• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.1559-1563
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• 2015

Background: Male breast cancer accounts for less than 1% of all cancers found in men. It usually presents at a later age and stage as compared to female breast cancer. Treatment strategies are extrapolated from the management of female breast cancer. Our study here looked at 18 patients diagnosed with and treated for male breast cancer at The Aga Khan University Hospital in Pakistan. We compared our findings with the existing data from Asian and Western countries. Materials and Methods: A retrospective study was conducted looking at patients with male breast cancer between January 1986 and December 2009. Patient and disease characteristics were analyzed and 5 year overall survival was calculated using Microsoft Excel and SPSS. Results: The average age at diagnosis was 52 years (38-67 years). Twelve (66.7%) patients had axillary lymphadenopathy. Stage II disease was the most common stage at presentation (9 patients, 50%). Infiltrating ductal carcinoma was seen in 16 patients (88.8%). Seven lesions were positive for both estrogen and progesterone receptors. Sixteen patients had surgery in the form of either modified radical mastectomy or radical mastectomy. Radiation was used in 7 patients in an adjuvant setting. The five year overall survival for stage I, II, III and IV disease was 100% vs 78% vs 50% vs 0%( p<0.05). Five year overall survival was 61%. None of the other prognostic factors were statistically significant. Median follow up was 15 months (3-202 months). Conclusions: Male breast cancer may be on a slow rise but is still an uncommon disease. Tumor stage and lymph node status are important prognostic markers. Public awareness and screening may help in detecting the disease at an earlier stage. Prospective trials are needed to improve the management of this disease.

• Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.191-196
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• 2018

Background: Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and cancer are serious health problems worldwide, and their prevalences have been on the rise in recent years. It has been reported that adropin plays an important role in the development of T2DM, oxidative stress, inflammation, and obesity. However, there is limited information available on T2DM from human studies, especially for the Korean population. In this study, we aimed to investigate the correlation between adropin levels and obesity of Korean T2DM patients. Methods: Thirty-six T2DM patients were recruited for this study. The participants were further classified into female (n = 12) and male (n = 24). Their body composition, metabolic parameters, inflammatory factors, and oxidative stress were measured. Results: The severity of obesity is more manifested in male than in female. Plasma triglyceride (TG) and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) levels of male were significantly higher than female. The plasma adropin and adiponectin level of female was significantly higher than male. The body weight, body mass index (BMI), body fat mass were negatively correlated with the plasma adropin level in female, whereas adropin has positive correlation with adiponectin in female. The hs-CRP was negatively correlated with the plasma adropin level in female and male. malondialdehyde, reactive oxidative species, and $TNF-{\alpha}$ was not significantly correlated with adropin in patients with T2DM. Conclusions: These findings suggest that adropin may be more used as a biomarker for predicting the risk of obesity and inflammation in Korean patients with T2DM, especially women.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.1225-1233
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• 2015

This study aims to clarify the psychosocial reactions of female patients with gynecological cancer undergoing chemotherapy and in the process of suffering from alopecia and to examine their nursing support. The target group comprised female patients who had received two or more cycles of chemotherapy, were suffering from alopecia, and were aged 30-65. Data were collected from semi-structured interviews, conducted from the time the patients were informed by their doctors that they might experience alopecia due to chemotherapy to the time they actually experienced alopecia and until they were able to accept the change. Inductive qualitative analysis was employed to close in on the subjective experiences of the cancer patients. The results showed the existence of six phases in the psychosocial reactions in the process of alopecia: phase one was the reaction after the doctor's explanation; phase two was the reaction when the hair starts to fall out; phase three was the reaction when the hair starts to intensely fall out; phase four was the reaction when the hair has completely fallen out; phase five was the reaction to behavior for coping with alopecia; and phase six was the reaction to change in interpersonal human relationships. The results also made it clear that there are five types of reaction patterns as follows: 1) treatment priority interpersonal relationship maintenance type; 2) alopecia agitated interpersonal relationship maintenance type; 3) alopecia agitated interpersonal relationship reduction type; 4) alopecia denial interpersonal relationship reduction type; and 5) alopecia denial treatment interruption type. It is important to find out which of the five types the patients belong to early during treatment and provide support so that nursing intervention that suits each individual can be practiced. The purpose of this study is to make clear the process in which patients receiving chemotherapy come to accept alopecia and to examine evidence-based nursing care on patients with strong mental distress from alopecia.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.13 no.5
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• pp.2363-2367
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• 2012

