Acta oncologica
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We present up to 45 years of cancer incidence data by occupational category for the Nordic populations. The study covers the 15 million people aged 30-64 years in the 1960, 1970, 1980/1981 and/or 1990 censuses in Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden, and the 2.8 million incident cancer cases diagnosed in these people in a follow-up until about 2005. The study was undertaken as a cohort study with linkage of individual records based on the personal identity codes used in all the Nordic countries. ⋯ Subsequent studies will focus on associations between specific work-related factors and cancer diseases with the aim to identify exposure-response patterns. In addition to the cancer data demonstrated in the present publication, the NOCCA project produced Nordic Job Exposure Matrix (described in separate articles in this issue of Acta Oncologica) that transforms information about occupational title histories to quantitative estimates of specific exposures. The third essential component is methodological development related to analysis and interpretation of results based on averaged information of exposures and co-factors in the occupational categories.
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Comparative Study
The normal tissue sparing obtained with simultaneous treatment of pelvic lymph nodes and bladder using intensity-modulated radiotherapy.
We have implemented an intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) protocol for simultaneous irradiation of bladder and lymph nodes. In this report, doses to normal tissue from IMRT and our previous conformal sequential boost technique are compared. ⋯ IMRT to the urinary bladder and elective lymph nodes result in considerable normal tissue sparing compared to conformal sequential boost technique. This has paved the way for further studies combining IMRT with image-guided radiotherapy (IGRT) in bladder cancer.
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Cancer-related cognitive impairment has been acknowledged as a substantial limiting factor in quality of life among cancer patients and survivors. In addition to deficits on behavioral measures, abnormalities in neurologic structure and function have been reported. In this paper, we review findings from the literature on cognitive impairment and cancer, potential interventions, meditation and cognitive function, and meditation and cancer. In addition, we offer our hypotheses on how meditation practice may help to alleviate objective and subjective cognitive function, as well as the advantages of incorporating a meditation program into the treatment of cancer patients and survivors for cancer-related cognitive deficits. ⋯ With the increasing success of cancer treatment and the ability to return to previous family, social, and work activities, symptom management and quality of life are an essential part of survivorship. We propose that meditation may help to improve cancer-related cognitive dysfunction, alleviate other cancer-related sequelae, and should be fully investigated as an adjuvant to cancer treatment.
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The purpose of this study was to evaluate the association between response at recurrence to letrozole versus tamoxifen and the expression of estrogen regulated proteins individually and combined in an "ER activity profile" in primary tumor tissue. Our hypothesis is that letrozole may be more effective than tamoxifen for treatment of tumors with high intratumoral estrogen content, whereas tamoxifen may be more efficient for treatment of tumors with high levels of the estrogen receptor (ER) and low intratumoral estrogen content. ⋯ This small sub-study supports our hypothesis that letrozole is superior to tamoxifen primarily in patients expressing high levels of estrogen regulated proteins in the primary tumor tissue. Furthermore, it seems that the "ER activity profile" with high PR, IGF-IR and Bcl-2 is a promising selection criterion, regarding prediction of response to letrozole versus tamoxifen.
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The number of CT examinations performed in Denmark increased from 14,500 examinations in 1979 to 301,617 in 2005. This implies increased radiation dose to the population. On this background, an analysis of the practice for CT examinations including potential limitations of radiation exposure and the associated risk is needed. ⋯ The number of CT examinations at Aarhus Sygehus doubled during a 9 year period. The increase occured especially in middle and high age groups.