248 research outputs found
A systematic review of prognostic factors predicting survival in patients with spinal bone metastases
Purpose: For the selection of treatment in patients with spinal bone metastases (SBM), survival estimation plays a crucial role to avoid over- and under-treatment. To aid clinicians in this difficult task, several prediction models have been developed, consisting of many different risk factors. The aim of this systematic review was to identify prognostic factors that are associated with survival in patients with SBM to support development of predictive models. Methods: A systematic review was performed with focus on prognostic factors associated with survival in patients with SBM. Two reviewers independently selected studies for inclusion and assessed the risk of bias. A level of evidence synthesis was performed for each prognostic factor. Inter-observer agreement for the risk of bias assessment was determined by the kappa-statistic. Results: After screening, 142 full-text articles were obtained, of which 22 met the eligibility criteria. A total of 43 different prognostic factors were investigated in the included studies, of which 17 were relevant to pre-treatment survival estimation. The prognostic factors most frequently associated with survival were the primary tumor and the performance status. The prognostic factors most frequently not associated with survival were age, gender, number and location of the SBM and the presence of a pathologic fracture. Conclusions: Prognostication for patients with SBM should be based on an accurate primary tumor classification, combined with a performance score. The benefit of adding other prognostic factors is doubtful
Photograph of Andrew Inglis Clark's wife Grace
Photograph of Andrew Inglis Clark's wife Grac
Tobacco smoking, body mass index, hypertension, and kidney cancer risk in central and eastern Europe
In a case–control study of kidney cancer in four central European countries, with 1097 incident cases and 1476 controls, we found an increased risk for self-reported hypertension and for obesity. Additional unknown risk factors are likely to be responsible for the high rates of kidney cancer in this region
Bmi-1 Absence Causes Premature Brain Degeneration
Bmi-1, a polycomb transcriptional repressor, is implicated in cell cycle regulation and cell senescence. Its absence results in generalized astrogliosis and epilepsy during the postnatal development, but the underlying mechanisms are poorly understood. Here, we demonstrate the occurrence of oxidative stress in the brain of four-week-old Bmi-1 null mice. The mice showed various hallmarks of neurodegeneration including synaptic loss, axonal demyelination, reactive gliosis and brain mitochondrial damage. Moreover, astroglial glutamate transporters and glutamine synthetase decreased in the Bmi-1 null hippocampus, which might contribute to the sporadic epileptic-like seizures in these mice. These results indicate that Bmi-1 is required for maintaining endogenous antioxidant defenses in the brain, and its absence subsequently causes premature brain degeneration
The mediterranean dietary pattern and breast cancer risk in Greek-Cypriot women: a case-control study
Background: Diet has long been suspected to impact on breast cancer risk. In this study we evaluated whether
the degree of adherence to a Mediterranean diet pattern modifies breast cancer risk amongst Greek-Cypriot
women.
Methods: Subjects included 935 cases and 817 controls, all participating in the MASTOS case-control study in
Cyprus. The study was approved by the Cyprus National Bioethics Committee. Information on dietary intakes was
collected using an interviewer administered 32-item Food Frequency Questionnaire. Information on demographic,
anthropometric, lifestyle, and other confounding factors was also collected. Adherence to the Mediterranean Diet
pattern was assessed using two a-priory defined diet scores. In addition, dietary patterns specific to our population
were derived using Principal Component Analysis (PCA). Logistic regression models were used to assess the
association between the dietary patters and breast cancer risk.
Results: There was no association with breast cancer risk for either score, however, higher consumptions of
vegetables, fish and olive oil, were independently associated with decreased risk. In addition, the PCA derived
component which included vegetables, fruit, fish and legumes was shown to significantly reduce risk of breast
cancer (ORs across quartiles of increasing levels of consumption: 0.89 95%CI: 0.65-1.22, 0.64 95%CI: 0.47-0.88, 0.67 95%CI: 0.49-0.92, P trend < 0.0001), even after adjustment for relevant confounders.
Conclusions: Our results suggest that adherence to a diet pattern rich in vegetables, fish, legumes and olive oil
may favorably influence the risk of breast cancer. This study is the first investigation of dietary effects on breast
cancer risk in Cyprus, a country whose population has traditionally adhered to the Mediterranean diet
Occupational exposure to dusts and risk of renal cell carcinoma
Background: Occupational exposures to dusts have generally been examined in relation to cancers of the respiratory system and have rarely been examined in relation to other cancers, such as renal cell carcinoma (RCC). Although previous epidemiological studies, though few, have shown certain dusts, such as asbestos, to increase renal cancer risk, the potential for other occupational dust exposures to cause kidney damage and/or cancer may exist. We investigated whether asbestos, as well as 20 other occupational dust exposures, were associated with RCC risk in a large European, multi-center, hospital-based renal case-control study.Methods: General occupational histories and job-specific questionnaires were reviewed by occupational hygienists for subject-specific information. Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) between RCC risk and exposures were calculated using unconditional logistic regression. Results: Among participants ever exposed to dusts, significant associations were observed for glass fibres (OR: 2.1; 95% CI: 1.1-3.9), mineral wool fibres (OR: 2.5; 95% CI: 1.2-5.1), and brick dust (OR: 1.5; 95% CI: 1.0-2.4). Significant trends were also observed with exposure duration and cumulative exposure. No association between RCC risk and asbestos exposure was observed. Conclusion: Results suggest that increased RCC risk may be associated with occupational exposure to specific types of dusts. Additional studies are needed to replicate and extend findings. © 2011 Cancer Research UK All rights reserved
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