• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
• /
• v.13 no.11
• /
• pp.5489-5495
• /
• 2012

Cervical cancer is a serious public health problem in Thailand. We investigated possible risk factors for cervical cancer including HPV infection, p53 polymorphism, smoking and reproductive history among women in Northeast Thailand using a case control study with 177 cases and age-matched controls. Among the HPV carriers, a significantly increased risk for cervical cancer with an OR of 36.97(p<0.001) and an adjusted OR of 38.07(p<0.001) were observed. Early age at first sexual exposure, and multiple sexual partners increased the risk of cervical cancer with ORs ranging between 1.73-2.78(p<0.05). The interval between menarche and first sexual intercourse <6 years resulted in a significant increase in the risk for cervical cancer with ORs ranging between 3.32-4.09 and the respective adjusted OR range for the 4-5 and 2-3 year-old groups were 4.09 and 2.92. A higher risk was observed among subjects whose partner had smoking habits, whether currently or formerly; with respective ORs of 3.36(P<0.001) and 2.17(p<0.05); and respective adjusted ORs of 2.90(p<0.05) and 3.55(p<0.05). Other smoking characteristics of the partners including smoking duration ${\geq}20$ years, number of cigarettes smokes ${\geq}20$ pack-years and exposure time of the subject to passive smoking ${\geq}5$ hrs per day were found to be statistically significant risks for cervical cancer with adjusted ORs of 3.75, 4.04 and 11.8, respectively. Our data suggest that the risk of cervical cancer in Thai women is substantially associated with smoking characteristics of the partner(s), the interval between menarche and first sexual intercourse as well as some other aspects of sexual behavior.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
• /
• v.15 no.19
• /
• pp.8423-8427
• /
• 2014

Background: Cancer is the most common cause of death in Thailand, where treatment outcomes and prognosis are poor and mortality rates remain high. This study reports new cancer cases and trends of all cancers registered in Srinagarind Hospital from 1993 to 2012 and also provides a picture of the cancer situation in Northeast Thailand. Materials and Methods: All new cases of cancer registered in the hospital-based cancer registry at Faculty of Medicine, Srinagarind Hospital, Khon Kaen University during 1993-2012 were included in the study. Results and Conclusions: The number of new cancer cases has gradually increased each year during the last 20 years. The three most common cancers at present in males are liver and bile duct cancer, lung cancer and colorectal cancer, respectively. In females, liver and bile duct, breast and thyroid cancers are now the most frequent. Interestingly, the number of cases of both liver and bile duct cancer and colorectal cancer in males noticeably increased during the second decade of the study. Additionally, breast cancer greatly increased in the same decade and lung cancer in females climbed into the top five most common cancers. Thyroid cancer has also risen steadily in the last decade. Trends of common cancers are similar to those throughout Thailand.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
• /
• v.14 no.6
• /
• pp.3955-3961
• /
• 2013

Background: Defects of manganese superoxide dismutase (MnSOD) have long been implicated in generation of oxidative stress and risk susceptibility to various cancers. Two functional polymorphisms within the MnSOD gene, including the Val-9Ala of the mitochondrial targeting sequence (MTS) and the Ile58Thr of the exon-3, have been proposed to reduce its enzyme activity and antioxidant potential. Materials and Methods: A high-throughput multiplex SNaPshot$^{(R)}$ system was developed herein for simultaneous analyses of Val-9Ala and Ile58Thr in a single reaction. Genomic DNA extracted from each whole blood sample of 248 patients including 107 with cervical cancer and 141 with breast cancer and from 136 healthy women as controls was analyzed by the multiplex SNaPshot$^{(R)}$ system. Results: The Val/Val, Val/Ala genotypes and the Val allele of the MTS were predominant in patients with cervical or breast cancer as well as healthy women in Thailand. The Ile/Ile genotype and the Ile allele of the exon-3 were found in all of them whereas none of the Ile/Thr, the Thr/Thr genotypes and the Thr allele was detected. Genotypic association of both Val-9Ala and Ile58Thr polymorphisms with cervical cancer and breast cancer of these patients comparing to healthy women was not statistically significant (p<0.05). Conclusions: The Val/Val, Val/Ala genotypes and the Val allele of the MTS were found predominantly but the Ile/Ile genotype and the Ile allele of the exon-3 were detected in patients with cervical cancer, breast cancer and healthy women in Thailand. These two functional polymorphisms (Val-9Ala and Ile58Thr) in MnSOD gene did not associate with susceptibility risk of these cancer patients in Thailand.

