• International Journal of Oral Biology
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• v.47 no.2
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• pp.17-24
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• 2022

Preserving intact genetic material and delivering it to the next generation are the most significant tasks of living organisms. The integrity of DNA sequences is under constant threat from endogenous and exogenous factors. The accumulation of damaged or incompletely-repaired DNA can cause serious problems in cells, including cell death or cancer development. Various DNA damage detection systems and repair mechanisms have evolved at the cellular level. Although the mechanisms of these responses have been extensively studied, the global RNA expression profiles associated with genomic instability are not well-known. To detect global gene expression changes under different DNA damage and hypoxic conditions, we performed RNA-seq after treating human cervical cancer cells with ionizing radiation (IR), hydroxyurea, mitomycin C (MMC), or 1% O₂ (hypoxia). Results showed that the expression of 184-1037 genes was altered by each stimulus. We found that the expression of 51 genes changed under IR, MMC, and hypoxia. These findings revealed damage-specific genes that varied differently according to each stimulus and common genes that are universally altered in genetic instability.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.13 no.7
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• pp.3159-3163
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• 2012

Background: For cervical cancer the epidemiological profile is poorly known in Morocco and no data is available concerning the direct medical costs. The purpose of this work is to estimate the direct cost of medical management of invasive cervical cancer during the first year after diagnosis in Morocco. Methods: The estimation of direct costs of medical management of invasive cervical cancer during the first year after diagnosis in Morocco is based on the estimation of individual cost in each stage which covers diagnosis, treatment and follow-up during first year. The cost was estimated per patient and whole cycle-set using the costs for each drug and procedure as indicated by the Moroccan National Agency for Health Insurance. Extrapolation of the results to the whole country was used to calculate the total annual cost of cervical cancer treatments in Morocco. Results: Overall approximately 1,978 new cases of cervical cancer occur each year in Morocco. The majority (82.96%) of these cases were diagnosed at a late stage (stageII or more). The cost of one case of cervical cancer depends on stage of diagnosis, the lowest cost is $382 for stageCis followed by the cost of stageIA1 for young women (< 40 years) which is $2,952. The highest cost is for stageIV, which is $7,827. The total cost of cervical cancer care for one year after diagnosis is estimated at $13,589,360. The share allocated to treatment is the most important part of the global care budget with an annual sum of $13,027,609 whereas other cost components are represented as follows: $435,694 for annual follow-up activity and $126,057 for diagnosis and preclinical staging. Conclusion: This study provides health decision-makers with a first estimate of costs and the opportunity to achieve the optimal use of available data to estimate the needs of health facilities in Morocco.

• Women's Health Nursing
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.317-327
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• 2023

Purpose: This study investigated the influence of cervical cancer knowledge, human papillomavirus (HPV) knowledge, self-efficacy, and uncertainty on the intention to engage in cervical cancer preventive behavior in HPV-infected women. Methods: This descriptive correlational study was conducted among 129 adult women aged 20 to 65 years who received positive HPV results at a general hospital in Changwon, Korea. The dataset was analyzed using descriptive statistics, the independent t-test, analysis of variance, the Pearson correlation coefficient, and multiple regression. Results: The mean score for the intention to engage in cervical cancer preventive behavior was high (4.43±0.65). This intention was significantly different according to age at first sexual intercourse (F=7.38, p=.001), HPV type (F=4.79, p=.010), vaccination (t=3.19, p=.002), and condom use (t=3.03, p=.003). The intention to engage in cervical cancer preventive behavior showed significant, weak-to-moderate positive correlations with HPV knowledge (r=.22, p=.012) and self-efficacy (r=.42, p<.001). Self-efficacy (β=.46, p<.001), first sexual intercourse at <20 years (β=.45, p<.001), first sexual intercourse at 20-24 years (β=.29, p=. 018), HPV high- and low-risk group infection (β=.26, p=.019), HPV high-risk group infection (β=.26, p=.026), and vaccination (β=.21, p=.007) significantly influenced the intention to engage in cervical cancer preventive behavior. These variables explained 34.6% of variance in intention. Conclusion: Study findings support the need to develop a program that effectively conveys accurate information about cervical cancer prevention to HPV-infected women and helps them enhance self-efficacy to boost the intention to engage in cervical cancer preventive behavior.

