Cancer
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Greater body mass index (BMI), a measure of overall adiposity, is associated with a higher risk of postmenopausal breast cancer. The role of central adiposity, often measured by waist circumference, is less well understood, especially among premenopausal women. The objective of the current study was to examine multiple measures of adiposity in relation to breast cancer in a prospective cohort study. ⋯ Findings from this large, prospective study with examiner-measured body size indicate that waist circumference is independently and positively associated with both premenopausal and postmenopausal breast cancer risk.
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Ibrutinib is active in patients with relapsed/refractory (R/R) chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). In patients treated with ibrutinib for R/R CLL, del(17p), identified by interphase fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH), is associated with inferior progression-free survival despite equivalent initial response rates. Del(17p) is frequently associated with a complex metaphase karyotype (CKT); the prognostic significance of CKT in ibrutinib-treated patients has not been reported. ⋯ CKT is a powerful predictor of outcomes for ibrutinib-treated patients with R/R CLL and may be a stronger predictor of biological behavior than del(17p) by FISH. Because of their relatively poor outcomes, patients with CKT are ideal candidates for studies of consolidative treatment strategies or novel treatment combinations.
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Multicenter Study
The lasting impact of the therapeutic alliance: Patient-oncologist alliance as a predictor of caregiver bereavement adjustment.
Caregivers of patients with advanced cancer provide extensive care and experience high levels of psychosocial distress. The patient-oncologist therapeutic alliance may be a modifiable factor that can prevent or reduce negative caregiver outcomes. ⋯ The influence of the patient-oncologist alliance may generalize beyond the patient to positively impact the caregiver. By developing a strong relationship with the patient, the oncologist may benefit the caregiver and the patient. This caregiver benefit may extend into bereavement.
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This study evaluated the 2-year overall survival rate, adverse event rate, local control rate, and impact on pulmonary function tests for medically inoperable patients with stage IA non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) undergoing computed tomography (CT)-guided radiofrequency ablation (RFA) in a prospective, multicenter trial. ⋯ RFA is a single, minimally invasive procedure that is well tolerated in medically inoperable patients, does not adversely affect pulmonary function tests, and provides a 2-year overall survival rate that is comparable to the rate reported after stereotactic body radiotherapy in similar patients.