Retrospective review of extra-pulmonary small cell carcinoma and prognostic factors.

Background: Extra-pulmonary small cell carcinoma (EPSCC) is a rare cause of malignancy, representing 2.5-5 % of all small cell carcinomas, with an incidence rate of 1000 cases per year in the USA. The purpose of this study is to characterize the location, extent of disease, and survival of patients with EPSCC, and to analyze potential clinical prognostic indicators predicting survival.

Levels of symptom burden during chemotherapy for advanced lung cancer: differences between public hospitals and a tertiary cancer center.

Purpose: We compared risk factors for high disease- and treatment-related symptom burden over 15 weeks of therapy in medically underserved patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer and in patients treated at a tertiary cancer center.

Patients And Methods: We monitored symptom severity weekly during chemotherapy. Patients were recruited from a tertiary cancer center (n=101) and three public hospitals treating the medically underserved (n=80).

Complete remission in a patient with metastatic mixed adenocarcinoma/extrapulmonary small cell carcinoma of the prostate.

Approximately 10% of all extra-pulmonary small cell carcinoma (EPSCC) arises in the prostate either as de novo mixed adenocarcinoma with small cell components or a pure small cell carcinoma. Extensive disease carries a median survival of about 10 months in retrospective studies. We present a case managed aggressively with concomitant hormonal and chemotherapy, now 36 months without evidence of disease.

Caregiver symptom burden: the risk of caring for an underserved patient with advanced cancer.

Background: The growing diversity of the population of the United States and the high burden of cancer-related symptoms reflect the need for caregiver research within underserved groups. In this longitudinal study, the authors assessed changes in symptom severity in caregivers and underserved minority patients diagnosed with advanced solid tumors who were being treated at public hospitals.

Methods: A total of 85 matched patient-caregiver dyads completed the M.

Subcutaneous fat necrosis as the presenting feature of a pancreatic carcinoma: the challenge of differentiating endocrine and acinar pancreatic neoplasms.

The association between pancreatic panniculitis and pancreatic disease is well described, but differentiation among the neoplastic causes of the syndrome remains difficult due to substantial overlap in histological and immunohistochemical features. We report a case of subcutaneous fat necrosis as the presenting feature in a 61-year-old man with metastatic carcinoma of pancreatic origin. Previous pathological evaluation of the patient's liver biopsy led to an initial diagnosis of adenocarcinoma of unknown primary site.

Attribution of blame, self-forgiving attitude and psychological adjustment in women with breast cancer.

The purpose of this study was to examine relationships among self-blame for developing breast cancer, a self-forgiving attitude, mood, and quality of life among women with breast cancer. In this cross-sectional study, 123 women with Stages 0-III breast cancer completed questionnaires measuring demographic and medical characteristics, self-blame, self-forgiveness, mood, and quality of life. Women who blamed themselves reported more mood disturbance (p View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Increasing mammography screening through inpatient education.

Background: The reasons why women do not undergo regular screening mammograms have not been clearly defined. In this study, we addressed an educational intervention based on Health Belief Model constructs for 3 of the most common reasons why women do not participate in mammography screening: cost, fear, and lack of knowledge. The purpose of the project was to study whether an educational intervention addressing these factors could increase mammography screening among age-appropriate women who had not had a recommended mammogram within the previous 12 months.

PET imaging of cerebral and pulmonary Nocardia infection.

We report the case of a 69-year-old man who was suspected to have lung cancer with a single metastasis to the brain. Initial workup for neurologic and pulmonary symptoms demonstrated a ring-enhancing lesion in his right frontal lobe on MRI and a lung mass on CT. An F-18 fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (FDG PET) scan demonstrated marked glucose hypermetabolism in the lung and brain lesions with maximal standard uptake values (SUV) in both lesions of approximately 11.

Pain education for underserved minority cancer patients: a randomized controlled trial.

Purpose: Previous studies found that African American and Hispanic cancer patients are at risk for undertreatment of pain. We evaluated the efficacy of a pain education intervention for underserved minority patients.

Patients And Methods: Ninety-seven underserved African American and Hispanic outpatients with cancer-related pain were enrolled onto a randomized clinical trial of pain management education.

HIV-related Hodgkin's disease with central nervous system involvement and association with Epstein-Barr virus.

Central nervous system (CNS) involvement is a rare occurrence in the course of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-related Hodgkin's disease (HD). We report the clinical course of a patient with HIV infection who developed systemic HD, mixed cellularity subtype, later complicated by leptomeningeal involvement. The patient died from his illness, and autopsy was performed.