• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.10 no.3
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• pp.336-341
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• 2016

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: The incidence of thyroid cancer has increased in many countries, including Korea. International differences in the incidence of thyroid cancer may indicate a role of diet, but findings from previous studies are inconclusive. Therefore, we aimed to investigate the roles of nutrients in thyroid cancer risk in Korean women. SUBJECTS/METHODS: We conducted a case-control study comprising 113 cases and 226 age-matched controls. Nutrient intake was assessed using a validated food frequency questionnaire, and the association between nutrient intake and thyroid cancer risk was estimated using a logistic regression model. RESULTS: We found that high calcium intake was associated with a reduced risk of thyroid cancer (OR [95% CI] = 0.55 [0.35-0.89]). Significant associations were observed among subjects who were older than 50 years, had low BMI, and had low calorie intake. However, other nutrients included in this study did not show any significant associations with thyroid cancer risk. CONCLUSION: This study suggested a possible protective effect of calcium on thyroid cancer risk. Well-designed prospective studies are required to confirm these findings.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.14 no.12
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• pp.7127-7131
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• 2013

The primary aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in ribosomal protein SA (RPSA) gene with colorectal cancer (CRC). A case-control study including 388 controls and 387 patients with CRC was conducted in a Chinese population. Information about socio-demography and living behavior factors was collected by a structured questionnaire. Three SNPs (rs2133579, rs2269349, rs7641291) in RPSA gene were genotyped by Illumina SnapShot method. Multiple logistic regression models were used for assessing the joint effects between tea consumption and SNPs on CRC. The subjects with rs2269349 CC genotype had a decreased risk for CRC (OR=0.60; 95%CI = 0.37-0.99), compared with TT/CT genotype after adjustment for covariates. A similar association of rs2269349 with rectal cancer was observed (OR=0.49; 95%CI=0.24-1.00). Further analyses indicated that this SNP could modify the protective effect of tea drinking on CRC. Among the subjects with rs2269349 TT/CT or rs2133579 AA/GA, there was a marginal significantly lower risk of CRC (OR and 95%CI: 0.63 and 0.39-1.01 for rs2269349; 0.64 and 0.40-1.02 for rs2133579) in tea-drinking subjects in comparison to non-tea-drinking subjects. Mutants in the RPSA gene might be associated with genetic susceptibility to CRC and influence the protective effect of tea consumption in the Chinese population.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.111-119
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• 2016

Background: Shift work and/or sleep quality may affect health. We investigated whether shift work and sleep quality, separately and jointly, were associated with abnormal levels of triglycerides, total cholesterol (TC), and low-and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol in 360 police officers (27.5% women). Methods: Triglycerides, TC, and high-density lipoprotein were analyzed on the Abbott Architect; low-density lipoprotein was calculated. Shift work was assessed using City of Buffalo payroll work history records. Sleep quality (good, ${\leq}5$; intermediate, 6-8; poor, ${\geq}9$) was assessed using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index questionnaire. A shift work + sleep quality variable was created: day plus good sleep; day plus poor sleep; afternoon/night plus good; and poor sleep quality. Mean values of lipid biomarkers were compared across categories of the exposures using analysis of variance/analysis of covariance. Results: Shift work was not significantly associated with lipids. However, as sleep quality worsened, mean levels of triglycerides and TC gradually increased but only among female officers (age- and race-adjusted p = 0.013 and 0.030, respectively). Age significantly modified the association between sleep quality and TC. Among officers ${\geq}40$ years old, those reporting poor sleep quality had a significantly higher mean level of TC ($202.9{\pm}3.7mg/dL$) compared with those reporting good sleep quality ($190.6{\pm}4.0mg/dL$) (gender- and race-adjusted p = 0.010). Female officers who worked the day shift and also reported good sleep quality had the lowest mean level of TC compared with women in the other three categories (p = 0.014). Conclusion: Sleep quality and its combined influence with shift work may play a role in the alteration of some lipid measures.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.30-38
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• 2019

