• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.14 no.11
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• pp.6813-6820
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• 2013

The present study was conducted to investigate the prognostic significance of co-expression patterna of HER-2, IL-6, TNF-a and TGF-${\beta}1$ in breast cancer, by correlating the number of markers with positive expression with clinicopathological characteristics indicative of tumor progression and overall survival. One hundred thirty consecutive patients with primary breast cancer were prospectively included and evaluated. Serum concentrations of the above markers were measured by ELISA. Median split was used to subdivide patients with marker positive or negative expression. The presence of ${\geq}3$ positive markers was independently associated with extended lymph node (>3) involvement (aOR, 11.94, p=0.001) and lymphovascular invasion (aOR, 12.04, p=0.018), increasing the prognostic significance of each marker considered separately. Additional prognostic information regarding survival was also provided; as the number of positive markers increased, a gradually reduction of survival time was observed. In addition, patients with 4 positive markers had significantly shorter survival (25 vs 39 months, p=0.006) and a more than 4 fold increased risk of death (aHR, 4.35, p=0.003) compared to patients with 3 positive markers. Our findings suggest that the coexpression pattern of these four markers could be used clinically as a useful marker for tumor extension and outcome of breast cancer.

• Korean Journal of Occupational Health Nursing
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.218-226
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• 2017

Purpose: The study aimed to determine the impact of post-traumatic stress and ways of stress coping on problem drinking in firefighters. Methods: Data were collected from May 11 to June 11, 2015, in fire brigades across South Korea. Participants were 183 male firefighters who used self-report questionnaires containing questions from the Impact of Event Scale-Revised (IES-R), Ways of Coping Checklist (WCC), and Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT). Data were analyzed using $x^2$ test, t-test, and logistic regression with the SPSS/WIN 21.0 program. Results: The prevalence of PTSD among firefighters was 36.7% and that of problem drinking was 39.3%. Firefighters with single (OR=0.23, 95% CI=0.038~1.321) and married status (OR=0.46, 95% CI=0.069~3.040) were less likely to have problem drinking than those who were divorced or bereavement. Those with invasion symptoms (OR=1.17, 95% CI=1.031~1.327) and hyperarousal symptoms (OR=0.85, 95% CI=0.722~0.989) were more likely to have problem drinking than those with avoidance symptoms. Conclusion: Post-traumatic stress symptom was a major risk factor that increased problem drinking, and married status reduced problem drinking. There is a need to develop post-traumatic stress symptom management program and early education content for symptom management.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.15
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• pp.6219-6225
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• 2014

Background: Increasing evidence from animal, epidemiological and clinical investigations suggest that dietary anthocyanins have potential to prevent chronic diseases, including cancers. It is also noteworthy that human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (ErbB2) protein overexpression or ErbB2 gene amplification has been included as an indicator for metastasis and higher risk of recurrence for breast cancer. Materials and Methods: The present experiments investigated the anti-metastasis effects of black rice anthocyanins (BRACs) on ErbB2 positive breast cancer cells in vivo and in vitro. Results: Oral administration of BRACs (150 mg/kg/day) reduced transplanted tumor growth, inhibited pulmonary metastasis, and decreased lung tumor nodules in BALB/c nude mice bearing ErbB2 positive breast cancer cell MDA-MB-453 xenografts. The capacity for migration, adhesion, motility and invasion was also inhibited by BRACs in MDA-MB-453 cells in a concentration dependent manner, accompanied by decreased activity of a transfer promoting factor, urokinase-type plasminogen activator (u-PA). Conclusions: Together, our results indicated that BRACs possess anti-metastasis potential against ErbB2 positive human breast cancer cells in vivo and in vitro through inhibition of metastasis promoting molecules.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.14 no.5
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• pp.3045-3050
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• 2013

