Oral contraceptives and primary liver cancer.

The relative risk for developing primary liver cancer in northern Italian users of oral contraceptives, compared to matched controls was calculated based on reported cases in hospitals in the greater Milan area from 1984-1987. The incidence of and mortality from primary liver cancer, as well as the prevalence of oral contraceptive usage, have both been rising to Italy since the late 1950s. 21 cases of liver cancer, in women aged 32-59 (median 50), occurred in the Milan area during the study period. These women, and 145 controls matched for age but admitted to hospitals for a variety of non-neoplastic diseases, were interviewed with a structured questionnaire covering socio-demographics, life style, diet, medical history, and history of use of oral contraceptives and other drugs. 19.0% of the cases had used oral contraceptives compared to 7.6% of controls, a relative risk of 1.8 for up to 5 years' use, and 8.3 for 5 years. History of hepatitis was associated with 14% of cases and 7% of controls. Italians have a higher incidence of liver neoplasms that northern Europeans and Americans, probably because of higher incidence of risk factors, such as hepatitis and alcohol use. The attributable risk for oral contraception, however, is lower in this population

Intrauterine device use and risk of endometrial cancer.

The relationship between intrauterine device (IUD) use and risk of endometrial cancer has been analysed in a case-control study conducted in Italy between 1983 and 1992, including 453 patients with histologically confirmed endometrial cancer and 1,451 controls admitted for acute, non-gynaecological, non-hormonal, non-neoplastic conditions to the same network of hospitals where cases had been identified. Two (0.4%) cases versus 36 (2.3%) controls reported ever using an IUD. The corresponding multivariate relative risk was 0.4 (95% CI 0.1-1.0). The results of this study and the few published available epidemiological data suggest a protective role of IUD use on endometrial carcinogenesis, but potential selective mechanisms for IUD utilisation (indication bias) should be carefully considered in the interpretation

Omega-3 fatty acids dietary intake for oocyte quality in women undergoing assisted reproductive techniques: A systematic review

Dietary intake of omega-3 polyunsaturated fats (PUFAs) may be associated with successful assisted reproductive techniques (ART). However, heterogeneous studies were conducted and opposing results were obtained. This systematic review aims to summarize the evidence on the effect of omega-3 dietary intake on oocyte and embryo quality for a positive ART outcome. The PRISMA 2020 statement was followed and the review protocol was registered with PROSPERO (CRD42021283881). Inclusion and exclusion criteria were: eligible studies examined women undergoing ART cycles whose diet was evaluated for omega-3 intake or experienced an increase in omega-3 compared with women who followed in vitro fertilization (IVF) or intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) but did not increase the omega-3 intake before the cycle. 5,412 records were identified and five studies were included in the analysis. Two studies focused on sub-fertile or infertile women specifically, yet all women in all studies went through IVF/ICSI procedures. All five studies demonstrated how omega-3 FAs may be beneficial by increasing the positive rate of ART outcomes and embryo quality evaluated according to morphology and morphokinetic parameters. More research focusing on comparable and/or equal outcomes is required to strengthen supporting evidence with the aim to provide valid recommendations for women seeking a pregnancy

Effect of body mass and physical activity at younger age on the risk of prostatic enlargement and erectile dysfunction : Results from the 2018 #Controllati survey

Objective: Overweight and low physical activity (PA) increase the risk of prostatic enlargement and erectile dysfunction (ED). Less clear is the role of these factors at young age on the lifelong risk. Materials and methods: During June 2018 the Italian Society of Urologists organized the month of Male Urologic Prevention "#Controllati". Men aged 18 years or more were invited to attend urologic centers for a visit and counselling about urologic/andrologic conditions. Each participating man underwent a physical examination and was asked about urologic symptoms, sexual activity and possible related problems. Results: We analyzed data from 2786 men, aged 55.1 years (SD 10.9, range 19-97). A total of 710 (25.5%) subjects had a diagnosis of prostatic enlargement and 632 (22.7%) of DE. Overweight/obese men were at increased risk of prostatic enlargement and ED with corresponding odds ratio (0R) in comparison with normal or underweight men, being respectively 1.18 (95% Confidence Interval (CI) 1.00-1.44) and 1.69 (95% CI 1.39-2.05). The OR of prostatic enlargement in comparison with men reporting at age 25 a BMI < 25.0 was 1.22 (95% CI 1.01-1.51) for men with a BMI at 25 years of age 65 25; the corresponding OR value for ED was 1.17 (0.92- 1.48). Considering total PA at diagnosis, the OR of prostatic enlargement in comparison with no or low PA, was 0.69 (95%CI 0.55-0.86) for men reporting moderate PA and 0.75 (95%CI 0.58-0.98) for those reporting intense PA. When we considered PA at 25 years of age, the OR of subsequent diagnosis of prostatic enlargement, in comparison with men reporting no/low PA at 25 years of age was 0.81 (95%CI 0.63-1.04) for men reporting moderate PA and 0.70 (95%CI 0.52-0.99) for those reporting intense PA. Conclusions: These findings underline the utility of encouraging healthy lifestyle habits among young men in order to reduce the subsequent risk of prostatic enlargement and ED

prenatal mr imaging detection of deep medullary vein involvement in fetal brain damage

SUMMARY: Looking for anomalies distributed in DMV territory, we reviewed 78 fetal MR imaging examinations performed at our institution reporting unequivocal cerebral clastic lesions. We selected 3 cases, all of which had severe cardiocirculatory failure and parenchymal frontoparietal WM hemorrhagic lesions with characteristic fan-shaped distribution. Brain edema and other signs of venous hypertension were also evident. Our data suggest that in utero transient venous hypertension may be responsible for the onset of atypical frontal-located PVL

Survival and prognostic factors of early ovarian cancer.

