Goal disturbance in early-stage breast cancer survivors

Purpose: Cancer-related goal disturbance can influence long-term outcomes in cancer patients and survivors; however, few studies have examined the factors that contribute to goal disturbance in early survivorship.

Design: The current study examined the relationships between demographic variables, cancer- and treatment-related factors, and behavioral and psychological symptoms (i.e., fatigue, pain, cognitive complaints, depressive symptoms, and anxiety) and goal disturbance in breast cancer survivors 1?year after treatment completion.

Methods: Women diagnosed with early-stage breast cancer (n?=?171) completed assessments following primary treatment (i.e., surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy) and again 6?months and 1?year later. We focused on the 1-year post-treatment assessment when participants were asked if they had experienced a cancer-related goal disturbance.

Findings: Approximately, 27% of women reported a cancer-related goal disturbance. Analyses indicated that both receipt of chemotherapy and behavioral and psychological symptoms—analyzed as a composite score and individually—were associated with a higher probability of reporting a goal disturbance.

Conclusions: Chemotherapy and behavioral and psychological symptoms were unique correlates of goal disturbance, suggesting that the impact of chemotherapy extends beyond its influence on persistent symptoms.

Implications: Elucidating factors that inhibit the pursuit of meaningful activities in early survivorship is critically important to understanding the long-term psychosocial impacts of cancer diagnosis and treatment.     

Family dynamics in young adult cancer caregiving: “It should be teamwork”

Purpose/Objectives: Young adult cancer patients undergo stress at a time when their primary source of psychosocial support may be changing. Our goal was to provide insight into the expectations young adult patients and their family caregivers for types of psychosocial support.

Research Approach: Semi-structured interviews.

Participants: Fifteen patients, 9 caregivers recruited from an AYA clinic.

Methodological Approach: Thematic content analysis using the constant comparison method.

Findings: Two themes were identified. First, families described coordinating support around strengths to determine who would take on caregiving roles/tasks. Second, families described the importance of patient-caregiver relationship status/history in determining trust and expectations.

Interpretation: Family strengths and existing relationships can impact caregiving roles and expectations for families of young adult cancer patients.

Implications for Psychosocial Providers: Cancer clinics may need to involve members of the psychosocial provider team to better understand the family dynamics of their patients and how these relate to support.     

Mental health comorbidities and cost/utilization outcomes in head and neck cancer patients

Purpose: Examine the relationship between mental health comorbidities and health services outcomes in non-elderly adults with head and neck cancer (HNC).

Design: Retrospective, cross-sectional.

Sample: Non-elderly adults with a primary diagnosis of HNC in U.S. Department of Defense (TRICARE) administrative claims data for fiscal years (FY) 2007–2014.

Methods: Linear regression and generalized linear models were used to examine predictors of reimbursed cost and healthcare utilization, respectively.

Findings: On average, there were 2944 HNC patients each year, the majority age 55–64, male, military retirees or family members of retirees, cared for in civilian facilities, and residing in the U.S. southern region. Between FY2007 and FY2014, there were slight increases in prevalence rates for diagnosed depression (12.4%–13.1%), anxiety (8.2%–11.9%), adjustment disorders (3.7%–5.8%), and drug use disorders (10.3%–19.4%), and a slight decrease in alcohol use disorders (12.3%–11.4%). In the cost regression model, depression and anxiety were the seventh and eighth strongest predictors (p?<?.001), behind hospice use, treatment modalities, chronic physical conditions, and tobacco use. In the utilization regression models, depression, adjustment disorder, and anxiety ranked seventh, ninth, and eleventh as the strongest predictors for the number of ambulatory visits; anxiety, depression and substance use disorder ranked fifth, sixth, and eighth in the model examining predictors of the number of annual hospitalizations; and anxiety and depression ranked fifth and sixth in the model examining predictors of the annual number of bed days.

Conclusions: We found strong evidence that mental health comorbidities impact cost and utilization among HNC patients, independent of other factors.

Implications for Psychosocial Providers or Policy: Addressing mental health comorbidities among HNC patients may reduce cost and improve resource efficiency.     

Prevalence of psychosocial distress in cancer patients across 55 North American cancer centers

Routine distress screening in United States oncology clinics has been mandatory since 2015.

Objective: This study was the first to assess distress in a geographically diverse sample of cancer patients following mandated distress screening implementation by oncology social workers.

