Asian Indians among

Based on the population genotype-phenotype studies performed to date, assays for the molecular diagnosis of TPMT deficiency have focussed on alleles TPMT 2, TPMT 3A and TPMT 3C, as these represent 80-95% of all mutant alleles of this gene in Caucasians [46, 50]. However, the frequency and pattern of mutant alleles of this gene is different among various ethnic populations. For example, Southwest Asians (Indian, Pakistani) have a lower frequency of mutant TPMT alleles and all mutant alleles identified to date are TPMT 3A (Table 24.1) [52]. This is in contrast to Kenyans and Ghanaians where the frequency of mutant alleles is similar to Caucasians, and all mutant alleles are TPMT 3C (Table 24.1) [53, 54]. Among African Americans, TPMT 3C is the most prevalent allele, but TPMT 2... 

Serological tests allow tissue types to be defined by the HLA genes. Thus the commonest HLA type in Caucasian populations is HLA-Al / B8 / Dw3, whereas A1 / B17 is conunon among Asian Indians. In every case subtypes can be defined, and this fact together with the polymorphism in other genes leads to a unique HLA type for nearly every individual. As is indicated in Fig. 

The incidence of colon cancer is greatest among males, who have an age-adjusted incidence rate of 44.3 per 100,000, as compared to females for whom the rate is 34.8 per 100,000. Cancer of the rectum occurs less frequently the incidence rate is 19.1 and 11.6 per 100,000 for males and females, respectively. Cancer of the colon and rectum is the third most frequent malignancy among U.S. men and white and African-American women, but is second next to breast cancer for Hispanic, American Indian/Alaskan Native, and Asian/Paciflc Islander women. The overall incidence of colon and rectal cancers in... 

Although it is difficult to compare trends because of large year-to-year variations in colorectal cancer incidence rates in minority population groups, downward trends in colorectal cancer incidence appear to be greater for whites, African-Americans, Asian/Paciflc Islanders, and American Indian/Alaskan Native Americans than for Hispanics. Trends for incidence and mortality rates among white and African-American males and females in the United States can be compared in Fig. 127-1. 

About 10% of all cancer deaths are a result of cancer of the colon or rectum. It is estimated that 56,290 individuals will die of colorectal cancer in the United States in 2005, despite a decline in overall combined mortality for both colon and rectal cancer observed during the last 20 years. For women, the decline in colorectal cancer mortality rates has been evident since 1950, whereas death rates among men did not start to decline until the late 1970s. These trends in mortality rates are similar to those observed in other countries. Overall mortality rates remain higher among African-American males and females, and the rates of decline are lower as compared to those for white males and females. Colorectal cancer mortality rates are lower for Hispanics, American Indians/Alaskan Natives, and Asian/Paciflc Islanders than for whites or African-Americans. Factors contributing to the overall... 

Arsenic was associated with human reproduction in many guises. Some Indian women are said to take arsenical potions early in their pregnancy to increase their chances of having a son (72). Ingestion of arsenic preparations to increase the male sexual appetite and excite sexual pleasure or as an aphrodisiac was well documented among many Asian and European cultures (21,24). The most common use of arsenic was as an abortifacient, however. It has been shown, for instance, that about 30% of all abortions in Sweden between 1851 and 1880 were committed with arsenic (21). Numerous fatalities from attempted abortions with arsenic reported in the medical records of the nineteenth century (37,45) attest to the fact that the practice was eommon in many countries. 

The first products that actually contained synthetic contaminants were advertised as traditional Chinese herbal preparations. In a report published in 1997,2609 Chinese herbal preparations, collected from Taiwanese clinics, were tested. 23.7% of these preparations contained synthetic substances consistent with the intended effect of the product. However, counterfeiting is not an Asian problem, as the Chinese and Indian dietary supplements are also present in the European maikeL or anywhere in the global market. This was confirmed by a recently published article from French scientists, who tested 20 heibal weight loss pills and fotmd that 16 contained synthetic drags. These cases are known among experts, but only receive more publicity if the counterfeiting claims human lives, or leads to positive doping cases. There are many examples of both. 

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