Asia
Armenia, Bangladesh, China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Israel, Japan, Jordan, Lebanon, Malaysia, Mongolia, Nepal, Pakistan, Philippines, Republic of Korea, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, Viet Nam
Population in 2012: | 4249.2m |
People newly diagnosed with cancer (excluding NMSC) / yr: | 6,763,000 |
Age-standardised rate, incidence per 100,000 people/yr: | 152.2 |
Risk of getting cancer before age 75: | 15.3% |
People dying from cancer /yr: | 4,499,500 |


Asia: Cancer Organisations and Resources (10 links)
Asia-Oceana Research Organization on Genital Infection and Neoplasia
AOGIN
AOGIN brings together clinicians and scientists whose work is related to genital infections and neoplasia.
Asia-Pacific Journal of Clinical Oncology
Blackwell Pub. Asia
Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
APOCP
Electronic journal of the Asian Pacific Organization for Cancer Prevention.
Asian Society for Neuro-Oncology
ASNO began annual meetings for neuro-oncology in 2002.
Asian Society of Gynecologic Oncology
ASGO
ASGO was founded in 2009 as the principal organization In Asia contributing to thestudy, Prevention and treatment of gynecological cancer.
Australasian Lung Cancer Trials Group
ALTG
ALTG is a multi-disciplinary organization dedicated to reducing the incidence, morbidity and mortality of lung and other thoracic cancers and improving the quality of life of these patients, carers and families in Australia and New Zealand through the coordination and facilitation of high quality clinical research.
Black Sea Countries Coalition on Breast and Cervical Cancer Prevention
A voluntary alliance of policy makers, technical experts and clinicians from the countries of the Black Sea basin and South Caucasus, established 2009.
Cancer Therapeutics Research Group
CTRG
A a joint research group in the Asia-Pacific region running clinical trials with participating centres in Australia, Hong Kong, Korea, Singapore, and Taiwan.
亚洲癌症研究基金會 | Asian Fund for Cancer Research - 中文 - English
AFCR is an Asia-wide charity registered in Hong Kong that supports innovative, leading-edge research to accelerate the development of new cancer therapeutics and make these treatments more accessible to cancer patients worldwide.
Latest Research Publications related to Asia
HBV Infection Status and the Risk of Cholangiocarcinoma in Asia: A Meta-Analysis.
Biomed Res Int. 2016; 2016:3417976 [PubMed] Free Access to Full Article Related Publications
Could ADC values be a promising diagnostic criterion for differentiating malignant and benign hepatic lesions in Asian populations: A meta-analysis.
Medicine (Baltimore). 2016; 95(48):e5470 [PubMed] Free Access to Full Article Related Publications
METHODS: Eligible studies published in PubMed, Ovid, and Embase/Medline were updated onto October 2014. STATA 12.0 and Meta-Disc 1.4 were used to perform this meta-analysis.
RESULTS: Eight studies comprising 661 benign liver lesions and 598 malignant liver lesions fulfilled all the inclusion criteria. The pooled sensitivity, specificity, positive likelihood ratio, negative likelihood ratio, and diagnostic odds ratio were 0.88 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.75-0.95), 0.93 (95% CI 0.86-0.97), 12.42 (95% CI 6.09-25.31), 0.13 (95% CI 0.06-0.29), and 95.58 (95% CI 35.29-258.89), respectively. Overall, the area under the summary receiver-operating characteristic curve was 0.96 (95% CI 0.94-0.98). Heterogeneity was found to originate potentially from the type of benign lesion. A subgroup analysis showed that differentiating between hemangiomas, cysts, and malignant liver lesions produced a significantly higher diagnostic accuracy than that of solid liver lesions.
CONCLUSION: Our meta-analysis indicated that ADC could be promising for characterizing liver lesions among Asians, indicating that the ADC value is a promising diagnostic criterion candidate. Meanwhile, the use of dual b values could be sufficient for liver lesion characterization. However, large-scale, high-quality trials should be conducted to identify specific standards, including cut-off values for further development of diffusion-weighted imaging as a routine clinical application among Asian populations.