Methods: Sites were self-selected via social workers who applied to participate in the Association of Oncology Social Work’s Project to Assure Quality Cancer Care, advertised through their social media outlets and conference. Electronic screening records were collected from 55 cancer treatment centers in the United States and Canada. Cases required cancer diagnoses and Distress Thermometer (DT) scores to be included. Distress rates and rates by age, sex, cancer type, and ethnicity were examined.

Results: Of 4664 cases, 46% (2157) experienced significant distress (DT score?≥?4). Being female, age 40-59, and having diagnoses of pancreatic or lung cancer was associated with increased likelihood of distress. Half of cases experience clinically-significant distress, though this need was not evenly distributed across patient or cancer types.

Conclusion: Identifying those at risk for distress may help inform optimal resource allocation. Methods to address needs of distressed patients in cases of limited resources are discussed.     

Maternal stress and pediatric brain cancer: A French study

Background: Despite evidence that pediatric cancer induces a trajectory of parental stress, studies including mothers of children with malignant brain tumors remain scarce. The present work aims to add to the scientific literature by evaluating maternal stress with a French translation of the Pediatric Inventory for Parents (PIP) in a population of mothers whose children have been diagnosed with a brain tumor.

Procedure: The mothers of 35 children with malignant brain tumors completed the Pediatric Inventory for Parents (PIP), the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) and the Family Assessment Device (FAD) at a mean time since diagnosis of 2.3 years.

Results: The PIP showed good internal consistency and correlated significantly with the STAI and the FAD. Maternal stress scores were higher in younger mothers and in mothers of younger children. Emotional functioning was the most affected domain.

Conclusions: Emotional stress as assessed by the PIP in mothers of children with malignant brain tumors is considerable, and should be routinely assessed, in order to implement appropriate specific psychosocial interventions when needed.     

Parental coping with retinoblastoma diagnosis

Objective: To characterize coping and distress among parents of children with retinoblastoma, and to uncover their association with perceived health literacy, self-efficacy, and social support.

Methods: This was a cross-sectional study performed in the retinoblastoma clinics of Beijing Children’s Hospital, Jilin Eye Hospital and Changchun Hospital in China. Parents of children with retinoblastoma (n?=?104) completed a print Mandarin language questionnaire consisting of four sections: (i) demographic information, (ii) mini-mental adjustment to cancer scale, (iii) hospital anxiety and depression scale, and (iv) perceived health literacy, self-efficacy, and social support scales. Scores were tabulated for each measure and analyzed by bivariate correlation.

Results: Moderate anxiety affected 59.2% of parents, and 77.7% experienced low, moderate, or high levels of depression. Combined anxiety and depression was positively correlated with helplessness/hopelessness (R?=?0.42, p?<?.01) and anxious preoccupation (R?=?0.247, p?<?.05), and negatively correlated with perceived self-efficacy (R?=?–0.228, p?<?.05). Perceived social support from a partner was negatively correlated with depression (R?=?–0.207, p?<?.05) and helplessness/hopelessness (R?=?–0.271, p?<?.01).

Conclusions: Knowledge of how parents cope with their child’s cancer diagnosis can help healthcare teams understand how best to support their psychosocial needs.     

Proteomic and bioinformatic analysis of condyloma acuminata: mild hyperthermia treatment reveals compromised HPV infectivity of keratinocytes via regulation of metabolism,differentiation and anti-viral responses

Background: Hyperthermia has proved successful in treating cutaneous human papillomavirus infectious diseases such as plantar wart and condyloma acuminata (CA). Moreover, this treatment provides improved therapeutic efficacy in these conditions as compared with conventional therapies.

Objectives: To investigate the global proteome changes in CA in response to hyperthermia and achieve a better understanding of the mechanisms of hyperthermia therapy against HPV-infectious diseases.

Methods: CA tissue was obtained from patients undergoing pathological examinations. Diagnosis was verified as based on results of both HE staining and HPV-DNA PCR assay. Hyperthermia was achieved with a 44?°C water bath. Differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) were identified by iTRAQ labeling, SCX chromatography and LC-MS/MS assay. Validation of proteomic results was performed using real-time qPCR and western blot, while bioinformatic analysis of DEPs was accomplished by R 3.4.1, STRING and Cytoscape softwares.