Purpose: Hepatic resection is arguably the preferred treatment for huge hepatocellular carcinoma (H-HCC). Estimating the remnant liver volume is therefore essential. This study aimed to evaluate the feasibility of using computer-assisted volumetric analysis for this purpose. Methods: The study involved 40 patients with H-HCC. Laboratory examinations were conducted, and a contrast CT-scan revealed that 30 cases out of the participating 40 had single-lesion tumors. The remaining 10 had less than three satellite tumors. With the consensus of the team, two physicians conducted computer-assisted 3D segmentation of the liver, tumor, and vessels in each case. Volume was automatically computed from each segmented/labeled anatomical field. To estimate the resection volume, virtual lobectomy was applied to the main tumor. A margin greater than 1 cm was applied to the satellite tumors. Resectability was predicted by computing a ratio of functional liver resection (R) as (Vresected-Vtumor)/(Vtotal-Vtumor) x 100%, applying a threshold of 50% and 60% for cirrhotic and non-cirrhotic cases, respectively. This estimation was then compared with surgical findings. Results: Out of the 22 patients who had undergone hepatectomies, only one had an R that exceeded the threshold. Among the remaining 18 patients with non-resectable H-HCC, 12 had Rs that exceeded the specified ratio and the remaining 6 had Rs that were < 50%. Four of the patients who had Rs less than 50% underwent incomplete surgery due to operative findings of more extensive satellite tumors, vascular invasion, or metastasis. The other two cases did not undergo surgery because of the high risk involved in removing the tumor. Overall, the ratio of functional liver resection for estimating resectability correlated well with the other surgical findings. Conclusion: Efficient pre-operative resectability assessment of H-HCC using computer-assisted volumetric analysis is feasible.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.17 no.7
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• pp.3369-3375
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• 2016

MicroRNAs, a novel class of small non-coding RNAs, are key players in many cellular processes, including cell proliferation, differentiation, invasion and regeneration. Tissue and circulatory microRNAs could serve as useful clinical biomarkers and deregulated expression levels have been observed in various cancers. Gene variants may alter microRNA processing and maturation. Thus, we aimed to investigate the association of MIR-196a2 rs11614913 (C/T), MIR-499a rs3746444 (A/G) polymorphisms and their combination with cancer susceptibility in an Egyptian population. Sixty five renal cell carcinoma (RCC) and 60 hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients and 150 controls were enrolled in the study. They were genotyped using real-time polymerase chain reaction technology. Both $miR-196a2^*T$ and $miR-499a*G$ were associated with RCC risk, but only $miR-196a^*T$ was associated with HCC development. Carriage of the homozygote combinations ($MIR196a2^*TT+MIR499a^*AA$) and ($MIR196a2^*CC+MIR499a^*GG$) was associated with 25 and 48 fold elevation of likelhood to develop RCC, respectively. The miR-196a2 SNP was also linked with larger tumor size in RCC and advanced tumor stage in HCC. miR-196a2 and miR-499a combined genotypes were associated with RCC and HCC. Further functional analysis of SNPs is required to confirm relationships between genotypes and phenotypes.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.743-746
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• 2013

Background: Some studies have indicated an inverse relationship between cancer risk and sunlight exposure. Others have reported that the prognosis of some cancers such as prostate, colon, ovarian and non melanoma skin cancer, were affected by the season in which the cancer was diagnosed. In our study, we evaluated whether season is prognostic in Turkish patients with breast cancer. Materials and Methods: A total of 517 patients from Kayseri Training and Research Hospital were analysed retrospectively. Patients were divided into 4 groups according to season of cancer diagnosis: winter, spring, summer and autumn. The prognostic factors for disease free survival and overall survival were investigated. Results: No significant differences were found among groups regarding prognostic factors overall. Only estrogen receptor status and lymphovascular invasion were independent prognostic factors (p=0.001 and p=0.001 respectively). We found significantly differences for mean disease free survival among groups (p=0.019). Winter group had better mean DFS while summer group had worse DFS. Mean overall survival was similar in the four groups (p=0.637). Conclusions: The season is not an independent predictive factor. However, due to interaction with other factors, we think that the season of cancer diagnosis is important for cancer prognosis.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.14 no.9
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• pp.5375-5378
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• 2013

Background: This study was undertaken to evaluate the surgical outcomes of patients with stage IA2 cervical cancer treated with radical hysterectomy. Data for 58 patients who underwent modified radical hysterectomy or radical hysterectomy with pelvic lymphadenectomy between January 2003 and December 2012 at Chiang Mai University Hospital were retrospectively reviewed. The analysis included clinico-pathological risk factors (nodal metastasis, parametrial involvement), adjuvant treatment, 5-year disease-free survival and 5-year overall survival. All pathologic slides were reviewed by a gynecologic pathologist. Follow-up methods included at least cervical cytology and colposcopy with directed biopsy if indicated. Univariate analysis was performed to identify factors associated with median survival. At the median follow up time of 73 months, the 5-year disease-free survival and the 5-year overall survival were 97.4% and 97.4%, respectively. Two (3.4%) patients had pelvic lymph node metastases. In a univariate analysis, there was no statistically significant association between survival and prognostic factors such as age, histological cell type, lymph-vascular space invasion, vaginal margin status and lymph node status. Surgical and survival outcomes of women with stage IA2 cervical cancer are excellent. No parametrial involvement was detected in our study. Patients with stage IA2 cervical cancer may be treated with simple or less radical hysterectomy with pelvic lymphadenectomy.

