Impact of time period and birth cohort on the trend of advanced neoplasm prevalence in the 40-49 average-risk screening population.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Early-onset colorectal cancer (CRC) is increasing globally. While the United States have lowered the age of initiation of screening to 45, other countries still start screening at age 50. In Taiwan, the incidence of CRC has declined in 55-74 year-olds after the initiation of screening, but still increased in those 50-54, potentially due to rising precancerous lesion incidence in 40-49 year-olds. This study aimed to explore the chronological trend of the prevalence of colorectal advanced neoplasms (AN) in the screening population aged 40-54. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed a screening colonoscopy cohort for prevalence of AN in average-risk subjects aged 40-54 from 2003 to 2019. Logistic regression was used to distinguish cohort effect from time-period effect on the prevalence of AN. RESULTS: In total, 27,805 subjects (52.1% male) men were enrolled. There were notable increases in prevalence of AN in all three age groups during the 17-year span, but these were more rapid in age 40-44 (0.99% to 3.22%) and 45-49 (2.50% to 4.19%). Age 50-54 had higher risk of AN [aOR=1.62(1.19-2.19)] in 2003-2008 but not in later periods [2009-2014: aOR=1.08(0.83-1.41)] and [2015-2019: aOR=0.76(0.56-1.03)] when compared with age 45-49. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of AN in age 40-54 increased in the Taiwanese population, with a later birth cohort having a higher prevalence of AN. However, the prevalence of AN in age 45-49 increased more remarkably and approximated that in age 50-54, which may justify earlier initiation of CRC screening at age 45.

Cervical cancer: Part II the landscape of treatment for persistent, recurrent and metastatic diseases (I).

The WHO (World Health Organization) conducted an elimination of cervical cancer program using triple pillar intervention strategy to target 90%-70%-90% of women before the year 2030, including (1) a full vaccination of HPV (human papillomavirus) vaccine to 90% of girls <15 years of age; (2) a high-performance screening procedure to 70% of women during the reproductive age (at the age of 35 and 45 years of age); and (3) an appropriate and adequate treatment to 90% of women with confirmed diagnosis of cervical lesions. Among the aforementioned three pillars, a full HPV vaccination has been introduced in our previous review, of which we have discussed the policy and strategy of HPV vaccination in the world and also reviewed the efficacy of HPV vaccination, with a successful reduction of over 90% of HPV-associated neoplasms. The aims of the current review will target another pillar-an appropriate and adequate treatment to 90% of women with confirmed diagnosis of cervical lesions. Since the early-stage cervical cancer has a favorable outcome and the treatment recommendation has been established, therefore, the current review focuses on women with persistent, recurrent and metastatic cervical cancers (advanced cervical cancers), which are still a biggest challenge based on its extremely worse outcomes before the introduction of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs). Integration of ICIs into conventional chemotherapy (paclitaxel-cisplatin) has become the new standard therapy for those patients with advanced cervical cancers. The recent clinical trials, such as KENOTE 826 and KENOTE A18 showing a dramatical improvement of both progression free survival and overall survival have approved the therapeutic efficacy of this combination as ICI plus paclitaxel-platinum (cisplatin or carboplatin) with/without bevacizumab to women with persistent, recurrent and metastatic cervical cancers.

Surgery-based radiation-free multimodality treatment for locally advanced cervical cancer.

