• Women's Health Nursing
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.285-299
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• 2020

Purpose: This systematic review aims to identify factors associated with risk-reducing salpingo-oophorectomy (RRSO), including the uptake rate and decision timing, among women at high risk for hereditary breast and ovarian cancer (HBOC). Methods: We found 4,935 relevant studies using MEDLINE, Embase, CINAHL, and PsycINFO on July 6, 2020. Two authors screened the articles and extracted data. Twenty-four studies met the inclusion criteria. Quality assessment of articles was conducted using the Risk of Bias for Nonrandomized Studies tool. Results: Five types of factors were identified (demographic factors, clinical factors, family history of cancer, psychological factors, and objective cancer risk). The specific significant factors were older age, having child(ren), being a BRCA1/2 carrier, mastectomy history, perceived risk for ovarian cancer, and perceived advantages of RRSO, whereas objective cancer risk was not significant. The uptake rate of RRSO was 23.4% to 87.2% (mean, 45.2%) among high-risk women for HBOC. The mean time to decide whether to undergo RRSO after BRCA testing was 4 to 34 months. Conclusion: RRSO decisions are affected by demographic, clinical, and psychological factors, rather than objective cancer risk. Nonetheless, women seeking RRSO should be offered information about objective cancer risk. Even though decision-making for RRSO is a complex and multifaceted process, the psychosocial factors that may influence decisions have not been comprehensively examined, including family attitudes toward RRSO, cultural norms, social values, and health care providers' attitudes.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.7
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• pp.2713-2717
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• 2015

Background: Possible associations between the single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) rs8034191 in the aminoglycosidephosphotransferase domain containing 1 (AGPHD1) gene and lung cancer risk have been studied by many researchers but the results have been contradictory. Materials and Methods: A computerized search for publications on rs8034191 and lung cancer risk was performed. Odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated to assess the association between rs8034191 and lung cancer risk with 13 selected case-control studies. Sensitivity analysis, test of heterogeneity, cumulative meta-analysis, and assessment of bias were also performed. Results: A significant association between rs8034191 and lung cancer susceptibility was found using the dominant genetic model (OR=1.344, 95% CI: 1.285-1.406), the additive genetic model (OR=1.613, 95% CI: 1.503-1.730), and the recessive genetic model (OR=1.408, 95% CI: 1.319-1.503). Moreover, an increased lung cancer risk was found with all genetic models after stratification of ethnicity. Conclusions: The association between rs8034191 and lung cancer risk was significant using multiple genetic models, suggesting that rs8034191 is a risk factor for lung cancer. Further functional studies of this polymorphism and lung cancer risk are warranted.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.16 no.12
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• pp.1961-1967
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• 2006

Levels of ethyl carbamate, a potential carcinogen produced naturally during fermentation, in major Korean fermented foods and alcoholic beverages were determined by GC/MS/SIM, and their average daily intake and excess cancer risk in Korean people were estimated. In GC/MS/SIM analysis n.d.-4.26, 1.40-58.90, n.d.-3.76, n.d.-1.87, and 0.40-10.07 $\mu$g/kg of ethyl carbamate were detected in kimchi, soy sauces, fermented pastes, fermented dairy products, and alcoholic beverages, respectively. The average daily intake of ethyl carbamate and excess cancer risk through major Korean fermented foods and alcoholic beverage consumption were 6.0 ng/kg bw/day and $3.0\times10^{-7}$, respectively for the average Korean person aged 3-64 years, and were mainly contributed by Chinese cabbage kimchi, soy sauces, and Soju.

• Journal of Korean Society on Water Environment
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• v.20 no.5
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• pp.432-436
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• 2004

The principle and methodology of risk assessment was applied to establish the quality standard of potential impurities of drinking water treatment chemicals. The impurities(arsenic, lead, cadmium, chromium, mercury, etc.) are regulated as the contained quantity of chemicals in Korea while they are regulated as the quality standard with the idea of 10% of the national safety drinking water standard in U.S.A(NSF) and Japan(JWWA). According to risk assessment of the current standard implemented in Korea, the excess cancer risk of arsenic and lead were determined in around $10^{-5}$ and the hazard quotient(HQ) of cadmium and chromium were below $10^{-2}$, respectively. And the standard concentration of the impurities are regulated as much as 2%~6% of the national drinking water quality standard. The values are more enforced rather than the standards in U.S.A(NSF) and Japan(JWWA) regulating the concentration of impurities the 10% of the national drinking water quality standard. We conclude that the impurities standard of drinking water treatment chemicals should be reconsidered comprehensively concerning the national safety drinking water quality standard and risk assessment.

• 대한예방의학회:학술대회논문집
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• 1994.02a
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• pp.450-468
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• 1994

Scientists have long used conventional toxicological methods to establish 'safe levels of exposure' for chemicals presumed to have threshold health effects or doses below which significant effects are unlikely to occur. These same methods cannot be used to establish safe levels of exposure for non-threshold pollutants. such as carcinogens. Therefore. Federal regulatory agencies in the United States are using risk assessment methods to provide information for public health policy decisions concerning increases in risk associated with increases in exposure to carcinogenic and other non-threshold pollutants. Acceptable exposure/risk levels are decided by policymakers who consider descriptions and estimates of risks together with social and economic benefits from the uses of the chemical. 1bis paper focuses on the development of quantitative risk assessment approaches by Federal regulatory agencies in the United States, and identifies the mathematical models currently being used for risk extrapolation. including their inherent uncertainties. The uncertainties and limitations of these methods have led some scientists to question the utility of quantitative risk extrapolation. The experience of the; U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). as summarized in this paper. can provide a realistic basis for evaluating the pros and cons. Finally. shortcomings in current risk assessment methods and their use in policy decisions are explored. and areas for possible improvement. given current scientific knowledge. are identified.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.97-103
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• 2012

