A Phase 2 Single-Arm Trial of High-Dose Precision Targeted Radiation Therapy Added to Immunotherapy for Patients With Metastatic Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer.

Purpose: For metastatic non-small cell lung cancer, the addition of radiation therapy (RT) to immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) therapy could have synergistic anti-cancer effects and address the most threatening tumors. We posited that the addition of high-dose RT to ICI could prolong progression-free survival (PFS).

Methods And Materials: In this single-arm phase 2 trial, 45 patients with metastatic non-small cell lung cancer who had received an anti-PD-1/anti-PD-L1 ICI for 4+ weeks were enrolled from July 2017 to May 2021.

PSMA- and GRPR-Targeted PET: Results from 50 Patients with Biochemically Recurrent Prostate Cancer.

Novel radiopharmaceuticals for PET are being evaluated for the diagnosis of biochemical recurrence (BCR) of prostate cancer (PC). We compared the gastrin-releasing peptide receptor-targeting Ga-RM2 with the prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA)-targeting Ga-PSMA11 and F-DCFPyL. Fifty patients underwent both Ga-RM2 PET/MRI and Ga-PSMA11 ( = 23) or F-DCFPyL ( = 27) PET/CT at an interval ranging from 1 to 60 d (mean ± SD, 15.

Preliminary evidence of an association between an interleukin 6 promoter polymorphism and self-reported attentional function in oncology patients and their family caregivers.

Subgroups of individuals may be at greater risk of cytokine-induced changes in attentional function. The purposes of this study were to identify subgroups of individuals with distinct trajectories of attentional function and evaluate for phenotypic and genotypic (i.e.

A longitudinal study of measures of objective and subjective sleep disturbance in patients with breast cancer before, during, and after radiation therapy.

Context: Sleep disturbance is a significant problem in oncology patients.

Objectives: To examine how actigraphy and self-report ratings of sleep disturbance changed over the course of and after radiation therapy (RT); investigate whether specific patient, disease, and symptom characteristics predicted the initial levels and/or the characteristics of the trajectories of sleep disturbance; and compare predictors of subjective and objective sleep disturbance.

Methods: Patients (n=73) completed self-report questionnaires that assessed sleep disturbance, fatigue, depressive symptoms, anxiety, and pain before the initiation of RT through four months after the completion of RT.

Domestic dogs' (Canis familiaris) choices in reference to agreement among human informants on location of food.

When interacting with others, informants may offer conflicting information or information of varying accuracy. Recent research suggests that young children do not trust all informants equally and are selective in both whom they solicit for information and whose claims they support. We explored whether domestic dogs (Canis familiaris) are similarly sensitive to agreement among informants.

Sleep-wake circadian activity rhythms and fatigue in family caregivers of oncology patients.

Background: Little is known about the relationships between sleep/wake circadian activity rhythms and fatigue in family caregivers (FCs) of oncology patients.

Objectives: The objectives of this study were to describe values for nocturnal sleep/rest, daytime wake/activity, and circadian activity rhythm parameters measured using actigraphy and to evaluate the relationships between these subjective and objective measures of sleep disturbance and self-reported fatigue severity, in a sample of FCs of oncology patients.

Methods: Family caregivers (n = 103) completed self-report measures for sleep disturbance (ie, Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, General Sleep Disturbance Scale) and fatigue (Lee Fatigue Scale) and wore wrist actigraphs for 48 hours prior to beginning radiation therapy.

Differences in sleep disturbance and fatigue between patients with breast and prostate cancer at the initiation of radiation therapy.

Context: Little is known about the occurrence and severity of sleep disturbance and fatigue between patients with common cancer diagnoses.

Objectives: Study purposes were to evaluate for differences in the occurrence rates of sleep disturbances and fatigue; evaluate for differences in the severity of sleep disturbance using both subjective and objective measures; and evaluate for differences in the severity of self-reported fatigue in patients with breast and prostate cancer at the initiation of radiation therapy (RT).

Methods: Patients with breast (n=78) and prostate (n=82) cancer were evaluated before the initiation of RT using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, General Sleep Disturbance Scale, Lee Fatigue Scale, and wrist actigraphy.

Trajectories of anxiety in oncology patients and family caregivers during and after radiation therapy.

Purpose: Anxiety is common in patients undergoing radiation therapy (RT) and in their family caregivers (FCs). Little is known about individual differences in anxiety trajectories during and after RT. This study aimed to identify distinct latent classes of oncology patients and their FCs based on self-reported anxiety symptoms from the beginning to four months after the completion of RT.

Predictors of the trajectories of self-reported sleep disturbance in men with prostate cancer during and following radiation therapy.

Study Objectives: To examine how self-reported ratings of sleep disturbance changed from the time of the simulation visit to four months after the completion of radiation therapy (RT) and to investigate whether specific patient, disease, and symptom characteristics predicted the initial levels of sleep disturbance and/or characteristics of the trajectories of sleep disturbance.

Design: Prospective longitudinal study.

Setting: Two radiation therapy centers.

Differences in sleep disturbance parameters between oncology outpatients and their family caregivers.

Purpose: This study compared the occurrence rates for and severity ratings of sleep disturbance in patient-family caregiver (FC) dyads.

Patients And Methods: In total, 102 dyads were recruited from two radiation therapy (RT) departments. Patients and their FCs completed the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and the General Sleep Disturbance Scale (GSDS) and wore wrist actigraphs to obtain subjective and objective measures of the occurrence and severity of sleep disturbance at the initiation of RT.

Sleep-wake circadian activity rhythm parameters and fatigue in oncology patients before the initiation of radiation therapy.

Background: Little is known about the relationships between sleep parameters and fatigue in patients at the initiation of radiation therapy (RT).

