Knowledge and perception toward colorectal cancer screening in east of Iran

Background: Colorectal Cancer (CRC) is the third most common cancer in Iran and its early detection is necessary. This study is based on perception of people in the east of Iran toward CRC screening. Methods: In a cross-sectional study, 1060 randomly selected individuals who referred to Razavi Hospital of Mashhad, Iran, between September the 1 st , 2012 and February the 28 th , 2013 as patients or their visitors involved in an interview to fill a questionnaire on CRC screening. Results: The participants’ age ranged from 40 to 88 years (mean= 55). More than 90% had no knowledge of CRC and screening tests. The most cited reasons for not having screening tests were “did not have any problem” and “did not think it was needed”. Although, older people had more knowledge of CRC ( P = 0.033), there was no relationship between gender, health insurance status, family history of individuals and their knowledge about CRC ( P > 0.050). Employment, education and higher income had positive effect on the perception of people toward CRC screening ( P < 0.050). Conclusion: Lack of knowledge in people in lower socio-economical class with limited literacy is the most important barrier to CRC screening. As such, designing educational programs involving physicians and media is important to improve CRC screening rates

Trefoil Factor Family in Pre-neoplastic Lesions and Gastric Cancer

Gastric cancer is the fourth most common cancer and the second leading cause of cancer death worldwide. Although the global incidence of gastric cancer has been decreased dramatically in recent decades, north and northwest of Iran have the highest incidence rate of gastric cancer. Whilst the surgical procedures for gastric cancer have been improved, there is no cure for that. The intestinal type of GC results from pre-neoplastic conditions including atrophic gastritis, intestinal metaplasia and dysplasia. Trefoil Factors Family proteins (TFFs) are small and stable molecules secreted by the mammalian gastrointestinal tract. TFFs constitute a family of three peptides (TFF1, TFF2and TFF3) that are widely expressed in a tissue specific manner in the gastrointestinal tract. Variable TFFs expression in gastric cancer and pre-neoplastic lesions has been found. TFF1 has a tumor suppressor activity and inhibits tumorogenesis in gastric cancer. Its expression decreases in gastritis, gastric atrophy, dysplasia, intestinal metaplasia and gastric cancer.TFF2 has a protective effect on gastrointestinal epithelium. As a prognostic factor, TFF2 expression decreases in gastric ulcer, chronic atrophic gastritis and gastric cancer. TFF3 is considered as an oncogenic factor in gastric tissues. Whilst the normal gastric tissues don’t express TFF3, it increases in intestinal metaplasia. Therefore, more studies are necessary to clarify the role of TFFs in GC and pre-neoplastic conditions. This review has focused on elucidating the important role of TFFs in gastric cancer and pre-neoplastic lesions

Soluble Fas might serve as a diagnostic tool for gastric adenocarcinoma

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Fas (Apo-1/CD95) and its specific ligand (FasL) are key elements in apoptosis. They have been studied in different malignancies but there are few published studies about the soluble forms of these markers (i.e. sFas/sFasL) in gastric cancer. We have compared the serum levels of sFas/sFasL in gastric adenocarcinoma patients and cases with pre-neoplastic lesions as potential markers for early diagnosis, and investigated their relation with clinicopathological characteristics.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Fifty-nine newly-diagnosed cases of gastric adenocarcinoma who had undergone gastrectomy, along with 62 endoscopically- and histologically-confirmed non-cancer individuals were enrolled in this study. sFas/sFasL serum levels were detected by Enzyme Linked Immunosurbent Assay.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Mean serum sFas level was significantly higher in gastric cancer patients than in control group (305.97 ± 63.71 (pg/ml) vs. 92.98 ± 4.95 (pg/ml), P < 0.001); while the mean serum level of sFasL was lower in patients with gastric adenocarcinoma (0.138 ± 0.04 (pg/ml) vs. 0.150 ± 0.02 (pg/ml), P < 0.001). Mean serum levels of sFas/sFasL were significantly different in both intestinal/diffuse and cardiac/non-cardiac subtypes when compared to the control group (P < 0.001). There was an increase in the serum level of sFas from the first steps of pre-neoplastic lesions to gastric adenocarcinoma (P < 0.001). Patients who had no lymph node involvement (<it>N₀</it>) showed significantly higher serum levels of sFas compared to others (P = 0.044).</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Production of sFas may play a critical role in the carcinogenesis of intestinal-type gastric cancer. sFas serum level may serve as a non-invasive tool for early diagnosis of gastric cancer.</p

