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.