• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.13 no.7
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• pp.3335-3341
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• 2012

Objective: gastric cancer is the fourth most common cancer worldwide. While it is one of the most common cancers in Iran, there are only limited data regarding incidence trends in the country. This study is the first of its type to investigate trends across six geographical areas during 2000-2005 using cancer registry data. Materials and methods: The registered data for gastric cancer cases in National Cancer Registry System were extracted from the Ministry of Health and Medical Education, Center for Disease Control & Management, code C16. First, according to WHO population, the sex-standardized incidence rate in both sexes and then the trends of incidence rate during 2000-2005 were investigated separately for different geographical areas of the country. Results: the incidence rates of gastric cancer in Iran and its six geographical areas during 2000-2005 were increasing albeit with differences in their slopes. The overall incidence rate increased from 2.8 in 2000 to 9.1 per 100,000 persons per year in 2005, rising from 4.1 to 13.2 in men. The average six-year incidence of gastric cancer in the central and northwestern border of Caspian Sea was 7.8 per 100,000 persons per year, while it was 0.9 per 100,000 persons per year in the border of the Persian Gulf. Generally the incidence rate in men was higher than in women. Conclusion: Iran is one of the high-risk areas for gastric cancer. Increase in incidence might continue in the future partly because of improvement in cancer registry systems as well as increase in risk of this cancer.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.13 no.7
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• pp.3329-3334
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• 2012

Background: Several potential risk factors have been identified for diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL); however, epidemiological studies investigating the association between these risk factors and DLBCL have yielded inconsistent results. Objectives: To investigate potential medical, lifestyle, and environmental risk factors of DLBCL in Shanghai, China through a hospital-based case-control study. Method: One-hundred-and-forty-seven newly diagnosed DLBCL patients and 294 sex- and age-matched controls were recruited from 11 hospitals in Shanghai between 2003 and 2007. A standardized structured questionnaire was used to obtain patient data on demographics, medical history, family history, lifestyle, and environmental exposures. Conditional logistic regression models were used to estimate odds ratios (ORs), with 95% confidence intervals (CIs), for risk associated with each data category. Results: History of tuberculosis (TB) infection and "living on a farm" were positively associated with DLBCL (TB: OR=3.05, 95% CI: 1.19-7.80; farm: OR=1.82, 95% CI: 1.21-2.73). In contrast, taking traditional Chinese medicine was negatively associated with DLBCL (OR=0.36, 95% CI: 0.14-0.89). No significant correlation with DLBCL risk was found for any of the other potential risk factors (p>0.05), including but not limited to hair dyes, alcohol drinking, smoking, and home/workplace renovation within one year. Conclusions: Consistent with results from previous studies in other DLBCL case populations, traditional Chinese medicine appeared to have a direct or indirect protective effect against DLBCL. However, this study also identified a possible predisposition for DLBCL in TB sufferers and farmers.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.13 no.7
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• pp.3061-3064
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• 2012

Aim: An epidemiological shift has resulted in increase in the prevalence of non-communicable diseases (NCD). Unlike other NCDs which are easily and definitely preventable, the knowledge of cancer prevention is still limited at present. Various aetiological factors are difficult to control since those are habit forming. Hence an available remedy remains its secondary and tertiary prevention for which appropriate planning is of paramount importance. Evidence based planning requires careful analysis of data with a view to prioritize various cancers. Keeping in view the fact that the adaptation of smoking free status in Chandigarh city might have a far reaching positive effect on the cancer related morbidity of the people, the following study was undertaken to provide base line data to be used for future comparisons. Methods: The registers maintained in the Department of Radiotherapy were checked and those belonging to the years 1999 to 2009 were utilized to analyze the cancer morbidity in respect to age, sex, and year of presentation to health care facility. Results: A total of 4,600 cancer patients (males=2276, females=2324) demonstrated a gradual increase in the number of cancer cases from 150 in the year 1999 to 783 in the year 2009. The most common cancers amongst males were cancer of gastro-intestinal tract (GIT) and lung (including larynx) constituting 37.3% and 27.1% of the total, respectively. In females these were cancers of breast and cervix representing 33.3% & 17.6% of total cancer cases, respectively, and lung cancer constituted 5.3%. The maximum cases of bone cancer (53.8% of all bone cancers) were observed amongst children aged less than 20 years and lung cancer (48.2% of all lung cancers) among the elderly aged 60-69 years. The.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.17 no.sup3
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• pp.65-70
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• 2016