The transcriptomic G1-G6 signature of hepatocellular carcinoma in an Asian population: Association of G3 with microvascular invasion.
Medicine (Baltimore). 2016; 95(47):e5263 [PubMed] Free Access to Full Article Related Publications
The Colorectal Cancer Mortality-to-Incidence Ratio as a Potential Cancer Surveillance Measure in Asia.
Asian Pac J Cancer Prev. 2016; 17(9):4323-4326 [PubMed] Related Publications
MATERIALS AND METHODS: The colorectal cancer MIR values for 23 Asian countries were calculated from data obtained from the 2012 GLOBOCAN database. The 2000 World Health Organization (WHO) Health System rankings were used as a proxy for health system infrastructure and responsiveness. A regression equation was calculated with the MIR as the dependent variable and the WHO Health System ranking as the independent variable. Predicted MIR values were next calculated based on the regression results. Actual MIR values that exceeded 0.20 from the predicted MIR were removed as 'divergent'points. The regression equation was then re-plotted. Goodness-of-fit for both regressions was assessed by the R-squared test.
RESULTS: Asian countries have a relatively wide colorectal cancer MIR range, from a minimum of 0.24 to a maximum of 0.86. For the full dataset, the adjusted R-squared value for this regression was 0.53. The equation was then used to calculate a predicted MIR, whereby two data points were identified as 'divergent' and removed. The adjusted R-squared for the edited dataset increased to 0.66.
CONCLUSIONS: Asian countries have a marked range in their colorectal cancer MIR values and there is a strong correlationwith the WHO Health System ranking. These results corroborate the contribution of the MIR as a potentially robust tool in monitoring changes in colorectal cancer care for Asian nations.
Incidence and Mortality of Testicular Cancer and Relationships with Development in Asia.
Asian Pac J Cancer Prev. 2016; 17(9):4251-4257 [PubMed] Related Publications
MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study was conducted based on data from the world data of cancer and the World Bank (including the HDI and its components). Standardized incidence and mortality rates of testicular cancer were calculated for Asian countries. Correlations between incidence and/ormortality rates, and the HDI and its components were assessed with the use of the correlation test, using SPSS software.
RESULTS: There was a total of 14902 incidences and 5832 death were recorded in Asian countries in 2012. Among the Asian countries, the five countries with the highest standardized incidence rates of testicular cancer were Israel, Georgia, Turkey, Lebanon and Kazakhstan and the five countries with the highest standardized mortality rates were Turkey, Georgia, Jordan, Cambodia and the Syrian Arab Republic. A positive correlation of 0.382 was observed between the standardized incidence rates of testicular cancer and the HDI (p=0.009). Also a negative correlation of 0.298 between the standardized mortality rate of testicular cancer and the Human Development Index was noted although this relation was statistically non-significant (p=0.052).
CONCLUSIONS: There is a positive correlation between HDI and the standardized incidence rate of testicular cancer and negative correlation with standardized mortality rate.
Phase I, multicenter, open-label, dose-escalation study of sonidegib in Asian patients with advanced solid tumors.
Cancer Sci. 2016; 107(10):1477-1483 [PubMed] Related Publications
Development and Validation of a Novel Recurrence Risk Stratification for Initial Non-muscle Invasive Bladder Cancer in Asia.
EBioMedicine. 2016; 12:98-104 [PubMed] Free Access to Full Article Related Publications
METHODS: The analysis was based on 1085 patients with NMIBC at six hospitals. Excluding recurrent cases, we included 856 patients with initial NMIBC for the analysis. The Kaplan-Meier method with the log-rank test were used to calculate recurrence-free survival (RFS) rate and progression-free survival (PFS) rate according to the EORTC risk classifications. We developed a novel risk classification system for recurrence in NMIBC patients using the independent recurrence prognostic factors based on Cox proportional hazards regression analysis. External validation was done on an external data set of 641 patients from Kyorin University Hospital.
