• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제16권1호
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• pp.163-167
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• 2015

Background: Cancer is a major health problem at global level. It is increasingly registered in Iraq and Basrah but the epidemiological situation, though becoming better documented, is still questionable regarding the adequacy of data. Objective: The study aimed to measure the incidence of cancer in Basrah. Materials and Methods: The results presented in this paper are part of a large household survey carried out in Basrah governorate-southern Iraq over a 12 month period (January to December 2013). It involved a detailed interview with adult respondents from each and every household enrolled in the study during a three-year recall period about the incidence of cancer. A total of 6,999 households were covered yielding 40,684 persons. Results: The total number of new cancer cases reported over the three- year recall period (2010-2012) was 112. The average annual incidence rate of all cancers was 91.8 per 100,000 population with a higher rate for females (109.7) compared to males (74.3) The overall age standardized rate was 150.7 per 100,000. The highest incidence rate was recorded for the Southern part of the governorate (Abul-Khasib and Fao ) at 138.8 per 100,000 and the lowest was for East of Basrah (Shatt-Arab District) at 78.0 per 100,000. With respect to cancer types, the main cancers were those of breast, lung, larynx-pharynx, leukaemia, colon-rectum and urinary bladder. These six cancers accounted for 51.5% of all reported cases. Other important cancers were those of brain, bones, pancreas and liver, accounting for a further 17.9%. Conclusions: The pattern of cancer in Basrah is generally similar to the pattern at the national level in terms of age, sex and topography but the incidence rate according to the present household survey is higher than any previously reported figures. Household surveys for cancer seem feasible albeit difficult and costly.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• 제37권3호
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• pp.246-252
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• 2004

Objectives : Cancer is the leading cause of death in Korea. Therefore, a National Cancer Screening Program (NCSP) was launched in 1999. This study planned to evaluate the performance of the NCSP to identifying the influencing factors in relation to characteristic public health centers. Methods : To analyze the performance, the database of the NCSP records for 2002 was used. The performance index was measured by the goal achievement rate, which was defined by the real number of screenees against the expected number of screenees. Also, a survey was conducted by a self-administered questionnaire to identify the factors associated with the goal achievement rate. The questionnaire was divided into two sections. In the first section, the individual characteristics of the program coordinator in each public health center were measured, and second section was comprised of questions about the organizational characteristics associated with the NCSP. A total of 121 subjects from 241 public health centers completed the questionnaire. Results : Of the 121 public health centers (50.2% response rate), the average goal achievement rate was 72.8%. The results of the regression model showed that public health centers located in rural area (parameter estimates=38.2) and had great support from a head of center or province (parameter estimates=0.20) and tended to have higher goal achievement rates. However, the characteristics of the program coordinator, especially their knowledge of and attitude toward cancer screening, were not significantly related to the goal achievement rates. Conclusions : It appears that the most important associated factors to the goal achievement rate in the NSCP were the location of the public health center and the support for the NCSP from the head of the center or province.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제14권8호
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• pp.4897-4902
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• 2013

Here we assessed the effectiveness of cervical cancer screening using data from the Hiroshima Prefecture Cancer Registry regarding patient age at the start of screening and differences in screening intervals. A screening model was created to calculate the health status in relation to prognosis following cervical cancer screening and its influence on life expectancy. Epidemiological data on the mortality rate of cervical cancer by age groups and mortality rates from the Hiroshima Prefecture Cancer Registry were used for the model projections. Our results showed that life expectancy when screening rate was 100% compared with 0% was extended by approximately 1 month. Furthermore, when the incidence of cervical cancer was 0% compared with the screening rate was 100%, life expectancy was extended by a maximum of 3 months. Moreover, among individuals affected by cervical c ancer, a difference of 13 years in life expectancy was calculated between screened and unscreened groups.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• 제16권4호
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• pp.357-366
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• 1998

