Arterial lactate as a predictor of postoperative complications in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.

Introduction: Surgery is one of the most frequently used options in the treatment of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. In surgical patients, the use of arterial lactate to assess hypoxemia and severe inflammatory states is well-founded. However, there are few studies on its use in patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.

Toenail selenium levels and gastric cancer risk in Cali, Colombia.

To examine an association between selenium level and gastric cancer (GC) risk, a hospital-based case-control study was conducted in Cali, Colombia. Selenium concentrations in toenails were compared between 142 GC patients and 244 controls selected from hospitalized non-cancer patients. GC risk was lowest in the lowest quartile of selenium level and highest in the second highest quartile (age-, sex-, hospital-, and sampling-season-adjusted odds ratio [OR]: 5.

Toenail zinc level and gastric cancer risk in Cali, Colombia.

Purpose: To examine the associations between gastric cancer (GC) risk and the zinc levels in toenail clippings, we conducted a hospital-based case-control study during the period from 2000 to 2002 in Cali, Colombia.

Methods: Toenail clippings and information on lifestyles including dietary habits were obtained from 156 GC patients newly diagnosed in three hospitals in Cali and 287 controls selected from non-cancer patients who were hospitalized in the same hospitals as GC patients. Zinc concentrations in toenail clippings were examined using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry.

Environmental factors related to gastric cancer associated with Epstein-Barr virus in Colombia.

Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-encoded small RNA can be detected in about 1-17 % of gastric carcinomas. To elucidate lifestyles and other factors related to such an EBV-associated gastric carcinoma (EBV-GC), we conducted a case-control study in Cali, Colombia. The study subjects were 368 patients with gastric carcinoma newly diagnosed during the period between September 2000 and June 2003, including 42 EBV-GC cases.

[Evaluation of an educational strategy on malaria in rural areas of the Colombian Pacific Coast].

Introduction: Health education interventions have proved effective in improving knowledge, preventing practices and decreasing occurrence of malaria.

Objective: To evaluate the impact of the educational intervention "The World of Malaria: Let's Learn to Manage it in Community" developed in Colombian malarial areas, in terms of increasing knowledge, preventive practices, treatment-seeking, and decreasing malaria occurrence.

Materials And Methods: A quasi-experimental post-test study with a non-equivalent control group was carried out.

Risk factors of gastric cancer specific for tumor location and histology in Cali, Colombia.

Aim: To examine histology- and tumor-location specific risk factors of gastric cancer (GC).

Methods: This was a case-control study. The study subjects were 216 GC patients newly diagnosed during the period 2000-2002 and 431 controls selected from non-cancer patients matching in age, gender, and hospital.