Schedule. For the analysis of data descriptive statistics were utilized to provide a profile of subjects, and correlational statistics were used to ascertain if there were relationships among the indicators of nutritional status and the social support variables. A convenience sample was comprised of 50 cancer patients deemed curable by radiation therapy. Findings included significant decreases in anthropometric measurements and biochemical tests during therapy. Serial assessments of nutritional status, therefore, are recommended for all cancer patients during therapy in order to plan and implement strategies for meeting the self-care requisites for food and water. No statistically significant relationships were found between the social support variables as measured by the NSSQ and the indicators of nutritional status. This suggests that nurses can assist patients by fostering support from actual and potential nutritional confidants

  14. Hardwood lumber supply chain: current status and market opportunities

    Science.gov (United States)

    Urs Buehlmann; Matthew Bumgardner; Al Schuler; Mark Barford

    2007-01-01

    The membership of the Appalachian Hardwood Manufacturers Association was surveyed in 2005 to determine the current status of large Appalachian sawmills. The primary focus was to assess the impacts of globalization on primary manufacturing, but attention was also paid to general issues affecting the hardwood lumber supply chain-from concerns over forest health and log...

  15. Appetite disorders in cancer patients: Impact on nutritional status and quality of life.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Barajas Galindo, David E; Vidal-Casariego, Alfonso; Calleja-Fernández, Alicia; Hernández-Moreno, Ana; Pintor de la Maza, Begoña; Pedraza-Lorenzo, Manuela; Rodríguez-García, María Asunción; Ávila-Turcios, Dalia María; Alejo-Ramos, Miran; Villar-Taibo, Rocío; Urioste-Fondo, Ana; Cano-Rodríguez, Isidoro; Ballesteros-Pomar, María D

    2017-07-01

    Cancer patients are at high risk of malnutrition due to several symptoms such as lack of appetite. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of different appetite disorders in cancer patients and their influence on dietary intake, nutritional status, and quality of life. We conducted a cross-sectional study of cancer patients at risk of malnutrition. Nutritional status was studied using Subjective Global Assessment, anthropometry, and grip strength. Dietary intake was evaluated with a 24-h recall, and patients were questioned about the presence of changes in appetite (none, anorexia, early satiety, or both). Quality of life was measured using EORTC-QLQ-C30. Multivariate analysis was performed using linear regression. 128 patients were evaluated. 61.7% experienced changes in appetite: 31% anorexia, 13.3% early satiety, and 17.2% both. Appetite disorders were more common in women and with the presence of cachexia. The combination of anorexia and satiety resulted in a lower weight and BMI. However, there were no significant effects on energy or macronutrient intake among different appetite alterations. Patients with a combination of anorexia and early satiety had worse overall health perception, role function, and fatigue. Appetite disorders are highly prevalent among cancer patients at risk of malnutrition. They have a significant impact on nutritional status and quality of life, especially when anorexia and early satiety are combined. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  16. Large Prospective Study of Ovarian Cancer Screening in High-risk Women: CA125 Cut-point Defined by Menopausal Status

    Science.gov (United States)

    Skates, Steven J.; Mai, Phuong; Horick, Nora K.; Piedmonte, Marion; Drescher, Charles W.; Isaacs, Claudine; Armstrong, Deborah K.; Buys, Saundra S.; Rodriguez, Gustavo C.; Horowitz, Ira R.; Berchuck, Andrew; Daly, Mary B.; Domchek, Susan; Cohn, David E.; Van Le, Linda; Schorge, John O.; Newland, William; Davidson, Susan A.; Barnes, Mack; Brewster, Wendy; Azodi, Masoud; Nerenstone, Stacy; Kauff, Noah D.; Fabian, Carol J.; Sluss, Patrick M.; Nayfield, Susan G.; Kasten, Carol H.; Finkelstein, Dianne M.; Greene, Mark H.; Lu, Karen

    2011-01-01

    Background Previous screening trials for early detection of ovarian cancer in postmenopausal women have used the standard CA125 cut-point of 35 U/mL, the 98th percentile in this population yielding a 2% false positive rate, while the same cut-point in trials of premenopausal women results in substantially higher false positive rates. We investigated demographic and clinical factors predicting CA125 distributions, including 98th percentiles, in a large population of high-risk women participating in two ovarian cancer screening studies with common eligibility criteria and screening protocols. Methods Baseline CA125 values and clinical and demographic data from 3,692 women participating in screening studies conducted by the NCI-sponsored Cancer Genetics Network and Gynecologic Oncology Group were combined for this pre-planned analysis. Due to the large effect of menopausal status on CA125 levels, statistical analyses were conducted separately in pre- and postmenopausal subjects to determine the impact of other baseline factors on predicted CA125 cut-points based on the 98th percentile. Results The primary clinical factor affecting CA125 cut-points was menopausal status, with premenopausal women having a significantly higher cut-point of 50 U/mL while in postmenopausal subjects the standard cut-point of 35 U/mL was recapitulated. In premenopausal women, current oral contraceptive (OC) users had a cut-point of 40 U/mL. Conclusions To achieve a 2% false positive rate in ovarian cancer screening trials and in high-risk women choosing to be screened, the cut-point for initial CA125 testing should be personalized primarily for menopausal status (~ 50 for premenopausal women, 40 for premenopausal on OC, 35 for postmenopausal women). PMID:21893500

  17. Smart wearable systems: current status and future challenges.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chan, Marie; Estève, Daniel; Fourniols, Jean-Yves; Escriba, Christophe; Campo, Eric

    2012-11-01

    Extensive efforts have been made in both academia and industry in the research and development of smart wearable systems (SWS) for health monitoring (HM). Primarily influenced by skyrocketing healthcare costs and supported by recent technological advances in micro- and nanotechnologies, miniaturisation of sensors, and smart fabrics, the continuous advances in SWS will progressively change the landscape of healthcare by allowing individual management and continuous monitoring of a patient's health status. Consisting of various components and devices, ranging from sensors and actuators to multimedia devices, these systems support complex healthcare applications and enable low-cost wearable, non-invasive alternatives for continuous 24-h monitoring of health, activity, mobility, and mental status, both indoors and outdoors. Our objective has been to examine the current research in wearable to serve as references for researchers and provide perspectives for future research. Herein, we review the current research and development of and the challenges facing SWS for HM, focusing on multi-parameter physiological sensor systems and activity and mobility measurement system designs that reliably measure mobility or vital signs and integrate real-time decision support processing for disease prevention, symptom detection, and diagnosis. For this literature review, we have chosen specific selection criteria to include papers in which wearable systems or devices are covered. We describe the state of the art in SWS and provide a survey of recent implementations of wearable health-care systems. We describe current issues, challenges, and prospects of SWS. We conclude by identifying the future challenges facing SWS for HM. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  18. Status epilepticus associated with platinum chemotherapy in a patient with cervical cancer: a case report

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Holman, Laura L.; Ren, Yulan; Westin, Shannon N.

    2015-01-01

    While peripheral neuropathy is a common side effect of platinum-based chemotherapy, central nervous system (CNS) toxicity, such as encephalopathy or seizures, appears to be rare. This manuscript describes the only reported case of nonconvulsive status epilepticus associated with cisplatin in a cervical cancer patient who does not have other underlying medical conditions. The patient is a 54-year-old Chinese female with recurrent stage IIIB moderately differentiated squamous cell carcinoma of the cervix who was being treated with cisplatin and topotecan. During the sixth cycle of this regimen, the patient presented with mental status changes. While imaging and laboratory values were within normal limits, the patient’s EEG revealed nonconvulsive status epilepticus. After appropriate intervention, she made a complete recovery with no further seizures. The patient currently remains on antiepileptic therapy, but is no longer receiving cisplatin. Patients who present with new onset seizures should primarily be evaluated for underlying medical conditions. Among patients who are suspected to have CNS side effects associated with platinum use, we recommend avoidance of platinum agents in future chemotherapeutic regimens. Although rare, providers should be aware of the potential for CNS toxicity associated with this drug class

  19. Current status of palliative care--clinical implementation, education, and research.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Grant, Marcia; Elk, Ronit; Ferrell, Betty; Morrison, R Sean; von Gunten, Charles F

    2009-01-01

    Palliative and end-of-life care is changing in the United States. This dynamic field is improving care for patients with serious and life-threatening cancer through creation of national guidelines for quality care, multidisciplinary educational offerings, research endeavors, and resources made available to clinicians. Barriers to implementing quality palliative care across cancer populations include a rapidly expanding population of older adults who will need cancer care and a decrease in the workforce available to give care. Methods of integrating current palliative care knowledge into care of patients include multidisciplinary national education and research endeavors, and clinician resources. Acceptance of palliative care as a recognized medical specialty provides a valuable resource for improvement of care. Although compilation of evidence for the importance of palliative care specialities is in its initial stages, national research grants have provided support to build the knowledge necessary for appropriate palliative care. Opportunities are available to clinicians for understanding and applying appropriate palliative and end-of-life care to patients with serious and life-threatening cancers. (c) 2009 American Cancer Society, Inc.

  20. Adjusting a cancer mortality-prediction model for disease status-related eligibility criteria

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kimmel Marek

    2011-05-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Volunteering participants in disease studies tend to be healthier than the general population partially due to specific enrollment criteria. Using modeling to accurately predict outcomes of cohort studies enrolling volunteers requires adjusting for the bias introduced in this way. Here we propose a new method to account for the effect of a specific form of healthy volunteer bias resulting from imposing disease status-related eligibility criteria, on disease-specific mortality, by explicitly modeling the length of the time interval between the moment when the subject becomes ineligible for the study, and the outcome. Methods Using survival time data from 1190 newly diagnosed lung cancer patients at MD Anderson Cancer Center, we model the time from clinical lung cancer diagnosis to death using an exponential distribution to approximate the length of this interval for a study where lung cancer death serves as the outcome. Incorporating this interval into our previously developed lung cancer risk model, we adjust for the effect of disease status-related eligibility criteria in predicting the number of lung cancer deaths in the control arm of CARET. The effect of the adjustment using the MD Anderson-derived approximation is compared to that based on SEER data. Results Using the adjustment developed in conjunction with our existing lung cancer model, we are able to accurately predict the number of lung cancer deaths observed in the control arm of CARET. Conclusions The resulting adjustment was accurate in predicting the lower rates of disease observed in the early years while still maintaining reasonable prediction ability in the later years of the trial. This method could be used to adjust for, or predict the duration and relative effect of any possible biases related to disease-specific eligibility criteria in modeling studies of volunteer-based cohorts.

  1. Counseling in Malaysia: History, Current Status, and Future Trends

    Science.gov (United States)

    See, Ching Mey; Ng, Kok-Mun

    2010-01-01

    This article presents an overview of the history of counseling in Malaysia, provides an update of its current status, and discusses some anticipated future trends for the profession in light of recent developments in the country. Counseling in Malaysia began with school guidance in the 1960s and has now achieved recognition as a profession in…

  2. Lung cancer in elderly

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wagnerova, M.

    2007-01-01

    Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths in Europe and USA. The median age of diagnosis is currently 69 years, however this is gradually increasing with the aging population. Patients over age of 70 represent 40 % of all patients with non-small cell lung cancer. Age alone has not been found to be a significant prognostic factor in many malignancies, including lung cancer with performance status and stage being of greater importance. In lung cancer it is also evident that older patients gain equivalent benefit from cancer therapies as their younger counterparts. Elderly patients are under-treated in all aspects of their disease course from histological diagnosis to active therapy with surgical resection, radiotherapy or chemotherapy, irrespective of performance status or co-morbidities. Elderly patients are also underrepresented in lung cancer clinical trials. In this review is presented knowledge about lung cancer in elderly. (author)

  3. Current status of education and training in medical physics in developing and developed countries

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kulkarni, N.S.

    2008-01-01

    Significant resources are allocated for applying Medical Physics to health care. State-of-the-art technological developments have made this discipline valuable in early diagnosis and treatment of many diseases, particularly cancer. The current challenge is the dire need of harmonizing the standards of practice, including equipment, quality assurance, safety, education and training in Medical Physics across various countries. With experiences gained from the successes and failures in this field, standards of practice have evolved in the developed as well as the developing countries, but at different rates. Considerations of cost-benefit and priorities have led to increased gap in these standards of practice. In this presentation, the status of the education and training component of selected countries representing the two domains will be discussed. Possible causes, as well as the means adopted by the national and international organisations to bridge the gaps, will also be a part of the discussion. Suggestions for future improvements will be offered for consideration

  4. Radiotherapy in prostate cancer. Innovative techniques and current controversies

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Geinitz, Hans

    2015-01-01

    Examines in detail the role of innovative radiation techniques in the management of prostate cancer, including IMRT, IGRT, BART, and modern brachytherapy. Explores a range of current controversies in patient treatment. Intended for both radiation oncologists and urologists. Radiation treatment is rapidly evolving owing to the coordinated research of physicists, engineers, computer and imaging specialists, and physicians. Today, the arsenal of ''high-precision'' or ''targeted'' radiotherapy includes multimodal imaging, in vivo dosimetry, Monte Carlo techniques for dose planning, patient immobilization techniques, intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT), image-guided radiotherapy (IGRT), biologically adapted radiotherapy (BART), quality assurance methods, novel methods of brachytherapy, and, at the far end of the scale, particle beam radiotherapy using protons and carbon ions. These approaches are like pieces of a puzzle that need to be put together to provide the prostate cancer patient with high-level optimized radiation treatment. This book examines in detail the role of the above-mentioned innovative radiation techniques in the management of prostate cancer. In addition, a variety of current controversies regarding treatment are carefully explored, including whether prophylactic treatment of the pelvic lymphatics is essential, the magnitude of the effect of dose escalation, whether a benefit accrues from hypofractionation, and what evidence exists for the superiority of protons or heavy ions. Radiotherapy in Prostate Cancer: Innovative Techniques and Current Controversies is intended for both radiation oncologists and urologists with an interest in the up-to-date capabilities of modern radiation oncology for the treatment of prostate cancer.

  5. [Effects of Lifestyle Intervention on Fatigue, Nutritional Status and Quality of Life in Patients with Gynecologic Cancer].

    Science.gov (United States)

    An, Hyunjin; Nho, Ju Hee; Yoo, Sunyoung; Kim, Hyunmin; Nho, Minji; Yoo, Hojeong

    2015-12-01

    The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of lifestyle intervention on the development of fatigue, nutritional status and quality of life of patients with gynecologic cancer. A nonequivalent control group quasi-experimental design was used. Participants were 49 patients with gynecologic cancer. They were assigned to the experiment group (n=24) or the control group (n=25). The lifestyle intervention for this study consisted of physical activity, nutritional education, telephone call counseling, health counseling, monitoring for lifestyle, and affective support based on Cox's Interaction Model of Client Health Behavior and was implemented for six weeks. Significant group differences were found for fatigue (p =.037), nutritional status (p =.034) and social/family well-being (p =.035) in these patients with gynecologic cancer. Results indicate that this lifestyle intervention is effective in lessening fatigue, and improving nutritional status and social/family well-being. Therefore, nurses in hospitals should develop strategies to expand and provide lifestyle interventions for patients with cancer.

  6. Body iron status and gastric cancer risk in the EURGAST study

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Fonseca-Nunes, Ana; Agudo, Antonio; Aranda, Núria; Arija, Victoria; Cross, Amanda J.; Molina, Esther; Sanchez, Maria Jose; Bueno-De-Mesquita, H. B.; Siersema, Peter; Weiderpass, Elisabete; Krogh, Vittorio; Mattiello, Amalia; Tumino, Rosario; Saieva, Calogero; Naccarati, Alessio; Ohlsson, Bodil; Sjöberg, Klas; Boutron-Ruault, Marie Christine; Cadeau, Claire; Fagherazzi, Guy; Boeing, Heiner; Steffen, Annika; Kühn, Tilman; Katzke, Verena; Tjønneland, Anne; Olsen, Anja; Khaw, Kay Tee; Wareham, Nick; Key, Tim; Lu, Yunxia; Riboli, Elio; Peeters, Petra H.; Gavrila, Diana; Dorronsoro, Miren; Quirõs, José Ramõn; Barricarte, Aurelio; Jenab, Mazda; Zamora-Ros, Raúl; Freisling, Heinz; Trichopoulou, Antonia; Lagiou, Pagona; Bamia, Christina; Jakszyn, Paula

    2015-01-01

    Although it appears biologically plausible for iron to be associated with gastric carcinogenesis, the evidence is insufficient to lead to any conclusions. To further investigate the relationship between body iron status and gastric cancer risk, we conducted a nested case-control study in the

  7. Impact of nutritional status on the quality of life of advanced cancer patients in hospice home care.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shahmoradi, Negar; Kandiah, Mirnalini; Peng, Loh Su

    2009-01-01

    Cancer patients frequently experience malnutrition and this is an important factor in impaired quality of life. This cross-sectional study examined the association between global quality of life and its various subscales with nutritional status among 61 (33 females and 28 males) advanced cancer patients cared for by selected hospices in peninsular Malaysia. The Patient Generated-Subjective Global Assessment (PG-SGA) and the Hospice Quality of Life Index (HQLI) were used to assess nutritional status and quality of life, respectively. Nine (14.7%) patients were well-nourished, 32 (52.5%) were moderately or suspected of being malnourished while 20 (32.8%) of them were severely malnourished. The total HQLI mean score for these patients was 189.9-/+51.7, with possible scores ranging from 0 to 280. The most problem areas in these patients were in the domain of functional well-being and the least problems were found in the social/spiritual domain. PG-SGA scores significantly correlated with total quality of life scores (r2= 0.38, pnutritional status exhibited a lower quality of life. Advanced cancer patients with poor nutritional status have a diminished quality of life. These findings suggest that there is a need for a comprehensive nutritional intervention for improving nutritional status and quality of life in terminally ill cancer patients under hospice care.

  8. Current status of Pohang Neutron Facility

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kim, G.N.; Lee, Y.S.; Cho, M.H. [Pohang Accelerator Laboratory, POSTECH, Pohang (KR)] [and others

    2000-03-01

    We present the current status of Pohang Neutron Facility, which is the pulsed neutron facility, based on the 70-MeV electron linear accelerator completed on Dec.1997. We have prepared the 15-m time-of-flight path, a Ta-target system, and the Data Acquisition System. Meanwhile we have measured the total cross-sections of Dy and Hf samples at the Research Reactor Institute, Kyoto University and the neutron capture cross-sections of {sup 164}Dy isotope at Research Laboratory for Nuclear Reactors, Tokyo Institute of Technology both in Japan. We also were participated the experiment at the 122-m flight path of the IBR-30 pulsed neutron source of Joint Institute of Nuclear Research in Dubna, Russia. (author)

  9. Initial estimation of correlation between estrogen receptor status and histopathology, and also some selected prognostic factors in breast cancer patients

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Cwikla, J.; Badowski, J.; Shafie, D.; Gugala, K.; Koziorowski, M.

    1996-01-01

    The goal of this study was to assess the correlation between estrogen receptor (ER) status and histopathology findings, likewise to assess some selected prognostic factors in patients with breast cancer. The study was carried out on 126 patients with breast cancer. ER concentration was estimated by the standard biochemical assay (DCC-dextran-coated charcoal assay). The correlation between established risk factors like: lymph node status; age menopausal status and ER status were analysed.The ER yielded in 61% positive results. The mean value of ER in invasive ductal carcinoma was 43.9 fmol/mg protein and the mean value of ER in invasive lobular carcinoma 51.4 fmol/mg protein. The significant statistics negative correlation between ER status of pre-menopausal patients with ductal breast carcinoma and regional lymph nodes involvement was found. There was no difference between ER status and histological type of the cancer. No correlation was found between ER status and age of patients. (author)

  10. Long-term survivors of childhood cancer report quality of life and health status in parity with a comparison group

    OpenAIRE

    Sundberg, K. K.; Doukkali, E. B.; Lampic, C.; Eriksson, L. E.; Arvidson, J.; Wettergren, L.

    2010-01-01

    Background: There is a need for more knowledge about how survivors of childhood cancer perceive their lives and what influence current health status has on their quality of life. The purpose was to describe this among a group of long-term survivors and among a comparison group. \\ud \\ud Procedure: Telephone interviews were performed with a cohort of 246 long-term survivors and 296 randomly selected from the general population using the Schedule for the Evaluation of Individual Quality of Life-...

  11. Instantaneous Project Controls: Current Status, State of the Art, Benefits, and Strategies

    Science.gov (United States)

    Abbaszadegan, Amin

    2016-01-01

    Despite advancements in construction and construction-related technology, capital project performance deviations, typically overruns, remain endemic within the capital projects industry. Currently, management is generally unaware of the current status of their projects, and thus monitoring and control of projects are not achieved effectively. In…

  12. Marital status independently predicts gastric cancer survival after surgical resection--an analysis of the SEER database

    OpenAIRE

    Shi, Rong-liang; Chen, Qian; Yang, Zhen; Pan, Gaofeng; Zhang, Ziping; Wang, WeiHua; Liu, Shaoqun; Zhang, Dongbin; Jiang, Daowen; Liu, Weiyan

    2016-01-01

    Marital status was found to be an independent prognostic factor for survival in various cancer types, but it hasn't been studied in gastric cancer. The Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results database was used to compare survival outcomes with marital status. A total of 16,106 eligible patients were identified. Patients in the widowed group had the highest proportion of women, more common site of stomach, more prevalence of elderly patients, higher percentage of adenocarcinoma, and more tu...

  13. The current status and future prospects of breast cancer screening using ultrasonography at our facility

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Morikubo, Hiroshi; Ichimura, Miyuki; Abe, Satoko

    2011-01-01

    We report the results obtained by breast cancer screening of the general population using both ultrasonography and mammography conducted by the Tochigi Public Health Service Association. An investigation of breast cancer screening carried out on approximately 140,000 participants between 2000 and 2007 showed that ultrasonography and mammography are remarkably complementary for detection of breast cancer, particularly for women in their 40s and 50s, and that each modality improves the sensitivity of breast cancer detection by approximately 20%. The following issues are pivotal for establishing a breast cancer ultrasonography screening system that is able to maintain high precision and adequate efficiency: technical training of sonographers and physicians who must interpret the sonographic images, quality control of equipment, and an interpretation system that allows previous sonographs to be used as a reference. In independent combined screening systems using ultrasonography and mammography, the high recall rate becomes an issue. Comparative interpretation of sonographic images with previous sonographs is effective for resolving this. However, hopes abound for a comprehensive assessment system that allows simultaneous imaging and interpretation of both ultrasonography and mammography. (author)

  14. Managing work and cancer treatment: Experiences among survivors of hematological cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thomson, Maria D; Siminoff, Laura A

    2018-04-16

    The current study was performed to characterize the employment status of survivors of hematological cancer who have an informal caregiver from the time of diagnosis through the first 6 months of treatment. Using a mixed methods approach, semistructured interviews with survivors of hematological cancer were conducted within 6 months of the initiation of cancer treatment. Interviews assessed cancer treatment status, barriers and facilitators to employment, financial and insurance status, and relationship with the primary caregiver. These results are part of a longitudinal study of cancer survivors and informal caregivers. A total of 171 patients were enrolled. Within 6 months of beginning cancer treatments, approximately 35% were no longer employed. Reasons to remain employed included financial need, employee benefits, and a sense of purpose and normalcy. Employer accommodations and supportive colleagues facilitated continued employment. Logistic regression analysis demonstrated that having a higher household income, a desire to work, nonphysical job tasks, and congruent survivor-caregiver communication were associated with greater odds of remaining employed. Within 6 months of initiating cancer treatment, the majority of survivors of hematological cancer had maintained employment. Because of the limitations imposed by the physical stress of cancer treatments, as well as the need to maintain employment to continue receiving employee benefits to cover such treatments, survivors of hematological cancer likely would benefit from employment accommodations that are sensitive to their unique needs. Cancer 2018. © 2018 American Cancer Society. © 2018 American Cancer Society.

  15. Long-term survival outcomes in patients with surgically treated oropharyngeal cancer and defined human papilloma virus status.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dale, O T; Sood, S; Shah, K A; Han, C; Rapozo, D; Mehanna, H; Winter, S C

    2016-11-01

    This study investigated long-term survival outcomes in surgically treated oropharyngeal cancer patients with known human papilloma virus status. A case note review was performed of all patients undergoing primary surgery for oropharyngeal cancer in a single centre over a 10-year period. Human papilloma virus status was determined via dual modality testing. Associations between clinicopathological variables and survival were identified using a log-rank test. Of the 107 cases in the study, 40 per cent (n = 41) were human papilloma virus positive. The positive and negative predictive values of p16 immunohistochemistry for human papilloma virus status were 57 per cent and 100 per cent, respectively. At a mean follow up of 59.5 months, 5-year overall and disease-specific survival estimates were 78 per cent and 69 per cent, respectively. Human papilloma virus status (p = 0.014), smoking status (p = 0.021) and tumour stage (p = 0.03) were significant prognostic indicators. The long-term survival rates in surgically treated oropharyngeal cancer patients were comparable to other studies. Variables including human papilloma virus status and tumour stage were associated with survival in patients treated with primary surgery; however, nodal stage and presence of extracapsular spread were non-prognostic.

  16. Functional Status After Colon Cancer Surgery In Elder Nursing Home Residents

    Science.gov (United States)

    Finlayson, Emily; Zhao, Shoujun; Boscardin, W. John; Fries, Brant E.; Landefeld, C. Seth; Dudley, R. Adams

    2015-01-01

    Objectives To determine functional status and mortality rates after colon cancer surgery in older nursing home residents. Design Retrospective cohort study. Setting and Participants 6822 nursing home residents age 65 and older who underwent surgery for colon cancer in the United States between 1999 and 2005. Measurements Changes in functional status were assessed before and after surgery using the Minimum Data Set-Activities of Daily Living (MDS-ADL) summary scale, a 28-point scale in which score increases as functional dependence increases. Methods Using the Medicare Inpatient File and the Minimum Data Set for Nursing Homes, we identified the 6822 nursing home residents age 65 and older who underwent surgery for colon cancer. We used regression techniques to identify patient characteristics associated with mortality and functional decline at 1 year after surgery. Results On average, residents who underwent colectomy experienced a 3.9 point worsening in MDS-ADL score at one year. One year after surgery, the rates of mortality and sustained functional decline were 53% and 24%, respectively. In multivariate analysis, older age (age 80+ v. age 65–69, adjusted relative risk (ARR 1.53), 95%CI 1.15–2.04, pppp<0.0001) were associated with functional decline at one year. Conclusion Mortality and sustained functional decline are very common after colon cancer surgery in nursing home residents. Initiatives aimed at improving surgical outcomes are needed in this vulnerable population. PMID:22428583

  17. CT colonography: current status in Europe and future perspectives

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lefere, P.; Gryspeerdt, S.; Yoshida, H.

    2007-01-01

    In this article, we review the current status of CT colonography (CTC) in Europe and future perspectives of CTC including fecal tagging and CAD. There are several large multi-centre studies that have been initiated. Fecal tagging has gradually become a prerequisite to perform state-of-the-art CTC. However, CAD for fecal-tagging CTC remains a subject for future research. (orig.)

  18. Current status of application of Moessbauer effect in geology and mineralogy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Xu Binfu

    1995-01-01

    The paper briefly introduces the current status of the application of Moessbauer effect in geology and mineralogy. It shows that geology and mineralogy are very active fields in the application of Moessbauer effect

  19. Evaluation of Nutritional Status of Cancer Patients during Treatment by Patient-Generated Subjective Global Assessment: a Hospital-Based Study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sharma, Dibyendu; Kannan, Ravi; Tapkire, Ritesh; Nath, Soumitra

    2015-01-01

    Cancer patients frequently experience malnutrition. Cancer and cancer therapy effects nutritional status through alterations in the metabolic system and reduction in food intake. In the present study, fifty seven cancer patients were selected as subjects from the oncology ward of Cachar Cancer Hospital and Research Centre, Silchar, India. Evaluation of nutritional status of cancer patients during treatment was carried out by scored Patient-Generated Subjective Global Assessment (PG-SGA). The findings of PG-SGA showed that 15.8% (9) were well nourished, 31.6% (18) were moderately or suspected of being malnourished and 52.6% (30) were severely malnourished. The prevalence of malnutrition was highest in lip/oral (33.33%) cancer patients. The study showed that the prevalence of malnutrition (84.2%) was high in cancer patients during treatment.

  20. The relationship between nutritional status and handgrip strength in adult cancer patients: a cross-sectional study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alkan, Şenay Burçin; Artaç, Mehmet; Rakıcıoğlu, Neslişah

    2018-02-09

    Malnutrition is a common complication in head, neck and lung cancer patients, particularly in cases of gastrointestinal system (GIS) cancer. Therefore, an assessment of malnutrition is crucial for early nutritional interventions. It was conducted as a cross-sectional study to evaluate nutritional status of adult cancer patients. The nutritional status of 104 cancer patients (52 GIS and 52 non-GIS cancer cases) using a Patient-Generated Subjective Global Assessment (PG-SGA), handgrip strength, certain anthropometric measurements and food consumption in and outside of the hospital were assessed. The percentages of malnutrition were 64.6 and 64.3% in the male patients with and without GIS cancer, respectively. They were 61.9 and 45.8% in the female patients with GIS and without GIS cancer, respectively. However, no significant difference was found between these two groups according to the malnutrition classification, PG-SGA score, handgrip strength and other anthropometric measurements (p > 0.05). The daily energy and protein intakes (per body weight) of the female patients in the hospital were significantly lower than those outside (p Cancer patients could be provided with nutritional education, and arrangements could be made with hospital nutritional services in order to prevent malnutrition.

  1. Ethiopia's emerging domestic biogas sector : Current status, bottlenecks and drivers

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Kamp, L.M.; Bermúdez Forn, Esteban

    2016-01-01

    Ethiopia experiences an energy and environmental crisis due to the sustained reliance on woody biomass to satisfy its energy needs. This situation could be improved by using biogas. This paper analyses the current status of the domestic biogas sector in Ethiopia and identifies barriers and

  2. Current status of Paragonimus and paragonimiasis in Ecuador

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Manuel Calvopiña

    2014-11-01

    Full Text Available A review of national and international publications on paragonimiasis in Ecuador, epidemiological records from the Ministry of Public Health and unpublished research data was conducted to summarise the current status of the parasite/disease. The purpose of the review is to educate physicians, policy-makers and health providers on the status of the disease and to stimulate scientific investigators to conduct further research. Paragonimiasis was first diagnosed in Ecuador 94 years ago and it is endemic to both tropical and subtropical regions in 19 of 24 provinces in the Pacific Coast and Amazon regions. Paragonimus mexicanus is the only known species in the country, with the mollusc Aroapyrgus colombiensis and the crabs Moreirocarcinus emarginatus, Hypolobocera chilensis and Hypolobocera aequatorialis being the primary and secondary intermediate hosts, respectively. Recent studies found P. mexicanus metacercariae in Trichodactylus faxoni crabs of the northern Amazon. Chronic pulmonary paragonimiasis is commonly misdiagnosed and treated as tuberculosis and although studies have demonstrated the efficacy of praziquantel and triclabendazole for the treatment of human infections, neither drug is available in Ecuador. Official data recorded from 1978-2007 indicate an annual incidence of 85.5 cases throughout the 19 provinces, with an estimated 17.2% of the population at risk of infection. There are no current data on the incidence/prevalence of infection, nor is there a national control programme.

