Cytokine-induced killer cell infusion combined with conventional treatments produced better prognosis for hepatocellular carcinoma patients with barcelona clinic liver cancer B or earlier stage: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND AIMS: To investigate the clinical benefits of cytokine-induced killer (CIK) cell infusions on hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients, combined with other conventional treatments. METHODS: This was a systematic review and meta-analysis conducted among phase II and III randomized control trials worldwide. Review manager 5.2 version was used to pool the effect size across studies. Sensitivity analyses and risk of bias were estimated among included studies. Egger's test was used to characterize the publication bias. RESULTS: Eight randomized controlled trials and 945 patients with HCC were included in the study. CIK infusion reduced cancer recurrence risk to 0.74 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.5-0.92), I2 75% (P <0.001), and reduced cancer death risk to 0.76 (95% CI 0.65-0.88), I2 50% (P = 0.09). Among studies blinded for outcome assessment and Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer stages of 0, A and B, CIK infusion reduced recurrence risk by 18% (relative risk [RR] = 0.82, 95% CI 0.70-0.96) and death risk by 37% (RR = 0.63, 95% CI 0.47-0.85); heterogeneity was 0% and 39%, respectively (P > 0.05). The intercepts of linear regressions for recurrence and death were -2.17 and -2.07, respectively, but the P value was 0.17 and 0.38; no significant publication bias was observed with Egger's test. DISCUSSION: Among hepatocellular carcinoma patients with Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer score of B or less, CIK cell infusions combined with conventional treatments significantly prolonged recurrence-free and overall survival. This adoptive immunotherapy could be recommended to HCC patients.

Association between dietary behavior and esophageal squamous cell carcinoma in Yanting.

BACKGROUND: Yanting is one of high risk areas for esophageal cancer and the screening program was therefore initiated there. This study was aimed to investigate the dietary behaviors on the risk of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC), among the individuals with normal and abnormal esophagus mucosa. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A frequency matched case-controls study was proposed to estimate the different distribution of dietary behavior between individuals of control, esophagitis and cancer groups. Cancer cases were selected from hospitals. Esophagitis cases and controls were selected from screening population for ESCC. Health workers collected data for 1 year prior to interview, in terms of length of finishing a meal, temperature of eaten food and interval between water boiling and drinking. Chi-square, Kruskal-Wallis tests and unconditional logistic regression model were used to estimate differences and associations between groups. RESULTS: Compared with controls, length of finishing a meal≥15 mins was related to a reduced OR for cancer (OR=0.46, 95%CI, 0.22- 0.97) and even compared with cases of esophagitis, the OR of cancer was reduced to 0.30 (95%CI, 0.13-0.72). The OR for often eating food at a high temperature was 2.48 (95%CI 1.06, 5.82) for ESCC as compared with controls. Interval between water boiling and drinking of ≥10 mins was associated with lower risk of cancer: the OR was 0.18 compared with controls and 0.49 with esophagitis cases (p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Length of eating food≥15 mins and interval between water boiling and drinking ≥10 mins are potentially related to reduced risk of esophageal SCC, compared with individuals with normal and abnormal esophageal mucosa. Recommendations to Yanting residents to change their dietary behaviors should be made in order to reduce cancer risk.

Adverse effects of preserved vegetables on squamous cell carcinoma of esophagus and precancer lesions in a high risk area.

INTRODUCTION: Squamous cell carcinoma of esophagus (ESCC) is one of the most common cancers in China. Preserved vegetables are processed foods, consumed in high amounts in the high risk areas for ESCC. This study aimed to investigate the relationships of preserved vegetable consumption with SCC and precancer lesions. METHODS: Cases from Yanting cancer hospital with pathological diagnosis of primary cancer, along with controls and individuals diagnosed with precancer lesions by endoscopy with iodine staining were interviewed. Trained staff collected data on dietary habits 1 year before the interview. An unconditional logistic regression model was used to estimate the risk odds ratios for preserved vegetable consumption with precancer lesions and cancer. RESULTS: Adjusting for potential confounders, intake of preserved vegetables (OR=2.92, 95%CI 1.32~6.47) and longer intake period (OR=5.78, 95%CI 2.26~14.80) were associated with higher risk of cancer. Compared with lowest intake frequency, the highest was associated with a 3.0-fold risk for precancer lesions and 3.59-fold risk for ESCC (both p<0.05). CONCLUSION: Consumption of preserved vegetables is a risk factor for esophageal lesions in high risk areas. The carcinogenicity of preserved vegetables needs investigation in further studies and public health strategies for reduction of consumption might be initiated in high risk areas.

