Patient Interest in Mental Health Screening by Endocrinologists.

Objectives: Endocrine disorders often coexist with mental health issues. Little is known about patient beliefs regarding endocrinologists' involvement in mental health screening. We studied the beliefs of patients with endocrine disorders regarding endocrinologists' asking about mental health and whether patients perceive that endocrinologists are capable of recognizing mental health concerns.

Abnormal Thyroid Function Laboratory Results Caused by Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor (SSRI) Antidepressant Treatment.

Mental health issues, especially depressive disorders, are major burdens to the health care systems. This has been more pronounced since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are often prescribed for depression.

Factitiously Elevated Total Triiodothyronine in a Euthyroid Patient with Multiple Myeloma.

Sporadic reports of factitious elevations of thyroid hormones related to laboratory interference from autoantibodies and multiple myeloma paraproteins have appeared in the literature. Such clinically confusing laboratory results can lead to erroneous diagnoses and inappropriate treatments. We report an additional case of a patient with multiple myeloma and an IgG paraproteinemia who had such a spurious elevation of total T3 complicating her levothyroxine management of hypothyroidism.

Acupuncture for Chemotherapy-Induced Peripheral Neuropathy in Breast Cancer Survivors: A Randomized Controlled Pilot Trial.

Background: Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) is one of the most debilitating long-term side effects in breast cancer survivors. We conducted a randomized controlled pilot trial to assess the feasibility, safety, and effects of an acupuncture intervention on CIPN in this population.

Patients And Methods: Women with stage I-III breast cancer with grade 1 or higher CIPN after taxane-containing adjuvant chemotherapy were randomized 1:1 to an immediate acupuncture (IA) arm or to a waitlist control group (CG).

Botanical Formula LCS101: A Multi-Targeted Approach to Cancer Care.

Background And Purpose: LCS101 is a botanical formula extracted from 14 botanical components. While conventional oncology focuses on targeted medicine, research on LCS101 adopts a multi-targeted approach, examining its preclinical (in vitro, in vivo, and ex vivo) and clinical (randomized controlled trial, pragmatic) effects. This includes examining the formula's impact on the immune system, selective anticancer effects, and improved chemotherapy-related symptoms and quality of life.

Oncology Acupuncture for Chronic Pain in Cancer Survivors: A Reflection on the American Society of Clinical Oncology Chronic Pain Guideline.

Chronic pain syndromes associated with cancer treatment are common but difficult to manage. The American Society of Clinical Oncology recently published a practice guideline to address the unmet needs of cancer survivors, Management of Chronic Pain in Survivors of Adult Cancers, which stresses the importance of implementing integrative therapies including acupuncture. This review focuses on randomized clinical trials of acupuncture for chronic pain in cancer survivors, including its use in chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy, aromatase inhibitor-associated arthralgia, and post neck dissection pain, and provides future directions of oncology acupuncture research in cancer survivorship.

Acupuncture for Chemoradiation Therapy-Related Dysphagia in Head and Neck Cancer: A Pilot Randomized Sham-Controlled Trial.

Introduction: Dysphagia is common in head and neck cancer patients after concurrent chemoradiation therapy (CRT). This study evaluated the feasibility of conducting a randomized sham-controlled trial and collected preliminary data on safety and efficacy of acupuncture.

Patients And Methods: Head and neck cancer (HNC) patients with stage III-IV squamous cell carcinoma were randomized to 12 sessions of either active acupuncture (AA) or sham acupuncture (SA) during and following CRT.

Acupuncture for Aromatase Inhibitor-Induced Arthralgia: A Systematic Review.

Background: Aromatase inhibitors (AIs) are commonly used as adjunctive hormone treatment for early breast cancer patients. The major side effect of AIs is arthralgia, which affects adherence. Previous reviews suggested that acupuncture is effective in the management of cancer-related pain.

Acupuncture for cancer pain and related symptoms.

Cancer pain is one of most prevalent symptoms in patients with cancer. Acupuncture and related techniques have been suggested for the management of cancer pain. The National Comprehensive Cancer Network guidelines for adult cancer pain recommends acupuncture, as one of several integrative interventions, in conjunction with pharmacologic intervention as needed.

The Feasibility and Effects of Acupuncture on Quality of Life Scores During Chemotherapy in Ovarian Cancer: Results from a Pilot, Randomized Sham-Controlled Trial.

Background: Within a pilot trial regarding chemotherapy-induced neutropenia, the secondary aim of the main study was explored. This involved measuring the effects-as shown on two key measurement scales reflecting quality of life (QoL)-of verum versus sham acupuncture on patients with ovarian cancer during chemotherapy.

Objective: The aim of this substudy was to determine the feasibility of determining the effects of verum acupuncture versus sham acupuncture on QoL in patients with ovarian cancer during chemotherapy.

Information for clinicians: commercially available molecular diagnosis testing in the evaluation of thyroid nodule fine-needle aspiration specimens.

TSH receptor mRNA reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction, the Veracyte and Asuragen commercial methods, and the noncommercial use of BRAF, RAS, RET/PTC, and PAX8/PPARγ testing have promising roles in the diagnosis and treatment of patients with nodular thyroid disease and thyroid cancer. However, at this time, experience with these molecular methods remains limited, and no test has perfect sensitivity and specificity. Peer-reviewed data evaluating the diagnostic performance of these tests are increasingly available.

