• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.13 no.8
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• pp.3549-3553
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• 2012

Primary small cell carcinoma of urinary bladder is a rare but aggressive disease with poor prognosis and a high mortality rate. It accounts for less than 1 % of all the primary cancers seen in the urinary bladder. Diagnosis and management of this entity poses a challenge to the clinician due to the lack of a standardized protocol for its treatment. Herein we discuss primary small cell carcinoma of the urinary bladder in its entirety.

• Intestinal research
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• v.11 no.3
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• pp.155-160
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• 2013

Behçet's disease (BD) is a systemic immunological disorder characterized by recurrent mucosal ulcerative lesions including oral and genital ulcerations in association with skin and ocular involvements. BD also can involve the gastrointestinal tract. Gastrointestinal involvement of BD is one of the major causes of morbidity and mortality for this disease. However, clinical data are quite limited because of the rarity of intestinal BD. Therefore, the management of intestinal BD is heavily dependent on expert opinions and standardized medical treatments of intestinal BD are yet to be established. In this brief review, the authors summarized the currently available medical treatments such as 5-aminosalicylic acids, corticosteroids, immuno-modulators, and anti-TNF agents. Moreover, we sought to suggest a treatment algorithm for intestinal BD based on the recently published and updated data.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.17 no.5
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• pp.2465-2473
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• 2016

Background: This study aimed to investigate the standardized incidence and mortality rate of colorectal cancer and its relationship with the human development index (HDI) across the world in 2012. Materials and Methods: This ecologic study was conducted for assessment of the correlation between age-specific incidence rate (ASIR) and age-specific mortality rate (ASMR) with HDI and its components. Data for SIR and SMR for every country for the year 2012 were obtained from the global cancer project. We used a bivariate method for assessment of the correlation between SIR and SMR and HDI. Statistical significance was assumed at P<0.05. Statistical analyses were performed using SPSS (Version 22.0, SPSS Inc.). Results: Countries with the highest SIR of colorectal cancer in the world in 2012, were Republic of Korea, Slovakia, Hungary and countries with the highest SMR were Hungary, Croatia and Slovakia. The correlation between SIR of colorectal cancer and the HDI was 0.712 ($P{\leq}0.001$), with life expectancy at birth 0.513 ($P{\leq}0.001$), with mean years of schooling 0.641 ($P{\leq}0.001$) and with level of income per each person of the population 0.514 (P=0.013). In addition, the correlation between SMR of colorectal cancer and the HDI was 0.628 ($P{\leq}0.001$), with life expectancy at birth 0.469 ($P{\leq}0.001$), with mean years of schooling 0.592 ($P{\leq}0.001$) and with level of income per each person of the population 0.378 (P=0.013). Conclusions: The highest SIR and SMR of colorectal cancer was in the WHO Europe region. There was a positive correlation between HDI and SIR and SMR of colorectal cancer.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.19
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• pp.8345-8349
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• 2014

Background: Cancer is an increasing cause of mortality and morbidity worldwide. Incidences of common cancers has been growing in different provinces of Iran in recent years but trends in Khuzestan which shares a border with Iraq and is located in south west of Iran have not been investigated. This study aimed to assess secular changes in incidences of common cancers in Khuzestan province from 2004 to 2008. Materials and Methods: Data were collected from Khuzestan cancer registry which is a branch of Iranian Ministry of Health Cancer Registry (http://ircancer.ir) for the period 2004-2008. Data were presented as incidence rates by site, sex, age, using the crude rate and age-standardized rate (ASR) per $10^5$ persons. A direct method of standardization was applied according to the WHO guideline and data analysis was performed using the SPSS package. Results: During the 2004-2008 period, 14,893 new cases of cancer were registered in Khuzestan cancer registry. The age-standardized incidence rate of all cancers was 153.7 per $10^5$ in males and 156.4 per $10^5$ in females. The incidence was increased over the period of five years. The most incident cancers among males were skin cancer ($ASR=18.7/10^5$), stomach cancer ($ASR13.8/10^5$), lung cancer ($ASR12.9/10^5$), leukemia ($ASR=12.6/10^5$) and prostate cancer ($ASR=12.4/10^5$). In females, the most incident cancers were breast cancer ($ASR=41/10^5$), skin cancer ($ASR=16.4/10^5$), colorectal cancer ($ASR=10.0/10^5$), leukemia ($ASR=8.1/10^5$) and lung cancer ($ASR=6.9/10^5$). Conclusions: Incidences of various cancers are rising in Khuzestan. It is necessary to develop and implement comprehensive cancer control programs in this region which could be monitored and evaluated by the future trend data from Khuzestan cancer registry.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.1459-1463
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• 2014

