• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.13 no.7
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• pp.3529-3533
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• 2012

Objectives: To investigate the current prevalence and knowledge of cervical cancer, breast cancer and reproductive tract infections (RTIs) in rural Chinese women, and to explore the acceptance and feasibility of implementing a combined screening program in rural China. Methods: A population-based, cross-sectional study was conducted among women aged 30 to 59 years old in Xiangyuan County, Shanxi Province from 2009 to 2010. Socio-demographic characteristics, knowledge of cervical cancer, breast cancer and RTIs, and the attitude toward single or combined screening were collected by an interview questionnaire. Each participant received a clinical examination of the cervix, breast and reproductive tract. Examinations included visual inspection, mammography, laboratory tests and pathological diagnosis. Results: A total of 1,530 women were enrolled in this study. The prevalence of cervical precancerous lesions, suspicious breast cancer, suspicious benign breast disease and RTIs was 1.4%, 0.2%, 14.0% and 54.3%, respectively. Cervicitis, trichomonas vaginitis, and bacterial vaginitis were the three most common RTIs among our participants. Television, radio broadcast, and public education during screening were the major source of healthcare knowledge in rural China. Moreover 99.7% of women expressed great interest in participating in a combined screening project. The affordable limit for combined screening project was only 50 RMB for more than half of the rural women. Conclusion: A combined screening program would be more effective and popular than single disease screening projects, while appropriate accompanied education and a co-pay model for its successful implementation need to be explored, especially in low-resource settings.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.7
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• pp.2945-2950
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• 2014

Background: This study compared risk factors for depression and suicidal ideas among cancer patients for comparison with the general population, and identified influencing factors. Materials and Methods: We analyzed data from 2,472 cancer patients in the National Cancer Center and nine Regional Cancer Centers and frequency-matched data for age and sex from 2,349 members of the general population who completed the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey in 2008. Logistic regression analysis was used to identify factors affecting depression and suicidal ideas. Results: Cancer patients were not likely to have more depression (OR=0.96, 95%CI=0.79-1.18) and were less likely to have suicidal ideas (OR=0.64, 95%CI=0.53-0.79) compared to the general population. Female sex, more stress, and lower quality of life were influencing factors. The additional risk factors for suicidal ideas among cancer patients included income (OR=0.62, 95%CI=0.43-0.91), smoking (OR=1.63, 95% CI=1.06-2.50), recurrence (OR=1.50, 95%CI=1.15-1.95), and chemotherapy (OR=1.66, 95%CI=1.26-2.19). Conclusions: No differences appeared in depression rates between cancer patients and the general population, and cancer patients were less likely to have suicidal ideas. However, cancer patients were likely to have more risk factors than the general population, and those classified as being at high risk of suicide should receive distress management and social economic support, from early in the treatment process.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.24
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• pp.10739-10743
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• 2015

The present study aimed at evaluating and comparing the diagnostic performance of B-mode ultrasound (US), elastography score (ES), and strain ratio (SR) for the differentiation of breast lesions. This retrospective study enrolled 431 lesions from 417 in-hospital patients. All patients were examined with both conventional ultrasound and elastography. Two experienced radiologists reviewed ultrasound and elasticity images. The histopathologic result obtained from ultrasound-guided core biopsy or operation excisions were used as the reference standard. Pathologic examination revealed 276 malignant lesions (64%) and 155 benign lesions (36%). A cut-off point of 4.15 (area under the curve, 0.891) allowed significant differentiation of malignant and benign lesions. ROC (receiver-operating characteristic) curves showed a higher value for combination of B-mode ultrasound and elastography for the diagnosis of breast lesions. Conventional ultrasound combined elastography showed high sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy for group II lesions (10mm${\leq}20mm$). Elastography combined with conventional ultrasound show high specificity and accuracy for differentiation of benign and malignant breast lesions. Elastography is particularly important for the diagnosis of BI-RADS 4 and small breast lesions.

• Health Policy and Management
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.35-45
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• 2021