• Health Policy and Management
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.399-411
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• 2019

Background: This study aimed to explore the associations of social-demographic, health-behavioral, and woman-specific factors with the non-screening status of the cervical cancer screening test in Korean adult women. Methods: This study was a cross-sectional analysis of 9,698 Korean adult women aged 20 years or more who participated in the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys V (2010-2012). Rao-Scott chi-square tests and survey logistic regression analyses were employed respectively to analyze the difference in the non-screening status of the cervical cancer screening test by each characteristic and to explore the factors related to the non-screening status. Results: The rate of the non-screening status of the cervical cancer screening test was 53.5% over the previous 2 years. In the survey logistics regression analysis, age, marital status, educational levels, income levels, residential area, occupation, private health insurance, smoking, alcohol, obesity, menstrual status, pregnancy experience, and hormone replacement therapy were significantly associated with the non-screening status of the cervical cancer screening test. Conclusion: On the basis of the results of this study, some social-demographic, health-behavioral, and woman-specific characteristics of Korean adult women seem to affect the non-screening status of the cervical cancer screening test. Therefore, appropriate health policies need to be designed, implemented, monitored, and evaluated to reduce the non-screening status of the cervical cancer screening test of them.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.21-30
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• 2024

The challenging clinical outcomes associated with advanced cervical cancer underscore the need for a novel therapeutic approach. Monensin, a polyether antibiotic, has recently emerged as a promising candidate with anti-cancer properties. In line with these ongoing efforts, our study presents compelling evidence of monensin's potent efficacy in cervical cancer. Monensin exerts a pronounced inhibitory impact on proliferation and anchorage-independent growth. Additionally, monensin significantly inhibited cervical cancer growth in vivo without causing any discernible toxicity in mice. Mechanism studies show that monensin's anti-cervical cancer activity can be attributed to its capacity to inhibit the Wnt/β-catenin pathway, rather than inducing oxidative stress. Monensin effectively reduces both the levels and activity of β-catenin, and we identify Akt, rather than CK1, as the key player involved in monensin-mediated Wnt/β-catenin inhibition. Rescue studies using Wnt activator and β-catenin-overexpressing cells confirmed that β-catenin inhibition is the mechanism of monensin's action. As expected, cervical cancer cells exhibiting heightened Wnt/β-catenin activity display increased sensitivity to monensin treatment. In conclusion, our findings provide pre-clinical evidence that supports further exploration of monensin's potential for repurposing in cervical cancer therapy, particularly for patients exhibiting aberrant Wnt/β-catenin activation.

• Women's Health Nursing
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.105-114
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• 2014

Purpose: The goal of this study was to examine knowledge level of human papillomavirus (HPV), cervical cancer, and vaccination status among Korean mothers' with a daughter in high school. Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted with a convenience sample of 234 Korean mothers. Results: The mean score of HPV knowledge level was 4.21 out of 20, and cervical cancer knowledge was 3.88 out of 7. There were low levels of daughters' who received HPV vaccination (3.8%) and high levels of mothers' intention to get their daughters' vaccinated with HPV (85.0%). The major barrier to HPV vaccination was the concern for side effect from the vaccination. The most effective recommendation for HPV vaccination came from health care providers. Conclusion: HPV educational programs targeting mothers of daughters in high school is needed. Future studies need to determine actual HPV vaccination rates and factors related to high uptake using a larger sample from various socioeconomic background.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.48 no.2
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• pp.184-187
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• 2021

Radical trachelectomy is a fertility-preserving alternative to radical hysterectomy in carefully selected young women with early-stage cervical cancer. However, in cases with subsequent severe cervical stenosis, assisted reproductive techniques can be difficult. This is a case report of a 34-year-old patient who underwent robot-assisted radical trachelectomy and cerclage for early-stage (IB2) adenosquamous carcinoma. Three months after surgery, the patient underwent ovarian stimulation using a gonadotropin-releasing hormone antagonist protocol. As it was impossible to perform transcervical embryo transfer due to the almost complete absence of the cervical opening, transmyometrial embryo transfer under ultrasound guidance was performed. This resulted in a successful singleton pregnancy. This is the first case of successful pregnancy conceived by in vitro fertilization with transmyometrial embryo transfer in a patient who had previously undergone robot-assisted radical trachelectomy.