The current review described a 55-year woman using 28 months to finish her surgery-based radiation-free multimodality treatment journey to fight International Federation of Gynaecology & Obstetrics (FIGO) 2018 clinical stage IIA2 (cT2aN0M0) squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the cervix. She received six cycles of perioperative adjuvant therapy, including three cycles of neoadjuvant therapy (NAT) and three cycles of postoperative adjuvant therapy by using combination of dose-dense chemotherapy (CT, weekly paclitaxel 80 mg/m2+triweekly cisplatin 40 mg/m2), immunotherapy (IO, triweekly pembrolizumab 200 mg) and half-dose anti-angiogenic agent (triweekly bevacizumab 7.5 mg/kg) plus interval radical surgery (radical hysterectomy + bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy + bilateral pelvic lymph node dissection + para-aortic lymph node sampling) and following maintenance therapy with monthly 22 cycles of half-dose of IO (pembrolizumab 100 mg) and concomitant 4 cycles of single-agent CT (paclitaxel 175 mg/m2) and 18 cycles of half-dose anti-angiogenic agent (bevacizumab 7.5 mg/kg). During the cervical SCC fighting journey, two unwanted adverse events (AEs) occurred. One was pseudo-progressive disease during the NAT treatment and pathology-confirmed upgrading FIGO stage IIIC1p (ypT2a1N1M0) after radical surgery and the other was the occurrence of hypothyroidism during the post operative adjuvant therapy. Based on this case we presented, we review the recent trend in the management of women with locally advanced cervical cancer (LACC) using the radiation-free but surgery-based multimodality strategy and highlight the strengths and limitations about perioperative adjuvant therapy with dose-dense CT + IO + half-dose anti-angiogenic agent and maintenance treatment of half-dose IO combining with short-term single agent CT and following long-term half-dose anti-angiogenic agent. All underscore the possibility that women with LACC have an opportunity to receive surgery-based RT-free multi-modality strategy to manage their diseases with satisfactory results. Additionally, the evolving role of IO plus CT with/without anti-angiogenic agent functioning as either primary treatment or adjuvant therapy for the treatment of advanced CC has been in process continuously. Moreover, the patient's positive response to IO, pembrolizumab as an example, both during the primary and maintenance therapy, highlights the importance of integrating IO into CT regimens for CC, especially in cases where conventional therapies, RT as an example, are insufficient or who do not want to receive RT-based treatment. The sustained disease-free status of the patient over several years reinforces the potential of IO to significantly increase long-term survival outcomes in CC patients, particularly for those with LACC.

Diagnostic Impacts of Aldehyde Dehydrogenase 2 Genetic Variants on Hepatocellular Carcinoma Susceptibility.

Background/Aim: The role of alcohol consumption and aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 (ALDH2) genotype in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) development remains uncertain. Materials and Methods: We conducted genotyping of the ALDH2 rs671 single nucleotide polymorphism in 298 patients with HCC and 889 non-cancerous healthy controls. We assessed associations stratified by sex and alcohol consumption status. Results: Distribution of ALDH2 rs671 variant genotypes differed significantly between HCC patients and controls (ptrend=0.0311). Logistic regression analyses indicated that compared to the wild-type GG genotype, the heterozygous variant AG genotype and homozygous variant AA genotype conferred 1.22- and 1.77-fold increases in HCC risk (p=0.1794 and 0.0150, respectively). Allelic frequency analysis showed that the A allele was associated with a 1.29-fold increased HCC risk (p=0.0123). Additionally, AA genotype carriers had significantly higher HCC risk than GG genotype carriers among males (p=0.0145) and non-alcohol drinkers (p<0.001). Conclusion: HCC risk is influenced by ALDH2 genotype, with effects modified by sex and alcohol consumption. Particularly, individuals with the ALDH2 rs671 AA genotype should avoid alcohol consumption, especially males.

Familial coaggregation of major psychiatric disorders and neurodevelopmental disorders among first-degree relatives of individuals with generalized anxiety disorder.

BACKGROUND: Anxiety disorders, major psychiatric disorders (e.g., schizophrenia and major affective disorders), and neurodevelopmental disorders (e.g., autism and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder [ADHD]) may cluster together within families. However, whether the first-degree relatives (FDRs) of individuals with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) are at an elevated risk of neurodevelopmental or major psychiatric disorders remains unknown. METHODS: We identified 2,378,190 FDRs of patients with GAD and 9,512,760 birth year-matched and sex-matched controls from Taiwan's National Health Insurance Research Database. Neurodevelopmental disorders, including autism and ADHD, and major psychiatric disorders, including schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, major depressive disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and GAD, were identified. RESULTS: The FDRs-parents, offspring, and siblings-of individuals with GAD were more likely to be diagnosed as having schizophrenia (relative risk: 1.22), bipolar disorder (1.36), major depressive disorder (1.29), autism (1.20), ADHD (1.52), obsessive-compulsive disorder (1.21), and GAD (1.61) than are the FDRs of individuals without GAD. CONCLUSION: Our findings support the notion of a familial coaggregation between GAD, major psychiatric disorders, and neurodevelopmental disorders. Future studies should elucidate the definitive genetic etiology of this familial coaggregation.

Urine Protein to Creatinine Ratio for the Assessment of Bevacizumab-Associated Proteinuria in Patients with Gynecologic Cancers: A Diagnostic and Quality Improvement Study.