FINDINGS: There were no significant differences in RFS and PFS rates between the groups according to EORTC risk classification. We constructed a novel risk model predicting recurrence that classified patients into three groups using four independent prognostic factors to predict tumour recurrence based on Cox proportional hazards regression analysis. According to the novel recurrence risk classification, there was a significant difference in 5-year RFS rate between the low (68.4%), intermediate (45.8%) and high (33.7%) risk groups (P<0.001).
INTERPRETATION: As the EORTC risk group stratification may not be applicable to Asian patients with NMIBC, our novel classification model can be a simple and useful prognostic tool to stratify recurrence risk in patients with NMIBC.
FUNDING: None.
Elevated liver fibrosis index FIB-4 is not reliable for HCC risk stratification in predominantly non-Asian CHB patients.
Medicine (Baltimore). 2016; 95(38):e4602 [PubMed] Free Access to Full Article Related Publications
Lack of Any Relationship of Stomach Cancer Incidence and Mortality with Development in Asia.
Asian Pac J Cancer Prev. 2016; 17(8):3777-83 [PubMed] Related Publications
MATERIALS AND METHODS: This ecological study was conducted based on GLOBOCAN project of WHO for Asian countries. We assessed the correlations between standardized incidence rates (SIR) and standardized mortality rates (SMR) of stomach cancer with HDI and its components using SPSS18.
RESULTS: A total of 696,231 cases (68.7% in males and 31.3% in females, ratio of 2.19:1) and 524,465 deaths (67.1% in men and 33.0% in women, ratio 2.03:1) were included in 2012. Five countries with the highest SIR of stomach cancer were Republic Korea, Mongolia, Japan, China and Tajikistan. Five countries with the highest SMR of stomach cancer were Mongolia, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan and China. Correlation between HDI and SIR was 0.241 (p = 0.106), in men 0.236 (p = 0.114) and in women -0.250 (p = 0.094). Also between HDI and SMR -0.250 (p = 0.871) in men -0.018 (p = 0.903) and in women -0.014 (p = 0.927).
CONCLUSIONS: No significant correlation was observed between the SIR of stomach cancer, and the HDI and its dimensions, such as life expectancy at birth, mean years of schooling, and income level of the population.
Germline mutations and genotype-phenotype correlation in Asian Indian patients with pheochromocytoma and paraganglioma.
Eur J Endocrinol. 2016; 175(4):311-23 [PubMed] Related Publications
OBJECTIVE: To study the prevalence of germline mutations and genotype-phenotype correlation in Asian Indian PCC/PGL patients.
DESIGN: In this study, 150 index patients (M:F, 73:77) with PCC/PGL were evaluated. Phenotypic data were collected. Germline mutations in five susceptibility genes (RET, VHL, SDHB, SDHD and SDHC) were tested by sequencing and NF1 was diagnosed according to phenotype.
RESULT: Of the total population, 49 (32.7%) PCC/PGL patients had germline mutations (VHL: 23 (15.3%), RET: 13 (8.7%), SDHB: 9 (6%), SDHD: 2 (1.3%) and NF1: 2 (1.3%)). Amongst the 30 patients with familial and/or syndromic presentation, all had germline mutations (VHL: 14 (46.7%), RET: 13 (43.3%), SDHB: 1 (3.3%) and NF1: 2 (6.7%)). Out of 120 patients with apparently sporadic presentation, 19 (15.8%) had a germline mutation (VHL: 9 (7.5%), SDHB: 8 (6.7%) and SDHD: 2 (1.7%)). Mutation carriers were younger (29.9 ± 14.5 years vs 36.8 ± 14.9; P = 0.01) and had a higher prevalence of bilateral PCC (26.5% vs 2.9%, P < 0.001) and multifocal tumours (12.2% vs 0.96%, P = 0.06). Based on syndromic features, metastasis, location and number of tumours, around 96% mutations in our cohort could be detected by appropriately selected single gene testing.
CONCLUSION: Asian Indians with PCC/PGL differ from Western cohorts in having preponderance of VHL mutations in multifocal tumours and apparently sporadic unilateral PCC. Syndromic presentation, metastasis, location and number of PCC/PGL can be effectively used for guiding genetic prioritisation.
