Journal of the Formosan Medical Association = Taiwan Yi Zhi

Our medical research library holds 9 studies published in Journal of the Formosan Medical Association = Taiwan Yi Zhi (2008–2024). Each entry links to the study's record on PubMed and, where there is one, to the publisher's page and a free full text. 7 have an abstract, the authors' own summary as PubMed records it: open "Abstract" to read it. For 1 study PubMed has no abstract for, we give the abstract printed in the article or, where there is none, a summary we wrote from it, each labeled as such.

About the journal

• Publisher: Formosan Medical Association, Elsevier
• Published: 1991 to the present, Singapore
• Language: English
• ISSN: 0929-6646 (print)
• Continues: Taiwan Yi Xue Hui Za Zhi
• Its record in the NLM Catalog

2020s

• Environmental asbestos exposure from nephrite jade mining and lung cancer. H.Y. Yang, S. Furuya, N. Toyama. 2024;123(7):796-801. PubMed · Publisher

  Abstract

  Background: Nephrite is an asbestos mineral composed of tremolite and actinolite. Fengtian is a community where nephrite was mined between 1970 and 1980 and asbestos was mined between 1960 and 1985. The lung cancer risk to the surrounding community is unknown.

  Aims: To analyse the trend of lung cancer caused by environmental contamination from nephrite mining.

  Methods: We conducted a field survey of nephrite mines and tracked new cases of lung cancer from 1980 to 2019. We calculated the age-standardized incidence rates (ASIRs) and applied join-point regression to examine the lung cancer trend. We assessed the age effect, period effect, and birth cohort effect on lung cancer risk.

  Results: The nephrite mines were contaminated with chrysotile and tremolite/actinolite asbestos. A total of 278 new cases of lung cancer were reported during the study period. There was an apparent age effect and a slight period effect for lung cancer. After adjustment for the age and period effects, the birth cohort born between 1970 and 1980 during the period of nephrite mass production had the highest relative risk compared with other birth cohorts. The ASIR of lung cancer increased significantly from 1980 to 2010 (the annual percentage change = 6.8 %, 95 % CI: 4.0-9.7 %, P < 0.01) and then decreased 30 years after the cessation of nephrite jade mining.

  Conclusion: Nephrite mining increases the risk of lung cancer in nearby communities.

  Copyright © 2024 Formosan Medical Association. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

• Talc exposure and risk of stomach cancer: Systematic review and meta-analysis of occupational cohort studies. C.J. Chang, Y.K. Tu, P.C. Chen, et al. 2020;119(4):781-792. Meta-analysis · Systematic review PubMed · Publisher

  Abstract

  Background/Purpose: Talc powder is widely used in various industries, but the carcinogenic effects associated with talc are not well understood. The objective of this study was to estimate the risk of stomach cancer after occupational talc exposure.

  Methods: We conducted a meta-analysis was performed to calculate the meta-relative risk (mRR) of stomach cancer. We searched the MEDLINE, EMBASE, CNKI and Wanfang Data databases for publications prior to January 1, 2017 using talc, cancer, and mortality as the search terms. Only cohort studies with occupational talc exposure and stomach cancer statistics were included.

  Results: All pooled analyses were based on random-effects models. We selected 13 observational studies (12 publications) for the meta-analysis, and heterogeneity was observed among studies. Workers exposed to all forms of talc had a significantly increased mRR of 1.21 (95% CI: 1.03-1.42, p = 0.02) for stomach cancer. Workers exposed to talc not containing asbestiform fibers also had an increased mRR of 1.26 (95% CI: 0.97-1.63, p = 0.09).

  Conclusion: The available data showed a positive association between occupational talc exposure and risk of stomach cancer. The association between talc not containing asbestiform fibers and risk of stomach cancer was not significant. Further epidemiological studies are required to evaluate the safety of talc.

  Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier B.V.

2010s

• Prognostic factors and treatment outcomes of malignant pleural mesothelioma in Eastern Asian patients - A Taiwanese study. T.H. Wu, L.J. Lee, C.T. Yuan, et al. 2019;118(1 Pt 2):230-236. PubMed · Publisher

  Abstract

  Background/Purpose: There are scarce reports on the prognostic factors and treatment outcomes of patients with malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) in Asia. This study aimed to address these matters in a real-world setting.