Proteinuria is a common adverse event arising from treatment with bevacizumab, requiring diagnostic testing via 24-h urine collection. However, this method is cumbersome. We assessed urine screenings in gynecologic cancer patients from February 2021 to May 2022. Along with a simple urine dipstick (UD), the urine microalbumin, total protein, and creatinine were measured and calculated as the urine albumin to creatinine ratio (UACR) and the urine protein to creatinine ratio (UPCR), which were further adjusted through the Modification of Diet in Renal Disease and Chronic Kidney Disease Epidemiology Collaboration equations to be estimated and correlated with 24-h urine total protein content. The incremental cost-effectiveness ratio was used for cost analysis. There were 129 urine samples from 36 patients. The sensitivity and specificity for the UACR were 0.56 and 0.97, and for the UPCR, 0.71 and 0.88, respectively. The 24-h TP correlated strongly with the UACR (r = 0.75; p < 0.001) and UPCR (r = 0.79; p < 0.001) and fair for the simple UD (r = 0.35; p < 0.001). The UPCR saves one unnecessary 24-h urine test for less than a dollar compared to a simple UD. The results indicate that using the UPCR could enhance diagnostic accuracy, lower costs, and reduce unnecessary 24-h urine sampling.

Periostracum Cicadae exhibits immunosuppressive effects on dendritic cells and contact hypersensitivity responses.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Periostracum Cicadae (PC), the molted exoskeleton of the cicada Cryptotympana pustulata Fabricius, is frequently employed in Chinese herbal medicine. Based on traditional therapies and pharmacological studies, PC appears to have immunomodulatory activity. However, the specific impact of PC on immunomodulation, particularly its effect on dendritic cells (DCs), remains unknown. DCs act professionally as antigen-presenting cells that trigger adaptive immune responses, making them critical for immunomodulation. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The DCs derived from mouse bone marrow were used to examine the suppressive effect of PC extract on DC activation and maturation. The in vivo suppressive effect was evaluated using a mouse model of contact hypersensitivity (CHS) responses. The determination of the substances in the sample was performed by Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry/mass spectrometry. RESULTS: The ethyl acetate extract of PC (PCEA) significantly decreased the expressions of proinflammatory cytokines (IL-12, interleukin [IL]-6, as well as tumor necrosis factor [TNF]-α) and surface markers CD80 and CD86 in lipopolysaccharide-stimulated DCs. In the 2,4-dinitro-1-fluorobenzene-induced CHS mouse model, PCEA treatment dramatically attenuated the severity of symptoms. This was evidenced by the alleviation of ear swelling and a reduction in the count of infiltrating CD3+ T cells in the tested ears. In addition, N-acetyldopamine dimer and trimer were identified as major components. CONCLUSION: This study is the first to show that components derived from PCEA inhibit the activation and maturation of DCs as well as CHS responses, indicating they have the potential for treating delayed-type hypersensitivity or DC-related immune disorders.

Evaluating the effectiveness of illness script teaching on clinical reasoning skills in post-baccalaureate nursing students.

BACKGROUND: Typically, nurse education curricula are separated into the teaching of theoretical knowledge and practical skills. This separation may hinder nursing students' development of clinical reasoning skills, making it difficult for them to prioritize tasks and make decisions about interventions. Illness scripts have been shown to help medical students improve their clinical reasoning skills; however, they are rarely used in nurse education. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the influence of illness script teaching method on post-baccalaureate nursing students' clinical reasoning skills. DESIGN: The study adopted a single-arm quantitative pre-experimental research design and incorporated qualitative focus group discussions. SETTINGS/PARTICIPANTS: This study was conducted at a university in northern Taiwan. Participants included 35 post-baccalaureate nursing students who were enrolled in an elective course focused on clinical skills. METHODS: To enhance nursing students' clinical reasoning skills, illness scripts for five clinical scenarios were developed and implemented as part of their curriculum. The Nurses Clinical Reasoning Scale was utilized to assess self-rated clinical reasoning abilities, while dual-teacher scoring was used to evaluate clinical reasoning objectively. The VARK learning preference questionnaire was used to examine how learning preferences affect learning outcomes. After the course, semi-structured focus groups were held to collect student feedback on the effectiveness of the teaching methods and the learning outcomes. RESULTS: This study's quantitative and qualitative results show that illness script-based teaching improves nursing students' clinical reasoning. Quantitative results showed significant objective reasoning score improvements. However, minimal changes in self-rated scores suggest a learning style-influenced gap between perceived and actual abilities. Qualitative findings showed that students valued linking clinical issues to practical applications but struggled with knowledge gaps and engagement. CONCLUSIONS: The illness script teaching method improved students' understanding of clinical scenarios and enhanced their clinical reasoning abilities. Incorporating illness scripts into nurse education was beneficial for nursing students.