• Culinary science and hospitality research
• /
• v.23 no.6
• /
• pp.127-134
• /
• 2017

Despite its importance to Thailand, museum tourism has not received sufficient attention from researchers and practitioners. Consequently, knowledge of museum tourist responses toward museum service quality is quite limited. Thus, the purpose of this study was to (1) examine the service quality of museums in Thailand and (2) revealed how tourists react positively namely through satisfaction and revisit intentions. This study further explored how the proposed relationships vary between Asian and European tourists. Based on Harrison and Shaw's (2004) museum experience model, facilities, staff services, and exhibition experience were proposed as three important service elements encountered during a service experience. Data were collected from foreign tourists who visited any of the 6 national museums in Bangkok. A total of 260 questionnaires were obtained over a 3-month period, all of which were retained and utilized for the analysis. Results found that exhibition experience and staff services were positively associated with tourist museum visit satisfaction, which in turn acted on revisit intention. In addition, exhibition experience was found to be the most important service element for Asian tourists, while staff services was most important for European tourists. Staff services and exhibition experience both played important roles in the tourist museum experience, while facilities did not have an effect on the evaluation of museum services. In response, museum managers need to implement a segmentation strategy that considers tourists' backgrounds such as region, culture, or nationality.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
• /
• v.16 no.5
• /
• pp.1771-1779
• /
• 2015

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a leading cause of cancer death worldwide. Presently, targeted therapy via monoclonal antibodies to specific tumor-associated antigens is being continuously developed. Hep88 mAb has proven to exert tumoricidal effects on the HepG2 cell via a paraptosis-like morphology. To verify the pathway, we then demonstrated downstream up-regulation of caspase-3, caspase-8 and caspase-9, assessingmRNA expression by real-time PCR and associated enzyme activity by colorimetric assay. Active caspase-3 determination was also accomplished by flow cytometry. Active caspase-3 expression was increased by Hep88 mAb treatment in a dose-and time-dependent manner. All of the results indicated that Hep88 mAb induced programmed cell death in the HepG2 cell line from paraptosis-like to apoptosis by downstream induction of caspases. These conclusions imply that Hep88mAb might be a promising tool for the effective treatment of HCC in the future.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
• /
• v.56 no.1
• /
• pp.33-39
• /
• 2018

Intestinal parasitic infections remain a major public health problem in many parts of Thailand, particularly in rural areas. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of intestinal parasitic infections and associated risk factors among the people living in Huai Sai sub-district, Bang Khla district, Chachoengsao Province, central Thailand. A cross-sectional survey was carried out from June 2017 to August 2017 which included a total of 224 participants. Stool samples were examined using a simple direct smear and formalin ethyl acetate concentration technique. Association between risk factors and intestinal parasitic infections was assessed using multivariate logistic regression analysis. The overall prevalence of intestinal parasitic infections was 16.1%. Soil-transmitted helminth infections (14.3%) were more common than protozoan infections (1.8%). The most common intestinal parasites were hookworms (6.7%) followed by Strongyloides stercoralis, (5.0%), Ascaris lumbricoides (1.3%) and Trichuris trichiura (1.3%). Entamoeba histolytica/dispar (1.0%), Giardia intestinalis (0.4%), and Blastocystis hominis (0.4%) were the protozoans identified. A high prevalence of infections was found in male participants of ${\geq}40years$ who raised dogs in the households and did not wear boots while working fields. Multivariate analysis showed a significant association of intestinal parasitic infections with gender with the adjusted odds ratio (OR) of 2.4 and 95% confidence interval (CI) of 1.1-5.2 (P=0.020). The results showed a high prevalence of soil-transmitted helminth infections among adults in rural communities which were particularly apparent regarding the skin-penetrating species of nematodes. A greater focus on intervention is required by improving sanitation and personal hygiene to prevent the spread of intestinal parasitic infections.

• Proceedings of the KSRS Conference
• /
• 2005.10a
• /
• pp.149-152
• /
• 2005

A new methodology to detect forest fire burnt scars at near real time using MODIS (Moderate-resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer) data is presented here with a goal of introducing a new and improved capability to detect forest fire burnt scars in Thailand. This new technology is expected to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of the forest fire tackling resources distribution and management of the country. Using MODIS data in burnt scars detection has two major advantages - high availability of data and high resolution per performance ratio. Results prove the near real time algorithm suitable and working well in order to monitor the forest fire dynamic movement. The algorithm is based on the threshold separated linear equation of burnt and un-burnt. A ground truth experiment confirms the burnt and un-burnt? areas characteristics (temperature and NDVI). A threshold line on a scatter plot of Band I and Band 2 is determined to separate the burnt from un-burnt pixels. The different threshold values of NDVI and temperature use to identify pixels' anomaly, abnormal low NDVI and high temperature. The overlay (superimpose) method is used to verify burnt pixels. Since forest fire is a dynamic phenomenon, MODIS burnt scars information is suiting well to fill in the missing temporal information of LANDSAT for the forest fire control managing strategy in Thailand. This study was conducted in the Huai-Kha-Kaeng (HKK) Wildlife Sanctuary, Thailand