  Methods: Medical records of patients with histologically proven MPM diagnosed between 1977 and 2016 at the National Taiwan University Hospital were reviewed. Variables including age, gender, performance status, asbestos exposure, smoking history, histology subtype, staging, and treatment received were recorded. All patients were followed until death or March 1st, 2017. Survival and prognostic factors were analyzed by the Kaplan-Meir method and the Cox proportional hazard model.

  Results: A total of 93 patients was identified, including 65 men and 28 women. An increasing trend of MPM cases diagnosed was observed in the past 40 years. Stage I/II disease (HR 0.24, 95% CI 0.13-0.46) and epithelioid histology (HR 0.42, 95% CI 0.23-0.75) were associated with favorable prognosis, whereas age ≥70 years (HR 2.66, 95% CI 1.36-5.22) and ECOG ≥2 (HR 5.03, 95% CI 2.69-9.4) were poor prognostic factors. After adjustment for prognostic factors, surgery in stage I-III MPM (HR 0.36, 95% CI 0.15-0.83) and systemic therapy in stage III/IV disease (HR 0.42, 95% CI 0.19-0.94) conferred a survival benefit.

  Conclusion: This is one of the largest case series of MPM reported in Asia outside of Japan. Prognostic factors in the study population included age, performance status, stage, and histology subtype. Surgery in potentially resectable disease and systemic therapy in advanced MPM confer a survival benefit in Asian patients.

  Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier B.V.

• Upcoming epidemic of asbestos-related malignant pleural mesothelioma in Taiwan: A prediction of incidence in the next 30 years. R.T. Lin, Y.Y. Chang, J.D. Wang, et al. 2019;118(1 Pt 3):463-470. PubMed · Publisher

  Abstract

  Background/Purpose: Globally, asbestos-related diseases (ARDs) keep rising over the coming decades. The epidemic of ARDs will be a burden on public health. We aimed to predict the malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) incidence in the next 30 years for Taiwan based on historical asbestos consumption.

  Methods: We collected annual data on local asbestos consumption during 1939-2015 and sex-specific incidence of pleural cancer as a proxy for MPM during 1979-2013. We applied Poisson log-linear models to predict future MPM numbers under the assumption that latency periods between asbestos exposure and MPM incidence were between 25 and 45 years.

  Results: Asbestos consumption reached a peak in the 1980s, with a total of 668 thousand metric tons during 1939-2015. The observed number of MPM incidence increased by 9- and 6-fold in males and females during 1979-2013, with a cumulative number of 907. Given a latency period of 31 years, MPM incidences were expected to peak around 2012-2016 for males and 2016-2020 for females. In 2017-2046, the predicted total number of new MPM might reach 659 cases (95% confidence interval = 579-749); and the male to female ratios ranged from 1.8 to 2.8.

  Conclusion: The MPM epidemic in Taiwan will likely peak in 2012-2020 as a result of local asbestos consumption. Approximately 659 new MPM cases in the next 30 years warrant an urgent need to implement a total asbestos ban and put more resources on a comprehensive surveillance, diagnosis, and follow-up health care system for ARDs.

  Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier B.V.

• Incidentally discovered malignant mesothelioma of the tunica vaginalis. C.H. Weng, P.Y. Ho, C.K. Chen, et al. 2013;112(1):57-8. Case report PubMed · Publisher

