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International Journal of Environmental... Jun 2020Radon gas is a pulmonary carcinogen and the second leading cause of lung cancer after smoking. There are many countries that have not implemented measures to reduce the...
Radon gas is a pulmonary carcinogen and the second leading cause of lung cancer after smoking. There are many countries that have not implemented measures to reduce the risk it poses to the general population. The aim of this study was to locate available evidence on exposure to residential radon and the regulations to monitor and control this across Central and South America, by conducting a review of the scientific literature and government documents in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. This review included 31 studies which had taken measurements of radon in these countries. While Brazil, Argentina, and Peru have undertaken most research, no country in Central and South America has a national map of exposure to residential radon. The prevalence of exposure to radon was uneven, both among the different countries and within individual countries. No country has regulations to prevent the entry of radon into homes, and nine countries have not set maximum permissible concentrations for residential radon. There is a limited number of studies in South and Central America, with a limited spatial coverage, and there is a need to improve knowledge on exposure to residential radon and its effects, and for governments to take the necessary actions to introduce preventive measures in their statutory regulations.
Topics: Air Pollution, Indoor; Argentina; Brazil; Central America; Environmental Exposure; Humans; Lung Neoplasms; Neoplasms, Radiation-Induced; Peru; Radon
PubMed: 32599800
DOI: 10.3390/ijerph17124550 -
Bioelectromagnetics Apr 2012We conducted a systematic review of scientific studies to evaluate whether the use of wireless phones is linked to an increased incidence of the brain cancer glioma or... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
We conducted a systematic review of scientific studies to evaluate whether the use of wireless phones is linked to an increased incidence of the brain cancer glioma or other tumors of the head (meningioma, acoustic neuroma, and parotid gland), originating in the areas of the head that most absorb radiofrequency (RF) energy from wireless phones. Epidemiology and in vivo studies were evaluated according to an agreed protocol; quality criteria were used to evaluate the studies for narrative synthesis but not for meta-analyses or pooling of results. The epidemiology study results were heterogeneous, with sparse data on long-term use (≥ 10 years). Meta-analyses of the epidemiology studies showed no statistically significant increase in risk (defined as P < 0.05) for adult brain cancer or other head tumors from wireless phone use. Analyses of the in vivo oncogenicity, tumor promotion, and genotoxicity studies also showed no statistically significant relationship between exposure to RF fields and genotoxic damage to brain cells, or the incidence of brain cancers or other tumors of the head. Assessment of the review results using the Hill criteria did not support a causal relationship between wireless phone use and the incidence of adult cancers in the areas of the head that most absorb RF energy from the use of wireless phones. There are insufficient data to make any determinations about longer-term use (≥ 10 years).
Topics: Adult; Brain Neoplasms; Case-Control Studies; Cell Phone; Cohort Studies; Glioma; Humans; Meningeal Neoplasms; Meningioma; Neoplasms, Radiation-Induced; Neuroma, Acoustic; Parotid Neoplasms; Radio Waves; Risk Assessment; Risk Factors
PubMed: 22021071
DOI: 10.1002/bem.20716 -
Acta Oncologica (Stockholm, Sweden) Jan 2020There is conflicting evidence regarding the association between mutations and clinicopathological features of colorectal cancer (CRC). We performed a comprehensive... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
There is conflicting evidence regarding the association between mutations and clinicopathological features of colorectal cancer (CRC). We performed a comprehensive meta-analysis investigating the association between mutations and clinicopathological features in CRC, including subgroup analysis of mutations in exons 9 and 20, to elucidate the role of mutations in CRC. A detailed literature search was performed within the PubMed, Web of Science, and Embase databases, examining the associations between mutations and demographic characteristics, clinicopathologic parameters, and molecular features in patients with CRC. The odds ratios with 95% confidence intervals were used to estimate the effect of mutations on outcome parameters. Forty-four studies enrolling 17621 patients were eligible for inclusion. mutations were associated with proximal tumor location, mucinous differentiation, mutations, and microsatellite instability (MSI). Subgroup analysis demonstrated that exon 9 mutations were positively associated with proximal tumor location and mutations, and negatively associated with mutations and MSI; exon 20 mutations were associated with proximal tumor location, mutations, mutations and MSI. Our findings suggest that overall or exon-specific mutations showed null associations with key clinicopathological parameters, including disease stage and tumor differentiation, indicating that mutations do not predict aggressive clinicopathological characteristics in CRC. As mutations were found to be closely associated with mutations, their relationship warrants further investigation. Since exon 9 and 20 mutations showed different tendencies with regard to mutation and MSI status, they may have distinct molecular impacts on CRC.
