Staple Food Fortification with Folic Acid and Iron and Gastrointestinal Cancers:Critical Appraisal of Long-Term National Fortification

The co-occurrence of wheat flour fortification with folic acid and iron and gastrointestinal cancer incidences were critically assessed in the East Azerbaijan province in Northwest of Iran. In an ecological design, overall gastrointestinal cancer rate ratios and their 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) were calculated as primary outcome before (2004-2006) and after (2007-2015) the introduction of fortification. No consistent changes were observed in esophageal and gastric cancer, but the rate ratios of colorectal cancer increased significantly after fortification in the 35-54 years age group (women: 2.07, 95% CI: 1.79-2.49; men: 1.59, 95% CI: 1.33-1.89) and the 55-74 years age group (women 1.50, 95% CI: 1.27-1.76; men: 2.51, 95% CI: 2.13-2.95). The increased incidence of colorectal cancer was contemporary with long-term fortification; further investigation is required to establish the associations

Pricing and cost-saving potential for deep-learning computer-aided lung nodule detection software in CT lung cancer screening

OBJECTIVE: An increasing number of commercial deep learning computer-aided detection (DL-CAD) systems are available but their cost-saving potential is largely unknown. This study aimed to gain insight into appropriate pricing for DL-CAD in different reading modes to be cost-saving and to determine the potentially most cost-effective reading mode for lung cancer screening.METHODS: In three representative settings, DL-CAD was evaluated as a concurrent, pre-screening, and second reader. Scoping review was performed to estimate radiologist reading time with and without DL-CAD. Hourly cost of radiologist time was collected for the USA (€196), UK (€127), and Poland (€45), and monetary equivalence of saved time was calculated. The minimum number of screening CTs to reach break-even was calculated for one-time investment of €51,616 for DL-CAD.RESULTS: Mean reading time was 162 (95% CI: 111-212) seconds per case without DL-CAD, which decreased by 77 (95% CI: 47-107) and 104 (95% CI: 71-136) seconds for DL-CAD as concurrent and pre-screening reader, respectively, and increased by 33-41 s for DL-CAD as second reader. This translates into €1.0-4.3 per-case cost for concurrent reading and €0.8-5.7 for pre-screening reading in the USA, UK, and Poland. To achieve break-even with a one-time investment, the minimum number of CT scans was 12,300-53,600 for concurrent reader, and 9400-65,000 for pre-screening reader in the three countries.CONCLUSIONS: Given current pricing, DL-CAD must be priced substantially below €6 in a pay-per-case setting or used in a high-workload environment to reach break-even in lung cancer screening. DL-CAD as pre-screening reader shows the largest potential to be cost-saving.CRITICAL RELEVANCE STATEMENT: Deep-learning computer-aided lung nodule detection (DL-CAD) software must be priced substantially below 6 euro in a pay-per-case setting or must be used in high-workload environments with one-time investment in order to achieve break-even. DL-CAD as a pre-screening reader has the greatest cost savings potential.KEY POINTS: • DL-CAD must be substantially below €6 in a pay-per-case setting to reach break-even. • DL-CAD must be used in a high-workload screening environment to achieve break-even. • DL-CAD as a pre-screening reader shows the largest potential to be cost-saving.</p

Differences in Prostate Cancer Incidence and Mortality in Lower Saxony (Germany) and Groningen Province (Netherlands):Potential Impact of Prostate-Specific Antigen Testing

BACKGROUND: Prostate cancer (PCa) is the most frequent cancer among men in Europe. Differences in PCa incidence around the world can be partly explained by variations in recommendations for prostate-specific antigen (PSA), particularly for early detection. For example, the PSA testing policy is more conservative in the Netherlands than in Germany. To better understand the relationship between PSA testing recommendations and PCa incidence, stage distribution, and mortality, we compared these variables over time between Lower Saxony in northwestern Germany and the neighboring province of Groningen in the Netherlands. METHODS: Population data, tumor stage- and age group-specific PCa incidence (ICD-10 C61) and mortality rates for Lower Saxony and Groningen were obtained from the Lower Saxony Epidemiological Cancer Registry, the Netherlands Comprehensive Cancer Organization, and Statistics Netherlands for 2003–2012. Incidence and mortality rates per 100,000 person-years were age-standardized (ASR, old European standard). Trends in age-standardized incidence rates (ASIR) and mortality rates (ASMR) for specific age groups were assessed using joinpoint regression. RESULTS: The mean annual PCa ASIR between 2003 and 2012 was on average 19.9% higher in Lower Saxony than in Groningen (120.5 vs. 100.5 per 100,000), while the mean annual ASMR was on average 24.3% lower in Lower Saxony than in Groningen (21.5 vs. 28.4 per 100,000). Between 2003 and 2012, the average annual percentage change (AAPC) in PCa incidence rates did not change significantly in either Lower Saxony (−1.8%, 95% CI −3.5, 0.0) or Groningen (0.2%, 95% CI −5.0, 5.7). In contrast, the AAPC in mortality rate decreased significantly during the same time period in Lower Saxony (−2.5%, 95% CI −3.0, −2.0) but not in Groningen (0.1%, 95% CI −2.4, 2.6). CONCLUSIONS: Higher PCa incidence and lower PCa-related mortality was detected in Lower Saxony than in Groningen. Although recommendations on PSA testing may play a role, the assessed data could not offer obvious explanations to the observed differences. Therefore, further investigations including data on the actual use of PSA testing, other influences (e.g., dietary and ethnic factors), and better data quality are needed to explain differences between the regions

