• Journal of Digestive Cancer Reports
• /
• v.8 no.2
• /
• pp.97-101
• /
• 2020

Metformin is a widely used first-line anti-diabetic drug worldwide. Epidemiologic studies using the large population-based cohort database have shown the association between metformin uses and reduced risk of various type cancers including gastric cancer. In the gastric cancer prevention, metformin use was associated with the significant reduction of gastric cancer risk, especially for long-term metformin users. However, there is no well-designed randomized controlled clinical trial investigating the effect of metformin as a chemopreventive drug for gastric cancer. Therefore, further well-designed clinical trials will be needed to implement metformin for chemoprevention of gastric cancer.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
• /
• v.49 no.3
• /
• pp.143-152
• /
• 2016

Objectives: Metabolic syndrome is a cluster of risk factors for type 2 diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular disease. Associations between metabolic syndrome and several types of cancer have recently been documented. Methods: We analyzed the sample cohort data from the Korean National Health Insurance Service from 2002, with a follow-up period extending to 2013. The cohort data included 99 565 individuals who participated in the health examination program and whose data were therefore present in the cohort database. The metabolic risk profile of each participant was assessed based on obesity, high serum glucose and total cholesterol levels, and high blood pressure. The occurrence of cancer was identified using Korean National Health Insurance claims data. Hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated using Cox proportional hazards models, adjusting for age group, smoking status, alcohol intake, and regular exercise. Results: A total of 5937 cases of cancer occurred during a mean follow-up period of 10.4 years. In men with a high-risk metabolic profile, the risk of colon cancer was elevated (HR, 1.40; 95% CI, 1.14 to 1.71). In women, a high-risk metabolic profile was associated with a significantly increased risk of gallbladder and biliary tract cancer (HR, 2.05; 95% CI, 1.24 to 3.42). Non-significantly increased risks were observed in men for pharynx, larynx, rectum, and kidney cancer, and in women for colon, liver, breast, and ovarian cancer. Conclusions: The findings of this study support the previously suggested association between metabolic syndrome and the risk of several cancers. A high-risk metabolic profile may be an important risk factor for colon cancer in Korean men and gallbladder and biliary tract cancer in Korean women.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Fundamentals of Nursing
• /
• v.8 no.1
• /
• pp.7-23
• /
• 2001

This study was done to provide basic data on prevention of breast cancer by identifying and analyzing risk factors for breast cancer in Korean women. The data were collected from three hospitals. The data from Jan. 1995 to Dec. 1997 was based on the patient recordings and personal contacts if possible. Data from 1998 to 1999 was collected from 280 inpatients and outpatients diagnosed as breast cancer. From this data, information about the risk factors of breast cancer could be acquired. The factors are scaled according to the degree of risk. Menstrual history, obstetrical history, family history. lactation period, life style were given 5 point, and body mass index was given 4 point. Using one-way ANOVA. the most important risk factors were identified and analyzed by multiple regression. The conclusion of this study are as follows : General factors which would show an effect on the results of the multiple regression included risk factors such as menstrual history, obstetrical history, lactation period, family history, and life style factors including mortal state, monthly income, educational level, job and age. Family history(R=0.481) was found to be the highest risk factor(23.1%) affecting breast cancer risk. The next factors were dying hair(R=0.603), drinking(R=0.846), body mass index(R=0.885), smoking(R=0.916), age of menopause(R=0.937), pregnancy age of first full-term(R=0.957), eating vegetable(R=0.980) and the number of full term pregnancies in that order. The sum total(R=0.986) of all the above factors accounted for 97.3% of the risk of breast cancer for Korean women. In conclusion, it was found that family history and dyeing hair were the highest risk factors for breast cancer. It is recommended that those with a family history of breast cancer should have regular breast examinations, and those who often dye their hair should reconsider this practice.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
• /
• v.16 no.2
• /
• pp.537-540
• /
• 2015

