International journal of gynecological cancer : official journal of the International Gynecological Cancer Society
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Int. J. Gynecol. Cancer · Jun 2013
Performance status and symptom scores of women with gynecologic cancer at the end of life.
The Palliative Performance Scale (PPS), which measures performance status (100 = best performance to 0 = dead), and the Edmonton Symptom Assessment System (ESAS), which measures severity of 9 symptoms, are routinely collected at ambulatory cancer visits in Ontario. This study describes the trajectory of scores in patients with gynecologic cancer in the last 6 months of life. ⋯ Trajectories of mean performance status had not reached the "end-of-life" phase until 1 week before death. A large proportion of the gynecologic cancer patients reported moderate to severe symptom scores as death approached. Pain was uniquely elevated in the cervical cancer cohort as death approached. Adequately managing the symptom burden appears to be a significant issue in end-of-life gynecologic care.
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Int. J. Gynecol. Cancer · Jun 2013
Comparative StudyConstitutive activation of nuclear factor κB contributes to cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator expression and promotes human cervical cancer progression and poor prognosis.
Cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) and nuclear factor κB (NF-κB) have been known to play important roles in the development and progression of many types of cancer including cervical cancer. The study aimed to verify the relevance and significance of CFTR and NF-κB expressions in cervical cancer tissues and cell lines. ⋯ Cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator and NF-κB were coexpressed in cervical cancer, and the activation of NF-κB mediated the expression of CFTR. Multivariate analysis revealed that coexpression of CFTR and NF-κB was associated with poor prognosis in patients with cervical cancer.
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Int. J. Gynecol. Cancer · Jun 2013
Cost-effectiveness of BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutation testing to target PARP inhibitor use in platinum-sensitive recurrent ovarian cancer.
(1) To determine whether use of a PARP inhibitor or (2) BRCA1/2 mutation testing followed by a PARP inhibitor for test positives is potentially cost-effective for maintenance treatment of platinum-sensitive recurrent high-grade serous ovarian cancer. ⋯ The use of maintenance olaparib in women with high-grade serous ovarian cancer is not cost-effective regardless of whether BRCA1/2 testing is used to direct treatment. However, BRCA1/2 testing is a preferred strategy compared to global maintenance olaparib alone.