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Information on the association between socioeconomic status (SES) and cancer is useful for policy-based cancer control. However, few studies have investigated the association between each community SES indicator and cancer. Therefore, here, we investigated the relationship between community land price, neighborhood income, education level, employment rate, and morbidity and mortality rates for lung, stomach, colorectal, liver, and breast cancers. We obtained cancer patient data from the Kanagawa Cancer Registry and SES indicator data from public databases from 2000 to 2016. We classified the data according to the year, sex, and community. Poisson regression analyses were conducted for each SES indicator, using one SES indicator as the explanatory variable and the morbidity or mortality of cancer as the response variable. The largest inverse regression coefficient for the community SES indicator was −0.91 (95% CI −1.11, −0.70) found in a model where liver-cancer mortality was the response variable and employment rate was the explanatory variable for women. Community neighborhood income and employment rate demonstrated significant inverse associations across many models. Areas with low community neighborhood income or employment rates may have more individuals at a higher risk of cancer; these SES data could help to identify locations where cancer control should be focused.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0326895.].

This study aimed to examine whether eating alone, folate intake, and n-3 PUFA intake are independently associated with psychological distress in older adults. We analyzed cross-sectional data from 1011 study participants aged ≥65 years in Japan. We assessed psychological distress using the Kessler 6 scale, whether the participants ate alone or with others, folate and n-3 PUFA intake using a short food frequency questionnaire. Of the 1011 study participants, 465 (46.0%) were male and mean (SD) age was 71.6 (4.8) years. In a multivariable logistic regression analysis, the odds ratio (OR) for psychological distress in participants eating alone compared to those eating with others was 1.32 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.76-2.31). The ORs in the second and third tertiles com-pared to the first tertile, which had the lowest folate intake, were 0.92 (95% CI, 0.62-1.37) and 1.12 (95% CI, 0.73-1.73), respectively. The ORs in the second and third tertiles compared to the first tertile, which had the lowest n-3 PUFA intake, were 0.83 (95% CI, 0.56-1.24) and 0.95 (95% CI, 0.62-1.45), respectively. Also, the OR in those eating alone combined with the first tertile of n-3 PUFA intake compared to those eating with others with the third tertile was 2.18 (95%CI, 1.05-4.55). Although eating alone combined with low n-3 PUFA intake was associated with psychological distress in older adults, eating alone, folate intake, and n-3 PUFA intake were not independently associated with psychological distress.

Cachexia is one of the most common, related factors of malnutrition in cancer patients. Cancer cachexia is a multifactorial syndrome characterized by persistent loss of skeletal muscle mass and fat mass, resulting in irreversible and progressive functional impairment. The skeletal muscle loss cannot be reversed by conventional nutritional support, and a combination of anti-inflammatory agents and other nutrients is recommended. In this review, we reviewed the effects of nutrients that are expected to combat muscle loss caused by cancer cachexia (eicosapentaenoic acid, β-hydroxy-β-methylbutyrate, creatine, and carnitine) to propose nutritional approaches that can be taken at present. Current evidence is based on the intake of nutrients as supplements; however, the long-term and continuous intake of nutrients as food has the potential to be useful for the body. Therefore, in addition to conventional nutritional support, we believe that it is important for the dietitian to work with the clinical team to first fully assess the patient’s condition and then to safely incorporate nutrients that are expected to have specific functions for cancer cachexia from foods and supplements.