  3. Parametric overdispersed frailty models for current status data.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Abrams, Steven; Aerts, Marc; Molenberghs, Geert; Hens, Niel

    2017-12-01

    Frailty models have a prominent place in survival analysis to model univariate and multivariate time-to-event data, often complicated by the presence of different types of censoring. In recent years, frailty modeling gained popularity in infectious disease epidemiology to quantify unobserved heterogeneity using Type I interval-censored serological data or current status data. In a multivariate setting, frailty models prove useful to assess the association between infection times related to multiple distinct infections acquired by the same individual. In addition to dependence among individual infection times, overdispersion can arise when the observed variability in the data exceeds the one implied by the model. In this article, we discuss parametric overdispersed frailty models for time-to-event data under Type I interval-censoring, building upon the work by Molenberghs et al. (2010) and Hens et al. (2009). The proposed methodology is illustrated using bivariate serological data on hepatitis A and B from Flanders, Belgium anno 1993-1994. Furthermore, the relationship between individual heterogeneity and overdispersion at a stratum-specific level is studied through simulations. Although it is important to account for overdispersion, one should be cautious when modeling both individual heterogeneity and overdispersion based on current status data as model selection is hampered by the loss of information due to censoring. © 2017, The International Biometric Society.

  4. Nutritional knowledge of women with breast cancer and its relationship with nutritional status

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Karin Sarkis Sedó

    2013-03-01

    Full Text Available Objective: To assess the nutritional knowledge of women with breast cancer on the dietdisease interface and its association with nutritional status. Methods: Observational, crosssectional and analytical study, conducted between June and September 2011, with 59 women diagnosed with breast cancer, undergoing chemotherapy or radiotherapy treatment, older than 19, who did not receive prior nutritional counseling. Vegetarian women or those whose treatment had been completed more than two years prior to the study were not included. The patients were treated at a cancer care reference center, in Fortaleza-CE. Clinical and socioeconomic data was collected through direct interview and searching in medical records. The assessment of nutritional knowledge (NK was performed with the Nutrition Knowledge Scale, developed by the National Health Interview Survey Cancer Epidemiology, validated for Brazil, applied by a trained interviewer. Nutritional status was assessed through body mass index (BMI and waist circumference. Data was analyzed statistically by SPSS 16.0. Results: Among 59 patients evaluated, 18 (30.5% women had a limited knowledge of the diet-disease association. The mean BMI was 29 kg/m2 (± 4.4 and 47 (79.7% women presented excessive weight (overweight or obesity. There was no correlation between nutritional knowledge and BMI (p = 0.64. Nutrition knowledge scores were similar among patients with overweight and normal weight (p = 0.89. Conclusion: Women in this study had a limited knowledge of the interface between diet and disease, were overweight, but there was no correlation between their nutritional knowledge and nutritional status.

  5. General health status of long-term cervical cancer survivors after radiotherapy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lee, Sung Uk; Park, Ji Eun; Kim, Young Ae; Yoon, Young-Ho; Kim, Yeon-Joo; Lim, Myong Cheol; Park, Sang-Yoon; Seo, Sang-Soo; Kim, Joo-Young

    2017-01-01

    To evaluate the global health status of long-term cervical cancer survivors (LCCS) who survived for more than 4 years after curative radiation treatment (RT). Medical records of 562 women treated with RT in our institution between 2003 and 2010 were reviewed. Excluding 259 women who died of disease or were lost to follow-up, disease status and late morbidities were evaluated in 303 LCCS. Quality of life (QoL) was analyzed in 168 LCCS using a questionnaire from the European Organization for the Research and Treatment of Cancer, and the results were compared with an age-matched healthy Korean female population. Median follow-up was 6.8 years (range 4.1-12.5 years). There were 14 deaths (7 cancer specific) and 14 recurrences (5 local recurrences and 9 distant metastases). The median time to recurrence was 6.0 years (range 4.1-8.2 years). Grade ≥2 late toxicities were frequently observed in the bladder (19%) and small/large intestine (15%). Multivariate analysis revealed a higher rate of late toxicity in patients aged ≥51 years at diagnosis (small/large intestine: hazard ratio, HR, 2.5 [1.2-5.5]; bladder: HR 2.4 [1.3-4.5]; and bone: HR 4.3 [1.2-15.8]) than patients aged [de

  6. Radiotherapy in prostate cancer. Innovative techniques and current controversies

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Geinitz, Hans [Krankenhaus der Barmherzigen Schwestern, Linz (Austria). Dept. of Radiation Oncology; Linz Univ. (Austria). Medical Faculty; Roach, Mack III [California Univ., San Francisco, CA (United States). Dept. of Radiation Oncology; Van As, Nicholas (ed.) [The Institute of Cancer Research, Sutton Surrey (United Kingdom)

    2015-04-01

    Examines in detail the role of innovative radiation techniques in the management of prostate cancer, including IMRT, IGRT, BART, and modern brachytherapy. Explores a range of current controversies in patient treatment. Intended for both radiation oncologists and urologists. Radiation treatment is rapidly evolving owing to the coordinated research of physicists, engineers, computer and imaging specialists, and physicians. Today, the arsenal of ''high-precision'' or ''targeted'' radiotherapy includes multimodal imaging, in vivo dosimetry, Monte Carlo techniques for dose planning, patient immobilization techniques, intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT), image-guided radiotherapy (IGRT), biologically adapted radiotherapy (BART), quality assurance methods, novel methods of brachytherapy, and, at the far end of the scale, particle beam radiotherapy using protons and carbon ions. These approaches are like pieces of a puzzle that need to be put together to provide the prostate cancer patient with high-level optimized radiation treatment. This book examines in detail the role of the above-mentioned innovative radiation techniques in the management of prostate cancer. In addition, a variety of current controversies regarding treatment are carefully explored, including whether prophylactic treatment of the pelvic lymphatics is essential, the magnitude of the effect of dose escalation, whether a benefit accrues from hypofractionation, and what evidence exists for the superiority of protons or heavy ions. Radiotherapy in Prostate Cancer: Innovative Techniques and Current Controversies is intended for both radiation oncologists and urologists with an interest in the up-to-date capabilities of modern radiation oncology for the treatment of prostate cancer.

  7. The current implementation status of the integration of sports and physical activity into Dutch rehabilitation care

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Hoekstra, Femke; Hettinga, Florentina J; Alingh, Rolinde A; Duijf, Marjo; Dekker, Rienk; van der Woude, Lucas H V; van der Schans, Cees P

    PURPOSE: To describe the current status of the nationwide implementation process of a sports and physical activity stimulation programme to gain insight into how sports and physical activity were integrated into Dutch rehabilitation care. METHODS: The current implementation status of a sports and

  8. [Nutritional status in patients after gastrectomy due to gastric cancer].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Khomichuk, A L; Shakhovskaia, A K; Isakov, V A; Sharafetdinov, Kh Kh; Blokhina, L V

    2012-01-01

    Aim of the study was to evaluate nutritional status in patients after gastrectomy due to gastric cancer. In 55 (26 males and 29 females) gastric cancer patients after gastrectomy body composition (bioimpedansometry method); resting energy expenditures and home actual nutrition (frequency analysis method) were evaluated. Blood levels of major nutrients and metabolites were assessed. Both men and women suffered from weight loss after gastrectomy (mean BMI was 19,8+/-4,7 kg/m2 in men and 20,5+/-1,9 in women). Higher BMI was positively correlated with age in women (R=0,45; pgastric cancer patients low BMI, low fat mass and energy consumption are observed even long period of time after gastrectomy. Dietary counseling and support are badly needed in patients short-term as well as long-term period after gastrectomy in men and younger women.

  9. Impact of Preoperative Radiotherapy on General and Disease-Specific Health Status of Rectal Cancer Survivors: A Population-Based Study

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Thong, Melissa S.Y.; Mols, Floortje; Lemmens, Valery E.P.P.; Rutten, Harm J.T.; Roukema, Jan A.; Martijn, Hendrik; Poll-Franse, Lonneke V. van de

    2011-01-01

    Purpose: To date, few studies have evaluated the impact of preoperative radiotherapy (pRT) on long-term health status of rectal cancer survivors. Using a population-based sample, we assessed the impact of pRT on general and disease-specific health status of rectal cancer survivors up to 10 years postdiagnosis. The health status of older (≥75 years old at diagnosis) pRT survivors was also compared with that of younger survivors. Methods and Materials: Survivors identified from the Eindhoven Cancer Registry treated with surgery only (SU) or with pRT between 1998 and 2007 were included. Survivors completed the Short Form-36 (SF-36) health survey questionnaire and the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire-Colorectal 38 (EORTC QLQ-CR38) questionnaire. The SF-36 and EORTC QLQ-CR38 (sexuality subscale) scores of the survivors were compared to an age- and sex-matched Dutch normal population. Results: A total of 340 survivors (response, 85%; pRT survivors, 71%) were analyzed. Overall, survivors had similar general health status. Both short-term (<5 years) and long-term (≥5 years) pRT survivors had significantly poorer body image and more problems with gastrointestinal function, male sexual dysfunction, and defecation than SU survivors. Survivors had comparable general health status but greater sexual dysfunction than the normal population. Older pRT survivors had general and disease-specific health status comparable to that of younger pRT survivors. Conclusions: For better survivorship care, rectal cancer survivors could benefit from increased clinical and psychological focus on the possible long-term morbidity of treatment and its effects on health status.

  10. Nutrition in peri-operative esophageal cancer management.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Steenhagen, Elles; van Vulpen, Jonna K; van Hillegersberg, Richard; May, Anne M; Siersema, Peter D

    2017-07-01

    Nutritional status and dietary intake are increasingly recognized as essential areas in esophageal cancer management. Nutritional management of esophageal cancer is a continuously evolving field and comprises an interesting area for scientific research. Areas covered: This review encompasses the current literature on nutrition in the pre-operative, peri-operative, and post-operative phases of esophageal cancer. Both established interventions and potential novel targets for nutritional management are discussed. Expert commentary: To ensure an optimal pre-operative status and to reduce peri-operative complications, it is key to assess nutritional status in all pre-operative esophageal cancer patients and to apply nutritional interventions accordingly. Since esophagectomy results in a permanent anatomical change, a special focus on nutritional strategies is needed in the post-operative phase, including early initiation of enteral feeding, nutritional interventions for post-operative complications, and attention to long-term nutritional intake and status. Nutritional aspects of pre-optimization and peri-operative management should be incorporated in novel Enhanced Recovery After Surgery programs for esophageal cancer.

  11. Indirect dark matter searches: current status and perspectives

    CERN Multimedia

    CERN. Geneva

    2016-01-01

    Many theoretical ideas for the particle nature of dark matter exist. The  most popular models often predict that dark matter particles self-annihilate or decay, giving rise to potentially detectable signatures in astronomical observations.  I will summarize the current status of searches for such signatures and critically reassess recent claims for dark matter signals.  I will further provide an outlook on anticipated developments in the next 10 years, and discuss new methods to facilitate strategy development.

  12. ZnO growth technologies: current status and perspectives

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lupan, Oleg

    2011-01-01

    Development of new technologies for ZnO nano materials and thin films is of critical importance for further fundamental investigations and practical applications. We discuss on the main technical control of the synthesis of zinc oxide and its properties, which are of significance in understanding the growth mechanism and further developing ZnO-based devices. Next, we present a brief summary of recent research activities, current status and progress in developing improved control of technological processes for zinc oxide as advanced material.

  13. Subsets of microsatellite-unstable colorectal cancers exhibit discordance between the CpG island methylator phenotype and MLH1 methylation status.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Jung H; Rhee, Ye-Y; Bae, Jeong-M; Kwon, Hyeong-J; Cho, Nam-Y; Kim, Mi J; Kang, Gyeong H

    2013-07-01

    Although the presence of MLH1 methylation in microsatellite-unstable colorectal cancer generally indicates involvement of the CpG island methylator phenotype (CIMP) in the development of the tumor, these two conditions do not always correlate. A minority of microsatellite-unstable colorectal cancers exhibit discordance between CIMP and MLH1 methylation statuses. However, the clinicopathological features of such microsatellite-unstable colorectal cancers with discrepant MLH1 methylation and CIMP statuses remain poorly studied. Microsatellite-unstable colorectal cancers (n=220) were analyzed for CIMP and MLH1 methylation statuses using the MethyLight assay. Based on the combinatorial CIMP and MLH1 methylation statuses, the microsatellite-unstable colorectal cancers were grouped into four subtypes (CIMP-high (CIMP-H) MLH1 methylation-positive (MLH1m+), CIMP-H MLH1 methylation-negative, CIMP-low/0 (CIMP-L/0) MLH1m+, and CIMP-L/0 MLH1 methylation-negative), which were compared in terms of their associations with clinicopathological and molecular features. The CIMP-L/0 MLH1 methylation-negative and CIMP-H MLH1m+ subtypes were predominant, comprising 63.6 and 24.1% of total microsatellite-unstable colorectal cancers, respectively. The discordant subtypes, CIMP-H MLH1 methylation-negative and CIMP-L/0 MLH1m+, were found in 5 and 7% of microsatellite-unstable colorectal cancers, respectively. The CIMP-H MLH1 methylation-negative subtype exhibited elevated incidence rates in male patients and was associated with larger tumor size, more frequent loss of MSH2 expression, increased frequency of KRAS mutation, and advanced cancer stage. The CIMP-L/0 MLH1m+ subtype was associated with onset at an earlier age, a predominance of MLH1 loss, and earlier cancer stage. None of the CIMP-L/0 MLH1m+ subtype patients succumbed to death during the follow-up. Our findings suggest that the discordant subtypes of colorectal cancers exhibit distinct clinicopathological and molecular features

  14. Falls and Frailty in Prostate Cancer Survivors: Current, Past, and Never Users of Androgen Deprivation Therapy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Winters-Stone, Kerri M; Moe, Esther; Graff, Julie N; Dieckmann, Nathan F; Stoyles, Sydnee; Borsch, Carolyn; Alumkal, Joshi J; Amling, Christopher L; Beer, Tomasz M

    2017-07-01

    To compare the prevalence of and association between falls and frailty of prostate cancer survivors (PCSs) who were current, past or never users of androgen deprivation therapy (ADT). Cross-sectional. Mail and electronic survey. PCSs (N = 280; mean age 72 ± 8). Cancer history, falls, and frailty status (robust, prefrail, frail) using traditionally defined and obese phenotypes. Current (37%) or past (34%) ADT users were more than twice as likely to have fallen in the previous year as never users (15%) (P = .002). ADT users had twice as many recurrent falls (P users were more likely to be classified as prefrail or frail than never users (15%) (P users than never users (25%) (P < .001). Traditional and obese frailty significantly increased the likelihood of reporting falls in the previous year (odds ratio (OR) = 2.15, 95% CI = 1.18-3.94 and OR = 2.97, 95% CI = 1.62-5.58, respectively) and was also associated with greater risk of recurrent falls (OR = 3.10, 95% CI = 1.48-6.5 and OR = 3.99, 95% CI = 1.79-8.89, respectively). Current and past exposure to ADT is linked to higher risk of falls and frailty than no treatment. PCSs should be appropriately counseled on fall prevention strategies, and approaches to reduce frailty should be considered. © 2017, Copyright the Authors Journal compilation © 2017, The American Geriatrics Society.

  15. Preclinical magnetic resonance imaging and systems biology in cancer research: current applications and challenges.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Albanese, Chris; Rodriguez, Olga C; VanMeter, John; Fricke, Stanley T; Rood, Brian R; Lee, YiChien; Wang, Sean S; Madhavan, Subha; Gusev, Yuriy; Petricoin, Emanuel F; Wang, Yue

    2013-02-01

    Biologically accurate mouse models of human cancer have become important tools for the study of human disease. The anatomical location of various target organs, such as brain, pancreas, and prostate, makes determination of disease status difficult. Imaging modalities, such as magnetic resonance imaging, can greatly enhance diagnosis, and longitudinal imaging of tumor progression is an important source of experimental data. Even in models where the tumors arise in areas that permit visual determination of tumorigenesis, longitudinal anatomical and functional imaging can enhance the scope of studies by facilitating the assessment of biological alterations, (such as changes in angiogenesis, metabolism, cellular invasion) as well as tissue perfusion and diffusion. One of the challenges in preclinical imaging is the development of infrastructural platforms required for integrating in vivo imaging and therapeutic response data with ex vivo pathological and molecular data using a more systems-based multiscale modeling approach. Further challenges exist in integrating these data for computational modeling to better understand the pathobiology of cancer and to better affect its cure. We review the current applications of preclinical imaging and discuss the implications of applying functional imaging to visualize cancer progression and treatment. Finally, we provide new data from an ongoing preclinical drug study demonstrating how multiscale modeling can lead to a more comprehensive understanding of cancer biology and therapy. Copyright © 2013 American Society for Investigative Pathology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  16. The expression status of TRX, AR, and cyclin D1 correlates with clinicopathological characteristics and ER status in breast cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Huang, Weisun; Nie, Weiwei; Zhang, Wenwen; Wang, Yanru; Zhu, Aiyu; Guan, Xiaoxiang

    2016-01-01

    The ER signaling pathway plays a critical role in breast cancer. ER signaling pathway-related proteins, such as TRX, AR, and cyclin D1, may have an important function in breast cancer. However, the ways that they influence breast cancer development and progression are still unclear. A total of 101 Chinese female patients diagnosed with invasive ductal breast adenocarcinoma were retrospectively enrolled in the study. The expression levels of TRX, AR, and cyclin D1 were detected by immunohistochemistry and analyzed via correlation with clinicopathological characteristics and the expression status of ER, PR, and HER2. The expression status of TRX, AR, and cyclin D1 was not associated with the patient's age, menopausal status, tumor size, or histological differentiation (P>0.05), but was positively correlated with ER and PR (PTRX-positive patients were also HER2-positive (P=0.003). Of AR- or cyclin D1-positive patients, most had relatively earlier I-II tumor stage (P=0.005 and P=0.047, respectively) and no metastatic lymph node involvement (P=0.008 and P=0.005, respectively). TRX was found to be positively correlated with ER and PR expression, whereas it was negatively correlated with HER2 expression. In addition, we found that the positive expression of AR and cyclin D1 was correlated with lower TNM stage and fewer metastatic lymph nodes, and it was more common in ER-positive breast cancer than in the basal-like subtype. This may indicate that AR and cyclin D1 are good predictive and prognostic factors and closely interact with ER signaling pathway. Further studies will be necessary to investigate the response and clinical outcomes of treatment targeting TRX, AR, and cyclin D1.

  17. Influence of radical prostatectomy for prostate cancer on work status and working life 3 years after surgery.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dahl, Sigrun; Loge, Jon Håvard; Berge, Viktor; Dahl, Alv Andreas; Cvancarova, Milada; Fosså, Sophie Dorothea

    2015-06-01

    The purpose of this study is to study the influence of radical prostatectomy (RP) for prostate cancer on work status and working life in men 3 years after surgery. In a prospective, questionnaire-based study on adverse effects after RP, 330 prostate cancer (PCa) patients who had been active in the workforce before RP described their work status 3 years after having surgery. We dichotomized their postoperative work status into "unchanged or increased" versus "reduced." The participants also reported whether their working life was influenced by the PCa trajectory to no, some, or a great extent. Univariate and multiple logistic regression models were established with sociodemographic and clinical characteristics as independent variables and "work status" or "influence of PCa trajectory on working life" as dependent variables. Twenty-five percent of the participants had retired. Of the remaining participants, approximately 20 % had a reduced work status, which in the multivariate analyses was significantly associated with increasing age. One third of the men still active in the workforce considered the PCa to negatively influence their working life. This was independently associated with bother related to urinary leakage, fatigue, and having undergone additional oncological therapy (pelvic radiotherapy and/or hormone treatment). Though RP does not affect work status in most men, approximately one third of them experience problems in their working life due to adverse effects related to RP and/or additional post-RP anti-cancer therapy. Most PCa survivors can expect to remain in the workforce for at least 3 years after RP, but for some, persistent adverse effects after RP and /or additional anti-cancer treatment negatively affect their working life. Pre-RP counseling of men within the workforce should cover possible post-RP changes concerning work status and working life.

  18. Investigation on Current Status of World Nuclear Education and Training

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shin, J. Y.; Min, M. J.; Noh, B. C.

    2010-04-01

    All over the world, the interest of nuclear energy is increasing and the expectations of it are getting more as one of the most practical alternative energy resources. However, since 1990s, as a lot of nuclear specialists are being retired, now the problem of manpower shortage is taken into consideration for all of us and will be continued until 2011. In this point of view, the good quality of the professional nuclear training and education systems and the nuclear education centers are requested in order to breed and supply the next generation nuclear scientists and engineers. Thus, the objective of this study is to explore the current status of world nuclear education for both of nuclear power countries and potential nuclear power utilization countries in the near future. This report introduces the importance of nuclear energy, the current status of world nuclear power plants operation and the contribution of nuclear energy. Besides, it also includes the nuclear energy development plan of potential nuclear developing countries in the near future. In addition, this study also explores the nuclear training and education systems of the nuclear development countries and the current status of nuclear education in various fields such as government, industries, nuclear power plants ect. Especially, as considering the status of nuclear education classified such as Asia, the Americas, East and West Europe, the Middle East and Africa, it shows the different characteristics of nuclear education systems in each regions aimed to identify the good practices on the nuclear education systems. Finally, through observation of international cooperation and networks of the various nuclear organizations, this will be contributed to the development of nuclear education for member states and be suggested the various of the direction of development for nuclear education in Korea. The report presents in the basis of the recent status data of the world nuclear education systems collected

  19. Current status of quantitative rotational spectroscopy for atmospheric research

    Science.gov (United States)

    Drouin, Brian J.; Wlodarczak, Georges; Colmont, Jean-Marcel; Rohart, Francois

    2004-01-01

    Remote sensing of rotational transitions in the Earth's atmosphere has become an important method for the retrieval of geophysical temperatures, pressures and chemical composition profiles that requires accurate spectral information. This paper highlights the current status of rotational data that are useful for atmospheric measurements, with a discussion of the types the rotational lineshape measurements that are not generally available in either online repository.

  20. Review of the current status of radiation risk estimates

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Charles, M.W.; Little, M.P.

    1988-10-01

    This report reviews the current status of radiation risk estimation for low linear energy transfer radiation. Recent statements by various national and international organisations regarding risk estimates are critically discussed. The recently published revised population risk estimates from the study of Japanese bomb survivors are also reviewed and used with some unpublished data from Japan to calculate risk figures for a general work force. (author)

  1. Current Diagnosis, Treatment and Etiology of Status Epilepticus

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Çetin Kürşad Akpınar

    2014-03-01

    Full Text Available Status Epilepticus (SE is a medical emergency that causes significant morbidity and mortality and requires prompt diagnosis and treatment. Although SE can be divided into two subgroups as convulsive and nonconvulsive, treatment principles are generally similar. Treatment should be prompt and underlying cause should be corrected. Although intravenous lorazepam is the first-line treatment due to a lower risk of relapse, diazepam becomes the first choice since loeazepan is not available in our country. Even though intravenous benzodiazepine stops seizures, intravenous antiepileptic drug (phenytoin, etc. should be administered at a loading dose. Patients with refractory status epilepticus should be supported with respect to vital, respiratory, metabolic and hemodynamic aspects and followed up in an intensive care unit to monitor cerebral electrical activity. The most common cause in the etiology is the cessation of antiepileptic drugs. The aim of SE treatment is to stop seizures and prevent complications and recurrence. In this paper, current diagnosis, treatment and etiology of SE are reviewed.

  2. A current global view of environmental and occupational cancers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yang, Mihi

    2011-07-01

    This review is focused on current information of avoidable environmental pollution and occupational exposure as causes of cancer. Approximately 2% to 8% of all cancers are thought to be due to occupation. In addition, occupational and environmental cancers have their own characteristics, e.g., specific chemicals and cancers, multiple factors, multiple causation and interaction, or latency period. Concerning carcinogens, asbestos/silica/wood dust, soot/polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons [benzo(a) pyrene], heavy metals (arsenic, chromium, nickel), aromatic amines (4-aminobiphenyl, benzidine), organic solvents (benzene or vinyl chloride), radiation/radon, or indoor pollutants (formaldehyde, tobacco smoking) are mentioned with their specific cancers, e.g., lung, skin, and bladder cancers, mesothelioma or leukemia, and exposure routes, rubber or pigment manufacturing, textile, painting, insulation, mining, and so on. In addition, nanoparticles, electromagnetic waves, and climate changes are suspected as future carcinogenic sources. Moreover, the aspects of environmental and occupational cancers are quite different between developing and developed countries. The recent follow-up of occupational cancers in Nordic countries shows a good example for developed countries. On the other hand, newly industrializing countries face an increased burden of occupational and environmental cancers. Developing countries are particularly suffering from preventable cancers in mining, agriculture, or industries without proper implication of safety regulations. Therefore, industrialized countries are expected to educate and provide support for developing countries. In addition, citizens can encounter new environmental and occupational carcinogen nominators such as nanomaterials, electromagnetic wave, and climate exchanges. As their carcinogenicity or involvement in carcinogenesis is not clearly unknown, proper consideration for them should be taken into account. For these purposes, new

  3. Exercise after breast cancer treatment: current perspectives

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dieli-Conwright CM

    2015-10-01

    Full Text Available Christina M Dieli-Conwright, Breanna Z Orozco Division of Biokinesiology and Physical Therapy, Women's Health and Exercise Laboratory, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA Abstract: Over the past 2 decades, great strides have been made in the field of exercise-oncology research, particularly with breast cancer. This area of research is particularly important since there are >2.8 million breast cancer survivors who are in need of an intervention that can offset treatment-related side effects. Noticeable reductions in physical fitness (ie, cardiopulmonary fitness and muscular strength, negative changes in body composition (ie, increase in body mass, decrease in lean body mass, and increase in fat mass, increased fatigue, depression, or anxiety are some of the common side effects of cancer treatments that negatively impact overall quality of life and increase the risk for the development of comorbidities. Exercise plays a vital role in improving cardiopulmonary function, psychological events, muscular strength, and endurance in breast cancer survivors, and thus should be considered as a key factor of lifestyle intervention to reverse negative treatment-related side effects. The purpose of this review is to address current perspectives on the benefits of aerobic and resistance exercise after breast cancer treatments. This review is focused on the well-established benefits of exercise on physical and emotional well-being, bone health, lymphedema management, and the postulated benefits of exercise on risk reduction for recurrence of breast cancer. Keywords: breast cancer, exercise, physical well-being

  4. The Current Status of Teachers and the Teaching Profession in ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    This paper examines the current status of teachers and the teaching sector in Tanzania. It draws on experiences of teachers, parents, and students in Dar es Salaam, Iringa and Mbeya regions. Informed by the qualitative inquiry, the paper is largely empirical in character. Data was sought through interviews and document ...

  5. Annotating MYC Status in Treatment-Resistant Metastatic Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer With Gallium-68 Citrate PET

    Science.gov (United States)

    2017-09-01

    which avidly binds to circulating transferrin) labeled transferrin (Tf) can detect MYC-positive prostate cancer tumors, since the transferrin receptor ...Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer with Androgen Receptor - Axis Imaging. Journal of nuclear medicine : official publication, Society of Nuclear...AWARD NUMBER: W81XWH-16-1-0469 TITLE: Annotating MYC Status in Treatment-Resistant Metastatic Castration- Resistant Prostate Cancer With

  6. Nutritional status and quality of life of the gastric cancer patients in Changle County of China

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    Jun Tian; Jian-Shun Chen

    2005-01-01

    AIM: To analyze the relation between nutrition and quality of life in the stomach cancer patients, evaluate the intake of daily nutrition of the patients, and study the feasibility of nutrition intervention in improving quality of life of the stomach cancer patients.METHODS: A total of 285 surgical stomach cancer patients reported in the Changle Cancer Registry from 2002 to 2003 were investigated with respect to their diet and quality of life. Daily nutrition intakes of the patients were calculated according to the Food Composition Database, and these data were compared with the reference values proposed by the Chinese Nutrition Society. The partial correlation was used to analyze the relationship between nutrition and quality of life in the patients. Stepwise multiple regression analyses were conducted to analyze the factors influencing nutrition intake in stomach cancer patients.RESULTS: Except vitamin C, there were statistical correlations between the nutrition and quality of life in stomach cancer patients, and differences of the daily nutrition intake among three groups (good, modest and bad quality of life) of the patients were significant. Most of the stomach cancer patients had a lower daily nutrition intake than the reference values. At the significance level α = 0.05, the factors influencing the daily nutrition intake of the patients were number of meals a day, family income, way of operation, exercise and age.CONCLUSION: The nutritional status of the operated patients with stomach cancer may impact on their quality of life. The stomach cancer patients in Changle County have a low level of daily nutrition intake, which suggests that they have a bad nutritional status. To improve the quality of life of the patients, the nutrition intervention should be conducted. Increasing times of meals a day and having a high-protein, high-calorie foods can improve the nutritional status of the stomach cancer patients.Moreover, exercise for rehabilitation can whet the

  7. Nutritional status and quality of life of the gastric cancer patients in Changle County of China.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tian, Jun; Chen, Jian-Shun

    2005-03-21

    To analyze the relation between nutrition and quality of life in the stomach cancer patients, evaluate the intake of daily nutrition of the patients, and study the feasibility of nutrition intervention in improving quality of life of the stomach cancer patients. A total of 285 surgical stomach cancer patients reported in the Changle Cancer Registry from 2002 to 2003 were investigated with respect to their diet and quality of life. Daily nutrition intakes of the patients were calculated according to the Food Composition Database, and these data were compared with the reference values proposed by the Chinese Nutrition Society. The partial correlation was used to analyze the relationship between nutrition and quality of life in the patients. Stepwise multiple regression analyses were conducted to analyze the factors influencing nutrition intake in stomach cancer patients. Except vitamin C, there were statistical correlations between the nutrition and quality of life in stomach cancer patients, and differences of the daily nutrition intake among three groups (good, modest and bad quality of life) of the patients were significant. Most of the stomach cancer patients had a lower daily nutrition intake than the reference values. At the significance level alpha = 0.05, the factors influencing the daily nutrition intake of the patients were number of meals a day, family income, way of operation, exercise and age. The nutritional status of the operated patients with stomach cancer may impact on their quality of life. The stomach cancer patients in Changle County have a low level of daily nutrition intake, which suggests that they have a bad nutritional status. To improve the quality of life of the patients, the nutrition intervention should be conducted. Increasing times of meals a day and having a high-protein, high-calorie foods can improve the nutritional status of the stomach cancer patients. Moreover, exercise for rehabilitation can whet the appetite of the patients and

  8. Interaction between body mass index and hormone-receptor status as a prognostic factor in lymph-node-positive breast cancer.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Il Yong Chung

    Full Text Available The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between the body mass index (BMI at a breast cancer diagnosis and various factors including the hormone-receptor, menopause, and lymph-node status, and identify if there is a specific patient subgroup for which the BMI has an effect on the breast cancer prognosis. We retrospectively analyzed the data of 8,742 patients with non-metastatic invasive breast cancer from the research database of Asan Medical Center. The overall survival (OS and breast-cancer-specific survival (BCSS outcomes were compared among BMI groups using the Kaplan-Meier method and Cox proportional-hazards regression models with an interaction term. There was a significant interaction between BMI and hormone-receptor status for the OS (P = 0.029, and BCSS (P = 0.013 in lymph-node-positive breast cancers. Obesity in hormone-receptor-positive breast cancer showed a poorer OS (adjusted hazard ratio [HR] = 1.51, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.92 to 2.48 and significantly poorer BCSS (HR = 1.80, 95% CI = 1.08 to 2.99. In contrast, a high BMI in hormone-receptor-negative breast cancer revealed a better OS (HR = 0.44, 95% CI = 0.16 to 1.19 and BCSS (HR = 0.53, 95% CI = 0.19 to 1.44. Being underweight (BMI < 18.50 kg/m2 with hormone-receptor-negative breast cancer was associated with a significantly worse OS (HR = 1.98, 95% CI = 1.00-3.95 and BCSS (HR = 2.24, 95% CI = 1.12-4.47. There was no significant interaction found between the BMI and hormone-receptor status in the lymph-node-negative setting, and BMI did not interact with the menopause status in any subgroup. In conclusion, BMI interacts with the hormone-receptor status in a lymph-node-positive setting, thereby playing a role in the prognosis of breast cancer.

