Degradation Rate of 5-Fluorouracil in Metastatic Colorectal Cancer: A New Predictive Outcome Biomarker?

Background: 5-FU based chemotherapy is the most common first line regimen used for metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC). Identification of predictive markers of response to chemotherapy is a challenging approach for drug selection. The present study analyzes the predictive role of 5-FU degradation rate (5-FUDR) and genetic polymorphisms (MTHFR, TSER, DPYD) on survival.

Predictors of mood disorders in cancer patients' caregivers.

Introduction: Patients' care has been associated with a high burden of psychological symptoms in caregivers. This study identifies characteristics associated with mood disorders in caregivers of cancer patients.

Methods: One hundred fifty-two caregivers, aged 24-78 years (average age 51; 60 % females), of cancer patients completed Family Strain Questionnaire (FSQ), Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), Impact of Event Scale (IES), and Coping Orientations to the Problems Experienced.

Patient perception of disease control and psychological distress.

Background: Risk perception and efficacy beliefs affect health behavior. The aim of this study was to measure cancer severity and curability (as proxy for risk perception and efficacy beliefs, respectively) and their association with clinical and psychosocial variables.

Methods: A consecutive sample of cancer patients were recruited and assessed for sociodemographic and medical data, patient perception of cancer severity and curability, and quality of life.

Treatment-related side effects and quality of life in cancer patients.

Background: Cancer leads to a complicated pattern of change in quality of life (QoL).

Objective: The aims of this study were to assess the impact of treatment-related side effects on QoL in cancer patients and to explore which other factors, and to what extent, contribute to explain low QoL scores.

Methods: One hundred twenty-three cancer patients receiving chemotherapy completed the self-administered questionnaires (Medical Outcomes Short-Form-36 (SF-36) and 12-item General Health Questionnaire).

Predictors of existential and religious well-being among cancer patients.

Well-being and mental health are not only direct functions of amount of stress, but also depend on how people appraise and face critical situations. Spiritual well-being seems to be a central component of psychological health in physically healthy individuals and it offers some protection against end-of-life despair in those with chronic diseases. In this study, 250 out and in-patients with a cancer diagnosis were interviewed with standardised instruments to measure two aspects of spirituality, existential and religious well-being, coping strategies, psychological state, and quality of life (QoL).

Intradermal lymphoscintigraphy at rest and after exercise: a new technique for the functional assessment of the lymphatic system in patients with lymphoedema.

Aim: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of implementing a new technique, intradermal injection lymphoscintigraphy, at rest and after muscular exercise on the functional assessment of the lymphatic system in a group of patients with delayed or absent lymph drainage.

Methods: We selected 44 patients (32 women and 12 men; 15 of 44 with upper limb and 29 of 44 with lower limb lymphoedema). Thirty of 44 patients had bilateral limb lymphoedema and 14 of 44 had unilateral disease; 14 contralateral normal limbs were used as controls.