Acupuncture for dysphagia after chemoradiation in head and neck cancer: rationale and design of a randomized, sham-controlled trial.

Introduction: Dysphagia is a common side effect following chemoradiation therapy (CRT) in head and neck cancer (HNC) patients. Current dysphagia management includes swallowing therapy and dilation procedures, but these treatments have limitations. While acupuncture has been reported to positively impact swallowing function and quality of life (QOL) in patients with dysphagia, current evidence is inconclusive.

Effect of medical Qigong on cognitive function, quality of life, and a biomarker of inflammation in cancer patients: a randomized controlled trial.

Purpose: Cancer patients often experience diminished cognitive function (CF) and quality of life (QOL) due to the side effects of treatment and the disease symptoms. This study evaluates the effects of medical Qigong (MQ; combination of gentle exercise and meditation) on CF, QOL, and inflammation in cancer patients.

Methods: Eighty-one cancer patients recruited between October 2007 and May 2008 were randomly assigned to two groups: a control group (n = 44) who received the usual health care and an intervention group (n = 37) who participated in a 10-week MQ program.

Recent advances in oncology acupuncture and safety considerations in practice.

Oncology acupuncture is a new and emerging field of research. Recent advances from published clinical trials have added evidence to support the use of acupuncture for symptom management in cancer patients. Recent new developments include (1) pain and dysfunction after neck dissection; (2) radiation-induced xerostomia in head and neck cancer; (3) aromatase inhibitor-associated arthralgia in breast cancer; (4) hot flashes in breast cancer and prostate cancer; and (5) chemotherapy-induced neutropenia in ovarian cancer.

Effects of complementary therapies on clinical outcomes in patients being treated with radiation therapy for prostate cancer.

Background: This pilot randomized controlled trial (RCT) examined the clinical effects of 2 complementary (CAM) therapies, relaxation response therapy (RRT) and Reiki therapy, in men being treated with external beam radiotherapy (EBRx) for prostate cancer.

Methods: Study participants were randomly assigned to weekly RRT, Reiki therapy twice weekly, or wait-list control. Well-validated instruments measured anxiety (STAI), depression (CES-D), and quality of life in cancer patients (FACT-G) at randomization and 3 subsequent time points.

Acupuncture for dysphagia after chemoradiation therapy in head and neck cancer: a case series report.

Background: Dysphagia is a common side effect following chemoradiation therapy (CRT) in patients with head and neck cancer (HNC).

Methods: In this retrospective case series, 10 patients with HNC were treated with acupuncture for radiation-induced dysphagia and xerostomia. All patients were diagnosed with stage III/IV squamous cell carcinoma.

Acupuncture as palliative therapy for physical symptoms and quality of life for advanced cancer patients.

Background: Acupuncture is underutilized as an adjunct cancer therapy. The main study objectives were to determine the feasibility of administering acupuncture as palliative therapy to patients with advanced ovarian or breast cancer and to assess the effect on symptoms and quality of life (QOL).

Methods: This study was a pilot, single-armed prospective clinical trial for patients with advanced cancer to receive 12 acupuncture sessions over 8 weeks with follow-up at weeks 9 and 12.

Mucosal melanoma of the nose and paranasal sinuses, a contemporary experience from the M. D. Anderson Cancer Center.

Background: Sinonasal mucosal melanoma is a rare disease associated with a very poor prognosis. Because most of the series extend retrospectively several decades, we sought to determine prognostic factors and outcomes with recent treatment modalities.

Methods: A retrospective chart review of 58 patients treated for sinonasal melanoma at a tertiary cancer center between 1993 and 2004.

Integrative Tumor Board: a case report and discussion from Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.

A 34-year-old woman carrying a BRCA1 gene and a significant family history was diagnosed with T1c, N1 breast cancer. The tumor was estrogen receptor, progesterone receptor, and HER-2/Neu negative. The patient received dose-dense chemotherapy with Adriamycin and Cytoxan followed by Taxol, and left breast irradiation.

Acupuncture for chemotherapy-induced neutropenia in patients with gynecologic malignancies: a pilot randomized, sham-controlled clinical trial.

Objectives: The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of acupuncture administered during myelosuppressive chemotherapy on white blood cell (WBC) count and absolute neutrophil count (ANC) in patients with ovarian cancer.

Design: This study is a pilot, randomized, sham-controlled clinical trial. Patients received active acupuncture versus sham acupuncture while undergoing chemotherapy.

The value of acupuncture in cancer care.

Clinical research on acupuncture in cancer care is a new and challenging field in oncology. The results of clinical research will continue to provide clinically relevant answers for patients and oncologists. The evidence currently available has suggested that acupuncture is a safe and effective therapy to manage cancer and treatment related symptoms, while giving patients the ability to actively participate in their own care plan.

Acupuncture for chemotherapy-induced leukopenia: exploratory meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

Chemotherapy-induced leukopenia and neutropenia are common side effects during cancer treatment. Acupuncture has been reported as an adjunct therapy for this complication. The current study reviewed published randomized controlled trials of acupuncture's effect and explored the acupuncture parameters used in these trials.