Background: Police officers' stress perception, frequency of stressful events (stressors), and police work characteristics may contribute to poor sleep quality through different mechanisms. Methods: We investigated associations of stress severity (measured by stress rating score) and frequency of stressors with sleep quality and examined the influence of police work characteristics including workload, police rank, prior military experience, and shift work on the associations. Participants were 356 police officers (256 men and 100 women) enrolled in the Buffalo Cardio-Metabolic Occupational Police Stress Study from 2004 to 2009. A mean stress rating score and mean frequency of stressors occurring in the past month were computed for each participant from the Spielberger Police Stress Survey data. Sleep quality was assessed using the global score derived from the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index survey. Linear associations of the stress rating score and frequency of stressors with sleep quality (Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index global score) were tested. Age, sex, race/ethnicity, and smoking status were selected as potential confounders. Results: The stress rating score was positively and independently associated with poor sleep quality (${\beta}=0.17$, p = 0.002). Only workload significantly modified this association (${\beta}=0.23$, p = 0.001 for high workload group; p-interaction = 0.109). The frequency of stressors was positively and independently associated with poor sleep quality (${\beta}=0.13$, p = 0.025). Only police rank significantly modified the association (${\beta}=0.007$, p = 0.004 for detectives/other executives; p-interaction = 0.076). Conclusion: Both police officers' perception of stress severity and the frequency of stressors are associated with poor sleep quality. Stress coping or sleep promotion regimens may be more beneficial among police officers reporting high workloads.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.2337-2342
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• 2013

Meta-analyses have shown that microRNA polymorphisms have variable effects in different population. Yet, no meta-analysis investigated the association of two common polymorphisms of miRNA, mir-499 rs3746444 polymorphism and mir-149 rs2292832 polymorphism, with cancer risk in the Chinese population. We searched the PubMed, Web of Knowledge, MEDLINE, CNKI databases, as well as Cochrane library, updated on December 31, 2012 for assays regarding cancer risk association with these two common polymorphisms in the present meta-analysis. Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) were used to explore the strength of associations. The results showed that rs3746444 polymorphism was associated with increased cancer risk (dominant model: GG/AG vs. AA: OR = 1.43, 95% CI: 1.14-1.80; recessive model: GG vs. AG/AA: OR = 1.54, 95% CI: 1.04-2.30; homozygote model: GG vs. AA: OR = 1.69, 95% CI: 1.10-2.60; heterozygote model: AG vs. AA: OR = 1. 35, 95% CI: 1.09-1.67), and rs3746444 was associated with liver cancer in the subgroup of cancer types. For the rs2292832 polymorphism, the results showed no significant risk association in both overall pooled analysis and subgroup of cancer types, smoking status, gender and tea drinking status in the Chinese population. This meta-analysis suggested that the rs3746444 GG genotype is associated with increased cancer risk, especially liver cancer, while the rs2292832 polymorphism showed no association with cancer risk in Chinese.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.16
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• pp.7189-7193
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• 2015

Background: Cancer is a leading cause of death throughout the world. Increasing life expectancy and aging population are important factors for increasing cancer incidences in developing countries. National programs are essential for prevention and control of cancer in any society. This study aimed to investigate cancer epidemiology and trends in the province of Hamadan, located in Northwest Iran. Materials and Methods: This analytical study was carried out based on cancer registry data from 2004 to 2009 in the province of Hamadan, analyzed using STATA (version 12) software for descriptive tests and Join point 4.1.1.1 software for analytical tests. Results: There were 7,767 registered cases of cancer during the 6 years studied. Of the total cases registered, 59.1% (4,592 cases) involved men and 40.9% (3,175 cases) occurred in women. Age-standardized incidence rates (ASR) increased from 72.9 to 132.0 in males and 48.2 to 115.0 in females during the 6 years of the study (p<0.001). The most common cancers were skin, stomach, breast, bladder, and leukemia. In women, teh most common were breast, skin, stomach, colorectal, and leukemia, in that order, and in men skin, stomach, bladder, leukemia, and prostate cancers. Conclusions: The cancer incidence is greater in men that women in this region but with increasing trends in both sexes. Planning regarding education in prevention of exposure to risk factors and control strategies is required to decrease the incident cases. Screening programs for common cancers in older age groups might be helpful to reduce the disease impact.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.19
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• pp.8197-8201
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• 2014

