Obesity is not associated with disease-free interval, melanoma-specific survival, or overall survival in patients with clinical stage IB-II melanoma after SLNB.

Background And Objectives: Clinicopathologic characteristics have prognostic value in clinical stage IB-II patients with melanoma. Little is known about the prognostic value of obesity that has been associated with an increased risk for several cancer types and worsened prognosis after diagnosis. This study aims to examine effects of obesity on outcome in patients with clinical stage IB-II melanoma.

The MelFo Study UK: Effects of a Reduced-Frequency, Stage-Adjusted Follow-Up Schedule for Cutaneous Melanoma 1B to 2C Patients After 3-Years.

Background: Evidence-based guidelines for follow-up treatment of American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) stages 1B to 2C melanoma patients are lacking. The MELanoma FOllow-up study is an international phase 3 randomized trial, and the 3-year interim data were recently reported from the Netherlands. The study was undertaken concurrently with a British cohort for comparison and validation of the Dutch study.

Effects on patient-reported outcomes of "Screening of Distress and Referral Need" implemented in Dutch oncology practice.

Purpose: This study investigated the effect of the "Screening for Distress and Referral Need" (SDRN) process (completing a screening instrument; patient-caregiver discussion about the patient's responses, regardless of distress level, and possible referral to specialized care), implemented in Dutch oncology practice on patient-reported outcomes (PROs).

Methods: A non-randomized time-sequential study was conducted to compare two cohorts. Cohort 1 respondents (C1) were recruited before and cohort 2 respondents (C2) after SDRN implementation in nine Dutch hospitals.

The MELFO Study: A Multicenter, Prospective, Randomized Clinical Trial on the Effects of a Reduced Stage-Adjusted Follow-Up Schedule on Cutaneous Melanoma IB-IIC Patients-Results After 3 Years.

Background: This study compares well-being, recurrences, and deaths of early-stage cutaneous melanoma patients in follow-up, as recommended in the Dutch guideline, with that of patients in a stage-adjusted reduced follow-up schedule, 3 years after diagnosis, as well as costs.

Methods: Overall, 180 eligible pathological American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) stage IB-IIC, sentinel node staged, melanoma patients (response rate = 87%, 48% male, median age 57 years), randomized into a conventional (CSG, n = 93) or experimental (ESG, n = 87) follow-up schedule group, completed patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) at diagnosis (T1): State-Trait Anxiety Inventory-State version (STAI-S), Cancer Worry Scale (CWS), Impact of Event Scale (IES), and RAND-36 (Mental and Physical Component scales [PCS/MCS]). Three years later (T3), 110 patients (CSG, n = 56; ESG, n = 54) completed PROMs, while 42 declined (23%).

Cancer patients' experiences with and opinions on the process 'Screening of Distress and Referral Need' (SDRN) in clinical practice: A quantitative observational clinical study.

Objective: This observational clinical study investigated patients' experiences with and opinions on the Dutch 'Screening of Distress and Referral Need' (SDRN) process implemented in oncology practice. Insight into these can guide improvement of the SDRN process.

Methods: Patients from hospitals that had implemented SDRN for at least a year completed questions on experiences with essential SDRN process steps (1: completion of the Distress Thermometer and Problem List as screening instrument (DT&PL), 2: information on SDRN+DT&PL, 3: information on referral options, 4: discussing DT&PL responses, 5: referral when needed), and on opinions about SDRN and DT&PL.

Quality of life of patients with recurrent respiratory papillomatosis.

Objectives/hypothesis: Recurrent respiratory papillomatosis (RRP) is a disease with a high disease burden. Few studies have assessed quality of life (QoL) of RRP patients. This study compares QoL of these patients with controls.

Validation of the Distress Thermometer and Problem List in Patients with Recurrent Respiratory Papillomatosis.