Lung cancer is one of the most common malignancies in the world. Its incidence and mortality rates are on the rise in Pakistan. However, epidemiological studies to identify common lung cancer determinants in the Pakistani population have been limited. In this study, data of 440 cases and 323 controls were collected from different hospitals in Peshawar and Islamabad, along with information about socio-demographic factors including age, sex and smoking. Univariate and multi-factorial analyses of socio-demographic factors in association with each other were also performed. Overall survival analysis highlighted that, out of 440 patients in the lung cancer dataset, 204 people were uncensored with a median survival time of 13 months (95% CI=12-18). There were 41 femaleand 399 male patients. Differences were observed between length of survival in the males and females (${\chi}12$ = 6.1; p-value = 0.01). Gender was observed to be significantly related to survival (p-value< 0.01), with better survival in females (hazard ratio=2). Cox regression was extended to adjust for the covariate age (z = 2.5; p-value = 0.02). Survival analysis was also performed on the basis of smoking groups (current smokers, former smokers and never smoked individuals) and smoking duration (smoking duration >10 years, <10 years and never smoked). Smoking duration was significantly associated with survival (p-value < 0.01), with better survival in never smokers in comparison to both smoking for greater or less than 10 years. Strong associations were observed for smoking group with duration greater than 10 years, OR=6.1(3.9-9.5) on univariate and multifactorial analysis OR=11.3(CI=6.8-19.3).

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.13 no.5
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• pp.2039-2043
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• 2012

Objectives: Depression is common in cancer patients. However, only limited evidence is available for Asian populations. The authors therefore examine the prevalence of depression in Thai patients with cancer. In addition, associated factors were determined. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in cancer patients admitted to a university hospital during December 2006 - December 2007. The Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) was used to assess all cancer patients. Suicidal risk was assessed by using the Mini-International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI) in the module of suicidal risk assessment. Results: Of 108 cancer patients, 29.6 % were diagnosed with a depressive disorder (mild, 14.8 %; moderate, 5.6 %; severe, 9.3 %). However, only 25.0 % of these were recognized as being depressed by the primary physician. According to the MINI., 28.1 % of these depressed cancer patients had a moderate to severe level of suicidal risk. In addition, the findings suggest that increased risk of depression is significantly associated with increased pain score, lower number of cancer treatments (< 2 methods), increased educational duration (>13 years), increased age (> 50 years old) and being female. Conclusions: The prevalence of depression is high in Thai cancer patients. However, depressive disorder in those patients is frequently undiagnosed. It is associated with several factors including pain, a number of cancer treatments, education duration, age and sex. To improve quality of life, increase compliance with treatments and prevent of suicide, screening for depressive disorders in this patient group is strongly recommended.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.13 no.5
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• pp.1841-1844
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• 2012

Background: The majority of patients with pancreatic cancer present with advanced disease. Systemic chemotherapy has limited impact on overall survival (OS) so that eligible patients should be selected carefully. The aim of this study was to analyze prognostic factors for survival in Turkish advanced pancreatic cancer patients who survived more than one year from the diagnosis of recurrent and/or metastatic disease and receiving gemcitabine (Gem) alone or gemcitabine plus cisplatin (GemCis). Methods: This retrospective evaluation was performed for patients who survived more than one year from the diagnosis of recurrent and/or metastatic disease and who received gemcitabine between December 2005 and August 2011. Twenty-seven potential prognostic variables were chosen for univariate and multivariate analyses to identify prognostic factors associated with survival. Results: Among the 27 variables in univariate analysis, three were identified to have prognostic significance: sex (p = 0.04), peritoneal dissemination (p =0.02) and serum creatinine level (p=0.05). Multivariate analysis by Cox proportional hazard model showed only peritoneal dissemination to be an independent prognostic factor for survival. Conclusion: In conclusion, peritoneal metastasis was identified as an important prognostic factor in metastatic pancreatic cancer patients who survived more than one year from the diagnosis of recurrent and/or metastatic disease and receiving Gem or GemCis. The findings should facilitate pretreatment prediction of survival and can be used for selecting patients for treatment.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.296-306
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• 1999

