• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.40 no.3
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• pp.269-277
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• 2016

Background: The findings of currently available studies are not consistent with regard to the association between the risk of cancer and ginseng consumption. Therefore, we aimed to evaluate this association by conducting a meta-analysis of different studies. Methods: To systematically evaluate the effect of ginseng consumption on cancer incidence, six databases were searched, including PubMed, Ovid Technologies, Embase, The Cochrane Library, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, and Chinese VIP Information, from 1990 to 2014. Statistical analyses based on the protocol employed for a systematic review were conducted to calculate the summary relative risks (RRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Results: We identified nine studies, including five cohort studies, three case-control studies, and one randomized controlled trial, evaluating the association between ginseng consumption and cancer risk; these studies involved 7,436 cases and 334,544 participants. The data from the meta-analysis indicated a significant 16% lower risk of developing cancer in patients who consumed ginseng (RR = 0.84, 95% CI = 0.76-0.92), with evidence of heterogeneity (p = 0.0007, $I^2$ = 70%). Stratified analyses suggested that the significant heterogeneity may result from the incidence data for gastric cancer that were included in this study. Publication bias also showed the same result as the stratified analyses. In addition, subgroup analyses for four specific types of cancer (colorectal cancer, lung cancer, gastric cancer, and liver cancer) were also performed. The summary RRs for ginseng intake versus no ginseng consumption were 0.77 for lung cancer, 0.83 for gastric cancer, 0.81 for liver cancer, and 0.77 for colorectal cancer. Conclusion: The findings of this meta-analysis indicated that ginseng consumption is associated with a significantly decreased risk of cancer and that the effect is not organ specific.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.169-174
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• 2017

Background: We assessed the cancer risks of four different Finnish asbestos-exposed cohorts. We also explored if the cohorts with varying profiles of asbestos exposure exhibited varying relative risks of cancer. Methods: The incident cancer cases for the asbestos-exposed worker cohorts were updated to the end of 2012 using the files of the Finnish Cancer Registry. The previously formed cohorts consisted of asbestos mine workers, asbestosis patients, asbestos sprayers, and workers who had taken part in a screening study based on asbestos exposure at work. Results: The standardized incidence ratio (SIR) for mesothelioma varied from about threefold to > 100-fold in the different cohorts. In the screening cohort the SIR for mesothelioma was highest in 2003-2007, In other cohorts it was more constant in 5-year period inspection. The SIR for lung cancer was about twofold to tenfold in all except the screening cohort. Asbestos sprayers were at the highest risk of mesothelioma and lung cancer. Conclusion: The SIR for mesothelioma is high in all of the cohorts that represent different kinds of asbestos exposure. The smaller SIR for mesothelioma in the screening cohort with lowest level of asbestos exposure might suggest dose-responsiveness between asbestos exposure and mesothelioma. It does seem that the highest risk of lung cancer in these cohorts except in the youngest of the cohorts, the screening cohort, is over. The highest SIR for lung cancer of the asbestosis patient and sprayers cohort is explained by their heavy asbestos exposure.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.53-63
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• 2006

The increased risk of cancer with exposure to low-dose radiation was estimated through longitudinal study for radiation workers at the nuclear power plants in Korea. The radiation dose data were collected from the Radiation Safety Management System(RSMS) of the Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power Co., Ltd(KHNP). The cancer risks with radiation exposure were evaluated in terms of relative mortality ratios(RMR) and relative incidence ratios(RIR) to the unexposed employees at the nuclear power plants, and of the standardized mortality ratios(SMR) and standardized incidence ratios(SIR). There were no significant increases of canters of all sites in the exposed group either in RIR[1.08, 95% confidence interval(CI) 0.74-1.58] or in RMR[1.21, CI 0.70-2.08]. Neither SIR[0.81, CI 0.28-0.96] nor SMR[0.86, CI 0.66-1.10] significantly deviated from 1.0 for cancers of all sites. The trend analysis did not identify evident dose-response relationship due to insufficient numbers of the cases. Consequently, it is concluded that increases in cancer risks in the radiation worker group exposed to low doses at the nuclear power plants in Korea are not identified at this time.