Challenges in the Management of Breast Cancer in a Low Resource Setting in South East Asia.
Asian Pac J Cancer Prev. 2016; 17(7):3459-63 [PubMed] Related Publications
MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 215 women newly diagnosed with breast cancer from 1 March 2008 until 31 March 2011 were studied. Age at diagnosis, tumour size, histological type, tumour grade, ER, lymph node involvement, treatment modalities (surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy, hormone therapy) were recorded. Data on mortality at 3 years were obtained whenever possible.
RESULTS: The median age was 47 years old. Some 77.8% were diagnosed with stage 3 and 4 lesions, and 78.5% underwent mastectomy, of which 28.4% the intent was palliative. Of those whose ER status were known, only 48.3% were ER positive. Only 6 patients could afford chemotherapy while only 1 patient had radiotherapy. Hormone therapy was provided free for those who were ER positive. The overall survival rate at 3 years was 39.1%.
CONCLUSIONS: Breast cancer presents at a late stage, and because treatment is suboptimal, survival is poor in Cambodia. A more aggressive approach to early detection and treatment needs to be developed to improve outcome from this potentially curable disease.
Applicability of Oncoplastic Breast Conserving Surgery in Asian Breast Cancer Patients.
Asian Pac J Cancer Prev. 2016; 17(7):3325-8 [PubMed] Related Publications
MATERIALS AND METHODS: Breast cancer patients who underwent oncoplastic breast conserving surgery at a single institution from 1st May 201431st March 2015 were included. Data on patient demographics, tumor characteristics and the type of oncoplastic surgery performed were collected.
RESULTS: Nineteen breast cancer patients were identified. 42.1% of patients had grade I ptosis. The indications for surgery included a large tumor to breast size ratio (52.6%), multifocal/multicentric lesions (36.8%) and asymmetric breasts (10.6%), averting a mastectomy in 89.4%. Round block was the commonest technique in 63% of patients, in contrast to the inverted T pattern most frequently used in renowned institutions in the West. Mean and median tumor size and weight of specimen were 29.4/25mm (11 75mm) and 77g/64g (10 246g) respectively. Reexcision rate was 10.5%. Complete mastectomy was performed for one patient. One patient developed wound dehiscence which was treated conservatively. Cosmetic outcome was rated as excellent/good by 94.7% of patients. The patients remained clinically well after a median 16 months follow up.
CONCLUSIONS: Oncoplastic breast conserving surgery is useful in a specific subgroup of Asian patients with a relatively small breast volume and minimal ptosis. Round block was the commonest technique in our series, in contrast to the worldwide utility of oncoplastic techniques. It is oncologically safe and has good cosmetic outcomes.
A prognostic predictor panel with DNA methylation biomarkers for early-stage lung adenocarcinoma in Asian and Caucasian populations.
J Biomed Sci. 2016; 23(1):58 [PubMed] Free Access to Full Article Related Publications
METHODS: The methylation array, pyrosequencing methylation assay, Cox regression and Kaplan-Meier analyses were conducted to build the risk score equations of selected probes in a training cohort of 69 Asian LUAD patients. The risk score model was verified in another cohort of 299 Caucasian LUAD patients in The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database.
RESULTS: We performed a Cox regression analysis, in which the regression coefficients were obtained for eight probes corresponding to eight genes (AGTRL1, ALDH1A3, BDKRB1, CTSE, EFNA2, NFAM1, SEMA4A and TMEM129). The risk score was derived from sum of each methylated probes multiplied by its corresponding coefficient. Patients with the risk score greater than the median value showed poorer overall survival compared with other patients (p = 0.007). Such a risk score significantly predicted patients showing poor survival in TCGA cohort (p = 0.036). A multivariate analysis was further performed to demonstrate that the eight-probe panel association with poor outcome in early-stage LUAD patients remained significant even after adjusting for different clinical variables including staging parameters (hazard ratio, 2.03; p = 0.039).
CONCLUSIONS: We established a proof-of-concept prognostic panel consisting of eight-probe signature to predict survival of early-stage LUAD patients of Asian and Caucasian populations.
