BRAFV600E mutation does not serve as a prognostic factor in Korean patients with papillary thyroid carcinoma.

OBJECTIVES: In recent years, BRAF(V600E) mutation has emerged as a promising prognostic marker for risk stratification of patients with papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC). However, routine use of this marker has been questioned. In some parts of the world, particularly in Korea, the incidence of BRAF(V600E) mutation is too high to have true prognostic value. The relatively low number of tumors without BRAF(V600E) mutation would prejudice the efficient use of this marker in the Korean population. METHODS: The study involved 107 patients with histologically confirmed conventional PTC after surgical management for thyroid cancer from April 2010 to December 2010. BRAF(V600E) mutation analysis was performed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based amplification of DNA extracted from paraffin-embedded tumor specimens, and the relationship between BRAF(V600E) mutation and various prognostic factors was investigated. RESULTS: BRAF(V600E) mutation was found to be present in 85 (79.4%) of 107 patients with conventional PTC. Analysis of the clinical characteristics as function of the presence or absence of BRAF(V600E) mutation revealed no differences between the BRAF(V600E)-positive and BRAF(V600E)-negative patients. Moreover, BRAF(V600E) mutation was not correlated with any of the prognostic factors including age ≥45 years, male gender, tumor size ≥1cm, multifocality, extra-thyroidal extension, concurrent Hashimoto's thyroiditis, and lymph node metastasis neither in the univariate nor in the multivariate analysis. CONCLUSIONS: BRAF(V600E) mutation does not significantly reflect tumor aggressiveness in Korean patients with conventional PTC. We consider that BRAF(V600E) mutation does not possess prognostic value in Korea, where it is prevalent, and where most of the PTC types are conventional.

Clinical relationship between Hashimoto's thyroiditis and papillary thyroid cancer.

BACKGROUND: The relationship between Hashimoto's thyroiditis (HT) and papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) with regard to their co-occurrence and the effect of concurrent HT on the prognosis of PTC has been debated. The aim of the present study is to determine a clinical relationship between these two disease entities and to evaluate the correlation between concurrent HT and various clinicopathological parameters. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Demographic and histopathological data were collected from 675 patients undergoing thyroid surgery from 2000 to 2005, and 303 patients who received initial treatment for thyroid disease at our institution and whose medical records were accessible for review were enrolled in this study. Of these participants, 269 with histologically confirmed PTC were analysed according to the presence or absence of concurrent HT. RESULTS: Of 269 patients with PTC, 21.6% (58/269) had concurrent HT, whereas only 5.9% (2/34) had concurrent HT with another diagnosis (p = 0.031, odds ratio = 4.4; 95% CI, 1.02-18.90). Younger age at presentation and a greater female preponderance were noted in patients with HT compared with those without HT (p = 0.008 and p = 0.009, respectively). Although it was not statistically significant, PTC with HT patients tented to have smaller tumour size (1.6 ± 1.0 cm vs. 1.8 ± 1.5 cm), lower incidence of lymph node metastasis at presentation (12.2% vs. 29.9%), unifocal disease (84.5% vs. 78.7%), and early-stage disease. Additionally, PTC with HT patients exhibited better prognosis, viewed in recurrence and mortality, during the 62-month mean follow-up period. DISCUSSION: HT was definitely associated with PTC as was chronic inflammation with cancer in other locations. Interestingly, however, the coexistence of HT in PTC cases introduced favourable clinical outcomes compared with those of PTC without HT.

Relationship between serum concentrations of organochlorine pesticides and metabolic syndrome among non-diabetic adults.

OBJECTIVES: This study was performed to investigate if organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) were associated with metabolic syndrome and insulin resistance among non-diabetes. METHODS: Among subjects who participated in a community-based health survey, 50 non-diabetic subjects with metabolic syndrome and 50 normal controls were selected. Insulin resistance was measured by the homeostasis model assessment (HOMA-IR). Eight OCPs were selected. RESULTS: After adjusting for confounders except for body mass index (BMI), beta-hexachlorocyclohexane (beta-HCH) and heptachlor epoxide were positively associated with metabolic syndrome. Odds ratios across tertiles of beta-HCH and heptachlor epoxide were 1.0, 3.2 and 4.4, and 1.0, 4.0 and 6.0, respectively (p for trend = 0.01 and <0.01). After additional adjustment for body mass index (BMI), heptachlor epoxide still showed an increasing trend with adjusted odds ratios of 1.0, 4.1, and 4.6 (p for trend = 0.10). When the five components of metabolic syndrome (with the definition of high fasting glucose (> or =100 mg/dL)) were separately analyzed, all components were positively, but not significantly, associated with heptachlor epoxide. As the serum concentration of heptachlor epoxide increased, HOMA-IR increased significantly in subjects with metabolic syndrome even after adjusting for BMI (p value <0.05 and <0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Despite the small sample size, this study suggests that the background exposure to some OCPs may be associated with metabolic syndrome.

