Decrements in Morning and Evening Energy Are Associated With a Higher Symptom Burden in Patients With Gynecologic Cancers Receiving Chemotherapy.

Background: Decrements in energy are a significant problem associated with chemotherapy. To date, no study examined the variability of energy in patients with gynecologic cancers.

Objective: To identify distinct morning and evening energy profiles in patients with gynecologic cancers and evaluate for differences in demographic and clinical characteristics, other common symptoms, and quality-of-life (QOL) outcomes.

The Nociceptor Primary Cilium Contributes to Mechanical Nociceptive Threshold and Inflammatory and Neuropathic Pain.

The primary cilium, a single microtubule-based organelle protruding from the cell surface and critical for neural development, also functions in adult neurons. While some dorsal root ganglion neurons elaborate a primary cilium, whether it is expressed by and functional in nociceptors is unknown. Recent studies have shown the role of Hedgehog, whose canonical signaling is primary cilium dependent, in nociceptor sensitization.

Self-reported cancer-related cognitive impairment is associated with perturbed neurotransmission pathways.

Background: Cancer-related cognitive impairment (CRCI) is reported by 45% of patients with cancer. Significant gaps in knowledge remain regarding the mechanisms that underlie CRCI.

Objectives: Using a data-driven approach, the study purpose was to evaluate for perturbed pathways associated with membership in the High versus the Low CRCI profiles.

Worse Morning Energy Profiles Are Associated with Significant Levels of Stress and Decrements in Resilience in Patients Receiving Chemotherapy.

Objectives: Evidence suggests that lower levels of morning energy are associated with higher levels of stress and lower levels of resilience in patients receiving chemotherapy. Study purposes were to identify subgroups of patients with distinct morning energy profiles; evaluate for differences among the profiles in demographic and clinical characteristics, as well as measures of stress, resilience, and coping.

Methods: A total of 1,343 outpatients receiving chemotherapy completed a demographic questionnaire and measures of global, cancer-related, and cumulative life stress, and resilience at study enrollment.

Associations Between Preoperative Shortness of Breath and Potassium Channels Gene Variations in Women With Breast Cancer.

Objectives: Shortness of breath is a common symptom in patients with cancer. However, the mechanisms that underlie this troublesome symptom are poorly understood. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the prevalence of and associated risk factors for shortness of breath in women prior to breast cancer surgery and identify associations between shortness of breath and polymorphisms for potassium channel genes.

Trajectories of Depressive Symptoms Among Patients Undergoing Chemotherapy for Breast, Gastrointestinal, Gynecological, or Lung Cancer.

Background: Individuals who undergo chemotherapy for cancer are at elevated risk of developing depressive symptoms, yet substantial interindividual variation exists in trajectories of these symptoms.

Objective: To examine interindividual variations in trajectories of depressive symptoms during 2 cycles of chemotherapy and to evaluate associations between demographic and clinical characteristics, symptom severity scores, psychological adjustment characteristics (eg, stress and coping), and initial levels and trajectories of depressive symptoms.

Methods: Patients (n = 1323) diagnosed with breast, gynecologic, lung, or gastrointestinal cancer completed the Center for Epidemiological Studies-Depression Scale 6 times, over 2 cycles of chemotherapy.

Gastrointestinal and Neuropsychological Symptoms Are Associated With Distinct Vomiting Profiles in Patients Receiving Chemotherapy.

Objectives: To identify subgroups of patients with distinct chemotherapy-induced vomiting (CIV) profiles; determine how these subgroups differ on several demographic, clinical, and symptom characteristics; and evaluate factors associated with chemotherapy-induced nausea and CIV profiles.

Sample & Setting: Adult patients (N = 1,338) receiving cancer chemotherapy.

Methods & Variables: Data were collected on demographic, clinical, and symptom characteristics.

Palpitations in Women With Breast Cancer Are Associated With Polymorphisms for Neurotransmitter Genes.

Objectives: To evaluate for associations between the occurrence of palpitations reported by women prior to breast cancer surgery and single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) for neurotransmitter genes.

Sample & Setting: A total of 398 women, who were scheduled for unilateral breast cancer surgery, provided detailed information on demographic and clinical characteristics and the occurrence of palpitations prior to breast cancer surgery.

Methods & Variables: The occurrence of palpitations was assessed using a single item (i.

Lower Income, Smoking, Cardiopulmonary Comorbidities, and Higher Symptom Burden Influence the Occurrence of Cough in Patients Receiving Chemotherapy.

Objectives: To identify subgroups of patients with distinct cough occurrence profiles and evaluate for differences among these subgroups.

Sample & Setting: Outpatients receiving chemotherapy (N = 1,338) completed questionnaires six times over two chemotherapy cycles.

Methods & Variables: Occurrence of cough was assessed using the Memorial Symptom Assessment Scale.

Morphine acts in vitro to directly prime nociceptors.

Hyperalgesic priming is a preclinical model of the transition from acute to chronic pain characterized by a leftward shift in the dose-response curve for and marked prolongation of prostaglandin E (PGE)-induced mechanical hyperalgesia, in vivo. In vitro, priming in nociceptors is characterized by a leftward shift in the concentration dependence for PGE-induced nociceptor sensitization. In the present in vitro study we tested the hypothesis that a mu-opioid receptor (MOR) agonist opioid analgesic, morphine, can produce priming by its direct action on nociceptors.