Brachytherapy is an essential part of radiotherapy for uterine cervical cancer. The low dose rate (LDR) regimen has been the major technique of intracavitary therapy for cervical cancer. However, there has been an expansion in the last 20 years of high dose rate (HDR) machines using Ir-192 sources. Since 1979, HDR brachytherapy has been used for the treatment of uterine cervical cancer in Korea. The number of institutions employing HDR has been increasing, while the number of low dose rate system has been constant. In 1995, there was a total 27 HDR brachytherapy units installed and 1258 cases of patients with cervical cancer were treated with HDR Most common regimens of HDR brachytherapy are total dose of 30-39 Gy at point A with 10-13 fractions in three fractions per week. 24-32 Gy with 6-8 fractions in two fractions per week, and 30-35 Gy with 6-7 fractions in two fractions per week. The average fractionation regimen of HDR brachytherapy is about 8 fractions of 4.1 Gy each to Point A. In Korea, treatment results for HDR brachytherapy are comparable with the LDR series and appears to be a safe and effective alternative to LDR therapy for the treatment of cervical carcinoma. Studies from the major centers report the five-year survival rate of cervical cancer as. 78-86$\%$ for Stage 1, 68-85$\%$ for stage 11, and 38-56$\%$ for Stage III. World-wide questionnaire study and Japanese questionnaire survey of multiple institutions showed no survival difference in any stages and dose-rate effect ratio (HDR/LDR) was calculated to be 0.54 to 0.58. However the optimum treatment doses and fractionation schemes appropriate to generate clinical results comparable to conventional LDR schemes have yet to be standardized. In conclusion, HDR intracavitary radiotherapy is increasingly practiced in Korea and an effective treatment modality for cervical cancer. To determine the optimum radiotherapy dose and fractionation schedule, a nation-wide prospective study is necessary in Korea. In addition, standardization of HDR application (clinical, computer algorithms, and dosimetric aspects) is necessary.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제15권6호
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• pp.2461-2464
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• 2014

Background: Cancer accounts for 12.6% of total deaths in the world (just after heart disease). Materials and Methods: Frequency and age-specific incidence rates of breast and gynecologic cancers in Iran are calculated based on the dataset of the National Cancer Registry of Iran in 2005. Results: Gynecologic and breast cancer accounted for 7.6% and 25.6% of total cancer cases, respectively. Ovarian cancer was the most frequent gynecologic cancer followed by endometrium. Endometrial cancer revealed the highest age specific incidence rate followed by ovary (after 59 years). Conclusions: Regarding disease burden, breast and gynecologic cases account for 33.4% of total cancer patients. The age specific incidence rate is a useful guide in epidemiologic and future plans.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제13권7호
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• pp.3335-3341
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• 2012

Objective: gastric cancer is the fourth most common cancer worldwide. While it is one of the most common cancers in Iran, there are only limited data regarding incidence trends in the country. This study is the first of its type to investigate trends across six geographical areas during 2000-2005 using cancer registry data. Materials and methods: The registered data for gastric cancer cases in National Cancer Registry System were extracted from the Ministry of Health and Medical Education, Center for Disease Control & Management, code C16. First, according to WHO population, the sex-standardized incidence rate in both sexes and then the trends of incidence rate during 2000-2005 were investigated separately for different geographical areas of the country. Results: the incidence rates of gastric cancer in Iran and its six geographical areas during 2000-2005 were increasing albeit with differences in their slopes. The overall incidence rate increased from 2.8 in 2000 to 9.1 per 100,000 persons per year in 2005, rising from 4.1 to 13.2 in men. The average six-year incidence of gastric cancer in the central and northwestern border of Caspian Sea was 7.8 per 100,000 persons per year, while it was 0.9 per 100,000 persons per year in the border of the Persian Gulf. Generally the incidence rate in men was higher than in women. Conclusion: Iran is one of the high-risk areas for gastric cancer. Increase in incidence might continue in the future partly because of improvement in cancer registry systems as well as increase in risk of this cancer.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제15권23호
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• pp.10241-10244
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• 2015

Objective: To investigate the efficacy and side effects of Bifidobacterium tetragenous viable bacteria tablets in treating cancer patients with functional constipation during chemotherapy. Methods: A consecutive cohort of 100 cancer patients with functional constipation were divided into two equal groups: patients in the experimental group were given Bifidobacterium tetragenous viable bacteria tablets combined with chemotherapy, while patients in the control group received chemotherapy alone. After 4 weeks, the efficacy and side effects in treating functional constipation were evaluated. Results: Constipation in 48 patients in experimental group was controlled (9 returned to normal), with a total response rate of 96%, and 1 patient reported diarrhea (2%). In contrast only 16 patients in the control group demonstrated improvement and 34 were still constipated after chemotherapy, with a response rate of 32%. The difference in response rate was statistically significant (P<0.05). Conclusion: This study suggested that Bifidobacterium tetragenous viable bacteria tablets are effective and safe in treating cancer patients with functional constipation during chemotherapy.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제13권9호
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• pp.4613-4617
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• 2012