  9. The Current Status of Sport Sociology within American and Canadian Colleges and Universities.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brooks, Dana D.

    The purpose of this study was to investigate the current status of sport sociology within American and Canadian Colleges and Universities. The study investigated: (1) the number of graduate and undergraduate courses offered in sport sociology; (2) current research area(s) of interest within sport sociology; (3) current text used as reference and…

  10. Prognostic effect of estrogen receptor status across age in primary breast cancer

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Bentzon, Niels; Düring, Maria; Rasmussen, Birgitte Bruun

    2008-01-01

    Estrogen receptor (ER) status is considered as an important prognostic factor as well as a predictive factor for endocrine responsiveness in breast cancer. We analyzed the distribution of ER status across age and estimated variations in the prognostic impact of ER status related to patients' age...... unchanged in patients who did not receive adjuvant systemic therapy (n = 6,272). Thus, positive ER status does not confer a negative impact on survival in young women as has been previously reported. The inferior prognosis for ER negative patients during the first 5 years after diagnosis changes...... into a slightly superior residual prognosis compared to ER positive patients independent of use of adjuvant systemic therapy. This may have an impact on future designing of guidelines for adjuvant endocrine therapy beyond 5 years....

  11. Drug resistance in colorectal cancer cell lines is partially associated with aneuploidy status in light of profiling gene expression

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Guo, Jiao; Xu, Shaohang; Huang, Xuanlin

    2016-01-01

    A priority in solving the problem of drug resistance is to understand the molecular mechanism of how a drug induces the resistance response within cells. Because many cancer cells exhibit chromosome aneuploidy, we explored whether changes of aneuploidy status result in drug resistance. Two typical...... colorectal cancer cells, HCT116 and LoVo, were cultured with the chemotherapeutic drugs irinotecan (SN38) or oxaliplatin (QxPt), and the non- and drug-resistant cell lines were selected. Whole exome sequencing (WES) was employed to evaluate the aneuploidy status of these cells, and RNAseq and LC-MS/MS were...... the aneuploidy status in cancer cells, which was partially associated with the acquired drug resistance....

  12. Employment status and work-related difficulties in lung cancer survivors compared with the general population.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Young Ae; Yun, Young Ho; Chang, Yoon Jung; Lee, Jongmog; Kim, Moon Soo; Lee, Hyun-Sung; Zo, Jae Ill; Kim, Jhingook; Choi, Yong Soo; Shim, Young Mog; Yoon, Seok-Jun

    2014-03-01

    To investigate the employment status of lung cancer survivors and the work-related problems they face. Although the number of lung cancer survivors is increasing, little is known about their employment and work-related issues. We enrolled 830 lung cancer survivors 12 months after lung cancer curative surgery (median time after diagnosis, 4.11 years) and 1000 volunteers from the general population. All participants completed the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire, Core 30-item and a questionnaire that included items relating to their jobs. We used logistic regression analysis to identify independent predictors of unemployment. The employment rate of lung cancer survivors decreased from 68.6% at the time of diagnosis to 38.8% after treatment, which was significantly lower than the employment rate of the general population (63.5%; adjusted odds ratio = 2.31, 95% confidence interval: 1.66-3.22). The posttreatment unemployment rate was higher for women than for men. Among survivors, employment was inversely associated with older age, household income, number of comorbidities, and poor social functioning. Fatigue (78.6%) was the most common work-related problem reported by survivors. Lung cancer survivors experienced more difficulties in employment than did the general population. Age, monthly household income, number of comorbidities, and social functioning appear to be important factors influencing employment status. These findings suggest that lung cancer survivors need support to cope with the financial impact of cancer.

  13. The effect of chemotherapy on nutritional status and weakness in geriatric gastrointestinal system cancer patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bicakli, Derya Hopanci; Ozveren, Ahmet; Uslu, Ruchan; Dalak, Reci Meseri; Cehreli, Ruksan; Uyar, Mehmet; Karabulut, Bulent; Akcicek, Fehmi

    2018-03-01

    Malnutrition is common in patients with geriatric gastrointestinal system (GIS) cancer. This study aimed to evaluate patients with geriatric GIS cancer in terms of nutritional status and weakness and determine the changes caused by chemotherapy (CT). Patients with geriatric GIS cancer who received CT were included in the study. Their nutritional status was assessed with the Mini Nutritional Assessment, and weakness was assessed with the handgrip strength/body mass index ratio. After CT (minimum 4 wk and maximum 6 wk later), patients were assessed for the same parameters. A total of 153 patients aged ≥65 y (mean age, 70.5 ± 5.6 y; 44 female and 109 male) were evaluated. The population consisted of patients who were diagnosed with colorectal (51.6%), gastric (26.8%), pancreatic (11.8%), hepatic (7.2%), biliary tract (2%), and esophageal (0.7%) cancer. Of these patients, 37.9% were malnourished, 34.6% were at risk of malnutrition, and 27.5% were well nourished. After one course of CT, the frequency of malnutrition increased to 46.4% (P = 0.001). The patient groups with the highest rates of weakness were those who were diagnosed with biliary tract, hepatic, and colorectal cancer (33.3%, 27.3%, and 20%, respectively). Weakness was significantly increased after one course of CT in patients who received CT before (P = 0.039). Malnutrition and weakness were common in patients with geriatric GIS cancer, and even one course of CT worsened the nutritional status of the patients. Patients who have received CT previously should be carefully monitored for weakness. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  14. Corporate Blended Learning in Portugal: Current Status and Future Directions

    Science.gov (United States)

    Marcal, Julia; Caetano, Antonio

    2010-01-01

    The aim of this study is to characterize the current status of blended learning in Portugal, given that b-learning has grown exponentially in the Portuguese market over recent years. 38 organizations (representing 68% of all institutions certified to provide distance training by the Government Labour Office--DGERT-) participated in this study. The…

  15. The current status of mango farming business in Ghana: A case ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    The current status of mango farming business in Ghana: A case study of mango farming in the Dangme West District. ... Mango (Mangifera indica L.) is a crop which is assuming great economic importance in Ghana. ... HOW TO USE AJOL.

  16. Cancer of the Pancreas: Molecular Pathways and Current Advancement in Treatment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Polireddy, Kishore; Chen, Qi

    2016-01-01

    Pancreatic cancer is one of the most lethal cancers among all malignances, with a median overall survival of cancers harbor a variety of genetic alternations that render it difficult to treat even with targeted therapy. Recent studies revealed that pancreatic cancers are highly enriched with a cancer stem cell (CSC) population, which is resistant to chemotherapeutic drugs, and therefore escapes chemotherapy and promotes tumor recurrence. Cancer cell epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) is highly associated with metastasis, generation of CSCs, and treatment resistance in pancreatic cancer. Reviewed here are the molecular biology of pancreatic cancer, the major signaling pathways regulating pancreatic cancer EMT and CSCs, and the advancement in current clinical and experimental treatments for pancreatic cancer.

  17. Association between socioeconomic status and altered appearance distress, body image, and quality of life among breast cancer patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chang, Oliver; Choi, Eun-Kyung; Kim, Im-Ryung; Nam, Seok-Jin; Lee, Jeong Eon; Lee, Se Kyung; Im, Young-Hyuck; Park, Yeon Hee; Cho, Juhee

    2014-01-01

    Breast cancer patients experience a variety of altered appearance--such as loss or disfigurement of breasts, discolored skin, and hair loss--which result in psychological distress that affect their quality of life. This study aims to evaluate the impact of socioeconomic status on the altered appearance distress, body image, and quality of life among Korean breast cancer patients. A cross-sectional survey was conducted at advocacy events held at 16 different hospitals in Korea. Subjects were eligible to participate if they were 18 years of age or older, had a histologically confirmed diagnosis of breast cancer, had no evidence of recurrence or metastasis, and had no psychological problems at the time of the survey. Employment status, marital status, education, and income were assessed for patient socioeconomic status. Altered appearance distress was measured using the NCI's cancer treatment side effects scale; body image and quality of life were measured by the EORTC QLC-C30 and BR23. Means and standard deviations of each outcome were compared by socioeconomic status and multivariate linear regression models for evaluating the association between socioeconomic status and altered appearance distress, body image, and quality of life. A total of 126 breast cancer patients participated in the study; the mean age of participants was 47.7 (SD=8.4). Of the total, 83.2% were married, 85.6% received more than high school education, 35.2% were employed, and 41% had more than $3000 in monthly household income. About 46% had mastectomy, and over 30% were receiving either chemotherapy or radiation therapy at the time of the survey. With fully adjusted models, the employed patients had significantly higher altered appearance distress (1.80 vs 1.48; pappearance distress, body image, and quality of life in Korean women with breast cancer. Patients who suffer from altered appearance distress or lower body image are much more likely to experience psychosocial, physical, and

  18. Why did the breast cancer lymph node status distribution improve in Denmark in the pre-mammography screening period of 1978-1994?

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rostgaard, Klaus; Lynge, Elsebeth; Vaeth, Michael; Rootzen, Helle

    2010-01-01

    Background. Danish breast cancer patients diagnosed in 1978-1994 experienced a trend over time towards a more favourable distribution of lymph node status at time of diagnosis, which was not due to mammography screening. We investigated how this trend could be explained by patient characteristics at diagnosis: age (biological processes), calendar period (e.g. environmental changes), birth cohort (living conditions over a life time), post-menopausal status (a predictor of less favourable nodal status), and tumour diameter (a marker of detection time). Material and methods. The data set consisted of 22 955 patients aged 30-69 years at time of diagnosis with known lymph node status, known tumour diameter, known menopausal status, and clinically detected tumours, available from the Danish Breast Cancer Cooperative Group (DBCG). Age, period, cohort, menopausal status, and tumour diameter were used as predictors in generalised linear models with either node-positive status (at least one of the excised lymph nodes being tumour-positive) or severely node-positive status (at least half of the excised lymph nodes being tumour-positive) as outcomes. Lymph node status was assessed both empirically and estimated using an EM algorithm in order to reduce misclassification. Results and discussion. We found that the improved lymph node status distribution was most likely a period effect due to a combination of earlier detection of clinical tumours, explaining most of the trend in node-positive breast cancer and half of the trend in severely node-positive breast cancer, and some unknown factor affecting lymph node status but not necessarily other tumour characteristics

  19. Survival among Never-Smokers with Lung Cancer in the Cancer Care Outcomes Research and Surveillance Study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Clément-Duchêne, Christelle; Stock, Shannon; Xu, Xiangyan; Chang, Ellen T; Gomez, Scarlett Lin; West, Dee W; Wakelee, Heather A; Gould, Michael K

    2016-01-01

    Differences in patient characteristics and outcomes have been observed among current, former, and never-smokers with lung cancer, but most prior studies included few never-smokers and were not prospective. We used data from a large, prospective study of lung cancer care and outcomes in the United States to compare characteristics of never-smokers and smokers with lung cancer and to examine survival among the never-smokers. Smoking status at diagnosis was determined by self-report and survival was determined from medical records and cancer registries, with follow-up through June 2010 or later. Cox regression was used to examine the association between smoking and survival, and to identify predictors of survival among never-smokers. Among 3,410 patients with lung cancer diagnosed between September 1, 2003 and October 14, 2005 who completed a baseline patient survey, there were 274 never-smokers (8%), 1,612 former smokers (47%), 1,496 current smokers or smokers who quit recently (44%), and 28 with missing information about smoking status (Never-smokers appeared more likely than former and current/recent smokers to be female and of Asian or Hispanic race/ethnicity, and to have adenocarcinoma histology, fewer comorbidities, private insurance, and higher income and education. Compared with never-smokers, the adjusted hazard of death from any cause was 29% higher among former smokers (hazard ratio, 1.29; 95% confidence interval, 1.08-1.55), and 39% higher among current/recent smokers (hazard ratio, 1.39; 95% confidence interval, 1.16-1.67). Factors predicting worse overall survival among never-smokers included Hispanic ethnicity, severe comorbidity, undifferentiated histology, and regional or distant stage. Never-smoking Hispanics appeared more likely to have regional or advanced disease at diagnosis and less likely to undergo surgical resection, although these differences were not statistically significant. Never-smokers with lung cancer are more likely than ever

  20. Current Stem Cell Biomarkers and Their Functional Mechanisms in Prostate Cancer

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kaile Zhang

    2016-07-01

    Full Text Available Currently there is little effective treatment available for castration resistant prostate cancer, which is responsible for the majority of prostate cancer related deaths. Emerging evidence suggested that cancer stem cells might play an important role in resistance to traditional cancer therapies, and the studies of cancer stem cells (including specific isolation and targeting on those cells might benefit the discovery of novel treatment of prostate cancer, especially castration resistant disease. In this review, we summarized major biomarkers for prostate cancer stem cells, as well as their functional mechanisms and potential application in clinical diagnosis and treatment of patients.

  1. Disparities in Breast Cancer Survival Among Asian Women by Ethnicity and Immigrant Status: A Population-Based Study

    Science.gov (United States)

    Clarke, Christina A.; Shema, Sarah J.; Chang, Ellen T.; Keegan, Theresa H. M.; Glaser, Sally L.

    2010-01-01

    Objectives. We investigated heterogeneity in ethnic composition and immigrant status among US Asians as an explanation for disparities in breast cancer survival. Methods. We enhanced data from the California Cancer Registry and the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results program through linkage and imputation to examine the effect of immigrant status, neighborhood socioeconomic status, and ethnic enclave on mortality among Chinese, Japanese, Filipino, Korean, South Asian, and Vietnamese women diagnosed with breast cancer from 1988 to 2005 and followed through 2007. Results. US-born women had similar mortality rates in all Asian ethnic groups except the Vietnamese, who had lower mortality risk (hazard ratio [HR] = 0.3; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.1, 0.9). Except for Japanese women, all foreign-born women had higher mortality than did US-born Japanese, the reference group. HRs ranged from 1.4 (95% CI = 1.2, 1.7) among Koreans to 1.8 (95% CI = 1.5, 2.2) among South Asians and Vietnamese. Little of this variation was explained by differences in disease characteristics. Conclusions. Survival after breast cancer is poorer among foreign- than US-born Asians. Research on underlying factors is needed, along with increased awareness and targeted cancer control. PMID:20299648

  2. Prognostic significance of cancer within 1 mm of the circumferential resection margin in oesophageal cancer patients following neo-adjuvant chemotherapy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Salih, Tamir; Jose, Paul; Mehta, Samir P; Mirza, Ahmed; Udall, Gavin; Pritchard, Susan A; Hayden, Jeremy D; Grabsch, Heike I

    2013-03-01

    The prognostic significance of the circumferential resection margin (CRM) status in oesophageal cancer patients treated with neo-adjuvant chemotherapy and radical resection is controversial. Furthermore, it is currently unclear whether patients with cancer located at the CRM have a prognosis different from that of those with cancer within 1 mm of the CRM. This is the first study aiming to establish the optimal tumour-free distance from the CRM of an oesophagectomy in patients who have undergone neo-adjuvant chemotherapy. The clinicopathological data of 232 oesophageal cancer patients from two UK centres were analysed. The CRM status was classified as Group A (cancer at the CRM), Group B (cancer within 1 mm but not at the CRM) and Group C (no cancer within 1 mm from the CRM). The relationship between the CRM status and patient survival was investigated. Thirty-eight specimens were classified as Group A, 89 as Group B and 105 as Group C. CRM status was related to the depth of tumour invasion (P CRM or within 1 mm of the CRM of the resected specimen have a significantly worse survival than patients with no cancer cells within 1 mm of the margin. However, this study suggests that the overall prognostic significance of the CRM status is limited in this cohort and the postoperative lymph node status is the most important prognostic factor in oesophageal cancer patients treated with neo-adjuvant chemotherapy and surgery.

  3. Current and past menstrual status is an important determinant of femoral neck geometry in exercising women.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mallinson, Rebecca J; Williams, Nancy I; Gibbs, Jenna C; Koehler, Karsten; Allaway, Heather C M; Southmayd, Emily; De Souza, Mary Jane

    2016-07-01

    Menstrual status, both past and current, has been established as an important determinant of bone mineral density (BMD) in young exercising women. However, little is known regarding the association between the cumulative effect of menstrual status and indices of bone health beyond BMD, such as bone geometry and estimated bone strength. This study explores the association between cumulative menstrual status and indices of bone health assessed using dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA), including femoral neck geometry and strength and areal BMD (aBMD), in exercising women. 101 exercising women (22.0±0.4years, BMI 21.0±0.2kg/m(2), 520±40min/week of self-reported exercise) participated in this cross-sectional study. Women were divided into three groups as follows based on their self-reported current and past menstrual status: 1) current and past regular menstrual cycles (C+P-R) (n=23), 2) current and past irregular menstrual cycles (C+P-IR) (n=56), 3) and current or past irregular cycles (C/P-RIR) (n=22). Current menstrual status was confirmed using daily urinary metabolites of reproductive hormones. DXA was used to assess estimates of femoral neck geometry and strength from hip strength analysis (HSA), aBMD, and body composition. Cross-sectional moment of inertia (CSMI), cross-sectional area (CSA), strength index (SI), diameter, and section modulus (Z) were calculated at the femoral neck. Low CSMI, CSA, SI, diameter, and Z were operationally defined as values below the median. Areal BMD (g/cm(2)) and Z-scores were determined at the lumbar spine, femoral neck, and total hip. Low BMD was defined as a Z-score0.05). However, after controlling for confounding variables, cumulative menstrual status was not a significant predictor of low aBMD. In exercising women, the cumulative effect of current and past menstrual irregularity appears to be an important predictor of lower estimates of femoral neck geometry, as observed by smaller CSMI and CSA, which may serve as an

  4. The current status and future directions of myxoma virus, a master in immune evasion.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Spiesschaert, Bart; McFadden, Grant; Hermans, Katleen; Nauwynck, Hans; Van de Walle, Gerlinde R

    2011-06-09

    Myxoma virus (MYXV) gained importance throughout the twentieth century because of the use of the highly virulent Standard Laboratory Strain (SLS) by the Australian government in the attempt to control the feral Australian population of Oryctolagus cuniculus (European rabbit) and the subsequent illegal release of MYXV in Europe. In the European rabbit, MYXV causes a disease with an exceedingly high mortality rate, named myxomatosis, which is passively transmitted by biting arthropod vectors. MYXV still has a great impact on European rabbit populations around the world. In contrast, only a single cutaneous lesion, restricted to the point of inoculation, is seen in its natural long-term host, the South-American Sylvilagus brasiliensis and the North-American S. Bachmani. Apart from being detrimental for European rabbits, however, MYXV has also become of interest in human medicine in the last two decades for two reasons. Firstly, due to the strong immune suppressing effects of certain MYXV proteins, several secreted virus-encoded immunomodulators (e.g. Serp-1) are being developed to treat systemic inflammatory syndromes such as cardiovascular disease in humans. Secondly, due to the inherent ability of MYXV to infect a broad spectrum of human cancer cells, the live virus is also being developed as an oncolytic virotherapeutic to treat human cancer. In this review, an update will be given on the current status of MYXV in rabbits as well as its potential in human medicine in the twenty-first century.

  5. Clinical array-based karyotyping of breast cancer with equivocal HER2 status resolves gene copy number and reveals chromosome 17 complexity

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gunn, Shelly; Gorre, Mercedes; Mohammed, Mansoor; Yeh, I-Tien; Lytvak, Irina; Tirtorahardjo, Budi; Dzidic, Natasha; Zadeh, Soheila; Kim, Jaeweon; McCaskill, Chris; Lim, Lony

    2010-01-01

    HER2 gene copy status, and concomitant administration of trastuzumab (Herceptin), remains one of the best examples of targeted cancer therapy based on understanding the genomic etiology of disease. However, newly diagnosed breast cancer cases with equivocal HER2 results present a challenge for the oncologist who must make treatment decisions despite the patient's unresolved HER2 status. In some cases both immunohistochemistry (IHC) and fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) are reported as equivocal, whereas in other cases IHC results and FISH are discordant for positive versus negative results. The recent validation of array-based, molecular karyotyping for clinical oncology testing provides an alternative method for determination of HER2 gene copy number status in cases remaining unresolved by traditional methods. In the current study, DNA extracted from 20 formalin fixed paraffin embedded (FFPE) tissue samples from newly diagnosed cases of invasive ductal carcinoma referred to our laboratory with unresolved HER2 status, were analyzed using a clinically validated genomic array containing 127 probes covering the HER2 amplicon, the pericentromeric regions, and both chromosome 17 arms. Array-based comparative genomic hybridization (array CGH) analysis of chromosome 17 resolved HER2 gene status in [20/20] (100%) of cases and revealed additional chromosome 17 copy number changes in [18/20] (90%) of cases. Array CGH analysis also revealed two false positives and one false negative by FISH due to 'ratio skewing' caused by chromosomal gains and losses in the centromeric region. All cases with complex rearrangements of chromosome 17 showed genome-wide chromosomal instability. These results illustrate the analytical power of array-based genomic analysis as a clinical laboratory technique for resolution of HER2 status in breast cancer cases with equivocal results. The frequency of complex chromosome 17 abnormalities in these cases suggests that the two

  6. Predicted vitamin D status and colon cancer recurrence and mortality in CALGB 89803 (Alliance).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fuchs, M A; Yuan, C; Sato, K; Niedzwiecki, D; Ye, X; Saltz, L B; Mayer, R J; Mowat, R B; Whittom, R; Hantel, A; Benson, A; Atienza, D; Messino, M; Kindler, H; Venook, A; Innocenti, F; Warren, R S; Bertagnolli, M M; Ogino, S; Giovannucci, E L; Horvath, E; Meyerhardt, J A; Ng, K

    2017-06-01

    Observational studies suggest that higher levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 (25(OH)D) are associated with a reduced risk of colorectal cancer and improved survival of colorectal cancer patients. However, the influence of vitamin D status on cancer recurrence and survival of patients with stage III colon cancer is unknown. We prospectively examined the influence of post-diagnosis predicted plasma 25(OH)D on outcome among 1016 patients with stage III colon cancer who were enrolled in a National Cancer Institute-sponsored adjuvant therapy trial (CALGB 89803). Predicted 25(OH)D scores were computed using validated regression models. We examined the influence of predicted 25(OH)D scores on cancer recurrence and mortality (disease-free survival; DFS) using Cox proportional hazards. Patients in the highest quintile of predicted 25(OH)D score had an adjusted hazard ratio (HR) for colon cancer recurrence or mortality (DFS) of 0.62 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.44-0.86), compared with those in the lowest quintile (Ptrend = 0.005). Higher predicted 25(OH)D score was also associated with a significant improvement in recurrence-free survival and overall survival (Ptrend = 0.01 and 0.0004, respectively). The benefit associated with higher predicted 25(OH)D score appeared consistent across predictors of cancer outcome and strata of molecular tumor characteristics, including microsatellite instability and KRAS, BRAF, PIK3CA, and TP53 mutation status. Higher predicted 25(OH)D levels after a diagnosis of stage III colon cancer may be associated with decreased recurrence and improved survival. Clinical trials assessing the benefit of vitamin D supplementation in the adjuvant setting are warranted. NCT00003835. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Society for Medical Oncology. All rights reserved. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  7. Effect of information seeking and avoidance behavior on self-rated health status among cancer survivors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jung, Minsoo; Ramanadhan, Shoba; Viswanath, Kasisomayajula

    2013-07-01

    Social determinants, such as socioeconomic status (SES) and race/ethnicity are linked to striking health disparities across the cancer continuum. One important mechanism linking social determinants and health disparities may be communication inequalities that are caused by differences in accessing, processing and utilizing cancer information. In this context, we examined health information-seeking/avoidance as a potential mediator between social determinants and self-rated health (SRH) status among cancer survivors. Data came from the 2008 well-informed, thriving and surviving (WITS) study of post-treatment cancer survivors (n=501). We examined the mediating effect of health communication-related behavior between SES and disparities in SRH. The likelihood of belonging to the Low SRH group was higher among patients who had avoided health information and whose family members had not sought health information on behalf of the survivor, those in the lowest household income bracket, and those who had high school or less education after adjusting for potential confounders. Differences in SRH among cancer survivors are associated with SES as well as communication inequalities. It is necessary to provide a supportive environment in which health information is made available if disparities in health-related quality of life among cancer survivors are to be reduced. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  8. The Relationship between TP53 Gene Status and Carboxylesterase 2 Expression in Human Colorectal Cancer

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Momoko Ishimine

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available Irinotecan (CPT-11 is an anticancer prodrug that is activated by the carboxylesterase CES2 and has been approved for the treatment of many types of solid tumors, including colorectal cancer. Recent studies with cell lines show that CES2 expression is regulated by the tumor suppressor protein p53. However, clinical evidence for this regulatory mechanism in cancer is lacking. In this study, we examined the relationship between TP53 gene status and CES2 expression in human colorectal cancer. Most colorectal cancer specimens (70%; 26 of 37 showed lower CES2 mRNA levels (≥1.5-fold lower than the adjacent normal tissue, and only 30% (12 of 37 showed similar (<1.5-fold lower or higher CES2 mRNA levels. However, TP53 gene sequencing revealed no relationship between CES2 downregulation and TP53 mutational status. Moreover, while colorectal cancer cells expressing wild-type p53 exhibited p53-dependent upregulation of CES2, PRIMA-1MET, a drug that restores the transcriptional activity of mutant p53, failed to upregulate CES2 expression in cells with TP53 missense mutations. These results, taken together, suggest that CES2 mRNA expression is decreased in human colorectal cancer independently of p53.

  9. The influence of marital status on stage at diagnosis and survival of patients with colorectal cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Qingguo; Gan, Lu; Liang, Lei; Li, Xinxiang; Cai, Sanjun

    2015-03-30

    Marital status was found to be an independent prognostic factor for survival in various cancer types, but it hasn't been fully studied in colorectal cancer (CRC). The Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results database was used to compare survival outcomes with marital status in each stage. In total, 112, 776 eligible patients were identified. Patients in the widowed group were more frequently elderly women, more common of colon cancer, and more stage I/II in tumor stage (P married group (94.72% VS 94.10%). Married CRC patients had better 5year cause-specific survival (CSS) than those unmarried (P married patients at stage I (94.8% vs 89.8%, P vs 76.5%, P vs 53.9%, P VS 8.2%, P unmarried patients were at greater risk of cancer specific mortality. Despite favorable clinicpathological characteristics, widowed patients were at highest risk of death compared with other groups.

  10. Thermoelectric microgenerators. Current status and prospects of application

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Strutynska L. T.

    2008-08-01

    Full Text Available Analysis of current status and prospects of using thermoelectric microgenerators, including organic-fueled ones, is performed. Developments of thermoelectric microgenerators presented in this review demonstrate that their increasingly wide use forms a separate, very important line of thermoelectricity – micropower generation with growing potential of practical applications for charging batteries, mobile phones, digital cameras and photocameras, power supply to small radio stations, other portable devices, including medical. The ways of increasing the efficiency of such devices and relevant lines of their wide use in practice are determined.

  11. Current status of the nuclear medicine in Japan

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Torizuka, K.

    1974-01-01

    A brief survey of the current status of Japan nuclear medicine is given. The following data are described (from the material of the 11th Japan Conference of Radioisotopes): 1. the increase of the number of nuclear instruments between 1971 and 1973; 2. the total amount of the cobalt radiation apparatur (inclusive of the cesium apparatus) in the hospitals in 1971- and 1972; 3. the radioactive medicines and nuclids used in Japan; 4. the radioactive isotopes used generally in the therapeutics in 1971 and 1972; 5. the question of labour. (K.A.)

  12. Current understanding of mdig/MINA in human cancers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thakur, Chitra; Chen, Fei

    2015-07-01

    Mineral dust-induced gene, mdig has recently been identified and is known to be overexpressed in a majority of human cancers and holds predictive power in the poor prognosis of the disease. Mdig is an environmentally expressed gene that is involved in cell proliferation, neoplastic transformation and immune regulation. With the advancement in deciphering the prognostic role of mdig in human cancers, our understanding on how mdig renders a normal cell to undergo malignant transformation is still very limited. This article reviews the current knowledge of the mdig gene in context to human neoplasias and its relation to the clinico-pathologic factors predicting the outcome of the disease in patients. It also emphasizes on the promising role of mdig that can serve as a potential candidate for biomarker discovery and as a therapeutic target in inflammation and cancers. Considering the recent advances in understanding the underlying mechanisms of tumor formation, more preclinical and clinical research is required to validate the potential of using mdig as a novel biological target of therapeutic and diagnostic value. Expression level of mdig influences the prognosis of several human cancers especially cancers of the breast and lung. Evaluation of mdig in cancers can offer novel biomarker with potential therapeutic interventions for the early assessment of cancer development in patients.

  13. Controlling the HIV/AIDS epidemic: current status and global challenges

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Thorsten eDemberg

    2012-08-01

    Full Text Available This review provides an overview of the current status of the global HIV pandemic and strategies to bring it under control. It updates numerous preventive approaches including behavioral interventions, male circumcision, pre- and post-exposure prophylaxis, vaccines, and microbicides. The manuscript summarizes current anti-retroviral treatment options, their impact in the western world, and difficulties faced by emerging and resource-limited nations in providing and maintaining appropriate treatment regimens. Current clinical and pre-clinical approaches towards a cure for HIV are described, including new drug compounds that target viral reservoirs and gene therapy approaches aimed at altering susceptibility to HIV infection. Recent progress in vaccine development is summarized, including novel approaches and new discoveries.

  14. The Current Status of The Clinical Application of Radioisotope in Korea

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lee, Myung Chul

    1987-01-01

    The medical application of radioisotope started in the western countries in the 1920's but the first successful clinical use of Nuclear Medicine in Korea was made in June, 1959, through the treatment of a patient with hyperthyroidism using radioactive iodine. However, keeping pace with the brilliant international development of nuclear medicine, nuclear medicine in Korea has remarkably grown scientifically; The Korean Society of Nuclear Medicine was organized in 1961, The Radiology Science Institute attached to the Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, the predecessor of the Korea Cancer Center Hospital, was established in 1963, and The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine published its first issue in 1967. Furthermore, the active studies using radioisotopes and the vigorous interchanges of information with foreign countries had increased so steadily and remarkably that we could hold the 3rd Asia and Oceania Congress of Nuclear Medicine in 1984. In Korea, Nuclear Medicine has now settled as a field of a science which interests lots of medical doctors and scientists. However, I cannot deny the fact that the progress of the development of Nuclear Medicine in Korea tends to defer relatively to that of the western countries, which is naturally a very active one, in many respects. I here would like to analyze the current status of clinical application of radioisotope in Korea, find the problems and present their solutions

  15. The Current Status of Classroom Inclusion Activities of Secondary Agriculture Teachers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hoerst, Caryn M.; Whittington, M. Susie

    2009-01-01

    The current status of classroom inclusion activities among agriculture teachers in comprehensive secondary agricultural education programs in Ohio is reported. The researchers describe secondary agriculture teachers' needs related to teaching learners with special needs in inclusion classes, given legislative mandates. Specifically, the…

  16. Symptom clusters of ovarian cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy, and their emotional status and quality of life.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hwang, Kyung-Hye; Cho, Ok-Hee; Yoo, Yang-Sook

    2016-04-01

    We conducted a descriptive study to identify the symptoms, emotional status, and quality of life experienced by hospitalized ovarian cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy, and influencing the factors of symptom clusters on their quality of life. A total of 192 patients who had been diagnosed with ovarian cancer and received adjuvant chemotherapy after surgery more than once from 2 university hospitals with over 800 beds located in the Seoul and Gyeonggi areas of South Korea were included in this study. Using a structured questionnaire, the symptoms, emotional status, and quality of life by these patients were investigated from May 2012 to June 2013. We identified the following 7 symptom clusters among ovarian cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy: psychological distress, fatigue-pain, abdominal discomfort, flu-like symptoms, fluid accumulation, and peripheral neuropathy. Patients with a high level of anxiety or depression experienced all symptoms at a higher level, and the 7 symptom clusters influenced all aspects of the patients' quality of life. This study provides to need interventions for the quality of life of ovarian cancer patients need to include the management of not only the physical symptoms and treatment-related side effects, but also the changes in their emotional status and daily lives. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  17. Study of Grants, new Mexico, uranium miners: current status

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Samet, J.M.; Morgan, M.V.; Buechley, R.W.; Key, C.R.; Valdivia, A.A.