[Population-attributable risk estimates for breast cancer in Chinese females].

OBJECTIVE: To estimate the contribution of known identified risk factors to breast cancer incidence and mortality in China, and provide evidence to support the prevention and control of breast cancer for Chinese females. METHODS: We calculated the proportion of breast cancer attributable to specific risk factors. Data on exposure prevalence were obtained from Meta-analyses and large-scale national surveys of representative samples of the Chinese population. Data on relative risks were obtained from Meta-analyses and large-scale prospective studies. Cancer mortality and incidence were taken from the Third National Death Survey and from cancer registries in China. RESULTS: The first 5 risk factors of breast cancer in China were benign breast disease (RR = 2.62), family history of breast cancer (RR = 2.39), smoking (RR = 1.86), overweight (RR = 1.60) and age at menarche (RR = 1.54). The proportion of breast cancer deaths attributable to reproductive factors, lifestyle factors, benign breast disease, the use of external hormone and family history of breast cancer was 27.84%, 23.55%, 15.09%, 3.60% and 2.49%, respectively. The total population attributable fraction (PAF) was 55.95% for risk factors in our study. Overall, we estimated that 79 862 breast cancer cases and 22 456 deaths were attributed to the five risk factors in China in 2005. CONCLUSIONS: The prevention and control of unhealthy lifestyle factors may significantly reduce the number and death of breast cancer in China.

Chemoprevention of primary liver cancer: a randomized, double-blind trial in Linxian, China.

BACKGROUND: Primary liver cancer is a common malignancy with a dismal prognosis. New primary prevention strategies are needed to reduce mortality from this disease. We examined the effects of supplementation with four different combinations of vitamins and minerals on primary liver cancer mortality among 29450 initially healthy adults from Linxian, China. METHODS: Participants were randomly assigned to take either a vitamin-mineral combination ("factor") or a placebo daily for 5.25 years (March 1986-May 1991). Four factors (at doses one to two times the US Recommended Daily Allowance)-retinol and zinc (factor A); riboflavin and niacin (factor B); ascorbic acid and molybdenum (factor C); and beta-carotene, alpha-tocopherol, and selenium (factor D)-were tested in a partial factorial design. The study outcome was primary liver cancer death occurring from 1986 through 2001. Adjusted Cox proportional hazards models were used to calculate hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) of liver cancer death with and without each factor. All P values are two-sided. RESULTS: A total of 151 liver cancer deaths occurred during the analysis period. No statistically significant differences in liver cancer mortality were found comparing the presence and absence of any of the four intervention factors. However, both factor A and factor B reduced liver cancer mortality in individuals younger than 55 years at randomization (HR = 0.59, 95% CI = 0.34 to 1.00, and HR = 0.54, 95% CI = 0.31 to 0.93, respectively) but not in older individuals (HR = 1.06, 95% CI = 0.71 to 1.59, and HR = 1.12, 95% CI = 0.75 to 1.68, respectively). Factor C reduced liver cancer death, albeit with only borderline statistical significance in males (HR = 0.70, 95% CI = 0.47 to 1.02) but not in females (HR = 1.30, 95% CI = 0.72 to 2.37). Cumulative risks of liver cancer death were 6.0 per 1000 in the placebo arm, 5.4 per 1000 in the arms with two factors, and 2.4 per 1000 in the arm with all four factors. CONCLUSION: None of the factors tested reduced overall liver cancer mortality. However, three factors reduced liver cancer mortality in certain subgroups.

[Study on the development of a choropleth atlas on cancer mortality using the inverse distance weight interpolation in the 1990's].

OBJECTIVE: To draw a chorochromatic atlas of mortality on China Cancer Database in order to display the geographical distribution of selected diseases in China and to identify its demographic and disease-specific patterns in the 1990's. METHODS: The source of data was from nationwide cause-of-death surveys conducted in the 1990's. Standardized rates were computed by direct method using the population age distribution in 1964 as the standard of weights. Inverse distance weight (IDW) was applied as the method of interpolation with the help of Arcview system to draw a choropleth map of cancer mortality. RESULTS: The IDW maps of cancer mortality shows a continuous and smooth variation, especially compared with maps drawn by filling method. CONCLUSION: With the application of inverse distance weight interpolation, it seemed feasible to draw continuous map of cancer on sampling data.