• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제13권4호
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• pp.1235-1240
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• 2012

Background: Opisthorchis viverrini infection is a serious public-health problem in Southeast Asia. It is associated with a number of hepatobiliary diseases and the evidence strongly indicates that liver fluke infection is the etiology of cholangiocarcinoma. Objectives: This study aimed to investigate Opisthorchis viverrini metacercarial infection in cyprinoid fish collected from 32 districts of Nakhon Ratchasima province, Northeastern Thailand during one year period from February 2010 to February 2011. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted, data being collected with pepsin-HCl digestion and stereomicroscope, respectively. Analysis was performed using SPSS Windows Version 12.0. Results: A total of 640 Cyprinidae family fish including 5 species were collected from different study sites, and investigated for O. viverrini metacercariae. The infection rate was 12.3% (79/640), predominantly in Cyclocheilichthys armatus, C. repasson, Puntioplites proctzysron, Hampala macrolepitota and Hampala dispar, respectively. The prevalence of O. viverrini metaceria in Nakhon Ratchasima area was 78.1%, predominantly in Sida and KiaKham Thale So. Conclusion: This findings stress that natural fish species in rural communities are still a source of O viverrini infection and put local people at risk, therefore public awareness and prevention campaigns are urgently required.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제15권4호
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• pp.1611-1616
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• 2014

Spirogyra neglecta, a freshwater green alga, is a local food in the northern and northeastern parts of Thailand. This investigation explored the anticarcinogenicity of S neglecta and its possible cancer chemopreventive mechanisms in rats divided into 14 groups. Groups 1 and 10 served as positive and negative control groups, respectively. Groups 1-9 were intraperitoneally injected with diethylnitrosamine (DEN) once a week for 3 weeks. Groups 10-14 received normal saline instead. One week after the last DEN injection, groups 2-5 were administered for 9 consecutive weeks various doses of S neglecta extract (SNE) and dried S neglecta (SND), mixed with basal diet. Groups 6-9 and 11-14 similarly were administered various doses of SNE and SND starting from the first week of the experiment. Administration of SNE and SND was not associated with formation of glutathione-Stransferase placental form (GST-P) positive foci in rat liver. SNE and SND during initiation phase significantly reduced the number of GST-P positive foci in rats injected with DEN. The number of GST-P also diminished in groups treated with SNE and SND after injection with DEN, except for the low dose extract group. SNE showed stronger anticarcinogenic potency than SND. Furthermore, SNE also decreased the number of Ki-67 positive cells. However, the numbers of TUNEL-positive cells in the liver of the SNE-treated groups were not statistically different from the controls. The GST activity in 50 mg/kg bw of SNE and 1% of SND groups was significantly increased as compared to the positive control. In conclusion, Spirogyra neglecta (Hassall) K$\ddot{u}$tzing showed cancer chemopreventive properties at the early stages of diethylnitrosamine-induced hepatocarcinogenesis in rats. Possible inhibitory mechanisms include enhancement of the activities of some detoxifying enzymes and/or suppression of precancerous cells.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제14권7호
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• pp.4339-4345
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• 2013

Background: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of BRCA1 (MIM: 113705) founder mutations in familial breast cancer (BC) patients with high risks in Iran. BRCA1 is among the cancer susceptibility genes best known for high penetrance mutations. BRCA1 genotyping is now used to determine patient counseling, management decisions, and prognosis of this syndrome. Materials and Method: Thirty nine patients with clinical BC and 29 high risk healthy women, related to the patients, participated in the study. DNA from blood samples was extracted and analyzed by PCR and SSCP methods in order to find 185delAG and 5382insC founder mutations. In addition, a 251bp fragment of BRCA1's exon 11 was amplified and analyzed for determination of new mutations. Results: The data indicated the presence of 185delAG and 5382insC founder mutations in both groups studied. Two out of 39 BC patients (5.1%) and one out of 29 relatives (3.4%) were suspected to be carriers of 185delAG mutations. However, we found only one patient (2.6%) to be a carrier of a 5382insC mutation. Also, 2 women (5.1%) of the patient group and 3 n (10.3%) of relatives group were identified as carriers of unclarified mutations in the 251bp fragment of the BRCA1 gene. The carriers of BRCA1 founder mutations have a high lifetime risk of breast cancer. Conclusions: Therefore, these data are useful in counseling of individuals with a significant family history of breast cancer.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제17권9호
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• pp.4395-4399
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• 2016