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
• /
• v.56 no.2
• /
• pp.153-165
• /
• 2018

Development of an effective vaccine is critically needed for the prevention of malaria. One of the key antigens for malaria vaccines is the apical membrane antigen 1 (AMA-1) of the human malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum, the surface protein for erythrocyte invasion of the parasite. The gene encoding AMA-1 has been sequenced from populations of P. falciparum worldwide, but the haplotype diversity of the gene in P. falciparum populations in the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS), including Thailand, remains to be characterized. In the present study, the AMA-1 gene was PCR amplified and sequenced from the genomic DNA of 65 P. falciparum isolates from 5 endemic areas in Thailand. The nearly full-length 1,848 nucleotide sequence of AMA-1 was subjected to molecular analyses, including nucleotide sequence diversity, haplotype diversity and deduced amino acid sequence diversity and neutrality tests. Phylogenetic analysis and pair-wise population differentiation ($F_{st}$ indices) were performed to infer the population structure. The analyses identified 60 single nucleotide polymorphic loci, predominately located in domain I of AMA-1. A total of 31 unique AMA-1 haplotypes were identified, which included 11 novel ones. The phylogenetic tree of the AMA-1 haplotypes revealed multiple clades of AMA-1, each of which contained parasites of multiple geographical origins, consistent with the $F_{st}$ indices indicating genetic homogeneity or gene flow among geographically distinct populations of P. falciparum in Thailand's borders with Myanmar, Laos and Cambodia. In summary, the study revealed novel haplotypes and population structure needed for the further advancement of AMA-1-based malaria vaccines in the GMS.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
• /
• v.16 no.6
• /
• pp.2269-2276
• /
• 2015

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is now common in Thailand with an increase in incidence over time. Health authorities are planning to implement a nationwide CRC screening program using fecal immunochemical test (FIT) as a primary screening tool. This study aimed to estimate preferences and acceptance of FIT and colonoscopy, explore factors influencing the acceptance, and investigate reasons behind choosing and rejecting to screen before the program was implemented. Patients aged 50-69, visiting the primary care unit during the study period, were invited to join this study. Patients with a history of cancer or past CRC screening were excluded. Face-to-face interviews were conducted. Subjects were informed about CRC and the screening tests: FIT and colonoscopy. Then, they were asked for their opinions regarding the screening. The total number of subjects was 437 (86.7% response rate). Fifty-eight percent were females. The median age was 58 years. FIT was accepted by 74.1% of subjects compared to 55.6% for colonoscopy. The acceptance of colonoscopy was associated with perceived susceptibility to CRC and family history of cancer. No symptoms, unwilling to screen, healthy, too busy and anxious about diagnosis were reasons for refusing to screen. FIT was preferred for its simplicity and non-invasiveness compared with colonoscopy. Those rejecting FIT expressed a strong preference for colonoscopy. Subjects chose colonoscopy because of its accuracy; it was refused for the process and complications. If the screening program is implemented for the entire target population in Thailand, we estimate that 106,546 will have a positive FIT, between 8,618 and 12,749 identified with advanced adenoma and between 2,645 and 3,912 identified with CRC in the first round of the program.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
• /
• v.14 no.1
• /
• pp.321-324
• /
• 2013

Background: Intra- and extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) is the most common cancer in Thailand, especially in the northeast region. Most extrahepatic CCA patients consult a doctor at a late stage. Surgery is still the best treatment. Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate survival rates and factors affecting survival in extrahepatic CCA patients following surgery at Srinagarind Hospital, Khon Kaen University, Thailand. Materials and Methods: A retrospective cohort study was conducted with 58 patients who were diagnosed and treated by surgical resection by the same surgeon at Srinagarind Hospital between 2005 and 2009. The patients were followed up until death or the end of the study (31 December, 2011). Survival rates were calculated by the Kaplan-Meier method, and the Cox proportional hazard model was used to identify independent prognostic factors. Results: The total follow-up time was 1,215 person-months, and the mortality rate was 50 per 100 person-years. The cumulative 1-, 3-, and 5-year survival rates were 62.1%, 21.7% and 10.8%, respectively. The median survival time after resection was 15 months. After adjusting for age, gender, lymph node metastasis and histological type, resection margin remained as a statistically significant prognostic factor for survival following surgery. A positive resection margin was associated with a 2.3-fold higher mortality rate than a negative margin. Conclusions: Resection margins are important prognostic factors affecting survival of extrahepatic CCA patients after surgery. A negative resection margin can reduce the mortality rate by 56%.