Advanced cancer patients in a randomized clinical trial of night-simulating eyeglasses observed to have a normal 24-h circadian rhythm during chemotherapy.

Objectives: Cancer patients routinely exhibit dysfunctional circadian organization. Indeed, a dysfunctional circadian organization is a hallmark of advanced cancer. A cohort of advanced cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy was recruited to investigate whether manipulating exposure to blue light could restore or ameliorate their circadian organization.

Fatigue as a Driver of Overall Quality of Life in Cancer Patients.

Background: This manuscript describes an approach for analyzing large amounts of disparate clinical data to elucidate the most impactful factor(s) that relate to a meaningful clinical outcome, in this case, the quality of life of cancer patients. The relationships between clinical and quality of life variables were evaluated using the EORTC QLQ-C30 global health domain--a validated surrogate variable for overall cancer patient well-being.

Methods: A cross-sectional study design was used to evaluate the determinants of global health in cancer patients who initiated treatment at two regional medical centers between January 2001 and December 2009.

Can quality of life assessments differentiate heterogeneous cancer patients?

Purpose: This research conducted a face validation study of patient responses to the application of an HRQOL assessment research tool in a comprehensive community cancer program setting across a heterogeneous cohort of cancer patients throughout the natural history of diagnosed malignant disease, many of whom would not be considered candidates for clinical research trial participation.

Methods: Cancer registries at two regional cancer treatment centers identified 11072 cancer patients over a period of nine years. The EORTC QLQ-C30 was administered to patients at the time of their initial clinical presentation to these centers.

Beliefs and perceptions of women with newly diagnosed breast cancer who refused conventional treatment in favor of alternative therapies.

Purpose: Although breast cancer is a highly treatable disease, some women reject conventional treatment opting for unproven "alternative therapy" that may contribute to poor health outcomes. This study sought to understand why some women make this decision and to identify messages that might lead to greater acceptance of evidence-based treatment.

Patients And Methods: This study explored treatment decision making through in-depth interviews with 60 breast cancer patients identified by their treating oncologists.

Can changes in health related quality of life scores predict survival in stages III and IV colorectal cancer?

Background: Several studies have demonstrated the predictive significance on survival of baseline quality of life (QoL) in colorectal cancer (CRC) with little information on the impact of changes in QoL scores on prognosis in CRC. We investigated whether changes in QoL during treatment could predict survival in CRC.

Methods: We evaluated 396 stages III-IV CRC patients available for a minimum follow-up of 3 months.

The association of quality of life with potentially remediable disruptions of circadian sleep/activity rhythms in patients with advanced lung cancer.

Background: Cancer patients routinely develop symptoms consistent with profound circadian disruption, which causes circadian disruption diminished quality of life. This study was initiated to determine the relationship between the severity of potentially remediable cancer-associated circadian disruption and quality of life among patients with advanced lung cancer.

Methods: We concurrently investigated the relationship between the circadian rhythms of 84 advanced lung cancer patients and their quality of life outcomes as measured by the EORTC QLQ C30 and Ferrans and Powers QLI.

Validation of actigraphy to assess circadian organization and sleep quality in patients with advanced lung cancer.

Background: Many cancer patients report poor sleep quality, despite having adequate time and opportunity for sleep. Satisfying sleep is dependent on a healthy circadian time structure and the circadian patterns among cancer patients are quite abnormal. Wrist actigraphy has been validated with concurrent polysomnography as a reliable tool to objectively measure many standard sleep parameters, as well as daily activity.

Dose escalation study of an anti-thrombocytopenic agent in patients with chemotherapy induced thrombocytopenia.

Background: Preclinical studies demonstrated that small chain RNA fragments accelerate the recovery of platelets numbers in animals exposed to high doses of chemotherapeutic drugs. There is anecdotal data supporting the same application in humans. The Phase I clinical trial described here was designed to investigate the relationship between the administration of small chain RNA fragments and the recovery in platelets following Chemotherapy-Induced Thrombocytopenia (CIT).

