Trends in incidence, management, and survival of gastric and cardia carcinomas in the area of Finistere (France) between 1984 and 2003.

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate trends in incidence and prognosis of gastric and cardia carcinomas in the area of Finistère (France) between 1984 and 2003.

Methods: The Digestive Tumor Registry of Finistère recorded all new cases of gastric and cardia carcinomas from January 1, 1984 to December 31, 2003. Raw incidence data were standardized using the direct method based on the reference world population.

Diminution of Circulating CD4+CD25 high T cells in naïve Crohn's disease.

Crohn's disease is considered to be caused either by an excess of T-cell effector functions and/or by a defective regulatory T-cell compartment. The aim of this study was to assess in Crohn's disease the frequency of circulating CD4(+)CD25(high) T cells that possess regulatory T-cell functions and CD4(+)CD25(low) T cells that contain activated T cells. Flow cytometry of peripheral blood was used to assess CD4(+)CD25(high) and CD4(+)CD25(low) T-cell frequencies in a cohort of 66 patients with Crohn's disease in comparison to 19 patients with ulcerative colitis and 31 healthy individuals enrolled as controls.

[Gastroesophageal reflux disease and malignancy].

Severe gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) predisposes to the development of Barrett's esophagus defined by the replacement of the squamous epithelium of the distal esophagus by a columnar epithelium. Barrett's esophagus is a precancerous condition which has a risk of malignant transformation to adenocarcinoma. Barrett's adenocarcinoma remains a relatively rare condition.

Diagnostic value of C-reactive protein for predicting activity level of Crohn's disease.

Background And Aims: Measuring Crohn's disease (CD) activity is useful in clinical trials as well as in clinical practice, but each available instrument to measure such activity has some limitations. C-reactive protein (CRP) is a sensitive marker for inflammation and tissue injury. The aims of the study were: to assess the diagnostic value of low level of CRP for predicting a low CD activity, and to calculate optimal CRP cutoff value for selecting patients with moderate or high CD activity.