Background: As a descriptive study targeting 2,068 cancer patients as men of national merit in 2013, this study aims to provide the basic data for systematizing the early diagnosis and treatment of cancer by comparatively analyzing the 5-year survival rate. Methods: This study researched the survival of cancer patients through Electronic Medical Record and Patriots-Veterans Qualification Program, targeting 2,068 newly-diagnosed cancer patients verified in five veterans hospitals and consigned management system. This study verified differences between general characteristics of cancer patients as men of national merit and analyzed their survival rate. Results: The cancer patients as men of national merit were super-aged as their average age was 72.5. In the analysis of general characteristics of five major prevalent cancers, there were statistically significant differences according to age, region, cancer diagnostic path, differentiation, diagnostic method, treatment method, SEER stage, and survival period, except for the types of the man of national merit (p<0.001). The whole survival rate of cancer patients as men of national merit was 50%. The 5-year survival rates of predisposing cancers were shown as prostate cancer (79%), colorectal cancer (64%), gastric cancer (57%), liver cancer (32%), and lung cancer (12%). In the cancer diagnostic path, all the predisposing cancers showed the highest survival rate in medical examination. In the treatment method, the surgery showed the highest survival rate. The cancer patients as men of national merit showed a lower survival rate than the general cancer patients of Korea. Conclusion: It would be needed to guarantee the honorable and happy life through health recovery as special treatment of contribution and sacrifice of super-aged men of national merit by increasing the cancer survival rates through regular checkup, early diagnosis, and high-quality treatment system that could have important effects on the survival rate according to the occurrence of cancers.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.6
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• pp.2591-2596
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• 2014

Purpose: To evaluate the prognostic value of the expression of excision repair cross-complementation group l (ERCC1), MutS protein homolog 2 (MSH2) and poly ADP-ribose polymerase 1 (PARP1) in non-small-cell lung cancer patients receiving platinum-based postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy. Methods: Immunohistochemistry was applied to detect the expression of ERCC1, MSH2 and PARP1 in 111 cases of non-small cell lung cancer paraffin embedded surgical specimens. Through og-rank survival analysis, we evaluated the prognostic value of the ERCC1, MSH2, PARP1 and the related clinicopathological factors. COX regression analysis was used to determine whether ERCC1, MSH2 and PARP1 were independent prognostic factors. Results: In the enrolled 111 non-small cell lung cancer patients, the positive expression rate of ERCC1, MSH2 and RARP1 was 33.3%, 36.9% and 55.9%, respectively. ERCC1 (P<0.001) and PARP1 (P=0.033) were found to be correlated with the survival time while there was no correlation for MSH2 (P=0.298). Patients with both ERCC1 and PARP1 negative cancer had significantly longer survival time than those with ERCC1 (P=0.042) or PARP1 (P=0.027) positive alone. Similalry, the survival time of patients with both ERCC1 and PARP1 positive cancer was shorter than those with ERCC1 (P=0.048) or PARP1 (P=0.01) positive alone. Conclusion: Patients with ERCC1 or PARP1 negative non-small cell lung cancer appear to benefit from platinum-based postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy.

• Journal of Gastric Cancer
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.127-132
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• 2005

A hepatoid adenocarcinoma of stomach, a subtype of gastric cancr, is characterized by a histologic resemblance to a hepatocellular carcinoma and $\alpha$-feto protein production. Another feature is early metastasis to the liver and lymph nodes, thus revealing a poor prognosis. We report a case of a hepatoid adenocarcinoma of the stomach with liver metastasis. A 52-year-old male visited our hospital with a chief complaint of indigestion. Gastroscopic examination showed a Borrmann type-II lesion on the lesser curvature of the antrum. The CT scan showed a suspected advanced gastric cancer with liver metastasis. The serum AFP level was 123 ng/ml. A radical subtotal gastrectomy and a right hemihepatectomy were performed simultaneously. Pathologic examination confirmed the lesion to be confined to the submucosa. The gastric lesion was a hepatoid adenocarcinoma, and the hepatic lesion was a metastatic adenocarcinoma from the stomach. Therefore, he was classified as having stage IV (T1N1M1) gastric cancer. In cases of a hepatoid adenocarcinoma of the stomach, even patients with early gastric cancer can be staged into the poor prognostic group.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.17 no.12
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• pp.5295-5302
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• 2016

Objectives: A physically active lifestyle is important for cancer survivors. Therefore, this study was conducted to 1) provide population-based estimates of the prevalence of physical activity and sitting time, and 2) their correlates in Korean cancer survivors. Materials and Methods: This study analyzed a cancer survivor subsample (N=1,482) from 2008-2013 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES), data selected with a complex sampling design. Overall and subgroup-specific prevalences of physical activity and sitting time were estimated. Correlates of moderate- to vigorous-intensity physical activity ( MVPA) and sitting time were tested using age-group-specific hierarchical multiple regression models. Results: Overall adherence rate to physical activity guidelines was 34.9% (95% CI=31.5-38.4). Age-group-specific adherence rates were 41.1% (95% CI=36.3-45.9) in adults (30-64 years old), and 25.3% (95% CI=21.0-25.3) in older adults (65 years or older). Adults spent 213.33 minutes (95% CI=172.4-254.3) per week on MVPA and 55.3 minutes (95% CI=36.4-64.6) on sitting time per day. In adults, sitting time was significantly associated with employed status (B=28.0, p=0.046), smoking (B=-47.4, p=0.020), and number of comorbidity conditions (B=-13, p=.037). MVPA was significantly associated with marital status (B=134.9, p<0.001), employment status (B=98.12, p=.046), and years since cancer diagnosis (B=104.7, p=0.015). Older adults spent 162.2 minutes (95% CI=119.5-204.8) per week on MVPA and 63.0 minutes (95% CI=45.0-89.5) on sitting time per day. Their significant correlates were sex (B= -45.2, p=0.014), smoking (B=-70.14, p<0.001), and years since cancer diagnosis (B=37.0, p=0.024). Age (B=5.8, p=0.042) and marital status (B=83.8, p=0.033) were also significantly associated with MVPA in older adults. Conclusion: A majority of Korean cancer survivors do not sufficiently participate in physical activity. In general, older, unhealthier, non-working, and being unmarried were risk factors for physical inactivity. While this study informs public health policy makers and practitioners about physical activity intervention demand for cancer survivors, future investigations should address psychosocial mediators to better inform intervention programs.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.23
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• pp.10501-10504
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• 2015