[The factors associated with changes in the stage of breast cancer screening behavior among the women who are eligible for the Korean National Cancer Screening Program].

OBJECTIVES: This study was performed to evaluate the relationships between psychosocial characteristics and changes in the stage of breast cancer screening behavior. METHODS: The 474 study subjects were randomly sampled from 21,459 women (age range, 40-70 years) who were eligible for the Korean National Cancer Screening Program in 2006 in Jinju, Gyeongsangnam-do. The information, including behaviors and sociodemographic characteristics, attitudes, subjective norms and self-efficacy, was collected by trained interviewers via home visits. The breast cancer screening stages were grouped as precontemplation, contemplation, action, maintenance and relapse, according to Rakowski. RESULTS: Of the 474 women, 18.8% were in the precontemplation stage, 23.3% were in the contemplation stage, 13.1% were in the action stage, 36.6% were in the maintenance stage, and 8.2% were in the relapse stage. The distribution of stages was associated with attitude, subjective norms and self-efficacy (p for trend<0.01). To investigate the overall relationship between the variables, we conducted a linear structural equation model analysis based on the theory of planned behavior. The subjective norms and self-efficacy influenced the stage of the women's screening behavior. CONCLUSIONS: We should target on self-efficacy about the screening behavior of women by performing timely, thoughtful interventions. The support from family members, friends and other people is crucial for women to undergo breast cancer screening and to improve the breast cancer screening rate.

[The factors implicated when an individual starts to smoke again after a 6 month cessation].

OBJECTIVES: This study was conducted to examine the factors implicated when people start smoking again after a 6 month cessation, and was carried out at the smoking cessation clinic of a public health center. METHODS: The study subjects were 191 males who had attended the smoking cessation clinic of a public health center for 6 months in an attempt to quit smoking. Data was collected, by phone interview, regarding individual smoking habits, if any, over the 6 month study period. The factors which may have caused an individual to smoke again were examined. This study employed a health belief model as it theoretical basis. RESULTS: Following a 6 month cessation, 24.1% of the study group began to smoke again during the 6 month test period. In a simple analysis, the factors related to individuals relapsing and smoking again included barriers of stress reduction, body weight gain and induction of smoking by surroundings among perceived barriers factor of our health belief model (p<0.05). In multiple logistic regression analysis for relapsed smoking, significant factors included barriers of stress reduction and induction of smoking by surroundings (p<0.05). The most important reason of for an individual to relapse into smoking was stress (60.9%) and the most likely place for a relapse to occur was a drinking establishment (39.1%). CONCLUSIONS: Our results indicate that both regular consultations and a follow-up management program are important considerations in a public health center program geared towards maintaining smoking cessation.

[Associations of non alcoholic fatty liver with the metabolic syndrome and serum carotenoids].

OBJECTIVES: This study was conducted to investigate the associations of non alcoholic fatty liver with metabolic syndrome and the serum carotenoids. METHODS: This study was conducted in a general hospital in South Korea from November, 2004 to August, 2005. The study subjects were 350 sampled persons who were aged from 40 years and older (males: 180, females: 170). They were grouped into the normal, mild and severe groups according to fat accumulation in their livers, as determined by ultrasonography. We analyzed the association between non alcoholic fatty liver and metabolic syndrome by multiple logistic regression analysis and we analyzed the association between non alcoholic fatty liver and the serum carotenoids by a general linear model(ANCOVA). RESULTS: After adjustment for the effect of potential covariates, the prevalence of metabolic syndrome was associated with fat accumulation in the liver (p trend <0.001). If the odds ratio of normal group is 1.00, then that of the mild group is 2.80 (95% C.I=1.17-6.71) and that of the severe group is 7.29 (95% C.I=2.76-19.30). The prevalence of metabolic alterations fitting the criteria of metabolic syndrome, according to the class of fat accumulation in the liver, was significantly increased, except for criteria of high blood pressure, a large waist circumference and low HDL (high density lipoprotein) cholesterol level (p trend <0.001). The level of serum beta-carotene was decreased according to the class of fat accumulation in the liver (p trend=0.036), but the levels of serum alpha-carotene, lycopene, beta-cryptoxanthin and lutein were not decreased. CONCLUSIONS: This study shows that non alcoholic fatty liver was associated with metabolic syndrome and with the serum beta-carotene level.