Longitudinal study to assess impact of smoking at diagnosis and quitting on 1-year survival for people with non-small cell lung cancer.

Objectives: To update the prevalence of smoking in people as they were diagnosed with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and to see whether smoking status at baseline and quitting are independently associated with 1-year survival.

Design: A real-world cohort study following patients from diagnosis for up to 1 year or until death.

Setting: UK multi-centre study (28 sites) based in secondary and primary care.

Oxytocin differentially effects 3β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase and 5α-reductase activities in prostate cancer cell lines.

It is known that oxytocin stimulates steroidogenesis in several organs by modulating activity of 3β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenases (HSD3B) and steroid 5α-reductases (SRD5A). However, this has not been established in prostate cancer where these enzymes, key to local production of androgens, are increased. Analysis of both HSD3B and SRD5A activities using a live cell in situ colourimetric assay demonstrated that in PC-3 cells HSD3B activity was significantly increased by oxytocin whilst SRD5A activity was unchanged.

A model program for perinatal palliative services.

Despite the fact that parents of infants with lethal anomalies may not want "full-blown" medical care for their infants after birth, most such infants die in neonatal intensive care units. Although neonatal nurses are trained to administer life-saving treatments, they may suffer from moral distress when faced with caring for babies with incompatible-with-life conditions. This article describes a Perinatal Comfort Care program in which (a) care is provided at the time of diagnoses/antenatally and includes home visits by members of an interdisciplinary hospice team; (b) care is collaborative, community-based, and family-centered, and takes place in labor and delivery and on the mother baby unit; and (c) follow-up to the family continues for 1 year after the death.

Outback lift puts backs out.

While we appreciate that Barbara Woodcraft's amusing article 'Uplifting experience?' (Nursing Standard October 30) was intended as a humorous look at a serious problem, we were concerned to see that you accompanied by a photograph of two nurses performing the Australian, or Shoulder lift.