Pediatric blood & cancer
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Pediatric blood & cancer · May 2010
Anxiety is contagious-symptoms of anxiety in the terminally ill child affect long-term psychological well-being in bereaved parents.
We studied the relation between unrelieved symptoms in terminally ill children and the psychological well-being in the bereaved parents 4-9 years after their loss. ⋯ Bereaved parents whose children were affected by anxiety or disturbed sleep due to anxiety or pain had an increased risk of long-term psychological morbidity. Reducing psychological complications in seriously ill children may also improve the psychological well-being in bereaved parents.
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Pediatric blood & cancer · May 2010
Feasibility and tolerability of bevacizumab in children with primary CNS tumors.
Bevacizumab, an antibody to the vascular endothelial growth factor, has demonstrated anti-cancer activity in a number of solid tumors. Fear of intratumoral hemorrhage, however, has slowed its introduction into the treatment of central nervous system (CNS) tumors. Currently, only a small number of children with gliomas received bevacizumab. ⋯ Bevacizumab appears to be safe for children with primary CNS tumors. Adverse effects did occur but were manageable. No treatment-related death occurred. Long-term monitoring is advisable to detect lymphopenia and hypothyroidism. Hypertension occurred less frequently than in adult patients. Further prospective studies including more patients are warranted.