Topics: Class I Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases; Colorectal Neoplasms; Humans; Microsatellite Instability; Mutation; Neoplasm Grading; Prognosis; Proto-Oncogene Proteins B-raf; Proto-Oncogene Proteins p21(ras); Signal Transduction
PubMed: 31545109
DOI: 10.1080/0284186X.2019.1664764 -
BioMed Research International 2019Many studies, comparing the health associated risks of electronic cigarettes with conventional cigarettes focus mainly on the common chemical compounds found between... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
Many studies, comparing the health associated risks of electronic cigarettes with conventional cigarettes focus mainly on the common chemical compounds found between them.
AIM
Review chemical compounds found exclusively in electronic cigarettes and describe their toxic effects, focusing on electronic-cigarette-only and dual electronic-cigarette and conventional cigarette users.
DATA SOURCES
Literature search was carried out using PubMed.
STUDY ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA
Articles related exclusively to conventional and electronic cigarettes' chemical composition. Articles which reported to be financed from tobacco or electronic cigarettes industries, not reporting source of funding, not related to the chemical composition of electronic and conventional cigarettes and not relevant to tobacco research were excluded.
METHODS AND RESULTS
Chemical compounds reported in the selected studies were tabulated using the Chemical Abstracts Service registry number for chemical substances information. A total of 50 chemical compounds were exclusively reported to be present in electronic cigarettes. Crucial health risks identified were: eye, skin, and respiratory tract irritation, with almost 50% of incidence, an increment of 10% in cytotoxic effects, when compared to compounds in common with conventional cigarettes and around 11% of compounds with unknown effects to human health.
LIMITATIONS
Articles reporting conflicts of interest.
CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS OF KEY FINDINGS
Despite being considered as less harmful for human health, compounds found in electronic cigarettes are still a matter of research and their effects on health are yet unknown. The use of these devices is not recommended for first time users and it is considered hazardous for dual users.
Topics: Carcinogenesis; Carcinogens; DNA Damage; Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems; Humans; Mutagens; Nicotine; Smoking Cessation; Tobacco Products
PubMed: 31950030
DOI: 10.1155/2019/1386710 -
Leukemia & Lymphoma Jan 2014To evaluate the contribution of association studies of candidate polymorphisms to inherited predisposition to chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), we conducted a... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
To evaluate the contribution of association studies of candidate polymorphisms to inherited predisposition to chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), we conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of published case-control studies. We identified 36 studies which reported on polymorphic variation in 19 genes and CLL risk. Out of the 23 polymorphic variants, significant associations (p < 0.05) were seen in pooled analyses for only four variants: MDR1, rs1045642; LTA, rs2239704; CD38, rs6449182; and IFNGR1, rs4896243. These findings should be interpreted cautiously, as the estimated false positive report probabilities (FPRPs) for each association were not noteworthy (i.e. FPRP > 0.2). While studies of candidate polymorphisms may be an attractive means of identifying risk factors for CLL, the limited power of published studies to demonstrate statistically significant associations makes it essential that future analyses be based on sample sizes well-powered to identify variants having modest effects on CLL risk.
Topics: Apoptosis; Carcinogens; DNA Repair; Genetic Association Studies; Genetic Predisposition to Disease; Humans; Immunity; Leukemia, Lymphocytic, Chronic, B-Cell; Odds Ratio; Polymorphism, Genetic; Risk
PubMed: 23647060
DOI: 10.3109/10428194.2013.800197 -
Indoor Air Sep 2022The last two decades have witnessed rapid urbanization and economic growth accompanied by severe indoor air pollution of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in China.... (Review)
Review
The last two decades have witnessed rapid urbanization and economic growth accompanied by severe indoor air pollution of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in China. However, indoor VOC pollution across China has not been well characterized and documented. This study is a systematic review of field measurements of eight target VOCs (benzene, toluene, xylenes, acetaldehyde, p-dichlorobenzene, butadiene, trichloroethylene, and tetrachloroethylene) in residences, offices, and schools in China from 2000 to 2021. The results show that indoor pollution of benzene, toluene, and xylenes has been more serious in China than in other countries. Spatiotemporal distribution shows lower indoor VOC levels in east and south-east regions and a declining trend from 2000 to 2021. Moving into a dwelling more than 1 year after decoration and improving ventilation could significantly reduce exposure to indoor VOCs. Reducing benzene exposure is urgently needed because it is associated with greater health risks (4.5 × 10 for lifetime cancer risk and 8.3 for hazard quotient) than any other VOCs. The present study enriches the database of indoor VOC levels and provides scientific evidence for improving national indoor air quality standards as well as estimating the attributable disease burden caused by VOCs in China.