Distribution and determinants of patient satisfaction in oncology with a focus on health related quality of life.

Background: Cancer patients usually undergo extensive and debilitating treatments, which make quality of life (QoL) and patient satisfaction important health care assessment measures. However, very few studies have evaluated the relationship between QoL and patient satisfaction in oncology. We investigated the clinical, demographic and QoL factors associated with patient satisfaction in a large heterogeneous sample of cancer patients.

Actigraphic assessment of daily sleep-activity pattern abnormalities reflects self-assessed depression and anxiety in outpatients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer.

Objectives: We measured subjectively evaluated depression and anxiety, and objectively measured daily sleep-activity patterns in inpatients and outpatients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and determined whether cancer-associated depression and anxiety are accompanied by characteristic circadian rhythm abnormalities.

Methods: Equal numbers of inpatients (n=42) and outpatients (n=42) with advanced NSCLC were studied. Baseline depression and anxiety, assessed by the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), and actigraphy were recorded before chemotherapy initiation.

Bioelectrical impedance phase angle in clinical practice: implications for prognosis in stage IIIB and IV non-small cell lung cancer.

Background: A frequent manifestation of advanced lung cancer is malnutrition, timely identification and treatment of which can lead to improved patient outcomes. Bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) is an easy-to-use and non-invasive technique to evaluate changes in body composition and nutritional status. We investigated the prognostic role of BIA-derived phase angle in advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

Prevalence, sources, and predictors of soy consumption in breast cancer.

Background: A number of components in soy appear to have anticancer properties, including the isoflavones, genistein and daidzein. The use of soy by women with breast cancer is now being questioned because of the estrogen-like effects of isoflavones and possible interactions with tamoxifen. Clinicians providing nutrition counseling to these women are concerned because the availability of soy foods has increased dramatically in the past few years.

Patient satisfaction with quality of life as a prognostic indicator in ovarian cancer patients treated in an integrative treatment setting.

Extensive data show that quality of life (QoL) tools measuring the activities of daily life provide prognostic information in cancer. Ferrans and Powers Quality of Life Index (QLI) is an instrument measuring patients' satisfaction with their life. This study evaluated the association between QLI and survival in ovarian cancer.

Patient satisfaction with health-related quality of life: implications for prognosis in prostate cancer.

Purpose: The goal of this study was to evaluate the association between patient satisfaction with health-related quality of life (HRQOL), as measured by the Ferrans and Powers Quality of Life Index (QLI), and survival in patients with prostate cancer treated in an integrative cancer treatment setting.

Materials And Methods: This is a case series of 230 histologically confirmed stage I-IV prostate cancers treated at Cancer Treatment Centers of America. Quality of Life Index measures overall HRQOL and HRQOL in 4 major subscales: health and physical, social and economic, psychological and spiritual, and family.

Bioelectrical impedance phase angle as a prognostic indicator in breast cancer.

Background: Bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) is an easy-to-use, non-invasive, and reproducible technique to evaluate changes in body composition and nutritional status. Phase angle, determined by bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA), detects changes in tissue electrical properties and has been hypothesized to be a marker of malnutrition. Since malnutrition can be found in patients with breast cancer, we investigated the prognostic role of phase angle in breast cancer.

The relationship between bioelectrical impedance phase angle and subjective global assessment in advanced colorectal cancer.

Background: Bioelectrical Impedance (BIA) derived phase angle is increasingly being used as an objective indicator of nutritional status in advanced cancer. Subjective Global Assessment (SGA) is a subjective method of nutritional status. The objective of this study was to investigate the association between BIA derived phase angle and SGA in advanced colorectal cancer.

Dual chemotaxis signalling regulates Dictyostelium development: intercellular cyclic AMP pulses and intracellular F-actin disassembly waves induce each other.