Objective: To investigate the association between the connexin 37 C1019T polymorphism and Helicobacter pylori infection in patients with gastric cancer. Methods: 388 patients with gastric cancer (GC), 204 with chronic superficial gastritis (CSG) were studied. H. pylori was detected by gastric mucosal biopsies biopsy dyeing method. Connexin 37 gene polymorphism 1019 site genotypes were determined by gene sequencing technology. Genotypes and alleles frequencies were compared. Results: (1) Connexin37 gene 1019 site distribution frequency (CC type, TC type, TT type) in the CSG group was 18.1%, 45.1% and 36.8%; in the stomach cancer group it was 35.1%, 45.9% and 19.%, conforming to the Hardy-Weinberg euilibrium. (2) In comparison with CSG group, the frequency of Connexin37 C allele was higher in the gastric cancer group (58.0% vs 40.7%, OR = 2.01, 95%CI = 1.58-2.57, P < 0.01). The prevalence of gastric cancer risk was significantly increased in the carriers of C allele (CC+TC) than in TT homozygote (OR = 2.47, 5%CI = 1.68- 3.610. (3) Gastric cancer patients complicated with Hp infection 211 cases, gastric cancer group of the male patients with HP positive patients with 187 cases, 40 cases of female patients with negative patients, 24 cases were HP positive, negative in 137 cases, control group male patients, 28 cases were Hp positive, negative in 95 patients, female patients with Hp positive 6 cases, 75 cases were negative. On hierarchical analysis, the male group OR value was 15.9 (95%CI to 9.22-27.3), and the female OR was 2.19 (95%CI 0.88-5.59), indicating a greater contribution in males (P <0.01). After elimination of gender effects, positive HP and gastric cancer were closely related (OR 8.82, 95% CI: 5.45-14.3). (4) The distribution frequency of C allele in patients with Hp infection was much higher than that in Hp negative cases in the GC group (64.5% vs 47.0%, OR = 2.05, 95%CI = 1.54-2.74, P < 0.01). Compared with TT homozygotes, (CC+TC) genotype prevalence of gastric cancer risk increased significantly (OR = 2.96, 5%CI = 1.76-2.99 ). Conclusion: The T allele in the connexin37 gene might not only be associated with gastric cancer but also with H. pylori infection.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.13
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• pp.5297-5304
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• 2015

Background: The Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission Cancer Registry (PAECCR) program has made availability of a common cancer incidence database possible in Pakistan. The cancer incidence data from nuclear medicine and oncology institutes were gathered and presented. Materials and Methods: The cancer incidence data for the last 30 years (1984-2014) are included to describe a data set of male and female patients. The data analysis concerning occurrence, trends of common cancers in male and female patients, stage-wise distribution, and mortality/follow-up cases is also incorporated for the last 10 years (2004-2014). Results: The total population of provincial capital Lahore is 9,800,000. The total number of cancer cases was 80,390 (males 32,156, females 48,134). The crude incidence rates in PAECCR areas were 580.8/$10^5$ during 2010 to 885.4/$10^5$ in 2014 (males 354.1/$10^5$, females 530.1/$10^5$). The cancer incidence rates for head and neck (15.70%), brain tumors (10.5%), and non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL, 9.53%) were found to be the highest in male patients, whereas breast cancer (46.7%), ovary tumors (6.80%), and cervix (6.31%) cancer incidence rates were observed to be the most common in female patients. The age range distribution of diagnosed and treated patients in conjunction with the percentage contribution of cancer patients from 15 different cities of Punjab province treated at the Institute of Nuclear Medicine and Oncology, Lahore are also included. Leukemia was found to be the most common cancer for the age group of 1-12 years. It has been identified that the maximum number of diagnosed cases were found in the age range of 51-60 years for males and 41-50 years for female cancer patients. Conclusions: Overall cancer incidence of the thirty years demonstrated that head and neck and breast cancers in males and in females respectively are the most common cancers in Punjab province in Pakistan, at rates almost the highest in Asia, requiring especial attention. The incidence of brain, NHL, and prostate cancers among males and ovarian and cervix cancers among females have increased rapidly. These data from a major population of Punjab province should be helpful for implementation of appropriate planning, prevention and cancer control measures and for determination of risk factors within the country.