    1981-01-01

    The Uranium Epidemiology Study at the University of New Mexico was initiated in 1977 with the objective of assessing health effects of uranium mining in the Grants, New Mexico, area. The planned approach was a cohort study of mortality that would capitalize on the availability of health records at the Grants Clinic. The first year's work confirmed the study's feasibility (Buechley, 1979). Subsequent efforts have focused on the health and exposure data base and comprehensive follow-up. A retrospective cohort study of early miners is in progress; a prospective cohort study of miners who began working under the current federal standard is planned. This report will summarize the current status of the Uranium Epidemiology Study

  18. Diet, Physical Activity, Marital Status and Risk of Cancer: A Case Control Study of Adults from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    AlSaeed, Eyad Fawzi; Tunio, Mutahir A

    2017-09-01

    We aimed to compare the dietary habits, engagement in various sports, smoking habits, marital status and other demographic characteristics, between cancer patients and healthy adults (control) at our institute, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted on 500 participants (237 cancer patients and 263 healthy adults). A well-structured questionnaire was given to these participants regarding the life style, dietary habits, and marital status through interviews. Mean age of whole cohort was 39.3 years (range: 14-85). Among the cancer patients, breast cancer was predominant (45.6%). Compared to controls, higher percentage of married (72.6% vs. 55.5%) and divorced (10.2% vs.4.2%) was noticed in cancer patients (P = 0.002). In cancer patients, majority were unemployed (housewives = 49.3%; retired = 16.0%) as compared to controls (housewives = 14.1%; retired = 2.0%) P = 0.0001. Use of computer laptops/tablets and internet surfing was significantly higher in controls as compared to cancer patients (80.3% vs. 42.2%) P = 0.0001. Similarly, cancer patients started smoking at early age and were relatively heavy smokers with P = 0.03 and P = 0.001 respectively. Cancer patients consumed < 3 cups of coffee/day as compared to control (42.4% vs. 21.5%) P = 0.02. More cancer patients got married at early age between 11-20 years (58.7% vs. 37.7%) P = 0.01. Unemployment, marital status, lack of nutritional knowledge through internet, heavy smoking, heavy coffee consumption and early age at marriage were associated with the risk of various cancers in both genders.

  19. Curriculum leadership in the postgraduate: Gap between current and optimal status.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Avizhgan, Maryam; Jafari, Ebrahim Mirshah; Nasr, Ahmad Reza; Changiz, Tahereh

    2015-04-01

    Identifying the strengths and weakness points is one of the effective methods to analyze current status, and prioritizing actions based on the gap between current and optimal status is necessary for short-term and long-term planning in departments and colleges. The aim of this study was to determine the gap between current and optimal status of curriculum leadership in the postgraduate courses in two Iranian universities. In this cross-sectional study, a sample of 212 faculty members from the two Iranian universities (one medical and one nonmedical) was randomly selected through stratified random sampling method. Data were collected by using a researcher-made questionnaire, with 55 items categorized in four areas of main dimensions in curriculum leadership. The validity of the questionnaire was determined by curriculum studies scholars, and the reliability was confirmed as the Cronbach's alpha calculated 0.969. Data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics according to the variables. There was a gap in all dimensions and roles. The maximum gap (-1.70) with the highest frequency (98%) were related to "improving the educational atmosphere" dimension. As for items, the maximum gap (-2.41) was related to "society needs and expectations and the labor market" in "curriculum development and revision" dimension. The negative gap between all dimensions of curriculum leadership implies faculty members' dissatisfaction. Curriculum leadership at universities, colleges and departments of the study in all aspects need to be improved. Hence, it is necessary for managers to make use of the viewpoints of the faculty members to decrease the gap.

  20. Current status of medical oncology in Japan--reality gleaned from a questionnaire sent to designated cancer care hospitals.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Takiguchi, Yuichi; Sekine, Ikuo; Iwasawa, Shunichiro; Kurimoto, Ryota; Sakaida, Emiko; Tamura, Kenji

    2014-07-01

    Medical oncology in Japan has a relatively short history, with specialist certification starting in 2006, resulting in 867 certified medical oncologists as of 2014. Although the national government has appointed 397 Designated Cancer Care Hospitals, little is known about the actual situations of medical oncology services at these institutions. Questionnaires regarding the presence of a medical oncology department, the number of physicians in the department, the presence of certified medical oncologists and the degree of the medical oncologists' responsibilities for drug therapies in adults with solid cancers were sent to all 397 institutions between 21 January and 1 May 2013. The response rate was 68.0%. Among the responses, 39.4% of the institutions had medical oncology departments with a median of three physicians. Most of the medical oncology departments were primarily responsible, as evaluated according to patient number, for the treatment of limited disease categories. The medical oncologists were significantly more responsible for molecular-targeted therapy than for chemotherapy in head and neck cancer or for cytokine therapy in renal cell carcinoma. The wide variety of adverse events associated with molecular-targeted therapy might have enhanced the roles of medical oncologists. As the proportion of hospitals with a medical oncology department increased according to the number of certified medical oncologists working at the institution, cultivating medical oncologists seems to be an urgent task for advancing medical oncology in Japan. The present study provides fundamental data for the future development of medical oncology in Japan. The present study is to uncover the current situation of medical oncology in Japan. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  1. AB115. Preliminary study on the immune status of patients with prostate cancer

    OpenAIRE

    He, Jingliang; He, Leye

    2014-01-01

    Objective To preliminarily assess the immune status of patients with prostate cancer through detecting various immune indexs and then analyse the relationship between immune status and clinical factors such as clinical stage, pathological classification and endocrine therapy. Methods Flow cytometry was used to detect the percentage of CD4, CD8and NK cells in peripheral blood lymphocyte (PBL) of 28 patients with PCa, 16 BPH patients and ten healthy men (HM). The expression of perforin and gran...

  2. Impact of Immigration Status on Cancer Outcomes in Ontario, Canada.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cheung, Matthew C; Earle, Craig C; Fischer, Hadas D; Camacho, Ximena; Liu, Ning; Saskin, Refik; Shah, Baiju R; Austin, Peter C; Singh, Simron

    2017-07-01

    Prior studies have documented inferior health outcomes in vulnerable populations, including racial minorities and those with disadvantaged socioeconomic status. The impact of immigration on cancer-related outcomes is less clear. Administrative databases were linked to create a cohort of incident cancer cases (colorectal, lung, prostate, head and neck, breast, and hematologic malignancies) from 2000 to 2012 in Ontario, Canada. Cancer patients who immigrated to Canada (from 1985 onward) were compared with those who were Canadian born (or immigrated before 1985). Patients were followed from diagnosis until death (cancer-specific or all-cause). Cox proportional hazards models were estimated to determine the impact of immigration on mortality after adjusting for explanatory variables. Additional adjusted models studied the relationship of time since immigration and cancer-specific and overall mortality. From 2000 to 2012, 11,485 cancer cases were diagnosed in recent immigrants (0 to 10 years in Canada), 17,844 cases in nonrecent immigrants (11 to 25 years), and 416,118 cases in nonimmigrants. After adjustment, the hazard of mortality was lower for recent immigrants (hazard ratio [HR], 0.843; 95% CI, 0.814 to 0.873) and nonrecent immigrants (HR, 0.902; 95% CI, 0.876 to 0.928) compared with nonimmigrants. Cancer-specific mortality was also lower for recent immigrants (HR, 0.857; 95% CI, 0.823 to 0.893) and nonrecent immigrants (HR, 0.907; 95% CI, 0.875 to 0.94). Among immigrants, each year from the original landing was associated with increased mortality (HR, 1.004; 95% CI, 1.000 to 1.009) and a trend to increased cancer-specific mortality (HR, 1.005; 95% CI, 0.999 to 1.010). Immigrants demonstrate a healthy immigrant effect, with lower cancer-specific mortality compared with Canadian-born individuals. This benefit seems to diminish over time, as the survival of immigrants from common cancers potentially converges with the Canadian norm.

  3. Intraoperative radiotherapy - Current status

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gunderson, Leonard L.; Willett, Christopher G.; Harrison, Louis B.

    1997-01-01

    Purpose/Objective: Intraoperative irradiation (IORT) in its broadest sense refers to the delivery of irradiation at the time of an operation. This refresher course will discuss the use of both electrons (IOERT) and high dose rate brachytherapy (IOHDR) in conjunction with surgical exploration and resection ± external irradiation/chemotherapy. Both IORT methods have evolved with similar philosophies as an attempt to achieve higher effective doses of irradiation while dose limiting structures are surgically displaced. The rationale for each is supported by excellent local control ± survival results achieved with brachytherapy alone or as a boost to external irradiation in organ preservation efforts in traditional sites (head and neck, breast, gynecologic) wherein a boost dose could be delivered to smaller volumes than could usually be accomplished with external irradiation alone. IOERT has been a tool in modern radiotherapy in Japan since the 1960's and in the U.S. since the mid 1970's. Results from randomized and nonrandomized trials will be presented in the refresher course with major emphasis on GI sites (gastric, pancreas, colorectal) since the data is more mature. While the largest clinical experience with IOERT (± external irradiation/chemotherapy, maximal resection) has been with gastrointestinal cancers in adults, moderate experience has also been obtained with locally advanced retroperitoneal sarcomas and recurrent genitourinary and gynecologic cancers. With primary colorectal cancers that are unresectable for cure or for locally recurrent colorectal cancers, both local control and long-term survival appear to be improved with the aggressive combinations including IOERT when compared to results achieved with conventional treatment. When residual disease exists after resection of gastric cancers, IOERT ± external radiation has achieved optimistic survival results in trials in Japan, the U.S., Spain and China. With locally unresectable pancreatic cancer, an

  4. Microsatellite Status of Primary Colorectal Cancer Predicts the Incidence of Postoperative Colorectal Neoplasms.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Takiyama, Aki; Tanaka, Toshiaki; Yamamoto, Yoko; Hata, Keisuke; Ishihara, Soichiro; Nozawa, Hiroaki; Kawai, Kazushige; Kiyomatsu, Tomomichi; Nishikawa, Takeshi; Otani, Kensuke; Sasaki, Kazuhito; Watanabe, Toshiaki

    2017-10-01

    Few studies have evaluated the risk of postoperative colorectal neoplasms stratified by the nature of primary colorectal cancer (CRC). In this study, we revealed it on the basis of the microsatellite (MS) status of primary CRC. We retrospectively reviewed 338 patients with CRC and calculated the risk of neoplasms during postoperative surveillance colonoscopy in association with the MS status of primary CRC. A propensity score method was applied. We identified a higher incidence of metachronous rectal neoplasms after the resection of MS stable CRC than MS instable CRC (adjusted HR 5.74, p=0.04). We also observed a higher incidence of colorectal tubular adenoma in patients with MSS CRC (adjusted hazard ratio 7.09, pcolorectal cancer influenced the risk of postoperative colorectal neoplasms. Copyright© 2017, International Institute of Anticancer Research (Dr. George J. Delinasios), All rights reserved.

  5. NRS-2002 for pre-treatment nutritional risk screening and nutritional status assessment in head and neck cancer patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Orell-Kotikangas, Helena; Österlund, Pia; Saarilahti, Kauko; Ravasco, Paula; Schwab, Ursula; Mäkitie, Antti A

    2015-06-01

    The aim of this study was to assess the value of nutritional risk screening-2002 (NRS-2002) as a nutritional risk screening and status assessment method and to compare it with nutritional status assessed by subjective and objective methods in the screening of head and neck cancer patients. Sixty-five consecutive patients (50 male), with a median age of 61 years (range, 33-77), with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) were enrolled prior to cancer therapy. Nutritional status was assessed by NRS-2002, patient-generated subjective global assessment (PG-SGA), handgrip strength (HGS) and mid-arm muscle area (MAMA). Twenty-eight percent of patients were at nutritional risk based on NRS-2002, and 34 % were malnourished according to PG-SGA, while 43 % had low HGS. NRS-2002 cut-off score of ≥3 compared with the nutritional status according to PG-SGA showed 77 % specificity and 98 % sensitivity (K = 0.78). NRS-2002 was able to predict malnutrition (PG-SGA BC) both in men (p nutrition screening in head and neck cancer patients prior to oncological treatment.

  6. Terahertz endoscopic imaging for colorectal cancer detection: Current status and future perspectives

    OpenAIRE

    Doradla, Pallavi; Joseph, Cecil; Giles, Robert H

    2017-01-01

    Terahertz (THz) imaging is progressing as a robust platform for myriad applications in the field of security, health, and material science. The THz regime, which comprises wavelengths spanning from microns to millimeters, is non-ionizing and has very low photon energy: Making it inherently safe for biological imaging. Colorectal cancer is one of the most common causes of death in the world, while the conventional screening and standard of care yet relies exclusively on the physician?s experie...

  7. Simple prognostic model for patients with advanced cancer based on performance status.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jang, Raymond W; Caraiscos, Valerie B; Swami, Nadia; Banerjee, Subrata; Mak, Ernie; Kaya, Ebru; Rodin, Gary; Bryson, John; Ridley, Julia Z; Le, Lisa W; Zimmermann, Camilla

    2014-09-01

    Providing survival estimates is important for decision making in oncology care. The purpose of this study was to provide survival estimates for outpatients with advanced cancer, using the Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG), Palliative Performance Scale (PPS), and Karnofsky Performance Status (KPS) scales, and to compare their ability to predict survival. ECOG, PPS, and KPS were completed by physicians for each new patient attending the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre outpatient Oncology Palliative Care Clinic (OPCC) from April 2007 to February 2010. Survival analysis was performed using the Kaplan-Meier method. The log-rank test for trend was employed to test for differences in survival curves for each level of performance status (PS), and the concordance index (C-statistic) was used to test the predictive discriminatory ability of each PS measure. Measures were completed for 1,655 patients. PS delineated survival well for all three scales according to the log-rank test for trend (P statistic was similar for all three scales and ranged from 0.63 to 0.64. We present a simple tool that uses PS alone to prognosticate in advanced cancer, and has similar discriminatory ability to more complex models. Copyright © 2014 by American Society of Clinical Oncology.

  8. Prognostics and Health Management of Wind Turbines: Current Status and Future Opportunities

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Sheng, Shuangwen

    2016-10-04

    This presentation was given at the 2016 Annual Conference of the Prognostics and Health Management Society. It covers the current status and challenges and opportunities of prognostics and health management of wind turbines.

  9. Breast cancer histology and receptor status characterization in Asian Indian and Pakistani women in the U.S. - a SEER analysis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kakarala, Madhuri; Rozek, Laura; Cote, Michele; Liyanage, Samadhi; Brenner, Dean E

    2010-01-01

    Recent reports suggest increase in estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR) negative breast cancer yet little is known about histology or receptor status of breast cancer in Indian/Pakistani women.in the U.S. We examined the United States National Cancer Institute's Surveillance Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) Cancer program to assess: a) frequency of breast cancer by age, b) histologic subtypes, c) receptor status of breast cancer and, d) survival in Indians/Pakistanis compared to Caucasians. There were 360,933 breast cancer cases diagnosed 1988-2006. Chi-Square analyses and Cox proportional hazards models, to estimate relative risks for breast cancer mortality after adjusting for confounders, were performed using Statistical Analysis Software 9.2. Among Asian Indian/Pakistani breast cancer patients, 16.2% were < 40 yrs. old compared to 6.23% in Caucasians (p < 0.0001). Asian Indian women had more invasive ductal carcinoma (69.1 vs. 65.7%, p < 0.0001), inflammatory cancer (1.4% vs. 0.8, p < 0.0001) and less invasive lobular carcinoma (4.2% vs. 8.1%, p < 0.0001) than Caucasians. Asian Indian/Pakistani women had more ER/PR negative breast cancer (30.6% vs. 21.8%, p = 0.0095) than Caucasians. Adjusting for stage at diagnosis, age, tumor grade, nodal status, and histology, Asian Indian/Pakistani women's survival was similar to Caucasians, while African Americans' was worse. Asian Indian/Pakistani women have higher frequency of breast cancer (particularly in age < 40), ER/PR negative invasive ductal and inflammatory cancer than Caucasians

  10. Current status and perspectives of cysticercosis and taeniasis in Japan.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yamasaki, Hiroshi

    2013-02-01

    This mini-review describes recent epidemiological trends in cysticercosis and taeniasis in Japan. Some of the topics discussed herein were presented at the first symposium on "Current perspectives of Taenia asiatica researches", that was held in Osong in Chungbuk Province, South Korea, in October 2011 and organized by Prof. K. S. Eom, Chungbuk National University School of Medicine. To better understand the trends in the occurrence of cysticercosis and taeniasis in Japan, clinical cases reported in 2005 have been updated. In addition, the current status of Taenia asiatica infections successively occurring in Japan since 2010 is also discussed.

  11. Current status of studies on temperature fluctuation phenomena in LMFRs

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ohshima, H.; Muramatsu, T.; Kobayashi, J.; Yamaguchi, A.

    1994-01-01

    This paper describes the current status of studies being performed in PNC on temperature fluctuation phenomena occurring in fast reactors. The studies concentrate on four problems: thermal stratification, thermal striping, core-plenum interaction and free surface sloshing. Both experimental and analytical approaches to reveal these phenomena and to establish design and safety evaluation methods are presented together with future works. (author)

  12. MONK and MCBEND: Current status and recent developments

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Richards, Simon D.; Baker, Chris M.J.; Bird, Adam J.; Cowan, Pat; Davies, Nigel; Dobson, Geoff P.; Fry, Tim C.; Kyrieleis, Albrecht; Smith, Paul N.

    2015-01-01

    Highlights: • We describe recent developments to the Monte Carlo codes MONK and MCBEND. • MONK is a Monte Carlo code for nuclear criticality and reactor physics analyses. • MCBEND is a Monte Carlo code for radiation shielding and dosimetry analyses. • Improvements include input; physics; scoring; variance reduction; and visualisation. • Parallelisation of MONK and multi-physics coupling are described. - Abstract: MONK® and MCBEND are Monte Carlo software packages for: nuclear criticality and reactor physics; and radiation shielding and dosimetry applications, respectively. The codes are actively developed, maintained and supported by AMEC’s ANSWERS® Software Service in line with the ANSWERS vision of providing easy-to-use software that meets the current and emerging needs of the user community. This paper summarises the current status of MONK and MCBEND and the recent developments which have been carried out to the codes, and their supporting nuclear data libraries and visualisation package

  13. Polycystic ovary syndrome: current status and future perspective

    Science.gov (United States)

    Barthelmess, Erin K.; Naz, Rajesh K.

    2015-01-01

    Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a widespread reproductive disorder that encompasses many associated health conditions and has an impact on various metabolic processes. PCOS is depicted by hyperandrogenism, polycystic ovaries, and anovulation. It increases the risk of insulin resistance (IR), type 2 diabetes, obesity, and cardiovascular disease. The etiology of the disease remains unclear, and the subjective phenotype makes a united diagnosis difficult among physicians. It seems to be a familial genetic syndrome caused by a combination of environmental and genetic factors. It can be linked with metabolic disorders in first-degree family members. PCOS is the cause of up to 30% of infertility in couples seeking treatment. Currently, there is no cure for PCOS. Despite the growing incidence of this syndrome, limited research has been done that encompasses the entirety of PCOS spectrum. In this review, the current status and possible future perspective will be discussed. PMID:24389146

  14. Construction of natural radiation exposure study network - overview and current status

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tokonami, Shinji

    2010-01-01

    A new project entitled 'Construction of natural radiation exposure study network' was adopted in the Program of Promotion of International Joint Research under the Special Coordination Funds for Promoting Science and Technology operated by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology of Japan. Eight institutions were involved in this project and the project will continue until March, 2012. The aims of the project are to assess the dose for natural radiation exposures using state-of- the-art measurement techniques in four Asian countries (China, India, Korea and Thailand) and their outcomes will be distributed worldwide. Throughout the project, conventional measurement techniques will be improved and be optimized. More scientific data and results will be obtained as well. In particular, the following advanced technologies for inhalation exposures will be introduced: (1) Discriminative measurements of radon ( 222 Rn) and thoron ( 220 Rn) gases, (2) Evaluation of thoron decay products concentration, (3) Simple but effective particle size distribution measurements. In China, we are conducting a case-control study of radon and lung cancer in Gansu, China. This Gansu area was investigated in the past for the case-control study. New data are being accumulated. In India, we focused on Orissa in order to carry out radiation measurements in this project. In parallel, Kerala is currently involved as the comparative study area. In Korea, we are now measuring radon and thoron in radon/thoron prone areas. These results will give us new information for further understanding of exposure due to radon and thoron. In Thailand, we are carrying out comprehensively radiation measurements in NORM industries. Not only these surveys but also quality assurance of radon measurements are being addressed in Japan. We have managed an international intercomparison exercise of passive radon detectors at NIRS. This study presents an overview of the project and current status

  15. Validation of a proxy for estrogen receptor status in breast cancer patients using dispensing data.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Srasuebkul, Preeyaporn; Dobbins, Timothy A; Pearson, Sallie-Anne

    2014-06-01

    To assess the performance of a proxy for estrogen receptor (ER) status in breast cancer patients using dispensing data. We derived our proxy using 167 patients. ER+ patients had evidence of at least one dispensing record for hormone therapy during the lookback period, irrespective of diagnosis date and ER- had no dispensing records for hormone therapy during the period. We validated the proxy against our gold standard, ER status from pathology reports or medical records. We assessed the proxy's performance using three lookback periods: 4.5 years, 2 years, 1 year. More than half of our cohort (62%) were >50 years, 54% had stage III/IV breast cancer at recruitment, (46%) were diagnosed with breast cancer in 2009 and 23% were diagnosed before 2006. Sensitivity and specificity were high for the 4.5 year lookback period (93%, 95% CI: 86-96%; and 95%: 83-99%), respectively) and remained high for the 2-year lookback period (91%: 84-95%; and 95%: 83-99%). Sensitivity decreased (83%: 75.2-89%) but specificity remained high (95%: 83-99%) using the 1-year lookback period and the period is long enough to allow sufficient time for hormone therapy to be dispensed. Our proxy accurately infers ER status in studies of breast cancer treatment based on secondary health data. The proxy is most robust with a minimum lookback period of 2 years. © 2012 Wiley Publishing Asia Pty Ltd.

  16. Human papilloma virus (HPV) status associated with prognosis of cervical cancer after radiotherapy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Harima, Yoko; Miyazaki, Yuki; Imamura, Masahiro; Sougawa, Mitsuharu; Sawada, Satoshi

    2002-01-01

    Our study explored whether the HPV status of tumors is associated with the outcome of radiotherapy in patients with cervical cancer. A total of 84 patients with cervical cancer (6 stage I, 10 stage II, 49 stage III, and 19 stage IV) who underwent definitive radiotherapy between January 1995 and June 2000 were included in this study. Tumor samples were obtained from all patients by punch biopsy prior to radiotherapy. The presence of HPV and its type were analyzed by PCR-based assay using the consensus primers for E6 and L1 regions. Actuarial methods were used to calculate overall survival, and disease-free survival. A total of 42 patients (50%) had cancer recurrence after radiotherapy. HPV-positive tumors were found in 76.2% (64 cases) of the patients. HPV-negative patients survived significantly shorter compared to the HPV-positive patients in the overall survival (p=0.007) and the disease-free survival (p=0.005). According to multivariate analysis, HPV status is a significant predictor of both overall (p=0.02) and disease-free survival time (p=0.005). These results of this study suggest that HPV-negative patients with cervical carcinoma are have a significantly poorer prognosis after radiotherapy, and may be used as a marker in order to optimize the treatment of patients with this type of cancer. (author)

  17. Human papilloma virus (HPV) status associated with prognosis of cervical cancer after radiotherapy

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Harima, Yoko; Miyazaki, Yuki; Imamura, Masahiro; Sougawa, Mitsuharu; Sawada, Satoshi [Kansai Medical Univ., Moriguchi, Osaka (Japan)

    2002-06-01

    Our study explored whether the HPV status of tumors is associated with the outcome of radiotherapy in patients with cervical cancer. A total of 84 patients with cervical cancer (6 stage I, 10 stage II, 49 stage III, and 19 stage IV) who underwent definitive radiotherapy between January 1995 and June 2000 were included in this study. Tumor samples were obtained from all patients by punch biopsy prior to radiotherapy. The presence of HPV and its type were analyzed by PCR-based assay using the consensus primers for E6 and L1 regions. Actuarial methods were used to calculate overall survival, and disease-free survival. A total of 42 patients (50%) had cancer recurrence after radiotherapy. HPV-positive tumors were found in 76.2% (64 cases) of the patients. HPV-negative patients survived significantly shorter compared to the HPV-positive patients in the overall survival (p=0.007) and the disease-free survival (p=0.005). According to multivariate analysis, HPV status is a significant predictor of both overall (p=0.02) and disease-free survival time (p=0.005). These results of this study suggest that HPV-negative patients with cervical carcinoma are have a significantly poorer prognosis after radiotherapy, and may be used as a marker in order to optimize the treatment of patients with this type of cancer. (author)

  18. Current status of endoscopic simulation in gastroenterology fellowship training programs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jirapinyo, Pichamol; Thompson, Christopher C

    2015-07-01

    Recent guidelines have encouraged gastroenterology and surgical training programs to integrate simulation into their core endoscopic curricula. However, the role that simulation currently has within training programs is unknown. This study aims to assess the current status of simulation among gastroenterology fellowship programs. This questionnaire study consisted of 38 fields divided into two sections. The first section queried program directors' experience on simulation and assessed the current status of simulation at their institution. The second portion surveyed their opinion on the potential role of simulation on the training curriculum. The study was conducted at the 2013 American Gastroenterological Association Training Directors' Workshop in Phoenix, Arizona. The participants were program directors from Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education accredited gastroenterology training programs, who attended the workshop. The questionnaire was returned by 69 of 97 program directors (response rate of 71%). 42% of programs had an endoscopic simulator. Computerized simulators (61.5%) were the most common, followed by mechanical (30.8%) and animal tissue (7.7%) simulators, respectively. Eleven programs (15%) required fellows to use simulation prior to clinical cases. Only one program has a minimum number of hours fellows have to participate in simulation training. Current simulators are deemed as easy to use (76%) and good educational tools (65%). Problems are cost (72%) and accessibility (69%). The majority of program directors believe that there is a need for endoscopic simulator training, with only 8% disagreeing. Additionally, a majority believe there is a role for simulation prior to initiation of clinical cases with 15% disagreeing. Gastroenterology fellowship program directors widely recognize the importance of simulation. Nevertheless, simulation is used by only 42% of programs and only 15% of programs require that trainees use simulation prior to

  19. Current status in Japan related to LMNPP

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Otsuka, Takehiro

    1998-01-01

    Current status of nuclear power plants in Japan is presented with the basic concepts against ageing of LWR plants which are considered to continue growing into the 21st century. Life management for aged NPPs is recognized to be important for the safe and reliable operation. In April 1996 MITI published the first report regarding the measures to cope with the aged NPPs. Two BWRs and one PWR were evaluated as aged NPPs in Phase-I Technical evaluation, which concluded that safe operation is possible with correct and adequate maintenance despite operation exceeded 30 years. The technology development items towards attaining further highly reliable management were indicated including the inspection/monitoring technology, the preventive maintenance/repair technology and ageing evaluation technology

  20. Racial disparities and socioeconomic status in association with survival in a large population-based cohort of elderly patients with colon cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Du, Xianglin L; Fang, Shenying; Vernon, Sally W; El-Serag, Hashem; Shih, Y Tina; Davila, Jessica; Rasmus, Monica L

    2007-08-01

    To the authors' knowledge, few studies have addressed racial disparities in the survival of patients with colon cancer by adequately incorporating treatment and socioeconomic factors in addition to patient and tumor characteristics. The authors studied a nationwide and population-based, retrospective cohort of 18,492 men and women who were diagnosed with stage II or III colon cancer at age >or=65 years between 1992 and 1999. This cohort was identified from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) cancer registries-Medicare linked databases and included up to 11 years of follow-up. A larger proportion (70%) of African-American patients with colon cancer fell into the poorest quartiles of socioeconomic status compared with Caucasians (21%). Patients who lived in communities with the lowest socioeconomic level had 19% higher all-cause mortality compared with patients who lived in communities with the highest socioeconomic status (hazards ratio [HR], 1.19; 95% confidence interval [95% CI], 1.13-1.26; P colon cancer, African-American patients were 21% more likely to die after controlling for age, sex, comorbidity scores, tumor stage, and grade (HR, 1.21; 95% CI, 1.12-1.30). After also adjusting for definitive therapy and socioeconomic status, the HR of mortality was only marginally significantly higher in African Americans compared with Caucasians for all-cause mortality (HR, 1.10; 95% CI, 1.02-1.19) and colon cancer-specific mortality (HR, 1.16; 95% CI, 1.01-1.33). Lower socioeconomic status and lack of definitive treatment were associated strongly with decreased survival in both men and women with colon cancer. Racial disparities in survival were explained substantially by differences in socioeconomic status. (c) 2007 American Cancer Society.

  1. Androgen receptor status is a prognostic marker in non-basal triple negative breast cancers and determines novel therapeutic options.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Pierluigi Gasparini

    Full Text Available Triple negative breast cancers are a heterogeneous group of tumors characterized by poor patient survival and lack of targeted therapeutics. Androgen receptor has been associated with triple negative breast cancer pathogenesis, but its role in the different subtypes has not been clearly defined. We examined androgen receptor protein expression by immunohistochemical analysis in 678 breast cancers, including 396 triple negative cancers. Fifty matched lymph node metastases were also examined. Association of expression status with clinical (race, survival and pathological (basal, non-basal subtype, stage, grade features was also evaluated. In 160 triple negative breast cancers, mRNA microarray expression profiling was performed, and differences according to androgen receptor status were analyzed. In triple negative cancers the percentage of androgen receptor positive cases was lower (24.8% vs 81.6% of non-triple negative cases, especially in African American women (16.7% vs 25.5% of cancers of white women. No significant difference in androgen receptor expression was observed in primary tumors vs matched metastatic lesions. Positive androgen receptor immunoreactivity was inversely correlated with tumor grade (p<0.01 and associated with better overall patient survival (p = 0.032 in the non-basal triple negative cancer group. In the microarray study, expression of three genes (HER4, TNFSF10, CDK6 showed significant deregulation in association with androgen receptor status; eg CDK6, a novel therapeutic target in triple negative cancers, showed significantly higher expression level in androgen receptor negative cases (p<0.01. These findings confirm the prognostic impact of androgen receptor expression in non-basal triple negative breast cancers, and suggest targeting of new androgen receptor-related molecular pathways in patients with these cancers.

