• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제17권9호
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• pp.4367-4375
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• 2016

The objective of the present study was to evaluate the anticancer and radio-sensitizing efficacy of a Withania somnifera extract/Gadolinium III oxide nanocomposite (WSGNC) in mice. WSGNC was injected to solid Ehrlich carcinoma-bearing mice via i.p. (227 mg/kg body weight) 3 times/week during 3 weeks. Irradiation was performed by whole body fractionated exposure to 6Gy, applied in 3 doses of 2 Gy/week over 3 weeks. Biochemical analyses as well as DNA fragmentation were performed. Treatment of solid Ehrlich carcinoma bearing mice with WSGNC combined with ${\gamma}$-radiation led to a significant decrease in the tumor size and weight associated with a significant decrease in mitochondrial enzyme activities, GSH content and SOD activity as well as a significant increase in caspase-3 activity, MDA concentration and DNA fragmentation in cancer tissues. Combined treatment of WSGNC and low dose of ${\gamma}$-radiation showed great amelioration in lipid peroxidation and antioxidant status (GSH content and SOD activity) in liver tissues in animals bearing tumors. It is concluded that WSGNC can be considered as a radio-sensitizer and anticancer modulator, suggesting a possible role in reducing the radiation exposure dose during radiotherapy.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제17권1호
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• pp.15-23
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• 2016

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are primarily formed as a result of thermal treatment of food, especially barbecuing or grilling. Contamination by PAHs is due to generation by direct pyrolysis of food nutrients and deposition from smoke produced through incomplete combustion of thermal agents. PAHs are ubiquitous compounds, well-known to be carcinogenic, which can reach the food in different ways. As an important human exposure pathway of contaminants, dietary intake of PAHs is of increasing concern for assessing cancer risk in the human body. In addition, the risks associated with consumption of barbecued meat may increase if consumers use cooking practices that enhance the concentrations of contaminants and their bioaccessibility. Since total PAHs always overestimate the actual amount that is available for absorption by the body, bioaccessibility of PAHs is to be preferred. Bioaccessibility of PAHs in food is the fraction of PAHs mobilized from food matrices during gastrointestinal digestion. An in vitro human digestion model was chosen for assessing the bioaccessibility of PAHs in food as it offers a simple, rapid, low cost alternative to human and animal studies; providing insights which may not be achievable in in vivo studies. Thus, this review aimed not only to provide an overview of general aspects of PAHs such as the formation, carcinogenicity, sources, occurrence, and factors affecting PAH concentrations, but also to enhance understanding of bioaccessibility assessment using an in vitro digestion model.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제16권1호
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• pp.9-21
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• 2015

Cancer, a serious public health problem in worldwide, results from an excessive and uncontrolled proliferation of the body cells without obvious physiological demands of organs. The gastrointestinal tract, including the esophagus, stomach and intestine, is a unique organ system. It has the highest cancer incidence and cancer-related mortality in the body and is influenceed by both genetic and environmental factors. Among the various chemical elements recognized in the nature, some of them including zinc, iron, cobalt, and copper have essential roles in the various biochemical and physiological processes, but only at low levels and others such as cadmium, lead, mercury, arsenic, and nickel are considered as threats for human health especially with chronic exposure at high levels. Cadmium, an environment contaminant, cannot be destroyed in nature. Through impairment of vitamin D metabolism in the kidney it causes nephrotoxicity and subsequently bone metabolism impairment and fragility. The major mechanisms involved in cadmium carcinogenesis could be related to the suppression of gene expression, inhibition of DNA damage repair, inhibition of apoptosis, and induction of oxidative stress. In addition, cadmium may act through aberrant DNA methylation. Cadmium affects multiple cellular processes, including signal transduction pathways, cell proliferation, differentiation, and apoptosis. Down-regulation of methyltransferases enzymes and reduction of DNA methylation have been stated as epigenetic effects of cadmium. Furthermore, increasing intracellular free calcium ion levels induces neuronal apoptosis in addition to other deleterious influence on the stability of the genome.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제13권7호
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• pp.3293-3298
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• 2012

The present study was conducted to evaluate in vivo anticancer activity of two novel mononuclear ruthenium(II) compounds, namely Ru(1,10-phenanthroline)$_2$(2-nitro phenyl thiosemicarbazone)$Cl_2$(Compound $R_1$) and Ru (1,10-phenanthroline)$_2$(2-hydroxy phenyl thiosemicarbazone)$Cl_2$(Compound $R_2$) against Ehrlich ascites carcinoma (EAC) mice and in vitro cytotoxic activity against IEC-6 (small intestine) cell lines and Artemia salina nauplii using MTT [(3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide)] and BLT [brine shrimp lethality] assays respectively. The tested ruthenium compounds at the doses 2 and 4 mg/kg body weight showed promising biological activity especially in decreasing the tumor volume, viable ascites cell counts and body weights. These compounds prolonged the life span (% ILS), mean survival time (MST) of mice bearing-EAC tumor. The results for in vitro cytotoxicity against IEC-6 cells showed the ruthenium compound $R_2$ to have significant cytotoxic activity with a $IC_{50}$ value of $20.0{\mu}g/mL$ than $R_1$ ($IC_{50}=78.8{\mu}g/mL$) in the MTT assay and the $LC_{50}$ values of $R_1$ and $R_2$ compounds were found to be 38.3 and $43.8{\mu}g/mL$ respectively in the BLT assay. The biochemical and histopathological results revealed that there was no significant hepatotoxicity and nephrotoxicity associated with the ruthenium administration to mice.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제17권12호
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• pp.5071-5074
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• 2016

