Giant cell reparative granuloma of the proximal phalanx: A case report and literature review

The present article is a case report of a 16-year-old boy who presented with a benign bony tumour, which on histological analysis suggested giant cell reparative granuloma (GCRG), but was not corroborate by blood tests. The implications of this type of tumour and the correct diagnostic requirements were investigated. The correct identification of GCRG from other giant cell-containing tumours is important because the treatment modalities for these tumours significantly differ from one another. In most cases, histological findings are sufficient to identify the tumours. In most GCRG cases, curettage is usually a curative treatment option. However, due to high recurrence rates of GCRGs, close follow-up of these patients is warranted. Also, due to osteoclastic activity of the giant cells in GCRGs, the use of drugs such as calcitonin or bisphosphonates, which inhibit osteoclast differentiation and activation, may have an important influence on future treatments or in reducing the recurrence rate of these tumours.     

A comparison of patient adherence and preference of packaging method for oral anticancer agents using conventional pill bottles versus daily pill boxes

Adherence to medications is an important issue in oncology due to the increasing number of anticancer agents, such as targeted therapies, formulated for oral dosing. A prospective, crossover design was utilized in which patients on capecitabine were randomly assigned to one of two packaging methods for one cycle, and then switched over to the alternate packaging method in the subsequent cycle. Twenty-five patients were accrued to this study. Adherence rates were similar when using the daily pill boxes (17/21 = 81%) and when using the conventional pill bottles (18/21 = 86%). However, more patients were satisfied with the daily pill boxes (61% versus 11%, P = 0.027), preferred the daily pill boxes (61% versus 17%, P = 0.061), and thought the daily pill boxes were more helpful in reminding them to take their medications (50% versus 11%, P = 0.070). In conclusion, this small pilot study did not demonstrate that the use of daily pill boxes improved patient adherence with capecitabine, but patient satisfaction and preference for this packaging method were greater than for the conventional pill bottles. Further exploration of this intervention in a larger study is warranted.