Radiotherapy for Brain Metastases Near the End of Life: Characterizing Patients and Tumor Features.

Purpose: Patients with brain metastases are often referred for brain radiotherapy (BrRT) when exclusive palliative management would be more appropriate. To assess the indication of BrRT during end-of-life (EOL) care and evaluate the characteristics of the patients who underwent the treatment.

Methods: This retrospective study comprised patients from four independent oncology centers who had undergone BrRT for metastases.

Filling gaps in experiences religious understanding of people living with cancer in palliative care: a phenomenological qualitative study.

Background: According to a phenomenology of contemporary religion, the analysis of religious experiences finds that they are part of an individual's search for something powerful that overcomes him seeking not only a need, but the meaning of all existence. The present study aims to contribute to a deeper understanding of the religious experiences of people living with cancer in palliative care (PC) and fill gaps in access to experience, with regard to how it was properly lived.

Methods: A qualitative, phenomenological, cross-sectional study was conducted with 14 people living with cancer undergoing PC at two outpatient clinics of a public hospital.

Mirtazapine versus Megestrol in the Treatment of Anorexia-Cachexia Syndrome in Patients with Advanced Cancer: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Controlled Phase II Clinical Trial.

This study compared mirtazapine with megestrol in the management of cancer-related anorexia-cachexia syndrome in patients with advanced cancer. A randomized, double-blind, controlled clinical trial involving patients with advanced cancer and anorexia-cachexia syndrome was performed. Participants received mirtazapine 30 mg/day or megestrol 320 mg/day for eight weeks.

Genomic landscapes of ovarian clear cell carcinoma from latin countries reveal aberrations linked to survival and progression.

Background: Ovarian clear cell carcinomas (OCCCs) are rare, aggressive and chemoresistant tumors. Geographical and ethnic differences in the incidence of OCCC have been reported with a higher incidence in Asiatic countries. There is a paucity of information regarding OCCC in Latin America (LA) and other countries.

Hybrid volatilomics in cancer diagnosis by HS-GC-FID fingerprinting.

Assessing volatile organic compounds (VOCs) as cancer signatures is one of the most promising techniques toward developing non-invasive, simple, and affordable diagnosis. Here, we have evaluated the feasibility of employing static headspace extraction (HS) followed by gas chromatography with flame ionization detector (GC-FID) as a screening tool to discriminate between cancer patients (head and neck-HNC,= 15; and gastrointestinal cancer-GIC,= 19) and healthy controls (= 37) on the basis of a non-target (fingerprinting) analysis of oral fluid and urine. We evaluated the discrimination considering a single bodily fluid and adopting the hybrid approach, in which the oral fluid and urinary VOCs profiles were combined through data fusion.

COSTS ANALYSIS OF SPINAL COLUMN METASTASES SURGICAL TREATMENT.

Introduction: End-of-life cancer treatment is associated with substantial healthcare costs.

Objective: This study aimed to analyze the surgical treatment cost of spinal metastasis and epidural compression patients undergoing surgical treatment.

Methods: A retrospective cost analysis of 81 patients with spinal metastasis and epidural compression undergoing surgical treatment.

Expression of microRNAs miR-21 and miR-326 associated with HIF-1α regulation in neurospheres of glioblastoma submitted to ionizing radiation treatment.

Background: Glioblastoma is an incurable neoplasm. Its hypoxia mechanism associated with cancer stem cells (CSCs) demonstrates hypoxia-inducible factor 1α (HIF-1α) expression regulation, which is directly related to tumor malignancy. The aim of this study was to identify a possible tumor malignancy signature associated with regulation of HIF-1α by microRNAs miR-21 and miR-326 in the subpopulation of tumor stem cells which were irradiated by ion in primary culture of patients diagnosed with glioblastoma.

Personal positioning of oncology patients in palliative care: a mixed-methods study.

Background: Advanced oncological disease requires comprehensive health care, although attention is predominantly paid to the physical dimension of care. The consideration of personal positioning encompasses other dimensions of patients' management of their illness, such as existential management and expanding forms of care. The objective of this study was to understand the personal positioning of cancer patients in palliative care.

Outcomes and survival of spinal metastasis with epidural compression.

Objective: The goal of the study was to retrospectively evaluate the demographics, clinical manifestation, outcomes, treatment result, and survival of patients with spinal metastasis with epidural metastasis who underwent surgical treatment.

