• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.6
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• pp.2831-2834
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• 2014

The aim of this study was to determine the mortality rate and burden of urinary tract cancers among residents of Inner Mongolia. We analyzed mortality data reported by the Death Registry System from 2008 to 2012. The rate of mortality due to urinary tract cancer was 2.04 per 100,000 person-years for the total population, 2.91 for men, and 1.11 for women. Therefore, the mortality rate for men was 2.62-fold the mortality rate for women, constituting a statistically significant difference (p<0.001). Over the period 2008 through 2012, the total potential years of life lost was 1388.1 person-years for men and 777.1 person-years for women, and the average years of life lost were 7.71 years per male decedent and 12.0 years per female decedent. Mortality due to urinary tract cancers is substantially greater among the elderly population. Further, the mortality rate associated with urinary tract cancers is greater for elderly men than it is for elderly women. Therefore, in Inner Mongolia, urinary tract cancers appear to pose a greater mortality risk for men than they do for women.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.17 no.10
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• pp.4723-4727
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• 2016

Background: There are substantial differences in the mortality rates of stomach cancer among the 47 prefectures in Japan, and Aomori prefecture is one of the most severely impacted. The aims of this study were to determine the incidence and mortality rates of stomach cancer in Aomori prefecture in comparison with Japan as a whole and cast light on reasons underlying variation. Methods: Data on stomach cancer cases were extracted from the Aomori Cancer Registry Database. Incidence rates for specific stages at the time of diagnosis were cited from Monitoring of Cancer Incidence in Japan, and mortality rates for stomach cancer in Aomori prefecture and the whole of Japan were obtained from Vital Statistics. Age-standardised incidence and mortality rates were calculated using the direct method. Results: The age-standardised incidence rate of stomach cancer in Aomori prefecture was higher than in the whole of Japan for males but lower for females. However, the age-standardised mortality rates were higher in Aomori prefecture in both sexes. The proportion of localised cancers was lower in Aomori prefecture than in the whole of Japan for most age groups. Conclusions: The lower rate for localised cancer suggests that higher age-standardised mortality rates are due to delays in diagnosis, despite an attendance rate for stomach cancer screening was higher in Aomori prefecture than in the whole of Japan. One plausible explanation for the failure of successful early detection might be poor quality control during screening implementation that impedes early detection.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.7
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• pp.2757-2761
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• 2015

Background: Stomach cancer is the fourth most common cancer and the second leading cause of cancer-related death through the world. It is predicted that the number of new cancer cases will be more than 15 million cases by 2020. Regarding the lack of studies on this topic in the country, we have thoroughly examined the patho-epidemiology of stomach cancer in Iran. Materials and Methods: In this cross- sectional study data were collected retrospectively reviewing all new stomach cancer patients in Cancer Registry Center report of health deputy for Iran during a 6-year period (2003-2008). The study also examined the morphology of common stomach cancers. Trends in incidence and morphology underwent joinpoint regression analysis. Results: During the six-year period, a total of 35,171 cases of stomach cancer were registered. Average age standardized rate for females and males were equal to 7.1 and 15.1 per 100,000 persons, respectively. Most common histological type was adenocarcinoma, NOS with 21,980 cases (62.50%). The annual percentage change (APC) in age-standardized incidence rate (per 100,000) was increase in both females and males at 11.1 (CI: 4.3 to 18.3) and 9.2 (CI: 5.2 to 13.4), respectively. Conclusions: According to our results, the incidence of gastric cancer is increasing in Iran, so further epidemiological studies into the etiology and early detection are essential.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.13 no.8
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• pp.3911-3916
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• 2012

Background: The objective of this study WAS to describe cancer incidence rates and trends among THE Hong Kong population for the period 1983-2008. Methods: Incident cases and population data from 1983 to 2008 were obtained from the Hong Kong Cancer Registry and the Census and Statistics Department, respectively. Agestandardized incidence rates (ASIR) were estimated and joinpoint regression was applied to detect significant changes in cancer morbidity. Results: For all cancers combined, the ASIR showed declining trends (1.37% in men, 0.94% in women), this also being the case for cancers of lung, liver, nasopharynx, stomach, bladder, oesophagus for both genders and cervix cancer for women. With cancer of thyroid, prostate, male colorectal, corpus uteri, ovary and female breast cancer an increase was evident throughout the period. The incidence for leukemia showed a stable trend since early 1990s, following an earlier decrease. Conclusion: Although overall cancer incidence rates and certain cancers showed declining trends, incidence trends for colorectal, thyroid and sex-related cancers continue to rise. These trends in cancer morbidity can be used as an important resource to plan and develop effective programs aimed at the control and prevention of the spread of cancer amongst the Hong Kong population. It is particularly useful in allowing projection of future burdens on the society with the increase in certain cancer incidences.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.17 no.7
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• pp.3541-3544
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• 2016