  2. Current Status of Stereotactic Ablative Radiotherapy (SABR for Early-stage 
Non-small Cell Lung Cancer

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Anhui SHI

    2016-06-01

    Full Text Available High level evidence from randomized studies comparing stereotactic ablative radiotherapy (SABR to surgery is lacking. Although the results of pooled analysis of two randomized trials for STARS and ROSEL showed that SABR is better tolerated and might lead to better overall survival than surgery for operable clinical stage I non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC, SABR, however, is only recommended as a preferred treatment option for early stage NSCLC patients who cannot or will not undergo surgery. We, therefore, are waiting for the results of the ongoing randomized studies [Veterans affairs lung cancer surgery or stereotactic radiotherapy in the US (VALOR and the SABRTooth study in the United Kingdom (SABRTooths]. Many retrospective and case control studies showed that SABR is safe and effective (local control rate higher than 90%, 5 years survival rate reached 70%, but there are considerable variations in the definitions and staging of lung cancer, operability determination, and surgical approaches to operable lung cancer (open vs video-assisted. Therefore, it is difficult to compare the superiority of radiotherapy and surgery in the treatment of early staged lung cancer. Most studies demonstrated that the efficacy of the two modalities for early staged lung cancer is equivalent; however, due to the limited data, the conclusions from those studies are difficult to be evidence based. Therefore, the controversies will be focusing on the safety and invasiveness of the two treatment modalities. This article will review the ongoing debate in light of these goals.

  3. Current status and technology development tendency of research reactors in china

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ke Guotu; Shen Feng; Zhao Shouzhi; Zhang Weiguo; Yuan Luzheng

    2009-01-01

    The current status and development history of domestic and abroad research reactors (RRs) are mentioned. The representative RRs and their respective technology characteristics are introduced. The utilizations of China's RRs, mainly included as nuclear engineering technology, basic research applications of nuclear technology, teaching and personnel training, are explained. (authors)

  4. Temporal trends in the association between socioeconomic status and cancer survival in Ontario: a population-based retrospective study

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dabbikeh, Andrew; Peng, Yingwei; Mackillop, William J.; Booth, Christopher M.; Zhang-Salomons, Jina

    2017-01-01

    Background: Cancer survival is known to be associated with socioeconomic status. The income gap between the richer and poorer segments of the population has widened over the last 20 years in Canada. The purpose of this study was to investigate temporal trends in disparities in cancer-specific survival related to socioeconomic status in Ontario. Methods: There were 920 334 cancer cases between 1993 and 2009 in the Ontario Cancer Registry. We linked median household income from the Canadian census to the registry. We calculated 5-year cancer-specific survival rates for all cancers combined and for specific cancer sites by socioeconomic status quintile and year of diagnosis, and modelled time to death using Cox regression. Results: Between 1993 and 2009, for all cancers combined, the hazard of death decreased by 3.1% (hazard ratio [HR] 0.969 [95% confidence interval (CI) 0.967-0.971]) per year in the richest quintile and by 1.2% (HR 0.988 [95% CI 0.987-0.990]) per year in the poorest quintile. The corresponding values for breast cancer were 4.3% (HR 0.957 [95% CI 0.951-0.964]) and 2.0% (HR 0.980 [95% CI 0.975-0.986]); for lung cancer, 1.4% (HR 0.986 [95% CI 0.982-0.990]) and 0.3% (HR 0.997 [95% CI 0.995-1.000]); for colorectal cancer, 3.7% (HR 0.963 [95% CI 0.958-0.968]) and 1.8% (HR 0.982 [95% CI 0.978-0.985]); and for head and neck cancer, 3.1% (HR 0.969 [95% CI 0.958-0.979]) and 1.0% (HR 0.990 [95% CI 0.983-0.996]). Interpretation: Between 1993 and 2009, cancer-specific survival in Ontario improved more among patients from affluent communities than among those from poorer communities. This phenomenon cannot be explained by increased disparity in income. PMID:28877916

  5. Current cancer research 1998

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Stamatiadis-Smidt, H. [ed.

    1998-12-31

    Topics from the Contents: The Fight against Cancer in Germany - A Critical Review. Conditions and Structures in Research. Familial Breast Cancer - A Critical Assessment. Research without Animal Experiments. Cancer Prevention. New Approaches for Tumor Therapy. Genes, Chromosomes and Cancer. Therapy of Brain Tumors with Laser Neurosurgery. The Genome Project. (orig.)

  6. Current cancer research 1998

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Stamatiadis-Smidt, H.

    1998-01-01

    Topics from the Contents: The Fight against Cancer in Germany - A Critical Review. Conditions and Structures in Research. Familial Breast Cancer - A Critical Assessment. Research without Animal Experiments. Cancer Prevention. New Approaches for Tumor Therapy. Genes, Chromosomes and Cancer. Therapy of Brain Tumors with Laser Neurosurgery. The Genome Project. (orig.)

  7. Methylation status and protein expression of RASSF1A in breast cancer patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hagrass, Hoda A; Pasha, Heba F; Shaheen, Mohamed A; Abdel Bary, Eman H; Kassem, Rasha

    2014-01-01

    Recently genetics and epigenetics alterations have been found to be characteristic of malignancy and hence can be used as targets for detection of neoplasia. RAS association domain family protein 1A (RASSF1A) gene hypermethylation has been a subject of interest in recent researches on cancer breast patients. The aim of the present study was to evaluate whether RASSF1A methylation status and RASSF1A protein expression are associated with the major clinico-pathological parameters. One hundred and twenty breast cancer Egyptian patients and 100-control subjects diagnosed with benign lesions of the breast were enrolled in this study. We evaluated RASSF1A methylation status in tissue and serum samples using Methyl specific PCR together with RASSF1A protein expression in tissues by immunohistochemistry. Results were studied in relation to known prognostic clinicopathological features in breast cancer. Frequency of RASSF1A methylation in tissues and serum were 70 and 63.3 % respectively and RASSF1A protein expression showed frequency of 46.7 %. There was an association between RASSF1A methylation in tissues, serum and loss of protein expression in tissues with invasive carcinoma, advanced stage breast cancer, L.N. metastasis, ER/PR and HER2 negativity. RASSF1A methylation in serum showed high degree of concordance with methylation in tissues (Kappa = 0.851, P < 0.001). RASSF1A hypermethylation in tissues and serum and its protein expression may be a valid, reliable and sensitive tool for detection and follow up of breast cancer patients.

  8. Trajectories of Symptom Clusters, Performance Status, and Quality of Life During Concurrent Chemoradiotherapy in Patients With High-Grade Brain Cancers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Sang-Hee; Byun, Youngsoon

    Symptom clusters must be identified in patients with high-grade brain cancers for effective symptom management during cancer-related therapy. The aims of this study were to identify symptom clusters in patients with high-grade brain cancers and to determine the relationship of each cluster with the performance status and quality of life (QOL) during concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT). Symptoms were assessed using the Memorial Symptom Assessment Scale, and the performance status was evaluated using the Karnofsky Performance Scale. Quality of life was assessed using the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-General. This prospective longitudinal survey was conducted before CCRT and at 2 to 3 weeks and 4 to 6 weeks after the initiation of CCRT. A total of 51 patients with newly diagnosed primary malignant brain cancer were included. Six symptom clusters were identified, and 2 symptom clusters were present at each time point (ie, "negative emotion" and "neurocognitive" clusters before CCRT, "negative emotion and decreased vitality" and "gastrointestinal and decreased sensory" clusters at 2-3 weeks, and "body image and decreased vitality" and "gastrointestinal" clusters at 4-6 weeks). The symptom clusters at each time point demonstrated a significant relationship with the performance status or QOL. Differences were observed in symptom clusters in patients with high-grade brain cancers during CCRT. In addition, the symptom clusters were correlated with the performance status and QOL of patients, and these effects could change during CCRT. The results of this study will provide suggestions for interventions to treat or prevent symptom clusters in patients with high-grade brain cancer during CCRT.

  9. The association between alcohol exposure and self-reported health status: the effect of separating former and current drinkers.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Wenbin Liang

    Full Text Available To investigate the direction and degree of potential bias introducedto analyses of drinking and health status which exclude former drinkers from exposure groups.Pooled analysis of 14 waves (1997-2010 of the U.S. National Health Interview Survey (NHIS.General population-based study.404,462 participants, from 14 waves of the NHIS, who had knownself-reported health status and alcohol consumption status.Self-reported health status was used as the indicatorof health. Two approaches were used to classify alcohol consumption: (i separation of former drinkers and current drinkers, and (ii combined former and current drinkers. The prevalence of fair/poor health by alcohol use, gender and age with 95% confidence intervals was estimated. The difference in prevalence of fair/poor health status for lifetime abstainers, former drinkers, current drinkers and drinkers (former drinkers and current drinkers combined were compared using Poisson regression with robust estimations of variance.Excluding former drinkers from drinker groups exaggerates the difference in health status between abstainers and drinkers, especially for males.In cohort study analyses, former drinkers should be assigned to a drinking category based on their previous alcohol consumption patterns and not treated as a discrete exposure group.

  10. Assessment of Nutritional Status in Children With Cancer and Effectiveness of Oral Nutritional Supplements.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gürlek Gökçebay, Dilek; Emir, Suna; Bayhan, Turan; Demir, Hacı Ahmet; Gunduz, Mehmet; Tunc, Bahattin

    2015-01-01

    Malnutrition is a common consequence of cancer in children, but the most effective methods of nutrition intervention are under debate. We aimed to evaluate the nutritional status of children diagnosed with cancer, and to investigate the effect of oral nutritional supplements on anthropometric measurements, biochemical parameters, and outcome. A randomized clinical study of 45 newly diagnosed cancer patients was performed. Anthropometric and biochemical data and related factors were assessed at 0, 3, and 6 months after diagnosis. On initial anthropometric assessment, prevalence of malnutrition by weight or height was found to be lower as compared with body mass index (BMI), or weight for height (WFH), or arm anthropometry. Twenty-six of the patients (55%) received oral nutritional supplement. During the second 3 months after diagnosis, there was a statistically significant decrease in number of the patients with WFH Nutritional intervention is necessary to promote normal development and increase functional status as a child receives intensive treatment. Protein- and energy-dense oral nutritional supplements are effective for preventing weight loss in malnourished children.

  11. Current concepts of chemotherapy and radiotherapy for small cell lung cancer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Braun, T.J.; Bunn, P.A. Jr.

    1986-01-01

    Small cell lung cancer (SCLC) was projected to account for 20%-25% of the greater than 140,000 newly diagnosed lung cancers in 1985. If considered a separate disease entity, it would be the fourth leading cause of death by cancer. Previous studies have demonstrated distinct clinical and biologic features of small cell lung cancer, and early therapeutic trial results have demonstrated a high sensitivity to both chemotherapy and radiotherapy. More recent results demonstrated a marked survival improvement with the use of combination chemotherapy, which potentially cured a small minority of patients. Unfortunately, in most patients, drug resistance usually develops, as do chronic, often debilitating toxicities in the few long-term survivors. Although therapeutic advances have plateaued, new and important insights into the basic biology of the disease made the last several years offer the possibility of exciting new treatment approaches within the next decade. This chapter addresses our current understanding of therapy for small cell lung cancer, the current therapy questions under investigation, and potential future directions in clinical research

  12. Hormone-metabolic status in moderately smoking breast cancer patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Berstein, L M; Tsyrlina, E V; Semiglazov, V F; Kovalenko, I G; Gamayunova, V B; Evtushenko, T P; Ivanova, O A

    1997-01-01

    One hundred and eighteen primary breast cancer (BC) patients, 35 of whom were smokers, in clinical stages I-II of the disease were examined. In order to investigate whether smoking changes endocrine function in BC patients, some indices of the hormone-metabolic status of smoking and non-smoking patients of reproductive and menopausal age were compared. It was found that in smokers with BC there was a decline in body weight and body fat content, a lack of lean body mass accumulation along with body mass increase, a tendency to hypotriglyceridemia and hypoinsulinemia, accelerated development of the upper type of body fat distribution with ageing, intensified gonadotropin secretion, shifts in steroidogenesis and SHBG level and elevated catecholamine execretion. It is suggested that a possible relation between hormone-mediated effects inherent to smoking and the mechanisms promoting genotoxic type of hormonal carcinogenesis and the factors of breast cancer prognosis cannot be excluded.

  13. Marine renewable energy in China: Current status and perspectives

    OpenAIRE

    Yong-liang Zhang; Zheng Lin; Qiu-lin Liu

    2014-01-01

    Based on a general review of marine renewable energy in China, an assessment of the development status and amount of various marine renewable energy resources, including tidal energy, tidal current energy, wave energy, ocean thermal energy, and salinity gradient energy in China's coastal seas, such as the Bohai Sea, the Yellow Sea, the East China Sea, and the South China Sea, is presented. We have found that these kinds of marine renewable energy resources will play an important role in meeti...

  14. Current status of quality assurance of treatment planning systems

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mijnheer, B.J.

    1997-01-01

    A review is given of the current status of quality assurance of treatment planning systems. At this moment only one comprehensive report is available. In order to review national activities a questionnaire has been distributed amongst national societies of medical physicists. From the 23 responding countries, 8 indicated that only limited efforts are underway, 8 answered that a working group is evaluating their specific national requirements while in 5 countries a document is drafted. The highlights of these reports have been summarized. (author)

  15. Impact of cancer, type, site, stage and treatment on the nutritional status of patients

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bozzeti, F.

    1982-01-01

    This study analyzed the nutritional status of cancer patients in relation to type and site of origin of the tumor, stage of disease, and previous chemical or radiation therapy. The analysis was performed on 321 patients (280 with cancer and 41 controls). The nutritional parameters included per cent of weight loss, anthropometric indices (arm circumference, triceps skinfold, arm muscle circumference), creatinine-height index, serum protein, albumin, total iron binding capacity and cholinesterase, C 3 and C 4 components of complement, total peripheral lymphocytes, and skin tests. The statistical comparison between patients with different tumors and controls, between patients treated with or without previous chemical or radiation therapy led to the following conclusions: (1) malnutrition is mainly related to the type and site of origin of the tumor and, in the early stages of disease, is more pronounced in patients with cancer of the esophagus and stomach; (2) except in patients with breast and cervix cancer, malnutrition gets more severe as the disease becomes advanced; (3) chemical or radiation therapy has a variable impact on the nutritional status, but in selected patients it causes a drop in body weight, arm circumference, arm muscle circumference, and peripheral lymphocytes; (4) body weight, cutaneous delayed hypersensitivity and serum albumin are the most commonly altered parameters

  16. Marital status independently predicts gastric cancer survival after surgical resection--an analysis of the SEER database.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shi, Rong-Liang; Chen, Qian; Yang, Zhen; Pan, Gaofeng; Zhang, Ziping; Wang, WeiHua; Liu, Shaoqun; Zhang, Dongbin; Jiang, Daowen; Liu, Weiyan

    2016-03-15

    Marital status was found to be an independent prognostic factor for survival in various cancer types, but it hasn't been studied in gastric cancer. The Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results database was used to compare survival outcomes with marital status. A total of 16,106 eligible patients were identified. Patients in the widowed group had the highest proportion of women, more common site of stomach, more prevalence of elderly patients, higher percentage of adenocarcinoma, and more tumors at localized stage (P married group had better 5year cause-specific survival (CSS) than those unmarried (P married patients at Localized stage (77.2% vs 70.1%, P vs 28.6%, P vs 8.6%, P unmarried patients were at greater risk of cancer specific mortality. Despite favorable clinicpathological characteristics, widowed patients were at highest risk of death compared with other groups.

  17. Nuclear liability legislation in Russia - current status and expected developments

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Karpov, A. E.; Borisov, D. G.

    2000-01-01

    Present report is provided by the experts of the Russian insurance business, a company member of the Russian Nuclear Pool, and not the experts of the Ministry of Atomic Energy of Russian Federation (RF Minatom). Considering the above, the following document will outline the current status of nuclear liability legislation and insurance in Russia from a viewpoint of the insurance companies and not RF Minatom. (author)

  18. Role of cancer awareness in prevention of its outbreak: current scenario in Pakistan

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Saif, R.; Yousaf, M.Z.

    2011-01-01

    Cancer is one of the major threats to mankind after heart diseases. In developing countries, malnutrition and parasitic infections are more serious but cancer has a unique significance because roughly one in the five persons on the face of earth expires due to this ailment. It is traditionally thought to be a disease that has a strong bond with industrial revolution, modem world and chemicals exposed life style on the planet. Excluding the other cancers, solely breast cancer contributes 45% of its cases and 55% deaths occur in low and middle income countries like Pakistan who are in the queue of that transition stage of modernism once faced by the nations. In this review, we discuss the epidemiology, causes, challenges, screening and managerial issues along with a bird's eye view of cancer status in Pakistan that might be helpful in devising preventive and treatment strategies in the future. (author)

  19. 198Au grain implantation for early tongue cancer in patients of advanced age or poor performance status

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ryu, Yoshiharu; Shibuya, Hitoshi; Hayashi, Keiji

    2013-01-01

    Brachytherapy using 198 Au grains is minimally invasive and the only curative treatment for early tongue cancer in patients of advanced age or poor performance status available in our institution. From March 1993 to February 2008, 198 Au grains were used to treat a group of 96 Stage I–II tongue cancer patients who could not undergo surgery or brachytherapy using 192 Ir pins because of an advanced age (≥75 years) or poor performance status (≥2). The patients were followed for 3.9 ± 3.3 years, and the cause-specific survival and local control rates were determined. Survival analyses were performed using the Kaplan-Meier method, and univariate and multivariate analyses were performed using the Cox proportional hazard model. The results were compared with those for a group of 193 early tongue-cancer patients who underwent treatment using iridium pins. The 5-year cause-specific survival and local control rates of the 198 Au grains group were 71% and 68%, respectively, both of which were 16% lower than the corresponding rates for the 192 Ir pins group. Our study demonstrated that as the last curative treatment available, 198 Au grain implantation could be used to achieve moderate treatment results for early tongue cancer in patients of advanced age or poor performance status

  20. Role of Peroxiredoxin I in Rectal Cancer and Related to p53 Status

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chen, Miao-Fen; Lee, Kuan-Der; Yeh, Chung-Hung; Chen, Wen-Cheng; Huang, Wen-Shih; Chin, Chih-Chien; Lin, Paul- Yang; Wang, Jeng-Yi

    2010-01-01

    Background: Neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy is widely accepted for the treatment of localized rectal cancer. Although peroxiredoxin I (PrxI) and p53 have been implicated in carcinogenesis and cancer treatment, the role of PrxI and its interaction with p53 in the prognosis and treatment response of rectal cancer remain relatively unstudied. Methods and Materials: In the present study, we examined the levels of PrxI and p53 in rectal cancer patients using membrane arrays and compared them with normal population samples. To demonstrate the biologic changes after manipulation of PrxI expression, we established stable transfectants of HCT-116 (wild-type p53) and HT-29 (mutant p53) cells with a PrxI silencing vector. The predictive capacities of PrxI and p53 were also assessed by relating the immunohistochemical staining of a retrospective series of rectal cancer cases to the clinical outcome. Results: The membrane array and immunochemical staining data showed that PrxI, but not p53, was significantly associated with the tumor burden. Our immunochemistry findings further indicated that PrxI positivity was linked to a poor response to neoadjuvant therapy and worse survival. In cellular and animal experiments, the inhibition of PrxI significantly decreased tumor growth and sensitized the tumor to irradiation, as indicated by a lower capacity to scavenge reactive oxygen species and more extensive DNA damage. The p53 status might have contributed to the difference between HCT-116 and HT-29 after knockdown of PrxI. Conclusion: According to our data, the level of PrxI combined with the p53 status is relevant to the prognosis and the treatment response. We suggested that PrxI might be a new biomarker for rectal cancer.

  1. Significance of Serum Total Oxidant/Antioxidant Status in Patients with Colorectal Cancer.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rong Wu

    Full Text Available Oxidative stress is involved in a variety of diseases. Prospective studies investigating the relationship between oxidative stress biomarkers and the status and development of colorectal cancer (CRC are scarce; previous studies have failed to establish a relationship between the serum total oxidant/antioxidant status and CRC. Therefore, we compared the total serum oxidant/antioxidant levels of CRC patients and healthy subjects, and analyzed their clinical significance in the CRC. Fasting blood samples from 132 CRC patients and 64 healthy subjects were collected. Oxidative stress parameters, including total oxidant status (TOS and total antioxidant status (TAS, were measured, and the oxidative stress index (OSI was calculated. The TOS and OSI levels increased significantly (P0.05.However, the levels of TOS, TAS, and OSI were significantly different between patients with no metastasis and those with metastases to two organs (P<0.05 Finally, the parameters are affected by smoking and drinking, and subsequent research should be conducted excluding the relevant influencing factors.

  2. Modalities for assessing the nutritional status in patients with diabetes and cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Clemente, G; Gallo, M; Giorgini, M

    2018-05-30

    Epidemiological data have shown that an increased body mass index (BMI) is associated with a higher risk of various cancers, especially in obese diabetic patients. However, oncologic patients often present nutritional alterations that can worsen their prognosis. The aim of this review is to propose the use of cheaper and easy to use tools to assess the nutritional status of patients with cancer with altered glucose metabolism. Based on a literature review, we propose anthropometric measures to classify the degree of malnutrition. Moreover, the Karnofsky Performance Status (KPS) and the Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group's performance index (ECOG) are useful to assess the functional status of the body; the achievement of nutritional needs can be analysed with the PG-SGA questionnaire, while the quality of life can be investigated using the DTSQ, SF36, EQ-5D questionnaires and the Edmonton Symptom Assessment System. Pre-albumin dosage and lymphocyte count are proposed as nutritional parameters. The degree of hydration can be evaluated through the Bio-Impedance Test (BIA), and energy intake through the dairy food diary, which considers the type of nutrition and the consistency of the meals. It is possible to use a score for each tool used, which is useful to plan an adequate nutritional intervention. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  3. Summary of the Current Status of Lessons Learned From Fukushima Accident

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pasamehmetoglu, Kemal

    2013-01-01

    This presentation introduced the current status of the lessons learned from the Fukushima accident, and in particular, the recommendations released by a NRC Near-term Task Force to enhance reactor safety in the 21. century. The near-term recommendations are focused on emergency power and emergency cooling availability during station blackout accidents

  4. Elementary particle physics and cosmology: current status and prospects

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rubakov, Valerii A

    1999-01-01

    The current status of elementary particle physics can be briefly summarized as follows: the Standard Model of elementary particles is perfectly (at the level of radiation effects!) adequate in describing all the available experimental data except for the recent indications of neutrino oscillations. At the same time, much (and possibly most) of today's cosmology is not encompassed by the Standard Model - a fact which, together with intrinsic theoretical difficulties and the neutrino oscillation challenge, strongly indicates that the Standard Model is incomplete. It is expected that in the current decade a 'new physics', i.e. particles and interactions beyond the Standard Model, will emerge. Major advances in cosmology, both in terms of qualitatively improved observations and theoretical analysis of the structure and evolution of the Universe, are expected as well. (special issue)

  5. Oligometastatic non-small-cell lung cancer: current treatment strategies

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Richard PJ

    2016-11-01

    Full Text Available Patrick J Richard, Ramesh Rengan Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA Abstract: The oligometastatic disease theory was initially described in 1995 by Hellman and Weichselbaum. Since then, much work has been performed to investigate its existence in many solid tumors. This has led to subclassifications of stage IV cancer, which could redefine our treatment approaches and the therapeutic outcomes for this historically “incurable” entity. With a high incidence of stage IV disease, non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC remains a difficult cancer to treat and cure. Recent work has proven the existence of an oligometastatic state in NSCLC in terms of properly selecting patients who may benefit from aggressive therapy and experience long-term overall survival. This review discusses the current treatment approaches used in oligometastatic NSCLC and provides the evidence and rationale for each approach. The prognostic factors of many trials are discussed, which can be used to properly select patients for aggressive treatment regimens. Future advances in both molecular profiling of NSCLC to find targetable mutations and investigating patient selection may increase the number of patients diagnosed with oligometastatic NSCLC. As this disease entity increases, it is of utmost importance for oncologists treating NSCLC to be aware of the current treatment strategies that exist and the potential advantages/disadvantages of each. Keywords: oligometastatic, non-small-cell lung cancer, oligoprogressive, treatment

  6. Relationship Between HER2 Status and Prognosis in Women With Brain Metastases From Breast Cancer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Xu Zhiyuan; Marko, Nicholas F.; Chao, Sam T.; Angelov, Lilyana; Vogelbaum, Michael A.; Suh, John H.; Barnett, Gene H.; Weil, Robert J.

    2012-01-01

    Purpose: To analyze factors affecting outcomes in breast cancer patients with brain metastases (BM) and characterize the role of HER2 status. Methods and Materials: We identified 264 breast cancer patients treated between 1999 and 2008 for BM. HER2 status was known definitively for 172 patients and was used to define cohorts in which survival and risk factors were analyzed. Results: Kaplan-Meier survival analysis demonstrated improved mean overall survival (105.7 vs. 74.3 months, p < 0.02), survival after diagnosis of BM (neurologic survival, NS) (32.2 vs. 18.9 months, p < 0.01), and survival after treatment with stereotactic radiosurgery (RS) (31.3 vs. 14.1, p < 0.01) in HER2+ patients relative to those with HER2− breast cancer. HER2+ status was an independent, positive prognostic factor for survival on univariate and multivariate hazard analysis (hazard ratio: overall survival = 0.66, 0.18; NS = 0.50, 0.34). Additionally, subgroup analysis suggests that stereotactic radiosurgery may be of particular benefit in patients with HER2+ tumors. Conclusions: Overall survival, NS, and RS are improved in patients with HER2+ tumors, relative to those with HER2− lesions, and HER2 amplification is independently associated with increased survival in patients with BM from breast cancer. Our findings suggest that the prognosis of HER2+ patients may be better than that of otherwise similar patients who are HER2− and that stereotactic radiosurgery may be beneficial for some patients with HER2+ lesions.

  7. History, Current Status, and Future Prospects of Counseling in South Korea

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Sang Min; Suh, Suhyun; Yang, Eunjoo; Jang, Yoo Jin

    2012-01-01

    Although the counseling profession was introduced to South Korea in the 1950s by American delegates of education, counseling has been only lately recognized as a specialized field that requires distinctive knowledge and skills. In this article, the authors describe the history and the current status of counseling in South Korea and then discuss…

  8. Lymph node status as a prognostic factor after palliative resection of primary tumor for patients with metastatic colorectal cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Qingguo; Wang, Changjian; Li, Yaqi; Li, Xinxiang; Xu, Ye; Cai, Guoxiang; Lian, Peng; Cai, Sanjun

    2017-07-18

    Lymph node (LN) status is one of the most important predictors for M0 colorectal cancer patients. However, its clinical impact on stage IV colorectal cancer remains unclear. The study aimed to explore the prognostic value of LN status after palliative resection of primary tumor for patients with metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC). We combined analyses of mCRC patients in Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) database and Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center (FUSCC).A total of 17,553 patients with mCRC were identified in SEER database. X-tile program was adopted to identify 2 and 10 as optimal cutoff values for negative lymph node (NLN) count to divide patients into 3 subgroups of high, middle and low risk of cancer related death. N stage and NLN count were verified as independent prognostic factors in multivariate analyses of patients in whole cohort and in subgroup analyses of each N stage (Pcolorectal cancer. Advanced N stage and small number of NLN were correlated with high risk of cancer related death after palliative resection of primary tumor.

  9. Health and Socio-Economic Status: Factors impacting care and treatment in ovarian cancer patients

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Seibæk, L.; Petersen, L. K.; Blaakaer, J.

    2011-01-01

    To provide knowledge about health status, socio-economic status and use of public health care in women undergoing ovarian cancer surgery, in order to improve their care during the perioperative period. Method: An epidemiological methodology was applied. The material consisted of data from...... the Registry of Health and Social Conditions and the Danish Gynaecological Cancer Database on women diagnosed in 2007; this material underwent descriptive statistical analysis. Results: Data from 666 women were suitable for analysis. The majority were older, with moderate to severe systemic illness...... and a tendency to be overweight. Many had a low educational level, were retired, and lived alone with few financial resources. The quality of the surgical treatment had improved in terms of centralisation and staging procedures. Conclusions: As a group the women proved to be in a vulnerable position in terms...

  10. Online-coupled meteorology and chemistry models: history, current status, and outlook

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Y. Zhang

    2008-06-01

    Full Text Available The climate-chemistry-aerosol-cloud-radiation feedbacks are important processes occurring in the atmosphere. Accurately simulating those feedbacks requires fully-coupled meteorology, climate, and chemistry models and presents significant challenges in terms of both scientific understanding and computational demand. This paper reviews the history and current status of the development and application of online-coupled meteorology and chemistry models, with a focus on five representative models developed in the US including GATOR-GCMOM, WRF/Chem, CAM3, MIRAGE, and Caltech unified GCM. These models represent the current status and/or the state-of-the science treatments of online-coupled models worldwide. Their major model features, typical applications, and physical/chemical treatments are compared with a focus on model treatments of aerosol and cloud microphysics and aerosol-cloud interactions. Aerosol feedbacks to planetary boundary layer meteorology and aerosol indirect effects are illustrated with case studies for some of these models. Future research needs for model development, improvement, application, as well as major challenges for online-coupled models are discussed.

  11. CKM Phenomenology and B-mesons physics-present status and current issues

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ali, A.

    2004-01-01

    We review the status of the Cabibbo-Kobayashi-Maskawa (CKM) matrix elements and the CP-violating phases in the CKM-unitarity triangle. The emphasis in these lecture notes is on B-meson physics, through we also review the current status and issues in the light quark sector of this matrix. Selected applications of theoretical methods in QCD used in the interpretation of data are given and some of the issues restricting the theoretical precision on the CKM matrix elements discussed. The overall consistency of the CKM theory with the available data in flavour physics is impressive and we quantify this consistency. Current data also show some anomalies which, however, are not yet statistically significant. They are discussed briefly. some benchmark measurements that remain to be done in experiments at the B-factories and hadron colliders are listed. Together with the already achieved results, they will provide unprecedented test of the CKM theory and by the same token may lead to the discovery of new physics. (Author) 284 refs

  12. The association between socioeconomic status and tumour stage at diagnosis of ovarian cancer

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Præstegaard, Camilla; Kjær, Susanne Krüger; Nielsen, Thor Schütt Svane

    2016-01-01

    PURPOSE: Socioeconomic status (SES) is a known predictor of survival for several cancers and it has been suggested that SES differences affecting tumour stage at diagnosis may be the most important explanatory factor for this. However, only a limited number of studies have investigated SES...... differences in tumour stage at diagnosis of ovarian cancer. In a pooled analysis, we investigated whether SES as represented by level of education is predictive for advanced tumour stage at diagnosis of ovarian cancer, overall and by histotype. The effect of cigarette smoking and body mass index (BMI......) on the association was also evaluated. METHODS: From 18 case-control studies, we obtained information on 10,601 women diagnosed with epithelial ovarian cancer. Study specific odds ratios (ORs) with corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CI) were obtained from logistic regression models and combined into a pooled...

