Systematic review of pancreatic cancer epidemiology in Asia-Pacific Region: major patterns in GLOBACON 2012

Pancreatic cancer is one of the deadliest cancers with short-term survival rates. Trends for pancreatic cancer incidence and mortality varied considerably in the world. To date, the causes of pancreatic cancer are not known sufficiently, although certain risk factors have been identified such as, smoking, obesity, life style, diabetes mellitus, alcohol, dietary factors and chronic pancreatitis. Since there are no current screening recommendations for pancreatic cancer, primary prevention is very important. Therefore, up-to-date statistics on pancreatic cancer occurrence and outcome are essential for the primary prevention of this disease. Due to the lack of information on epidemiology of pancreatic cancer in most Asian countries, and limited of statistics and registration system in this area, we conducted a systematic review study to evaluate the most recent data concerning epidemiology of pancreatic cancer in Asia-Pacific region. In this review we focused on collected recent data on incidence, mortality, survival and risk factors of pancreatic cancer in this region. In addition, we reviewed and used the data of GLOBOCAN 2012 in this paper to complete the information as a source of compiling pancreatic cancer incidence and mortality rate

Economic burden made celiac disease an expensive and challenging condition for Iranian patients

Aim: The aim of this study was to estimate the economic burden of celiac disease [CD] in Iran

Background: The assessment of burden of CD has become an important primary or secondary outcome measure in clinical and epidemiologic studies

Methods: Information regarding medical costs and gluten free diet [GFD] costs were gathered using questionnaire and checklists offered to the selected patients with CD. The data included the direct medical cost [including Doctor Visit, hospitalization, clinical test examinations, endoscopies, etc.], GFD cost and loss productivity cost [as the indirect cost] for CD patient were estimated. The factors used for cost estimation included frequency of health resource utilization and gluten free diet basket. Purchasing Power Parity Dollar [PPP dollars] was used in order to make inter-country comparisons

Results: Total of 213 celiac patients entered to this study. The mean [standard deviation] of total cost per patient per year was 3377 [1853] PPP dollars. This total cost including direct medical cost, GFD costs and loss productivity cost per patients per year. Also the mean and standard deviation of medical cost and GFD cost were 195 [128] PPP dollars and 932 [734] PPP dollars respectively. The total costs of CD were significantly higher for male. Also GFD cost and total cost were higher for unmarried patients

Conclusion: In conclusion, our estimation of CD economic burden is indicating that CD patients face substantial expense that might not be affordable for a good number of these patients. The estimated economic burden may put these patients at high risk for dietary neglect resulting in increasing the risk of long term complications

[Evaluation of the survival time of the patients with colorectal cancer using exponential model]

Background: colorectal cancer is one of the important causes of death due to cancer worldwide. Survival time in this cancer should be controlled to decrease the risk of mortality. In this study survival time and factors that could affect it are evaluated

Materials and Methods: in the present study, the files of 446 patients afflicted with colorectal cancer who had referred to Taleghani Hospital, Tehran from 1985 to 2013 were chosen as the study group. The exponential model was used here, for the purpose of investigating the survival of patients with colorectal cancer and finding proper variables affecting this survival and longevity

Results: in this study, the subjects had the mean [standard deviation] survival time 4.52 [0.182] year. The patients' age at the time of diagnosis [P=0.002] and tumor size [P=0.032] were the only significant variables affecting the survival of patients in the exponential model. Sex, the family history of colorectal cancer, the tumor site, and body mass index had no significant effect on the survival time of the patients with colorectal cancer

Conclusions: the results of the study show that to improve the survival chance of the patients with colorectal cancer or decrease the mortality rate, due attention should be paid to the age of the patient at the time of diagnosis