Background: Azoxymethane (AOM) is a well-known colon cancer-inducing agent in experimental animals via mechanisms that include oxidative stress in rat colon and liver tissue. Few studies have investigated AOM-induced oxidative stress in rat liver tissue. Red seaweeds of the genera Hypnea Bryodies and Melanothamnus Somalensis are rich in polyphenolic compounds that may suppress cancer through antioxidant properties, yet limited research has been carried out to investigate their anti-carcinogenic and antioxidant influence against AOM-induced oxidative stress in rat liver. Objective: This study aims to determine protective effects of red seaweed (Hypnea Bryodies and Melanothamnus Somalensis) extracts against AOM-induced hepatotoxicity and oxidative stress. Materials and Methods: Sprague-Dawley rats received intraperitoneal injections of AOM, 15 mg/kg body weight, once a week for two consecutive weeks and then orally administered red seaweed (100 mg/kg body-weight) extracts for sixteen weeks. At the end of the experiment all animals were overnight fasted then sacrificed and blood and liver tissues were collected. Results: AOM treatment significantly decreased serum liver markers and induced hepatic oxidative stress as evidenced by increased liver tissue homogenate levels of nitric oxide and malondialdehyde, decreased total antioxidant capacity and glutathione, and inhibition of antioxidant enzymes (catalase, glutathione peroxidase, glutathione S-transferase, glutathione reductase and superoxide dismutase). Both red seaweed extracts abolished the AOM-associated oxidative stress and protected against liver injury as evidenced by increased serum levels of liver function markers. In addition, histological findings confirmed protective effects of the two red seaweed extracts against AOM-induced liver injury. Conclusion: Our findings indicate that red seaweed (Hypnea Bryodies and Melanothamnus Somalensis) extracts counteracted oxidative stress-induced hepatotoxicity in a rat model of colon cancer.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제17권4호
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• pp.2259-2263
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• 2016

Background: Mammographic density determined according paranchymal patterns is a risk factor for breast cancer and its relationships with body and other breast characteristics of women is important. The purpose of the present study was to correlate breast parenchymal patterns and mammography abnormality findings with women's BMI, compressed breast thickness (CBT) and age in Tabriz city, Iran. Materials and Methods: From 1,100 mammograms interpreted by radiologists, breast parenchymal was classified into four categories from Types 1 (mostly fatty) through 4 (mostly fibroglandular tissue). Age, BMI, and CBT were recorded and their relation with risk for the development of breast abnormalities in mammograms was analyzed. Results: In women with a mean age of $45.8{\pm}8.63years$ 17.7% were in the high density group (Type 3 and 4). A comparison of four types of breast paranchymal with BMI, CBT and age showed inverse relations to breast density. Abnormal mammographic findings were 25.8% of all reported mammograms with a circular mass (12.7%) as the most common abnormality. About 21% abnormal cases were in less than 40 years. Increasing of BMI had significant relation with breast abnormality but in CBT was not observed. Conclusions: Measurement of women's body characteristics is useful for assistance in mammography diagnosis as well as selection of imaging instrument by high sensitivity for following patient in future. The effects of age, CBT and BMI groups on the breast paranchymal were significant.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제17권4호
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• pp.2235-2245
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• 2016

Ulcerative colitis (UC) results from colonic epithelial barrier defects and impaired mucosal immune responses. In this study, we aimed to investigate the modifying effects of a Spirogyra neglecta extract (SNE), a polysaccharide extract (PE) and a chloroform fraction (CF) on dextran sodium sulfate (DSS)-induced colitis in mice and to determine the mechanisms. To induce colitis, ICR mice received 3% DSS in their drinking water for 7 days. Seven days preceding the DSS treatment, oral administration of SNE, PE and CF at doses of 50, 25 and 0.25 mg/kg body weight (low dose), 200, 100 and 1 mg/kg body weight (high dose) and vehicle was started and continued for 14 days. Histologic findings showed that DSS-induced damage of colonic epithelial structure and inflammation was attenuated in mice pre-treated with SNE, PE and CF. Furthermore, SNE and PE significantly protected colonic epithelial cells from DSS-induced cell cycle arrest, while SNE, PE and CF significantly diminished apoptosis. Proteome analysis demonstrated that SNE and PE might ameliorate DSS-induced colitis by inducing antioxidant enzymes, restoring impaired mitochondria function, and regulating inflammatory cytokines, proliferation and apoptosis. These results suggest that SNE and PE could prevent DSS-induced colitis in ICR mice by protection against and/or aiding recovery from damage to the colonic epithelium, reducing ROS and maintaining normal mitochondrial function and apoptosis.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제16권10호
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• pp.4169-4172
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• 2015