• Journal of Gastric Cancer
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.92-101
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• 2019

Purpose: The aim of this study was to evaluate the trend of non-compliance with treatment (NCT) among gastric cancer patients in the Korean population. Materials and Methods: Using data from the Korea Central Cancer Registry from 1999 to 2015, patients who did not receive any treatment for gastric cancer within 4 months after diagnosis were defined as the NCT group. The annual incidence rate, distributions according to age group and stage, and 5-year relative survival of the patients exhibiting NCT were analyzed. Results: The number of NCT patients was 5,871 (30.6%) in 1999 and continuously decreased to 4,434 (15.3%) in 2015. Between 2006 and 2015, the proportions of NCT patients decreased from 72.9% to 55.0% among those 80 years old or older and from 9.2% to 5.4% among patients younger than 40 years. In patients with distant metastases, this proportion decreased from 35.5% to 32.7%, and this proportion also decreased from 17.6% to 8.2% among those with localized disease. The 5-year relative survival rates of NCT patients between 2011 and 2015 were significantly lower than those of the treated patients in each stage (60.2% vs. 99.7%, 13.8% vs. 67.1%, and 2.0% vs. 8.3% among those with localized, regional, and distant disease, respectively). Conclusions: The proportion of NCT gastric cancer patients has decreased during the last 16 years. However, considerable numbers of elderly patients are still NCT. There must be a strategy to decrease NCT and improve the nationwide survival rate of patients with gastric cancer.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.10 no.9
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• pp.2530-2534
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• 2009

This study was performed to evaluate relationship between health behaviors of local residents and stomach cancer incidence. Case-control study was carried out on 91 cases matched for age and sex with 91 controls in a general hospital in Seoul. It was surveyed using questionnaires and interview from December 20, 2008 to January 30, 2009. Major findings are as follows. First, significant negative association was observed in recreational activity ; OR for active group was 0.23, 0.41 relative to the inactive group. Secondly alcohol consumption was a significant risk factor; relative to non-drinker for drinker of more than 30 years(OR=5.17 95% Cl=1.78-19.95). Thirdly, Eating broiled food showed a positive significant association with risk for stomach cancer(OR=3.79 95% Cl=1.61-9.84) for consumption of three times more per week. As a result of multiple logistic regression analysis, income, BMI 10 years ago, recreational activity, alcohol consumption, eating broiled and salt food were associated with stomach cancer. In conclusion, the correlation of stomach cancer incidence can be found in recreational activity, alcohol consumption, eating broiled and salt food, income, and BMI 10 years ago.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.14 no.8
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• pp.4667-4669
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• 2013

We evaluated cigarette smoking as a risk factor for prostate cancer in a prospective, population-based cohort study. The subjects were 14,450 males among the participants in the Seoul Male Cancer Cohort Study who had at least 1-year follow-up. They were followed up between 1993 and 2008. During the 16-year follow-up period, 87 cases of prostate cancer occurred over the 207,326 person-years of the study. The age-adjusted relative risks of past and current smokers at entry were 0.60 (95%CI: 0.34-1.06) and 0.70 (95%CI: 0.43-1.13), respectively, suggesting that cigarette smoking may not be a risk factor for prostate cancer. The relationship between prostate cancer and other modifiable factors, such as Westernized diet, should be studied with the goal of establishing prevention programs for prostate cancer.

