Analysis of the malignant ovarian tumors incidence in the Sumy region in 2014-2018.

Background. Ovarian cancer is a very important pathology of the female reproductive system and tends to increase in incidence and mortality rates around the world. Despite the fact that ovarian cancer prevalence is lower than that of breast and cervical cancer, its mortality rate is three times higher. Aim. To analyze the incidence of ovarian cancer in the female population of Ukraine and the Sumy region in 2014–2018. Methods. Data from the National Cancer Register of Ukraine were used for this work. A statistical analysis of the incidence rates of ovarian cancer in the population of Ukraine and Sumy region was carried out. Results. The highest incidence of ovarian cancer in the Sumy region was detected in 2018 (12.5 cases per 100,000 women), and the lowest - in 2017 (10.4 cases per 100,000 women). This pathology occurs most often in women 60-79 years old. 91% of the tumors were epithelial-stromal tumors, of which 75% were serous ovarian adenocarcinomas. Ovarian cancer in most cases was diagnosed at the third stage of the disease (47% of cases), which indicates a low level of early diagnosis of this tumor. Conclusion. In the Sumy region, a high incidence rate of ovarian cancer was revealed, which exceeds the national one and has a significant age dependence. Serous ovarian adenocarcinoma is the most common type of ovarian cancer. This pathology is diagnosed mainly at the 3rd stage.

Diet, microbes, and cancer across the tree of life: a systematic review

Cancers are a leading cause of death in humans and for many other species. Diet has often been associated with cancers, and the microbiome is an essential mediator between diet and cancers. Here we review the work on cancer and the microbiome across species. We systematically reviewed over a thousand published articles and identified links between diet, microbes and cancers in several species of mammals, birds, and flies. Some microbes, specifically Fusobacteria, Bacteroides fragilis, Helicobacter bacteria, and papillomaviruses, have cancer-inducing effects in gerbils, mice, dogs, or cats. Other microbes, such as Lactobacillus species, mostly found in milk products, prevent gastrointestinal, breast, and lung cancers in mice and rats. Future work should examine a larger variety of host species to discover new model organisms for human preclinical trials, better understand the observed variance in cancer prevalence across species, and discover which microbes and diets are associated with cancers across species. Ultimately this could help identify microbial and dietary interventions to diagnose, prevent and treat cancers in humans as well as other animals.

The changing face of Irish head and neck cancer epidemiology: 20 years of data

Background Head and neck cancer (HNC) is associated with significant morbidity and mortality, especially when high stage disease is present. The epidemiology and prognosis of HNC has changed considerably over the last 20 years. Aims This study aimed to examine the epidemiological trends in HNC patients over a prolonged period in Ireland. Methods We conducted a retrospective cohort study using 20 years of cancer registry data provided by the National Cancer Registry of Ireland. Baseline characteristics and survival statistics were thereby generated. Results 10,148 patients were identified. There is a growing population of young (< 50 years) and very old (> 85 years) HNC patients; 48.15% of the population was elderly (> 65 years). Oral cavity (29.8%) and laryngeal cancer (28.1%) remain the most prevalent subsites, though oral cavity cancer prevalence declined from 35.9% in 1994 to 27.5% in 2014. Oropharyngeal cancer prevalence increased from 13.6 to 22.2% over the same period. Overall 5-year survival has improved significantly to 56.8% in 2010 but there remains a disparity between the elderly and adult cohorts (42.0% vs 60.7%). 5-year survival for hypopharyngeal and oropharyngeal cancers has improved from 11.8% and 33.3% to 22.2% and 44.8%, respectively, while laryngeal and oral cavity cancer survival remains approximately stable at 58.7% and 61.5%, respectively. Conclusion HNC survival in Ireland has improved in line with increasing recognition of the value of multidisciplinary assessment, subspecialisation in cancer care, and targeted therapies based on tumour subsites. Survival in the elderly cohort remains poor despite increasing recognition of the challenges such cases pose.

Colorectal Cancer Prevalence and Survival in Castilla La Mancha (Spain). A Pilot Study

Background: Colorectal cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer type and the second cause of cancer death in Spain. The primary risk factor for colorectal cancer is age, with 90% of all diagnosed patients aged over 50 years. Prognosis mainly depends on tumour stage. Aim: Conduct a pilot Colorectal Cancer prevalence and survival study in Cuenca (Spain) since there are almost no studies based on small populations. This is the first pilot study about survival in screening of colorectal cancer carried out in hospitals in Castilla La Mancha. Methods and Results: Retrospective descriptive cohort study was performed to include patients with colorectal cancer diagnosed by colonoscopy between May 2015 and April 2016, and who were followed up for 48 months. The study considered sociodemographic and clinical data of the patients. Survival curves were estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method. The proportional hazard rate associated with age, gender, stage and presence of metastasis was calculated using the Cox regression method. 57 patients were included in the study. The mean follow-up was 45.5 months. Ten patients died during the study, in seven cases the cause was colorectal cancer. The percentage of patients alive at 48-month follow-up were 82.4%. Conclusion: Colon cancer is a high-prevalence pathology, with adenocarcinoma being the most common histology. The results seem to indicate that it affects men more frequently, mortality rises with tumour stage at diagnosis and declines with use of chemotherapy. We present a pilot study that could justify large-scale epidemiological studies for the regional surveillance and evolution of colorectal cancer in Spain.

Concentrations of Neonicotinoids and their Characteristic Metabolites in Blood Samples from South China: Association with Liver Cancer

Neonicotinoid insecticides (NEOs) are commonly applied for pest control in China and around the world. They have potential toxicity to bees, birds, mammals, and even human being. However, limited studies have explored the associations between NEOs exposure and disease. In the present study, we detected six parent NEOs (p-NEOs), including acetamiprid, thiacloprid, dinotefuran, clothianidin, imidacloprid, and thiamethoxam, and five characteristic metabolites (m-NEOs), including 5-hydroxy-imidacloprid (5-OH-IMI), olefin-imidacloprid (Of-IMI), N-desmethyl-acetamiprid, 1-methyl-3-(tetrahydro-3-furylmethyl) guanidine and 1-methyl-3-(tetrahydro-3-furyl methyl) urea, in blood samples collected from healthy (n = 100) and liver cancer (n = 274) populations in South China. NEOs were frequently detected (61–94%) in blood samples, with median concentrations ranging from 0.19 ng/mL to 1.28 ng/mL and 0.20 ng/mL to 2.03 ng/mL for healthy and liver cancer populations, respectively. Of-IMI was the most abundant NEOs in healthy and liver cancer populations, accounting for 23.4% and 20.7%, respectively. Significant positive correlations among most m-NEOs concentrations were found, and associations between m-NEOs and their corresponding p-NEOs were positively correlated. These findings indicated that the sources of m-NEOs were both endogenous and exogeneous. Females had higher median concentrations of NEOs and their metabolites than males. Moreover, associations between the concentrations of p-NEOs and m-NEOs and liver cancer were found (odds ratio = 2.33–9.02, 95% confidence interval = 0.31–22.7, p < 0.05), indicating that human exposure to NEOs and their metabolites might increase the odds of liver cancer prevalence. This study is the first work to document 5-OH-IMI and DN in blood samples collected from South China.