Carcinogenic Helicobacter pylori in gastric pre-cancer and cancer lesions: Association with tobacco-chewing

AIM: To investigate the low gastric cancer incidence rate relative to the highly prevalent Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection; data relevant to H. pylori infection during gastric carcinogenesis in Indian patients is currently lacking.

Oral Lesions Observed in Tobacco Consumers: Socio-Demographical and Clinical Aspects in the Prefectures of Kankan and Siguiri Republic of Guinea

Introduction: Oral lesions observed in Chewing Tobacco (CT) consumers are histological alterations caused by direct contact with the tissues of the oral cavity. The objectives of this study were to determine the socio-demographic status of consumers and describe the clinical characteristics of the oral lesions observed. Material and Method: It was a descriptive cross-sectional study lasting 12 months (January 2017 to January 2018), in the prefectures of Kankan and Siguiri as a framework. Individuals who use chewing tobacco and whose oral examination revealed oral lesions were included in this study. Results: The frequency of oral lesions induced by the consumption of chewing tobacco was 90%. Dental pain was the most cited reason for using CT by respondents, i.e., 25.41%. The most concerned age group was that of 50 - 64 years or 23.81 with a male predominance of 84.13% (n = 53). A number of 61 respondents came from rural areas. Farmers were the predominant socio-professional group, i.e., 63.49% (n = 40). In 60.32% (n = 38) of respondents, the duration of CT consumption was greater than 10 years. Black villous tongues followed by neoplastic ulcerations were the most common oral lesions with 32 (50.79%) and 14 (22.22%) cases, respectively. The site of the lesion was the tongue in 47 consumers (74.61%) and in the lower vestibule in 15 users (23.80%). Among the oral diseases, mylolysis was the most common, i.e., 95.24% (n = 60). In 82.54% of cases (n = 52), Simplified Oral Hygiene Index (SOHI) was low and in 12.70% (n = 8) of respondents, SOHI was good. Conclusion: Chewing tobacco predisposes to a high risk of damage to the oral cavity and the development of potentially malignant lesions. In addition, it exerts some detrimental effects on the teeth and adjacent structures.

Chewing substances with or without tobacco and risk of cardiovascular disease in Asia:a meta-analysis

Objective:To assess whether people who ever use any form of chewing substance in Asia are at increased risk of cardiovascular disease(CVD).Methods:PubMed and ISI Web of Science were searched for relevant studies,with no limitation on language or study year.Studies were included if they provided quantitative estimate of the association between ever use of chewing substance and the occurrence of CVD.Two authors independently implemented inclusion criteria,abstracted study characteristics,and performed meta-analysis.Summary relative risks were estimated on the basis of a random effect model.We used Q statistic and Egger's test to examine heterogeneity across studies and potential publication bias,respectively.Results:Eight eligible studies were included.The relative risk of CVD for ever using chewing substances with or without tobacco was 1.26(95% confidence interval(CI) 1.12-1.40),which was unchanged when restricted to cohort studies [1.25(1.08-1.42)] or cohort studies in Taiwan [1.31(1.12-1.51)].The summary relative risk for ischemic heart disease was 1.27(1.02-1.52),and was lowered to 1.26(0.85-1.67) after exclusion of a cross-sectional study.The overall relative risk for cerebrovascular disease was 1.32(1.08-1.56).On the basis of the Taiwan data,the summary relative risk of CVD for betel(Areca catechu) chewing was 1.30(1.17-1.44).Data on dose-response were limited to betel chewing in Taiwan,suggesting a relationship between risk of CVD and cumulative exposure.Two large cohorts in Taiwan reported a greater risk of CVD with betel chewing than with smoking.Conclusions:An association was detected between betel chewing with or without tobacco and the risk of CVD.Betel chewing may impose a greater CVD risk than smoking.More effort is needed in developing betel chewing cessation programmes.The relationship between betel chewing and subgroups of CVD requires further investigation.

Effect of Medical Qigong Therapy on Distress,Fatigue,and Quality of Life in Head and Neck Cancer Patients Undergoing Intensity-Modulated Radiation Therapy:A Single Arm Clinical Trial

Background:Cancer of Head and Neck(HNC)is the 2 nd common cancer in India leading to around 8%of the global cancer mortality.Intensity-modulated radiation therapy(IMRT)is advanced method minimizing exposure of radiation to adjacent normal structures but is associated with higher fatigue indirectly elevating distress levels.Medical Qigong(MQ),a meditative mind therapy has numerous health benefits.The purpose of the current study was to investigate effect of MQ therapy on distress,fatigue,and quality of life in HNC patients undergoing IMRT.Materials and Methods:This experimental study was conducted on 16 Hospitalized HNC subjects undergoing IMRT aged 18–65 years.All the subjects performed Qigong Walk Cycle for 5 weekdays for 4 weeks from initiation of IMRT.Scores of Brief Fatigue Inventory(BFI),6 min walk distance(6 MWD),Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Head and Neck(FACT-HN)were documented at the baseline and at end of 4 th week and compared.Results:IBM SPSS Statistics version 23.0;Indian version of Windows was used for statistical analysis.The 16 HNC subjects majorly rural residents(62.5%)of mean age group 47.68±10.25 years with tobacco chewing as prevalent habit(94%)with maximum cases recorded in stage III of the disease.The pre and post test score comparison of serum cortisol,BFI and 6 MWD found high statistical significance with P=0.001 while that of the total and all components of FACT HN was found to be significant with P≤0.05.Conclusion:MQ therapy was effective in managing the levels of distress and fatigue thereby improving quality of life of all HNC subjects.