Cancer investigation
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Cancer investigation · Jan 2018
Serial Endoscopic Evaluation of Esophageal Disease in a Cancer Model: A Paradigm Shift for Esophageal Adenocarcinoma (EAC) Drug Discovery and Development.
A rat model of surgically induced reflux recapitulates the development and progression of human esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC). In this study, reflux was induced in rats followed by postoperative endoscopy with biopsy, to diagnose and monitor disease progression. ⋯ Additionally, the percentage agreement for biopsy in tumors >4 mm was 75%. Thereby, establishing endoscopic evaluation as a reliable tool to assess disease progression and provide biopsies for downstream correlates in a de novo EAC model.
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Cancer investigation · Jan 2015
Salivary Immunosuppressive Cytokines IL-10 and IL-13 Are Significantly Elevated in Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma Patients.
Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is considered to be one of the most fatal diseases worldwide, owing to its late diagnosis and lack of availability of established reliable biomarkers. The aim of this study was to highlight the significance of immunosuppressive cytokines as potential biomarkers in OSCC. Whole unstimulated saliva was collected from each individual (30 OSCC patients and 33 age- and gender-matched healthy controls). ⋯ Mean levels of salivary cytokines in three histologically defined OSCC categories, compared employing one-way ANOVA, showed that salivary levels of IL-1RA were highest in patients having poorly differentiated OSCC tumors as compared to those having moderately and well-differentiated tumors (p = .000 and p = .002, respectively). Among OSCC individuals, duration of smokeless tobacco correlated positively with IL-1RA (p = .036). We conclude that salivary levels of immunosuppressive cytokines, IL-4, IL-10, IL-13, and IL-1RA, could prove to be potential biomarkers of OSCC and can be further investigated as markers of early detection and disease progression.
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Using a nationwide database, 4,874 patients with hypercalcemia of malignancy were identified. The in-hospital mortality rate was 6.8%. Overall, 1,971 (40.4%) patients received pamidronate and 1,399 (28.7%) received zoledronic acid during hospitalization. ⋯ Use of contraindicated medications was noted in 136 (2.8%) patients who received thiazide diuretics and 12 (0.2%) who received lithium. Tumor site, presence of bone metastases, and severity of illness were predictors of treatment. There was no association between treatment with bisphosphonates, calcitonin, or glucocorticoids and morbidity or mortality.
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Cancer investigation · Jan 2015
Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolism (PE): awareness and prophylaxis practices reported by patients with cancer.
Patients with cancer are at increased risk for venous thromboembolism (VTE). An online survey to measure PE/DVT terminology awareness and understanding of VTE risks revealed 24% and 15% of the 500 cancer patients surveyed had heard of term DVT/PE; 19% and 17% could name signs/ symptoms of DVT/PE; 3% recognized cancer treatments as risk factors for DVT/PE. ⋯ Cancer patient awareness of VTE terminology and cancer and/or its treatment as risk for VTE is low. More effective patient/physician dialogue about VTE risk and thromboprophylaxis is needed.
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Cancer investigation · Nov 2014
Palliative radiotherapy for painful bone metastases from solid tumors delivered with static ports of tomotherapy (TomoDirect): feasibility and clinical results.
To evaluate the feasibility and response to palliative radiotherapy delivered with static ports of tomotherapy--TomoDirect (TD) in patients affected with painful bone metastases from solid tumors. ⋯ TD is a valid option to deliver palliative radiotherapy for painful bone metastases from solid tumors.