Acta oncologica
-
Estrogen receptor-alpha (ERalpha) is an important prognostic and predictive marker in breast cancer. ERalpha signaling normally down-regulates expression of Apolipoprotein D (ApoD), a lipocalin that binds, transports or chelates lipophilic ligands, including tamoxifen (TAM). Hence, the co-expression of ApoD may therefore identify clinical relevant subgroups of ERalpha positive breast cancer patients. ⋯ ERalpha and ApoD(CN) co-expression seems to be of prognostic importance in node positive elderly patients with operable breast cancer. In addition, we hypothesize that ApoD(CN) expression may be a novel marker and/or mechanism of TAM resistance in postmenopausal node positive patients. Thus, when targeting the ERalpha pathway in these patients, the ApoD status of the tumor may be of clinical relevance.
-
Comparative Study
Cognitive function and quality of life after surgery for early breast cancer in North Jutland, Denmark.
The aim of this study was to assess cognitive function, quality of life, and psychological distress after surgery for early breast cancer but before initiation of adjuvant treatment. ⋯ This study demonstrated that women diagnosed with breast cancer experience a significant deterioration of their perceived cognitive functioning, quality of life and of psychological well being.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.