  13. Pretreatment depression as a prognostic indicator of survival and nutritional status in patients with head and neck cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Shin-Ae; Roh, Jong-Lyel; Lee, Sang-Ah; Lee, Sang-Wook; Kim, Sung-Bae; Choi, Seung-Ho; Nam, Soon Yuhl; Kim, Sang Yoon

    2016-01-01

    The emotional status of cancer patients is associated with disease course and treatment outcomes. In this study, the authors evaluated associations between the presence of pretreatment depression and pretreatment quality of life (QOL), nutritional status, and survival outcomes in patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). For this prospective study, 241 patients with previously untreated HNSCC who underwent curative treatments were enrolled. Patients completed the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI)-II, the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) 30-item Core QOL Questionnaire (QLQ-C30), and the EORTC QLQ Head and Neck Cancer module (QLQ-H&N35). EORTC QLQ scores were compared between depressive and nondepressive patients, as determined according to pretreatment BDI-II scores ≥ 14 and nutritional status and laboratory data. Pretreatment depression was present in 60 patients (24.9%). In depressive and nondepressive patients, the 3-year overall survival rates were 70.8% and 82.7%, respectively (P = .045), and the 3-year DFS rates were 63.5% and 79.1%, respectively (P = .015). After controlling for clinical factors, the presence of depression was predictive of 3-year DFS (P = .032). EORTC QLQ-C30 and QLQ-HN35 scores on all items except feeding tube, nutritional supplement, and problem with mouth opening differed between depressive and nondepressive patients (P nutritional status, and survival outcomes in patients with HNSCC. © 2015 American Cancer Society.

  14. Impact of sociodemographic characteristics on underemployment in a longitudinal, nationally representative study of cancer survivors: Evidence for the importance of gender and marital status.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kent, Erin E; Davidoff, Amy; de Moor, Janet S; McNeel, Timothy S; Virgo, Katherine S; Coughlan, Diarmuid; Han, Xuesong; Ekwueme, Donatus U; Guy, Gery P; Banegas, Matthew P; Alfano, Catherine M; Dowling, Emily C; Yabroff, K Robin

    2018-01-01

    We examined the longitudinal association between sociodemographic factors and an expanded definition of underemployment among those with and without cancer history in the United States. Medical Expenditure Panel Survey data (2007-2013) were used in multivariable regression analyses to compare employment status between baseline and two-year follow-up among adults aged 25-62 years at baseline (n = 1,614 with and n = 39,324 without cancer). Underemployment was defined as becoming/staying unemployed, changing from full to part-time, or reducing part-time work significantly. Interaction effects between cancer history/time since diagnosis and predictors known to be associated with employment patterns, including age, gender/marital status, education, and health insurance status at baseline were modeled. Approximately 25% of cancer survivors and 21% of individuals without cancer reported underemployment at follow-up (p = 0.002). Multivariable analyses indicated that those with a cancer history report underemployment more frequently (24.7%) than those without cancer (21.4%, p = 0.002) with underemployment rates increasing with time since cancer diagnosis. A significant interaction between gender/marital status and cancer history and underemployment was found (p = 0.0004). There were no other significant interactions. Married female survivors diagnosed >10 years ago reported underemployment most commonly (38.7%), and married men without cancer reported underemployment most infrequently (14.0%). A wider absolute difference in underemployment reports for married versus unmarried women as compared to married versus unmarried men was evident, with the widest difference apparent for unmarried versus married women diagnosed >10 years ago (18.1% vs. 38.7%). Cancer survivors are more likely to experience underemployment than those without cancer. Longer time since cancer diagnosis and gender/marital status are critical factors in predicting those at greatest risk of

  15. Low-dose antibiotics: current status and outlook for the future

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Antimicrobial therapy is a key factor in our success against pathogens poised to ravage at risk or infected individuals. However, we are currently at a watershed point as we face a growing crisis of antibiotic resistance among diverse pathogens. One area of intense interest is the impact of the a......Antimicrobial therapy is a key factor in our success against pathogens poised to ravage at risk or infected individuals. However, we are currently at a watershed point as we face a growing crisis of antibiotic resistance among diverse pathogens. One area of intense interest is the impact...... of the application of antibiotics for uses other than the treatment of patients and the association with such utilization with emerging drug resistance. This Research Topic “Low- dose antibiotics: current status and outlook for the future” in Frontiers in Microbiology: Antimicrobials, Resistance and Chemotherapy...

  16. IL-8 expression and its possible relationship with estrogen-receptor-negative status of breast cancer cells

    Science.gov (United States)

    Freund, Ariane; Chauveau, Corine; Brouillet, Jean-Paul; Lucas, Annick; Lacroix, Matthieu; Licznar, Anne; Vignon, Françoise; Lazennec, Gwendal

    2003-01-01

    Estrogen receptor (ER) status is an important parameter in breast cancer management as ER-positive breast cancers have a better prognosis than ER-negative tumors. This difference comes essentially from the lower aggressiveness and invasiveness of ER-positive tumors. Here, we demonstrate, that IL-8 was clearly overexpressed in most ER-negative breast, ovary cell lines and breast tumor samples tested, whereas no significant IL-8 level could be detected in ER-positive breast or ovarian cell lines. We have also cloned human IL-8 from ER-negative MDA-MB-231 cells and we show that IL-8 produced by breast cancer cells is identical to monocyte-derived IL-8. Interestingly, the invasion potential of ER-negative breast cancer cells is associated at least in part with expression of interleukin-8 (IL-8), but not with IL-8 receptors levels. Moreover, IL-8 increases the invasiveness of ER-positive breast cancer cells by 2 fold, thus confirming the invasion-promoting role of IL-8. On the other hand, exogenous expression of estrogen receptors in ER-negative cells led to a decrease of IL-8 levels. In summary, our data show that IL-8 expression is negatively linked to ER-status of breast and ovarian cancer cells. We also support the idea that IL-8 expression is associated with a higher invasiveness potential of cancer cells in vitro, which suggests that IL-8 could be a novel marker of tumor aggressiveness. PMID:12527894

  17. Status of colorectal cancer devices: present scenario.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chandel, Shammy; Akhtar, Reyhan; Sarotra, Pooja; Medhi, Bikash

    2015-06-01

    The purpose of this study was the colonoscopic detection and removal of neoplasia from the colorectum to prevent the development of colorectal cancer. Various online medical databases were searched such as PubMed, ACS, NCI, NIH, WHO, etc. for relevant publications and clinical trials for new developments in colonoscopic devices that are intended for diagnostic visualization and therapeutic interventions of the digestive tract. HD colon and I-Scan both has shown to increase the detection of sporadic adenomas with high quality. Third Eye Retroscope confers the backward view of colon, but aeroscope screens the entire colon in 30-60 min. Narrow-band imaging enhances mucosal and vascular details through the color differentiation of precancerous or cancerous polyp, compared to white light colonoscopy. The PillCam Colon Capsule is another new technique which is easily inserted and painless. In case of chemotherapy, Therasphere with Yttrium-90 has good results in the treatment of colorectal adenocarcinoma metastasis. Radiofrequency ablation is a good technique for tumors ablation and Staple Line Reinforcement prevents the leak during and post-surgery of colon. FOBT is much more sensitive and cheaper test for colorectal cancer screening. Registered clinical trials have shown promising results for neoplasia detection by I-Scan, TER, and NBI imaging techniques will change current colonoscopic practice in colorectal cancer screening. However, more studies and inventions are required for improving the patient safety and efficacy.

  18. Current status of multi-detector row helical CT in imaging of adult ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Current status of multi-detector row helical CT in imaging of adult acquired pancreatic diseases and assessing surgical neoplastic resectability. ... The presence of inflammation, masses, and vascular invasion was evaluated and interpreted images were obtained during each phase. Results were compared with surgery, ...

  19. Physical functions, health-related outcomes, nutritional status, and blood markers in community-dwelling cancer survivors aged 75 years and older.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ihira, Hikaru; Mizumoto, Atsushi; Makino, Keitarou; Yasuda, Keisuke; Yoko, Yoko; Saitoh, Shigeyuki; Ohnishi, Hirofumi; Furuna, Taketo

    2014-01-01

    A cancer survivor is defined as anyone who has been diagnosed with cancer, from the time of diagnosis through the rest of their life. The purpose of this study was to examine whether physical functions, health-related outcomes, nutritional status and blood markers in community-dwelling cancer survivors aged 75 years and older are different from those who do not have cancer Two hundred seventy-five participants were asked by physicians, nurses, and physical therapists, questions regarding cancer history in a face-to-face interview. Data were collected for demographic information, physical functions, such as handgrip strength, knee extension power, abdominal muscle strength, static standing balance, walking speed and the timed-up-and-go test, health-related outcomes, nutritional status, and blood markers. The measured parameters of survivor diagnosed with cancer were compared with those without a history of cancer. Thirty-seven older adults were previously diagnosed with cancer. Female cancer survivors had lower knee extension power (pcancer. In men, none of the measured parameters were significantly different between cancer survivors and older men with no history of cancer. The present study shows that partial physical function of women cancer survivors aged 75 years and older differs from that in women with no history of cancer.

  20. Australian shellfish ecosystems: Past distribution, current status and future direction.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Chris L Gillies

    Full Text Available We review the status of marine shellfish ecosystems formed primarily by bivalves in Australia, including: identifying ecosystem-forming species, assessing their historical and current extent, causes for decline and past and present management. Fourteen species of bivalves were identified as developing complex, three-dimensional reef or bed ecosystems in intertidal and subtidal areas across tropical, subtropical and temperate Australia. A dramatic decline in the extent and condition of Australia's two most common shellfish ecosystems, developed by Saccostrea glomerata and Ostrea angasi oysters, occurred during the mid-1800s to early 1900s in concurrence with extensive harvesting for food and lime production, ecosystem modification, disease outbreaks and a decline in water quality. Out of 118 historical locations containing O. angasi-developed ecosystems, only one location still contains the ecosystem whilst only six locations are known to still contain S. glomerata-developed ecosystems out of 60 historical locations. Ecosystems developed by the introduced oyster Crasostrea gigas are likely to be increasing in extent, whilst data on the remaining 11 ecosystem-forming species are limited, preventing a detailed assessment of their current ecosystem-forming status. Our analysis identifies that current knowledge on extent, physical characteristics, biodiversity and ecosystem services of Australian shellfish ecosystems is extremely limited. Despite the limited information on shellfish ecosystems, a number of restoration projects have recently been initiated across Australia and we propose a number of existing government policies and conservation mechanisms, if enacted, would readily serve to support the future conservation and recovery of Australia's shellfish ecosystems.

  1. Australian shellfish ecosystems: Past distribution, current status and future direction

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gillies, Chris L.; McLeod, Ian M.; Alleway, Heidi K.; Cook, Peter; Crawford, Christine; Creighton, Colin; Diggles, Ben; Ford, John; Hamer, Paul; Heller-Wagner, Gideon; Lebrault, Emma; Le Port, Agnès; Russell, Kylie; Sheaves, Marcus; Warnock, Bryn

    2018-01-01

    We review the status of marine shellfish ecosystems formed primarily by bivalves in Australia, including: identifying ecosystem-forming species, assessing their historical and current extent, causes for decline and past and present management. Fourteen species of bivalves were identified as developing complex, three-dimensional reef or bed ecosystems in intertidal and subtidal areas across tropical, subtropical and temperate Australia. A dramatic decline in the extent and condition of Australia’s two most common shellfish ecosystems, developed by Saccostrea glomerata and Ostrea angasi oysters, occurred during the mid-1800s to early 1900s in concurrence with extensive harvesting for food and lime production, ecosystem modification, disease outbreaks and a decline in water quality. Out of 118 historical locations containing O. angasi-developed ecosystems, only one location still contains the ecosystem whilst only six locations are known to still contain S. glomerata-developed ecosystems out of 60 historical locations. Ecosystems developed by the introduced oyster Crasostrea gigas are likely to be increasing in extent, whilst data on the remaining 11 ecosystem-forming species are limited, preventing a detailed assessment of their current ecosystem-forming status. Our analysis identifies that current knowledge on extent, physical characteristics, biodiversity and ecosystem services of Australian shellfish ecosystems is extremely limited. Despite the limited information on shellfish ecosystems, a number of restoration projects have recently been initiated across Australia and we propose a number of existing government policies and conservation mechanisms, if enacted, would readily serve to support the future conservation and recovery of Australia’s shellfish ecosystems. PMID:29444143

  2. Review of the current status of linear hybrid reactor concepts

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Schultz, K.R.

    1977-07-01

    A review was made of the current status of linear fusion-fission hybrid reactor design studies in the USA. The linear hybrid reactor concepts reviewed include the linear theta-pinch hybrid reactor being studied at Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory, the electron beam-heated solenoid hybrid reactor under development at Physics International Co., the laser-heated solenoid hybrid reactor being investigated at Mathematical Sciences Northwest, Inc., and the linear fusion waste burning reactor being studied at General Atomic Company. The discussion addresses confinement and heating mechanisms for each concept, as well as the hybrid blanket designs. The current state of the four reactor designs is summarized and the performance of the various concepts compared

  3. Income Inequality and Health Status in the United States: Evidence from the Current Population Survey.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mellor, Jennifer M.; Milyo, Jeffrey

    2002-01-01

    Current Population Survey data on self-reported health status and income for the general population and those in poverty were analyzed. No consistent association was found between income inequality and individual health status. Previous findings of such an association were attributed to ecological fallacy or failure to control for individual…

  4. Current state and controversies in fertility preservation in women with breast cancer

    OpenAIRE

    Taylan, Enes; Oktay, Kutluk H

    2017-01-01

    On average, over 25000 women are diagnosed with breast cancer under the age of 45 annually in the United States. Because an increasing number of young women delay childbearing to later life for various reasons, a growing population of women experience breast cancer before completing childbearing. In this context, preservation of fertility potential of breast cancer survivors has become an essential concept in modern cancer care. In this review, we will outline the currently available fertilit...

  5. Current status of the Fastbus Micro-Vax

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Siskind, E.J.

    1985-01-01

    The present hardware, firmware, and software design and status of the Fastbus Micro-VAX, a two board Fastbus module packaging of the DEC Micro-VAX II computing system, is described. The hardware currently features an Intel 80186, equipped with 64 kB of ROM, 32 kB of RAM, and an 82586/82501 Ethernet port, as a front end I/O processor, plus a high bandwidth Fastbus interface implemented in semi-custom ECL 100K VLSI with the Motorola MCA2500ECL macrocell array. Standard 80186 firmware implements multiple Fastbus segment drivers and interrupt receivers software compatible with the UPI, a limited Fastbus interprocessor network, and emulations of the DEC DEQNA Ethernet interface and an MSCP disk interface. Software includes device drivers for the non-DEC devices, plus appropriate standard access subroutines for the Fastbus and network devices

  6. Current status of the IREN project

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Furman, W.I.

    1997-01-01

    A current status and a corrected time-schedule of the project of the new Intense Resonance Neutron pulsed source (IREN) realized in JINR (Dubna) for experiments dealing with fundamental and applied nuclear physics studies are discussed. This source is the upgraded variant of the existing IBR-30 pulsed booster. It consists of the 200 MeV electron linac and supplying by an electron beam the photo-neutron converter placed in the center of the very fast multiplying subcritical core. The existing buildings and beam infrastructure are planned to adopt for the new IREN source. The aim of the project is to improve essentially an energy resolution of the time-of-flight spectrometer and to increase twice (up to 10 15 n/sec) an integral neutron yield. An implementation of the IREN project has started in June 1994 with the planned end in December 1997. But due to mainly insufficient financing the approved time-schedule is shifted. Now most optimistic time of start-up of the neutron source is the end of 1999

  7. Strategic Workshops on Cancer Nanotechnology

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nagahara, Larry A.; Lee, Jerry S H.; Molnar, Linda K.; Panaro, Nicholas J.; Farrell, Dorothy; Ptak, Krzysztof; Alper, Joseph; Grodzinski, Piotr

    2010-01-01

    Nanotechnology offers the potential for new approaches to detecting, treating and preventing cancer. To determine the current status of the cancer nanotechnology field and the optimal path forward, the National Cancer Institute’s Alliance for Nanotechnology in Cancer held three strategic workshops, covering the areas of in-vitro diagnostics and prevention, therapy and post-treatment, and in-vivo diagnosis and imaging. At each of these meetings, a wide range of experts from academia, industry, the non-profit sector, and the Federal government discussed opportunities in the field of cancer nanotechnology and barriers to its implementation. PMID:20460532

  8. Current Status of Family Medicine Faculty Development in Sub-Saharan Africa.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Larson, Paul R; Chege, Patrick; Dahlman, Bruce; Gibson, Christine; Evensen, Ann; Colon-Gonzalez, Maria C; Onguka, Stephanie; Lamptey, Roberta; Cayley, William E; Nguyen, Bich-May; Johnson, Brian; Getnet, Sawra; Hasnain, Memoona

    2017-03-01

    Reducing the shortage of primary care physicians in sub-Saharan Africa requires expansion of training programs in family medicine. Challenges remain in preparing, recruiting, and retaining faculty qualified to teach in these pioneering programs. Little is known about the unique faculty development needs of family medicine faculty within the sub-Saharan African context. The purpose of this study was to assess the current status and future needs for developing robust family medicine faculty in sub-Saharan Africa. The results are reported in two companion articles. A cross-sectional study design was used to conduct a qualitative needs assessment comprising 37 in-depth, semi-structured interviews of individual faculty trainers from postgraduate family medicine training programs in eight sub-Saharan African countries. Data were analyzed according to qualitative description. While faculty development opportunities in sub-Saharan Africa were identified, current faculty note many barriers to faculty development and limited participation in available programs. Faculty value teaching competency, but institutional structures do not provide adequate support. Sub-Saharan African family physicians and postgraduate trainee physicians value good teachers and recognize that clinical training alone does not provide all of the skills needed by educators. The current status of limited resources of institutions and individuals constrain faculty development efforts. Where faculty development opportunities do exist, they are too infrequent or otherwise inaccessible to provide trainers the necessary skills to help them succeed as educators.

  9. A history of breast cancer screening and future problems in Japan

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Morimoto, Tadaoki

    2009-01-01

    In Europe and the United States, mortality due to breast cancer is decreasing. There are various reasons for this trend, including an increase in the detection of early-stage breast cancers due to the increased use of mammographic screening, and the establishment of standardized systemic treatments derived from evidence-based medicine (EBM). On the other hand, in Japanese women, both morbidity and mortality due to breast cancer are increasing. This paper describes the process of breast cancer screening in the past, its current status, and the quality control system for mammographic screening in Japan, as well as the status of breast cancer screening in Europe and the United States. Furthermore, problems of breast cancer screening in Japan discussed, together with the need for practical measures such as implementation of quality control systems aimed at improving the cancer screening rate (with a target of 50%), financial support, and population-based screening (organized screening), based on the Cancer Control Act. Current measures for screening of dense breast tissue in women in their 40s in Japan are also described. (author)

  10. Phytosterols as a natural anticancer agent: Current status and future perspective.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shahzad, Naiyer; Khan, Wajahatullah; Md, Shadab; Ali, Asgar; Saluja, Sundeep Singh; Sharma, Sadhana; Al-Allaf, Faisal A; Abduljaleel, Zainularifeen; Ibrahim, Ibrahim Abdel Aziz; Abdel-Wahab, Ali Fathi; Afify, Mohamed Abdelaziz; Al-Ghamdi, Saeed Saeed

    2017-04-01

    Phytosterols are naturally occurring compounds in plants, structurally similar to cholesterol. The human diet is quite abundant in sitosterol and campesterol. Phytosterols are known to have various bioactive properties including reducing intestinal cholesterol absorption which alleviates blood LDL-cholesterol and cardiovascular problems. It is indicated that phytosterol rich diets may reduce cancer risk by 20%. Phytosterols may also affect host systems, enabling antitumor responses by improving immune response recognition of cancer, affecting the hormone dependent endocrine tumor growth, and by sterol biosynthesis modulation. Moreover, phytosterols have also exhibited properties that directly inhibit tumor growth, including reduced cell cycle progression, apoptosis induction, and tumor metastasis inhibition. The objective of this review is to summarize the current knowledge on occurrences, chemistry, pharmacokinetics and potential anticancer properties of phytosterols in vitro and in vivo. In conclusion, anticancer effects of phytosterols have strongly been suggested and support their dietary inclusion to prevent and treat cancers. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS.

  11. Current Status of HbA1c Biosensors

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lin, Hua; Yi, Jun

    2017-01-01

    Glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) is formed via non-enzymatic glycosylation reactions at the α–amino group of βVal1 residues in the tetrameric Hb, and it can reflect the ambient glycemic level over the past two to three months. A variety of HbA1c detection methods, including chromatography, immunoassay, enzymatic measurement, electrochemical sensor and capillary electrophoresis have been developed and used in research laboratories and in clinics as well. In this review, we summarize the current status of HbA1c biosensors based on the recognition of the sugar moiety on the protein and also their applications in the whole blood sample measurements. PMID:28777351

  12. The role of physical activity and nutritional intake on nutritional status in patients with head and neck cancer

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Sealy, Martine

    Malnutrition is a frequent problem in patients with head and neck cancer. Prevention or timely treatment of malnutrition is of great importance because deteriorated nutritional status can have a negative effect on clinical outcome in head and neck cancer patients. Malnutrition is a multidimensional

  13. Estrogen receptor and progesterone receptor status of breast cancer patients of eastern India: A multi-institutional study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chatterjee, Koushik; Bhaumik, Gautam; Chattopadhyay, Bhargab

    2018-01-01

    There is a paucity of any significant data on the estrogen receptor (ER) and progesterone receptor (PR) status of breast cancer patients from the eastern part of India. This study aims to document the ER and PR status of breast cancer patients in the eastern Indian population, as catered by two premier tertiary care hospitals in Kolkata. All breast cancer patients registered between January 1, 2013 and December 31, 2015, in the Departments of Oncology, of IPGMER and SSKM Hospitals and R. G. Kar Medical College and Hospital, Kolkata, who had at least undergone a core biopsy or surgery, were analyzed retrospectively for documentation of their ER and PR status, using the 2010 American Society of Clinical Oncology/College of American Pathologists (ASCO/CAP) interpretation guidelines. Over a period of 3 years, a total of 927 patients were included for the study. A total of 825 (89%) patients had their ER and PR data available for evaluation. ER and PR positive was seen in 312 (37.82%) patients, ER and PR negative in 399 (48.36%) patients, ER positive and PR negative in 71 (8.6%) patients, and ER negative and PR positive results was found in 43 (5.21%) patients. This is the first multi-institutional documentation of ER and PR status from eastern India, having a modest number of patients and one of the earliest documentations using the latest ASCO/CAP interpretation guidelines. These findings resemble the data from the south and also reiterate the fact that majority of the Indian breast cancer patients are still ER and PR negative in spite of the changes in the interpretation guidelines.

  14. Hormones and tumour therapy: current clinical status and future developments in endocrine therapy of breast cancer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Szepesi, T.; Schratter-Sehn, A.U.

    1982-01-01

    Postoperative adjuvant hormone therapy and hormone therapy in disseminated breast cancer will be discussed systematically. The classical ablative and additive endocrine therapeutic measures - with the exception of ovarectomy and gestagen therapy - are increasinlgy being replaced by antagonists. Individual chapters discuss recent experience with combined hormone-radiotherapy or hormone-chemotherapy. In addition, a successful therapy scheme for the treatment of disseminated breast cancer will be presented. (Author)

  15. Current state and controversies in fertility preservation in women with breast cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Taylan, Enes; Oktay, Kutluk H

    2017-06-10

    On average, over 25000 women are diagnosed with breast cancer under the age of 45 annually in the United States. Because an increasing number of young women delay childbearing to later life for various reasons, a growing population of women experience breast cancer before completing childbearing. In this context, preservation of fertility potential of breast cancer survivors has become an essential concept in modern cancer care. In this review, we will outline the currently available fertility preservation options for women with breast cancer of reproductive age, discuss the controversy behind hormonal suppression for gonadal protection against chemotherapy and highlight the importance of timely referral by cancer care providers.

  16. Insulin use, hormone receptor status and hematopoietic cytokines׳ circulation in women with diabetes mellitus and breast cancer

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zachary A.P. Wintrob

    2017-04-01

    The data presented here is among the first to show a relationship between pre-existing use of injectable insulin in women diagnosed with breast cancer and type 2 diabetes mellitus, hematopoietic cytokine profiles at time of breast cancer diagnosis, and subsequent cancer outcomes. A Pearson correlation analysis evaluating the relationship between G-CSF, GM-CSF, and IL-7 stratified by insulin use, controls, as well as by estrogen and progesterone receptor status is also provided.

  17. Evaluation of Head and Neck Cancer Awareness and Screening Status in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alhazzazi, Turki Y

    2016-01-01

    Head and neck cancer (HNC) is one of the deadliest cancers worldwide. Early detection is a key determinant of HNC prognosis. Hence, raising awareness of this disease may improve survival rates. The present study evaluated the level of awareness and screening status for HNC in the general population of Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. An e-questionnaire was distributed during our HNC awareness campaign at the Red Sea Mall in Jeddah. The questions assessed HNC knowledge and screening status among participants. Of the 112 respondents, 68% indicated that they had no knowledge of HNC. Social media was the major source of information (39%) for respondents. The majority (40%) believed that it was the joint responsibility of dentists, dental hygienists, and general physicians to screen for HNC; 82% had never been screened. Knowledge and awareness of HNC must be increased in the general population and among dental health professionals.

  18. Evaluation of Human Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor 2 (HER2) Gene Status in Human Breast Cancer Formalin-Fixed Paraffin-Embedded (FFPE) Tissue Specimens by Fluorescence In Situ Hybridization (FISH).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hwang, Harry C; Gown, Allen M

    2016-01-01

    Current standard of care requires that HER2 gene testing be performed on all newly diagnosed invasive breast cancers in order to determine eligibility for anti-HER2 antibody therapy and should be performed in accordance with current ASCO-CAP guidelines (Hammond et al., J Clin Oncol 29(15):e458, 2011; Wolff et al., J Clin Oncol 31(31):3997-4013, 2013). Here we describe a HER2 FISH methodology to evaluate HER2 gene status in FFPE breast tumor specimens.

  19. Current and future molecular diagnostics in non-small-cell lung cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Chun Man; Chu, Wing Ying; Wong, Di Lun; Tsang, Hin Fung; Tsui, Nancy Bo Yin; Chan, Charles Ming Lok; Xue, Vivian Wei Wen; Siu, Parco Ming Fai; Yung, Benjamin Yat Ming; Chan, Lawrence Wing Chi; Wong, Sze Chuen Cesar

    2015-01-01

    The molecular investigation of lung cancer has opened up an advanced area for the diagnosis and therapeutic management of lung cancer patients. Gene alterations in cancer initiation and progression provide not only information on molecular changes in lung cancer but also opportunities in advanced therapeutic regime by personalized targeted therapy. EGFR mutations and ALK rearrangement are important predictive biomarkers for the efficiency of tyrosine kinase inhibitor treatment in lung cancer patients. Moreover, epigenetic aberration and microRNA dysregulation are recent advances in the early detection and monitoring of lung cancer. Although a wide range of molecular tests are available, standardization and validation of assay protocols are essential for the quality of the test outcome. In this review, current and new advancements of molecular biomarkers for non-small-cell lung cancer will be discussed. Recommendations on future development of molecular diagnostic services will also be explored.

  20. Hepatitis B Virus Infection in Tanzania: Current Status and Challenges

    OpenAIRE

    Kilonzo, Semvua B.; Gunda, Daniel W.; Mpondo, Bonaventura C. T.; Bakshi, Fatma A.; Jaka, Hyasinta

    2018-01-01

    Hepatitis B is one of the most common infectious diseases in the world with high prevalence in most of sub-Saharan Africa countries. The complexity in its diagnosis and treatment poses a significant management challenge in the resource-limited settings including Tanzania, where most of the tests and drugs are either unavailable or unaffordable. This mini review aims at demonstrating the current status of the disease in the country and discussing the concomitant challenges in diagnosis, treatm...

  1. Trait anxiety predicts disease-specific health status in early-stage breast cancer patients

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    van Esch, Lotje; Roukema, Jan A.; van der Steeg, Alida F. W.; de Vries, Jolanda

    2011-01-01

    The objectives of this study were to examine the differences in health status (HS) of women with breast cancer (BC) at different moments in time, and between women scoring high and not high on trait anxiety, and to identify possible predictors of HS 6 and 12 months after surgery. Patients (N = 223)

  2. Assessing the nutritional status of elderly Chinese lung cancer patients using the Mini-Nutritional Assessment (MNA® tool

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zhang L

    2013-03-01

    Full Text Available Lei Zhang,1,* Yanjun Su,1,* Chen Wang,2 Yongsheng Sha,1 Hong Zhu,3 Shumin Xie,4 Sabrina Kwauk,5 Jing Zhang,2 Yunshou Lin,2 Changli Wang1,*1Department of Thoracic Surgery, Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin Lung Cancer Center, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, Tianjin, 2Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, 3Department of Public Health, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, 4Xiangya Medical School of Central-South University, Changsha, People's Republic of China; 5School of Public Health, Harvard University, Boston, Cambridge, MA, USA*These authors contributed equally to this workPurpose: This study assessed the nutritional status of elderly Chinese lung cancer inpatients using a revised version of the Mini-Nutritional Assessment (MNA® tool.Patients and methods: The revised version of the MNA tool was used to assess the nutritional status of 180 elderly Chinese lung cancer inpatients prior to their scheduled surgery between June 2010 and July 2011. Patients' demographic data, anthropometric parameters, and biochemical markers were collected and analyzed.Results: Among the 180 inpatients who underwent the MNA, 9% were malnourished (MNA score < 19, 33% were at risk of malnutrition (MNA score 19–23, and 58% were well nourished (MNA score ≥ 24. There was significant correlation between the MNA scores of patients who were malnourished, at risk of malnutrition, and well nourished (P < 0.001, as well as between total MNA score and most MNA questions. The three patient groups with different nutritional statuses differed significantly in their responses to anthropometrics and global, diet, and subjective assessments.Conclusion: Incidence rates of malnutrition prior to surgery are high among elderly Chinese lung cancer inpatients. The revised MNA is a valid and reliable tool that can be used to assess and prevent malnutrition among these inpatients.Keywords: malnutrition, MNA-SF, nutrition, inpatients, diet

  3. Current status of PET imaging of differentiated thyroid cancer with second generation radiopharmaceuticals

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lauri, C.; Di Traglia, S.; Galli, F.; Pizzichini, P.; Signore, A.

    2015-01-01

    Although the prognosis of differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC) is favorable, some histotypes show worst clinical outcome and higher risk of recurrence. Serum thyroglobulin (Tg) levels and 131 I-whole-body-scan (WBS), together with neck ultrasound (US), represent the golden standard for DTC follow-up. Nevertheless, the relatively high frequency of patients with high Tg levels and negative WBS requires further investigations by using new imaging modalities. The availability of whole body positron emission tomography (PET) methods, in parallel with the advances in radiochemistry, offer a wide substrate for many solutions. To this day 18 F-fluoro-deoxy-glucose ( 18 F-FDG) PET/CT still represents the imaging of choice in follow-up of patients with high serum Tg and negative 131 I-WBS but in the last decades the research has focused on finding “second generation” radiopharmaceuticals for PET imaging, with both diagnostic and prognostic purposes, aiming to change the way to image thyroid cancer. Moreover, the use of various PET radiopharmaceuticals, that offer the possibility to explore different pathways involved in thyroid cancer, could find important applications in the near future for clinical decision making in order to program tailored treatments and follow-up. It would be desirable to use the same radiopharmaceutical for both imaging and dosimetric purpose to achieve a tailored therapy. Many efforts are focused in this direction and 124 I-PET/CT is now emerging as a valid tool in restaging and therapy management of DTC with promising results. Although the preliminary data available in literature require a confirmation in larger studies with longer follow-up, we think that in next future 124 -PET/CT could gain an important role for management of DTC. The aim of this review was to perform a systematic analysis of literature describing the state of art of “second generation” PET-radiopharmaceuticals for imaging DTC. Discussion is focused on the utility of 124 I

  4. The role of physical activity and nutritional intake on nutritional status in patients with head and neck cancer

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Martine Sealy

    2015-01-01

    Malnutrition is a frequent problem in patients with head and neck cancer. Prevention or timely treatment of malnutrition is of great importance because deteriorated nutritional status can have a negative effect on clinical outcome in head and neck cancer patients. Malnutrition can be viewed as a

  5. Cigarette smoking disparities among sexual minority cancer survivors

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Charles Kamen

    2015-01-01

    Conclusion: The current study offers preliminary evidence that sexual minority status is one variable among many that must be taken into account when assessing health behaviors post-cancer diagnosis. Future research should identify mechanisms leading from sexual minority status to increased rates of smoking and develop tailored smoking cessation interventions.