Background: Urological cancers represent a major public problem associated with high mortality and morbidity. The pattern of these cancers varies markedly according to era, region and ethnic groups, but increasing incidence trends overall makes focused epidemiological studies important. The aim of the present study was to assess the incidence of most prevalent urological cancers in Iran from 2003 to 2009. Materials and Methods: The data for this study were obtained from the population-based Cancer Registry Center of the Iran Ministry of Health and Medical Education. Differences of mean age and age distributions of each cancer were compared between 2003 and 2009 in men and women. Results: Bladder cancer was the most common urologic cancer in both genders. The rate difference of age standardized ratio (ASR) of bladder and renal cell carcinoma in women were 1.54 and 2.01 percent per 100,000 population from 2003 to the 2009, respectively. In men, the rate difference of age standardized ratio of prostate, testis, kidney and bladder cancer was also 2.23, 1.2, 1.8 and 1.5 percent per 100,000 population from 2003 to 2009, respectively. The mean ages of patients in all cancers in both genders did not differ significantly through time (p value>0.05) but the distribution of ages of patients with bladder and prostate cancer changed significantly from 2003 to 2009 (p value<0.001). Conclusions: The results of present study suggest the general pattern and incidence of urological cancers in Iran are changing, the observed increase pointing to a need for urological cancer screening programs.

• Journal of Gastric Cancer
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.267-276
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• 2017

Purpose: Different esophagojejunostomy (EJ) reconstruction methods are used after totally laparoscopic total gastrectomy (TLTG), and none is considered a standard technique. This report describes a 2-layer hand-sewn EJ technique during TLTG; we also evaluated postoperative morbidity associated with this technique. Materials and Methods: This retrospective cohort study included all consecutive patients who underwent TLTG for gastric cancer (GC) from 2012 to 2016 at 2 affiliated teaching hospitals. All participating surgeons performed standardized intracorporeal 2-layer hand-sewn EJ. Results: We included 51 patients who underwent TLTG for GC and standardized EJ anastomosis. Twenty-seven (53%) were male, and the median age was 60 (36-87) years. The average operative time was $337{\pm}71minutes$ and intraoperative bleeding was $160{\pm}107mL$. There were no open conversions related to EJ. Postoperative morbidity was observed in 9 (17.0%) patients. There was no postoperative mortality. EJ leakage was observed in 2 patients (3.8%) and 1 patient (1.9%) developed EJ stenosis. Patients with leakage were managed non-operatively and the patient with stenosis required endoscopic dilation. The median length of hospital stay was 8 (6-29) days. Conclusions: Two-layer hand-sewn EJ during TLTG for GC is a feasible and safe technique. This method avoids a laparotomy for reconstruction and the disadvantages associated with laparoscopic introduction of mechanical staplers for EJ, and provides an alternative for alimentary tract reconstruction after TLTG.

• The Korean Journal of Health Service Management
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• v.7 no.3
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• pp.287-296
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• 2013

The aim of this study was to compare the regional difference of death from intentional self-harm. The analysis was based on data of intentional self-harm deaths (31,450) from the 2010-2011 vital statistics of Korea. The suicide rate (per 100,000 population) was 46.2 in male and 22.3 in female. Gender ratio (male / female) of suicide rate was 2.07, and Jeju province had the lowest gender ratio (1.82), and Chungbuk province had the highest gender ratio (2.42). In the age-gender standardized death rate (per 100,000) of self-harm by region, the highest suicide rate was observed in Gangwon province (44.8) and Chungnam province (44.3), and the lowest in Seoul metropolitan city (28.9) and Ulsan metropolitan city (29.2). There was a significant increase in the rate of suicide in city areas (odds ratio: 1.11, 95% CI: 1.08-1.13), county areas (1.62, 1.56-1.67) as compared with the rate of suicide in metropolitan areas. The commonest methods of suicide were hanging (53.7 percent), self-poisoning by pesticides (16.8 percent) and jumping from a height (14.3 percent). The methods used for suicide differed between rural (county) and urban areas (metropolitan city and city). In county areas, 43 percent of suicides used pesticides as compared to only 7-18 percent of those in urban areas. In urban areas, jumping was more common (13-17 percent vs. 6 percent). There were no difference in hanging between urban and rural areas. The odds ratio of death by pesticides was 9.86 in rural areas compared with death rate of metropolitan areas. The odds ratio of death by jumping was 0.59 in rural compared with death rate of metropolitan areas.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.51 no.5
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• pp.327-335
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• 2007

