Patient-reported outcomes in immunotherapy for head and neck cancer.

Background: Data about patient-reported outcomes (PROs) among patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors are sparse. Our exploratory study evaluated PROs in patients with HNSCC starting treatment with immune checkpoint inhibitor monotherapy or combination therapy with cetuximab.

Methods: Patients were recruited prior to receipt of their first checkpoint inhibitor therapy infusion.

Steerable photonic jet for super-resolution microscopy.

A promising technique in optical super-resolution microscopy is the illumination of the sample by a highly localized beam, a photonic jet (also called photonic nanojet). We propose a method of computation of incident field amplitude and phase profiles that produce photonic jets at desired locations in the near field after interaction with a fixed micro-scale dielectric lens. We also describe a practical way of obtaining the incident field profiles using spatial light modulators.

Development and initial testing of TOGETHER-YA: an eHealth-delivered and group-based psychosocial intervention for young adult cancer survivors.

Purpose: This study aimed to (1) develop TOGETHER-YA, an e-Health-delivered and group-based health-related quality of life (HRQOL) intervention for young adult (YA) cancer survivors aged 18-39 (Part 1), and (2) determine its initial feasibility and acceptability in a single-arm pilot trial (Part 2).

Methods: TOGETHER-YA is a manualized, 10-week intervention for YA survivors that includes elements of relaxation training, cognitive-behavioral therapy, and health education. In Part 1, content was adapted from existing evidence-based interventions with feedback from YAs (N = 22) in four iterative focus groups.

Supine arm cycling during the post-flap recovery period for persons with spinal cord injuries: The multi-purpose arm cycle ergometer (M-PACE) safety and pilot testing.

Objective: To describe how using a supine arm cycle ergometer can safely reduce deconditioning experienced by patients with spinal cord injury or disorder (SCI/D) during their four to six weeks of complete bed rest after surgery to close a stage 4 pressure injury.

Design: This pilot project used a newly designed arm cycle ergometer (known as the M-PACE) that extends over the bed, allowing a patient to lie completely supine while exercising.

Setting: The M-PACE was designed and built at the Minneapolis Veterans Affairs Health Care System (MVAHCS) and pilot tested at the MVAHCS SCI/D Center.

Record Linkage in Clinical Cancer Registration: Experiences and Findings from Lower Saxony.

In cancer registries, record linkage procedures are used to link records of the same patient from different health care providers. In the Clinical Cancer Registry of Lower Saxony, a multi-level combination of exact assignment using the statutory health insurance number and a probabilistic procedure with control numbers and address data is applied. The procedure implemented in the register application assigns the incoming messages in this way as far as possible automatically.