Topics: Acetaldehyde; Air Pollutants; Air Pollution, Indoor; Benzene; Butadienes; China; Environmental Monitoring; Risk Assessment; Schools; Tetrachloroethylene; Toluene; Trichloroethylene; Volatile Organic Compounds; Xylenes
PubMed: 36168233
DOI: 10.1111/ina.13091 -
International Journal of Environmental... Jun 2022Energy use in buildings can influence the indoor environment. Studies on green buildings, energy saving measures, energy use, fuel poverty, and ventilation have been... (Review)
Review
Energy use in buildings can influence the indoor environment. Studies on green buildings, energy saving measures, energy use, fuel poverty, and ventilation have been reviewed, following the guidelines of the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) statement. The database PubMed was searched for articles published up to 1 October 2020. In total, 68 relevant peer-reviewed epidemiological or exposure studies on radon, biological agents, and chemicals were included. The main aim was to assess current knowledge on how energy saving measures and energy use can influence health. The included studies concluded that buildings classified as green buildings can improve health. More efficient heating and increased thermal insulation can improve health in homes experiencing fuel poverty. However, energy-saving measures in airtight buildings and thermal insulation without installation of mechanical ventilation can impair health. Energy efficiency retrofits can increase indoor radon which can cause lung cancer. Installation of a mechanical ventilation systems can solve many of the negative effects linked to airtight buildings and energy efficiency retrofits. However, higher ventilation flow can increase the indoor exposure to outdoor air pollutants in areas with high levels of outdoor air pollution. Finally, future research needs concerning energy aspects of buildings and health were identified.
Topics: Air Pollution, Indoor; Conservation of Energy Resources; Housing; Poverty; Radon; Ventilation
PubMed: 35742650
DOI: 10.3390/ijerph19127393 -
Arquivos Brasileiros de Cirurgia... 2019Many published studies have estimated the association of rs2435357 and rs1800858 polymorphisms in the proto-oncogene rearranged during transfection (RET) gene with... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
INTRODUCTION
Many published studies have estimated the association of rs2435357 and rs1800858 polymorphisms in the proto-oncogene rearranged during transfection (RET) gene with Hirschsprung disease (HSCR) risk. However, the results remain inconsistent and controversial.
AIM
To perform a meta-analysis get a more accurate estimation of the association of rs2435357 and rs1800858 polymorphisms in the RET proto-oncogene with HSCR risk.
METHODS
The eligible literatures were searched by PubMed, Google Scholar, EMBASE, and Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) up to June 30, 2018. Summary odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were used to evaluate the susceptibility to HSCR.
RESULTS
A total of 20 studies, including ten (1,136 cases 2,420 controls) for rs2435357 and ten (917 cases 1,159 controls) for rs1800858 were included. The overall results indicated that the rs2435357 (allele model: OR=0.230, 95% CI 0.178-0.298, p=0.001; homozygote model: OR=0.079, 95% CI 0.048-0.130, p=0.001; heterozygote model: OR=0.149, 95% CI 0.048-0.130, p=0.001; dominant model: OR=0.132, 95% CI 0.098-0.179, p=0.001; and recessive model: OR=0.239, 95% CI 0.161-0.353, p=0.001) and rs1800858 (allele model: OR=5.594, 95% CI 3.653-8.877, p=0.001; homozygote model: OR=8.453, 95% CI 3.783-18.890, p=0.001; dominant model: OR=3.469, 95% CI 1.881-6.396, p=0.001; and recessive model: OR=6.120, 95% CI 3.608-10.381, p=0.001) polymorphisms were associated with the increased risk of HSCR in overall.
CONCLUSIONS
The results suggest that the rs2435357 and rs1800858 polymorphisms in the RET proto-oncogene might be associated with HSCR risk.
