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We and others have reported previously that adults with glioma are 1.5-to 4-fold less likely than controls to report a variety of allergic conditions. The consistent nature of this relationship calls for a biological explanation so that preventative or therapeutic modalities can be explored. We enrolled 403 newly diagnosed adult glioma cases in the San Francisco Bay Area over a 3-year period using a population-based cancer registry and 402 age/gender/ethnicity frequency-matched controls identified via random digit dialing. We assessed total, food-specific, and respiratory-specific IgE in available case (n ‫؍‬ 228) and control (n ‫؍‬ 289) serum samples. IgE levels were associated with gender, age, smoking status, and ethnicity among cases and/or controls. Among the cases, IgE levels were not associated with aspects of glioma therapy including radiation, chemotherapy, or tumor resection. Total IgE levels were lower in cases than controls: age/gender/ethnicity/education/smoking-adjusted odds ratio (

In population-based glioma patients, we examined survival in relation to potentially pertinent constitutive polymorphisms, serologic factors, and tumor genetic and protein alterations in epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), MDM2, and TP53. Subjects were newly diagnosed adults residing in the San Francisco Bay Surveillance Epidemiology and End Results Area during 1991 to 1994 and 1997 to 1999 with central neuropathology review (n = 873). Subjects provided blood for serologic studies of IgE and IgG to four herpes viruses and constitutive specimens for genotyping 22 polymorphisms in 13 genes (n = 471). We obtained 595 of 697 astrocytic tumors for marker studies. We determined treatments, vital status, and other factors using registry, interview, medical record, and active follow-up data. Cox regressions for survival were adjusted for age, gender, ethnicity, study series, resection versus biopsy only, radiation, and chemotherapy. Using a stringent P < 0.001, glioma survival was associated with ERCC1 C8092A [hazard ratio (HR), 0.72; 95% confidence limits (95% CL), 0.60-0.86; P = 0.0004] and GSTT1 deletion (HR, 1.64; 95% CL, 1.25-2.16; P = 0.0004); glioblastoma patients with elevated IgE had 9 months longer survival than those with normal or borderline IgE levels (HR, 0.62; 95% CL, 0.47-0.82; P = 0.0007), and EGFR expression in anaplastic astrocytoma was associated with nearly 3-fold poorer survival (HR, 2.97; 95% CL, 1.70-5.19; P = 0.0001). Based on our and others' findings, we recommend further studies to (a) understand relationships of elevated IgE levels and other immunologic factors with improved glioblastoma survival potentially relevant to immunologic therapies and (b) determine which inherited ERCC1 variants or other variants in the 19q13.3 region influence survival. We also suggest that tumor EGFR expression be incorporated into clinical evaluation of anaplastic astrocytoma patients. (Cancer Res 2006; 66(8): 4531-41)

Purpose:To summarize data on computed tomographic (CT) radiation doses collected from consecutive CT examinations performed at 12 facilities that can contribute to the creation of reference levels. Materials and Methods:The study was approved by the institutional review boards of the collaborating institutions and was compliant with HIPAA. Radiation dose metrics were prospectively and electronically collected from 199 656 consecutive CT examinations in 83 181 adults and 3871 consecutive CT examinations in 2609 children at the five University of California medical centers during 2013. The median volume CT dose index (CTDI vol ), dose-length product (DLP), and effective dose, along with the interquartile range (IQR), were calculated separately for adults and children and stratified according to anatomic region. Distributions for DLP and effective dose are reported for single-phase examinations, multiphase examinations, and all examinations. Results:For adults, the median CTDI vol was 50 mGy (IQR, 37-62 mGy) for the head, 12 mGy (IQR, 7-17 mGy) for the chest, and 12 mGy (IQR, 8-17 mGy) for the abdomen. The median DLPs for single-phase, multiphase, and all examinations, respectively, were as follows: head, 880 mGy · cm (IQR, 640-1120 mGy · cm), 1550 mGy · cm (IQR, 1150-2130 mGy · cm), and 960 mGy · cm (IQR, 690-1300 mGy · cm); chest, 420 mGy · cm (IQR, 260-610 mGy · cm), 880 mGy · cm (IQR, 570-1430 mGy · cm), and 550 mGy · cm (IQR 320-830 mGy · cm); and abdomen, 580 mGy · cm (IQR, 360-860 mGy · cm), 1220 mGy · cm (IQR, 850-1790 mGy · cm), and 960 mGy · cm (IQR, 600-1460 mGy · cm). Median effective doses for single-phase, multiphase, and all examinations, respectively, were as follows: head, 2 mSv (IQR, 1-3 mSv), 4 mSv (IQR, 3-8 mSv), and 2 mSv (IQR, 2-3 mSv); chest, 9 mSv (IQR, 5-13 mSv), 18 mSv (IQR, 12-29 mSv), and 11 mSv (IQR, 6-18 mSv); and abdomen, 10 mSv (IQR, 6-16 mSv), 22 mSv (IQR, 15-32 mSv), and 17 mSv (IQR,(11)(12)(13)(14)(15)(16)(17)(18)(19)(20)(21)(22)(23)(24)(25)(26). In general, values for children were approximately 50% those for adults in the head and 25% those for adults in the chest and abdomen. Conclusion:These summary dose data provide a starting point for institutional evaluation of CT radiation doses.q RSNA, 2015

Background Despite cervical cancer being preventable with effective screening programs, it is the most common cancer and the leading cause of cancer-related death among women in many countries in Africa. Screening involving pelvic examination may not be feasible or acceptable in limited-resource settings. We sought to evaluate women’s perspectives on human papillomavirus (HPV) self-sampling as part of a larger trial on cervical cancer prevention implementation strategies in rural western Kenya. Methods We invited 120 women participating in a cluster randomized trial of cervical cancer screening implementation strategies in Migori County, Kenya for in-depth interviews. We explored reasons for testing, experience with and ability to complete HPV self-sampling, importance of clinician involvement during screening, factors and people contributing to screening decision-making, and ways to encourage other women to come for screening. We used validated theoretical frameworks to analyze the qualitative data. Results Women reported having positive experiences with the HPV self-sampling strategy. The factors facilitating uptake included knowledge and beliefs such as prior awareness of HPV, personal perception of cervical cancer risk, desire for improved health outcomes, and peer and partner encouragement. Logistical and screening facilitators included confidence in the ability to complete HPV self-sampling strategy, proximity to screening sites and feelings of privacy and comfort conducting the HPV self- sampling. The barriers to screening included fear of need for a pelvic exam, fear of disease and death associated with cervical cancer. We classified these findings as capabilities, opportunities and motivations for health behavior using the COM-B framework. Conclusions Overall, HPV self-sampling was an acceptable cervical cancer screening strategy that seemed to meet the needs of the women in this community. These findings will further inform aspects of implementation, including outreach messaging, health education, screening sites and emphasis on availability and effectiveness of preventative treatment for women who screen positive.