Assessment of the Siksika chronic disease nephropathy-prevention clinic.

Objective: To determine if a community-based multifactorial intervention clinic led by a nurse practitioner would improve management of First Nations people at risk of developing chronic kidney disease.

Design: Qualitative descriptive study.

Setting: A nephropathy-prevention clinic in Siksika Nation, Alta.

Validating a case definition for chronic kidney disease using administrative data.

Background: Administrative data are commonly used for surveillance of chronic medical conditions. The purpose of this study was to determine the validity of an algorithm derived from administrative data for identifying chronic kidney disease (CKD) compared to the reference standard of estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR).

Methods: We identified adults from the province of Alberta with at least two outpatient serum creatinine measurements within a 1-year time period.

Predictors of adherence to supervised and unsupervised exercise in the Alberta Physical Activity and Breast Cancer Prevention Trial.

Background: Few studies have examined the predictors of adherence separately for supervised and unsupervised exercise or in postmenopausal women over an extended time period. Here, we report the predictors of exercise adherence in the Alberta Physical Activity and Breast Cancer Prevention (ALPHA) Trial.

Methods: The ALPHA trial randomized 160 postmenopausal women in Calgary and Edmonton, Canada to an exercise intervention that consisted of an average of 200 min/wk of supervised (123 minutes) and unsupervised (77 minutes) exercise over a 1-year period.

High stromal carbonic anhydrase IX expression is associated with decreased survival in P16-negative head-and-neck tumors.

Purpose: Head-and-neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is the fifth most common malignancy worldwide. Alcohol use and tobacco use are the most established risk factors; however, human papilloma virus (HPV) infection is a major risk factor for a subset of HNSCCs. Although HPV-positive tumors typically present at a more advanced stage at diagnosis, they are associated with a better prognosis.

Prognostic significance of p16 in locally advanced squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck treated with concurrent cisplatin and radiotherapy.

Background: Human papillomavirus (HPV)-related squamous cell cancer of the head and neck (SCCHN) has emerged as a distinct clinical entity. The expression of p16 protein can be used as a surrogate for HPV status.

Methods: p16 immunohistochemistry (IHC) was assessed in archival paraffin-embedded material for 55 patients with locally advanced SCCHN treated with a uniform regimen of cisplatin and radiation.

Genetic variation in TYMS in the one-carbon transfer pathway is associated with ovarian carcinoma types in the Ovarian Cancer Association Consortium.

Background: We previously reported the risks of ovarian carcinoma for common polymorphisms in one-carbon transfer genes. We sought to replicate associations for DPYD rs1801265, DNMT3A rs13420827, MTHFD1 rs1950902, MTHFS rs17284990, and TYMS rs495139 with risk of ovarian carcinoma overall and to use the large sample of assembled cases to investigate associations by histologic type.

Methods: Associations were evaluated in the Ovarian Cancer Association Consortium, including 16 studies of 5,593 epithelial ovarian carcinoma cases and 9,962 controls of white non-Hispanic origin.

Mammographic density change with 1 year of aerobic exercise among postmenopausal women: a randomized controlled trial.

Background: The Alberta Physical Activity and Breast Cancer Prevention (ALPHA) Trial examined the influence of aerobic exercise on biological factors that are associated with breast cancer risk. Mammographic density, a secondary outcome, is reported here.

Methods: The ALPHA Trial was a parallel group randomized controlled trial conducted between May 2003 and July 2007.

Polycystic ovary syndrome: validated questionnaire for use in diagnosis.

Objective: To construct and validate a questionnaire for use in diagnosis of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).

Design: All participants completed a questionnaire, which asked clinical questions designed to assist in the diagnosis of PCOS, before their appointments with an endocrinologist. Following completion of the questionnaire, the endocrinologist (blinded to the answers) made or excluded a diagnosis of PCOS using clinical criteria and biochemical data as indicated.

Concomitant low-dose cisplatin and three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy for locally advanced squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck: Analysis of survival and toxicity.

Background: Our center sought to implement a simple chemoradiotherapy schedule for patients with locally advanced squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (SCCHN) with minimal toxicity to achieve rates of overall survival comparable to other schedules.

Methods: The chemoradiotherapy schedule consisted of daily radiation to 70 Gy over 7 weeks with concurrent cisplatin 20 mg/m(2) during days 1 to 4 of weeks 1 and 5. Acute and late toxicities were recorded according to the Radiation Therapy Oncology Group (RTOG) and common toxicity criteria (CTC) grading.