  Summary

  This letter from Taiwan described a malignant mesothelioma of the tunica vaginalis that was found unexpectedly during hydrocele surgery. A 28-year-old office worker with no history of asbestos exposure was admitted with left scrotal tenderness and swelling that had lasted several weeks. Ultrasonography showed a left hydrocele. During hydrocelectomy, several small papillary lesions about 0.3 to 0.5 cm across were found on the tunica vaginalis near the epididymis. Pathology suggested diffuse papillary mesothelioma, and abdominal CT showed no lymph node or distant spread. After left radical orchiectomy, pathology showed a 2.5 cm grayish papillary tumor and small tumors in the tunica vaginalis, invading paratesticular tissue. The tumor cells were positive for calretinin and cytokeratin 5/6 and negative for Leu-M1 and carcinoembryonic antigen. This confirmed a diffuse tubulopapillary malignant mesothelioma. The authors noted that about 223 cases had been reported worldwide, accounting for around 0.3 to 1.4% of malignant mesotheliomas, and that asbestos exposure had been identified in one-third of cases. They cited a review of 73 cases that reported local recurrence in 35.7% of patients after resection of the hydrocele wall alone, compared with 10.5% after scrotal orchiectomy and 11.5% after inguinal orchiectomy. The patient had no recurrence during twelve months of follow-up without adjuvant therapy. The authors concluded that an unexpected tumor seen at hydrocelectomy needs thorough investigation to determine treatment and prognosis.

  PubMed has no abstract for this study, and the article doesn't print one. We wrote this summary from the full article with the help of AI. It is not the authors' wording.

• Pleural plaque related to asbestos mining in Taiwan. H.Y. Yang, J.D. Wang, P.C. Chen, et al. 2010;109(12):928-33. Case report PubMed · Publisher

  Abstract

  A 78-year-old woman complained of twisting-like pain in her left lower chest. During physical examination, friction rubbing was noted in both lungs. Chest radiography showed extensive bilateral pleural calcification. High-resolution computed tomography confirmed the presence of bilateral calcified pleural plaques. The patient had worked at a Japanese asbestos factory in Taiwan for 1 year when she was 16 years old. Her job involved picking out asbestos fibers from crushed asbestos minerals, but no protective equipment was used at that time. This is believed to be the first reported case of asbestos-related disease in Taiwan that resulted from asbestos mining. We also summarize the history of domestic asbestos mining, importation of asbestos, and trends in asbestos use in Taiwan.

  Copyright © 2010 Formosan Medical Association & Elsevier. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

• Porcelain factory worker with asbestos-related mesothelioma. C. Mensi, A. Garberi, C. Sieno, et al. 2010;109(5):389. Comment · Letter PubMed · Publisher

2000s

• Porcelain factory worker with asbestos-related mesothelioma. M.T. Tsou, J.C. Luo. 2009;108(10):819-25. Case report PubMed · Publisher

  Abstract

  Malignant mesothelioma is a rare tumor among the general population, but for people exposed to asbestos, the lifetime risk is high. A 58-year old man presented with suffering from chest pain, upper back pain, shortness of breath, and coughing that had continued for several months. A chest X-ray revealed right-side pleural effusion; however, pleural biopsy from drainage treatment confirmed a diagnosis of malignant mesothelioma. According to his occupational and environmental history, the patient had worked continuously in a porcelain factory for 30 years. The specific characteristics of his work, making asbestos wallboards and gaskets, entailed working in high-temperature conditions with a high fine-particle content in the atmosphere. The high working temperature caused asbestos debris and dust to fall down regularly from the wallboards, however, it was not until recently that the patient had started to wear personal protection. Asbestos is a significant source of hazardous exposure in old buildings, and this case serves as a reminder of the importance of asbestos-related exposure history, which facilitated the correct diagnosis of pulmonary malignant mesothelioma. Asbestos-containing materials that are now banned or regulated are still present in older buildings and remain an exposure hazard; they continue to be a serious health concern in many countries.

• Duodenal metastasis of malignant pleural mesothelioma. H.C. Chen, K.B. Tsai, C.S. Wang, et al. 2008;107(12):961-4. Case report PubMed · Publisher

  Abstract

  Metastatic malignant mesothelioma of the pleura is uncommon at the time of initial diagnosis. The gastrointestinal lumen is rarely found at autopsy in patients with widespread disease. Here, we describe an extremely rare case of isolated duodenal metastasis of sarcomatoid mesothelioma of the pleura in a 73-year-old man, without memory of any direct exposure to asbestos. The possibility of gastrointestinal tract metastasis should be considered in the presence of anemia or positive occult blood test in patients with malignant pleural mesothelioma.

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