Background: Ovarian cancer is recognized as the fourth leading cancer in Malaysia. However, women do not always seek help in a timely manner and gaps in awareness may influence screening uptake and presentation. The purpose of this study was to determine levels of awareness of ovarian cancer risk factors in female population in Penang, Malaysia. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in Penang, Malaysia from January until February 2014. Eighty-seven women were selected by convenient sampling. Awareness of risk factors of ovarian cancer was assessed using a self-administered questionnaire. Data were analyzed using statistical package for the social sciences (SPSS) version 20.0 for descriptive statistics and Pearson chi-square test for the association between socio-demographic data and awareness. A p value ${\leq}0.05$ was considered statistically significant. Results: In all, 74.7% of participants answered correctly for the risk factor of increasing age, although 94.3% were unaware of increased risk of tall women. A majority, 71.3%, had a low level of awareness of ovarian cancer risk factors. There was a significant association between age and knowledge (p=0.047). Additionally, there was a significant association between higher education level and level of awareness of ovarian cancer risk factors (p=0.039). Conclusions: This study revealed that awareness of ovarian cancer risk factors among Malaysian women is low. The results show a need for improved public understanding about ovarian cancer risks and provision of important information for health professionals about initiatives needed for future awareness, prevention and screening programs.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
• /
• v.16 no.9
• /
• pp.3957-3960
• /
• 2015

Background: Several studies have examined the relationship between oral contraceptive pill (OCP) use, abortions and breast cancer, with mixed results. Hormonal changes associated with OCP use and abortion may increase risk of breast cancer over time, but there is a lack of studies studying this association in Saudi Arabian women. Materials and Methods: We thererfore conducted a case control study in 192 women (92 as cases and 100 as controls), aged 30 to 65, and collected information on variables including examples related to study objectives and those which may confound findings. The Chi square test was used to detect associations between various factors and risk of breast cancer. Results: We found no evidence of interaction between history of abortion or frequency of abortion and breast cancer risk (Chi square=0.422, p =0.420 and 1, p =0.169) respectively. Oral contraceptives did not confer risk for breast cancer overall (OR=0.276, 95%CI 0.092-0.829, p=0.524), while long term use of OCP was associated with increased risk of breast cancer (OR=0.297, 95%CI 0.158-0.557, p=0.001), with higher association for those who used 10 years or more of OCPs (OR=0.282, 95%CI 0.095-0.835, p=0.02). Age at first use of OCPs had no effect on breast cancer risk (p=0.452) or age at diagnosis (p=0.074). Conclusions: Prolonged use of OC (more than 10 years) may be associated with increased risk of breast cancer in Saudi women. Larger population based studies are needed to confirm this finding in this population.

• Asian Oncology Nursing
• /
• v.8 no.2
• /
• pp.120-127
• /
• 2008

Purpose: The purpose of this study was secondary analysis to explore about risk factors with breast cancer on a basis of primary literature. Methods: This study was searched articles by using CINAHL, MEDLINE, Riss4u, Internet website regarding breast cancer. This study searched for the journal published in Korea and foreign countries from 2000 to 2008, about risk factors of breast cancer. This study was reviewed 42 articles (5 experimental study, 35 survey, 1 qualitative study, 1 report) suitable for the research objectives. Results: Magnitude of risk breast cancer (++) was age, geographic region, family history, mutations in BRCA1, BRCA2 genes and in other penetrance genes, radiation, history of benign breast disease, late age of menopause, early age of menarch, nulliparity and older age at first birth, high mammographic breast density, high insulin-like growth factor 1 level. Magnitude of risk factor (+) was hormone replacement therapy, oral contraceptives use, obesity, tall stature, alcohol consumption, high prolactin level, high saturated fat and well-done meat intake, polymorphisms in low penetrance gene, high socioeconomic status. Conclusion: A breast cancer screening protocol according to magnitude of risk factors is needed for disease prevention. The nurses need to educate and counsel women with risk factors of breast cancer.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
• /
• v.8 no.4
• /
• pp.347-351
• /
• 2014

Inflammation is one mechanism through which cancer is initiated and progresses, and is implicated in the etiology of other conditions that affect cancer risk and prognosis, such as type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and visceral obesity. Emerging human evidence, primarily epidemiological, suggests that walnuts impact risk of these chronic diseases via inflammation. The published literature documents associations between walnut consumption and reduced risk of cancer, and mortality from cancer, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease, particularly within the context of the Mediterranean Diet. While encouraging, follow-up in human intervention trials is needed to better elucidate any potential cancer prevention effect of walnuts, per se. In humans, the far-reaching positive effects of a plant-based diet that includes walnuts may be the most critical message for the public. Indeed, appropriate translation of nutrition research is essential for facilitating healthful consumer dietary behavior. This paper will explore the translation and application of human evidence regarding connections with cancer and biomarkers of inflammation to the development of dietary guidance for the public and individualized dietary advice. Strategies for encouraging dietary patterns that may reduce cancer risk will be explored.