Ovatodiolide inhibits endometrial cancer stemness via reactive oxygen species-mediated DNA damage and cell cycle arrest.

Endometrial cancer (EC) is a common gynecological cancer worldwide, often associated with a poor prognosis after recurrence or metastasis. Ovatodiolide (OVA) is a macrocyclic diterpenoid derived from Anisomeles indica that shows anticancer effects in various malignancies. This study aimed to evaluate the cytotoxic effects of OVA on EC cell proliferation and cancer stem cell (CSC) activity and explore its underlying molecular mechanisms. OVA treatment dose-dependently reduced the viability and colony formation of three EC cell lines (AN3CA, HEC-1A, and EMC6). It induced G2/M phase cell cycle arrest, associated with decreased cell division cycle 25C (CDC25C) expression and reduced activation of cyclin-dependent kinases 1 (CDK1) and 2 (CDK2). OVA also increased reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and DNA damage, activating the DNA damage-sensitive cell cycle checkpoint kinases 1 (CHK1) and 2 (CHK2) and upregulating the DNA damage marker γ-H2A.X variant histone (H2AX). It also suppressed the activation of mechanistic target of rapamycin kinase (mTOR) and nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) and downregulated glutathione peroxidase 1 (GPX1), an antioxidant enzyme counteracting oxidative stress. Moreover, OVA reduced the self-renewal capacity of CSCs, reducing the expression of key stemness proteins Nanog homeobox (NANOG) and octamer-binding transcription factor 4 (OCT4). The ROS inhibitor N-acetylcysteine attenuated the anti-proliferative and anti-CSC effects of OVA. Our findings suggest that OVA acts via ROS generation, leading to oxidative stress and DNA damage, culminating in cell cycle arrest and the suppression of CSC activity in EC. Therefore, OVA is a promising therapeutic agent for EC, either as a standalone treatment or an adjunct to existing therapies.

Influence of chronotype on sleep quality and menstrual regularity in nurses on monthly shift rotations.

OBJECTIVES: This study was to investigate factors that influence the sleep quality and menstrual cycles of female rotating-shift nurses. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted in which 213 female rotating-shift nurses between the ages of 20 and 45 were recruited from a medical center in Taiwan from November 1, 2023, to December 31, 2023. Binary logistic regression analysis was performed with regard to sleep quality or menstrual cycle. RESULTS: Female rotating-shift nurses who perceived a higher level of stress (p < .001), were late chronotypes (p = .020), or were working the night shift (p = .006) were more likely to have poor sleep quality. Late-type nurses working the day shift were more likely to have poor sleep quality than were early- and intermediate-type nurses (p < .001). With regard to menstrual cycles, female rotating-shift nurses who perceived a higher level of stress (p = .008), were working the night shift (p < .001), or had poor sleep quality (p = .001) were more likely to have irregular menstrual cycles. Late-type nurses working the day shift were more likely to have irregular menstrual cycles than were early- and intermediate-type nurses (p = .013). CONCLUSIONS: A higher likelihood of poor sleep quality was found in female rotating-shift nurses when they perceived high levels of stress, and the interactions between chronotype and shift type could influence sleep quality. Shift type and the interactions between chronotype and shift type could also influence menstrual regularity.

The effect of low-dose ketamine on electroencephalographic spectrum during gynecology surgery under desflurane anesthesia.

BACKGROUND: The perioperative administration of low-dose ketamine has shown potential in postoperative pain management, opioid sparing, and enhancing pain control. This study aimed to investigate the impact of low-dose ketamine on processed electroencephalography (EEG) signals during anesthesia. METHODS: Forty patients with American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status I-II undergoing elective gynecological surgery were enrolled. EEG monitoring was initiated upon induction of anesthesia. Anesthesia was maintained with desflurane and alfentanil immediately after induction. Fifteen minutes after induction, the ketamine group received a 0.3 mg/kg bolus followed by 0.05 mg/kg/h infusion until completion of surgery. The control group received equivalent saline. Postoperative assessments included pain score (visual analog scale), morphine usage, and quality of recovery. RESULTS: The ketamine group had significantly higher Patient State Index (PSi) values at 10, 20, and 30 minutes after ketamine administration compared to the controls. Ketamine administration led to significant alterations in EEG patterns, including reduced relative power in delta and theta frequency bands, and increased relative power in beta and gamma frequency bands at 10 minutes post-administration. Relative power in the alpha frequency band significantly decreased at 10, 20, and 30 minutes post-administration. However, there were no differences in intraoperative alfentanil consumption, postoperative morphine usage, and pain scores between the two groups. CONCLUSION: Low-dose ketamine administration during desflurane anesthesia led to notable changes in EEG patterns and PSi values. These findings provide valuable insights into the impact of ketamine on brain activity, and offer essential information for clinical anesthesiologists.