Materials And Methods: A retrospective evaluation of 103 patients with spinal metastasis and epidural compression who underwent surgical treatment between 2009 and 2015 was performed. The recorded parameters selected for the study were general demographic data (gender, age, and educational level) and clinical data (primary tumor, performance status according to Karnofsky score, neurological status according to Frankel scale, pain, surgical treatment outcomes, and patient survival).

ETV4 plays a role on the primary events during the adenoma-adenocarcinoma progression in colorectal cancer.

Background: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most common cancers worldwide; it is the fourth leading cause of death in the world and the third in Brazil. Mutations in the APC, DCC, KRAS and TP53 genes have been associated with the progression of sporadic CRC, occurring at defined pathological stages of the tumor progression and consequently modulating several genes in the corresponding signaling pathways. Therefore, the identification of gene signatures that occur at each stage during the CRC progression is critical and can present an impact on the diagnosis and prognosis of the patient.

Apoptosis related microRNAs and MGMT in glioblastoma cell lines submitted to treatments with ionizing radiation and temozolomide.

Aim: To evaluate the effect of radiotherapy and temozolomide on the expression of miRNAs apoptotic (miRNAs-21, -221, -222 (anti-apoptotic) and miRNAs-15a, -16 (pro-apoptotic)) and the gene MGMT in glioblastoma cell lines.

Background: The limited knowledge of the molecular biology of malignant gliomas may hinder the development of therapeutic modalities. In this scenario, one of the greatest advances of recent years was the identification of microRNAs.

Investigation of sweat VOC profiles in assessment of cancer biomarkers using HS-GC-MS.

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) have been studied in biological samples in order to be related to the presence of diseases. Sweat can represent substances existing in blood, has less complex composition (compared with other biological matrices) and can be obtained in a non-invasive way. In this work, sweat patches were collected from healthy controls and volunteers with cancer.

Recognition of taste in patients during antineoplastic therapy with platinum drugs.

Unlabelled: Taste changes caused by the use of platinum drugs have been described. However, few studies qualify the impaired tastes and whether these changes are derived exclusively from chemotherapy (QTx).

Aims: Evaluation of changes in sweet, sour, salty, bitter, and umami tastes in patients receiving QTx with platinum drugs was the aim of this study.

microRNA-181d associated with the methylation status of the MGMT gene in Glioblastoma multiforme cancer stem cells submitted to treatments with ionizing radiation and temozolomide.

Despite the increased understanding of the oncological mechanisms underlying Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) pathophysiology, and recent advances in therapeutic strategies such as maximal surgical resection and post-operative radiotherapy with concomitant and adjuvant temozolomide chemotherapy, the prognosis for patients with brain tumors remains limited. Evidences indicate that the assessment of DNA methylation status in cancer stem cells would allow identifying molecules expressed in these cells, to lead to targeted elimination of this critical population from brain tumors, making the glioblastoma treatment more effective. This study aimed to analyze the role of microRNA-181d associated with the methylation status of the O-methylguanine methyl transferase (MGMT) gene in Glioblastoma multiforme cancer stem cells subjected to treatment with temozolomide and ionizing radiation.

On the comparison of risk of death according to different stages of breast cancer via the long-term exponentiated Weibull hazard model.

Long-term survivor models have been extensively used for modelling time-to-event data with a significant proportion of patients who do not experience poor outcome. In this paper, we propose a new long-term survivor hazard model, which accommodates comprehensive families of cure rate models as particular cases, including modified Weibull, exponentiated Weibull, Weibull, exponential and Rayleigh distribution, among others. The maximum likelihood estimation procedure is presented.

High expression of XIAP and Bcl-2 may inhibit programmed cell death in glioblastomas.

Unlabelled: Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most malignant glioma and represents 29% of all brain tumors. Tumorigenesis is intimately connected with characteristics acquired in the physiologic pathway of cellular death.

Objective: In the present study, the expression of anti-apoptotic (XIAP and Bcl-2) and apoptotic (cytochrome C, caspase 9, APAF-1), caspase 3 and the Smac/DIABLO genes related to the apoptosis pathway were evaluated in 30 samples of glioblastoma.

Cost-effectiveness analysis of XELOX versus XELOX plus bevacizumab for metastatic colorectal cancer in a public hospital school.

Background: Metastatic colorectal cancer imposes a substantial burden on patients and society. Over the last years, progresses in the treatment have been made especially due to the introduction of monoclonal antibodies, such as bevacizumab which, on the other hand, has considerably increased the costs of treatment. We performed a cost-effectiveness analysis of bevacizumab plus XELOX in comparison with XELOX alone in metastatic colorectal cancer in first-line therapy, from the perspective of a public hospital school in Brazil.