A novel anti-pruritic: Topical co-administration of high molecular weight hyaluronan (HMWH) with protamine, a transdermal transport enhancer.

Pruritis, the sensation of itch, is produced by multiple substances, exogenous and endogenous, that sensitizes specialized sensory neurons (pruriceptors and pruri-nociceptors). Unfortunately, many patients with acute and chronic pruritis obtain only partial relief when treated with currently available treatment modalities. We recently demonstrated that the topical application of high molecular weight hyaluronan (HMWH), when combined with vehicles containing transdermal transport enhancers, produce potent long-lasting reversal of nociceptor sensitization associated with inflammatory and neuropathic pain.

Self-Reported Cancer-Related Cognitive Impairment in Patients With Breast Cancer Is Associated With Potassium Channel Gene Polymorphisms.

Objectives: To evaluate for associations of polymorphisms for potassium channel genes in patients with breast cancer who were classified as having high or low-moderate levels of cancer-related cognitive impairment (CRCI).

Sample & Setting: 397 women who were scheduled to undergo surgery for breast cancer on one breast were recruited from breast care centers located in a comprehensive cancer center, two public hospitals, and four community practices.

Methods & Variables: CRCI was assessed using the Attentional Function Index prior to and for six months after surgery.

Stress and Coping in Patients With Cancer With Depression and Sleep Disturbance.

Objectives: To evaluate for differences in global, cancer-specific, and cumulative life stress, as well as resilience and use of various coping strategies among five groups (no depression or sleep disturbance, no depression and moderate sleep disturbance, subsyndromal depression and very high sleep disturbance, moderate depression and moderate sleep disturbance [Both Moderate]; and high depression and very high sleep disturbance [Both High]).

Sample & Setting: Patients (N = 1,331) receiving chemotherapy were recruited from outpatient oncology clinics.

Methods & Variables: Measures of global, cancer-specific, and cumulative life stress, resilience, and coping were obtained.

TrkB-mediated neuroprotection in female hippocampal neurons is autonomous, estrogen receptor alpha-dependent, and eliminated by testosterone: a proposed model for sex differences in neonatal hippocampal neuronal injury.

Background: Neonatal hypoxia ischemia (HI) related brain injury is one of the major causes of learning disabilities and memory deficits in children. In both human and animal studies, female neonate brains are less susceptible to HI than male brains. Phosphorylation of the nerve growth factor receptor TrkB has been shown to provide sex-specific neuroprotection following in vivo HI in female mice in an estrogen receptor alpha (ERα)-dependent manner.

Perturbations in inflammatory pathways are associated with shortness of breath profiles in oncology patients receiving chemotherapy.

Purpose: One plausible mechanistic hypothesis is the potential contribution of inflammatory mechanisms to shortness of breath. This study was aimed to evaluate for associations between the occurrence of shortness of breath and perturbations in inflammatory pathways.

Methods: Patients with cancer reported the occurrence of shortness of breath six times over two cycles of chemotherapy.

Increases in stress and adverse childhood experiences are associated with the co-occurrence of anxiety and depression in oncology patients.

Purpose: Identify subgroups of patients with distinct joint anxiety AND depression profiles and evaluate for differences in demographic and clinical characteristics, as well as stress, resilience, and coping.

Design: Longitudinal study.

Participants: Patients ( = 1328) receiving chemotherapy.

The Primary Cilium and its Hedgehog Signaling in Nociceptors Contribute to Inflammatory and Neuropathic Pain.

The primary cilium, a 1-3 μm long hair-like structure protruding from the surface of almost all cells in the vertebrate body, is critical for neuronal development and also functions in the adult. As the migratory neural crest settles into dorsal root ganglia (DRG) sensory neurons elaborate a single primary cilium at their soma that is maintained into adult stages. While it is not known if primary cilia are expressed in nociceptors, or their potential function in the mature DRG neuron, recent studies have shown a role for Hedgehog, whose signaling demonstrates a dependence on primary cilia, in nociceptor sensitization.

Stress Exposures Contribute to Worse Joint Morning and Evening Fatigue Profiles in Patients With Cancer During Chemotherapy.

Objectives: To evaluate differences among stress, resilience, and coping strategies related to morning and evening fatigue profiles (both low, low morning and moderate evening, both moderate, and both high).

Sample & Setting: Data were collected from 1,334 adult patients with cancer receiving chemotherapy.

Methods & Variables: Morning and evening fatigue severity were rated over two cycles of chemotherapy using the Lee Fatigue Scale.

Common and distinct risk factors that influence more severe and distressing shortness of breath profiles in oncology outpatients.

Background: Shortness of breath occurs in 10%-70% of oncology patients. Very little is known about interindividual variability in its severity and distress and associated risk factors. Using latent profile analyses (LPAs), purpose was to identify subgroups of patients with distinct severity and distress profiles for shortness of breath as single symptom dimensions.

Stability and consistency of symptom clusters in younger versus older patients receiving chemotherapy.

Background: By 2035, the number of newly diagnosed cancer cases will double and over 50% will be in older adults. Given this rapidly growing demographic, a need exists to understand how age influences oncology patients' symptom burden. The study purposes were to evaluate for differences in the occurrence, severity, and distress of 38 symptoms in younger (< 60 years) versus older (≥ 60 years) oncology patients undergoing chemotherapy and to evaluate for differences in the stability and consistency of symptom clusters across the two age groups.