This study was to evaluate economic impact of a comprehensive pharmaceutical care intervention provided by community pharmacists on drug-related morbidity and mortality in the elderly population, in a societal perspective. Clinical outcomes of pharmaceutical care included compliance increase, inappropriate medication discontinuation, and subsequent drug-related morbidity and mortality reduction. Economic outcomes included cost savings from direct medical costs reduction such as medication and healthcare resource utilization. Input costs for pharmaceutical care included pharmacist time and computerized prescription review supporting program costs. Model parameters of outcomes were derived from published literatures, and costs were from literatures and health insurance statistical data in Korea. Annual costs and benefits were estimated in the year 2005. Current usual care and standardized pharmaceutical care required 0.3 and 2.0 hours per year respectively, for elderly outpatient using average 4.4 prescription drugs per visit and average annual frequency of 17.8 pharmacy visits. Comprehensive pharmaceutical care provided to overall elderly outpatients at community pharmacies would have cost of \74,994 mil. and benefit of \357,002 mil. per year. Benefit:cost ratio was 4.8:1 and net benefit was \282,008 mil/year. It was corresponded to net benefit of \73,816/year for individual elderly patient. In addition, pharmaceutical care was estimated to reduce 1,531 drug-related deaths/year. Conclusively this study, a first attempt in Korea to evaluate an economic value of pharmaceutical care at community pharmacies, proved that it was a cost-effective intervention having significant economic benefit.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.13 no.7
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• pp.3113-3118
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• 2012

Introduction: Cancer is the second cause of death in Kuwaiti people after cardiovascular diseases. This study is the first in the country to describe epidemiological measures related to cancer in this population. Methods: Data obtained from the Kuwait cancer registry included all Kuwaiti patients between years 2000-2009. Analyses were conducted using age-specific rates, the age-standardization-direct method, 95% confidence intervals (95% CI), cumulative risk by the age of 74 years, limited-duration prevalence, mortality and forecasting to year 2029. Results: It was noted that the commonest cancer sites were colorectal with an age standardized incidence rate (ASIR) of 16.1/100,000 in males and breast (49.4/100,000) in the female population. The trend of cancer incidence (1974-2009) showed no statistically significant change. First causes of death due to cancer were female breast 8(6.4-9.6)/100,000 and lung (males) 8.1/100,000 (6.6-10.0). The risk of developing cancer by the age of 74 was 13.4% (1/8) and 14.3% (1/7) in males and females respectively, and the risk of dying from cancer in the same age group was 1/17 and 1/23. By the end of 2009, prevalent cases represented 0.52% of the Kuwaiti population. In the year 2029, the total number of cancer cases is expected to reach 1200 cases compared to 889 cases in 2009. Conclusions and recommendations: The most common cancers in Kuwait (breast, colorectal and lung) are largely preventable. Prompt and effective interventional prevention programs that vigorously involve diet, anti-smoking and physical activity for both sexes are urgently required.

• Journal of the Korean Data and Information Science Society
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.137-148
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• 2011

In this paper, we systematically investigate regional differences of the dead due to injuries in cities, towns and counties about transportation accidents, suicides and fall accidents, which have recently been an important issue of health problems in Korea, The data are from the Annual Report on the Cause of Death Statistics in Korea in 2008. They include the deaths over the age 19 from transportation accidents, suicides and fall accidents with the criterion of the International Statistical Classification of Diseases. Poisson HGLM is applied to estimate the mortality rate under the assumption that the number of deaths follow a Poisson distribution, by considering regions as random effects and by adjusting age, sex and standardized residence tax as fixed effects. Using the results of random effects prediction, the regional differences in cities, counties and towns are marked in disease mapping. The results showed that there were significant regional differences of mortality rates for transportation accidents and suicides, but no significant differences for fall accidents.