The FLT3-ITD mutation is one of the most frequent genetic abnormalities in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) where it is associated with a poor prognosis. The FLT3-ITD mutation could, therefore, be a potential molecular prognostic marker important for risk-stratified treatment options. We amplified the FLT3 gene at exon 14 and 15 in 52 AML patients (aged between 2 months and 74 years) from 4 referral centers (a university hospital and 3 regional hospitals in Northeast Thailand), using a simple PCR method. FLT3-ITD mutations were found in 10 patients (19.2%), being more common in adults than in children (21.1% vs. 14.3%) and more prevalent in patients with acute promyelocytic leukemia (AML-M3) than AML-non M3 (4 of 10 AML-M3 vs. 6 of 42 AML-non M3 patients). Duplication sequences varied in size-between 27 and 171 nucleotides (median=63.5) and in their location. FLT3-ITD mutations with common duplication sequences accounted for a significant percentage in AML patients in northeastern Thailand. This simple PCR method is feasible for routine laboratory practice and these data could help tailor use of the national protocol for AML.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제17권1호
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• pp.401-406
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• 2016

Background: Cholangiocarcinoma is relatively rare worldwide. Most previous reports collected only patients with pathological diagnosis. In fact, however, many patients coming to hospital are diagnosed by clinical suspicion with radiologic imaging and receive treatment without histological confirmation. Real survival data and outcome of each treatment, especially for patients that do not have histologic confirmation, are lacking. In this study, therefore, we aimed to analyze the survival rates of CCA patients and the proportions of patients receiving different treatments. Materials and Methods: A total of 270 patients clinically suspected of CCA and visiting Srinagarind Hospital in May-July 2010, were prospectively followed until December 2014. After checking their clinical records, 163 of 270 patients were finally diagnosed as having CCA, and the data of this group were analyzed for survival rate and received treatments. Results: Of the 163 patients, 96 (58.9%) had intrahepatic, 56 (34.4%) had perihilar and 11 (6.7%) had distal CCA. The majority [107 (65.6%, 95%CI, 57.8-73.0)] received only supportive care. Overall median survival was 4 months (95%CI, 3.3-4.7), and 2-years survival was only 8.1% (95%CI,4.5-12.9). However, the 4 year survival of the R0 resection group was 100%. Conclusions: The present results show that the prognosis of CCA is very poor in North-east Thailand. Most CCA patients receive only treatment to alleviate symptoms due to their advanced stage of disease. Complete surgical resection at the early stage is the only treatment that significantly improves patient survival.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제16권14호
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• pp.5829-5834
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• 2015

Objective: To describe and analyze the epidemiological characteristics of lung cancer mortality in China from 1991 to 2013, forecast the future five-year trend and provide scientific evidence for prevention and management of lung cancer. Materials and Methods: Mortality data for lung cancer in China from 1991 to 2013 were used to describe epidemiological characteristics. Trend surface analysis was applied to analyze the geographical distribution of lung cancer. Four models, curve estimation, time series modeling, gray modeling (GM) and joinpoint regression, were performed to forecast the trend for the future. Results: Since 1991 the mortality rate of lung cancer increased yearly. The rate for males was higher than that for females and rates in urban areas were higher than in rural areas. In addition, our results showed that the trend will continue to increase in the ensuing 5 years. The mortality rate increased from age 45-50 and peaked in the group of 85 years old. Geographical analysis indicated that people living in northeast China provinces and the coastal provinces in eastern China had a higher mortality rate for lung cancer than those living in the centre or western Chinese provinces. Conclusions: The standardized mortality rate of lung cancer has constantly increased from 1991 to 2013, and been predicted to continue in the ensuing 5 years. Further efforts should be concentrated on education of the general public to increase prevention and early detection. Much better prevention and management is needed in high mortality areas (northeastern and eastern parts of China) and high risk populations (45-50-year-olds).

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제15권13호
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• pp.5299-5303
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• 2014