• Journal of the Korean Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.199-203
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• 2007

Several matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) have been shown to play an important role in the invasion and metastasis of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). The members of the TGF-$\beta$ signaling pathway are being considered as predictive biomarkers for progressive tumorigenesis and molecular targets for the prevention and the treatment of cancer and metastasis. The aim of the present study was to find the clinical significance of the expression of TGF-${\beta}1$ and MMP-2 related to the regional lymph node metastasis in OSCC. This study included 76 cases of primary OSCC, of which 42 cases showed regional lymph node metastases. Immunohistochemistry was used for the localization of protein. The relation between the expression of each protein and clinical variables was statistically evaluated. In results, the expression of TGF-${\beta}1$ both main mass with lymph node metastasis and without lymph node metastasis was found not to be statistically significant (p>0.05). The expression of MMP-2 was found to be statistically significant related to regional lymph node metastasis (p<0.05). When compared the expression in the metastatic lymph node, TGF-${\beta}1$ was significantly highly expressed than MMP-2 (p<0.05). In conclusion, the expression of MMP-2 was significantly elevated in patients with lymph node metastasis as compared to the patients without lymph node metastasis, which could be useful in predicting the risk of lymph node metastasis in OSCC.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.26 no.10
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• pp.1214-1217
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• 2016

Rebamipide is a mucosal-protective antiulcer drug, but its mechanism of action in gastric cancer remains elusive. CagA, a major virulence factor of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori), is associated with the risk of gastric cancer. CagA protein is injected into gastric epithelial cells and deregulates a variety of cellular signaling molecules. CagA from H. pylori induces phospholipase D1 (PLD1) expression through NFκB activation in gastric epithelial cells, followed by invasion and proliferation of gastric epithelial cancer cells. Infection with cagA-positive H. pylori and expression of CagA enhances the binding of NFκB to the PLD1 promoter. Rebamipide abolishes H. pylori cagA-induced PLD1 expression via inhibition of binding of NFκB to the PLD1 promoter and also inhibits PLD activity. Moreover, rebamipide abolishes H. pylori CagA-induced β-catenin and the expression of a target cancer stem cell (CSC) marker gene via upregulation of miRNA-320a and -4496, followed by attenuation of self-renewal capacity of H. pylori CagA-infected gastric CSCs. In addition, rebamipide increases the chemosensitivity of CagA-expressed gastric CSCs and suppresses gastric carcinogenesis. Thus, it is speculated that rebamipide might show a potent efficacy as chemotherapeutic drug against gastric cancer cells. In this review, we summarizes recent results regarding the novel insights for the efficacy of rebamipide in gastric cancer cells.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.49 no.6
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• pp.800-806
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• 2016

In total, 151 Escherichia coli isolates from Ruditapes philippinarum in Gomso Bay were analyzed for their susceptibility to 18 different antimicrobial agents and for genes associated with virulence. For virulence genes, each strain of the isolates was positive for the enterotoxigenic E. coli (ETEC)-specific heat-stable toxin (estA), enteroinvasive E. coli (EIEC)-specific invasion-associated locus (iaa) gene and enteropathogenic E. coli (EPEC)-specific attaching and effacing (eae) gene. According to a disk diffusion susceptibility test, resistance to ampicillin was most prevalent (23.2%), followed by resistance to amoxicillin (22.5%), ticarcillin (20.5%), tetracycline (18.5%), nalidixic acid (12.6%), ciprofloxacin (10.6%), streptomycin (9.9%), and chloramphenicol (6.6%). More than 35.8% of the isolates were resistant to at least one antimicrobial agent, and 19.9% were resistant to four or more classes of antimicrobials; these were consequently defined as multidrug resistant. Minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) ranges for the antimicrobial resistance of the 15 different antimicrobial agents of 54 E. coli strains were confirmed by varying the concentrations from $32-2,048{\mu}g/mL$. Overall, these results not only provide novel insights into the necessity for seawater and R. philippinarum sanitation in Gomso Bay but they also help to reduce the risk of contamination by antimicrobial-resistant bacteria.