Survival and prognostic factors were analysed in 150 patients with histologically confirmed epithelial ovarian cancer stage IA-IIA. The relapse-free and overall survival rates were, respectively, 81% and 88% after 3 and 74% and 84% after 5 years. The analysis of various prognostic factors indicates as the main factor the grade differentiation of the tumour

Cancer mortality patterns in selected Northern and Southern African countries

Background: Non-communicable diseases have been rapidly increasing in African countries. We provided updated cancer death patterns in selected African countries over the last two decades. Methods: We extracted official death certifications and population data from the WHO and the United Nations Population Division databases. We computed country- and sex-specific age-standardized mortality rates per 100 000 person-years for all cancers combined and ten major cancer sites for the periods 2005-2007 and 2015-2017. Results: Lung cancer ranked first for male cancer mortality in all selected countries in the last available period (with the highest rates in Réunion 24/100 000), except for South Africa where prostate cancer was the leading cause of death (23/100 000). Prostate cancer ranked second in Morocco and Tunisia and third in Mauritius and Réunion. Among Egyptian men, leukemia ranked second (with a stable rate of 4.2/100 000) and bladder cancer third (3.5/100 000). Among women, the leading cancer-related cause of death was breast cancer in all selected countries (with the highest rates in Mauritius 19.6/100 000 in 2015-2017), except for South Africa where uterus cancer ranked first (17/100 000). In the second rank there were colorectal cancer in Tunisia (2/100 000), Réunion (9/100 000) and Mauritius (8/100 000), and leukemia in Egypt (3.2/100 000). Colorectal and pancreas cancer mortality rates increased, while stomach cancer mortality rates declined. Conclusion: Certified cancer mortality rates are low on a global scale. However, mortality rates from selected screening detectable cancers, as well as from infection-related cancers, are comparatively high, calling for improvements in prevention strategies.Background: Non-communicable diseases have been rapidly increasing in African countries. We provided updated cancer death patterns in selected African countries over the last two decades. Methods: We extracted official death certifications and population data from the WHO and the United Nations Population Division databases. We computed country- and sex-specific age-standardized mortality rates per 100 000 person-years for all cancers combined and ten major cancer sites for the periods 2005-2007 and 2015-2017. Results: Lung cancer ranked first for male cancer mortality in all selected countries in the last available period (with the highest rates in Réunion 24/100 000), except for South Africa where prostate cancer was the leading cause of death (23/100 000). Prostate cancer ranked second in Morocco and Tunisia and third in Mauritius and Réunion. Among Egyptian men, leukemia ranked second (with a stable rate of 4.2/100 000) and bladder cancer third (3.5/100 000). Among women, the leading cancer-related cause of death was breast cancer in all selected countries (with the highest rates in Mauritius 19.6/100 000 in 2015-2017), except for South Africa where uterus cancer ranked first (17/100 000). In the second rank there were colorectal cancer in Tunisia (2/100 000), Réunion (9/100 000) and Mauritius (8/100 000), and leukemia in Egypt (3.2/100 000). Colorectal and pancreas cancer mortality rates increased, while stomach cancer mortality rates declined. Conclusion: Certified cancer mortality rates are low on a global scale. However, mortality rates from selected screening detectable cancers, as well as from infection-related cancers, are comparatively high, calling for improvements in prevention strategies

Risk factors for benign ovarian teratomas.

Risk factors for benign ovarian teratomas have been analysed in a case-control study conducted in Milan. Cases were women aged less than 65 years with a histologically confirmed diagnosis of benign ovarian teratoma who were admitted to a network of Obstetrics and Gynecology Departments in Milan. A total of 77 women aged 16-64 years were interviewed. Controls were women admitted to hospital for acute, non-gynaecological, non-hormonal and non-neoplastic diseases; 231 controls were interviewed (age range 15-64 years). Cases tended to be more educated: in comparison with women with less than 7 years of education, the estimated relative risk (RR) of ovarian benign teratoma was 1.6 and 2.5 respectively in women with 7-11 and 12 or more years of schooling, the trend in risk being statistically significant (chi 2(1) trend 5.39, P < 0.01). Four of the 77 cases (5.2%) and two of the 231 controls (0.9%) reported a history of infertility, with a corresponding RR of 8.3 (95% confidence interval 1.3-54.0). There was no clear relation between parity and risk of ovarian benign teratomas: in comparison with nulliparae, the estimated RRs were 1.1 and 0.7 respectively in women reporting one or two or more births (chi 2(1) trend 0.53, P = not significant). No relation emerged between marital status, age at menarche, menstrual cycle pattern, menopausal status, abortions, age at first pregnancy, oral contraceptive use and risk of ovarian benign teratomas

Risk factors for adenocarcinoma of the cervix: a case-control study.

To assess risk factors for cervical adenocarcinoma data were collected in a case-control study of 39 cases and 409 controls conducted in the greater Milan area. Questions were asked about personal characteristics and habits, gynaecologic and obstetric data, history of lifetime use of oral contraceptives and other female hormones, and general indicators of sexual habits (age at first intercourse and total number of sexual partners). The relative risk of cervical adenocarcinoma increased with number of births and abortions, early age at first birth and early age at first intercourse. These estimates did not materially change after adjustment for the potential reciprocal confounding effect. Further, there was a positive association with overweight, but an apparent association with lower education was not significant. No relationship emerged with oral contraceptive use. Thus, despite the similarities with the epidemiology of squamous cell cancer, reproductive patterns and other factors related to the risk of endometrial cancer (i.e., overweight) seem to play an important role in the risk of adenocarcinoma of cervix uteri