Results: In response to hyperthermia, a total of 102 DEPs were identified with 37 being upregulated and 65 downregulated. Among these DEPs, hyperthermia induced proteins involved with anti-viral processes such as OAS1, MX1, BANF1, CANX and AP1S1, whereas it inhibited proteins that participated in cellular metabolism, such as GALT, H6PD, EXOSC4 and EXOSC6; protein translation, such as RPS4Y1; as well as keratinocyte differentiation, such as KRT5, KRT27, KRT75, KRT76 and H2AFY2.

Conclusions: Hyperthermia inhibited enzymes and molecules responsible for metabolism modulation and keratinocyte differentiation in CA tissue, whereas it promoted factors involved in anti-viral responses. Such effects may, in part, contribute to the efficacy of local hyperthermia therapy against HPV infection.     

Ixazomib promotes CHOP-dependent DR5 induction and apoptosis in colorectal cancer cells

Background: Ixazomib (Ninlaro), a novel proteasome inhibitor, has been developed for the treatment of many cancers and has demonstrated anti-tumor efficacy against various malignancies. However, the mechanism of the anti-tumor effect of ixazomib in colorectal cancer (CRC) cells remains unclear.

Methods: MTS and flow cytometry were performed to determine the effect of ixazomib on CRC cells. Western blotting and real-time RT-PCR were performed to detect ixazomib-induced DR5 upregulation. ChIP was performed to detect CHOP binding to DR5 promoter. Finally, xenograft experiments were carried out to measure the antitumor effect of ixazomib in vivo.

Results: In this study, we revealed the mechanism by which ixazomib inhibits the growth of CRC cells. Our findings indicated that ixazomib treatment induces CHOP-dependent DR5 induction, irrespective of p53 status. Furthermore, DR5 is necessary for ixazomib-mediated apoptosis. Ixazomib also synergized with TRAIL to induce marked apoptosis via DR5 in CRC cells.

Conclusions: Our findings further suggested that ixazomib sensitizes TRAIL/death receptor signaling pathway-targeted CRC and suggested that DR5 induction could be a valuable indicator of ixazomib sensitivity.     

Successful treatment of a BRAF V600E-mutant extracranial metastatic anaplastic oligoastrocytoma with vemurafenib and everolimus

Background: Extracranial metastasis is a rare phenomenon of anaplastic oligoastrocytoma. When patients progress after comprehensive treatment, there is often no effective treatment. Rapid development of gene detection technology makes precision treatment of glioma possible.

Patient and methods: A 22-year-old girl was firstly diagnosed with anaplastic oligoastrocytoma WHO grade III-IV in 2014, and progressed rapidly after chemoradiotherapy in multiple extraneural lesions in 2016. She was expected to have a short life and Next-Generation Sequencing (NGS) was applied.

Results: Mutation of BRAF (V600E) was reported by 1st NGS and oral vemurafenib stabilized her disease for 6 months. PIK3CA was reported by 2nd NGS after her progression of vemurafenib. The oral administration of everolimus together with vemurafenib stabilized her disease for another 6 months. However, the patient died due to the rapid progression of the disease on 24 February 2018.

Conclusion: We successfully treated a BRAF V600E-mutated anaplastic oligoastrocytoma with multiple extraneural metastases with vemurafenib and everolimus. For late-staged patients who have no clear and effective treatment plan, NGS may serve as an effective option.     

Benefits,challenges, and needs of people living with cancer and their companion dogs: An exploratory study

Purpose/Objectives: The study examined whether the bond with a companion dog is associated with well-being among people with cancer, and described the perceived benefits, challenges, and needs accompanying the relationship with the dog.

Design: The design was cross-sectional.

Sample: Participants were 140 people recently diagnosed with cancer with at least one dog in their household.

Methods: The online survey included measures of the human–pet bond, depressive symptoms, positive affect, and health-related quality of life, as well as open-ended questions about the experience of having a dog since being diagnosed with cancer.

Findings: Although the bond with a companion dog was not directly linked with well-being, the association between the human–pet bond and depressive symptoms depended in part on treatment status.

Conclusions: Companion dogs may play an important role in the lives of people recently diagnosed with cancer.

Implications for psychosocial providers: Health care providers can help to support the bond with a companion dog.     

Starvation in cancer cells: circulating arginine is good for cancer but bad for patients

Introduction: Currently, basic understanding of heterogeneity and complexity of tumors is depicted at molecular, cellular, genetic, epigenetic and metabolic adaptations levels.