Objective There is no specific clinical tool for physicians to detect psychosocial and physical distress or health care need in patients with recurrent respiratory papillomatosis (RRP). The main aim of this study is to validate the RRP-adapted Distress Thermometer and Problem List (DT&PL). Study Design Prospective cross-sectional questionnaire research.

The MELFO-Study: Prospective, Randomized, Clinical Trial for the Evaluation of a Stage-adjusted Reduced Follow-up Schedule in Cutaneous Melanoma Patients-Results after 1 Year.

Background: Guidelines for evidence-based follow-up in melanoma patients are not available. This study examined whether a reduced follow-up schedule affects: patient-reported outcome measures, detection of recurrences, and follow-up costs.

Methods: This multicenter trial included 180 patients treated for AJCC stage IB-II cutaneous melanoma, who were randomized in a conventional follow-up schedule group (CSG, 4 visits first year, n = 93) or experimental follow-up schedule group (ESG, 1-3 visits first year, n = 87).

Delay in Diagnosis of Testicular Cancer; A Need for Awareness Programs.

Background Aim: To gain insight into patient and doctor delay in testicular cancer (TC) and factors associated with delay.

Materials And Methods: Sixty of the 66 eligible men; median age 26 (range 17-45) years, diagnosed with TC at the University Medical Center Groningen completed a questionnaire on patients' delay: interval from symptom onset to first consultation with a general practitioner (GP) and doctors' delay: interval between GP and specialist visit.

Results: Median patient reported delay was 30 (range 1-365) days.

Overall Quality of Life in Adult Biliary Atresia Survivors with or without Liver Transplantation: Results from a National Cohort.

Background Biliary atresia (BA) is a rare cholestatic disease of infancy. Kasai portoenterostomy and liver transplantation (LT) are the two sequential treatment options. An increasing number of patients survive into adulthood.

Achievement of developmental milestones in young adults after liver transplantation in childhood.

Little is known about the achievement of developmental milestones (i.e., COL) after pediatric liver transplantation.

Moderators of the effects of group-based physical exercise on cancer survivors' quality of life.

Purpose: This study explored demographic, clinical, and psychological moderators of the effect of a group-based physical exercise intervention on global quality of life (QoL) among cancer survivors who completed treatment.

Methods: Cancer survivors were assigned to a 12-week physical exercise (n = 147) or a wait-list control group (n = 62). The main outcome measure was global QoL, assessed with the EORTC QLQ-C30 at baseline and 12 weeks later.

Health status and quality of life in adult biliary atresia patients surviving with their native livers.

Introduction: Gaining an insight into the quality of life (QOL) in long-term biliary atresia (BA) survivors is becoming more important. Identifying patients with limitations might make tailor made interventions possible. This is the first study investigating the health status (HS) and QOL in adults surviving BA with their native livers, and comparing them with healthy peers.

Effects of communication styles on marital satisfaction and distress of parents of pediatric cancer patients: a prospective longitudinal study.

Objective: The aim of this study was to examine the longitudinal effects of communication styles on marital satisfaction and distress of parents of children treated for cancer.

Methods: Marital dissatisfaction (Maudsley Marital Questionnaire), intimacy, avoidance, destructive and incongruent communication (Communication Skills Inventory) and psychological distress (General Health Questionnaire) were assessed in 115 parents of pediatric cancer patients shortly after diagnosis (T1) and 5 years later (T2).

Results: Only mothers' marital dissatisfaction increased significantly over time.

A prospective study of cognitive function in men with non-seminomatous germ cell tumors.

Objective: Longitudinal neuropsychological assessments were performed to determine if adjuvant chemotherapy was associated with cognitive dysfunction in men with non-seminomatous germ cell tumors (NSGCT).

Methods: Patients with NSGCT status post-orchiectomy that either received adjuvant chemotherapy (n = 55) or did not (n = 14) were recruited. Patients were tested before chemotherapy, 1 week post-chemotherapy (or 3 months later in the surveillance group) and 12 months after the baseline evaluation.

