Is there a role for acupuncture in the symptom management of patients receiving palliative care for cancer? A pilot study of 20 patients comparing acupuncture with nurse-led supportive care.

Purpose: A pilot study to document changes in symptoms after acupuncture or nurse-led supportive care in patients with incurable cancer.

Methods: Patients receiving palliative care with estimated survival of at least 3 months were screened with the Edmonton Symptom Assessment System (ESAS). Patients (n=20) with significant symptoms were randomised to receive weekly acupuncture or nurse-led supportive care for 4 weeks.

Extreme-risk prostate adenocarcinoma presenting with prostate-specific antigen (PSA)>40 ng/ml: prognostic significance of the preradiation PSA nadir.

Purpose: To examine the impact of patient, disease, and treatment characteristics on survival outcomes in patients treated with neoadjuvant androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) and radical external-beam radiotherapy (RT) for clinically localized, extreme-risk prostate adenocarcinoma with a presenting prostate-specific antigen (PSA) concentration of >40 ng/ml.

Methods And Materials: A retrospective chart review was conducted of 64 patients treated at a single institution between 1991 and 2000 with ADT and RT for prostate cancer with a presenting PSA level of >40 ng/ml. The effects of patient age, tumor (presenting PSA level, Gleason score, and T stage), and treatment (total ADT duration and pre-RT PSA level) characteristics on rates of biochemical disease-free survival (bDFS), prostate cancer-specific survival (PCSS), and overall survival (OS) were examined.

Prospective evaluation of a 12-week walking exercise program and its effect on fatigue in prostate cancer patients undergoing radical external beam radiotherapy.

Objective: To evaluate tolerability and compliance to a walking exercise program and its effect on fatigue during and after radical external beam radiation therapy (EBRT) for prostate cancer.

Methods: A total of 50 subjects with prostate cancer undergoing EBRT over 6 to 8 weeks were prospectively accrued to an exercise intervention group, matched for age and clinical characteristics to 30 subjects in a historical control group who underwent EBRT with no specific exercise intervention. Starting 1 week before EBRT, exercise participants performed moderate-intensity walking targeting 60% to 70% age-predicted maximum heart rate, at least 20 min/d, 3 d/wk over 12 weeks.

Prognostic significance of blood transfusions in patients with esophageal cancer treated with combined chemoradiotherapy.

Objective: Anemia occurs commonly in patients with esophageal cancer. This study evaluates the effect of blood transfusion on survival outcomes in patients with esophageal cancer treated with combined chemoradiotherapy (CRT).

Patients And Methods: Fifty-six consecutive patients with unresectable esophageal cancer received 50 Gy in 25 fractions over 5 weeks concurrent with cycles 2 and 3 of cisplatin and 5-fluorouracil chemotherapy.

What is the optimal duration of androgen deprivation therapy in prostate cancer patients presenting with prostate-specific antigen levels > 20 ng/ml?

Purpose: To evaluate the optimal duration of androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) in patients with prostate cancer treated with external beam radiotherapy (EBRT), who present with PSA levels > 20 ng/mL.

Methods And Materials: A total of 307 patients presenting with a PSA > 20 ng/ml were treated with EBRT and ADT. The cohort was divided into four groups according to the duration of ADT: Group 1 received < 6 months (n = 71), group 2 received 6-12 months (n = 80), group 3 received 12-24 months (n = 72), and group 4 received > 24 months (n = 84) of ADT.

Prospective evaluation of the prevalence and severity of fatigue in patients with prostate cancer undergoing radical external beam radiotherapy and neoadjuvant hormone therapy.

Objective: To prospectively evaluate the prevalence and severity of fatigue and its impact on quality of life (QOL) during and after radical external beam radiotherapy (RT) for prostate cancer.

Method And Materials: Twenty-eight men with prostate cancer undergoing RT over 6-8 consecutive weeks were prospectively accrued. The Brief Fatigue Inventory (BFI), a validated fatigue assessment tool, was administered at five time points: baseline (week 1), middle of RT (week 3-4), end of RT (last week of RT), and follow-up (median 6.

Examining time intervals between diagnosis and treatment in the management of patients with limited stage small cell lung cancer.

Objective: To examine time intervals between diagnosis and treatment of limited stage small cell lung cancer (L-SCLC) and to evaluate its effect on clinical outcomes.

Materials And Methods: Data on 166 patients with L-SCLC referred to a regional cancer center between January 1991 and December 1999 were analyzed. The time intervals studied were defined as: interval A, first abnormal chest x-ray to pathologic diagnosis: interval B, diagnosis to first oncology consultation; interval C, oncology consultation to first day of thoracic radiotherapy (RT); interval D, oncology consultation to first day of chemotherapy; and interval E, first day of chemo to first day of RT.

Endoscopic response predicts for survival and organ preservation after primary chemoradiotherapy for esophageal cancer.

Purpose: To determine the role of endoscopic surveillance in predicting organ preservation and survival after primary chemoradiotherapy (CRT) for esophageal cancer.

Materials And Methods: Fifty-six consecutive patients with nonmetastatic esophageal cancer were treated with primary CRT between May 1993 and April 1999 with curative intent and subsequent surveillance with endoscopy and CT scans. Patients with residual disease on endoscopy and/or CT 6 weeks after CRT were considered for immediate esophagectomy.