Background: Colon cancer is the second most common cancer in developed countries. Activated platelets play a key role in inflammation and atherothrombosis, with mean platelet volume (MPV) is an early marker of platelet activation. The aim of the study was to clarify the relevance of MPV in patients with colon cancer. Materials and Methods: We measured MPV levels in 128 patients with colon cancer before and after surgery, and 128 controls matched for age, gender, body mass index (BMI) and smoking status. The odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for colon cancer were calculated using multivariate logistic regression analyses across MPV quartiles. Results: Patients with colon cancer had higher MPV compared with controls. Surgical tumor resection resulted in a significant decrease in MPV levels (11.4 fL vs 10.7 fL; p<0.001). A positive correlation between MPV and tumor-nodule-metastases (TNM) stage was found. Furthermore, after adjusting for other risk factors, the ORs (95%CIs) for colon cancer according to MPV quartiles were 1.000, 2.238 (1.014-4.943), 3.410 (1.528-7.613), and 5.379 (2.372-12.198), respectively. Conclusions: The findings show that patients with colon cancer have higher MPV levels compared with controls, and these are reduced after surgery. In addition, MPV was found to be independently associated with the presence of colon cancer. Further studies are warranted to assess the utility of MPV as a novel diagnostic screening tool for colon cancer.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.8
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• pp.3565-3572
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• 2015

Background: Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women and leading cause of death worldwide, including in Turkey. High perceptions of cancer fatalism are associated with lower rates of participation in screening for breast cancer. This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of breast cancer fatalism and other factors on breast cancer awareness among nursing students in Turkey. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted at three universities in the Western Black Sea region. The sample was composed of 838 nursing students. Data were collected by Personal Information Form, Powe Fatalism Inventory (PFI) and Champion's Health Belief Model Scale (CHBMS). Results: Breast cancer fatalism perception of the students was at a low level. It was determined that students; seriousness perception was moderate, health motivation, BSE benefits and BSE self-efficacy perceptions were high, and BSE barriers and sensitivity perceptions were low. In addition, it was determined that students awareness of breast cancer was affected by breast cancer fatalism, class level, family history of breast cancer, knowledge on BSE, source of information on BSE, frequency of BSE performing, having breast examination by a healthcare professional within the last year and their health beliefs. Conclusions: In promoting breast cancer early diagnosis behaviour, it is recommended to evaluate fatalism perceptions and health beliefs of the students and to arrange training programs for this purpose.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.6
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• pp.2547-2553
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• 2015

Purpose: The present study concerns the effectiveness of an educational intervention for improving knowledge, attitudes and practices (KAP) of breast cancer early detection among target group women (TGW) in the district of Gampaha, Sri Lanka. Materials and Methods: The study was a community-based intervention. Two medical officer of health areas in Gampaha district were selected using random sampling as intervention (IA) and control (CA). Public health midwives (PHMs) in the IA were exposed to the educational intervention first, conducted the same among the TGW through PHMs. KAP was assessed using an interviewer- administrated questionnaire among 260 TGW from each area selected using cluster sampling before and six months after the intervention. Results: The overall median scores for KAP among TGW in IG increased significantly from pre intervention level of 54% (IQR: 46-59%), 50% (IQR: 41-59%), and 0% (IQR: 0-20%) to post intervention level of 77% (IQR: 72-82%), 68% (IQR: 59- 76 %) and 40% (IQR: 20-60%) respectively. In CG, overall median scores for KAP remained almost the same at pre intervention 54% (IQR:44-59%), 50% (IQR:36-59%) and 0% (IQR: 0-20%) and post intervention 54% (IQR:46-59%), 50% (IQR:36-64%) and 0% (IQR: 0-20%) respectively. Conclusions: The educational intervention was found to be effective.