Objectives: The objective of this study was to engage national experts in geriatric psychiatry and oncology in qualitative interviews to develop consensus regarding how older adult cancer survivors (OACS) experience depressive symptoms, and how best to assess OACs for depression.
Methods: Expert clinicians in geriatric oncology disciplines were interviewed about approaches to assessing depression in OACs. Interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed, and conducted until thematic saturation was achieved.
Introduction: The number of older adults with cancer continues to increase. Many national and international organizations have called for the development of training opportunities for healthcare professionals (HCPs) to meet the unique needs of older adults with cancer and their families.
Materials And Methods: We developed and implemented the Geriatric Oncology Cognition and Communication (Geri-Onc CC) training program for HCPs of all disciplines.
Objective: To identify the phenomenology of depression in older adults with cancer (OACs) in order to improve the accuracy of depression screening for this population.
Method: Inclusion criteria were: ≥70 years old, history of cancer, no cognitive impairment or severe psychopathology. Participants completed a demographic questionnaire, a diagnostic interview, and a qualitative interview.
Follicular lymphoma (FL) is an indolent cancer of mature B-cells but with ongoing risk of transformation to more aggressive histology over time. Recurrent mutations associated with transformation have been identified; however, prognostic features that can be discerned at diagnosis could be clinically useful. We present here comprehensive profiling of both tumor and immune compartments in 155 diagnostic FL biopsies at single-cell resolution by mass cytometry.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjectives: The Cancer and Aging: Reflections for Elders Expressive Writing Intervention (CARE-Express) was developed to enhance coping and minimize psychological distress in older adults with cancer. The aim of the current study is to evaluate the feasibility and initial efficacy of CARE-Express.
Materials And Methods: Seventy-one distressed older adults (≥70) with cancer were assigned to CARE-Express (n = 41) or the Enhanced Social Work Control (ESWC) arm (n = 30).
Cognitive behavioral therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I) is the gold standard treatment for insomnia. There is limited access to qualified providers to deliver CBT-I; moreover, there are patient populations who struggle with access to insomnia care due to limited time and resources. This includes caregivers for persons with Alzheimer's disease, for whom sleep disturbance is a common concern.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjective: Blacks have the highest incidence and mortality rates for prostate cancer (PCa) in the U.S. Black PCa patients (PCaP) also report high psychological distress.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFWith the outbreak of COVID-19, patients and providers were forced to isolate and become innovative in ways to continue exceptional patient care. The Cleveland Clinic went from mostly in-person medical appointments to all virtual/telemedicine care in about 2 weeks' time. In this piece, we show specifically the thought process and our conversion of the Mellen Center for Multiple Sclerosis Behavioral Medicine to ensure that our patients still receive exceptional care and patient experience.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: The phosphatidyl 3-inositol kinase (PI3K)/Akt/mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathway frequently is activated in patients with urothelial carcinoma (UC). In the current study, the authors performed a phase 2 study evaluating the efficacy of the pan-isoform class I PI3K inhibitor buparlisib in patients with platinum-refractory metastatic UC.
Methods: Two cohorts were recruited: an initial genetically unselected cohort and a subsequent expansion cohort of patients with PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway-altered tumors.
Introduction: Patients with implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs) frequently experience sleep disruption. Prior work shows associations between objective (actigraphic) sleep and cognition in these patients, but whether pain affects associations between measures of sleep fragmentation (eg, sleep efficiency, SE) and cognition is unknown. The present study examined independent and interactive associations between objective SE and pain on cognitive performance in patients with ICDs.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFSleep disturbance and anxiety are highly prevalent in patients with implantable cardiac defibrillators (ICDs). There is limited research, however, on the associations between cognitive performance and sleep parameters, age and anxiety. Forty-one patients with ICDs and self-reported sleep disturbance completed 14 days of actigraphy (M = 60.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjective: Cancer and Aging: Reflections for Elders (CARE) is a novel, telephone-delivered intervention designed to alleviate distress in older cancer patients. This pilot randomized controlled trial tested the feasibility and initial efficacy of CARE, drawing from age-appropriate developmental themes and well-established coping theory.
