Changes over time in socioeconomic inequalities in breast and rectal cancer survival in England and Wales during a 32-year period (1973-2004): the potential role of health care.

BACKGROUND: Socioeconomic inequalities in cancer survival are well documented but they vary for different cancers and over time. Reasons for these differences are poorly understood. PATIENTS AND METHODS: For England and Wales, we examined trends in socioeconomic survival inequalities for breast cancer in women and rectal cancer in men during the 32-year period 1973-2004. We used a theoretical framework based on Victora's 'inverse equity' law, under which survival inequalities could change with the advent of successive new treatments, of varying effectiveness, which are disseminated with different speed among patients of different socioeconomic groups. We estimated 5-year relative survival for patients of different deprivation quintiles and examined trends in survival inequalities in light of major treatment innovations. RESULTS: Inequalities in breast cancer survival (921,611 cases) narrowed steadily during the study (from -10% to -6%). In contrast, inequalities in rectal cancer survival (187,104 cases) widened overall (form -5% to -11%) with fluctuating periods of narrowing inequality. CONCLUSIONS: Trends in socioeconomic differences in tumour or patient factors are unlikely explanations of observed changes over time in survival inequalities. The sequential introduction into clinical practice of new treatments of progressively smaller incremental benefit may partly explain the reduction in inequality in breast cancer survival

Variation in advanced stage at diagnosis of lung and female breast cancer in an English region 2006-2009

This is the final published version. Available from Springer Nature via the DOI in this record.Background: Understanding variation in stage at diagnosis can inform interventions to improve the timeliness of diagnosis for patients with different cancers and characteristics. Methods: We analysed population-based data on 17 836 and 13 286 East of England residents diagnosed with (female) breast and lung cancer during 2006-2009, with stage information on 16 460 (92%) and 10 435 (79%) patients, respectively. Odds ratios (ORs) of advanced stage at diagnosis adjusted for patient and tumour characteristics were derived using logistic regression. Results :We present adjusted ORs of diagnosis in stages III/IV compared with diagnosis in stages I/II. For breast cancer, the frequency of advanced stage at diagnosis increased stepwise among old women (ORs: 1.21, 1.46, 1.68 and 1.78 for women aged 70-74, 75-79, 80-84 and ≥85, respectively, compared with those aged 65-69, P<0.001). In contrast, for lung cancer advanced stage at diagnosis was less frequent in old patients (ORs: 0.82, 0.74, 0.73 and 0.66, P<0.001). Advanced stage at diagnosis was more frequent in more deprived women with breast cancer (OR: 1.23 for most compared with least deprived, P=0.002), and in men with lung cancer (OR: 1.14, P=0.011). The observed patterns were robust to sensitivity analyses approaches for handling missing stage data under different assumptions. Conclusion: Interventions to help improve the timeliness of diagnosis of different cancers should be targeted at specific age groups. © 2012 Cancer Research UK All rights reserved

Estrogen Receptor Alpha Is Expressed in Mesenteric Mesothelial Cells and Is Internalized in Caveolae upon Freund's Adjuvant Treatment

Transformation of epithelial cells into connective tissue cells (epithelial-mesenchymal transition, EMT) is a complex mechanism involved in tumor metastasis, and in normal embryogenesis, while type II EMT is mainly associated with inflammatory events and tissue regenaration. In this study we examined type II EMT at the ultrastructural and molecular level during the inflammatory process induced by Freund's adjuvant treatment in rat mesenteric mesothelial cells. We found that upon the inflammatory stimulus mesothelial cells lost contact with the basal lamina and with each other, and were transformed into spindle-shaped cells. These morphological changes were accompanied by release of interleukins IL-1alpha, -1beta and IL-6 and by secretion of transforming growth factor beta (TGF-beta) into the peritoneal cavity. Mesothelial cells also expressed estrogen receptor alpha (ER-alpha) as shown by immunolabeling at the light and electron microscopical levels, as well as by quantitative RT-PCR. The mRNA level of ER-alpha showed an inverse correlation with the secretion of TGF-beta. At the cellular and subcellular levels ER-alpha was colocalized with the coat protein caveolin-1 and was found in the plasma membrane of mesothelial cells, in caveolae close to multivesicular bodies (MVBs) or in the membrane of these organelles, suggesting that ER-alpha is internalized via caveola-mediated endocytosis during inflammation. We found asymmetric, thickened, electron dense areas on the limiting membrane of MVBs (MVB plaques) indicating that these sites may serve as platforms for collecting and organizing regulatory proteins. Our morphological observations and biochemical data can contribute to form a potential model whereby ER-alpha and its caveola-mediated endocytosis might play role in TGF-beta induced type II EMT in vivo

Estudo randomizado do tratamento cirúrgico da síndrome do túnel do carpo Surgical treatment of carpal tunnel syndrome: a randomized study

Este trabalho tem o objetivo de avaliar, por meio de um estudo clínico prospectivo randomizado, dois grupos de pacientes portadores de síndrome do túnel do carpo, divididos de acordo com a metodologia cirúrgica aplicada. O primeiro grupo (grupo A) foi tratado pela endoscopia e o segundo (grupo B) pelo acesso aberto. Foram avaliados 55 pacientes (57 punhos), sendo 32 (56,0%) do sexo feminino e 25 (44,0%) do masculino. A amostra foi composta por 36 (65,5%) pacientes brancos, 17 (30,90%) negros e 2 (3,63%) orientais. A média das idades foi de 34,75 anos (mínimo de 24 e máximo de 76 anos). O grupo A foi composto por 30 (52,63%) punhos e o grupo B foi composto por 27 (47,36%). Todos os pacientes foram avaliados no período pré-operatório e após 1, 2, 4, 6 e 12 semanas após a cirurgia e os seguintes parâmetros foram considerados: trofismo da musculatura tenar, dor (escala analógica), sensibilidade com monofilamento de Semmes-Weinstein, força de preensão e força de pinça (com dinamômetro Jamar). Não encontramos diferença estatística significante quando consideramos o lado, a dominância, a hipotrofia, a dor e o grau de força. O teste não-paramétrico de Mann-Whitney (p = 0,0178) evidenciou que o grupo de pacientes operados pela via endoscópica retornou ao trabalho mais precocemente. Nossa pesquisa, não evidenciou ao final da análise das demais variáveis analisadas diferença estatisticamente significante quando comparamos as duas metodologias de tratamento cirúrgico.<br>This paper aims to evaluate, by means of a randomized prospective clinical study, two distinct groups divided according to the surgical methodology applied. The first group (group A) was treated by endoscopic operation and the second (group B) one by open access. We evaluated 55 patients (57 wrists), 32 (56.0%) females and 25 (44,0%) males. The sample was composed by 36 (65.5%) Caucasian, 17 (30.9%) black and 2 (3.63%) Asian patients. The mean age was 34.75 years (minimum of 24 y.o. and maximum of 76 y.o.). Group A was composed by 30 (52.63%) wrists and group B by 27 (47.36%). All the patients were pre- and postoperatively evaluated at 1, 2, 4, 6 and 12 weeks after surgery and the following parameters were considered: thenar muscle trophism, pain (analogical scale), sensibility with Semmes-Weinstein monofilament, grip strength and finger pinch (with Jamar dynamometer). We did not find significant statistical differences regarding side, dominancy, hypotrophy, pain and strength. The non-parametric Mann-Whitney's test (p = 0.0178) showed that the group of patients submitted to endoscopic operation were able to resume professional the activities. Our study did not evidence, at the end of statistical analysis, statistically significant differences comparing the both methods of surgical treatment