Risk factors of morbidity after pulmonary resection for lung cancer in patients older than 70 years

Objective This study is to analyse the clinical feature and risk factors of morbidity after pulmonary resection for lung cancer in patients older than 70 years. Methods The clinical records of 222 patients older than 70 years who had undergone pulmonary resection for their lung cancer were reviewed. The patients were divided into 3 groups,group I including the patients who had

Burden of gynaecological cancers in developing countries

Approximately 1：4 of all cancers in women in develop-ing countries （excluding non-melanoma skin cancer） is a gynaecological cancer. The gynaecological cancer burden in developing countries is huge primarily due to the high incidence and mortality of cervical cancer. Cervical cancer accounts for over 60% of the gynaeco-logical cancer burden in developing countries despite being preventable by current technologies. This is due to the absence of effective nationally organized screening programmes in most developing countries. Institution of such programmes, therefore, has the potential to dramatically reduce gynaecological cancer burden in these countries. Subsidized human papil-loma virus （HPV） vaccine and HPV typing as well as cheap screening techniques such as visual inspection aided with acetic acid hold the key to effective preven-tion of cervical cancer in these countries. This is be-cause a signifcant proportion of patients in developing countries are unable to access and avail themselves of the few available preventive, diagnostic and treatment services because of poverty. Although, advocacy and the political will to invest in the development of human resources and healthcare infrastructure appear criti-cal to gynaecological cancer control and reducing the burden of disease in many developing countries, the proposition assumes that resources are truly available for this investment. This may not be true. Many devel-oping countries rely on foreign aids for developmental programmes and these aids have dwindled signifcantly with the current global economic meltdown.

Changing constituents of genitourinary cancer in recent 50 years in Beijing

Objective To assess the changes in constituents of genitourinary cancer inpatients in Beijing following the growing economy of China.Methods Urological inpatients treated from January 1951 to December 2000 at the Institute of Urology, Peking University were studied restrospectively.Results In the period of about 50 years 28 474 urological inpatients were reviewed. Cancer patients aged 0 -25 years and 26 -50 years comprised 19. 5% and 28. 2% , respectively. Since the 1970s the incidence rates of renal cancer and prostate cancer increased dramatically from 10. 4% to 28. 7% and from 3. 3% to 13. 4% , respectively.Conclusion The introduction of new diagnostic instruments, the expansion of the aged population and a high fat diet are considered to be responsible for the change of constituents of genitourimary concer inpatients.