• Journal of Gastric Cancer
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.99-107
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• 2024

Gastric cancer has been consistently decreasing worldwide, whereas cardia gastric cancer is on the rise. This indicates that the exposure rates to epidemiological causes are changing. In this study, we aim to review the risk factors for gastric cancer with respect to cardia and non-cardia types. One of the most significant risk factors for gastric cancer is Helicobacter pylori infection. H. pylori infection is known as a risk factor for non-cardia gastric cancer, and there have been results indicating that H. pylori infection is not associated with cardia gastric cancer. However, in the East Asian region, there is epidemiological evidence suggesting that H. pylori infection might be a risk factor for cardia gastric cancer. Smoking and alcohol consumption are known risk factors for gastric cancer, regardless of anatomical location. Obesity is considered a factor in the development of cardia gastric cancer. However, further research is needed to understand the specific relationship with non-cardia gastric cancer. The consumption of high-salt and processed meat is more distinctly associated with noncardia gastric cancer than in cardia gastric cancer. In addition to these factors, exposure to chemicals and radiation are considered risk factors for gastric cancer. Primary prevention of gastric cancer involves eliminating or avoiding risk factors such as H. pylori eradication and adopting a healthy lifestyle, including quitting smoking, reducing alcohol consumption, maintaining a healthy weight, and having a low-salt diet.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.731-736
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• 2015

Background: Little is known about the news coverage of cancer risk factors in Korea. This study aimed to examine how the news media encompasses a wide array of content regarding cancer risk factors and related cancer sites, and investigate whether news coverage of cancer risk factors is congruent with the actual prevalence of the disease. Materials and Methods: A content analysis was conducted on 1,138 news stories covered during a 5-year period between 2008 and 2012. The news stories were selected from nationally representative media in Korea. Information was collected about cancer risk factors and cancer sites. Results: Of various cancer risk factors, occupational and environmental exposures appeared most frequently in the news. Breast cancer was mentioned the most in relation to cancer sites. Breast, cervical, prostate, and skin cancer were overrepresented in the media in comparison to incidence and mortality cases, whereas lung, thyroid, liver, and stomach cancer were underrepresented. Conclusions: To our knowledge, this research is the first investigation dealing with news coverage about cancer risk factors in Korea. The study findings show occupational and environmental exposures are emphasized more than personal lifestyle factors; further, more prevalent cancers in developed countries have greater media coverage, not reflecting the realities of the disease. The findings may help health journalists and other health storytellers to develop effective ways to communicate cancer risk factors.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.7
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• pp.3071-3074
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• 2014

Background: To investigate the related risk factors of postoperative nosocomial pneumonia (POP) in patients withI-IIIa lung cancer. Methods: Medical records of 511 patients who underwent resection for lung cancer between January 2012 to December 2012 were retrospectively reviewed. Risk factors of postoperative pneumonia were identified and evaluated by univariate and multivariate analyses. Results: The incidence of postoperative pneumonia in these lung cancer patients was 2.9% (15 cases). Compared with 496 patients who had no pneumonia infection after operation, older age (>60), histopathological type of squamous cell carcinoma and longer surgery time (>3h) were significant risk factors by univariate analysis. Other potential risk factors such as alcohol consumption, history of smoking, hypersensitivity, hypertension, diabetes mellitus and so on were not showed such significance in this study. Further, the multivariate analysis revealed that old age (>60 years) (OR 5.813, p=0.018) and histopathological type of squamous cell carcinoma (OR 5.831, p<0.001) were also statistically significant independent risk factors for postoperative pneumonia. Conclusions: This study demonstrated that being old aged (>60 years) and having squamous cell carcinoma histopathological type might be important factors in determining the risk of postoperative pneumonia in lung cancer patients after surgery.

• Journal of Gastric Cancer
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.43-50
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• 2016

Purpose: It is well known that old age is a risk factor for postoperative complications. Therefore, this study aimed to explore the risk factors for poor postoperative surgical outcomes in elderly gastric cancer patients. Materials and Methods: Between January 2006 and December 2015, 247 elderly gastric cancer patients who underwent curative gastrectomy were reviewed. In this study, an elderly patient was defined as a patient aged ${\geq}65$ years. All possible variables were used to explore the risk factors for poor early surgical outcomes in elderly gastric cancer patients. Results: Based on multivariate analyses of preoperative risk factors, preoperative low serum albumin level (<3.5 g/dl) and male sex showed statistical significance in predicting severe postoperative complications. Additionally, in an analysis of surgery-related risk factors, total gastrectomy was a risk factor for severe postoperative complications. Conclusions: Our study findings suggest that low serum albumin level, male sex, and total gastrectomy could be risk factors of severe postoperative complications in elderly gastric cancer patients. Therefore, surgeons should work carefully in cases of elderly gastric cancer patients with low preoperative serum albumin level and male sex. We believe that efforts should be made to avoid total gastrectomy in elderly gastric cancer patients.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.563-568
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• 2016

