The GISS trial: a phase II prevention trial of screening plus goserelin, ibandronate, versus screening alone in premenopausal women at increased risk of breast cancer.

Background: Genetic testing for inherited mutations in breast cancer genes provides valuable information for disease prevention. Today, premenopausal women with increased risk for breast cancer have only limited nonsurgical options to reduce their risk.

Methods: The GISS trial, a randomized, multicenter, open-label phase II trial, assessed the feasibility of a preventive treatment with goserelin and ibandronate for premenopausal women at increased risk for breast cancer.

Quality of life of breast cancer patients in the course of adjuvant radiotherapy.

Goals Of The Work: In cancer patients, there is an ongoing interest in evaluating the impact of therapeutic interventions on health-related quality of life (hrqol). However, only a few longitudinal studies are published being able to measure the influence of therapy for the patients' quality of life. Based on these data, our aim was to evaluate changes of hrqol during the course of adjuvant radiotherapy in breast cancer patients with special focus on subgroup analysis.

Retrospective analysis of the superior vena cava syndrome in irradiated cancer patients.

Background: A carcinoma is the underlying cause of superior vena cava syndrome (SVCS) in 95-97% of patients. The aim of our study is to retrospectively analyse the outcome of patients after local radiotherapy compared to literature data.

Patients And Methods: In 35 consecutively registered patients, irradiated because of SVCS, different primary carcinomas (lung, breast, head-and-neck, Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma) were ascertained.

The burden of pain of inpatients undergoing radiotherapy--discrepancies in the ratings of physicians and nurses.

Background: The aim of this study was to rate the burden of pain of cancer patients receiving radiotherapy from the point of view of the patients themselves as well as the physicians and nurses caring for the patient, and to examine possible differences in the ratings.

Patients And Methods: 68 cancer patients received a pain questionnaire about pain intensity and subjective well-being. At the same time, physicians and nurses answered 7 pain-related questions about each patient.

Religious belief as a coping strategy: an explorative trial in patients irradiated for head-and-neck cancer.

Purpose: To explore the role of religious belief in coping with disease symptoms and treatment-related side effects in patients with head-and-neck cancer under radiotherapy.

Patients And Methods: Prospectively collected data were used with a cohort of head-and-neck cancer patients treated by radiotherapy and epoetin beta or placebo within a double-blind multicenter trial. All patients were divided into believers and nonbelievers.