Areas covered: There are appreciable numbers of views to pinpoint signaling axis that support metabolic adaptations of cancer cells in response to environmental pressures including nutritional factors and drug treatments. Specifically, nutritional deprivation and autophagy in certain types of cancer are linked to the abilities of cancer cells to use arginine in an auxotrophic or prototrophic manner.

Expert opinion: Hence, this paper highlights the current scope of arginine- and autophagy-centered metabolic adaptations across tumor types and possible avenues to bring tumors towards cytotoxic or cytostatic death.     

Clinical analysis of high-intensity focussed ultrasound ablation for abdominal wall endometriosis: a 4-year experience at a specialty gynecological institution

Objective: To evaluate the long-term clinical effect of high-intensity focussed ultrasound (HIFU) as a non-invasive modality for ablation of abdominal wall endometriosis (AWE) foci.

Methods: All women who were diagnosed with cutaneous endometriosis and underwent HIFU ablation and 4-year follow-up were included. Patient symptoms, imaging performed, HIFU ablation, recurrence, lesion location, size and number were collected and analyzed.

Results: A total of 51 women with 57 painful abdominal wall masses with a median volume of 4.00?cm³ and a mean age of 30.5±2.12 years were treated with HIFU. The main symptoms were a palpable painful abdominal mass (93%), protrusion of the skin (28.1%, 16) or lack of protrusion of the skin (71.9%, 41). Ultrasound was initially performed in 100% (51) of women, whereas 6% (3) required MRI examinations to distinguish the features and range of the masses. Ablation was performed with a median 300?s of sonication time, 40?min treatment time, 150?W of power and 41800?J of total energy to treat lesions that were a median volume of 3.83?cm³. No severe complications occurred, except in one patient with a first-degree skin burn, during the 48-month follow-up period. The pooled recurrence of cutaneous endometriosis occurred in 3.9% (2) of women.

Conclusion: The diagnosis of AWE should be confirmed with imaging of the lesion number, location, size and features before HIFU ablation. HIFU should be the first choice for the treatment of AWE as it is a non-invasive method, with high efficiency and safety and rapid postoperative recovery.     

“I think it’s a bit early for now”: impact of psychological factors on drafting advance directives among cancer patients

Purpose: Various studies have shown that the drafting of Advance Directives (ADs) is relatively uncommon. This study was performed to explore cancer patients’ attitudes toward ADs, and their reasons for completing or not completing advance directive forms.

Methods: The research included interdependent steps designed to gradually collect patients’ agreement and comments concerning their participation in an AD study. A thematic content analysis was performed on patients’ comments. A total of 147 patients spontaneously agreed to participate before the presentation of the specific theme (AD) of the study.

Results: A large majority of the sample reported having no knowledge about ADs. Of the patients who initially agreed to participate, two-thirds declined after the presentation of the theme of the study. The reasons of patients who declined to participate related to avoidance of the issue of death, a focus on present time perspective, or an ambivalence between the AD proposal and recovery plans.

Conclusions: This study provides further evidence of the difficulties for patients to express their willingness to engage in AD discussions or research. The extent of the psychological issues experienced by patients and the level of avoidance they expressed raise many questions about the ethical issues and the spread of ADs used in oncology settings.     

The treatment of cervical pregnancy with high-intensity focused ultrasound followed by suction curettage: report of three cases

Objective: Cervical pregnancy (CP) is a rare type of ectopic pregnancy and is considered to be a life-threatening condition due to the risk of severe hemorrhage. Unfortunately, no consensus on standard conservative treatment for CP has been established. The study objective was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) followed by suction curettage for cervical pregnancy.

Method: Three patients with cervical pregnancy undergoing high-intensity focused ultrasound followed by suction curettage were analyzed. Patient age, gestational age, endocervical mass, serum human chorionic gonadotrophin (HCG) level, blood loss, and time for normal menstruation recovery were recorded.

Results: Three patients with cervical pregnancy were successfully treated with HIFU followed by suction curettage. After HIFU treatment, the fetal cardiac activity disappeared or the blood flow in the pregnancy tissue significantly decreased. The termination of the cervical pregnancy of all three patients was performed successfully without heavy bleeding. The estimated blood loss was 10–20?ml. The time for menstruation recovery was 30–45?days. No obvious complications of HIFU were observed in these cases.

