Trends in cancer mortality in Mexico, 1981-2007.

The objective of this study was to provide information on recent trends in cancer mortality in Mexico. We analyzed data provided by the World Health Organization, using joinpoint analysis to detect changes in trends between 1981 and 2007. For most cancers, mortality was upward but started to decline in the late 1980's/early 1990's for both sexes.

Metabolic syndrome and the risk of breast cancer in postmenopausal women.

Background: Only a few small studies investigated the association between postmenopausal breast cancer and metabolic syndrome (MetS) as a single entity.

Materials And Methods: We analyzed the data of two Italian and Swiss case-control studies conducted between 1983 and 2007, including 3869 postmenopausal women with incident breast cancer and 4082 postmenopausal controls admitted to the same hospitals as cases for acute conditions. MetS was defined as the presence of at least three components among diabetes, drug-treated hypertension, drug-treated hyperlipidemia, and obesity.

Age-period-cohort analysis of oral cancer mortality in Europe: the end of an epidemic?

Over the last decade, mortality from oral and pharyngeal cancer has been declining in most European countries, but it had been increasing substantially in Hungary, Slovakia and a few other countries of central Europe, reaching rates comparable to those of lung cancer in several western European countries in males. To update trends in oral cancer mortality and further analyse the recent epidemic in central Europe, official death certifications for oral and pharyngeal cancer for 37 European countries were derived over the period 1970-2007, and an age-period-cohort model was fitted for selected countries. Male oral cancer mortality continued to decline in most European countries, including the Russian Federation, and, more importantly, it also started to decline in some of the countries with the highest male rates, i.

Family history of cancer and the risk of laryngeal cancer: a case-control study from Italy and Switzerland.

Only limited data is available on the relationship between family history of laryngeal and other neoplasms and laryngeal cancer risk. We investigated the issue using data from a multicentre case-control study conducted in Italy and Switzerland between 1992 and 2009 including 852 cases with histologically confirmed laryngeal cancer and 1970 controls admitted to hospital for acute, non neoplastic conditions. Unconditional logistic regression models adjusted for age, sex, study center, education, tobacco smoking, alcohol drinking and number of siblings were used to estimate the odds ratios (ORs) of laryngeal cancer.

European cancer mortality predictions for the year 2011.

Background: Mortality figures become available after some years.

Materials And Methods: Using the World Health Organization mortality and population data, we estimated numbers of deaths in 2011 from all cancers and selected sites for the European Union (EU) and six major countries, by fitting a joinpoint model to 5-year age-specific numbers of deaths. Age-standardized rates were computed using EUROSTAT population estimates.

Impact of bevacizumab on functional recovery and histology of the liver after resection of colorectal metastases.

Background: The impact of bevacizumab on functional recovery and histology of the liver was evaluated in patients undergoing hepatic resection for colorectal liver metastases (CLM) following bevacizumab treatment.

Methods: Consecutive patients who had resection of CLM between July 2005 and July 2009 following preoperative chemotherapy were identified retrospectively from a prospectively collected database. Patients who had received bevacizumab before the last chemotherapy line were excluded.

An age-period-cohort analysis of gastric cancer mortality from 1950 to 2007 in Europe.

Purpose: To analyze the components of the favorable trends in gastric cancer in Europe.

Methods: From official certified deaths from gastric cancer and population estimates for 42 countries of the European geographical region, during the period 1950 to 2007, age-standardized death rates (World Standard Population) were computed, and an age-period-cohort analysis was performed.

Results: Central and Northern countries with lower rates in the 2005 to 2007 period, such as France (5.

Feasibility of cetuximab given with a simplified schedule every 2 weeks in advanced colorectal cancer: a multicenter, retrospective analysis.

Cetuximab was approved using a weekly schedule, alone or in combination with chemotherapy (CT). However, many CT regimens in metastatic colorectal cancer (CRC) are delivered every 2 weeks (q2wks). Preliminary data suggested that a simplified schedule using cetuximab q2wks, 500 mg/m² would be equivalent to the standard weekly administration.

Regenerative nodular hyperplasia of the liver related to chemotherapy: impact on outcome of liver surgery for colorectal metastases.

Background: Regenerative nodular hyperplasia (RNH) represents the end-stage of vascular lesions of the liver induced by chemotherapy. The goal was to evaluate its incidence and impact on the outcome of patients resected for colorectal liver metastases (CLM).

Methods: Patients who underwent hepatectomy for CLM after six cycles or more of first-line chemotherapy, between January 1990 and November 2006, were included.

High constant incidence rates of second primary cancers of the head and neck: a pooled analysis of 13 cancer registries.

Scanty data are available on the incidence (i.e., the absolute risk) of second cancers of the head and neck (HN) and its pattern with age.

Recent trends in colorectal cancer mortality in Europe.

Colorectal cancer mortality has been declining over the last two decades in Europe, particularly in women, the trends being, however, different across countries and age groups. We updated to 2007 colorectal cancer mortality trends in Europe using data from the World Health Organization (WHO). Rates were analyzed for the overall population and separately in young, middle-age and elderly populations.

Variation in performance in low-volume mammography screening programmes: experience from Switzerland.

Background: Reading volume and mammography screening performance appear positively correlated. Quality and effectiveness were compared across low-volume screening programmes targeting relatively small populations and operating under the same decentralised healthcare system. Except for accreditation of 2nd readers (restrictive vs non-restrictive strategy), these organised programmes had similar screening regimen/procedures and duration, which maximises comparability.

ATP-binding cassette B1 transports seliciclib (R-roscovitine), a cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor.