The prevalence and predictors of subsyndromal anxiety and depression in adult Asian cancer patients across the first year of diagnosis.
Asia Pac J Clin Oncol. 2016; 12(4):476-489 [PubMed] Related Publications
METHODS: A total of 206 patients newly diagnosed with cancer in Singapore completed the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) at T1 (baseline; on average 2 months post-diagnosis), T2 (3 months post-baseline) and T3 (6 months post-baseline). Subsyndromal anxiety and depression were identified using locally validated cut-offs (HADS-A ≥5 and HADS-D ≥7). Adjusted odds ratios were calculated using baseline predictors.
RESULTS: Across the three time points, 68-69% of participants were identified as having subsyndromal anxiety and close to 27-38% participants were identified as having subsyndromal depression. Multivariate logistic regressions revealed a lack of predictors for T1 subsyndromal anxiety and depression. Participants with late/metastatic stages of cancer were almost four times as likely to suffer from subsyndromal anxiety at T2. Single participants had a 75% lowered odds, but those living in three to four room public housing were close to four times as likely to suffer from subsyndromal depression at T2. Older patients and those who had undergone surgery were found to significantly suffer from subsyndromal depression at T3.
CONCLUSION: The significant levels of depression and anxiety coupled with the lack of consistent predictors across the first year following cancer diagnosis further underscore the importance of careful assessment and clinician-vigilance in recognizing and identifying Asian patients who may express these emotional sequelae following the cancer diagnosis. A better understanding of patients' pathophysiological and psychological responses and individual strengths and coping skills are thus essential.
Different survival outcomes after curative R0-resection for Eastern Asian and European gastric cancer: Results from a propensity score matched analysis comparing a Korean and a German specialized center.
Medicine (Baltimore). 2016; 95(28):e4261 [PubMed] Free Access to Full Article Related Publications
A Retrospective Review of Imaging and Operative Modalities Performed in Patients with Primary Hyperparathyroidism at a Mid-Volume Surgical Centre in Southeast Asia.
Ann Acad Med Singapore. 2016; 45(5):191-7 [PubMed] Related Publications
MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective review of patients who had surgery for primary hyperparathyroidism at our institution during the period 2005 to 2014 was carried out. Individuals with positive, as opposed to those with negative preoperative imaging, were compared with regard to whether they underwent limited focal or bilateral neck exploration. Length of hospital stay (LOHS) was also compared between patients who underwent limited versus bilateral exploration.
RESULTS: Fifty-eight patients who had preoperative imaging and surgery were evaluated. True positive rates of sestamibi, ultrasound and 4-dimensional (4D) computed tomography (CT) scans were 63.8%, 72.4% and 90%, respectively. Eighty percent of patients who had positive localisation had limited exploration. LOHS was 2.8 days (1.6, 4.8) and 4.3 days (2.1, 9.0) for limited and bilateral exploration respectively, P = 0.011.
CONCLUSION: Our study highlights the marked change in the surgical landscape for primary hyperparathyroidism in the last 2 decades in Singapore. Improved preoperative localisation has resulted in a swing from predominantly bilateral, to limited exploration in almost all cases of primary hyperparathyroidism due to solitary adenoma. LOHS was significantly shorter in patients who had limited as compared to those who had bilateral exploration.
Human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 status of breast cancer patients in Asia: Results from a large, multicountry study.
Asia Pac J Clin Oncol. 2016; 12(4):369-379 [PubMed] Related Publications
METHODS: Pathology laboratories submitted data on breast cancers consecutively tested for HER2 over a two-year period. The proportion of HER2-positive, -equivocal and -negative tumors was determined for each country and overall. HER2-positivity rate by age and histological grade was also determined.
RESULTS: HER2 results from 30 179 breast cancers were submitted by 96 laboratories. The overall HER2-positivity rate was 23.5%; the rate between countries ranged from 19.7% to 44.2%, and from 4.4% to 51.6% between laboratories. An equivocal HER2 result was recorded in 18.2% of cases. Discrepancies between laboratories suggest that testing expertise contributes to variations seen in HER2 status across laboratories, as well as the generally higher rate of HER2-positivity that was recorded.