Method: Eligible patients were ≥70 years old; ≥6 months post-diagnosis of lung, prostate, breast, lymphoma, or gynecological cancer; on active cancer treatment or within 6 months of ending cancer treatment; and had elevated scores on the Distress Thermometer (≥4) or Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (≥6).
A seven-subunit Lsm2-8 protein ring assembles on the U-rich 3' end of the U6 snRNA. A structure-guided mutational analysis of the Lsm2-8 ring affords new insights to structure-function relations and genetic interactions of the Lsm subunits. Alanine scanning of 39 amino acids comprising the RNA-binding sites or intersubunit interfaces of Lsm2, Lsm3, Lsm4, Lsm5, and Lsm8 identified only one instance of lethality (Lsm3-R69A) and one severe growth defect (Lsm2-R63A), both involving amino acids that bind the 3'-terminal UUU trinucleotide.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: As the number of older adults in the United States continues to grow, there will be increasing demands on health care providers to address the needs of this population. Cancer is of particular importance, with over half of all cancer survivors older than 65 years. In addition, depression, pain, and fatigue are concerns for older adults with cancer and have been linked to poorer physical outcomes.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFA seven-subunit Sm protein ring assembles around specific U-rich RNA segments of the U1, U2, U4, and U5 snRNPs that direct pre-mRNA splicing. Using human snRNP crystal structures to guide mutagenesis in , we gained new insights into structure-function relationships of the SmD1 and SmD2 subunits. Of 18 conserved amino acids comprising their RNA-binding sites or intersubunit interfaces, only Arg88 in SmD1 and Arg97 in SmD2 were essential for growth.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFJ Zoo Wildl Med
September 2016
Museum specimens representing 12 species of terrestrial carnivores from the northeastern United States were inspected for evidence of healed long-bone fractures. Of 413 individuals, 18 (4.4%) exhibited healed fractures.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFMHC class I is critically involved in defense against viruses, and diversity from polygeny and polymorphism contributes to the breadth of the immune response and health of the population. In this article, we examine MHC class I diversity in wild mallard ducks, the natural host and reservoir of influenza A viruses. We previously showed domestic ducks predominantly use UAA, one of five MHC class I genes, but whether biased expression is also true for wild mallards is unknown.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjective: To examine the ability of three popular self-report measures of depression to assess depression in a geriatric cancer setting.
Method: Cancer patients 70 years or older and on active treatment completed the Geriatric Depression Scale-Short Form, the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, and the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale-Revised, and were interviewed using the depression module of the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM disorders (SCID) as the 'gold standard.' Analyses included calculating internal consistency, ROC curves, and the sensitivity and specificity to detect major depression (MDD) or minor depression (i.
Purpose: The National Cancer Institute has highlighted the need for psychosocial research to focus on Black cancer patients. This applies to Black men with prostate cancer, as there is little systematic research concerning psychological distress in these men. This study was designed to validate the Memorial Anxiety Scale for Prostate Cancer (MAX-PC) in Black men with prostate cancer to help facilitate research within this group.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe development of targeted anti-cancer therapies through the study of cancer genomes is intended to increase survival rates and decrease treatment-related toxicity. We treated a transposon-driven, functional genomic mouse model of medulloblastoma with 'humanized' in vivo therapy (microneurosurgical tumour resection followed by multi-fractionated, image-guided radiotherapy). Genetic events in recurrent murine medulloblastoma exhibit a very poor overlap with those in matched murine diagnostic samples (<5%).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFStudy Objectives: In insomnia, actigraphy tends to underestimate wake time compared to diaries and PSG. When chronic pain co-occurs with insomnia, sleep may be more fragmented, including more movement and arousals. However, individuals may not be consciously aware of these arousals.
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