EORTC QLQ-C30 assessment in Turkish patients with hematological malignancies

We aimed to evaluate the prevalences of self-reported anxiety and depression symptoms in hematological malignancy patients and to determine the association between the presence of these disorders and the results of the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire-30 (EORTC QLQ-C30). One hundred and forty patients with a diagnosis of a hematological malignancy completed the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) and the General Health Questionnaire. Patients with higher anxiety scores were more frequently inpatients, had higher EORTC general symptom scores, and they had lower cognitive, emotional, social functioning and global quality of life (QoL) scores (all p values <0.05). Patients with higher depression scores had more frequently active disease and were inpatients; they had higher mean Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance scores, EORTC gastrointestinal system and general symptom scores, and significantly lower physical, role, emotional, social and cognitive functioning and global QoL scores (all p values <0.01). During follow-up, it was observed that survival curves of patients with active disease who had higher HADS depression scores tended to be shorter than those with lower scores (p = 0.1). Anxiety and depression are frequent in hematological malignancy patients and associated with poor QoL and performance status. In addition, the presence of self-reported depression might have a predictive value for poor prognosis.     

Comparison of the effects of various anticancer agents on intestinal anastomosis after intraperitoneal administration

In this study, the effects of intraperitoneal 5-fluorouracil (5-FU), cisplatinum (Cis), adriamycin (Adr), and methotrexate (MTX) administration on rat intestinal anastomosis were compared. Cis and MTX led to significant weight loss in the first 5 days compared with the control group. Within 14 days all rats except the MTX group nearly reached their preoperative weight. No remarkable weight loss or systemic toxicity was observed among the 5-FU and Adr groups. The anastomosis bursting pressure (ABP) at 1 week was significantly lower than that of the control group (P<0.01 andP<0.005, respectively). On day 14 the anastomosis bursting pressure in the Cis group was similar to that of the control group but was significantly lower in the MTX group (P<0.002). Histopathologically, MTX avoided the development of a mucosal layer at the anastomosis site and led to ulcer formation in some of the rats. The ABPs at 7 and 14 days were similar to those in the control group. Neither of the agents had any significant mechanical or histopathologic adverse effects on anastomosis. According to the results of our study, MTX impaired the healing of the anastomosis, and we thus conclude that the intraperitoneal administration of this agent is not safe. On the other hand, Cis showed a detrimental effect on the anastomosis, particularly in the early phase, but this effect disappeared in the late phase. Cis thus should not be administered in the early postoperative phase. As a result, 5-FU and Adr were found to be the safest agents as they did not delay wound healing and did not reduce the anastomotic strength.     

Validation of the Turkish version of the Pain Sensitivity Questionnaire in patients with chronic pain

ObjectiveThe Pain Sensitivity Questionnaire (PSQ) is a clinically beneficial instrument that has been proven to be correlated with various experimental pain sensitivity assessments in healthy people and in patients with chronic pain. In this study, we aimed to translate the PSQ into Turkish (PSQ-T) and validate it for the measurement of pain sensitivity among Turkish people.MethodsSeventy-three patients with chronic back pain who were planning to undergo an interventional procedure completed the Brief Pain Inventory-Short Form (BPI-SF), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), Beck Anxiety Inventory, Pain Catastrophizing Scale, and PSQ prior to their procedure. Subcutaneous infiltration of lidocaine was used as a standardized experimental pain stimulus. Pain was evaluated using a visual analog scale (VAS 1: infiltration in the hand, and VAS 2: infiltration in the procedure area)ResultsScores on the PSQ-T were significantly correlated with those on the BPI-SF. A significant positive relationship was observed between VAS 1 and VAS 2 values and the PSQ-T score, BPI pain score, and BPI interference score.ConclusionsThe PSQ-T can be used as a valid and reliable tool for the assessment of pain sensitivity in the Turkish population.     

A rare neoplasm of the testis: capillary hemangioma

Intratesticular vascular neoplasms are extremely rare tumors and mostly seen in children or young adults. We reported a case of capillary hemangioma of the testis to attract attention to testicular hemangioma and also to prevent invasive surgery of the testis. The patient was an 18-year-old boy with a testicular mass. Scrotal sonography revealed a varicocele in the left testis and a simple cyst in the left epididymis. There was a solid hypoechoic neoplastic area 75 mm in diameter in the right testis. The laboratory findings including tumor markers and serum levels of alpha-fetoprotein and beta-human chorionic gonadotrophin were normal. The patient underwent right orchiectomy and the pathology diagnosis was capillary hemangioma. Testicular neoplasms derived from connective tissue, blood vessels and musculature are uncommon and intratesticular tumors of vascular origin are extremely rare. There are only 21 cases reported in the literature. The pathologists and the surgeon have to be aware of this entity as the prognosis of the neoplasm determines the method of surgery. Capillary hemangioma of the testis can be similar to malignant testicular tumors on clinical presentation, as well as on ultrasonography and magnetic resonance imaging. Although it is impossible to differentiate a hemangioma from a seminoma before the operation, intraoperative frozen study may be helpful in the differential diagnosis. Frozen section must be performed if the neoplasm has significant vascular proliferation identified by Doppler sonography. Because of the benign nature of this lesion, conservative surgical treatment by means of tumor enucleation with preservation of the testis is possible if intraoperative frozen section examination can be performed.