CONCLUSION: In this study, the incidence of HER2-positive breast cancer diagnosed in Asian women was higher than published studies on women from Western countries. In addition, the study found that women in Asian countries presented with breast cancer at an earlier age, with a higher histological grade. This study serves to highlight the challenges with HER2 testing and data collection in a large multicenter Asian cohort.
Association of CYP1A1 MspI polymorphism with oral cancer risk in Asian populations: a meta-analysis.
Genet Mol Res. 2016; 15(2) [PubMed] Related Publications
An East Asian subgroup analysis of PROCLAIM, a phase III trial of pemetrexed and cisplatin or etoposide and cisplatin plus thoracic radiation therapy followed by consolidation chemotherapy in locally advanced nonsquamous non-small cell lung cancer.
Asia Pac J Clin Oncol. 2016; 12(4):380-387 [PubMed] Related Publications
METHODS: A subgroup analysis was performed for all patients randomized from China (n = 61), Taiwan (n = 25), and Korea (n = 11).
RESULTS: Baseline characteristics were balanced between treatment arms for East Asian patients. In the 97 randomized East Asian patients, median overall survival was 26.8 months for the pemetrexed-cisplatin arm and 36.3 months for the etoposide-cisplatin arm (hazard ratio: 1.23; 95% confidence interval: 0.70-2.14; P = 0.469). Median progression-free survival was 10.0 months for the pemetrexed-cisplatin arm and 7.6 months for the etoposide-cisplatin arm (hazard ratio: 0.97; 95% confidence interval: 0.61-1.54; P = 0.890). The objective response rate was 47.7% in the pemetrexed-cisplatin arm and 34.0% in the etoposide-cisplatin arm (P = 0.167). In the 90 treated East Asian patients, the overall incidence of drug-related grade 3-4 treatment-emergent adverse events was significantly lower in the pemetrexed-cisplatin arm versus the etoposide-cisplatin arm (61.4% vs 91.3%; P = 0.001).
CONCLUSION: For East Asian patients, pemetrexed-cisplatin combined with thoracic radiation therapy, followed by consolidation pemetrexed, did not improve overall survival but did have a good safety profile with a trend for improved progression-free survival and objective response rate compared to standard chemoradiotherapy for stage III unresectable nonsquamous non-small cell lung cancer.
Hemophagocytosis-Related (Asian Variant) Intravascular Large B-Cell Lymphoma in a Hispanic Patient: A Case Report Highlighting a Micronodular Pattern in the Spleen.
Am J Clin Pathol. 2016; 145(5):727-35 [PubMed] Related Publications
METHODS: Hemophagocytosis-related (Asian variant) IVLBCL was identified at autopsy in a 62-year-old Hispanic woman, in North America, following an antemortem diagnosis of massive splenic involvement by DLBCL with a micronodular pattern, a feature not expected of IVLBCL.
RESULTS: These two apparently distinct lymphoma types demonstrated similar immunophenotypic profiles and IgH gene rearrangements of identical size suggesting a clonal relationship. The 2008 WHO classification system describes IVLBCL in the spleen as having a sinusoidal pattern.
CONCLUSIONS: Our observations provide the first molecular genetic support for a seemingly underrecognized micronodular pattern of IVLBCL in the spleen and further support the proposal of a "mixed variant" of IVLBCL with concomitant "intravascular" and "solid" phases of disease.
Robot-Assisted Radical Prostatectomy for Localized Prostate Cancer in Asian Renal Transplant Recipients.
Transplant Proc. 2016; 48(3):905-9 [PubMed] Related Publications
METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 236 patients who underwent RARP for localized prostate cancer at our institution between August 2011 and July 2015 and identified 3 patients who were RTRs. We reviewed the available clinical data of the 3 patients.
RESULTS: All patients underwent RARP successfully without any major complications. The mean operation time was 162 minutes (range, 127-195 minutes). The mean estimated blood loss was 52 mL (range, 30-75 mL); therefore, the patients did not need any perioperative blood transfusion. In all cases, graft function, as determined according to the serum creatinine level, was stable during and after the operation. Pathological examination showed negative surgical margins with organ-confined disease in all patients.