National cancer incidence data were utilized to analyze trends in esophageal cancer incidence in China in order to provide basic information for making cancer control strategy. We retrieved and re-sorted valid esophageal cancer incidence data from National Central Cancer Registry Database over 20 years period from 1989 to 2008. Crude incidence and age-standardized incidence rates were calculated for analysis, with annual percent change estimated by Joinpoint software for long term trend analysis. The crude incidence rate of esophageal cancer was found to have remained relatively stable in both urban and rural areas over the 20 year period. Age standardized incidence rate (ASR) in cancer registration areas decreased from 39.5/100,000 in 1989 to 23.0/100,000 in 2008 in all areas (AAPC=-3.3%, 95% CI:-2.8~-3.7). The trend was no change in urban areas and 2.1% average annual decrease observed in rural aras. Before the year of 2000, esophageal cancer incidence rates significant decreased with 2.8% annually and then the rates kept stable. Over 20 years from 1989 to 2008, esophageal cancer age standardized incidence rate in cancer registration areas decreased with time. However, esophageal cancer is still a big issue and efforts for control should be continuously enhanced. Cancer registration is playing an important role in cancer control with the number of registries increasing and data quality improving in China.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제17권7호
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• pp.3243-3248
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• 2016

Background: Stomach cancer is the fourth most common cancer and the second leading cause of death from cancer in the world. In Iran, this type of cancer has high rates of incidence and mortality. This study aimed to assess the survival rate of patients with stomach cancer and its determinants in Kurdistan, a province with one of the highest incidence rates of stomach cancer in the country. Materials and Methods: We studied a total of 202 patients with stomach cancer who were admitted to Tohid Hospital in Sanandaj from 2009 to 2013. Using Kaplan-Meier nonparametric methods the survival rate of patients was calculated in terms of different levels of age at diagnosis, gender, education, residential area, occupation, underweight, and clinical variables including tumor histology, site of tumor, disease stage, and type of treatment. In addition, we compared the survival rates using the log-rank test. Finally, Cox proportional hazards regression was applied using Stata 12 and R 3.1.0 software. The significance level was set at 0.05. Results: The mean age at diagnosis was $64.7{\pm}12.0$ years. The survival rate of patients with stomach cancer was 43.9% and 7% at the first and the fifth year after diagnosis, respectively. The results of log-rank test showed significant relationships between survival and age at diagnosis, education, disease stage, type of treatment, and degree of being underweight (P<0.05). Moreover, according to the results of Cox proportional hazards regression model, the variables of education, disease stage, and type of treatment were associated with patient survival (P<0.05). Conclusions: The survival rate of patients with stomach cancer is low and the prognosis is very poor. Given the poor prognosis of the patients, it is critical to find ways for early diagnosis and facilitating timely access to effective treatment methods.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제17권8호
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• pp.4101-4105
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• 2016

Background: Mortality among Iranian patients with colorectal cancer has not been fully examined and the factors associated with their survival are still controversial. This study aimed to determine the mortality rate and its related factors among the patients with colorectal cancer in southwestern regions in Iran. Materials and Methods: This prospective cohort study was conducted on 220 patients with colorectal cancer referred to Fahighi Hospital, Shiraz, Iran from 2009 to 2014. Data were collected from the patients' medical records and were analyzed using Cox regression analysis. Results: Over a median follow-up of 29.3 months, 56 out of the 220 patients (25.5%) died, 32 (14.5%) aged below 40 years, and 45.5% were female. Based on the results of multiple Cox regression analysis, family history of gastrointestinal cancer, stage III, former smoking, type of lesion (fungative and polypoid), and opium use were associated with a greater risk of colorectal cancer mortality (all P<0.05). Conclusions: This cohort study found that the mortality rate of colorectal cancer in Iran is lower than that in European countries. In addition, behavioral and clinical factors were significantly associated with the survival rate. Addressing the related factors would help healthcare providers and physicians provide the best care and improve the survival rate.