One feature of hypertension is a microbial imbalance with increased intestinal permeability. In this study, we examined whether an alteration in the microbiota affects blood pressure and intestinal permeability in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs). We performed a 16S metagenome analysis of feces from 10- to 15-week-old SHRs using a synthetic long-read sequencing approach, and found a candidate for the microbiome treatment, Ligilactobacillus murinus ( L. murinus ), that was robustly decreased. Oral administration of L. murinus to SHRs for 2 weeks significantly inhibited blood pressure elevation and improved endothelium-dependent vasodilation but did not attenuate enhanced vascular contraction in SHR mesenteric arteries. The proximal colon of SHRs exhibited increased intestinal permeability with decreased levels of the tight junction protein claudin 4, morphological changes such as decreased intestinal crypts and elevated TNF-α levels, which was reversed by treatment with L. murinus . Consistent with these intestinal phenotypes, plasma lipopolysaccharides levels were elevated in SHR but decreased following L. murinus administration. We concluded that oral administration of L. murinus to SHRs exerts protective effects on intestinal permeability via restoration of claudin 4 expression and reversal of morphologic disorder, which may improve low-grade endotoxemia and thus reduce development of hypertension via recovery of endothelial vasodilating functions.

Pancreatic cancer frequently involves cancer‐associated thromboembolism, which is strongly associated with poor prognosis. Tissue factor, a blood coagulation factor largely produced in cancer patients as a component of extracellular vesicles, plays a key role in the incidence of cancer‐associated thromboembolism in patients with pancreatic cancer. However, no prospective studies have been published on the relationship between tissue factor and cancer‐associated thromboembolism or patient clinical characteristics, including recent chemotherapy regimens. Thus, we aimed to address this in a Japanese cohort of 197 patients and 41 healthy volunteers. Plasma tissue factor levels were measured by ELISAs preevaluated by tissue factor specificity. Multivariable analysis was used to identify independent predictors of cancer‐associated thromboembolism. We found that the cancer‐associated thromboembolism rate in the patient cohort was 6.6% (4.6%, venous thromboembolism; 2.0%, arterial thromboembolism). Tissue factor levels of 100 pg/mL or higher at patient registration were predictive of cancer‐associated thromboembolism, with positive and negative predictive values of 23.1% and 94.6%, respectively. Multivariable analysis showed that plasma tissue factor levels were an independent predictive factor for cancer‐associated thromboembolism, with a risk ratio of 5.54 (95% confidence interval, 1.02‐30.09). Unlike in healthy volunteers and patients without cancer‐associated thromboembolism, tissue factor levels were highly correlated with extracellular vesicles’ procoagulant activity in patients developing cancer‐associated thromboembolism. Taken together, our data show that the tissue factor levels at patient registration were a predictive factor for cancer‐associated thromboembolism in this cohort of patients with pancreatic cancer. Tissue factor levels were highly correlated with extracellular vesicles’ procoagulant activity in patients with pancreatic cancer who developed cancer‐associated thromboembolism. Tissue factor levels before the start of systemic chemotherapy were a predictive factor of cancer‐associated thromboembolism in a Japanese cohort of patients with pancreatic cancer.

We outlined the characteristics and health status of individuals using a mobile health app, based on a real-world user database.We outlined the characteristics and health status of individuals using a mobile health app, based on a real-world user database.

Superovulation (SOV) treatment of cows results in unovulated follicles and inconsistent quality of the recovered embryos. It has been demonstrated that luteinizing hormone (LH) secretion is suppressed during SOV treatment of cows, which may cause insufficient follicle development and variation in the development of recovered embryos and unovulated follicles. Pulsatile gonadotropin-releasing hormone/LH secretion is controlled by the activity of kisspeptin, neurokinin B and dynorphin (KNDy) neurons in the arcuate nucleus in many mammals. As neurokinin B promotes the activity of KNDy neurons, we hypothesized that senktide, a neurokinin B receptor agonist, has the potential as a therapeutic drug to improve the ovulation rate and quality of recovered embryos in SOV-treated cows via stimulation of LH secretion. Senktide was administered intravenously (30 or 300 nmol/min) for 2 h, beginning from 72 h after the start of SOV treatment. LH secretion was examined before and after administration, and embryos were collected 7 d after estrus. Senktide administration increased LH secretion in SOV-treated cows. The ratios of code 1, code 1 and 2, and blastocyst stage embryos to recovered embryos were increased by senktide (300 nmol/min) administration. Moreover, the mRNA levels of MTCO1, COX7C, and MTATP6 were upregulated in recovered embryos of senktide (300 nmol/min)-administered animals. These results indicate that the administration of senktide to SOV-treated cows enhances LH secretion and upregulates the expression of genes involved in mitochondrial metabolism in embryos, thereby improving embryo development and embryo quality. Summary Sentence Intravenous administration of senktide to SOV-treated cows enhances LH secretion and upregulates the expression of genes involved in embryo metabolism, thereby improving embryo development and embryo quality.