This study was carried out to prepare a copper database of Korean foods which can be used in calculating copper intake from dietary data, and to evaluate the copper nutritional status of Koran adults living in rural areas by dietary intake and serum copper concentrations. A copper database for 1,176 Korean foods was constructed (1) by analysing 112 Korean foods which are frequently consumed by Korean adults living in rural areas, (2) by adapting values form food composition databases from other countries-320 items from the University of Minnesota database, 201 items from the USAD database, and 25 items from U.K. database, and (3) by imputing values from similar foods for 518 food items. Copper intake of 2,034 Korean adults over the age of 30 living in Yeonchongun was Kyunggi province, Korea was estimated by 24-hour recall method. Mean daily copper intake of subjects was 0.98mg. Mean daily intake level of males was 1.11mg which was significantly higher than that of females, 0.88mg. There was a significant difference in the distribution of subjects by the level of copper intake and sex(p<0.05). Mean serum copper concentration was 14.8umol/1 and the percentage of subjects with low, adequate, and high levels of copper concentration were 23.9%, 69.4%, and 6.6%, respectively. The two food groups which contributed most to the dietary copper intake of subjects were cereals and grain products, and vegetables, supplying 46.2% and 12.7% of total copper intake, respectively. Individuallym, rice contributed most, suppling 31% of total copper intake, followed by soybean curd, starch vermicle, barley, etc. Plant foods contributed to 82.1% of the total copper intake. In summary, results of this study show that copper intake of Korean adults living in rural areas is low, and that dietary sources of copper are mainly plant foods. Serum levels of copper in the subjects were relatively normal. The copper database for Korean foods constructed in present study will be a valuable tool for the as-yet limited assessment of copper intake of Koreans. Such studies will contribute to the establishment of a dietary of a dietary allowance of copper and the relationship of copper nutriture and chronic diseases in Koreans.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.1-10
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• 2009

Objectives : The main purpose of this Survey is to make a research on the actual condition of Automobile insurance system in oriental medical care. Methods : In this research, we surveyed 544 patients of traffic accident who were visited oriental medical clinic or hospital in Daegu, Korea from January, 1, 2008 to December, 31, 2008 according to medical chart. They made up Questionnaire about sex, age, pattern of accidents, days to visit oriental medical clinic, motivation to visiting clinic, damaged part of the body, chief complaint, treatment given to them, medication, tests, days of treatment and the effect. Results : The patients visited oriental medical clinic or hospital were fewer numbers from most of traffic accident patients. And most of their symptoms were light and the treatment and test of oriental medicine was limited for them because of automobile insurance limitation. Conclusions : For this study, we confirmed a possibility for the treatment of traffic accident patients in oriental medical treatment. Still, we needs to expend the boundary of treatment and to come into application of insurance.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.48 no.4
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• pp.188-194
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• 2015

Objectives: The goal of this study was to identify association between the continuity of ambulatory care of diabetes patients in South Korea (hereafter Korea) and the incidence of macrovascular complications of diabetes, using claims data compiled by the National Health Insurance Services of Korea. Methods: This study was conducted retrospectively. The subjects of the study were 43 002 patients diagnosed with diabetes in 2007, who were over 30 years of age, and had insurance claim data from 2008. The macrovascular complications of diabetes mellitus were limited to ischemic heart disease and ischemic stroke. We compared the characteristics of the patients in whom macrovascular complications occurred from 2009 to 2012 to the characteristics of the patients who had no such complications. Multiple logistic regression was used to assess the effects of continuity of ambulatory care on diabetic macrovascular complications. The continuity of ambulatory diabetes care was estimated by metrics such as the medication possession ratio, the quarterly continuity of care and the number of clinics that were visited. Results: Patients with macrovascular complications showed statistically significant differences regarding sex, age, comorbidities, hypertension, dyslipidemia and continuity of ambulatory diabetes care. Visiting a lower number of clinics reduced the odds ratio for macrovascular complications of diabetes. A medication possession ratio below 80% was associated with an increased odds ratio for macrovascular complications, but this result was of borderline statistical significance. Conclusions: Diabetes care by regular health care providers was found to be associated with a lower occurrence of diabetic macrovascular complications. This result has policy implications for the Korean health care system, in which the delivery system does not work properly.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.426-429
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• 2010

This study was conducted to investigate the acute toxicity and safety of Pyungwi-san (Pingwei-san) in Sprague-Dawley rat though the current regulatory guideline. The preliminary study showed that the single oral administration of Pyungwi-san (Pingwei-san) did not induce any toxic effect at a dose level of 2000 mg/kg. Based on the results, 2000 mg/kg was selected as the limited dose. In this study, 10 rats of each sex were randomly assigned to two groups of 5 rats each and were administrated singly by gavage at dose levels of 0 and 2000 mg/kg. After single administration, Mortalities, clinical signs, body weight changes, gross findings were observed for the 15-day period. Throughout the study period, no treatment-related deaths were observed. There were no adverse effects on clinical signs, body weight, and gross findings at all treatment groups. These results showed that the single oral adminstration of Pyungwi-san (Pingwei-san) did not cause any toxic effect at the dose levels of 2000 mg/kg in rats. In conclusion, the $LD_{50}$ of Pyungwi-san (Pingwei-san) was considered to be over 2000 mg/kg body for both sexes.