Fractalkine (C-X3-C motif chemokine ligand 1) as a potential biomarker for depression and anxiety in colorectal cancer patients.

Fractalkine, a unique chemokine of the CX3C subfamily, is involved in the pathogenesis of different types of cancer and also in non-immune mechanisms associated with psychiatric disorders. The aim of the present study was to investigate whether there is a correlation between anxiety, depression and fractalkine serum levels in colorectal cancer (CRC) patients in different stages of antitumor therapy. Four groups of patients undergoing treatment (n=20 per group) were evaluated: Patients with CRC who did not undergo surgical resection of the tumor; patients who underwent resection and who did not start adjuvant therapy; patients undergoing chemotherapy for ~3 months; and patients who had completed adjuvant chemotherapy regimen for ~6 months.

High expression of anti-apoptotic genes in grade I and II meningiomas.

Objective: To evaluate the expression of c-FLIP, XIAP, Bcl-2, caspase 3, 8 and 9, cytochrome c, APAF 1 and Smac/DIABLO genes related to apoptosis pathways.

Methods: The gene expression was evaluated in 30 meningiomas (WHO grades I and II) and in 10 normal samples (from arachnoid tissue) through PCR-RT.

Results: The results showed higher expression of anti-apoptotic genes in meningiomas when compared to the control group, which had a low expression of pro-apoptotic genes.

Effects of zinc supplementation on fatigue and quality of life in patients with colorectal cancer.

Objective: To investigate the effects of oral zinc supplementation on fatigue intensity and quality of life of patients during chemotherapy for colorectal cancer.

Methods: A prospective, randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled study was conducted with 24 patients on chemotherapy for colorectal adenocarcinoma in a tertiary care public hospital. The study patients received zinc capsules 35mg (Zinc Group, n=10) or placebo (Placebo Group, n=14) orally, twice daily (70mg/day), for 16 weeks, from the immediate postoperative period to the fourth chemotherapy cycle.

Analysis of gene expression EGFR and KRAS, microRNA-21 and microRNA-203 in patients with colon and rectal cancer and correlation with clinical outcome and prognostic factors.

Purpose:: To evaluate the expression of EGFR, KRAS genes, microRNAs-21 and 203 in colon and rectal cancer samples, correlated with their age at diagnosis, histological subtype, value of pretreatment CEA, TNM staging and clinical outcome.

Methods:: Expression of genes and microRNAs by real time PCR in tumor and non-tumor samples obtained from surgical treatment of 50 patients.

Results:: An increased expression of microRNAs-21 and 203 in tumor samples in relation to non-tumor samples was found.

Longitudinal assessment of nutritional risk in patients under chemo or radiotherapy.

Objective:: To compare nutritional risk in adult patients undergoing chemotherapy and radiotherapy in the beginning, middle, and end of oncologic treatment.

Method:: This prospective, comparative study included 83 adult patients, 44 undergoing chemotherapy (CT group) and 39 undergoing radiotherapy (RT group) at an oncology treatment center. Nutritional risk was determined by NRS-2002 in the beginning, middle, and end of therapy.

Comparative evaluation of oncologic outcomes in colon cancer.

Purpose: In this paper we report clinical variables on colon cancer series. Oncological outcomes were compared to low-income and high-income countries.

Methods: We analysed a prospective database of 51 colon cancer patients submitted to primary tumor resection between 2010 and 2011, showing clinical variables and oncologic outcomes.

Transanal endoscopic operation for rectal cancer after neoadjuvant therapy.

Purpose: In this paper we report the oncological outcomes from clinical series of patients with rectal cancer submitted to local excision after neoadjuvant therapy and discuss the indications for local excision in partial clinical responders.

Methods: We analysed a prospective database of 39 patients submitted to a transanal endoscopic operation for rectal cancer after neoadjuvant chemoradiation between 2006 and 2015, comparing clinical and pathological variables, perioperative complications, recurrence rate and overall survival.

Results: We obtained 15.

Serological under expression of microRNA-21, microRNA-34a and microRNA-126 in colorectal cancer.

Purpose: This paper describes the ability of miRNA value predict oncological outcomes in CRC patients and correlates to clinical and pathologic variables.

Methods: We prospectively analyzed the serological expression of microRNA-21, microRNA-34a, and microRNA-126 in 37 stage II - IV CRC patients and correlate to seven fit counterparts. Serological microRNAs were extracted using the miRNeasy Mini Kit(r) (Qiagen, Hilden, Germany).