Background:Meta-analyses of the published literature indicate that about 9% of gastric cancers contain Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), with consistent and significant differences by sex and anatomic subsite. This study aimed to identify additional determinants of EBV positivity and their joint effects.Methods:From 15 international populations with consistent laboratory testing for EBV, we pooled individual-level data for 5081 gastric cancer cases including information on age, sex, subsite, histologic type, diagnostic stage, geographic region, and period of diagnosis. First, we combined population-specific EBV prevalence estimates using random effects meta-analysis. We then aggregated individual-level data to estimate odds ratios of EBV positivity in relation to all variables, accounting for within-population clustering.Results:In unadjusted analyses, EBV positivity was significantly higher in males, young subjects, non-antral subsites, diffuse-type histology, and in studies from the Americas. Multivariable analyses confirmed significant associations with histology and region. Sex interacted with age (P=0.003) and subsite (P=0.002) such that male predominance decreased with age for both subsites. The positivity of EBV was not significantly associated with either stage or time period.Conclusion:Aggregating individual-level data provides additional information over meta-analyses. Distinguishing histologic and geographic features as well as interactions among age, sex, and subsite further support classification of EBV-associated gastric cancer as a distinct aetiologic entity.

Background: The Cali Population Cancer Registry (RPCC) has been in continuous operation since 1962 with the objective of producing valid statistics on the incidence of cancer, its patterns, trends and survival rates.Methods: During the period 2008-2012, 23,046 new cases were registered and during 2011-2015 there were 12,761 cancer deaths. The trend of the rates was described with the APC average annual change rate and with the Joinpoint analysis. We analyzed the individual data of 38,671 adults (15-99 years) diagnosed with cancer between 1995-2009, and we calculated the standardized net survival by age for the 14 most common cancer body sites, using the Pohar-Perme method.Results: Prostate and breast cancer were the first cause of cancer morbidity. The incidence rates in these were susceptible to early detection, tumors stabilized after decades of growth, while an increase in the incidence of colon cancer and papillary thyroid carcinoma was observed. The incidence rates of cervical and stomach cancer and conditions related to infectious agents decreased, although the number of absolute cases increased, due to the growth and aging of the population. Gastric cancer was responsible for the highest number of cancer related deaths. The types of cancer related to tobacco consumption (lung, oral cavity, esophagus, pancreas, urinary bladder) showed low numbers and a tendency to decrease. During the period 2000-2004, the 5-year net survival improved for cancers of the breast, cervix, prostate, melanoma and thyroid, although in the period 2005-2009 a stagnation was observed. In stomach, liver and lung cancer, the 5-year net survival was less than 15%. The 5-year overall survival in children was 51.0% (95% CI: 47.5, 54.3) and in adolescents 44.6% (95% CI: 36.0, 52.8).Comment: RPCC has been an advisor to the Colombian government in the evaluation of CPRs in the country and its data has contributed significantly to different aspects of cancer control in Colombia.

Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) has been linked to gastric carcinoma (GC) with worldwide geographical variations attributable to types and variants of EBV. Here, we compare EBV strains between EBVaGC and healthy donors in Latin America, a high frequency area for EBVaGC. Tumor samples from 73 EBVaGC cases and throat washings from 329 healthy adults were examined for types 1 and 2 EBV and polymorphism at BamHI-F and BamHI-W1/I1 boundary regions and XhoI restriction site in LMP1 gene. Type 1 and prototype F of BamHI- F polymorphism accounted 59 (81%) and 69 (95%) of EBVaGC cases and 257 (78%) and 267 (81%) of healthy donors, respectively. Types I and "i" of BamHI W1/I1 polymorphism accounted 2 (3%) and 62 (85%) of EBVaGC and 85 (26%) and 170 (52%) of healthy donors, respectively (p<0.001). XhoI+ and - polymorphism accounted 60 (82%) and 4 (5%) of EBVaGC and 142 (43%) and 92 (28%) of healthy donors, respectively (p<0.001). Cosegregation analysis demonstrated that most of the 62 type "i" EBVaGC cases harbor XhoI+ strain (81%). However, among 143 type "i" healthy adults, both XhoI polymorphism were present in relatively similar frequencies (XhoI+ 58% and XhoI- 42%) (OR 9.0; 95% CI 1.2-69). Our findings are against to the proposed hypothesis that EBV strains are geographically but not disease-restricted. We conclude that most of the EBVaGC cases harbor a distinctive EBV strain (type "i"/XhoI +), but in healthy donors, this strain was as common as other strains. This finding is contrary to the proposed hypothesis that EBV strains are geographically but not disease-restricted and identified a healthy population group that share the same strain that predominate in EBVaGC cases.

Based on our results, we cannot deny the possibility of HPV16 involvement in the carcinogenesis of the esophagus.

Although these findings were observed only in a few patients, they suggest that melanocytes from the implanted lower third portion of the hair follicle (hair bulb) act as a reservoir in this anatomic location and are able to migrate and repigment achromic areas in vitiligo.