A longitudinal study of shoulder and arm morbidity in breast cancer survivors 7 years after sentinel lymph node biopsy or axillary lymph node dissection.

Knowledge about long-term consequences of breast cancer treatment on shoulder and arm function and volume in stages I-II breast cancer survivors is limited. The effects of shoulder-arm function shortly after surgery on long-term function are unknown. One hundred and ninety-four women were examined pre-surgery (T0) and 6 weeks after surgery (T1).

Impact of the European Randomized Study of Screening for Prostate Cancer (ERSPC) on prostate-specific antigen (PSA) testing by Dutch general practitioners.

Objective: To determine the impact of the European Randomized Study of Screening for Prostate Cancer (ERSPC) publication in 2009 on prostate-specific antigen (PSA) level testing by Dutch general practitioners (GPs) in men aged ≥40 years.

Materials And Methods: Retrospective study with a Dutch insurance company database (containing PSA test claims) and a large district hospital-laboratory database (containing PSA-test results). The difference in primary PSA-testing rate as well as follow-up testing before and after the ERSPC was tested using the chi-square test with statistical significance at P < 0.

Prostate specific antigen testing policy worldwide varies greatly and seems not to be in accordance with guidelines: a systematic review.

Background: Prostate specific antigen (PSA) testing is widely used, but guidelines on follow-up are unclear.

Methods: We performed a systematic review of the literature to determine follow-up policy after PSA testing by general practitioners (GPs) and non-urologic hospitalists, the use of a cut-off value for this policy, the reasons for repeating a PSA test after an initial normal result, the existence of a general cut-off value below which a PSA result is considered normal, and the time frame for repeating a test. Data sources.

Course of life into adulthood of patients with biliary atresia: the achievement of developmental milestones in a nationwide cohort.

Purpose: To investigate the course of life of young adults diagnosed with biliary atresia (BA) in infancy by comparing patients who did and did not underwent transplantation with an age-matched Dutch reference group.

Methods: All patients from the Dutch BA registry, aged >18 years, were invited to complete the course of life questionnaire.

Results: Forty patients participated (response = 74%).

Twenty-year transplant-free survival rate among patients with biliary atresia.

Background & Aims: Surgical treatment with Kasai portoenterostomy has improved the prognosis for patients with biliary atresia, although most patients ultimately require liver transplantation. Well-described patients with long-term, transplant-free survival are scarce; we assessed liver status and health perception among Dutch patients who survived 20 years after therapy and investigated whether the rate of transplant-free survival increases with time.

Methods: By using the Dutch national database for biliary atresia, we identified 104 patients, born between 1977 and 1988.

Coping and its effect on psychological distress of parents of pediatric cancer patients: a longitudinal prospective study.

Objective: This prospective 5-year longitudinal study examined the use of coping styles of fathers and mothers of pediatric cancer patients over time and the prospective effects of coping on distress.

Methods: Psychological distress (General Health Questionnaire) and the use of seven coping styles (Utrecht Coping List: active problem focussing, palliative and passive reaction patterns, avoidance, social support seeking, expression of emotions, and comforting cognition) were assessed in 115 parents shortly after diagnosis, 6 and 12 months, and 5 years later.

Results: At diagnosis, parents' use of coping styles did not differ from the norm population except more frequent use of support seeking.

Effects of cancer rehabilitation on problem-solving, anxiety and depression: a RCT comparing physical and cognitive-behavioural training versus physical training.

We tested the effects on problem-solving, anxiety and depression of 12-week group-based self-management cancer rehabilitation, combining comprehensive physical training (PT) and cognitive-behavioural problem-solving training (CBT), compared with PT. We expected that PT + CBT would outperform PT in improvements in problem-solving (Social Problem-Solving Inventory-Revised (SPSI-R)), anxiety and depression (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS)), and that more anxious and/or depressed participants would benefit most from adding CBT to PT. Cancer survivors (aged 48.