Background: As the treatment modalities for oral cancer have been relatively consistent during the last two-decades, this study was conducted to compare survivals of oral cancer patients in Khon Kaen Province before and after the universal coverage scheme (UC) was launched in Thailand. Materials and Methods: The data were retrieved from the population-based cancer registry of Khon Kaen for oral cancer patients diagnosed during 1992-2001 (pre-UC), and 2004-2012 (post-UC). To compare survival of the two cohorts, Kaplan Meier and log rank tests were employed. Results: Of 1,196 patients, 65% were females and the median age was 65 years. The most common primary sites were lip (31.0%), tongue (29.9%), and buccal mucosa (14.6%). The proportion of early stage cancer increased from 20.4 % in pre-UC to 41.3% in post-UC. The overall 5-year survival rate was 36.5% (95% CI =32.6-40.9) for pre-UC and 32.4% (95% CI = 28.8-36.4) for post-UC. The declining survival was mainly due to an increasing proportion of tongue cancer. However, no survival improvement was demonstrated on subgroup analysis of the tongue cancer patients. Conclusions: After the universal coverage scheme had been launched, early diagnosis increased, but no significant gain in survival for oral cancer patients was achieved.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.14
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• pp.5639-5644
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• 2014

Objective: This study aimed to determine effects of doctor-patient communication on the quality of life among breast cancer survivors in 16 communities in southern China. Methods: Multistage random sampling was to use to recruit 260 females from the Guangzhou Cancer Registry Database who were diagnosed with breast cancer. A questionnaire provided data on the doctor-patient communication (including the doctor's attitude, the patient's participation with the medical decision and information about the disease) and QOL (quality of life), as measured using FACT-B. Univariate analysis, non-conditional logistic regression was used to evaluate the associations between the doctor-patient communication and QOL. Results: Females who received good attitudes from doctors demonstrated higher FACT-B (OR=4.65, 95% CI: 1.68-12.86), social well-being (OR=5.88, 95% CI: 2.16-16.05), emotional well-being (OR=4.77, 95% CI: 1.92-11.88), and functional well-being ((OR=5.26, 95% CI: 1.90-14.52) compared to the females who encountered worse attitudes from their doctor, adjusting for age, education, marriage, employment, family income, years since diagnosis, TNM stage, radiation therapy, chemotherapy and side effects, particularly when the TNM stage was 0-II and the patients exhibited no side effects. Regardless of the length of time after diagnosis, doctors' good attitudes resulted in higher QOL scores. Conclusions: This study demonstrated that the doctor-patient communication has a significant association with the QOL of breast cancer survivors, mainly dependent on the doctors' attitude. Effective intervention is required to develop optimal doctor-patient communication.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.13 no.6
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• pp.2955-2960
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• 2012

Background: Health disparities exist among and within countries, while developing and low income countries suffer more. The aim of this study was to quantify cancer disparities with regard to socioeconomic position (SEP) in 22 districts of Tehran, Iran. Method: According to the national cancer registry, 7599 new cancer cases were recorded within 22 districts of Tehran in 2008. Based on combined data from census and a population-based health equity study (Urban HEART), socioeconomic position (SEP) was calculated for each district. Index of disparity, absolute and relative concentration indices (ACI & RCI) were used for measuring disparities in cancer incidence. Results: The overall cancer age standardised rate (ASR) was 117.2 per 100,000 individuals (120.4 for men and 113.5 for women). Maximum ASR in both genders was seen in districts 6, 3, 1 and 2. Breast, colorectal, stomach, skin and prostate were the most common cancers. Districts with higher SEP had higher ASR (r=0.9, p<0.001). Positive ACI and RCI indicated that cancer cases accumulated in districts with high SEP. Female disparity was greater than for men in all measures. Breast, colorectal, prostate and bladder ASR ascended across SEP groups. Negative ACI and RCI in cervical and skin cancers in women indicate their aggregation in lower SEP groups. Breast cancer had the highest absolute disparities measure. Conclusion: This report provides an appropriate guide and new evidence on disparities across geographical, demographic and particular SEP groups. Higher ASR in specific districts warrants further research to investigate the background predisposing factors.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.1459-1463
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• 2014