Transcriptomics and gut microbiome analysis of the edible herb Bidens pilosa as a functional feed additive to promote growth and metabolism in tilapia (Oreochromis spp.).

To reduce the use of antibiotics and chemicals in aquaculture, an edible herb, Bidens pilosa, has been selected as a multifunctional feed additive. Although there has been considerable research into the effects of B. pilosa on poultry, the wider effects of B. pilosa, particularly on the growth and gut microbiota of fish, remain largely unexplored. We aimed to investigate the interactive effects between the host on growth and the gut microbiota using transcriptomics and the gut microbiota in B. pilosa-fed tilapia. In this study, we added 0.5% and 1% B. pilosa to the diet and observed that the growth performance of tilapia significantly increased over 8 weeks of feeding. Comparative transcriptome analysis was performed on RNA sequence profiles obtained from liver and muscle tissues. Functional enrichment analysis revealed that B. pilosa regulates several pathways and genes involved in amino acid metabolism, lipid metabolism, carbohydrate metabolism, endocrine system, signal transduction, and metabolism of other amino acids. The expression of the selected growth-associated genes was validated by qRT-PCR. The qRT-PCR results indicated that B. pilosa may enhance growth performance by activating the expression of the liver igf1 and muscle igf1rb genes and inhibiting the expression of the muscle negative regulator mstnb. Both the enhancement of liver endocrine IGF1/IGF1Rb signaling and the suppression of muscle autocrine/paracrine MSTN signaling induced the expression of myogenic regulatory factors (MRFs), myod1, myog and mrf4 in muscle to promote muscle growth in tilapia. The predicted function of the gut microbiota showed several significantly different pathways that overlapped with the KEGG enrichment results of differentially expressed genes in the liver transcriptomes. This finding suggested that the gut microbiota may influence liver metabolism through the gut-liver axis in B. pilosa-fed tilapia. In conclusion, dietary B. pilosa can regulate endocrine IGF1 signaling and autocrine/paracrine MSTN signaling to activate the expression of MRFs to promote muscle growth and alter the composition of gut bacteria, which can then affect liver amino acid metabolism, carbohydrate metabolism, endocrine system, lipid metabolism, metabolism of other amino acids, and signal transduction in the host, ultimately enhancing growth performance. Our results suggest that B. pilosa has the potential to be a functional additive that can be used as an alternative to reduce antibiotic use as a growth promoter in aquaculture.

Effect of different inner pressures of air insoles and walking durations on plantar pressure time integral.

Air insoles have provided insights for reducing the risk of diabetic foot ulcers (DFU). The pressure time integral (PTI) is an effective assessment that considers the time effect in various physical activities. We investigated the interactions between three different insole inner pressures (80, 160, and 240 mmHg) and two walking durations (10 and 20 min). The big toe (T1), first metatarsal head (M1), and second metatarsal head (M2) were investigated in 13 healthy participants. One-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) showed that the effects of each insole inner pressure significantly differed (P < 0.05) with a 10 min walking duration. The PTI values resulting from 80 mmHg in M2 (38.4 ± 3.8, P = 0.002) and 160 mmHg in M1 (44.3 ± 4.3, P = 0.027) were lower than those from 240 mmHg. Additionally, the paired t test showed that the effects of each walking duration were also considerably different at 160 mmHg. The PTI at 10 min was lower than that at 20 min in M1 (44.31 ± 4.31, P = 0.015) and M2 (47.14 ± 5.27, P = 0.047). Thus, we suggest that walking with a pressure of 160 mmHg for 10 min has a lower risk of DFU.