• Women's Health Nursing
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.137-147
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• 2014

Purpose: This study was done to investigate sexual behavior and sexual satisfaction according to gender difference in Korean patients with cancer Methods: In this study, a convenience sample of Korean patients with cancer who visited hospitals in J City was used. Data were collected between September and December 2012using structured questionnaires: Sexual frequency scale and General sexual satisfaction index (GSSI). Results: Over half of the patients reported loss of sexual desire and changes in sexual behaviors. There was a significant decrease in sexual satisfaction among the male patients, compared to the female patients (t=2.34, p=.020). There were significant correlations between sexual satisfaction and sexual behaviors (male patients r=.45, p<.001; female patients r=.59, p<.001). Conclusion: The results of this study demonstrate the need to take gender into account in developing interventions for patients with cancer. These results will also contribute to the development of improved interventions for sexual health care.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.15
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• pp.6673-6679
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• 2015

Background: Male breast cancer is a rare neoplasm, and its treatments are based on those of female breast cancer. This study aimed to analyze 20 years of male breast cancer clinical characteristics and treatment results from the Middle Black Sea Region of Turkey. Materials and Methods: A retrospective analysis of 16 male breast cancer patients treated in our tertiary hospital between 1994 and 2014 was performed. Epidemiologic data, tumor characteristics, and treatments were recorded and compared with 466 female breast cancer ((premenopausal; n = 230) + (postmenopausal n = 236)) patients. The 5-year disease-free and overall survival rates were calculated. Results: Male breast cancer constituted 0.1% of all malignant neoplasms in both sexes, 0.2% of all malignant neoplasms in males, and 0.7% of all breast cancers. The mean patient age in this study was $59.8{\pm}9.5$ (39-74) years. The mean time between first symptom and diagnosis was $32.4{\pm}5.3$ (3-60) months. Histology revealed infiltrative ductal carcinoma in 81.3% of patients. The most common detected molecular subtype was luminal A, in 12 (75%) patients. Estrogen receptor rate (93.8%) in male breast cancer patients was significantly higher than that in female breast cancer (70.8% in all females, p = 0.003; 68.2% in postmenopausal females, p = 0.002) patients. Most of the tumors (56.3%) were grade 2. Tumor stage was T4 in 50% of males. The majority (56.3%) of the patients were stage III at diagnosis. Surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy and endocrine-therapy were applied to 62.5%, 62.5%, 81.2% and 73.3%, respectively. Loco-regional failure did not occur in any of the cases. All recurrences were metastastic. The 5-year disease-free and overall survival rates in male breast cancer patients were 58% and 68%, respectively. Conclusions: Tumors found in male breast cancer patients were similar in size to tumors found in females, but they advanced to T4 stage more rapidly because of the lack of breast parenchymal tissues. The rate of estrogen receptor expression tended to be higher in male breast cancer patients than in female breast cancer patients. Metastasis is the most important problem in initially non-metastatic male breast cancer patients.

