December 16, 2014 a meeting with Alīna Gendele, the Head of the Ludza municipality as well as Juris Atstupens, Member of the Board, Ludza Medical Centre and all the study team in Ludza took place. The work performed in Ludza during 2014 was evaluated, and got a positive evaluation. This was decided also to continue the work in 2005, also by allowing other municipalities to get involved.
10th Protocol of Governmental Commission on Economical and Scientific-Technical collaboration between Latvia and Belarus was signed December 10, 2014 in Minsk.
Closer collaboration in organized colorectal cancer screening implementation as well as facilitation of collaboration between the Cancer registries is stated in paragraph 13.5.
Furthermore, the international significance of GISTAR project as well as the importance of the project to Latvia and Belarus has been emphasized in paragraph 13.6. Both of the sides by signing the protocol have agreed on common interest in planning and realization of GISTAR project by strictly following the protocol requirements, including quality assurance of the investigations and trans-border transportation of biological samples.
December 5, 2014 a presentation „Volatile Marker Testing for Gastric Cancer and H.pylori-related Precancerous Lesion Detection” was delivered during VI International Symposium on Helicobacter pylori (VI Simposio Internacional Helicobacter pylori: Historia natural e implicaciones en la salud human) San José, Costa Rica http://helicobacterpylorisymposiumcr.weebly.com
November 26, 2014 GISTAR study coordinators met with Saldus City Council and Hospital Manager to discuss collaboration opportunities in the GISTAR study in Saldus region.
November 20, 2014 Professor Marcis Leja representing Latvian University met with Ludza City Council members to discuss GISTAR study progress in Ludza. In Ludza hospital professor gave a scientific presentation to local health care providers about possibilities of early gastric and colorectal cancer detection in the population.
October 30, 2014 Saldus City Council members accepted Saldus district involvement in the GISTAR study from the year 2015.
October 19, 2014 update on the GISTAR study was given during the Healthy Stomach Initiative Meeting that was held in Vienna prior to the United European Gastroenterology week http://www.hsinitiative.org/
On October 10, 2014. 203 individuals were included in the GISTAR Project at recruitment centre Ludza.
October 1, 2014 Aluksne Regional Council Newspaper „Aluksne novada vēstis” published information about planned GISTAR Project activities in region.
Read more about (in Latvian): http://www.aluksne.lv/Aluksnes%20Novada%20Vestis/anv_2014/ANV_oktobris.pdf
September 19, 2014 Professor Dzintars Mozgis representing Centre for Disease Prevention and Control visited Ludza region. The main objective of the visit was meeting with health care professionals to discuss medical issues and disease early diagnosis and prevention measures.
September 4, 2014 Ludza City Council members, hospital manager visited GISTAR recruitment centre in Ludza to introduce with the operation of the centre.
September 2, 2014 a pilot study was launched in Ludza, first four participants were enrolled.
August 27, 2014 Ludza Regional Council Newspaper „Ludzas novada vēstis” published information about planned GISTAR Project activities in Ludza region. Read more about (In Latvian): http://www.ludza.lv/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/LudzasNovadaVestis_Augusts2014.pdf
August 27, 2014 Professor Hermann Brenner representing German Division of Clinical Epidemiology and Aging Research and Dr. Juozas Kupcinskas from Lithuanian University of Health sciences visited Riga Eastern Clinical University Hospital Department of Research. The main objective of the visit was to discuss activities and studies in GI epidemiology & Oncology including GISTAR.
Prof. H. Brenner
August 21, 2014 GISTAR study coordinators met with Aluksne City Council members to discuss progress of pilot study in Aluksne region.
August 18, 2014 Training for Ludza pilot study employees took place in Riga.
July 31, 2014 Still ongoing active recruitment in the GISTAR study. 455 individuals in Aluksne were included in the GISTAR Project from May 05, 2013 to July 31, 2014.
June 25, 2014 International Journal „The ASCO Post” published interview with professor M. Leja „Gastric Cancer Detected in a Breath Test”.
Read more: http://www.ascopost.com/issues/june-25,-2014/gastric-cancer-detected-in-a-breath-test.aspx
June 19, 2014. Still ongoing active recruitment in the GISTAR study. 1000 individuals in Latvia were included in the GISTAR Project from October 09, 2013 to June 19, 2014.
On June 10, 2014. 202 individuals were included in the GISTAR Project at recruitment centre Aluksne.
On May 23, 2014. 100 individuals were included in the GISTAR Project at recruitment centre Aluksne.
May 9, 2014. Poster “Nanomaterial-based sensor technology can detect gastric cancer and peptic ulcer disease with a high accuracy from an exhaled air sample“ was presented during the Symposium on Global Cancer Research organized by National Cancer Institute in Washington, D.C., U.S.A. (authors: H.Amal, M.Leja, K.Funka, R.Skapars, I.Liepniece-Karele, I.Kikuste, A.Vanags, I.Tolmanis, H.Haick). Cross-border research-related issues actual for GISTAR study have also been discussed during this Symposium.