Background: Breast cancer is the most prevalent cancer in women worldwide and its frequency is increasing gradually in many countries. Over the last three decades an increase in the breast cancer has been witnessed in the earlier low-risk Asian countries including Pakistan. Purpose: The objective of the current study was to assess the prevalence of known risk factors like early menarche, late menopause, socio economic, reproductive and demographic factors, among women diagnosed with breast cancer at INMOL hospital, Lahore, Punjab, as little information exists in this regard. Materials and Methods: A survey study was conducted on 200 women diagnosed with breast cancer who were seen at Institute of Nuclear Medicine and Oncology (INMOL) hospital, Lahore. A structured questionnaire was administered to these patients regarding the known risk factors through face to face interviews after obtaining appropriate consent. Results: Regarding non-modifiable risk factors, our study showed that majority of the breast cancer patients were diagnosed at 35-45 years (32.5%) or at older age (${\leq}46$) and experienced menarche at 12 years or older (66 %). Likewise, a large number of patients reached menopause at the age of 45 years (60%), had no family and personal history of breast cancer (80%) and hence fell in a low risk category. Regarding modifiable risk factors in women diagnosed with breast cancer, most of the patients fell in low risk strata as the majority were married (98%) at young age, breastfed their children for 12 months or more (88%) and bore two to three children (80%). Considering income criteria, the majority of the patients had a low risk profile as they belonged to middle class (70%), urban area (60%) and were house wives (80%). However, it was noted that a considerable number of women (34%) diagnosed with breast cancer experienced menarche at an early age (<12) and reached menopause after the age of 45 years. This situation is further augmented by environmental changes and dietary habits and places them in a high risk category.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Fundamentals of Nursing
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.7-23
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• 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
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.895-904
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• 2016

Breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed invasive cancer among women. Many factors, both genetic and non-genetic, determine a woman's risk of developing breast cancer and several breast cancer risk prediction models have been proposed. It is vitally important to risk stratify patients as there are now effective preventive strategies available. All women need to be counseled regarding healthy lifestyle recommendations to decrease breast cancer risk. As such, management of these women requires healthcare professionals to be familiar with additional risk factors so that timely recommendations can be made on surveillance/risk-reducing strategies. Breast cancer risk reduction strategies can be better understood by encouraging the women at risk to participate in clinical trials to test new strategies for decreasing the risk. This article reviews the advances in the identification of women at high risk of developing breast cancer and also reviews the strategies available for breast cancer prevention.

• Proceedings of the Korea Environmental Mutagen Society Conference
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• 2001.10b
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• pp.24-25
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• 2001

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.15
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• pp.6243-6247
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• 2015

Background: Thyroid cancer (TC) is a more common endocrine malignancy in females and is a major cause of death in developing countries. Therefore the aim of this study was to explore possible risk factors of thyroid cancer in females of Pakistan. Materials and Methods: This study covered 232 females, including 127 (54.7%) cases and 105 (45.2%) controls, from the INMOL Hospital and Sheikh Zayed Hospital, Lahore. Different risk factors were explored by the descriptive and inferentially statistics. Odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals for different risk factors were computed using logistic regression. Results: The results showed six risk factors, marital status, family history of thyroid cancer, iodine in the diet, oxidative stress, fast food and fried food, to demonstrate positive significant links to thyroid cancer (odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals of :2.152, 1.104-4.198; 2.630, 1.416-4.887; 2.391, 1.282-4.458; 4.115, 2.185-7.750; 3.656, 1.851-7.223; 2.357, 1.268-4.382; and 2.360, 1.199-4.643, respectively). Conclusions: The Oxidative stress, marital status, family history of cancer, fast food, use of iodine diet and fried food are the risk factors of thyroid cancer in females.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.16
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• pp.6691-6695
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• 2014

Background: A population-based cervical cancer screening program using visual inspection with acetic acid was launched in Maldives in 2014. Our study aimed to assess the knowledge, attitude and practices of women in relation to risk factors of cervical cancer, early detection of the disease and its prevention. Materials and Methods: The questionnaire based survey was conducted among 20 to 50 year old women, systematically sampled to represent three regions of Maldives. Trained investigators interviewed a total of 2,845 women at home. Results: The prevalence of the risk factors of cervical cancer like early age at marriage and childbirth, multiple marriages, multiple marriages of the husbands, and multiple pregnancies was high. More women knew about breast cancer than cervical cancer. Even among the small number of women who knew of cervical cancer, only 34.6% had the knowledge of at least one early symptom. Very few women knew that the cancer could be prevented by any test. Only 6.2% of the women reported having ever undergone a Pap smear. Many women had the misconception that cervical cancer was infectious. In Maldives the younger women have high literacy rate due to the policy of universal free education and those with higher levels of education had improved knowledge of cervical cancer and its risk factors. The prevalence of risk factors also reduced with improved literacy. Conclusions: Awareness about risk factors and prevention of cervical cancer is limited among Maldivian women in spite of having high exposure to some of the risk factors. A universal literacy program in the country has helped to improve the knowledge of cervical cancer prevention and to reduce the exposure to various risk factors in the younger population.