Conclusion: High-intensity focused ultrasound followed by suction curettage seems to be considered as conservative management for patients who desire to preserve their uterus.     

Value of quantitative and qualitative analyses of serum and urine cell-free DNA as diagnostic tools for bladder cancer: a meta-analysis

Background: Qualitative and quantitative analysis of circulating cell-free DNA (cfDNA) is a potential detection method for bladder cancer. Many studies have focused on the reliability of these results, but the conclusions have not been consistent.

Methods: We performed a diagnostic meta-analysis to investigate the diagnostic significance of serum and urine cfDNAs with tumor tissues as the standard control. We searched the MEDLINE, EMABASE, and Cochrane Central Controlled Trials Register (CCTR) databases until January 2019.

Results: A total of 11 studies involving early and/or advanced bladder cancer were finally included. The overall diagnostic accuracy was measured as follows: pooled sensitivity and specifcity were 0.69 (95%CI: 0.67, 0.71) and 0.72 (95%CI: 0.70, 0.74). Pooled positive likelihood ratio and negative likelihood ratio were 3.10 (95%CI: 2.35, 4.07) and 0.41 (95%CI: 0.34, 0.49). Combined diagnostic odds ratio was 8.26 (95%CI: 5.64, 12.11). A high diagnostic accuracy was demonstrated by the summary receiver operating characteristic curve, with area under the curve of 0.80 (95%CI: 0.77, 0.83).

Conclusions: CfDNA assay has high diagnostic value for the detection of bladder cancer. Larger sample studies are needed to further confirm our conclusions and to make this approach more sensitive and specific.     

Microwave ablation of hyperplastic parathyroid glands is a treatment option for end-stage renal disease patients ineligible for surgical resection

Background: Secondary hyperparathyroidism (SHPT) is a frequently encountered problem in patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD). Some patients with severe SHPT could not be managed by medical treatment and are ineligible for surgical resection.

Purpose: Our objective was to evaluate the efficacy, safety of microwave ablation (MWA) on these patients.

Materials and Methods: Between 1 April 2015 and 28 February 2017, 35 patients (M/F 19/16, age 49.8?±?12.9?years) were enrolled. All patients were treated with MWA. Levels of intact parathyroid hormone (iPTH) and of serum calcium and phosphorus were compared pre- and post-ablation. Repeated-measures ANOVA was used to compare treatment outcomes pre- and post-ablation.

Results: Complete ablation was achieved in all 63 glands in the 35 patients with SHPT. The mean follow-up time was 15.9?±?2.2?months. The maximum gland diameter was 6–31?mm (mean, 14.9?±?5.5?mm). The trends of the changes in iPTH and calcium levels showed a curve: the level of iPTH and calcium at 6?months post-ablation were lower than those pre-ablation (both p?<?.0001); after then iPTH remained relatively stable and the end of follow up, with no rebound (p?<?.0001), while instead of calcium at the end of follow up was not significantly lower than pre-ablation (p?=?.462). The trend in the change in phosphate levels showed a straight line; the level of phosphate at 6?months post-ablation and at the end of follow up both were significantly lower than pre-MWA (p?<?.001). There was no major complication.

Conclusions: In this series, MWA was used successfully to treat SHPT patients who are ineligible for surgical resection.     

Exploring the link between diabetes and pancreatic cancer

Introduction: Epidemiological studies indicate an association between type 2 diabetes and pancreatic cancer but the complex and multidirectional relationship between them remains unclear.

Areas covered: We summarized epidemiological evidence on diabetes and pancreatic cancer exploring the time–risk relationship. We described mechanisms linking long-standing diabetes to pancreatic cancer. We discussed pancreatic cancer-associated diabetes and its implication in the early detection of pancreatic cancer.

Expert opinion: The markedly increased risk of pancreatic cancer in patients with new-onset diabetes compared with long-standing diabetes observed in several epidemiological studies indicates a complex and bidirectional connection, with long-standing diabetes being a predisposing factor for pancreatic cancer (increasing the risk of the malignancy 1.5- to 2-fold) and new-onset diabetes an early manifestation of the tumor. Identifying clinical features and biomarkers to distinguish pancreatic cancer-associated diabetes from type 2 diabetes is an important goal to improve management and survival of this cancer. Imaging (MRI) for middle-age patients with new-onset diabetes may be considered.