  6. Current status of nuclear power

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Behnke, W.B.

    1984-01-01

    The decision to devote the 1984 conference to nuclear power is timely and appropriate. Illinois has a long, and distinguished history in the development of civilian nuclear power. The concept was born at the University of Chicago, developed at Argonne National Laboratory and demonstrated on the Commonwealth Edison system at our pioneer Dresden Nuclear Station. Today, Illinois ranks number one in the nation in nuclear generation. With over a quarter century of commercial operating experience, nuclear power has proven its worth and become a significant and growing component of electric power supply domestically and throughout the world. Despite its initial acceptance, however, the nuclear power industry in the U.S. is now in the midst of a difficult period of readjustment stemming largely from the economic and regulatory problems of the past decade. As a result, the costs of plants under construction have increased dramatically, causing serious financial difficulties for several projects and their owners. At the same time, the U.S. is facing hard choices concerning its future energy supplies. Conferences such as this have an important role in clarifying the issues and helping to find solutions to today's pressing energy problems. This paper summarizes the status of nuclear power both here and abroad, discussing the implications of current events in the context of national energy policy and economic development here in Illinois

  7. Advances in MRI for colorectal cancer and bowel motility

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    van der Paardt, M.P.

    2015-01-01

    In the first part of this thesis certain aspects of MRI in the evaluation of colorectal cancer and its precursors, and restaging of rectal cancer were addressed. The current status of MR colonography regarding the different preparation techniques as well as the imaging sequences and colon distension

  8. [Molecular imaging; current status and future prospects in USA].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kobayashi, Hisataka

    2007-02-01

    The goal of this review is to introduce the definition, current status, and future prospects of the molecular imaging, which has recently been a hot topic in medicine and the biological science in USA. In vivo imaging methods to visualize the molecular events and functions in organs or animals/humans are overviewed and discussed especially in combinations of imaging modalities (machines) and contrast agents(chemicals) used in the molecular imaging. Next, the close relationship between the molecular imaging and the nanotechnology, an important part of nanomedicine, is stressed from the aspect of united multidisciplinary sciences such as physics, chemistry, biology, and medicine.

  9. Interventional Radiology of Male Varicocele: Current Status

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Iaccarino, Vittorio; Venetucci, Pietro

    2012-01-01

    Varicocele is a fairly common condition in male individuals. Although a minor disease, it may cause infertility and testicular pain. Consequently, it has high health and social impact. Here we review the current status of interventional radiology of male varicocele. We describe the radiological anatomy of gonadal veins and the clinical aspects of male varicocele, particularly the physical examination, which includes a new clinical and ultrasound Doppler maneuver. The surgical and radiological treatment options are also described with the focus on retrograde and antegrade sclerotherapy, together with our long experience with these procedures. Last, we compare the outcomes, recurrence and persistence rates, complications, procedure time and cost-effectiveness of each method. It clearly emerges from this analysis that there is a need for randomized multicentre trials designed to compare the various surgical and percutaneous techniques, all of which are aimed at occlusion of the anterior pampiniform plexus.

  10. Current Status of Concentrator Photovoltaic (CPV) Technology

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Philipps, Simon P. [Fraunhofer Inst. for Solar Energy Systems ISE, Freiburg (Germany); Bett, Andreas W. [Fraunhofer Inst. for Solar Energy Systems ISE, Freiburg (Germany); Horowitz, Kelsey [National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Kurtz, Sarah [National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)

    2015-12-01

    This report summarizes the status of the concentrator photovoltaic (CPV) market and industry as well as current trends in research and technology. This report is intended to guide research agendas for Fraunhofer ISE, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), and other R&D organizations. Version 1.1 of this report includes recent progress in CPV. The recent record module efficiency of 38.9% at Concentrator Standard Test Conditions (CSTC) is an impressive result, demonstrating the continuing opportunity for CPV technology to improve. 38.9% at Concentrator Standard Test Conditions (CSTC) is an impressive result, demonstrating the continuing opportunity for CPV technology to improve. 38.9% at Concentrator Standard Test Conditions (CSTC) is an impressive result, demonstrating the continuing opportunity for CPV technology to improve. 38.9% at Concentrator Standard Test Conditions (CSTC) is an impressive result, demonstrating the continuing opportunity for CPV technology to improve.

  11. Interventional Radiology of Male Varicocele: Current Status

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Iaccarino, Vittorio, E-mail: vittorio.iaccarino@unina.it; Venetucci, Pietro [University of Naples ' Federico II' , Diagnostic Imaging Department-Cardiovascular and Interventional Radiology, School of Medicine (Italy)

    2012-12-15

    Varicocele is a fairly common condition in male individuals. Although a minor disease, it may cause infertility and testicular pain. Consequently, it has high health and social impact. Here we review the current status of interventional radiology of male varicocele. We describe the radiological anatomy of gonadal veins and the clinical aspects of male varicocele, particularly the physical examination, which includes a new clinical and ultrasound Doppler maneuver. The surgical and radiological treatment options are also described with the focus on retrograde and antegrade sclerotherapy, together with our long experience with these procedures. Last, we compare the outcomes, recurrence and persistence rates, complications, procedure time and cost-effectiveness of each method. It clearly emerges from this analysis that there is a need for randomized multicentre trials designed to compare the various surgical and percutaneous techniques, all of which are aimed at occlusion of the anterior pampiniform plexus.

  12. Role of preoperative PET-CT in assessing mediastinal and hilar lymph node status in early stage lung cancer

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Wei-Yang Lin

    2012-05-01

    Conclusion: Integrated PET-CT is a useful tool for predicting the negativity of mediastinal LN status pre-operatively in clinically early stage (Stages I and II lung cancer but may be relatively inaccurate in predicting hilar LN status and largely confounded by false positives caused by inflammatory process.

  13. The Impact of Smoking Status on the Efficacy of Erlotinib in Patients with Advanced Non-small Cell Lung Cancer

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yilong WU

    2009-12-01

    Full Text Available Background and objective Erlotinib is a targeted treatment for advanced non-small cell lung cancer. Smoking status may be one of influencing factors of the efficacy of erlotinib. The aim of this study is to explore the impact of smoking status on the efficacy of erlotinib in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer. Methods Patients with nonsmall cell lung cancer who had been previously treated with at least one course of platinum based chemotherapy received 150 mg oral doses of erlotinib once daily until disease progression. Response rate, progression-free survival, overall survival were analyzed in the different smoking status groups. Kaplan-Meier method was used to analyze the survival rate. Results Fortyeight patients were enrolled into the study from December 2005 to September 2006. We followed up these patients until 28th December, 2008. Median follow up time was 30 months. The compliance rate was 100%. The response rate was 32.1% in the smoking group and 35% in the never smoking group (P=0.836; The median progression-free survival was 3 months and 9 months, respectively (P=0.033. The median overall survival was 5 months and 17 months, respectively (P=0.162. Conclusion Erlotinib is an effective drug for advanced non-small cell lung cancer patients with different smoking status. Progressionfree survival is better in the never smoking patients than the smoking patients.

  14. A systematic review of tests for lymph node status in primary endometrial cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Selman, Tara J; Mann, Christopher H; Zamora, Javier; Khan, Khalid S

    2008-05-05

    The lymph node status of a patient is a key determinate in staging, prognosis and adjuvant treatment of endometrial cancer. Despite this, the potential additional morbidity associated with lymphadenectomy makes its role controversial. This study systematically reviews the accuracy literature on sentinel node biopsy; ultra sound scanning, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and computer tomography (CT) for determining lymph node status in endometrial cancer. Relevant articles were identified form MEDLINE (1966-2006), EMBASE (1980-2006), MEDION, the Cochrane library, hand searching of reference lists from primary articles and reviews, conference abstracts and contact with experts in the field. The review included 18 relevant primary studies (693 women). Data was extracted for study characteristics and quality. Bivariate random-effect model meta-analysis was used to estimate diagnostic accuracy of the various index tests. MRI (pooled positive LR 26.7, 95% CI 10.6 - 67.6 and negative LR 0.29 95% CI 0.17 - 0.49) and successful sentinel node biopsy (pooled positive LR 18.9 95% CI 6.7 - 53.2 and negative LR 0.22, 95% CI 0.1 - 0.48) were the most accurate tests. CT was not as accurate a test (pooled positive LR 3.8, 95% CI 2.0 - 7.3 and negative LR of 0.62, 95% CI 0.45 - 0.86. There was only one study that reported the use of ultrasound scanning. MRI and sentinel node biopsy have shown similar diagnostic accuracy in confirming lymph node status among women with primary endometrial cancer than CT scanning, although the comparisons made are indirect and hence subject to bias. MRI should be used in preference, in light of the ASTEC trial, because of its non invasive nature.

  15. A systematic review of tests for lymph node status in primary endometrial cancer

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zamora Javier

    2008-05-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background The lymph node status of a patient is a key determinate in staging, prognosis and adjuvant treatment of endometrial cancer. Despite this, the potential additional morbidity associated with lymphadenectomy makes its role controversial. This study systematically reviews the accuracy literature on sentinel node biopsy; ultra sound scanning, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI and computer tomography (CT for determining lymph node status in endometrial cancer. Methods Relevant articles were identified form MEDLINE (1966–2006, EMBASE (1980–2006, MEDION, the Cochrane library, hand searching of reference lists from primary articles and reviews, conference abstracts and contact with experts in the field. The review included 18 relevant primary studies (693 women. Data was extracted for study characteristics and quality. Bivariate random-effect model meta-analysis was used to estimate diagnostic accuracy of the various index tests. Results MRI (pooled positive LR 26.7, 95% CI 10.6 – 67.6 and negative LR 0.29 95% CI 0.17 – 0.49 and successful sentinel node biopsy (pooled positive LR 18.9 95% CI 6.7 – 53.2 and negative LR 0.22, 95% CI 0.1 – 0.48 were the most accurate tests. CT was not as accurate a test (pooled positive LR 3.8, 95% CI 2.0 – 7.3 and negative LR of 0.62, 95% CI 0.45 – 0.86. There was only one study that reported the use of ultrasound scanning. Conclusion MRI and sentinel node biopsy have shown similar diagnostic accuracy in confirming lymph node status among women with primary endometrial cancer than CT scanning, although the comparisons made are indirect and hence subject to bias. MRI should be used in preference, in light of the ASTEC trial, because of its non invasive nature.

  16. Current status of MR colonography.

    LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

    Thornton, Eavan

    2010-01-01

    The search for an acceptable colorectal cancer screening examination has led to the development of virtual colonoscopy, which includes both computed tomographic (CT) colonography and magnetic resonance (MR) colonography. As indicated by the much larger number of published studies on CT colonography than on MR colonography, multidetector CT appears to be more suitable for colorectal screening than does MR colonography, in part reflecting the ease and speed of performing CT, as well as the increased spatial resolution, decreased cost, and wider availability of CT colonography. The main advantage of MR colonography over CT colonography is that it does not use ionizing radiation, which has important implications for colorectal cancer screening. The use of dark-lumen MR colonography to screen patients for colorectal cancer as well as other abdominopelvic disease could make it more attractive than CT. With the integration of 3.0-T MR colonography, fecal tagging, and parallel imaging into research and clinical settings, new MR colonography protocols must be optimized. Future MR colonography research should address issues such as image characteristics, presence of artifacts, management of specific absorption rate, and hardware-related modifications.

  17. Robotic technology in surgery: current status in 2008.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Murphy, Declan G; Hall, Rohan; Tong, Raymond; Goel, Rajiv; Costello, Anthony J

    2008-12-01

    There is increasing patient and surgeon interest in robotic-assisted surgery, particularly with the proliferation of da Vinci surgical systems (Intuitive Surgical, Sunnyvale, CA, USA) throughout the world. There is much debate over the usefulness and cost-effectiveness of these systems. The currently available robotic surgical technology is described. Published data relating to the da Vinci system are reviewed and the current status of surgical robotics within Australia and New Zealand is assessed. The first da Vinci system in Australia and New Zealand was installed in 2003. Four systems had been installed by 2006 and seven systems are currently in use. Most of these are based in private hospitals. Technical advantages of this system include 3-D vision, enhanced dexterity and improved ergonomics when compared with standard laparoscopic surgery. Most procedures currently carried out are urological, with cardiac, gynaecological and general surgeons also using this system. The number of patients undergoing robotic-assisted surgery in Australia and New Zealand has increased fivefold in the past 4 years. The most common procedure carried out is robotic-assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy. Published data suggest that robotic-assisted surgery is feasible and safe although the installation and recurring costs remain high. There is increasing acceptance of robotic-assisted surgery, especially for urological procedures. The da Vinci surgical system is becoming more widely available in Australia and New Zealand. Other surgical specialties will probably use this technology. Significant costs are associated with robotic technology and it is not yet widely available to public patients.

  18. The relationship between nutritional status, inflammatory markers and survival in patients with advanced cancer: a prospective cohort study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tan, Cindy S Y; Read, Jane A; Phan, Viet H; Beale, Philip J; Peat, Jennifer K; Clarke, Stephen J

    2015-02-01

    Malnutrition and elevated inflammatory markers have a negative impact on clinical outcomes in cancer patients. Few studies have investigated the associations between inflammatory makers, nutritional status and survival. This study investigates the association between nutritional status, inflammatory markers and overall survival (OS) in patients with advanced cancer. This prospective cohort study recruited 114 adult patients from January 2007 to January 2010. It included patients diagnosed with advanced cancer, good Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status 0-2, a prognosis of more than 3 months and had not received chemotherapy for advanced cancer prior to enrollment. Baseline data were collected prior to commencement of chemotherapy. Patients were followed up from the date of baseline nutritional assessment until the date of death or the date that data were last updated, whichever came first. Malnourished cancer patients had statistically significant higher concentrations of serum C-reactive protein (CRP), neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) or modified Glasgow Prognostic Score (mGPS) prior to starting chemotherapy. In univariate analyses to predict survival, mGPS 1 or 2 had a hazard ratio (HR) of 1.81 (95 % confidence interval (CI) 1.13-2.89) and NLR ≥ 5 had a HR of 1.13 (95 % CI 1.08-4.60) and malnutrition (HR of 1.66 for Patient-Generated Subjective Global Assessment (PG-SGA) B (95 % CI 1.02-2.71), and HR for severely malnourished patients (PG-SGA C) was 2.73 (95 % CI 1.50-4.96). Inflammatory markers were statistically associated with malnutrition. Malnutrition and mGPS were significant independent predictors of overall survival in patients with advanced cancer.

  19. [Assessment of psychological status of inpatients with head and neck cancer before surgery].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, L; Wang, B Q; Gao, T H; Tian, J

    2018-01-07

    Objective: To investigate the prevalence and psychosocial characteristics in inpatients with head and neck cancer before surgery. Method: From September 2015 to December 2016, 237 consecutive inpatients with head and neck cancer who had been scheduled for surgery were prospectively enrolled in Department of Head and Neck Surgery of Shanxi Provincial Tumor Hospital. Mental health symptoms were systematically investigated using three psychological instruments: symptom checklist-90 (SCL-90), Zung self-rating anxiety scale (SAS) and Zung self-rating depression scale (SDS). SPSS 17.0 software was used to analyze the data. And he results of SCL-90, SAS and SDS were compared with the Chinese norm. For all statistical analyses, a P value psychological status in inpatients with head and neck cancer before surgery. Identifying these patients using proper screening instrument is of great important clinical implications for the early detection, management, and reduction of the distress associated with head and neck cancer.

  20. Current Status and Application of Hazard Definition Technology

    Science.gov (United States)

    Greene, George C.

    1997-01-01

    A research is performed: to define wake non-encounter & hazard, to provide requirements for sensors, and to obtain input from the user community. This research includes: validating wake encounter simulation models, establishing a metric to quantify the upset potential of a wake encounter, applying hazard metric and simulation models to the commercial fleet for development of candidate acceptable encounter limits, and applying technology to near term problems to evaluate current status of technology. The following lessons are learned from this project: technology is not adequate to determine absolute spacing requirements; time, not distance, determines the duration of the wake hazard; Optimum standards depend on the traffic; Wing span is an important parameter for characterizing both generator and follower; and Short span "biz jets" are easily rolled.

  1. Body weight and incidence of breast cancer defined by estrogen and progesterone receptor status--a meta-analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Suzuki, Reiko; Orsini, Nicola; Saji, Shigehira; Key, Timothy J; Wolk, Alicja

    2009-02-01

    Epidemiological evidence indicates that the association between body weight and breast cancer risk may differ across menopausal status as well as the estrogen receptor (ER) and progesterone receptor (PR) tumor status. To date, no meta-analysis has been conducted to assess the association between body weight and ER/PR defined breast cancer risk, taking into account menopausal status and study design. We searched MEDLINE for relevant studies published from January 1, 1970 through December 31, 2007. Summarized risk estimates with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated using a random-effects model. The summarized results of 9 cohorts and 22 case-control studies comparing the highest versus the reference categories of relative body weight showed that the risk for ER+PR+ tumors was 20% lower (95% CI=-30% to -8%) among premenopausal (2,643 cases) and 82% higher (95% CI=55-114%) among postmenopausal (5,469 cases) women. The dose-response meta-analysis of ER+PR+ tumors showed that each 5-unit increase in body mass index (BMI, kg/m2) was associated with a 33% increased risk among postmenopausal women (95% CI=20-48%) and 10% decreased risk among premenopausal women (95% CI=-18% to -1%). No associations were observed for ER-PR- or ER+PR- tumors. For discordant tumors ER+PR- (pre) and ER-PR+ (pre/post) the number of cases were too small (weight and breast cancer risk is critically dependent on the tumor's ER/PR status and the woman's menopausal status. Body weight control is the effective strategy for preventing ER+PR+ tumors after menopause. Copyright (c) 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

  2. Association of nutritional status-related indices and chemotherapy-induced adverse events in gastric cancer patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Seo, Seung Hee; Kim, Sung-Eun; Kang, Yoon-Koo; Ryoo, Baek-Yeol; Ryu, Min-Hee; Jeong, Jae Ho; Kang, Shin Sook; Yang, Mihi; Lee, Jung Eun; Sung, Mi-Kyung

    2016-11-18

    Malnutrition in gastrectomized patients receiving chemotherapy is associated with the susceptibility to chemotherapy-related adverse events. This study evaluated pre-operative nutritional status-related indices associated with adverse events in post-operation gastric cancer patients receiving chemotherapy. Medical records of 234 gastrectomized patients under adjuvant tegafur/gimeracil/oteracil chemotherapy with extended lymph node dissection were analyzed. Nutritional status assessment included Patient-Generated Subjective Global Assessment (PG-SGA), body weight, body mass index, serum albumin concentration, and Nutrition Risk Index (NRI). Chemotherapy-originated adverse events were determined using Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events. PG-SGA indicated 59% of the patients were malnourished, and 27.8% of the patients revealed serious malnutrition with PG-SGA score of ≥9. Fifteen % of patients lost ≥10% of the initial body weight, 14.5% of the patients had hypoalbuminemia (cancer patients.

  3. Hepatitis B Virus Infection in Tanzania: Current Status and Challenges

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bakshi, Fatma A.; Jaka, Hyasinta

    2018-01-01

    Hepatitis B is one of the most common infectious diseases in the world with high prevalence in most of sub-Saharan Africa countries. The complexity in its diagnosis and treatment poses a significant management challenge in the resource-limited settings including Tanzania, where most of the tests and drugs are either unavailable or unaffordable. This mini review aims at demonstrating the current status of the disease in the country and discussing the concomitant challenges in diagnosis, treatment, and prevention. PMID:29666656

  4. Hepatitis B Virus Infection in Tanzania: Current Status and Challenges

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Semvua B. Kilonzo

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available Hepatitis B is one of the most common infectious diseases in the world with high prevalence in most of sub-Saharan Africa countries. The complexity in its diagnosis and treatment poses a significant management challenge in the resource-limited settings including Tanzania, where most of the tests and drugs are either unavailable or unaffordable. This mini review aims at demonstrating the current status of the disease in the country and discussing the concomitant challenges in diagnosis, treatment, and prevention.

  5. Current Challenges in Prostate Cancer Management and the Rationale behind Targeted Focal Therapy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Al B. Barqawi

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available Among men, prostate cancer has a high prevalence, with relatively lower cancer-specific mortality risk compared to lung and colon cancer. Prostate-specific antigen (PSA screening has increased prostate cancer awareness since its implementation as a screening tool almost 25 years ago, but, due to the largely indolent course of this disease and the unspecific nature of the PSA test, increased incidence has largely been associated with cancers that would not go on to cause death (clinically insignificant, leading to an overdiagnosis challenge and an ensuing overtreatment consequences. The overtreatment problem is exacerbated by the high risk of side effects that current treatment techniques have, putting patients’ quality of life at risk with little or no survival benefit. The goals of this paper are to evaluate the rise, prevalence, and impact of the overdiagnosis and ensuing overtreatment problems, as well as highlight potential solutions. In this effort, a review of major epidemiological and screening studies, cancer statistics from the advent of prostate-specific antigen screening to the present, and reports on patient concerns and treatment outcomes was conducted to present the dominant factors that underlie current challenges in prostate cancer treatment and illuminate potential solutions.

  6. A Systematic Review of Wearable Systems for Cancer Detection: Current State and Challenges.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ray, Partha Pratim; Dash, Dinesh; De, Debashis

    2017-10-02

    Rapid growth of sensor and computing platforms have introduced the wearable systems. In recent years, wearable systems have led to new applications across all medical fields. The aim of this review is to present current state-of-the-art approach in the field of wearable system based cancer detection and identify key challenges that resist it from clinical adoption. A total of 472 records were screened and 11 were finally included in this study. Two types of records were studied in this context that includes 45% research articles and 55% manufactured products. The review was performed per PRISMA guidelines where considerations was given to records that were published or reported between 2009 and 2017. The identified records included 4 cancer detecting wearable systems such as breast cancer (36.3%), skin cancer (36.3%), prostate cancer (18.1%), and multi-type cancer (9%). Most works involved sensor based smart systems comprising of microcontroller, Bluetooth module, and smart phone. Few demonstrated Ultra-Wide Band (i.e. UWB) antenna based wearable systems. Skin cancer detecting wearable systems were most comprehensible ones. The current works are gradually progressing with seamless integration of sensory units along with smart networking. However, they lack in cloud computing and long-range communication paradigms. Artificial intelligence and machine learning are key ports that need to be attached with current wearable systems. Further, clinical inertia, lack of awareness, and high cost are altogether pulling back the actual growth of such system. It is well comprehended that upon sincere orientation of all identified challenges, wearable systems would emerge as vital alternative to futuristic cancer detection.

  7. Statin use and breast cancer risk in the Nurses’ Health Study

    Science.gov (United States)

    Borgquist, Signe; Tamimi, Rulla M.; Chen, Wendy Y.; Garber, Judy E.; Eliassen, A. Heather; Ahern, Thomas P.

    2016-01-01

    Pre-clinical studies support an anti-cancer effect of statin drugs, yet epidemiological evidence remains inconsistent regarding their role in breast cancer primary prevention. Here we report an updated analysis of the association between statin use and breast cancer incidence in the Nurses’ Health Study cohort. Post-menopausal Nurses’ Health Study participants without a cancer history were followed from 2000 until 2012 (n=79,518). Data on statin use were retrieved from biennial questionnaires. We fit Cox regression models to estimate associations between longitudinal statin use and breast cancer incidence. Over 823,086 person-years of follow-up, 3,055 cases of invasive breast cancer occurred. Compared with never users, both former and current statin users had similar rates of invasive breast cancer incidence (former users: HRadj=0.96, 95% CI: 0.82, 1.1; current users: HRadj=1.1, 95% CI: 0.92, 1.3). Associations did not differ by estrogen receptor status or histology (ductal vs. lobular carcinoma). Statin use was not associated with risk of invasive breast cancer, irrespective of histological subtype and ER status. Statin drugs do not appear to modify processes involved in breast cancer initiation. PMID:26762806

  8. The current status and future directions of myxoma virus, a master in immune evasion

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Spiesschaert Bart

    2011-06-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Myxoma virus (MYXV gained importance throughout the twentieth century because of the use of the highly virulent Standard Laboratory Strain (SLS by the Australian government in the attempt to control the feral Australian population of Oryctolagus cuniculus (European rabbit and the subsequent illegal release of MYXV in Europe. In the European rabbit, MYXV causes a disease with an exceedingly high mortality rate, named myxomatosis, which is passively transmitted by biting arthropod vectors. MYXV still has a great impact on European rabbit populations around the world. In contrast, only a single cutaneous lesion, restricted to the point of inoculation, is seen in its natural long-term host, the South-American Sylvilagus brasiliensis and the North-American S. Bachmani. Apart from being detrimental for European rabbits, however, MYXV has also become of interest in human medicine in the last two decades for two reasons. Firstly, due to the strong immune suppressing effects of certain MYXV proteins, several secreted virus-encoded immunomodulators (e.g. Serp-1 are being developed to treat systemic inflammatory syndromes such as cardiovascular disease in humans. Secondly, due to the inherent ability of MYXV to infect a broad spectrum of human cancer cells, the live virus is also being developed as an oncolytic virotherapeutic to treat human cancer. In this review, an update will be given on the current status of MYXV in rabbits as well as its potential in human medicine in the twenty-first century. Table of contents Abstract 1. The virus 2. History 3. Pathogenesis and disease symptoms 4. Immunomodulatory proteins of MYXV 4.1. MYXV proteins with anti-apoptotic functions 4.1.1. Inhibition of pro-apoptotic molecules 4.1.2. Inhibition by protein-protein interactions by ankyrin repeat viral proteins 4.1.3. Inhibition of apoptosis by enhancing the degradation of cellular proteins 4.1.4. Inhibition of apoptosis by blocking host Protein Kinase R (PKR 4

  9. Current status of treatment of metastatic colorectal cancer with special reference to cetuximab and elderly patients

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Per Pfeiffer

    2008-12-01

    Full Text Available Per Pfeiffer, Camilla Qvortrup, Jon K BjerregaardDepartment of Oncology, Odense University Hospital. Institute of Clinical Research, University of Southern Denmark. Odense C, DenmarkPurpose: Elderly cancer patients often have co-morbidities and other characteristics that make the selection of optimal treatment more complex. The introduction of targeted therapies in colorectal cancer has further complicated this problem. This review will focus on the role of the EGFR antibody cetuximab in elderly patients.Methods: We have reviewed the available evidence in the literature to evaluate the results of therapy with cetuximab, alone or in combination with chemotherapy, with a focus on elderly patients with metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC.Results: In patients with mCRC, combination chemotherapy prolongs median survival to more than 18 months and even around 24 months in combination with cetuximab in selected patients. No prospective studies have evaluated cetuximab in elderly patients. However, subgroup analyses from randomized trials and retrospective analysis suggest that the efficacy of chemotherapy and cetuximab is maintained in fit elderly patients, but with slightly increased but acceptable toxicity.Conclusion: No prospective cetuximab studies have been conducted solely in a population of elderly patients. However, available data suggest that outcomes in the fit elderly mirror results observed in younger patients.Keywords: metastatic colorectal cancer, cetuximab, elderly patients

  10. Cancer imaging with CEA antibodies: historical and current perspectives.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Goldenberg, D M

    1992-01-01

    This article reviews the history and status of cancer imaging with radiolabeled antibodies against carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA). Although CEA and many other cancer-associated antigens are not distinct for neoplasia, the quantitative increase of these markers in malignant tissues provides a sufficient differential for selective antibody targeting. Animal studies with xenografted human tumors provided the first evidence of the prospects of this technology, followed by initial clinical success with purified goat whole IgG antibodies to CEA, labeled with 131I and with the use of dual-isotope subtraction methods. Subsequently, improved and earlier imaging could be accomplished with monoclonal antibody fragments, which then would permit the use of shorter-lived radionuclides, such as 111In, 123I, and 99mTc. The preferred use of a monoclonal anti-CEA IgG Fab' fragment, labeled with 99mTc by a recently developed, simple and rapid kit, has enabled the detection of small lesions, including those in the liver, within 4 h of injection. By means of SPECT imaging, a high sensitivity and specificity for RAID could be achieved.

  11. Methylation Status of miR-182 Promoter in Lung Cancer Cell Lines

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yongwen LI

    2015-05-01

    Full Text Available Background and objective It has been proven that the abnormal expression of miR-182 was related to the occurrence and development of tumors. The aim of this study is to explore the relationship between the methylation of miR-182 promoter and its expression in lung cancer cell lines. Methods Real-time quantitative PCR and methylation-specific PCR were used to detect the expression level of miR-182 and its promoter methylation status in five lung cancer cell lines (A549, L9981, NL9980, 95C and 95D. DNA sequencing was used to confirm the methylation results. Results The level of miR-182 expression significantly differs among these lung cancer cell lines. The highly metastatic human lung cancer cell lines, namely, A549 and L9981, demonstrate a relatively lower expression level of miR-182 compared with the lowly metastatic human lung cancer cell line 95C. Methylation-specific PCR and DNA sequencing assay results indicate that these lung cancer cell lines present different levels of miR-182 promoter methylation, and the highest methylation level is observed in A549 cells. Furthermore, the expression of miR-182 in these cell lines significantly increases when treated with 10 μM 5’-Aza-dC. Conclusion DNA methylation occurs in the miR-182 promoter region in lung cancer cell lines. This methylation can regulate the expression level of miR-182. Further study must be conducted to explore the function of miR-182 promoter methylation in lung cancer occurrence and development.

  12. Insurance Status and Differences in Treatment and Survival of Testicular Cancer Patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kamel, Mohamed H; Elfaramawi, Mohammed; Jadhav, Supriya; Saafan, Ahmed; Raheem, Omer A; Davis, Rodney

    2016-01-01

    To explore the relationship between insurance status and differences in treatment and survival of testicular cancer patients. The Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database was utilized for this study. Between 2007 and 2011, 5986 testicular cancer patients were included in the SEER database. Patients were classified into nonseminoma and seminoma groups. We compared mortality rates, metastasis (M+) at diagnosis, and rates of adjuvant treatments between the uninsured (UI) and insured (I) populations. Overall, 2.64% of UI vs 1.36% of I died from testicular cancer (P = .025) and 16.73% of UI vs 10.52% of I had M+ at diagnosis (P testicular cancer (P = .326) and 25.92% of UI vs 18.46% of I had M+ at diagnosis (P = .0007). Also 17.28% of UI vs 20.88% of I had retroperitoneal lymph node dissection (RPLND; P = .1). In the seminoma group, 1.06% of UI vs 0.33% of I died from testicular cancer (P = .030) and 7.43% of UI vs 4.81% of I had M+ at diagnosis (P = .029). Also 34.75% of UI vs 48.4% of I received adjuvant radiation (P = .0083). The lack of health insurance predicted poor survival after adjusting for tumor stage, receiving adjuvant radiation or RPLND. UI testicular cancer patients present with more advanced cancer stages and have higher mortality rates than I patients. UI seminoma patients received less adjuvant radiation. This may be related to lack of access to care or more advanced cancer stage at diagnosis. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Inc.