Background: Urological cancers represent a major public problem associated with high mortality and morbidity. The pattern of these cancers varies markedly according to era, region and ethnic groups, but increasing incidence trends overall makes focused epidemiological studies important. The aim of the present study was to assess the incidence of most prevalent urological cancers in Iran from 2003 to 2009. Materials and Methods: The data for this study were obtained from the population-based Cancer Registry Center of the Iran Ministry of Health and Medical Education. Differences of mean age and age distributions of each cancer were compared between 2003 and 2009 in men and women. Results: Bladder cancer was the most common urologic cancer in both genders. The rate difference of age standardized ratio (ASR) of bladder and renal cell carcinoma in women were 1.54 and 2.01 percent per 100,000 population from 2003 to the 2009, respectively. In men, the rate difference of age standardized ratio of prostate, testis, kidney and bladder cancer was also 2.23, 1.2, 1.8 and 1.5 percent per 100,000 population from 2003 to 2009, respectively. The mean ages of patients in all cancers in both genders did not differ significantly through time (p value>0.05) but the distribution of ages of patients with bladder and prostate cancer changed significantly from 2003 to 2009 (p value<0.001). Conclusions: The results of present study suggest the general pattern and incidence of urological cancers in Iran are changing, the observed increase pointing to a need for urological cancer screening programs.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.2125-2129
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• 2016

Background: Stomach cancer is an aggressive malignancy that is difficult to detect at an early stage and therefore is characterized by poor survival rates. Over the last two decades, there has been no report of gastric cancer survival in Khon Kaen province, Thailand. The aim of this retrospective cohort study was to provide up-to-date information about the survival of gastric cancer patients in this province. Materials and Methods: Data from Khon Kaen population-based cancer registry, Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University were newly obtained on 650 patients who were diagnosed with stomach cancer during the period 1 January, 2000 to 31 December, 2012. These were then followed up until death or the end of the study (31 December 2014). We calculated the observed survival with the actuarial life table method, and relative survival, defined as the ratio of observed survival in the group of the stomach cancer patients to the expected survival in the entire Thai population from the estimated generation life tables for Thailand of five-year birth cohorts from 1900 - 2000. Results: The 5 year observed and 5 year relative survival rates were 17.2 % (95% CI: 13.54-21.14) and 18.2 % (95% CI: 14.3-22.4), respectively. The highest 5 year relative survival rates were demonstrated among patients aged 45-65, with stage I or II lesions, with adenocarcinomas, with a body of stomach location, well differentiated and receiving surgery and/or chemotherapy. Conclusions: The observed and relative survival rates were close to each other. Our findings provide basic information beneficial to development of an effective treatment system and appropriately improved population-based cancer registration.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.557-562
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• 2016

Background: Lung cancer is one of the most common cancers in the world and a major cause of death from cancer. One of the important indicators to compare the prevalence and incidence of the disease is a change in the trend. The aim of this study was to investigate the changes in the incidence of lung cancer in Iran. Materials and Methods: This study was conducted based on existing data obtained from a national registry of cancer cases and the Disease Management Center of Ministry of Health in Iran. All cases registered in the country were included during 2003-2008. Incidence rates were reported based on the direct method and standard population of World Health Organization. The study also examined the morphology of common lung cancers. Trends in incidence underwent joinpoint regression analysis. Results: Based on the results of this study, 14,403 cases of lung cancer have been recorded of which 10,582 cases were in men and 3,821 in women. Highest incidence rates were observed in the 80-84 age group. Considerable variation across provinces was evident. In females squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) demonstrated a reduction from 24% to 16% of lesions over the period of study, while adenocarcinoma rose from 21% to 29%. In males a similar reduction in SCC was apparent (42% to 29%, again with increase in AC (13 % to 18%). Conclusions: The results show that the increase in the incidence of lung cancer the trend is that more men than women and in men and may be caused by changes in smoking pattern. The incidence of lung cancer in the North West and West provinces was higher than in other regions.