Evaluation of a psychoneurological symptom cluster in patients with breast or digestive cancer: a longitudinal observational study.

Background: A psychoneurological symptom cluster composed of cancer-related fatigue, emotional distress, sleep difficulties, and pain is very common among patients with cancer. Cognitive difficulties are also frequently associated with this cluster. Network analyses allow for an in-depth understanding of the relationships between symptoms in a cluster.

Exercise and Education Program After Breast Cancer: Benefits on Quality of Life and Symptoms at 3, 6, 12, and 24 Months' Follow-up.

Background: Various clinical trials have demonstrated the benefits of physical training offered during and/or after breast cancer treatments. However, given the variety of adverse events that may be encountered, physical training could be combined with psychologic, relational, and social guidance. This kind of multidisciplinary program, as well as its long-term effects, have been little studied so far.

Outcomes 7 Years After Infliximab Withdrawal for Patients With Crohn's Disease in Sustained Remission.

Background & Aims: Little is known about long-term outcomes of patients with Crohn's disease (CD) after infliximab withdrawal. We aimed to describe the long-term outcomes of patients with CD in clinical remission after infliximab treatment was withdrawn.

Methods: We performed a retrospective analysis of data from the 115 patients included in the infliximab discontinuation in patients with CD in stable remission on combined therapy with antimetabolites (STORI) study, performed at 20 centers in France and Belgium from March 2006 through December 2009.

Multidisciplinary rehabilitation program after breast cancer: benefits on physical function, anthropometry and quality of life.

Background: Different clinical trials show beneficial effects of physical training offered during and/or after breast cancer treatment. However, given the variety of side effects that may be encountered, physical training could be combined with psychological, relational and social guidance. This kind of multidisciplinary program has been little studied so far.

Cognitive compensatory processes of older, clinically fit patients with hematologic malignancies undergoing chemotherapy: A longitudinal cohort study.

Objective: Despite the well-known negative impacts of cancer and anticancer therapies on cognitive performance, little is known about the cognitive compensatory processes of older patients with cancer. This study was designed to investigate the cognitive compensatory processes of older, clinically fit patients with hematologic malignancies undergoing chemotherapy.

Methods: We assessed 89 consecutive patients (age ≥ 65 y) without severe cognitive impairment and 89 age-, sex-, and education level-matched healthy controls.

Multidisciplinary management of breast cancer.

Breast cancer, with an increasing incidence, is the most frequently diagnosed cancer in women worldwide. The treatments proposed, generally a combination of surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy, endocrine therapy and/or targeted therapy, are constantly improving, allowing a reduction in the mortality rate, but they are still causing many side effects, not only early but also late, which leads us to consider the post-cancer period as a chronic condition. Side effects, reviewed in this commentary, may affect physical functions, psychological status, social situation, body composition, well-being and quality of life of the patient.

Factors associated with self-perceived burden to the primary caregiver in older patients with hematologic malignancies: an exploratory study.

Objective: Although cancer patients frequently experience self-perceived burden to others, this perception has not been enough studied. The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of self-perceived burden to the primary caregiver (SPB-PC) and associated factors in an older patient population with hematologic malignancies at the time of chemotherapy initiation.

Methods: In total, 166 consecutive patients with hematologic malignancies aged ≥65 years were recruited at the time of chemotherapy initiation.

Maintenance of remission among patients with Crohn's disease on antimetabolite therapy after infliximab therapy is stopped.

Background & Aims: It is important to determine whether infliximab therapy can be safely interrupted in patients with Crohn's disease who have undergone a period of prolonged remission. We assessed the risk of relapse after infliximab therapy was discontinued in patients on combined maintenance therapy with antimetabolites and identified factors associated with relapse.

Methods: We performed a prospective study of 115 patients with Crohn's disease who were treated for at least 1 year with scheduled infliximab and an antimetabolite and had been in corticosteroid-free remission for at least 6 months.

Multicenter randomized-controlled clinical trial of probiotics (Lactobacillus johnsonii, LA1) on early endoscopic recurrence of Crohn's disease after lleo-caecal resection.

Background: Seventy percent of Crohn's disease (CD) patients exhibit anastomotic recurrence within 1 year after ileo-caecal surgery. Recent clinical trials suggest the beneficial use of probiotics in the control of intestinal inflammation in pouchitis and ulcerative colitis. This study is a multicenter clinical trial evaluating the efficacy of an oral administration of the probiotic LAl on early post-operative endoscopic recurrence of CD.

Systemic and splanchnic haemodynamic effects of sildenafil in an in vivo animal model of cirrhosis support for a risk in cirrhotic patients.

Objectives: Sildenafil is a selective inhibitor of the cGMP-specific phosphodiesterase type V (PDE-V) in the corpus cavernosum. PDE-V is also present in the mesenteric artery. Cirrhosis is complicated by a splanchnic vasodilation attributed to a local overproduction of nitric oxide (NO).