May 8, 2014. Presentation on the GISTAR study was delivered in the Center for Global Health (CGH) at the National Cancer Institute, Rockville, U.S.A.
May 4, 2014. Update on the GISTAR study was delivered during the Symposium of Healthy Stomach Initiative, Chicago, U.S.A.
May 3, 2014. Poster “Nanomaterial-based sensor technology can detect gastric cancer and peptic ulcer disease with a high accuracy from an exhaled air sample“ was presented during the Digestive Diseases Week 2014 in Chicago, U.S.A., and got award of “Poster of Distinction” (authors: H.Amal, M.Leja, K.Funka, R.Skapars, I.Liepniece-Karele, I.Kikuste, A.Vanags, I.Tolmanis, H.Haick).
May 1, 2014. Presentation on gastric-cancer related research in the Baltic States (including the GISTAR project) was delivered to the Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, Rockville, U.S.A.
On April 1, 2014 701 individuals were included in the GISTAR project.
From March 20th to 21st, 2014. IARC (IARC - International Agency for Research on Cancer) prevention and enforcement team leader Rolando Herrero and GISTAR researchers visited the Republic of Belarus. Mr. Rolando Herrero and GISTAR researchers visited potential partners in the Republic of Belarus. Purpose of the visit was to discuss potential cooperation in the implementation of the GISTAR project in Belarus.
In the Ministry of Health Republic of Belarus a meeting was held with Deputy Health Minister Valery Shevchuk. In Minsk, at the leading oncology, radiology and scientific research centre of the Republic of Belarus a meeting was held with leading experts: Deputy Director of the scientific work Professor Sergei Krasny, abdominal and oncological diseases Proctology Team Leader Dr. med. Andrey Shmak.
In Vitebsk Regional Council of Deputies a meeting was held with the Executive Committee of Vitebsk Region Health Department and the Economic group. Meetings were also held with the Vitebsk Medical University Professor Sergey Pimanov.
In Novopolock a meeting was held with the city executive committee chairman of Novopolotsk Natalia Kochanova, Novopolotsk hospital managers Sergey Nekrasov and deputy medical issues Alexei Muzichenko, head of Polotsk regional oncology dispenser Pavel Borovik.
Researchers meeting in the Republic of Belarus had been carefully pre-planned and was successful. It was the start of negotiations for the project in the Republic of Belarus. Belarusian officials expressed interest in the project to develop further cooperation and implementation of the project.
From March 17th to 19th, 2014. IARC (IARC - International Agency for Research on Cancer) prevention and enforcement team leader Mr. Rolando Herrero visited the Republic of Latvia.
The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) is the specialized cancer agency of the World Health Organization.
The objective of the IARC is to promote international collaboration in cancer research. The Agency is inter-disciplinary, bringing together skills in epidemiology, laboratory sciences and biostatistics to identify the causes of cancer so that preventive measures may be adopted and the burden of disease and associated suffering reduced. A significant feature of the IARC is its expertise in coordinating research across countries and organizations; its independent role as an international organization facilitates this activity. The Agency has a particular interest in conducting research in low and middle-income countries through partnerships and collaborations with researchers in these regions.
Read more about IARC: http://www.iarc.fr/en/about/index.php
One of the most important Mr. Rolando Herrero visit purposes was monitoring of GISTAR study in Latvia.
During the visit, Dr. Herrero visited the Riga Eastern Clinical University Hospital and GISTAR study existing and potential venues in Latvia.
Mr. Herrero also met with Deputy Secretary Ministry of Health Egita Pole, Latvian Medical Association President Peteris Apinis, Head of Latvian University Indriķis Muiznieks, head of Association of Hospital managers Jevgenijs Kalejs. Meetings were also held with Cesis, Aluksne and Ludza local and regional hospital managers.
Mr. Herrero during the visit welcomed course of GISTAR study in existing and potential locations in Latvia.
March 1, 2014 500 individuals were included in the GISTAR project.
February 27, 2014 GISTAR study coordinators met with Ludza Hospital Managers (Dr. J. Atstupens) and Ludza City Council members to discuss collaboration opportunities in the GISTAR study.
January 30, 2014 Aluksne City Council members accepted Aluksne district involvment in the GISTAR study from 1st May, 2014.
January 9, 2014 GISTAR study coordinators met with Aluksne and Ludza Hospital Managers (Dr. M. Kaulina, Dr. J. Atstupens) and Aluksne City Concil members to discuss necessity to collaborate in the GISTAR study.
On January 2, 2014 296 individuals have been randomised in the GISTAR project.