Background Suicide risk in cancer patients peaks early post-diagnosis; however, detailed studies on its changes are scarce. We analyzed population-based cancer registry data to identify trends in suicide risk and incidence following diagnosis among cancer patients. Methods Data of cancer patients who died between 2016 and 2018 were used for descriptive analysis, while data of patients who were newly diagnosed during the same period were used to calculate standardized mortality ratios (SMRs) and conduct survival and multivariable analyses. The diagnostic data included follow-up information through the end of 2019. All data were obtained from the Kanagawa Cancer Registry. The SMRs for suicide were calculated every 3 months up to 48 months post-diagnosis. Cumulative incidences of suicide were calculated using survival analysis. Risk factors associated with suicide were identified with multivariable analysis using the Fine and Gray method. Results Among the 105 598 cancer patients who died during the study period, 282 patients (0.27%) died by suicide. The SMRs of suicides were 2.71 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.99–3.60) and 2.10 (95% CI: 1.64–2.66) up to 6 months and 1 year post-diagnosis, respectively. The maximum change in the 3-month interval SMR was 3.45 (95% CI: 2.34–4.89) within the first 3 months, subsequently decreasing to the same level as that of the general population and temporarily increasing again in 13–15 months. In the survival analysis, the cumulative suicide rates at 6 and 12 months were 0.23% and 0.33%, respectively. In the multivariate analysis, suicide risk was significantly higher in patients with intermediate or poor prognosis cancer sites and lower in females. Conclusions Suicide among cancer patients is a rare event in the aggregate, but it still occurs in small numbers and should be addressed. The bimodal increase in SMR suggests the influence of adverse outcomes, such as cancer diagnosis, recurrence, and metastasis.

Projections of future gastric cancer incidence and the demand for health‐care services for gastric cancer patients by geographic area will assist local authorities in determining health‐care needs, allocating medical resources, and planning services. This study aims to project the future incidence of gastric cancer, estimate the number of patients per medical institution, and decompose the net changes in cases to assess the impact of population aging by geographic area. Our projections are based on population‐based cancer registry data, census data from 2000 to 2020, and the projected population for 2025–2045 in Kanagawa, Japan. We classified Kanagawa into urban, town, outer city, and rural areas based on geographic and population features. The number of medical institutions providing gastric cancer treatment was used to estimate the number of patients per medical institution. We projected a decrease of 25%, 52%, and 5% in gastric cancer cases in towns, outer cities, and rural areas from 2020 to 2045, respectively. However, cases are expected to increase by 9% in urban areas, primarily due to population aging. The annual number of gastric cancer patients per medical institution in urban areas is expected to increase from 54 to 59, while numbers in other areas are predicted to decline from 2020 to 2045. Our long‐term projections indicate that the number of older gastric cancer patients will continue to increase in urban areas. While current measures effectively reduce gastric cancer risk, they need to be revised to address the impact of population aging. We projected a decrease in the incidence of gastric cancer in towns, outer cities, and rural areas in Kanagawa, Japan from 2020 to 2045. The decrease is attributable to depopulation and a decrease in the risk of gastric cancer that offsets the impact of population aging. Future incidence is expected to increase in urban areas, where the net increase in cases is mostly attributable to population aging. Therefore, the demand for health‐care services will increase in urban areas.