Seliciclib, a cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor, is a promising candidate to treat a variety of cancers. Pharmacokinetic studies have shown high oral bioavailability but limited brain exposure to the drug. This study shows that seliciclib is a high-affinity substrate of ATP-binding cassette B1 (ABCB1) because it activates the ATPase activity of the transporter with an EC(50) of 4.

Medium-long term frequency stability of pulsed vapor cell clocks.

In this paper we report an analysis of the physical phenomena that can affect the frequency stability of optically pumped vapor cell clocks working in pulsed regime. It is well known that the pulsed approach allows a strong reduction of the light shift that is one of the main sources of frequency instability. However, other instability sources can degrade clock performance by limiting both short- and medium-term frequency stability.

Childhood cancer mortality in America, Asia, and Oceania, 1970 through 2007.

Background: Over the last 4 decades, childhood cancer mortality declined in most developed areas of the world. However, scant information is available from middle-income and developing countries. The authors analyzed and compared patterns in childhood cancer mortality in 24 developed and middle-income countries in America, Asia, and Oceania between 1970 and 2007.

Chronotherapy and the molecular clock: Clinical implications in oncology.

The circadian timing system drives daily rhythmic changes in drug metabolism and controls rhythmic events in cell cycle, DNA repair, apoptosis, and angiogenesis in both normal tissue and cancer. Rodent and human studies have shown that the toxicity and anticancer activity of common cancer drugs can be significantly modified by the time of administration. Altered sleep/activity rhythms are common in cancer patients and can be disrupted even more when anticancer drugs are administered at their most toxic time.

Changing patterns of cancer incidence in the early- and late-HAART periods: the Swiss HIV Cohort Study.

Background: The advent of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) in 1996 led to a decrease in the incidence of Kaposi's sarcoma (KS) and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL), but not of other cancers, among people with HIV or AIDS (PWHA). It also led to marked increases in their life expectancy.

Methods: We conducted a record-linkage study between the Swiss HIV Cohort Study and nine Swiss cantonal cancer registries.

Coffee and tea intake and risk of head and neck cancer: pooled analysis in the international head and neck cancer epidemiology consortium.

Background: Only a few studies have explored the relation between coffee and tea intake and head and neck cancers, with inconsistent results.

Methods: We pooled individual-level data from nine case-control studies of head and neck cancers, including 5,139 cases and 9,028 controls. Logistic regression was used to estimate odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI), adjusting for potential confounders.

Body mass index, cigarette smoking, and alcohol consumption and cancers of the oral cavity, pharynx, and larynx: modeling odds ratios in pooled case-control data.

Odds ratios for head and neck cancer increase with greater cigarette and alcohol use and lower body mass index (BMI; weight (kg)/height(2) (m(2))). Using data from the International Head and Neck Cancer Epidemiology Consortium, the authors conducted a formal analysis of BMI as a modifier of smoking- and alcohol-related effects. Analysis of never and current smokers included 6,333 cases, while analysis of never drinkers and consumers of < or =10 drinks/day included 8,452 cases.

Cetuximab and circadian chronomodulated chemotherapy as salvage treatment for metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC): safety, efficacy and improved secondary surgical resectability.

Background: Circadian rhythm disruption was linked to high serum levels of Transforming Growth Factor Receptor α, an Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor (EGFR) ligand and poor survival in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC). We hypothesized that EGFR blockade with cetuximab would enhance the activity of chronotherapy as a result of improved circadian coordination.

Methods: All the patients with mCRC referred to our unit for progression on prior chemotherapy over a 30-month-period received weekly cetuximab and fortnightly chronotherapy.

Cancer inhibition through circadian reprogramming of tumor transcriptome with meal timing.

Circadian disruption accelerates cancer progression, whereas circadian reinforcement could halt it. Mice with P03 pancreatic adenocarcinoma (n = 77) were synchronized and fed ad libitum (AL) or with meal timing (MT) from Zeitgeber time (ZT) 2 to ZT6 with normal or fat diet. Tumor gene expression profiling was determined with DNA microarrays at endogenous circadian time (CT) 4 and CT16.

Metabolic syndrome is associated with colorectal cancer in men.

Aim Of The Study: We assessed the relation between metabolic syndrome (MetS) and its components and colorectal cancer.

Methods: We analysed data from a multicentre case-control study conducted in Italy and Switzerland, including 1378 cases of colon cancer, 878 cases of rectal cancer and 4661 controls. All cases were incident and histologically confirmed.

Acquired KRAS mutations during progression of colorectal cancer metastases: possible implications for therapy and prognosis.

Purpose: Documentation of a wild-type (wt) KRAS gene in tumor has become mandatory for the prescription of anti-EGFR monoclonal antibodies in patients with colorectal cancer (CRC). Acquired KRAS mutations have seldom been reported in metastases from wt KRAS primary CRC. We report the first case of multiple KRAS mutations acquired during the metastatic phase of CRC, and retrospectively reviewed all patients with CRC, in whom KRAS was analyzed in at least two tumor samples from distinct lesions.

Tumor growth rate determines the timing of optimal chronomodulated treatment schedules.

In host and cancer tissues, drug metabolism and susceptibility to drugs vary in a circadian (24 h) manner. In particular, the efficacy of a cell cycle specific (CCS) cytotoxic agent is affected by the daily modulation of cell cycle activity in the target tissues. Anti-cancer chronotherapy, in which treatments are administered at a particular time each day, aims at exploiting these biological rhythms to reduce toxicity and improve efficacy of the treatment.