CONCLUSIONS: We reported 3 RTRs with localized prostate cancer who were treated with RARP. RARP might be a feasible and effective minimally invasive technique for the treatment of localized prostate cancer in carefully selected RTRs.
Management of non-muscle invasive bladder cancer: A comprehensive analysis of guidelines from the United States, Europe and Asia.
Cancer Treat Rev. 2016; 47:22-31 [PubMed] Related Publications
Incidence and Mortality of Liver Cancer and Their Relationship with Development in Asia.
Asian Pac J Cancer Prev. 2016; 17(4):2041-7 [PubMed] Related Publications
MATERIALS AND METHODS: This ecological study was based on GLOBOCAN data for Asian countries. We assessed correlations between standardized incidence rates (SIR) and standardized mortality rates (SMR) of LC with HDI and its components using of SPSS18.
RESULTS: A total of 582,420 incident cases and 557,097 deaths were recorded in Asian countries in 2012. The five with the highest SIR were Mongolia, Lao PDR, Vietnam, Republic of Korea and Thailand and those with the highest SMR were Mongolia, Lao PDR, Vietnam, Cambodia and Thailand. A negative relation was observed between HDI and LC for SIR of 0.049 (P=0.748) and for SMR of 0.07 (P=0.645), with life expectancy at birth a positive relation for SIR of 0.061 (P=0.687) and a negative relation for SMR of 0.079 (P=0.603), with the average years of education a negative relation fo SIR of 0.476 (p=0.952) and for SMR of 0.032 (P=0.832), and with the country income level per person a negative relation for SMI of 0.11 (p=0.465) and for SMR of 0.113 (P=0.455).
CONCLUSIONS: The incidence of LC is more in less developed and developing countries but statistically significant correlations were not found between standardized incidence and mortality rates of LC, and HDI and its dimensions.
Epidemiology, Incidence and Mortality of Breast Cancer in Asia.
Asian Pac J Cancer Prev. 2016; 17 Spec No.:47-52 [PubMed] Related Publications
Oral cancer awareness in young South-Asian communities in London.
Community Dent Health. 2016; 33(1):60-4 [PubMed] Related Publications
RESEARCH DESIGN: Cross-sectional questionnaire survey.
PARTICIPANTS: South Asians aged 18-44 years attending community centres or places of worship in London.
MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Oral cancer awareness; health-related behaviours.
RESULTS: Respondents (n = 201) were mainly male (61%), Indian (77%) and Hindu (35%). Over half (58%; n = 113) had one or more negative health-related behaviours and only 18% had attended a dentist in the previous two years. Chewing paan with betel nut (OR = 4.08, 95% CI = 1.58-10.59, p < 0.01), and time since last visit to a dentist (OR = 4.90, 95% CI = 2.13-11.28, p < 0.01) were independently associated with respondents level of knowledge of mouth cancer; the former positively and the latter negatively.
CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that young adults in the South Asian Community are exposed to a number of risk factors for oral cancer yet have poor knowledge of the implications of these health-related behaviours, and ways in which oral cancer can be detected earlier. The survey highlighted specific issues for action.
Characteristics of Venous Thromboembolism in Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma in East Asian Ethnics: A Large Population-Based Observational Study.
Medicine (Baltimore). 2016; 95(17):e3472 [PubMed] Free Access to Full Article Related Publications
Management of breast cancer in an Asian man with post-traumatic stress disorder: a case report.