• Journal of dental hygiene science
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• v.17 no.5
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• pp.433-438
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• 2017

Relative to its incidence, oral cancer has serious negative social effects. The exact causes of oral cancer have not been clarified, but many studies have implicated smoking and drinking. However, the fundamental mechanism of oral cancer causation has yet to be elucidated. Lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) augments epithelial mesenchymal transition (EMT) and development of various cancer cells. However, a detailed mechanistic explanation for LPA-induced EMT and the effects of EMT-promoting conditions on oral squamous cell carcinoma development remain elusive. In the present study, a quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction was used to analyze TWIST1, Slug, E-cadherin, and glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) transcript expression. Immunoblotting was used to analyze TWIST1, Slug, E-cadherin, and GAPDH protein expression. siRNAs were used to silence TWIST1 and Slug transcript expression. A matrigel-coated in vitro invasion insert was used to analyze oral cancer cell invasion. The results of the present study show that the expression levels of TWIST1 and Slug, which are EMT factors, were increased by LPA treatment in YD-10B oral squamous cell carcinoma. Conversely, E-cadherin expression was significantly reduced. In addition, transfection of the cells with TWIST1 and Slug siRNA strongly inhibited LPA-induced oral cancer cell invasion. The present study shows that TWIST1 and Slug mediate LPA-induced oral cancer cell EMT and invasiveness. The present study confirmed the mechanism by which LPA promotes oral cancer cell development, with TWIST1 and Slug providing novel biomarkers and promising therapeutic targets for oral cancer cell development.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.16
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• pp.7049-7052
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• 2015

Background: Helicobacter pylori plays an important role in gastric cancer, which has a relatively low inciduence in Thailand. MDM2 is a major negative regulator of p53, the key tumor suppressor involved in tumorigenesis of the majority of human cancers. Whether its expression might explain the relative lack of gastric cancer in Thailand was assessed here. Materials and Methods: This single-center study was conducted in the northeast region of Thailand. Gastric mucosa from 100 patients with Helicobacter pylori associated gastritis was analyzed for MDM2 SNP309 using real-time PCR hybridization (light-cycler) probes. Results: In the total 100 Helicobacter pylori associated gastritis cases the incidence of SNP 309 T/T homozygous was 78 % with SNP309 G/T heterozygous found in 19% and SNP309 G/G homozygous in 3%. The result show SNP 309 T/T and SNP 309 G/T to be rather common in the Thai population. Conclusions: Our study indicates that the MDM2 SNP309 G/G homozygous genotype might be a risk factor for gastric cancer in Thailand and the fact that it is infrequent could explain to some extent the low incidence of gastric cancer in the Thai population.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.98-103
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• 1993

The present study was purposed to evaluate the incidence and the characteristics of metastatic "cold" lesions in $^{99m}Tc$-MDP bone scans of adult patients with solid malignancies. There were 29 cold lesions in 24 patients. The incidence of cold lesions was about 1% of total cases of bone scans for the patients with malignancy, or 2.5% of cases with bone metastases. Th primary sites of malignancies were lung (four cases), uterine cervix (three cases), kidney, nasopharynx, thyroid, urinary bladder, prostate, lymphoma (two cases each other), liver, breast and others (one case each other). But the relative incidence of cold lesion in lung cancer and breast cancer was low. The most frequent site of cold lesion was spine, and pelvis, skull and rib were followed. The incidence of cold lesion was related to the regional incidence of bone metastases. The size of the cold lesions was greater than that of the hot. There were six cases of single cold lesion without any other abnormalities and two cases of cold lesion which were initially hot. So it should be considered that bone metastases might be presented as cold lesions in bone scan.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.84 no.2
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• pp.89-95
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• 2021

Lung cancer is one of the leading causes of cancer-related deaths in Korea. Although the smoking rate has decreased over time, the prevalence of lung cancer still remains high. In this study, we reviewed recent trends on the incidence, epidemiology, screening, diagnosis, and treatment of lung cancer in Korea by analyzing data from the national lung cancer registry and recently-published studies. Although approximately 40% of patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) were diagnosed as stage IV, the 5-year relative survival rate improved from 11.3% (1993-1995) to 30.2% (2013-2017), possibly due to advances in methods of diagnosis and therapy. In addition, the 2019 implementation of the national lung cancer screening program with low-dose computed tomography may have also contributed to these improvements in survival rates. Recently, molecular diagnosis has become more widely used in the identification of genetic mutations in tissue specimens. Target therapy and immune checkpoint inhibitors have also been successfully used, particularly in cases of advanced NSCLC. In the future, further research on the optimal management of lung cancer remains necessary.