• Journal of Korean Medicine Rehabilitation
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.133-139
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• 2021

The purpose of this study is to report a case in which neoplasm metastases of cervical vertebrae were found in lung cancer patient during inpatient treatment for neck pain. Pain assessment and physical examination including numeral rating scale, range of motion of neck, Spurling's test, cervical compression test were performed. As a result, C-spine series X-ray was taken under the judgement it is not a simple neck pain. Bone metastases were suspected as X-ray showed loss of C7 left pedicle, indistinct C7 left transverse process and indistinct C4 upper margin. Magnetic resonance imaging and computed tomography were taken as further examination, and metastases of C4, C6, C7 were confirmed. The patient was transferred for professional treatment. In conclusion, this study shows the importance of appropriate diagnostic evaluation such as pain assessment and physical examination, and the need for diagnostic imaging in the treatment of patients with neoplasm history.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.13 no.11
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• pp.5505-5510
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• 2012

Objective: The aim of this retrospective study is to analyze the clinical and pathological factors related to the prognosis of Chinese patients with stage Ib to IIb cervical cancer. Methods and Results: 13 clinical pathological factors in 255 patients with stage Ib to IIb cervical cancer undergoing radical hysterectomy and systematic lymphadenectomy were analyzed to screen for factors related to prognosis. The cumulative 5-year survival of the 255 patients was 75.7%. The result of the univariate analysis suggested that clinical stage, cell differentiation, depth of cervical stromal invasion, parametrial tissue involvement, and lymph node metastasis were prognostic factors for patients with stage Ib to IIb cervical cancer (P<0.05). Compared with cases with involvement of iliac nodes, obturator nodes, or inguinal lymph nodes, cases with metastasis to the common iliac lymph nodes had a poorer prognosis (P<0.05). Cases with involvement of four or more lymph nodes had a poorer prognosis than those with involvement of three or fewer lymph nodes (P<0.05). Using multivariate Cox proportional hazards model regression analysis, non-squamous histological type, poor differentiation, parametrial tissue involvement, and outer 1/3 stromal invasion were found to be independently related to patients poor prognosis (P<0.05). Conclusion: Non-squamous histological type, poor cell differentiation, parametrial tissue involvement, and outer 1/3 stromal invasion are the independent poor prognostic factors for patients with stage Ib to IIb cervical cancer.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.13 no.5
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• pp.2063-2068
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• 2012

Aim: Liquid-based cytology is the most often used method for cervical cancer screening, but it is relatively insensitive and frequently gives equivocal results. Used as a complementary procedure, the high-risk human papillomavirus (HPV) DNA test is highly sensitive but not very specific. The human telomerase RNA gene (TERC) is the most often amplified oncogene that is observed in cervical precancerous lesions. We assessed genomic amplification of TERC in liquid-based cytological specimens to explore the optimal strategy of using this for cervical cancer screening. Methods: Six hundred and seventy-one residual cytological specimens were obtained from outpatients aged 25 to 64 years. The specimens were evaluated by the Digene Hybrid Capture 2 (HC2) HPV DNA test and fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) with a chromosome probe to TERC (3q26). Colposcopic examination and histological evaluation were performed where indicated. Results: The TERC positive rate was higher in the CIN2+ (CIN2, CIN3 and SCC) group than in the normal and CIN 1 groups (90.0% vs. 10.4%, p < 0.01). In comparison with the HC2 HPV DNA test, the TERC amplification test had lower sensitivity but higher specificity (90.0% vs. 100.0%, 89.6% vs. 44.0%, respectively). TERC amplification test used in conjunction with the HC2 HPV DNA test showed a combination of 90.0% sensitivity and 92.2% specificity. Conclusion: The TERC amplification test can be used to diagnose cervical precancerous lesions. TERC and HPV DNA co-testing shows an optimal combination of sensitivity and specificity for cervical cancer screening.