The Clinical Relevance of Beta Blockers in Ovarian Carcinoma: A Systematic Review.

The last ten years have seen hardly any improvement in the prognosis of ovarian carcinoma. There is a great need for new treatment strategies, and a recent retrospective study showing a survival advantage with the use of beta blockers met with a very positive response. This systematic review summarizes the current state of knowledge and research on the topic: A database analysis identified six clinical studies showing inconsistent results with respect to the administration of beta blockers and disease course.

Recurrent Tako-Tsubo cardiomyopathy (TTC) in a pre-menopausal woman: late sequelae of a traumatic event?

Background: "Tako-Tsubo cardiomyopathy" (TTC) is a syndrome characterized by left ventricular (LV) wall motion abnormalities, usually without coronary artery disease, mimicking the diagnosis of acute coronary syndrome. It most often affects post-menopausal women and TTC tends to run a benign course with very low rates of recurrence, complications or mortality. The condition is also called "stress-induced cardiomyopathy" because acute physical or emotional stress appears to be frequently related to its onset.

[Stress and pancreatic carcinoma--β-adrenergic signaling and tumor biology].

In several carcinomas, β-adrenergic signaling has been found to regulate relevant processes of cancer biology. Until recently, pancreatic cancer has not been in the focus of respective research. But in view of the incidence and poor prognosis of pancreatic cancer, new insights in biology and therapeutic strategies are of prime importance.

High prevalence of distress in patients after allogeneic hematopoietic SCT: fear of progression is associated with a younger age.

Little is known about the psychological burden patients are left with after successful allogeneic hematopoietic SCT (HSCT). With the main focus on physical condition and common transplant complications, psychological symptoms often remain neglected in daily practice. To assess the prevalence of distress in patients who have undergone allogeneic HSCT, we conducted a cross-sectional pilot study in 50 consecutive patients from our outpatient transplant clinic using standardized questionnaires.