Usage characteristics and adverse event rates ​of the direct puncture and pull techniques for percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy in patients with malignant tumors of the upper aerodigestive tract.

Background And Study Aims:  Patients with malignant tumors of the upper gastrointestinal tract are at risk of weight loss. Early supportive nutrition therapy is therefore recommended and usually requires placement of a percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG). The aim of this study was to compare adverse events and usage characteristics of the direct puncture technique with those of the traditional pull technique when used in patients with endoscopically passable tumors.

The effects of multi-disciplinary psycho-social care on socio-economic problems in cancer patients: a cluster-randomized trial.

Purpose: We examined whether multi-disciplinary stepped psycho-social care decreases financial problems and improves return-to-work in cancer patients.

Methods: In a university hospital, wards were randomly allocated to either stepped or standard care. Stepped care comprised screening for financial problems, consultation between doctor and patient, and the provision of social service.

Effects of stepped psychooncological care on referral to psychosocial services and emotional well-being in cancer patients: A cluster-randomized phase III trial.

Objective: Emotional distress in cancer patients often goes unnoticed in daily routine; therefore, distress screening is now recommended in many national guidelines. However, screening alone does not necessarily translate into better well-being. We examined whether stepped psychooncological care improves referral to consultation-liaison (CL) services and improves well-being.

Impact of socio-economic position on cancer stage at presentation: Findings from a large hospital-based study in Germany.

We explored the relationship between socio-economic characteristics and cancer stage at presentation. Patients admitted to a university hospital for diagnosis and treatment of cancer provided data on their education, vocational training, income, employment, job, health insurance and postcode. Tumor stage was classified according to the Union International Contre le Cancer (UICC).

No association of oral lichen planus and hepatitis C virus infection in central Germany.

Objectives: Co-occurrence of oral lichen planus (OLP) and chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection suggests a strong association, but the relation between mucocutaneus, autoimmune lichen planus and HCV infection remains unclear. In areas with higher prevalence of HCV infection in general population, like Japan and southern Europe, 20 to 40 % of patients with OLP test positive for anti-HCV antibodies, whereas in German populations, a co-occurrence of 4.2 to 16 % was reported.

Effect of a structured psycho-oncological screening and treatment model on mental health in cancer patients (STEPPED CARE): study protocol for a cluster randomized controlled trial.

Background: High levels of emotional distress in cancer patients often goes unnoticed in daily clinical routine, resulting in severe undertreatment of mental health problems in this patient group. Screening tools can be used to increase case identification, however, screening alone does not necessarily translate into better mental health for the patient. Doctors play a key role in providing basic emotional support and transferring the patients in need of such specific support to mental health professionals.

IRF6 gene variants in Central European patients with non-syndromic cleft lip with or without cleft palate.

Variants in the interferon regulatory factor 6 (IRF6) gene have repeatedly been associated with non-syndromic cleft lip with or without cleft palate (NSCL/P). A recent study has suggested that the functionally relevant variant rs642961 is the underlying cause of the observed associations. We genotyped rs642961 in our Central European case-control sample of 460 NSCL/P patients and 952 controls.

Genome-wide linkage scan of nonsyndromic orofacial clefting in 91 families of central European origin.

Orofacial clefts are among the most common of all congenital disorders. Nonsyndromic cases of cleft lip with or without cleft palate (NSCL/P) and cleft palate only (NSCPO) are considered to have a multifactorial etiology which involves both genetic and environmental factors. We present the results of a genome-wide linkage scan in 91 families of central European descent with nonsyndromic orofacial clefts (NSC).

Transforming growth factor-beta receptor type 1 (TGFBR1) is not associated with non-syndromic cleft lip with or without cleft palate in patients of Central European descent.

Objective: Transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β) type 1 receptor (also known as activin receptor-like kinase 5, ALK5) is expressed in palatal tissue during embryogenesis. Experimental studies in transgenic mice with a genetic deletion of Alk5 showed that TGF-β type 1 receptor is required for upper lip and midline fusion of the hard and soft palate. In humans, association of TGF-β type 1 receptor gene (TGFBR1) and the development of non-syndromic cleft lip with or without cleft palate (NSCL/P) had been observed in a multiethnic sample of Chinese, Philippine, Indian and Turkish families.

Key susceptibility locus for nonsyndromic cleft lip with or without cleft palate on chromosome 8q24.

We conducted a genome-wide association study involving 224 cases and 383 controls of Central European origin to identify susceptibility loci for nonsyndromic cleft lip with or without cleft palate (NSCL/P). A 640-kb region at chromosome 8q24.21 was found to contain multiple markers with highly significant evidence for association with the cleft phenotype, including three markers that reached genome-wide significance.

Function, postoperative morbidity, and quality of life after cervical sentinel node biopsy and after selective neck dissection.

Background: Sentinel node biopsy (SNB) has been proposed for staging of N0 neck in oral/oropharyngeal carcinomas. It is claimed that SNB may be superior to selective neck dissection (SND) with respect to quality of life (QOL) and postoperative morbidity.

Methods: Twenty-four patients after SNB and 25 patients after SND (levels I-III) were enrolled.

TGFB3 displays parent-of-origin effects among central Europeans with nonsyndromic cleft lip and palate.

Mice with a deletion of Tgf-beta3 (-/-) and association studies in humans of different ethnicities support the involvement of TGFB3 in the etiology of orofacial clefts. In this study, we investigated the relevance of TGFB3 in the development of cleft lip and palate (CL/P) among 204 triads of central European origin. Transmission-disequilibrium test (TDT) analysis revealed no significant transmission distortions for each marker alone, and none for any possible haplotypes.

Family-based association study of the MTHFR polymorphism C677T in patients with nonsyndromic cleft lip and palate from central Europe.

Objective: The 677C-->T allele in the 5,10-methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) gene has been implicated in the etiology of nonsyndromic cleft lip and palate (CL/P). This study involved a family-based association study of the MTHFR polymorphism.

Patients/participants: We examined 181 patients with CL/P of central European descent and their parents for this variant.

Combination of surgical resection and HDR-brachytherapy in patients with recurrent or advanced head and neck carcinomas.

Aim: Due to the limited therapeutic options, the management of previously pre-treated recurrent head and neck carcinomas remains a challenging problem. The use of hyper-fractionated-accelerated interstitial high-dose-rate brachytherapy (HDR-BT) might be able to improve safety and survival after surgical resection.

Material And Methods: From 2000 to 2006, 13 patients with pre-treated, recurrent head and neck cancer (oral, maxillary sinus, lips) were treated in a curative approach by resection the recurrent tumour and HDR-BT.

Sentinel lymph node biopsy in squamous cell carcinomas of the lips and the oral cavity - a single center experience.

Background And Objectives: Despite the availability of initial data on sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) in OSCC, its value in clinical practice remains unclear. The aim of this study is to evaluate the feasibility and potential of SLNB as a reliable staging procedure in early stage SCC of the lips and the oral mucosa.

Methods: From 2001 to 2004, 40 patients with early stage SCC of the lips and oral cavity were enrolled.