Aggregating Dictyostelium discoideum amoebae periodically emit and relay cAMP, which regulates their chemotaxis and morphogenesis into a multicellular, differentiated organism. Cyclic AMP also stimulates F-actin assembly and chemotactic pseudopodium extension. We used actin-GFP expression to visualise for the first time intracellular F-actin assembly as a spatio-temporal indicator of cell reactions to cAMP, and thus the kinematics of cell communication, in aggregating streams.

Can anorexia predict patient satisfaction with quality of life in advanced cancer?

Goals: Anorexia is the second most common symptom after fatigue in patients with advanced cancer. We quantified the relationship between anorexia and patient satisfaction with quality of life (QoL) in advanced cancer.

Materials And Methods: A case series of 954 cancer patients treated at the Cancer Treatment Centers of America.

Comparison of two quality of life instruments for cancer patients: the Ferrans and Powers Quality of Life Index and the European Organisation for the Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire C30.

Health-related quality of life (QoL) in cancer patients cannot be adequately captured with a single instrument. We compared the European Organisation for the Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire (QLQ-C30) and the Ferrans and Powers Quality of Life Index (QLI). We hypothesized that there would be little overlap among their subscales.

The European organization for research and treatment of cancer quality of life questionnaire: implications for prognosis in pancreatic cancer.

Background: The goal of this study was to evaluate the association between patient quality of life (QoL) and survival in pancreatic cancer patients undergoing care in a community hospital comprehensive cancer center.

Patients And Methods: A consecutive case series of 55 histologically confirmed pancreatic cancer treated at Cancer Treatment Centers of America® at Midwestern Regional Medical Center was studied between 04/01 and 11/04. The EORTC QLQ-C30 was utilized to assess patient QoL.

The relationship between insomnia and patient satisfaction with quality of life in cancer.

Goals Of Work: Insomnia is the most common sleep disorder in patients with advanced cancer. The goal of this study was to investigate the relationship between insomnia and patient satisfaction with quality of life (QoL) in cancer.

Materials And Methods: A case series of 954 cancer patients treated at Cancer Treatment Centers of America was investigated.

The relationship between cancer-related fatigue and patient satisfaction with quality of life in cancer.

Fatigue affects a majority of patients undergoing cancer-related therapies. We conducted a study of 954 adult cancer patients presenting for treatment at our hospital between April 2001 and November 2004 to quantify the relationship between fatigue and patient satisfaction with quality of life (QoL). Fatigue was measured using the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire fatigue subscale.

Patient satisfaction with quality of life as a predictor of survival in pancreatic cancer.

Background: The goal of this study was to evaluate the association between patient satisfaction with quality of life (QoL) and survival in pancreatic cancer patients undergoing care in a community hospital comprehensive cancer center.

Patients And Methods: A consecutive case series of 55 cases of histologically confirmed pancreatic cancer treated at Cancer Treatment Centers of America at Midwestern Regional Medical Center was studied between 04/01 and 11/04. The Quality of Life Index (QLI) was utilized to assess patient satisfaction with QoL.

Perceived cancer-related financial difficulty: implications for patient satisfaction with quality of life in advanced cancer.

Goals Of Work: Cancer and its treatment often lead to financial difficulty in patients with advanced cancer. The goal of this study was to investigate the relationship between perceived cancer-related financial difficulty and patient satisfaction with quality of life (QoL) in advanced cancer.

Materials And Methods: A case series of 954 cancer patients treated at Cancer Treatment Centers of America, a private tertiary care oncology facility in the USA, was investigated.

The relationship between dyspnea and patient satisfaction with quality of life in advanced cancer.

Goals Of The Work: Dyspnea is a common symptom in patients with advanced cancer. The goal of this study was to investigate the relationship between dyspnea and patient satisfaction with quality of life (QoL) in advanced cancer.

Materials And Methods: A case series of 954 cancer patients treated at the Cancer Treatment Centers of America was investigated.