Surgical Menopause and Bilateral Oophorectomy:Effect of Estrogen-Progesterone and Testosterone Replacement Therapy on Psychological Well-being and Sexual Functioning; A Systematic Literature Review

Background: Besides experiencing vasomotor symptoms, after surgical menopause and bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy (BSO), women experience moderate to severe psychological and sexual symptoms. Aims: To systematically review and meta-analyze the effect of systemic hormone replacement therapy (sHRT) on psychological well-being and sexual functioning in women after surgical menopause and BSO. Methods: Medline/Pubmed, EMBASE and PsychInfo were systematically searched until November 2021. Randomized controlled trials investigating the effect of sHRT on psychological well-being and/or sexual functioning in surgically menopausal women and women after BSO were eligible for inclusion. Two independent authors performed study selection, risk of bias assessment and data extraction. Standardized mean differences (SMDs) were calculated. Outcomes: Primary outcomes for psychological well-being were defined as overall psychological well-being, depression, and anxiety. Primary outcomes for sexual functioning were defined as overall sexual functioning, sexual desire, and sexual satisfaction. All outcomes were assessed on short (≤12 weeks) or medium term (13–26 weeks). Results: Twelve studies were included. Estradiol had a beneficial effect on depressed mood on short term 3–6 years after surgery or 2 years (median) after surgery with high heterogeneity (SMD: −1.37, 95%CI: −2.38 to −0.37, P = .007, I2 79%). Testosterone had a beneficial effect on overall sexual functioning on short to medium term 4.6 years (mean) after surgery (SMD 0.38, 95%CI 0.11–0.65, I2 0%) and on sexual desire on medium term at least 3–12 months after surgery (SMD 0.38, 95%CI 0.19–0.56, I2 54%). For most studies, risk of bias was uncertain. Clinical implications: Estradiol may beneficially affect psychological symptoms after surgical menopause or BSO and testosterone might improve sexual desire and overall sexual functioning. Strengths and limitations: This review only included patient-reported outcomes, thereby reflected perceived and not simply objective symptoms in surgically menopausal women and women after BSO. The small number of studies highly varied in nature and bias could not be excluded, therefore our results should be interpreted with great caution. Conclusion: Independent randomized controlled clinical trials investigating the effects of estrogen-progesterone and testosterone on psychological and sexual symptoms after surgical menopause are needed. PROSPERO registration number: CRD42019136698

Determinants of Population-Based Cancer Screening Performance at Primary Healthcare Institutions in China

BACKGROUND: For a decade, most population-based cancer screenings in China are performed by primary healthcare institutions. To assess the determinants of performance of primary healthcare institutions in population-based breast, cervical, and colorectal cancer screening in China. METHODS: A total of 262 primary healthcare institutions in Tianjin participated in a survey on cancer screening. The survey consisted of questions on screening tests, the number of staff members and training, the introduction of the screening programs to residents, the invitation of residents, and the number of performed screenings per year. Logistic regression models were used to analyze the determinants of performance of an institution to fulfil the target number of screenings. RESULTS: In 58% and 61% of the institutions between three and nine staff members were dedicated to breast and cervical cancer screening, respectively, whereas in 71% of the institutions ≥10 staff members were dedicated to colorectal cancer screening. On average 60% of institutions fulfilled the target number of breast and cervical cancer screenings, whereas 93% fulfilled the target number for colorectal cancer screening. The determinants of performance were rural districts for breast (OR = 5.16 (95%CI: 2.51-10.63)) and cervical (OR = 4.17 (95%CI: 2.14-8.11)) cancer screenings, and ≥3 staff members dedicated to cervical cancer screening (OR = 2.34 (95%CI: 1.09-5.01)). CONCLUSIONS: Primary healthcare institutions in China perform better in colorectal than in breast and cervical cancer screening, and institutions in rural districts perform better than institutions in urban districts. Increasing the number of staff members on breast and cervical cancer screening could improve the performance of population-based cancer screening

Human-recognizable CT image features of subsolid lung nodules associated with diagnosis and classification by convolutional neural networks

Objectives The interpretability of convolutional neural networks (CNNs) for classifying subsolid nodules (SSNs) is insufficient for clinicians. Our purpose was to develop CNN models to classify SSNs on CT images and to investigate image features associated with the CNN classification. Methods CT images containing SSNs with a diameter o