Background: Telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT) and cleft lip and palate trans-membrane 1 like (CLPTM1L) genes located on chromosome 5p15.33 are known to influence the susceptibility to various cancers. Here, we examined the association of TERT and CLPTM1L single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Materials and Methods: Genotyping of TERT SNP rs2736098 and CLPTM1L SNP rs401681 was performed using TaqMan allelic discrimination assays in a case-control study of 201 HCC cases and 210 controls in a Chinese male population. Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated using logistic regression analyses. Results: Both the rs2736098 T allele of TERT and the rs401681 T allele of CLPTM1L were associated with a significantly increased risk of HCC (adjusted odds ratio [OR]=1.605, 95% confidence interval [CI]=1.164-2.213; adjusted OR=1.399, 95%CI=1.002-1.955, respectively). Individuals carrying both TERT and CLPTM1L risk genotypes had an even higher risk of HCC (adjusted OR=4.420, 95%CI= 2.319-8.425). The TERT rs2736098 T allele was also significantly associated with the level of the HCC clinical indicator alpha-fetoprotein (P=0.026). Conclusions: Our results show that genetic variants of TERT and CLPTM1L may contribute to HCC susceptibility in Chinese males.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.6
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• pp.2809-2813
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• 2014

Background: This study was conducted to investigate the association between single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT) and cleft lip and palate transmembrane1-like (CLPTM1L) and lung cancer risk in a Chinese population. Methods: We performed a hospital-based case-control study, including 980 lung cancer cases and 1000 cancer-free controls matched for age and sex. Each case and control was interviewed to collect information by well-trained interviewers. A total of 5 ml of venous blood was collected for genotype testing of TERT rs2736098 and CLPTM1L rs401681 using TaqMan methodology. Results: The results revealed that the variant homozygote TERT rs2736098TT was associated with an increased risk of lung cancer (OR=2.017, 95%CI=1.518-2.681), especially lung adenocarcinoma (OR=2.117, 95%CI=1.557-3.043) and small cell carcinoma (OR=1.979, 95%CI: 1.174-3.334), compared with the TERT rs2736098CC genotype. Similar results were observed in non-smokers. Conclusion: The TERT rs2736098 polymorphism might affect the susceptibility to lung cancer in Chinese populations. The associations need to be verified in larger and different populations.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.11
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• pp.4715-4718
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• 2015

Background: Patient delay can contribute to a poor outcome in the management of head and neck cancers (HNC). The main objective of the present study was to investigate the factors associated with patient delay in our population. Materials and Methods: Patients with cancers of the head and neck attending a regional cancer center of North East India were consecutively interviewed during the period from June 2014 to November 2014. The participation of patients was voluntary. The questionnaire included information on age, gender, residential status, educational qualification, monthly family income, any family history of cancer, and history of prior awareness on cancer from television (TV) program and awareness program. Results: Of 311 (n) patients, with an age range of 14-88 years (mean 55.4 years), 81.7% were males and 18.3% females (M:F=4.4). The overall median delay was 90 days (range=7 days-365 days), in illiterate patients the median delay was 90 days and 60 days in literate patients (P=0.002), the median delay in patients who had watched cancer awareness program on TV was 60 days and in patients who were unaware about cancer information from TV program had a median delay of 90 days (p=0.00021) and delay of <10 weeks was seen in 139 (44.6%) patients, a delay of 10-20 weeks in 98 (31.5%) patients, and a delay of 20-30 weeks in 63 (20.2%) patients. Conclusions: Education and awareness had a significant impact in reduction of median patient delay in our HNC cases.

• BMB Reports
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• v.41 no.1
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• pp.29-34
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• 2008

The aim of this study was to determine whether single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) in the beef cattle adipocyte fatty-acid binding protein 3 and 4 (FABP3 and FABP4) genes are associated with carcass weight (CW) and back fat thickness (BF) of beef cattle. By direct DNA sequencing in 24 unrelated Korean native cattle, we identified 20 SNPs in FABP3 and FABP4. Among them, 10 polymorphic sites were selected for genotyping in our beef cattle. We performed SNP, haplotype and linkage disequilibrium studies on 419 Korean native cattle with the 10 SNPs in the FABP genes. Statistical analysis revealed that 220A>G (I74V) and 348+303T>C polymorphisms in FABP4 showed putative associations with BF traits (P=0.02 and 0.01, respectively). Our findings suggest that the polymorphisms in FABP4 may play a role in determining one of the important genetic factors that influence BF in beef cattle.