Comparison of Adiponectin Level in Women with Breast Cancer with Healthy Women

Introduction: Adiponectin is one of the plasma protein derived from adipose tissue which has a positive effect on metabolism of fat and lipid, resulting from its own receptors. Increase in body mass index (BMI) has a direct relationship with life length. Obesity has effects on secretion of some hormons related to adipokines. Adiponectin is an adipokine having an opposite relationship with insulin resistance and breast cancer. It is also the connection between breast cancer incidence and obesity. Adiponectin level decreases in women affected by breast cancer and knowing this fact can help treat and prevent the cancer by giving adiponectin supplements. The present study compared the adiponectin levels in women affected by breast cancer and healthy females as control group Method: in this study, 80 women with breast cancer and 80 healthy females as controls were selected and adiponectin level was compared between them. Result: the group with breast cancer, having a higher BMI mean (28.77 ± 6.05), showed a lower adiponectin level in comparison to control group .(p= 0.0001) Conclusion: Considering the fact that the risk is higher in women with bigger BMI value, informing women in this regard could have a great effect on preventing this wide-spread disease. Taking adiponectin supplements as pills or injection could be a preventing step for breast cancer, which needs to be considered as targets for future studies

Screening for Celiac Disease Using Anti Tissue Transglutaminase in Patients with Esophageal SCC between 2004 and 2009

  Introduction: Esophageal Squamous-Cell Carcinoma (SCC) is one of the most common malignancies in Iran. To reduce the incidence of esophageal SCC, it is important to recognize the controllable risk factors and prevent them. Celiac disease is widely known as a possible risk factor for esophageal SCC.  Thus, we decided to assess the frequency of celiac disease in esophageal SCC patients in North east of Iran in order to suggest correlation between two diseases. Materials and Methods: In a Cross-sectional study one hundred and forty-three cases of esophageal SCC were examined for anti tissue transglutaminase antibody (anti-tTG) between the years 2004 and 2009 in Ghaem and Omid Hospitals of Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Iran. The enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was the test of choice in this study since it provides the sensitivity and specificity needed for the diagnosis and screening of celiac disease. The results of this test were compared with those of the control group which were compatible in terms of sex and age. Data were analyzed through SPSS software and statistical analysis such as x2, exact x2 and T-test. Results: 19.6% patients (SCC) had positive anti-tTG (>20) which was significantly different to 7.9% in control group (p -value=0.005). Comparing age groups of patients for positive anti_tTG using exact x square test showed significant difference in patients with Conclusion: There seems to be a correlation between positive anti_tTG and esophageal SCC; that is to say, celiac disease might play a role in the earlier manifestations of esophageal SCC

Knowledge and Perception toward Colorectal Cancer Sreening in East of Iran

Background Colorectal Cancer (CRC) is the third most common cancer in Iran and its early detection is necessary. This study is based on perception of people in the east of Iran toward CRC screening. Methods In a cross-sectional study, 1060 randomly selected individuals who referred to Razavi Hospital of Mashhad, Iran, between September the 1st, 2012 and February the 28th, 2013 as patients or their visitors involved in an interview to fill a questionnaire on CRC screening. Results The participants’ age ranged from 40 to 88 years (mean= 55). More than 90% had no knowledge of CRC and screening tests. The most cited reasons for not having screening tests were “did not have any problem” and “did not think it was needed”. Although, older people had more knowledge of CRC (P= 0.033), there was no relationship between gender, health insurance status, family history of individuals and their knowledge about CRC (P> 0.050). Employment, education and higher income had positive effect on the perception of people toward CRC screening (P< 0.050). Conclusion Lack of knowledge in people in lower socio-economical class with limited literacy is the most important barrier to CRC screening. As such, designing educational programs involving physicians and media is important to improve CRC screening rates