Background: Oral carcinoma (OC) remains as one of the most difficult malignancies to cure. Hesa-A is an Iranian herbal-marine compound that has shown promising anti-tumor properties on various human cancer cells, although the mechanisms of action remain to be addressed. This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of two doses of Hesa-A on mRNA expression of p53 as a main prognosticator of OC. Materials and Methods: 60 rats were randomly divided into 5 groups of 12 animals each. Rats in carcinoma groups received 0, 250 and 500 mg/kg body weight of Hesa-A three times a day. The two other groups considered as treated and untreated healthy groups. At the end of experiment, animals were sacrificed and tongue tissues subjected to H and E staining and real time PCR. Results: Our results indicated that compared to healthy group, p53 over expressed ~ 40% in untreated carcinoma group. After treatment with 250mg/kg and 500mg/kg body weights of Hesa-A, p53 level dropped by 53.4% and 13.6 %, respectively, compared to untreated carcinoma group (p<0.05, p<0.0001). Moreover, there was a significant relation between p53 mRNA content and observed pathological changes in studied groups (p<0.05). Conclusions: These data provide insights into the mechanism(s) by which Hesa-A improves clinical outcome of oral carcinoma by modulation of p53 expression.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제15권2호
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• pp.725-729
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• 2014

Background: Having been known as a virulent disease in 1970s, cancer is now onsidered a chronic disease and 64% of cancer patients live for five years after diagnosis. Home care has gradually gained more importance and it is a great burden on the shoulders of caregivers. Caregivers have to undertake the responsibility of the cancer patient's home management, and organize care and arrange health care services according to the ever-changing condition of patients. Caregivers should be prepared for home care so they can provide accurate and complete care to patients. This descriptive study aims to investigate challenges that caregivers encounter in the home care of patients and the reasons for these challenges. Materials and Methods: The research group consisted of caregivers of outpatients in a daily treatment center in a university hospital. The research sampling consisted of 137 voluntary caregivers of patients who attended the Daily Treatment Center for control, chemotherapy or other supportive cares services between January-June, 2011. Data were collected with face-to-face interviews in the Daily Treatment Center. Ethics Committee approval was taken university hospital; caregivers and their patients were informed about the research and their approval was taken as well. Results: It was found that 54.01% of caregivers help patient's nutrition, 50.36% help medicine use, 26.28% help oral hygiene, 26.28% help to meet urinary needs and 51.82% help to change clothes, 69.34% of caregivers help to change bed sheets, 38.69% help the patient to communicate with their environment and 71.53% help to bring the patient to hospital or outside. Conclusions: This study, it was found that caregivers experience challenges due to following factors: patient nutrition, medicine use, oral and body hygiene, colostomy maintenance and stomach tube feeding, concern of dropping the patient, feeling incompetency in body temperature and fever control, fatigue, and lack of personal time.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제14권9호
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• pp.5331-5339
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• 2013

Colorectal cancer is one of the leading causes of cancer death, both in men and women. This study investigated the effects of Amorphophallus campanulatus tuber methanolic extract (ACME) on aberrant crypt foci (ACF) formation, colonic cell proliferation, lipid peroxidative damage and the antioxidant status in a long term preclinical model of 1, 2-dimethylhydrazine (DMH) induced colon carcinogenesis in rats. Male Wistar rats were divided into six groups, viz., group I rats served as controls; group II rats treated as drug controls receiving 250 mg/kg body weight of ACME orally; group III rats received DMH (20 mg/kg body weight) subcutaneously once a week for the first 15 weeks; groups IV, V and VI rats received ACME along with DMH during the initiation, post-initiation stages and the entire period of the study, respectively. All the rats were sacrificed at the end of 30 weeks and the intestinal and colonic tissues from different groups were subjected to biochemical and histological studies. Administration of DMH resulted in significant ($p{\leq}0.05$) intestinal and colonic lipid peroxidation (MDA) and reduction of antioxidants such as catalase, glutathione peroxidase, glutathione reductase, glutathione-Stransferase and reduced glutathione. Whereas the supplementation of ACME significantly ($p{\leq}0.05$) improved the intestinal and colonic MDA and reduced glutathione levels and the activities of antioxidant enzymes in DMH intoxicated rats. ACME administration also significantly suppressed the formation and multiplicity of ACF. In addition, the DMH administered rats showed amplified expression of PCNA in the colon and decreased expression of this proliferative marker was clearly noted with initiation, post-initiation and entire period of ACME treatment regimens. These results indicate that ACME could exert a significant chemopreventive effect on colon carcinogenesis induced by DMH.