Incidence and mortality of liver cancer in China, 2010 / 癌症

Liver cancer is a common malignant tumor in China and a major health concern. We aimed to estimate the liver cancer incidence and mortality in China in 2010 using liver cancer data from some Chinese cancer registries and provide reference for liver cancer prevention and treatment. We collected and evaluated the incidence and mortality data of liver cancer in 2010 from 145 cancer registries, which were included in the 2013 Chinese Cancer Registry Annual Report, calculated crude, standardized, and truncated incidences and mortalities, and estimated new liver cancer cases and deaths from liver cancer throughout China and in different regions in 2010 from Chinese practical population. The estimates of new liver cancer cases and deaths were 358,840 and 312,432, respectively, in China in 2010. The crude incidence, age-standardized rate by Chinese standard population (ASR China), and age-standardized rate by world standard population (ASR world) were 27.29/100,000, 21.35/100,000, and 20.87/100,000, respectively; the crude, ASR China, and ASR world mortalities were 23.76/100,000, 18.43/100,000, and 18.04/100,000, respectively. The incidence and mortality were the highest in western regions, higher in rural areas than in urban areas, and higher in males than in females. The age-specific incidence and mortality of liver cancer showed a rapid increase from age 30 and peaked at age 80-84 or 85+. Our results indicated that the 2010 incidence and mortality of liver cancer in China, especially in undeveloped rural areas and western regions, were among high levels worldwide. The strategy for liver cancer prevention and treatment should be strengthened.

Detection of Stage I nasopharyngeal carcinoma by serologic screening and clinical examination / 癌症

In a prospective study, 42 048 adults residing in Zhongshan City, Guangdong, China, were followed for 16 years, and 171 of them developed nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). Although Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) antibody levels of the cohort fluctuated, the antibody levels of 93% of the patients with NPC were raised and maintained at high levels for up to 10 years prior to diagnosis. This suggests that the serologic window affords an opportunity to monitor tumor progression during the preclinical stage of NPC development, facilitating early NPC detection. We reviewed the clinical records of the 171 patients with NPC in the prospective study to assess the efficacy of early NPC detection by serologic screening and clinical examination. Of the 171 patients, 51 had Stage I tumor (44 were among the 73 patients detected by clinical examination and 7 were among the 98 patients presented to outpatient department). Initial serologic screening predicted 58 (95.1%) of the 61 patients detected within 2 years. The risk of the screened population (58/3093) raised 13 times relative to cohort (61/42 048) during this period. Clinical examination detected all the 58 predicted cases, and 35 (60.3%) of which were diagnosed with Stage I tumor. The serologic prediction rate fell to 33.6% (37/110) 2 to 16 years after screening. The proportion of cases detected by clinical examination fell to 40.5% (15/37). The proportion of Stage I tumors among the cases detected by clinical examination during both periods remained at about 60%. We concluded that early detection of NPC can be accomplished by repeated serologic screening to maintain high prediction rates and by promptly examining screened subjects to detect tumors before the symptoms develop.

Expressions of p53 pathway genes and EZH2 in undifferentiated nasopharyngeal carcinoma / 南方医科大学学报

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the relationship between the expressions of p53 pathway genes and EZH2 in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The expression levels of p53, mdm2, p63 and EZH2 proteins were detected by immunohistochemistry in 47 cases of undifferentiated NPC and 12 cases of chronic nasopharyngitis, and their correlation to the clinical parameters and prognosis were analyzed.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The protein expressions of p53, mdm2, p63 and EZH2 in NPC were 31.9%, 85.1%, and 95.7%, respectively. mdm2 and EZH2 was not correlated to p53 protein expression (P>0.05); positive correlations was found between EZH2 and p63 expressions and between p53 and p63. The high expression of EZH2 and p63 proteins was correlated to advanced T stage and clinical stage of NPC (P<0.05). The five-year disease-free survival rate in patients with high EZH2 protein expression was significantly lower than that in patients with low EZH2 expression.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>mdm2 does not show an obvious correlation to p53 protein inactivation in NPC. p63 protein overexpression may be associated with p53 protein inactivation. The overexpression of EZH2 is correlated to NPC progression and poor prognosis.</p>

A dynamic study on titer of EB virus VCA/IgA and EA/IgA in nasopharygeal carcinoma patients / 中华肿瘤杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To analyze the change of EB virus VCA/IgA and EA/IgA titer during the development of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC), and the role in screening for NPC.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>VCA/IgA and EA/IgA were monitored in a period of 12 years by immunoenzymatic titration from the sera of 54 NPC patients after primary serological screening.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>VCA/IgA and EA/IgA titer had shown gradual increment 1 - 7 years before NPC was pathologically diagnosed. The mean titer of VCA/IgA was 1:21.04, 7 - 4 years before diagnosis. VCA/IgA titer ascended quickly within 3 years before diagnosis. The geometric mean titer (GMT) of VCA/IgA and EA/IgA were 1:76.86 and 1:6.49 when NPC was diagnosed, which descended quickly after radiotherapy and, in 4 years, approached the average titer of VCA/IgA positive population.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>VCA/IgA titer rises uninterruptedly 3 years before NPC is diagnosed pathologically in most patients but their EA/IgA titer rises slowly. The detection of VCA/IgA titer can be used to find early NPC, whereas EA/IgA can not. The pre-clinical phase of NPC is 3 years according to this dynamic study.</p>