Digestive Cancer (digestive + cancer)

Distribution by Scientific Domains


Selected Abstracts


Occupational asbestos exposure and digestive cancers , a cohort study

ALIMENTARY PHARMACOLOGY & THERAPEUTICS, Issue 4 2009
B. CLIN
Summary Background, Although the role of asbestos in the genesis of mesothelioma and primary bronchopulmonary cancers has been established, results from studies focusing on the relationship between occupational exposure to asbestos and digestive cancer remain contradictory. Aim, To determine whether occupational asbestos exposure increases the incidence of digestive cancers. Methods, Our study was a retrospective morbidity study based on 2024 subjects occupationally exposed to asbestos. The incidence of digestive cancer was calculated from 1st January 1978 to 31st December 2004 and compared with levels among the local general population using Standardized Incidence Ratios. Asbestos exposure was assessed using the company's job exposure matrix. Results, Eighty-five cases of digestive cancer were observed within our cohort, for an expected number of 66.90 (SIR = 1.27 [1.01; 1.57]). A significantly elevated incidence, particularly notable among women, was observed for peritoneal mesothelioma, independently of exposure levels. A significantly elevated incidence was also noted among men for cancer of small intestine and oesophagus, for cumulative exposure indexes for asbestos above 80 fibres/mL × years. A significantly elevated incidence of cancer of the small intestine was also observed among men having been exposed to asbestos for periods in excess of 25 years and for mean exposure levels in excess of 4 fibres/mL. Conclusions, This study suggests the existence of a relationship between exposure to asbestos and cancer of the small intestine and of the oesophagus in men. [source]


Cancer mortality among French nuclear contract workers

AMERICAN JOURNAL OF INDUSTRIAL MEDICINE, Issue 12 2009
Sylvie Guérin PhD
Abstract Background Nuclear workers from French contracting companies have received higher doses than workers from Electricité de France (EDF) or Commissariat à l'Energie Atomique (CEA). Methods A cohort study of 9,815 workers in 11 contracting companies, monitored for exposure to ionizing radiation between 1967 and 2000 were followed up for a median duration of 12.5 years. Standardized mortality ratios (SMRs) were computed. Results Between 1968 and 2002, 250 deaths occurred. Our study demonstrated a clear healthy worker effect (HWE) with mortality attaining half that expected from national mortality statistics (SMR,=,0.54, 95% CI,=,[0.47,0.61]). The HWE was lower for all cancers (SMR,=,0.65) than for non-cancer deaths (SMR,=,0.46). The analysis by cancer site showed no excess compared with the general population. Significant trends were observed according to the level of exposure to ionizing radiation for deaths from cancer, deaths from digestive cancer and deaths from respiratory cancer. Conclusions The mortality of nuclear workers from contracting companies is very low compared to French national mortality. Am. J. Ind. Med. 52:916,925, 2009. © 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source]


Anxiety and depression of patients with digestive cancer

PSYCHIATRY AND CLINICAL NEUROSCIENCES, Issue 5 2005
TOSHIKO MATSUSHITA phd
Abstract This study sought to characterize the psychological status of digestive cancer patients, and to investigate the relationship between psychological characteristics and clinical factors. Subjects were 85 inpatients scheduled to undergo surgery for digestive cancer and 26 control patients. The Japanese versions of Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) and Zung's Self Rating Depression Scale (SDS) were administered for all subjects before surgery, before discharge, and 6 months after discharge. Changes in HADS and SDS scores across the three examination days for three groups of subjects (advanced-phase, early phase, and control groups) were compared. The mean scores of anxiety and depression were significantly higher in the advanced-phase group than in the other two groups. Examination day showed a significant effect on depression; depression increased from before surgery to before discharge, and did not return to the preoperative level at 6 months after discharge, but no significant effect on anxiety. As for the relationship between psychological trends and clinical factors, anxiety in the ,middle age' and ,chemotherapy' groups was more severe than in the ,elderly' and ,no chemotherapy' groups. Depression in the ,medical treatment equipment', ,chemotherapy', and ,long-term hospitalization' groups was more severe than in the ,no equipment', ,no chemotherapy', and ,standard-term hospitalization' groups. These results suggest that we should pay careful attention to cancer patients undergoing surgery, especially young patients who are constantly at risk of anxiety, and assess their depression taking into account their disease and treatment conditions, especially after the time when their discharge is determined. [source]