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Aim: Zinc, a trace element, is known for downregulating several proangiogenic growth factors and cytokines. However, its antiangiogenic activity is not adequately studied. The present study was aimed to evaluate the possible antiangiogenic activity of zinc via the chick chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) assay. Furthermore, the antiangiogenic activity of the combination therapy of zinc with various doses of sorafenib, a tyrosine kinase inhibitor, was evaluated., Materials and Methods: A pilot study was initially conducted so as to select suitable doses of zinc and sorafenib. The antiangiogenic activity after combining zinc 2.5 μg/embryo with sorafenib 1 and 2 μg/embryo was also evaluated. The antiangiogenic activity was quantified in terms of total length of blood vessels, number of junctions, number of branching points, and mean length of the blood vessels., Results: Zinc 2.5 μg/embryo showed significant (P < 0.05) antiangiogenic activity, as compared to the control group. However, its effect was not comparable to that of sorafenib 2 μg/embryo. The combination of zinc 2.5 μg/embryo with sorafenib 2 μg/embryo did not show an additive/synergistic effect. The combination of zinc 2.5 μg/embryo with sorafenib 1 μg/embryo produced an antiangiogenic activity which was comparable (P > 0.05) to that of sorafenib 2 μg/embryo., Conclusion: Zinc caused significant antiangiogenic activity in the CAM assay. The lack of addition/synergism in the zinc-sorafenib combination could have been due to the variability in the dose/ratio selection. Addition of zinc to sorafenib therapy could improve treatment tolerability, reduce cost of therapy, and reduce the emergence of drug resistance. Future mechanistic studies could identify the exact pharmacodynamics of zinc as an angiogenesis inhibitor., Competing Interests: None more...

Background: A prospective study of diet and cancer has not been conducted in India; consequently, little is known regarding follow-up rates or the completeness and accuracy of cancer case ascertainment., Methods: We assessed follow-up in the India Health Study (IHS; 4671 participants aged 35-69 residing in New Delhi, Mumbai, or Trivandrum). We evaluated the impact of medical care access and relocation, re-contacted the IHS participants to estimate follow-up rates, and conducted separate studies of cancer cases to evaluate registry coverage (604 cases in Trivandrum) and the accuracy of self- and proxy-reporting (1600 cases in New Delhi and Trivandrum)., Results: Over 97% of people reported seeing a doctor and 85% had lived in their current residence for over six years. The 2-year follow-up rate was 91% for Trivandrum and 53% for New Delhi. No cancer cases were missed among public institutions participating in the surveillance program in Trivandrum during 2003-2004; but there are likely to be unmatched cases (ranging from 5 to 13% of total cases) from private hospitals in the Trivandrum registry, as there are no mandatory reporting requirements. Vital status was obtained for 36% of cancer cases in New Delhi as compared to 78% in Trivandrum after a period of 4 years., Conclusions: A prospective cohort study of cancer may be feasible in some centers in India with active follow-up to supplement registry data. Inclusion of cancers diagnosed at private institutions, unique identifiers for individuals, and computerized medical information would likely improve cancer registries., (Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.) more...

Background: India's population exhibits diverse dietary habits and chronic disease patterns. Nutritional epidemiologic studies in India are primarily of cross-sectional or case-control design and subject to biases, including differential recall of past diet. The aim of this feasibility study was to evaluate whether a diet-focused cohort study of cancer could be established in India, providing insight into potentially unique diet and lifestyle exposures., Methods: Field staff contacted 7,064 households within three regions of India (New Delhi, Mumbai, and Trivandrum) and found 4,671 eligible adults aged 35-69 years. Participants completed interviewer-administered questionnaires (demographic, diet history, physical activity, medical/reproductive history, tobacco/alcohol use, and occupational history), and staff collected biological samples (blood, urine, and toenail clippings), anthropometric measurements (weight, standing and sitting height; waist, hip, and thigh circumference; triceps, sub-scapula and supra-patella skin fold), and blood pressure measurements., Results: Eighty-eight percent of eligible subjects completed all questionnaires and 67% provided biological samples. Unique protein sources by region were fish in Trivandrum, dairy in New Delhi, and pulses (legumes) in Mumbai. Consumption of meat, alcohol, fast food, and soft drinks was scarce in all three regions. A large percentage of the participants were centrally obese and had elevated blood glucose levels. New Delhi participants were also the least physically active and had elevated lipids levels, suggesting a high prevalence of metabolic syndrome., Conclusions: A high percentage of participants complied with study procedures including biological sample collection. Epidemiologic expertise and sufficient infrastructure exists at these three sites in India to successfully carry out a modest sized population-based study; however, we identified some potential problems in conducting a cohort study, such as limited number of facilities to handle biological samples. more...

Background: Data are limited regarding cancer incidence among Indians residing in different geographic regions around the world. Examining such rates may provide us with insights into future aetiological research possibilities as well as screening and prevention., Methods: Incidence rates for all cancers combined and 19 specific cancers were obtained for India from Globocan 2002, for Indians in Singapore from Cancer Incidence in Five Continents (VIII), and from national data sources for South Asians (SA) in the United Kingdom (UK) and for Asian Indians/Pakistanis (AIP) and whites in the United States (US)., Results: We observed the lowest total cancer incidence rates in India (111 and 116 per 100,000 among males and females, respectively, age-standardized to the 1960 world population) and the highest among US whites (362 and 296). Cancer incidence rates among Indians residing outside of India were: intermediate Singapore (102 and 132), UK (173 and 179) and US ranges 152-176 and 142-164. A similar pattern was observed for cancers of the colorectum, prostate, thyroid, pancreas, lung, breast and non-Hodgkin lymphoma. In contrast, rates for cancers of the oral cavity, oesophagus, larynx and cervix uteri were highest in India. Although little geographic variability was apparent for stomach cancer incidence, Indians in Singapore had the highest rates compared with any other region. The UK SA and the US AIP appear with adopt the cancer patterns of their host country., Conclusion: Variations in environmental exposures such as tobacco use, diet and infection, as well as better health care access and knowledge may explain some of the observed incidence differences. more...

Most cancer epidemiology studies involve people living in North America and Europe, which represent only a fraction of the global population. The wide variety of dietary, lifestyle and environmental exposures, as well as the genetic variation among people in developing countries can provide valuable new information on factors that contribute to cancer or that protect against it. What are the challenges and advantages to performing large epidemiological studies in developing nations? more...