Topics: Genetic Predisposition to Disease; Hirschsprung Disease; Humans; Polymorphism, Genetic; Proto-Oncogene Mas; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-ret; Sensitivity and Specificity
PubMed: 31644668
DOI: 10.1590/0102-672020190001e1448 -
PloS One 2014Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a heterogeneous disease with multiple underlying causative genetic mutations. The B-type Raf proto-oncogene (BRAF) plays an important role in... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
BACKGROUND
Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a heterogeneous disease with multiple underlying causative genetic mutations. The B-type Raf proto-oncogene (BRAF) plays an important role in the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling cascade during CRC. The presence of BRAFV600E mutation can determine the response of a tumor to chemotherapy. However, the association between the BRAFV600E mutation and the clinicopathological features of CRC remains controversial. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to estimate the effect of BRAFV600E mutation on the clinicopathological characteristics of CRC.
METHODS
We identified studies that examined the effect of BRAFV600E mutation on CRC within the PubMed, ISI Science Citation Index, and Embase databases. The effect of BRAFV600E on outcome parameters was estimated by odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for each study using a fixed effects or random effects model.
RESULTS
25 studies with a total of 11,955 CRC patients met inclusion criteria. The rate of BRAFV600 was 10.8% (1288/11955). The BRAFV600E mutation in CRC was associated with advanced TNM stage, poor differentiation, mucinous histology, microsatellite instability (MSI), CpG island methylator phenotype (CIMP). This mutation was also associated with female gender, older age, proximal colon, and mutL homolog 1 (MLH1) methylation.
CONCLUSIONS
This meta-analysis demonstrated that BRAFV600E mutation was significantly correlated with adverse pathological features of CRC and distinct clinical characteristics. These data suggest that BRAFV600E mutation could be used to supplement standard clinical and pathological staging for the better management of individual CRC patients, and could be considered as a poor prognostic marker for CRC.
Topics: Colorectal Neoplasms; Genetic Association Studies; Genetic Markers; Humans; Mutation, Missense; Odds Ratio; Proto-Oncogene Mas; Proto-Oncogene Proteins B-raf
PubMed: 24594804
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0090607 -
Journal of Epidemiology Sep 2016Benzidine (BZ) and beta-naphthylamine (BNA) have been classified as definite human carcinogens for bladder cancer by the International Agency for Research on Cancer.... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
Benzidine (BZ) and beta-naphthylamine (BNA) have been classified as definite human carcinogens for bladder cancer by the International Agency for Research on Cancer. However, the epidemiological evidence for an association between exposure to BZ and/or BNA and lung cancer has been inconclusive. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to determine the risk for lung cancer among workers exposed to BZ/BNA. A systematic literature search was conducted to identify studies that had reported occupational BZ/BNA exposure and the outcome of interest (lung cancer death and/or incidence). Meta-analyses were performed using random effects models to combine standardized mortality ratios (SMRs) or standardized incidence ratios (SIRs). We identified 23 retrospective cohort studies including 1745 cases of lung cancer; only one study reported smoking-adjusted lung cancer risk. A significantly increased lung cancer risk (pooled SMR/SIR 1.28; 95% CI, 1.14-1.43) was observed by combining all studies, with significant heterogeneity among studies (I(2) = 64.1%, P < 0.001). Effect estimates were higher for studies with direct BZ/BNA exposure (ie, dyestuff and manufacturing industries) (pooled SMR/SIR 1.58; 95% CI, 1.31-1.89), and studies that identified BZ/BNA-associated bladder cancer with SMR/SIR ≥4.7 (pooled SMR/SIR 1.68; 95% CI, 1.35-2.09). Effect estimates were similar for studies with and without concomitant occupational exposure to chromium, asbestos, arsenic, or bis(chloromethyl) ether. The cumulative meta-analysis showed that the evidence of association between occupational BZ/BNA exposure and lung cancer has been stable since 1995. Although the results of this meta-analysis have the potential for confounding by smoking and heterogeneity, our findings suggest that a finding of lung cancer following occupational BZ/BNA exposure should be considered to be a potential occupational disease.
Topics: 2-Naphthylamine; Benzidines; Humans; Incidence; Lung Neoplasms; Occupational Diseases; Occupational Exposure; Retrospective Studies; Risk
PubMed: 26947956
DOI: 10.2188/jea.JE20150233