  13. Self-perceived Mental Health Status and Uptake of Fecal Occult Blood Test for Colorectal Cancer Screening in Canada: A Cross-Sectional Study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Celestin Hategekimana

    2016-06-01

    Full Text Available Background: While colorectal cancer (CRC is one of the most preventable causes of cancer mortality, it is one of the leading causes of cancer death in Canada where CRC screening uptake is suboptimal. Given the increased rate of mortality and morbidity among mental health patients, their condition could be a potential barrier to CRC screening due to greater difficulties in adhering to behaviours related to long-term health goals. Using a population-based study among Canadians, we hypothesize that self-perceived mental health (SPMH status and fecal occult blood test (FOBT uptake for the screening of CRC are associated. Methods: The current study is cross-sectional and utilised data from the Canadian Community Health Survey 2011-2012. Multinomial logistic regression analysis was undertaken to assess whether SPMH is independently associated with FOBT uptake among a representative sample of 11386 respondents aged 50-74 years. Results: Nearly half of the respondents reported having ever had FOBT for CRC screening, including 37.28% who have been screened within two years of the survey and 12.41% who had been screened more than two years preceding the survey. Respondents who reported excellent mental health were more likely to have ever been screened two years or more before the survey (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 2.08; 95% CI, 1.00-4.43 and to have been screened in the last two years preceding the survey (AOR = 1.53; 95% CI, 0.86-2.71 than those reported poor mental health status. Conclusion: This study supports the association between SPMH status and FOBT uptake for CRC screening. While the efforts to maximize CRC screening uptake should be deployed to all eligible people, those with poor mental health may need more attention.

  14. Status and Advances of RGD Molecular Imaging in Lung Cancer

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ning YUE

    2014-12-01

    Full Text Available Lung cancer has been one of the most common and the highest mortality rates malignant tumors at home and abroad. Sustained angiogenesis was not only the characteristic of malignant tumors, but also the foundation of tumor proliferation, invasion, recurrence and metastasis, it was also one of the hot spots of treatments in lung cancer biology currently. Integrins played an important part in tumor angiogenesis. Arg-Gly-Asp (RGD peptides could combine with integrins specifically, and the application of radionuclide-labeled RGD molecular probes enabled imaging of tumor blood vessels to reflect its changes. The lung cancer imaging of RGD peptides at home and abroad in recent years was reviewed in this article.

  15. Civilian Power Program. Part 1, Summary, Current status of reactor concepts

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Author, Not Given

    1959-09-01

    This study group covered the following: delineation of the specific objectives of the overall US AEC civilian power reactor program, technical objectives of each reactor concept, preparation of a chronological development program for each reactor concept, evaluation of the economic potential of each reactor type, a program to encourage the the development, and yardsticks for measuring the development. Results were used for policy review by AEC, program direction, authorization and appropriation requests, etc. This evaluation encompassed civilian power reactors rated at 25 MW(e) or larger and related experimental facilities and R&D. This Part I summarizes the significant results of the comprehensive effort to determine the current technical and economic status for each reactor concept; it is based on the 8 individual technical status reports (Part III).

  16. Energy metabolism and nutritional status in hospitalized patients with lung cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Takemura, Yumi; Sasaki, Masaya; Goto, Kenichi; Takaoka, Azusa; Ohi, Akiko; Kurihara, Mika; Nakanishi, Naoko; Nakano, Yasutaka; Hanaoka, Jun

    2016-09-01

    This study aimed to investigate the energy metabolism of patients with lung cancer and the relationship between energy metabolism and proinflammatory cytokines. Twenty-eight patients with lung cancer and 18 healthy controls were enrolled in this study. The nutritional status upon admission was analyzed using nutritional screening tools and laboratory tests. The resting energy expenditure and respiratory quotient were measured using indirect calorimetry, and the predicted resting energy expenditure was calculated using the Harris-Benedict equation. Energy expenditure was increased in patients with advanced stage disease, and there were positive correlations between measured resting energy expenditure/body weight and interleukin-6 levels and between measured resting energy expenditure/predicted resting energy expenditure and interleukin-6 levels. There were significant relationships between body mass index and plasma leptin or acylated ghrelin levels. However, the level of appetite controlling hormones did not affect dietary intake. There was a negative correlation between plasma interleukin-6 levels and dietary intake, suggesting that interleukin-6 plays a role in reducing dietary intake. These results indicate that energy expenditure changes significantly with lung cancer stage and that plasma interleukin-6 levels affect energy metabolism and dietary intake. Thus, nutritional management that considers the changes in energy metabolism is important in patients with lung cancer.

  17. Current status of ITER EC design

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bosia, G.

    2003-01-01

    The ITER-FEAT Electron Cyclotron System employs one equatorial launcher and three upper port launchers to inject 20 + 20 MW of mm-wave power at 170 GHz through slots in the plasma-facing neutron and radiation shield. The equatorial launcher includes 3 sets of toroidally steer-able mirrors, each collecting 8 RF beams from 24 circular cross-section corrugated wave-guides. In the upper-port launcher, eight beams, reflected in pairs by four toroidally angled (∼30 angle) and poloidally steer-able (∼ 10 angle) mirrors focus of the RF power on the plasma m = 2 and m = 3/2 plasma flux rational surfaces, for neo-classical tearing mode(s) (NTM) control. Conceptual studies of remote steering that would possibly allow removing the beam- steering equipment from the vacuum vessel and locating them in more protected positions have been carried out. All EC wave transmission is based on low losses circular cross section corrugated and evacuated wave guides each connected to a 170 GHz, 1 MW CW Gyrotron tube oscillator featuring an overall efficiency of ∼ 50%, obtained by depressed-collector energy recovery. In the paper, requirements, issues and the current status of the design is reviewed. (authors)

  18. Status of oral ulcerative mucositis and biomarkers to monitor posttraumatic stress disorder effects in breast cancer patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Loo, Wings T Y; Liu, Qing; Yip, Michael C W; Wang, Min; Chow, Louis W C; Cheung, Mary N B; Yip, Adrian Y S; Ng, Elizabeth L Y

    2013-06-28

    This study was designed to assess oral ulcerative mucositis, C-reactive protein, blood pressure, heart rate and thyroid function in breast cancer patients in relation to the occurrence of posttraumatic stress disorder 
(PTSD). A total of 120 female breast cancer patients and women 100 healthy subjects were enrolled in this study. PTSD status was assessed by questionnaire. Before and after treatment (modified radical mastectomy and chemotherapy), serum samples were collected and measured for levels of triiodothyronine (T3), thyroxine (T4), thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) by ELISA. Oral ulcerative mucositis was evaluated by the number and duration of oral ulcers and the degree of pain. Breast cancer patients experienced long-term PTSD and had elevated serum T3 and T4 levels. Patients experienced more severe pain and longer duration of oral ulcers compared with the healthy group. Oral ulcers were significantly associated with PTSD score in terms of the number of ulcers (p=0.0025), the degree of pain (pthyroid function is altered in breast cancer patients with PTSD. Elevation of T3 and T4 and oral ulcerative mucositis might be indicative of the emotional status of breast cancer patients.

  19. Prognostic impact of pregnancy after breast cancer according to estrogen receptor status

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Azim, Hatem A; Kroman, Niels; Paesmans, Marianne

    2013-01-01

    .91; 95% CI, 0.67 to 1.24, P = .55) or the ER-negative (HR = 0.75; 95% CI, 0.51 to 1.08, P = .12) cohorts. However, the pregnant group had better OS (HR = 0.72; 95% CI, 0.54 to 0.97, P = .03), with no interaction according to ER status (P = .11). Pregnancy outcome and BC-pregnancy interval did not seem......PURPOSE We questioned the impact of pregnancy on disease-free survival (DFS) in women with history of breast cancer (BC) according to estrogen receptor (ER) status. PATIENTS AND METHODS A multicenter, retrospective cohort study in which patients who became pregnant any time after BC were matched (1......:3) to patients with BC with similar ER, nodal status, adjuvant therapy, age, and year of diagnosis. To adjust for guaranteed time bias, each nonpregnant patient had to have a disease-free interval at least equal to the time elapsing between BC diagnosis and date of conception of the matched pregnant one...

  20. Tele-yoga for Chronic Pain: Current Status and Future Directions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mathersul, Danielle C; Mahoney, Louise A; Bayley, Peter J

    2018-01-01

    Pain is a pervasive, debilitating disorder that is resistant to long-term pharmacological interventions. Although psychological therapies such as cognitive behavior therapy demonstrate moderate efficacy, many individuals continue to have ongoing difficulties following treatment. There is a current trend to establish complementary and integrative health interventions for chronic pain, for which yoga has been found to have exciting potential. Nevertheless, an important consideration within the field is accessibility to adequate care. Telehealth can be used to provide real-time interactive video conferencing leading to increased access to health care for individuals located remotely or who otherwise have difficulty accessing services, perhaps through issues of mobility or proximity of adequate services. This article assesses the current status and feasibility of implementing tele-yoga for chronic pain. Methodological limitations and recommendations for future research are discussed.

  1. The Japanese artificial organs scene: current status.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mitamura, Yoshinori; Murabayashi, Shun

    2005-08-01

    Artificial organs and regenerative medicine are the subjects of very active research and development (R&D) in Japan and various artificial organs are widely used in patients. Results of the R&D are presented at the annual conference of the Japanese Society for Artificial Organs (JSAO). Progress in the fields of artificial organs and regenerative medicine are reviewed annually in the Japanese Journal of Artificial Organs. The official English-language journal of JSAO, Journal of Artificial Organs, also publishes many original articles by Japanese researchers. Although the annual conference and the publications of JSAO provide the world with update information on artificial organs and regenerative medicine in Japan, the information is not always understood appropriately in the rest of the world, mainly due to language problems. This article therefore introduces the current status of artificial organs and regenerative medicine in Japan. Artificial hearts and metabolic support systems are reviewed here and other interesting areas such as regenerative medicine can be found elsewhere.

  2. Current status of GALS setup in JINR

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Zemlyanoy, S., E-mail: zemlya@jinr.ru; Avvakumov, K., E-mail: kavvakumov@jinr.ru [Joint Institute for Nuclear Research, Flerov Laboratory of Nuclear Reactions (Russian Federation); Fedosseev, V. [CERN (Switzerland); Bark, R. [Nat. Research Foundation, iThemba LABS (South Africa); Blazczak, Z. [A. Mickiewicz University, Faculty of Physics (Poland); Janas, Z. [University of Warsaw, Faculty of Physics (Poland)

    2017-11-15

    This is a brief report on the current status of the new GAs cell based Laser ionization Setup (GALS) at the Flerov Laboratory for Nuclear Reactions (FLNR) of the Joint Institute for Nuclear Research (JINR) in Dubna. GALS will exploit available beams from the U-400M cyclotron in low energy multi-nucleon transfer reactions to study exotic neutron-rich nuclei located in the “north-east” region of nuclear map. Products from 4.5 to 9 MeV/nucleon heavy-ion collisions, such as {sup 136}Xe on {sup 208}Pb, are thermalized and neutralized in a high pressure gas cell and subsequently selectively laser re-ionized. In order to choose the best scheme of ion extraction the results of computer simulations of two different systems are presented. The first off- and online experiment will be performed on osmium atoms that is regarded as a most convenient element for producing isotopes with neutron number in the vicinity of the magic N = 126.

  3. Nutritional status of patients with gastrointestinal cancer receiving care in a public hospital; 2010-2011.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dias do Prado, Corina; Alvares Duarte Bonini Campos, Juliana

    2013-01-01

    To identify the nutritional status of patients with gastrointestinal cancer and verify its association with demographic and clinical characteristics. This was a cross-sectional study with a nonprobability sampling design. The participants were 143 adult patients with gastrointestinal cancer, receiving care in the Amaral Carvalho Hospital (Jaú-SP, Brazil) from November 2010 to October 2011. A survey was conducted to collect information for the purpose of demographic and clinical characterization. In order to identify nutritional status, the Scored Pati2) test were used. The prevalence ratio (PR) was estimated. The level of significance adopted was 5%. The mean age of patients was 57.45 (SD = 9.62) years, with Stages III and IV of the disease being the most prevalent (39.2% and 35.0%). There was 44.8% prevalence of malnutrition. The undernourished individual more frequently reported having problems with eating (pcent-Generated Subjective Global Assessment (Scored PG-SGA) was applied. Descriptive statistics and the Chi-square (cancer, with significant association with clinical symptoms directly related to the eating process. Copyright © AULA MEDICA EDICIONES 2013. Published by AULA MEDICA. All rights reserved.

  4. Nutritional status and nutritional support before and after pancreatectomy for pancreatic cancer and chronic pancreatitis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Karagianni, Vasiliki Th; Papalois, Apostolos E; Triantafillidis, John K

    2012-12-01

    Cachexia, malnutrition, significant weight loss, and reduction in food intake due to anorexia represent the most important pathophysiological consequences of pancreatic cancer. Pathophysiological consequences result also from pancreatectomy, the type and severity of which differ significantly and depend on the type of the operation performed. Nutritional intervention, either parenteral or enteral, needs to be seen as a method of support in pancreatic cancer patients aiming at the maintenance of the nutritional and functional status and the prevention or attenuation of cachexia. Oral nutrition could reduce complications while restoring quality of life. Enteral nutrition in the post-operative period could also reduce infective complications. The evidence for immune-enhanced feed in patients undergoing pancreaticoduodenectomy for pancreatic cancer is supported by the available clinical data. Nutritional support during the post-operative period on a cyclical basis is preferred because it is associated with low incidence of gastric stasis. Postoperative total parenteral nutrition is indicated only to those patients who are unable to be fed orally or enterally. Thus nutritional deficiency is a relatively widesoread and constant finding suggesting that we must optimise the nutritional status both before and after surgery.

  5. Importance of sexuality in colorectal cancer: predictors, changes, and response to an intimacy enhancement intervention.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Reese, Jennifer Barsky; Haythornthwaite, Jennifer A

    2016-10-01

    The primary objectives were (1) to examine the importance of sexuality within the self-view and cross-sectional correlates for 120 colorectal cancer patients and (2) to determine whether the importance of sexuality changed for 46 colorectal cancer patients and partners participating in an intimacy enhancement intervention. Two newly developed items assessed importance of sexuality within the self-view (1) currently and (2) before cancer; a calculated change score assessed perceived change. In the cross-sectional sample, associations between importance of sexuality and demographic and medical factors and sexual function status were examined. Intervention participants' importance ratings before and after participation were used to calculate effect sizes. For patients, importance of sexuality before cancer was greater (M = 65.7) than current importance (M = 56.8, p = .001). Greater current importance of sexuality was associated with partnered status, non-metastatic disease, and not being in treatment. Scoring in the sexually functional range was associated with greater current importance of sexuality for men and a smaller perceived change in importance for both men and women (p values Sexual function status also significantly predicted current importance independent of covariates. Small to medium effect sizes for intervention patients (.37) and partners (.60) were found for increases in importance of sexuality. Items showed evidence of test-retest reliability and construct validity. Coping with sexual concerns is important to those affected by colorectal cancer. Findings suggest that the importance of sexuality can decrease through colorectal cancer and associated sexual problems and can increase through participating in an intimacy-focused intervention.

  6. Physical status of human papillomavirus integration in cervical cancer is associated with treatment outcome of the patients treated with radiotherapy.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hye-Jin Shin

    Full Text Available Integration of human papillomavirus (HPV DNA into the host genome is a critical aetiological event in the progression from normal cervix to intraepithelial neoplasm, and finally to invasive cervical cancer. However, there has been little work on how HPV integration status relates to treatment outcome for cervical carcinomas. In the current study, HPV E2 and E6 gene copy numbers were measured in 111 cervical cancer tissues using real-time QPCR. Integration patterns were divided into four groups: single copy-integrated with episomal components (group 1, single copy-integrated without episomal components (group 2, multicopy tandem repetition-integrated (group 3, and low HPV (group 4 groups. A relapse-predicting model was constructed using multivariable Cox proportional hazards model to classify patients into different risk groups for disease-free survival (DFS. The model was internally validated using bootstrap resampling. Oligonucleotide microarray analysis was performed to evaluate gene expression patterns in relation to the different integration groups. DFS rate was inferior in the order of the patients in group 4, group 2/3, and group 1. Multivariate analysis showed that histologic grade, clinical stage group, and integration pattern were significant prognostic factors for poor DFS. The current prognostic model accurately predicted the risk of relapse, with an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC of 0.74 (bootstrap corrected, 0.71. In conclusion, these data suggest that HPV integration pattern is a potent prognostic factor for tailored treatment of cervical cancer.

  7. Chromatin status of apoptosis genes correlates with sensitivity to chemo-, immune- and radiation therapy in colorectal cancer cell lines.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Benard, Anne; Janssen, Connie M; van den Elsen, Peter J; van Eggermond, Marja C J A; Hoon, Dave S B; van de Velde, Cornelis J H; Kuppen, Peter J K

    2014-12-01

    The apoptosis pathway of programmed cell death is frequently deregulated in cancer. An intact apoptosis pathway is required for proper response to anti-cancer treatment. We investigated the chromatin status of key apoptosis genes in the apoptosis pathway in colorectal cancer cell lines in relation to apoptosis induced by chemo-, immune- or radiation therapy. Using chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP), we measured the presence of transcription-activating histone modifications H3Ac and H3K4me3 and silencing modifications H3K9me3 and H3K27me3 at the gene promoter regions of key apoptosis genes Bax, Bcl2, Caspase-9, Fas (CD95) and p53. Cell lines DLD1, SW620, Colo320, Caco2, Lovo and HT29 were treated with cisplatin, anti-Fas or radiation. The apoptotic response was measured by flow cytometry using propidium iodide and annexin V-FITC. The chromatin status of the apoptosis genes reflected the activation status of the intrinsic (Bax, Bcl2, Caspase-9 and p53) and extrinsic (Fas) pathways. An active intrinsic apoptotic pathway corresponded to sensitivity to cisplatin and radiation treatment of cell lines DLD1, SW620 and Colo320. An active Fas promoter corresponded to an active extrinsic apoptotic pathway in cell line DLD1. mRNA expression data correlated with the chromatin status of the apoptosis genes as measured by ChIP. In conclusion, the results presented in this study indicate that the balance between activating and silencing histone modifications, reflecting the chromatin status of apoptosis genes, can be used to predict the response of tumor cells to different anti-cancer therapies and could provide a novel target to sensitize tumors to obtain adequate treatment responses.

  8. Current status of large-scale cryogenic gravitational wave telescope

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kuroda, K; Ohashi, M; Miyoki, S; Uchiyama, T; Ishitsuka, H; Yamamoto, K; Kasahara, K; Fujimoto, M-K; Kawamura, S; Takahashi, R; Yamazaki, T; Arai, K; Tatsumi, D; Ueda, A; Fukushima, M; Sato, S; Nagano, S; Tsunesada, Y; Zhu, Zong-Hong; Shintomi, T; Yamamoto, A; Suzuki, T; Saito, Y; Haruyama, T; Sato, N; Higashi, Y; Tomaru, T; Tsubono, K; Ando, M; Takamori, A; Numata, K; Aso, Y; Ueda, K-I; Yoneda, H; Nakagawa, K; Musha, M; Mio, N; Moriwaki, S; Somiya, K; Araya, A; Kanda, N; Telada, S; Tagoshi, H; Nakamura, T; Sasaki, M; Tanaka, T; Oohara, K; Takahashi, H; Miyakawa, O; Tobar, M E

    2003-01-01

    The large-scale cryogenic gravitational wave telescope (LCGT) project is the proposed advancement of TAMA, which will be able to detect the coalescences of binary neutron stars occurring in our galaxy. LCGT intends to detect the coalescence events within about 240 Mpc, the rate of which is expected to be from 0.1 to several events in a year. LCGT has Fabry-Perot cavities of 3 km baseline and the mirrors are cooled down to a cryogenic temperature of 20 K. It is planned to be built in the underground of Kamioka mine. This paper overviews the revision of the design and the current status of the R and D

  9. CT myocardial perfusion imaging: current status and future perspectives.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yang, Dong Hyun; Kim, Young-Hak

    2017-07-01

    Computed tomography myocardial perfusion (CTP) combined with coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA) may constitute a "1-stop shop" for the noninvasive diagnosis of hemodynamically significant coronary stenosis during a single CT examination. CTP shows high diagnostic performance and provides incremental value over CCTA for the detection of hemodynamically significant coronary stenosis in patients with a high Agatston calcium score or coronary artery stents. Future studies should determine the optimal protocol and clinical value of CTP for guiding revascularization strategy and prognostication. In this article, we review the current status and future perspectives of CTP, focusing on technical considerations, clinical applications, and future research topics.

  10. History and current status of nuclear fuel reprocessing technology

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Funasaka, Hideyuki; Nagai, Toshihisa; Washiya, Tadahiro

    2008-01-01

    History and present state of fast breeder reactor was reviewed in series. As a history and current status of nuclear fuel reprocessing technology, this ninth lecture presented the progress of the FBR fuel reprocessing technology and advanced reprocessing processes. FBR fuel reprocessing technology had been developed to construct the reprocessing equipment test facilities (RETF) based on PUREX process technologies. With economics, reduction of environmental burdens and proliferation resistance taken into consideration, advanced aqueous method for nuclear fuel cycle activities has been promoted as the government's basic policy. Innovative technologies on mechanical disassembly, continuous rotary dissolver, crystallizer, solvent extraction and actinides recovery have been mainly studied. (T. Tanaka)

  11. Community-based dental education: history, current status, and future.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Formicola, Allan J; Bailit, Howard L

    2012-01-01

    This article examines the history, current status, and future direction of community-based dental education (CBDE). The key issues addressed include the reasons that dentistry developed a different clinical education model than the other health professions; how government programs, private medical foundations, and early adopter schools influenced the development of CBDE; the societal and financial factors that are leading more schools to increase the time that senior dental students spend in community programs; the impact of CBDE on school finances and faculty and student perceptions; and the reasons that CBDE is likely to become a core part of the clinical education of all dental graduates.

  12. Current status of cadmium as an environmental health problem

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jaerup, Lars; Akesson, Agneta

    2009-01-01

    Cadmium is a toxic metal occurring in the environment naturally and as a pollutant emanating from industrial and agricultural sources. Food is the main source of cadmium intake in the non-smoking population. The bioavailability, retention and toxicity are affected by several factors including nutritional status such as low iron status. Cadmium is efficiently retained in the kidney (half-time 10-30 years) and the concentration is proportional to that in urine (U-Cd). Cadmium is nephrotoxic, initially causing kidney tubular damage. Cadmium can also cause bone damage, either via a direct effect on bone tissue or indirectly as a result of renal dysfunction. After prolonged and/or high exposure the tubular injury may progress to glomerular damage with decreased glomerular filtration rate, and eventually to renal failure. Furthermore, recent data also suggest increased cancer risks and increased mortality in environmentally exposed populations. Dose-response assessment using a variety of early markers of kidney damage has identified U-Cd points of departure for early kidney effects between 0.5 and 3 μg Cd/g creatinine, similar to the points of departure for effects on bone. It can be anticipated that a considerable proportion of the non-smoking adult population has urinary cadmium concentrations of 0.5 μg/g creatinine or higher in non-exposed areas. For smokers this proportion is considerably higher. This implies no margin of safety between the point of departure and the exposure levels in the general population. Therefore, measures should be put in place to reduce exposure to a minimum, and the tolerably daily intake should be set in accordance with recent findings.

  13. Human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 status of gastric cancer patients in Asia: results from a large, multicountry study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pathmanathan, Nirmala; Geng, Jing-Shu; Li, Wencai; Nie, Xiu; Veloso, Januario; Wang, John; Hill, Julie; Mccloud, Philip; Bilous, Michael

    2017-06-01

    Current estimates of the human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-positivity rate in gastric cancer vary widely in the literature, and there are limited data from countries in Asia. The primary aim of this study was to conduct a clinical audit of laboratories across seven countries in Asia to determine the incidence of HER2-positive gastric cancer in this region. Pathologists were asked to collect data on patient gender, age, cancer site, specimen type, tumor spread, type and grade, HER2 test results, including protein and/or gene copy enumeration, and final HER2 status on consecutive gastric cancer cases tested for HER2 in their laboratory over a 2-year period. HER2 results from 5,301 gastric cancers were submitted by 50 laboratories. The overall HER2-positivity rate was 9.7% which, after the exclusion of China, increased to 18.1%. The rate between countries ranged from 0% to 23.1%, and from 0% to 50.0% between laboratories. An equivocal HER2 result was recorded in 19.5% of cases. Despite the lack of centralized testing to confirm the accuracy of HER2 diagnoses, the incidence of HER2-positive gastric cancer observed here was comparable to that reported in the literature. Nevertheless, rates were highly variable between countries and laboratories, which suggests a lack of HER2 testing expertise in gastric cancer. Given that the mortality rates for gastric cancer in Eastern Asia are the highest in the world, efforts should focus on improving HER2 testing expertise in the region so that patients receive the appropriate treatment early in their disease. © 2016 The Authors. Asia-Pacific Journal of Clinical Oncology Published by John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.

  14. Early Childhood Inclusion in the United States: Goals, Current Status, and Future Directions

    Science.gov (United States)

    Guralnick, Michael J.; Bruder, Mary Beth

    2016-01-01

    The current status and future directions of early childhood inclusion in the United States are discussed from the perspective of 4 key goals: access, accommodations and feasibility, developmental progress, and social integration. Recommendations are put forward to promote inclusion goals emphasizing administrative structures, personnel…

  15. Breast Cancer Status in Iran: Statistical Analysis of 3010 Cases between 1998 and 2014

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mohammad Esmaeil Akbari

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Background. Breast cancer is the 5th leading cause of cancer death in Iranian women. This study analyzed 3010 women with breast cancer that had been referred to a cancer research center in Tehran between 1998 and 2014. Methods. In this retrospective study, we analyzed 3010 breast cancer cases with 32 clinical and paraclinical attributes. We checked the data quality rigorously and removed any invalid values or records. The method was data mining (problem definition, data preparation, data exploration, modeling, evaluation, and deployment. However, only the descriptive analyses’ results of the variables are presented in this article. To our knowledge, this is the most comprehensive study on breast cancer status in Iran. Results. A typical Iranian breast cancer patient has been a 40–50-year-old married woman with two children, who has a high school diploma and no history of abortion, smoking, or diabetes. Most patients were estrogen and progesterone receptor positive, human epidermal growth factor (HER negative, and P53 negative. Most cases were detected in stage 2 with intermediate grade. Conclusion. This study revealed original findings which can be used in national policymaking to find the best early detection method and improve the care quality and breast cancer prevention in Iran.

  16. [Current approaches to evaluating the anatomic and functional status of the cornea].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Avetisov, S E; Borodina, N V; Kobzova, M V; Musaeva, G M

    2010-01-01

    The review provides data on current methods for evaluating the anatomic and functional status of the cornea (light refraction, light transmission, and biomechanical properties, in particular). It analyzes the main advantages and disadvantages of basic (biomicroscopy, endothelial microscopy, ophthalmometry, topography, and pachymetry) and special (confocal microscopy, optical coherence tomography, ultrasound biomicroscopy, aberrometry, bidirectional corneal applanation, and keratoesthesiometry) studies.

  17. Prognostic role of APC and RASSF1A promoter methylation status in cell free circulating DNA of operable gastric cancer patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Balgkouranidou, I; Matthaios, D; Karayiannakis, A; Bolanaki, H; Michailidis, P; Xenidis, N; Amarantidis, K; Chelis, L; Trypsianis, G; Chatzaki, E; Lianidou, E S; Kakolyris, S

    2015-08-01

    Gastric carcinogenesis is a multistep process including not only genetic mutations but also epigenetic alterations. The best known and more frequent epigenetic alteration is DNA methylation affecting tumor suppressor genes that may be involved in various carcinogenetic pathways. The aim of the present study was to investigate the methylation status of APC promoter 1A and RASSF1A promoter in cell free DNA of operable gastric cancer patients. Using methylation specific PCR, we examined the methylation status of APC promoter 1A and RASSF1A promoter in 73 blood samples obtained from patients with gastric cancer. APC and RASSF1A promoters were found to be methylated in 61 (83.6%) and 50 (68.5%) of the 73 gastric cancer samples examined, but in none of the healthy control samples (p APC promoter and elevated CEA (p = 0.033) as well as CA-19.9 (p = 0.032) levels, was noticed. The Kaplan-Meier estimates of survival, significantly favored patients with a non-methylated APC promoter status (p = 0.008). No other significant correlations between APC and RASSF1A methylation status and different tumor variables examined was observed. Serum RASSF1A and APC promoter hypermethylation is a frequent epigenetic event in patients with early operable gastric cancer. The observed correlations between APC promoter methylation status and survival as well as between a hypermethylated RASSF1A promoter and nodal positivity may be indicative of a prognostic role for those genes in early operable gastric cancer. Additional studies, in a larger cohort of patients are required to further explore whether these findings could serve as potential molecular biomarkers of survival and/or response to specific treatments. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  18. Changes of nutritional status after distal gastrectomy in patients with gastric cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Katsube, Takao; Konnno, Soichi; Murayama, Minoru; Kuhara, Kotaro; Sagawa, Masano; Yoshimatsu, Kazuhiko; Shiozawa, Shunnichi; Shimakawa, Takeshi; Naritaka, Yoshihiko; Ogawa, Kenji

    2008-01-01

    In Japan, distal gastrectomy is the most common operation performed to treat gastric cancer. However, this procedure often leads to postoperative problems such as weight loss. We assessed the changes of nutritional status early after operation and the associations of the postoperative body weight (as a percentage of the preoperative weight) and background factors in patients who underwent distal gastrectomy. We measured the changes of nutritional indices (mean body weight, TSF, AMC and Alb) and nutrition intake on the day before operation (before operation), before postoperative resumption of oral intake (before oral intake), and on the fifth day of a soft rice porridge diet (after soft rice). Background factors included gender, age, preoperative BMI and preoperative exercise. Mean body weight, TSF, and AMC significantly decreased from before operation, to the day before oral intake and to the day after soft rice. The postoperative body weight was not associated with the gender, age, or preoperative BMI. The frequency of regular preoperative exercise was associated with the postoperative body weight. The total daily calorie intake was 1,664 kcal (before operation), 398 kcal (before oral intake), and 949 kcal (after soft rice). To conclude, nutritional status changes significantly after distal gastrectomy. Early nutrition intervention may be needed in patients who undergo distal gastrectomy for gastric cancer.

  19. Fuel Cell Buses in U.S. Transit Fleets: Current Status 2011

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Eudy, L.; Chandler, K.; Gikakis, C.

    2011-11-01

    This status report, fifth in a series of annual status reports from the U.S. Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), discusses the achievements and challenges of fuel cell propulsion for transit and summarizes the introduction of fuel cell transit buses in the United States. Progress this year includes an increase in the number of fuel cell electric buses (FCEBs), from 15 to 25, operating at eight transit agencies, as well as increased diversity of the fuel cell design options for transit buses. The report also provides an analysis of the combined results from fuel cell transit bus demonstrations evaluated by NREL with a focus on the most recent data through July 2011 including fuel cell power system reliability and durability; fuel economy; roadcall; and hydrogen fueling results. These evaluations cover 22 of the 25 FCEBs currently operating.

  20. Current status on techniques for determining paleo-temperature using geothermometer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kanazawa, Sunao; Oikawa, Teruki; Umeda, Koji; Tomiyama, Shingo

    2005-01-01

    Development of the research technologies for geotectonic events has been carried out to evaluate the long-term stability of geological environment. In terms of the effects of geothermal activity, it is necessary to estimate the geothermal regime and thermal history on any given site. This paper describes the current status on techniques for determining paleo-temperature using geothermometer, and presents a concept of the systematic research techniques. The application of geothermometer, especially thermochronology, has been effective in the studies on the cooling history of geological body and the paleo-geothermal structure at depth. (author)