J Med Case Rep. 2016; 10(1):77 [PubMed] Free Access to Full Article Related Publications
CASE PRESENTATION: A focused ethnographic case study and in-depth interview was used to gain qualitative data and insight into the personal experiences of a male Afghan asylum seeker, age unknown (estimated to be in his 30s), with post-traumatic stress disorder who was electively admitted into hospital for the investigation of a suspicious lump in his left breast, which was subsequently found to be breast cancer. He was extremely reluctant to accept a breast cancer diagnosis and initially would not consent to any treatment, preferring to seek further opinion. During consultation with various members of the breast team he continually declined to accept the diagnosis and felt there was an error in the investigative protocol. Through the involvement of a Muslim nurse, fluent in Urdu and knowledgeable of the Afghan culture and religious background, we learned about his experiences and feelings; he opened up to her about his experiences in Afghanistan, detailing his experiences of trauma as a result of war, and disclosing that he had been diagnosed as having post-traumatic stress disorder by his physician. He saw breast cancer as a "woman's disease" which deeply affected his feelings of masculinity and left him feeling vulnerable.
CONCLUSIONS: While sensitivity is undoubtedly required when diagnosing gender-biased conditions such as breast cancer in men, our experience showed this is exacerbated in ethnic minority groups where language barriers often exist and awareness of cultural differences is required. Awareness of the possibility of post-traumatic stress disorder in migrant populations from conflict-torn areas is also recommended during consultation.
Breast and cervical cancer screening among Asian subgroups in the USA: estimates from the National Health Interview Survey, 2008, 2010, and 2013.
Cancer Causes Control. 2016; 27(6):825-9 [PubMed] Related Publications
METHODS: Using data from the National Health Interview Survey (2008, 2010, and 2013), we calculated weighted proportions for selected Asian subgroups (Asian Indian, Chinese, Filipino, Other Asian) of women reporting mammography and Pap test use.
RESULTS: The proportion of women aged 50-74 years who reported a mammogram within the past 2 years did not differ significantly across Asian subgroups. The proportion of women aged 21-65 years who received a Pap test within the past 3 years differed significantly across Asian subgroups, with lower proportions among Asian Indian, Chinese, and Other Asian women. Recent immigrants, those without a usual source of care, and women with public or no health insurance had lower proportions of breast and cervical cancer screening test use.
CONCLUSIONS: Patterns of mammography and Pap test use vary among subgroups of Asian women, by length of residency in the USA, insurance status, usual source of care, and type of cancer screening test. These findings highlight certain Asian subgroups continue to face significant barriers to cancer screening test use.
UICC International Session: What are the implications of sharing the concept of Universal Health Coverage for cancer in Asia?
Cancer Sci. 2016; 107(4):556-63 [PubMed] Free Access to Full Article Related Publications
Safety and efficacy of aflibercept in combination with fluorouracil, leucovorin and irinotecan in the treatment of Asian patients with metastatic colorectal cancer.
Asia Pac J Clin Oncol. 2016; 12(3):275-83 [PubMed] Related Publications
METHODS: This is a retrospective analysis of 19 mCRC patients who received FOLFIRI and aflibercept (4 mg/kg intravenously) every 2 weeks via a Named Patient Program (supported by Sanofi Aventis) in Singapore. Treatment was administered until disease progression or unacceptable toxicities. Kaplan-Meier method was used to estimate progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS). Efficacy and toxicities were summarized using descriptive statistics. Statistical analysis was performed using STATA 12.0 software.
RESULTS: The majority (84%) of the patients were of chinese ethnicity. The median age was 59 years, with 63.2% of the patients having an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group status of 1. Four patients (21.1%) achieved partial response and 8 patients (42.1%) achieved stable disease. After a median follow-up of 9.6 months [95% confidence interval (CI), 2.2-13.1 months], the median OS was 11.6 months (95% CI, 6.1 to not-estimable), and median PFS was 4.1 months (95% CI, 2.2-5.9). Majority of the toxicities were grade 1-2, and include leucopenia (84.2%), anemia (73.7%), liver enzyme elevation (68.4%) and fatigue (68.4%). The most frequently reported grade 3 toxicities were neutropenia and neutropenic complications (both 15.8%). All adverse events resolved with supportive management.
CONCLUSION: The clinical benefit and safety profile of the combination of FOLFIRI/aflibercept in Asian patients with mCRC are consistent with that of Western population. FOLFIRI/aflibercept may be an appropriate therapeutic option in Asian patients with mCRC previously treated with an oxaliplatin-based regimen.