Background: To explore etiology for providing scientific clues for the prevention of lung cancer. Materials and Methods: Data for lung cancer incidence and meteorological geographic factors from 25 counties in Zhejiang province of China during 2011 were studied. Stepwise multiple regression and correlation analysis were performed to analyze the geographic distribution and epidemiology of lung cancer. Results: 8,291 new cases (5,998 in males and 2,293 females) of lung cancer during 2011 in Zhejiang province were reported in the 25 studied counties. Reported and standardized incidence rates for lung cancer were 58.0 and 47.0 per 100,000 population, respectively. The incidence of lung cancer increased with age. Geographic distribution analysis shows that the standardized incidence rates of lung cancer in northeastern Zhejiang province were higher than in the southwestern part, such as in Nanhu, Fuyang, Wuxing and Yuyao counties, where the rates were more than 50 per 100,000 population. In the southwestern Zhejiang province, for instance, in Yueqing, Xianju and Jiande counties, the standardized incidence rates of lung cancer were lower than 37 per 100,000 population. Spearman correlation tests showed that forest coverage rate, air quality index (AQI), and annual precipitation level are associated with the incidence of lung cancer. Conclusions: Lung cancer in Zhejiang province shows obvious regional differences. High incidence appears associated with low forest coverage rate, poor air quality and low annual precipitation. Therefore, increasing the forest coverage rate and controlling air pollution may play an important role in lung cancer prevention.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제16권10호
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• pp.4173-4176
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• 2015

The aim of this cross-sectional analytic study was to investigate the prevalence and risk factors for Opisthorchis viverrini (OV) infection in an urban area of Northeastern Thailand. The participants were 254 household representatives aged 15 years or older living in the most urbanised part of Chiang Yuen municipality in Mahasarakham Province. All participants provided stool samples which were examined using the modified Kato-Katz procedure, and a structured interview questionnaire was used to collection demographic information, knowledge about OV infection, and the consumption of unsafely prepared freshwater fish. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and logistic regression. The overall prevalence of OV infection was 15.0%, and in the multivariate analysis male gender was found to be significantly and positively associated with OV infection ($OR_{adj}=9.75$, 95%CI: 34.03-23.58) while education to secondary school level or above was a significant protective factor ($OR_{adj}=0.30$, 95%CI: 0.12-0.74). The eating of unsafely prepared fish and knowledge about OV were not significantly related to infection status. The findings were discussed in terms of issues for future research, especially the need to consider the possibility of higher rates of OV infection in urban areas than might be expected and to investigate the sources of infected fish products which may well be different from those in rural villages.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제14권2호
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• pp.1107-1110
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• 2013

Intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC), one of the primary liver cancers, is frequent in the northeastern part of Thailand. Surgical resection remains the best method of treatment, but patients suffering from ICC usually present at a late stage of the disease. Studies of survival and prognostic factors after surgery remain rare. The aim here was to evaluate the survival rate and factors affecting the survival of patients with intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma after surgery. The study used a retrospective cohort design. The subjects were 73 consecutive patients with ICC, who were admitted for surgery to Srinagarind Hospital, Khon Kaen University, during the period 2005-2009. The censoring date was 31 December, 2011, data being evaluated using uni- and multivariate analyses. Postoperative survival analysis was performed by the Kaplan-Meier method, and the Cox proportional hazard model was used to identify independent prognostic factors. The total follow-up time was 99 person-years. The total number of deaths was 59, giving a mortality rate of 59 per 100 person-years. The cumulative 1-, 3-, and 5-year survival rates were 52.1%, 21.7%, and 11.2%, respectively. The median duration of survival after resection was 12.4 months. Univariate analysis revealed stage of disease, lymph node metastasis, histological type, histological grade and macroscopic classification to be statistically significant (p-value<0.05) prognostic factors. In the multivariate analysis, only macroscopic classification was statistically significant (p-value<0.05). In conclusion, macroscopic classification was the only independent factor found to be significantly associated with survival following surgical treatment of ICC.

• 대기
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• 제28권4호
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• pp.457-467
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• 2018

This study investigated the variability of spring (March-May) forest fire risk in Korea for the period 1991~2017 and analyzed its relationship with large-scale climate factors. The Forest Weather Index (FWI) representing the meteorological risk for forest fire occurrences calculated based on observational data and its relationship with large-scale climate factors were analyzed. We performed the empirical orthogonal function (EOF) analysis on the spring FWI. The leading EOF mode of FWI accounting for about 70% of total variability was found to be highly correlated with total number of forest fire occurrences in Korea. The high FWI, forest fire occurrence risk, in Korea, is associated with warmer atmosphere temperature in midwest Eurasia-China-Korea peninsula, cyclonic circulation anomaly in northeastern China-Korea peninsula-northwest pacific, westerly wind anomaly in central China-Korea peninsula, and low humidity in Korea. These are further related with warmer sea surface temperature and enhanced outgoing longwave radiation over Western Pacific, which represents a typical condition for a La $Ni\tilde{n}a$ episode. This suggests that large-scale climate factors over East Asia and ENSO could have a significant influence on the occurrence of spring forest fires in Korea.