• Korean Journal of Head & Neck Oncology
• /
• v.17 no.2
• /
• pp.131-138
• /
• 2001

Objectives: Alcohol intake has been reported to be a risk factor of laryngeal cancer. Since the aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 (ALDH2) genotype is a major determinant of personal alcohol drinking habit, there is a possibility that ALDH2 genotype would be a risk factor for laryngeal cancer. N-Acetyltransferase 2 (NAT2) is a detoxifying enzyme and its polymorphism has been reported to be related to the risk of many environmental cancers. However, studies on the associations between these two genotypes and laryngeal cancer risk are scarce. We have assessed the effects of alcohol intake and the genotype of ALDH2 and NAT2 on the risk of laryngeal cancer in Koreans. Materials and Methods: Eighty-four pathologically proven laryngeal cancer patients and 168 age matched controls were included as the study subjects. Information about alcohol intake and smoking habit was collected using a self administered questionnaire. ALDH2 and NAT2 genotypes were analyzed using PCR-RFLP methods. Results: Alcohol intake was significant as a risk factor for laryngeal cancer (OR : 2.58, 95% CI : 1.24, 5.36), especially for supraglottic laryngeal cancer (OR : 3.24, 95% CI : 1.02, 10.31). Personal drinking habit was closely related with personal smoking habit, which was a potent risk factor of laryngeal cancer. In a stratified analysis according to the level of cumulative smoking amount, drinking was significant neither in light smokers (equal or less than 30 pack-years) nor in heavy smoker (over 30 pack-years). The ALDH2 genotype was significantly associated with the risk of laryngeal cancer in a univariate analysis. The statistical significance, however, disappeared after adjusting alcohol intake using a multiple conditional logistic model. The NAT2 genotype was not significant as a risk factor for laryngeal cancer. Conclusion: Alcohol drinking and ALDH2 genotype would have indirect effects on laryngeal cancer by their correlations with cigarette smoking or with alcohol drinking. It is less likely that the NAT2 genotype would be a potent risk factor of laryngeal cancer.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
• /
• v.48 no.6
• /
• pp.280-286
• /
• 2015

Objectives: Approximately 10% to 15% of lung cancer cases occur in never-smokers. Hormonal factors have been suggested to lead to an elevated risk of lung cancer in women. This systematic review (SR) aimed to investigate the association between hormonal replacement therapy (HRT) and the risk of lung cancer in women using cohort studies. Methods: We first obtained previous SR articles on this topic. Based on these studies we made a list of refereed, cited, and related articles using the PubMed and Scopus databases. All cohort studies that evaluated the relative risk of HRT exposure on lung cancer occurrence in women were selected. Estimate of summary effect size (sES) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated. Results: A total of 14 cohort studies were finally selected. A random effect model was applied due to heterogeneity (I-squared, 64.3%). The sES of the 14 articles evaluating the impact of HRT exposure on lung cancer occurrence in women indicated no statistically significant increase in lung cancer risk (sES, 0.99; 95% CI, 0.90 to 1.09). Conclusions: These results showed that HRT history had no effect on the risk of lung cancer in women, even though the sES of case-control studies described in previous SR articles indicated that HRT had a protective effect against lung cancer. It is necessary to conduct a pooled analysis of cohort studies.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
• /
• v.17 no.8
• /
• pp.3741-3745
• /
• 2016

Background: This study was carried out to examine breast cancer risk and its fertility predictors in women aged ${\geq}35$. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted on 560 healthy women referred to health centers of Tabriz-Iran, 2013-2014. Five-year and lifetime risk of developing breast cancer were determined using the Gail model. General linear modeling was applied to determine breast cancer predictors. Results: The mean age of the subjects was 42.7 (SD: 7.7) years. Mean 5-year and lifetime risks of developing breast cancer were determined to be 0.6% (SD: 0.2%) and 8.9% (SD: 2.5%), respectively. Variables of family history of breast cancer, age, age at menarche, parity, age at first childbirth, breastfeeding history, frequency of breastfeeding, method of contraception, marital status and education were all found to be predictors of breast cancer risk. Conclusions: According to the results of this study, screening programs based on the Gail model should be implemented for Iranian people who have a high risk for breast cancer in order to facilitate early detection and better plan for possible malignancies.