Fast screening of depression in cancer patients: the effectiveness of the HADS.

In oncology clinics, there is an increasing need for fast and accurate screening scales and procedures in order to evaluate cancer patients for depression. The present study investigated the comparative effectiveness in recognising depressed patients of the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), a self-report screening scale, and the Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS), a semi-structured clinician-rated scale, in 151 patients affected by mixed cancer pathologies. With the MADRS, 73.

Functional and psychological evaluation after flap reconstruction plus radiotherapy in oral cancer.

Background: Head and neck tumors and their treatments negatively affect speech, swallowing, body image, and quality of life (QOL). The purpose of this study was to allow us to evaluate the impact of flap reconstructive surgery with adjuvant radiotherapy (RT) on QOL and psychological functioning.

Methods: Thirty-six of 153 consecutive patients surgically treated for carcinoma of the oral cavity received adjuvant RT.

Depression in lung cancer patients: is the HADS an effective screening tool?

Introduction: The present study aimed at comparing the efficacy in recognizing depression, in 53 patients newly diagnosed with lung cancer, of the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), a self-report screening questionnaire, and the Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS), a semi-structured clinician-rated interview. Specifically, we aimed at addressing the question of which is the best HADS cutoff for the detection of patients to be further investigated through a clinical semi-structured interview (the MADRS).

Results: The MADRS identified 92% of the patients as depressed; the HADS, 70% and 87%, using a cutoff of 11 and 8, respectively.

Sertraline effectiveness and safety in depressed oncological patients.

Goals Of Work: Cancer is often burdened by psychological comorbidity, mainly represented by depression, anxiety and adjustment disorders. Efficacy and tolerability of sertraline in the treatment of depressive disorders is well known; however, its efficacy and safety in patients with cancer has been poorly studied. This study was aimed to provide evidences of effectiveness, safety, tolerability and rapidity of action of sertraline in a population of oncological outpatients affected by mood disorders and its effects on quality of life.

Alkylation of a catalytic aspartate group of the SIV protease by an epoxide inhibitor.

Specific irreversible inhibition of the SIV protease by FMOC-protected piperidine epoxide 1 involves alkylation of the protein. Tryptic digestion of the alkylated protein and mass spectrometric analysis of the peptides identify an active site aspartic acid (Asp-25) as the single residue that is alkylated. Computer modeling of 1 bound in the crystal structure of the SIV protease using DOCK 3.