• Annals of Coloproctology
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• v.34 no.6
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• pp.286-291
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• 2018

Purpose: Stage-IIIC colon cancer is an advanced disease; however, its oncologic outcomes and prognostic factors remain unclear. In this study, we aimed to determine the predictors of disease-free survival (DFS) in patients with stage-IIIC colon cancer. Methods: From a multicenter database, we retrospectively enrolled 611 patients (355 men and 256 women) who had undergone a potentially curative resection for a stage-IIIC colon adenocarcinoma between 2003 and 2011. The primary endpoint was the 5-year DFS. Results: The median age was 62 years; 213 and 398 patients had right-sided colon cancer (RCC) and left-sided colon cancer (LCC), respectively. The 5-year DFS in all patients was 52.0%; median follow-up time was 35 months (range, 1-134 months). A multivariate Cox regression revealed that female sex (hazard ratio [HR], 1.50; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.19-1.90; P < 0.01), right-sided tumor location (HR, 1.65; 95% CI, 1.29-2.11; P < 0.01), lymphatic invasion (HR, 1.52; 95% CI, 1.08-2.15; P < 0.01) and a high (${\geq}0.4$) metastatic lymph node ratio (HR, 3.72; 95% CI, 2.63-5.24; P < 0.01) were independent predictors of worse 5-year DFS. Female patients with RCC were 1.79 fold more likely to experience recurrence than male patients with LCC. Conclusion: Female sex and right-sided tumor location are associated with higher tumor recurrence rates in patients with stage-IIIC colon cancers. Aggressive treatment and close surveillance should be planned for patients in these groups.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.144-148
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• 1995

Inferior mesenteric plexus block(IMPB) sa useful nerve block for the relief of intractable lower abdominal and pelvic pain caused by a lower abdominal visceral or a pelvic malignancy. IMPB has been performed in the prone position. But there are many patients who can't lie in the prone position, because ascites is frequently noticed in cancer patients and they also frequently received abdominal operations. We performed IMPB in the lateral position on two patients with lower abdominal pain, Case 1: A 77 year old female who had a right ovarian cancer with metastatic cancer of descending colon and rectum, experienced complete pain relief. Case 2: A 72 year old female who had a far advance pancreatic cancer with intestinal obstruction due to carcinomatosis received right and left celiac plexus block and right and left IMPB. The patient was satisfied with the result of these pain blocks. Conclusion; IMAPB performed in the lateral position on two patients with lower abdominal pain and their results were excellent for pain relief.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.17 no.5
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• pp.2583-2585
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• 2016

Objectives: To evaluate efficacy and toxicity in patients with advanced lung cancer, including non-small cell and small cell variants (NSCLC and SCLC), treated with thalidomide plus chemotherapy. Methods: Fourteen patients with advanced lung cancer were scheduled to receive chemotherapy combined with thalidomide. All patients in this study received thalidomide (100 mg orally per night before sleeping, produced by Changzhou Pharmaceutical Factory Co.Ltd) after the start of chemotherapy for at least 14 days. Chemotherapy was administered according to the condition of patients. After at least 14 days of treatment, efficacy and toxicity were evaluated. Results: There were 6 female and 8 male patients with advanced lung cancer recruited into this study, including 2 with SCLC and 12 with NSCLC. The median age was 56.7 (44-65) years. Progressive disease was observed in 12 patients (12/14), and stable disease in 2 (2/14). Grade 1 to 2 myelosuppression was observed in 4/14 patients, and Grade 1 to 2 elevation of hepatic enzymes was recorded in 5/14 patients. Adverse effects on the gastrointestinal tract were documented in 2/14 patients, all beingGrade 1. No Grade 3-4 toxicity was recorded. No treatment related deaths occurred. Conclusions: Our results demonstrate that thalidomide combined with chemotherapy is mildly effective and safe for treating patients with advanced lung cancer. However, further evaluation of this combination is warranted.