Situations and Risk Factors of Unplanned Extubation of Nasogastric Tubes in Inpatients: A Retrospective Study.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study is to understand whether the risk factors of the unplanned extubation (UE) of nasogastric (NG) tubes vary among different inpatient situations. METHODS: Inpatients who experienced UE between 2009 and 2022 at a medical center were selected, and electronic medical records were used to collect patient background data and their conditions during UE. A total of 302 patients were included in our analysis. RESULTS: Conscious patients were at greater risk of UE when coughing, scratching their nose, blowing their nose, or sneezing than those who were confused (odds ratio [OR] = 0.07, P < 0.001) and those who were drowsy or comatose (OR = 0.15, P = 0.026). During activity, repositioning, bathing, or changing incontinence pads, the risk of UE was higher in patients whose hands were not restrained at the time of UE than in those whose hands were restrained (OR = 0.05, P = 0.004), higher in those with companions than in those without companions (OR = 7.78, P = 0.002), and higher in those with longer NG tube placement time (OR = 1.05, P = 0.008). Accidental extubation (OR = 2.62, P = 0.007) occurred more frequently during activity, repositioning, bathing, or changing incontinence pads. CONCLUSIONS: There is an increased risk of UE in conscious patients during activity, repositioning, bathing, or changing incontinence pads. Patients inserted with an NG tube for a longer period of time were at greater risk of accidental extubation during activity, repositioning, bathing, or changing incontinence pads irrespective of whether a companion could aid them if their hands were or were not restrained.

Impacts of Matrix Metalloproteinase-9 Promoter Genotypes on Asthma Risk.

BACKGROUND/AIM: The overexpression of matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP9) has been observed in asthmatic patients, yet the role of MMP9 genotype in determining asthma susceptibility remains unresolved. This study aimed to elucidate the contribution of MMP9 promoter rs3918242 genotype to asthma risk in Taiwan. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A cohort comprising 453 non-asthmatic healthy controls and 198 asthmatic cases was assembled, and the MMP9 rs3918242 genotypes were determined using polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism methodology. RESULTS: Our findings indicated that people carrying the variant CT or TT genotype of MMP9 rs3918242 did not demonstrate an elevated risk of asthma compared to wild-type CC carriers (odds ratio=1.28 and 1.72, 95% confidence interval=0.87-1.87 and 0.72-4.13; p=0.2417 and 0.3201, respectively). Furthermore, individuals carrying the T allele at MMP9 rs3918242 did not exhibit a higher risk of asthma than those carrying the C allele (odds ratio=1.31, 95% confidence interval=0.96-1.79, p=0.0869). Interestingly, a positive association was observed between MMP9 rs3918242 CT or TT genotypes and the severity of asthma symptoms among asthmatic patients (p=0.0035). CONCLUSION: Although the T allele at MMP9 rs3918242 was not associated with asthma risk, it may serve as a predictor for asthma symptom severity. These findings warrant validation in larger and more diverse populations to further elucidate the significance of MMP9 in asthma etiology.

Impacts of Matrix Metalloproteinase-2 Promoter Genotypes on Breast Cancer Risk.

BACKGROUND/AIM: Matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) has been implicated in the pathogenesis of breast cancer (BC). However, there is limited research on the role of MMP-2 genotypes in BC risk. This study aimed to investigate the associations between two MMP-2 promoter polymorphisms, rs243865 and rs2285053, and BC risk. MATERIALS AND METHODS: MMP-2 genotypes were analyzed using PCR-based RFLP methodology in a cohort comprising 1,232 BC cases and 1,232 controls. RESULTS: Genotypic frequencies of MMP-2 rs243865 and rs2285053 in controls were consistent with Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium (p=0.3702 and 0.2036, respectively). There were no significant differences in the distribution of rs243865 and rs2285053 genotypes between BC cases and controls (p for trend=0.1602 and 0.2170, respectively). Variant genotypes at rs243865 and rs2285053 appeared to confer a protective effect, although not statistically significant (all p>0.05). Similarly, the variant T allele at rs243865 and rs2285053 showed a non-significant trend towards decreased BC risk (OR=0.84 and 0.89, 95%CI=0.69-1.02 and 0.78-1.02, p=0.0811 and 0.1043, respectively). There was no interaction observed between MMP-2 rs243865 or rs2285053 genotypes and age. Stratified analysis did not reveal significant associations between MMP-2 rs243865 or rs2285053 genotypes and triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) (p=0.6458 and 0.8745, respectively). Among both TNBC and non-TNBC cases, none of the variant genotypes at rs243865 or rs2285053 showed significant associations with TNBC (all p>0.05). CONCLUSION: MMP-2 rs243865 and rs2285053 genotypes appear to have a minimal impact on individual susceptibility to BC or TNBC.

Corrigendum: Risk of primary Sjogren's Syndrome following human papillomavirus infections: a nationwide population-based cohort study.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.967040.].