title: The relationship between Agent Orange and prostate specific antigen: a comparison of a hotspot and a non-sprayed area in Vietnam.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to explore the impact of Agent Orange exposure for prostate cancer with a comparison of the prostate specific antigen (PSA) levels between a hotspot and a non-sprayed area.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study was conducted in Phu Cat district (hotspot) and Kim Bang district (non-sprayed), with a total of 101 men in the hotspot and 97 men in the non-sprayed area older than 50 years of age. About 5 mL of whole blood and a health status questionnaire were collected from each subject in August 2009-2011.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean age of the subjects in the hotspot (68.0 years old) was significantly higher than that of those in the non-sprayed area (65.0 years old). No significant difference was found between the hotspot area (0.93 ng/mL) and the non-sprayed area (0.95 ng/mL) in terms of PSA levels. Likewise, this was not statistically significant after adjusting for age. The prevalence of high PSA levels (>3 ng/mL) did not differ significantly between the hotspot (14 men; 13.9 %) and non-sprayed area (9 men; 9.3 %). No significant difference was found between the hotspot area and the non-sprayed area in terms of occupation (farmer and others). In control subjects, no significant difference was found between the PSA levels in subjects exposed to Agent Orange and non-exposed subjects. Likewise, no significant difference was found between the PSA levels of combatants and civilians.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The PSA levels were not significantly different between the hotspot and the non-sprayed area.
authors.affiliation: Division of Health Sciences, Graduate School of Medical Science, Kanazawa University, 5-11-80 Kodatsuno, Kanazawa, Japan, sunxianliangjapan@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Xianliang
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: Teruhiko
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kido
authors.forename: Rie
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Okamoto
authors.forename: Ho Dung
authors.initials: HD
authors.lastname: Manh
authors.forename: Nguyen Viet
authors.initials: NV
authors.lastname: Hoang
authors.forename: Madoca
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nakano
authors.forename: Eitetus
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Koh
authors.forename: Shoko
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Maruzeni
authors.forename: Muneko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nishijo
authors.forename: Hideaki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Nakagawa
authors.forename: Hiroyuki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Suzuki
authors.forename: Sejiro
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Honma
authors.forename: Dang Duc
authors.initials: DD
authors.lastname: Nhu
authors.forename: Nguyen Ngoc
authors.initials: NN
authors.lastname: Hung
authors.forename: Le Ke
authors.initials: le K
authors.lastname: Son
mesh_terms: D015085:2,4,5-Trichlorophenoxyacetic Acid / Q000633:toxicity*; D015084:2,4-Dichlorophenoxyacetic Acid / Q000633:toxicity*; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000075182:Agent Orange; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004781:Environmental Exposure; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D000072317:Polychlorinated Dibenzodioxins / Q000633:toxicity*; D017430:Prostate-Specific Antigen / Q000097:blood*; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000453:epidemiology*; D014744:Vietnam
chemical_list: D000072317:Polychlorinated Dibenzodioxins; D015084:2,4-Dichlorophenoxyacetic Acid; D000075182:Agent Orange; D015085:2,4,5-Trichlorophenoxyacetic Acid; D017430:Prostate-Specific Antigen