Causes and prevention of lymphoma

Non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) represents a heterogeneous group of lymphocytic disorders ranging in aggressiveness from indolent cellular proliferation to highly aggressive and rapidly proliferative processes. As discussed in detail elsewhere in this volume, the incidence of NHL has risen steadily worldwide during the past two decades.1 The causes of this upward trend are largely unknown, and in general the current understanding of the etiology of NHL is incomplete. More than 300 000 new cases of NHL are estimated to occur annually worldwide.2. © 2010 by Taylor & Francis Group, LLC

Radical prostatectomy versus external beam radiotherapy with androgen deprivation therapy for high-risk prostate cancer: a systematic review.

BACKGROUND: To summarize recent evidence in terms of health-related quality of life (HRQoL), functional and oncological outcomes following radical prostatectomy (RP) compared to external beam radiotherapy (EBRT) and androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) for high-risk prostate cancer (PCa). METHODS: We searched Medline, Embase, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, Cochrane Controlled Trial Register and the International Standard Randomized Controlled Trial Number registry on 29 march 2021. Comparative studies, published since 2016, that reported on treatment with RP versus dose-escalated EBRT and ADT for high-risk non-metastatic PCa were included. The Newcastle-Ottawa Scale was used to appraise quality and risk of bias. A qualitative synthesis was performed. RESULTS: Nineteen studies, all non-randomized, met the inclusion criteria. Risk of bias assessment indicated low (n = 14) to moderate/high (n = 5) risk of bias. Only three studies reported functional outcomes and/or HRQoL using different measurement instruments and methods. A clinically meaningful difference in HRQoL was not observed. All studies reported oncological outcomes and survival was generally good (5-year survival rates > 90%). In the majority of studies, a statistically significant difference between both treatment groups was not observed, or only differences in biochemical recurrence-free survival were reported. CONCLUSIONS: Evidence clearly demonstrating superiority in terms of oncological outcomes of either RP or EBRT combined with ADT is lacking. Studies reporting functional outcomes and HRQoL are very scarce and the magnitude of the effect of RP versus dose-escalated EBRT with ADT on HRQoL and functional outcomes remains largely unknown

Overview of non-epithelial ovarian tumours: Incidence and survival in the Netherlands, 1989-2015

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Rapid N-acetyltransferase 2 imputed phenotype and smoking may increase risk of colorectal cancer in women (Netherlands)

Objective: The relationship between smoking and colorectal cancer risk and whether such effect is modified by variations in the NAT2 genotype is investigated. Methods: In the prospective DOM (Diagnostisch Onderzoek Mammacarcinoom; 27,722 women) cohort follow-up from 1976 until 1987 revealed 54 deaths due to colon or rectal cancer, and follow-up from 1987 to 01-01-1996 revealed 204 incident colorectal cancer cases. A random sample (n = 857) from the baseline cohort was used as controls. Four NAT2 restriction fragment length polymorphisms (RFLPs) were analysed using DNA extracted from urine samples. Rapid or slow acetylator phenotype status was attributed to individuals. Results: Smoking may increase the risk for colon cancer (RR = 1.36, 95% CI 0.97-1.92) as well as for rectal cancer (RR = 1.31, 95% CI 0.76-2.25), although not statistically significant. Rapid NAT2 acetylation did not increase colorectal cancer risk, but in combination with smoking the risk was statistically significant increased, compared to women who had a slow NAT2 imputed phenotype and never smoked (RR = 1.56, 95% CI 1.03-2.37). For colon cancer, but not for rectal cancer the increased risk was statistically significant (RR = 1.67, 95% CI, 1.05-2.67 versus RR = 1.30 95% CI 0.63-2.68). Conclusions: Our study points to smoking as a risk factor for colon and rectal cancer and, in addition, especially in women with rapid NAT2 imputed phenotype

Quality and quantity of DNA isolated from frozen urine in population-based research

In several population-based studies in the past urine samples were collected and stored for future research. We set out to determine the reliability of using such samples for genotyping DNA markers in epidemiologic research. A source of DNA extracted from exfoliated nucleated cells in urine is provided by the DOM cohort, in which specimens were collected 15-25 years ago. We have examined the quality of the DNA in 48 of these samples by measuring the amount of DNA isolated and its ability to provide an adequate PCR template for amplicons of different lengths. MTHFR polymorphism was analyzed in 644 specimens to determine the inter- and intraobserver reproducibility. Although the DNA amount was variable, 26 to 89% of the samples, depending both on the length of the PCR amplicon and on PCR conditions, yielded a visible PCR product. The intra- and interobserver agreements were comparable (kappa 0.86 and 0.88, respectively). Our results demonstrate that frozen urine samples can be used for DNA typing studies in women after prolonged periods of storage, but with sometimes unpredictable results. Ultimately, the genotype success rate was 89.3%. Urine collection can be considered as a useful method of obtaining DNA in large cohort studies and other circumstances when blood samples cannot be obtained or have not been stored