BACKGROUND: Metal mines were actively developed in the early twentieth century in Korea; however, most of these mines were closed and abandoned without proper management. Therefore, toxic metal contamination in the vicinity of Korean abandoned metal mines has been reported. A risk assessment for these metals was performed for residents near by abandoned Sanyang metal mine. METHODS AND RESULTS: Soil and groundwater samples were collected from May to October 2007 around the mine. After pretreatment of these samples, metal concentrations were measured and then a risk assessment was performed using the Korean soil-contamination risk assessment guidelines. Cancer risk was the highest from inhalation of Pb-contaminated soil, followed in descending order by As-contaminated soil inhalation and water ingestion. The sum of carcinogenic risks was $3.35{\times}10^{-3}$. The noncarcinogenic risk was observed for inhalation of Hg-contaminated soil (5.71). CONCLUSION: Inhalation of soil in dust was the principal pathway to cause the health risk and most of the risk was attributed to As, Pb,Cd, and Hg contamination.

• Korean Journal of Head & Neck Oncology
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.1-8
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• 2017

Cancer is the disease of aging and Korea is one of the fastest aging country in the world. Older patients have decreased organ function and stress tolerance, therefore are at high risk of functional decline and developing complication from cancer and cancer treatment. Before beginning cancer treatment, it is important to assess patients' life expectancy, whether the patient is likely to die of cancer or of other comorbidity, and also the risks with cancer treatment. In order to estimate patient's physiologic age, it is recommended to perform geriatric assessment and implement appropriate geriatric intervention together with meticulous supportive care, when planning cancer treatment for older patients. In a resource limited country such as Korea, two step approach of applying screening tool followed by geriatric assessment can be more efficient. Geriatric assessment is used to predict toxicity from cancer treatment such as surgery, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy, predict survival, and also to aid treatment decision. Number of randomized trials are ongoing to compare usual care versus oncogeriatric care, and with these results we expect to improve outcome of older patients with cancer.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.501-516
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• 2014

Background: Our aim was to identify gaps and limitations in the current literature and to make recommendations for future research required to address these. Materials and Methods: We reviewed occupational exposures and related factors associated with the risk of prostate cancer between 2000 and 2012. These included chemical, ergonomic, physical or environmental, and psychosocial factors which have been reported by epidemiological studies across a range of industries. Results: The results are inconsistent from study to study and generally this is due to the reliance upon the retrospectivity of case-control studies and prevalence (ecological) studies. Exposure assessment bias is a recurring limitation of many of the studies in this review. Conclusions: We consider there is insufficient evidence to implicate prostate cancer risk for ergonomic, physical, environmental or psychosocial factors, but there is sufficient evidence to implicate toxic metals, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). More research is required to identify specific pesticides that may be associated with risk of prostate cancer.

• Asian Oncology Nursing
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.146-158
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• 2005

Purpose: This study was to obtain a understanding of breast cancer women with high risk for hereditary cancer syndrome. Method: A micro-ethnography was used, including participation observation, open-ended in-depth interviews. Results: Two major arguments were derived. First, When Korean women at high risk to hereditary breast cancer make a decision about whether to take a genetic test, they are strongly motivated by a desire to preserve close kinship bonds and "family love" among their siblings, parents and children. Second, Even after genetic risk assessment and counseling services, Korean women at high-risk for developing a hereditary breast cancer who have been informed that they are mutation carriers, still hold onto previous beliefs about cancer causation. Their cancer prevention strategies are constructed according to their unchanged perceptions and beliefs about cancer causation. Conclusion: More sensitive genetic counseling program needs to be developed. Referral programs and clinical services must be attentive to cultural values and beliefs otherwise cultural attitudes and practices toward genetic counseling will not change.

• 대한예방의학회:학술대회논문집
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• 1994.02a
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• pp.417-425
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• 1994

Although animal studies have been used most often for quantitative risk assessment, it is generally recognized that well-conducted epidemiologic studies would provide the best basis for estimating human risk. However, there are several features related to the design and analysis of epidemiologic studies that frequently limit their usefulness for quantitating risks. The lack of accurate information on exposure in epidemiologic studies is perhaps the most frequently cited limitation of these studies for risk assessment. However. other features of epidemiologic study design, such as statistical power, length of follow-up, confounding, and effect modification, may also limit the inferences that can be drawn from these studies. Furthermore, even when the aforementioned limitations are overcome, substantial uncertainty exists concerning the choice of an appropriate statistical (or biologic) model for extrapolation beyond the range of exposures observed in a particular study. This paper focuses on presenting a review and discussion of the methodologic issues involved in using epidemiologic studies for risk assessment. This review concentrates on the use of retrospective, cohort, mortality studies of occupational groups for assessing cancer risk because this is the most common application of epidemiologic data for quantitative risk assessment (QRA). Epidemiologic data should not be viewed as a panacea for the problems inherent in using animal bioassay data for QRA. Rather, information that can be derived from epidemiologic and toxicologic studies complement one another, and both data sources need to be used to provide the best characterization of human risk.