Objectives: The objectives of this study were to describe values for nocturnal sleep/rest, daytime wake/activity, and circadian activity rhythm parameters measured using actigraphy and to evaluate the relationships between these objective parameters and subjective ratings of sleep disturbance and fatigue severity, in a sample of patients at the initiation of RT.

Methods: Patients (n = 185) with breast, prostate, lung, or brain cancer completed self-report measures for sleep disturbance (ie, Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, General Sleep Disturbance Scale) and fatigue (Lee Fatigue Scale) and wore wrist actigraphs for a total of 48 hours prior to beginning RT.

Differences in self-reported attentional fatigue between patients with breast and prostate cancer at the initiation of radiation therapy.

Background: Attentional fatigue is experienced as a decreased ability to concentrate, engage in purposeful activity, and maintain social relationships when there are competing demands on attention. Breast and prostate cancer are the 2 most common cancers in women and men, respectively. Most previous studies on self-reported attentional fatigue evaluated patients with breast cancer.

The effects of pain, gender, and age on sleep/wake and circadian rhythm parameters in oncology patients at the initiation of radiation therapy.

Unlabelled: To date, no studies have evaluated for differences in subjective and objective measures of sleep disturbance in oncology outpatients with and without pain. This descriptive study, recruited 182 patients from 2 radiation therapy (RT) departments at the time of the patient's simulation visit. Approximately 38% of the sample reported moderate to severe pain (ie, worst pain intensity of 6.

Predictors of the trajectories of self-reported attentional fatigue in women with breast cancer undergoing radiation therapy.

Purpose/objectives: To examine how attentional fatigue changed from the time of simulation to four months after the completion of radiation therapy and to investigate whether specific variables predicted initial levels and trajectories of attentional fatigue.

Design: Descriptive, longitudinal study.

Setting: Two radiation therapy departments.

Preliminary evidence of an association between a functional interleukin-6 polymorphism and fatigue and sleep disturbance in oncology patients and their family caregivers.

Context: Fatigue and sleep disturbance are common problems in oncology patients and their family caregivers (FCs). However, little is known about factors that contribute to interindividual variability in these symptoms or to their underlying biologic mechanisms.

Objectives: An evaluation was done on whether genetic variation in a prominent proinflammatory cytokine, interleukin-6 (IL-6 c.

Trajectories of fatigue in patients with breast cancer before, during, and after radiation therapy.

Background: Fatigue is a significant problem associated with radiation therapy (RT).

Objective: This study examined how evening and morning fatigue changed from the time of simulation to 4 months after the completion of RT and investigated whether specific demographic and disease characteristics and baseline severity of symptoms predicted the initial levels of fatigue and characteristics of the trajectories of fatigue.

Methods: Seventy-three women with breast cancer completed questionnaires that assessed sleep disturbance, depression, anxiety, and pain prior to the initiation of RT and the Lee Fatigue Scale, over 6 months.

Relationship between mood disturbance and sleep quality in oncology outpatients at the initiation of radiation therapy.

Purpose Of The Research: The purpose of this study was to describe the occurrence of significant mood disturbance and evaluate for differences in sleep quality among four mood groups (i.e., neither anxiety nor depression, only anxiety, only depression, anxiety and depression) prior to the initiation of radiation therapy (RT).

Changes in sexual function on mood and quality of life in patients undergoing radiation therapy for prostate cancer.

Purpose/objectives: To describe the percentages of men with and without changes in sexual function from the beginning to end of radiation therapy and evaluate for differences in demographic and clinical characteristics, mood states, and quality of life (QOL) among patients who did and did not experience changes in sexual function.

Design: Descriptive, longitudinal.

Setting: Two radiation therapy departments in northern California.

Differences in symptom clusters identified using occurrence rates versus symptom severity ratings in patients at the end of radiation therapy.

The purposes of this study were to identify the number and types of symptom clusters using yes/no responses from the Memorial Symptom Assessment Scale, identify the number and types of symptom clusters using severity scores from the Memorial Symptom Assessment Scale, compare the identified symptom clusters derived using severity scores to those derived using occurrence ratings, and evaluate for differences in symptom cluster severity scores between patients with breast and prostate cancer at the end of radiation therapy. Separate exploratory factor analyses were performed to determine the number of symptom clusters based on symptom occurrence rates and symptom severity ratings. Although specific symptoms within each symptom cluster were not identical, 3 very similar symptom clusters (ie, "mood-cognitive" symptom cluster, "sickness-behavior" symptom cluster, "treatment-related" symptom cluster) were identified regardless of whether occurrence rates or severity ratings were used to create the symptom clusters at the end of radiation therapy.

Relationship between sleep and physical activity in female family caregivers at the initiation of patients' radiation therapy.

Objective: To evaluate for differences in subjective and objective measures of sleep between physically active and inactive female family caregivers of oncology patients at the initiation of their spouses' radiation therapy and evaluate for differences in demographic, clinical, and symptom characteristics between women in the 2 activity groups.

Design: Descriptive, cross-sectional study.

Setting: Two radiation treatment centers.

Preliminary evidence of a genetic association between tumor necrosis factor alpha and the severity of sleep disturbance and morning fatigue.

Although fatigue and sleep disturbance are prevalent symptoms in oncology patients and their family caregivers, little is known about the factors that contribute to interindividual variability in symptom severity ratings as well as in their underlying biological mechanisms. In this study, we sought to determine whether a functional genetic variation in a prominent proinflammatory cytokine, tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNFA-308G>A [rs1800629] promoter polymorphism) was associated with overall ratings of sleep disturbance and fatigue as well as with the trajectories of these symptoms. Over 6 months, participants completed standardized measures of sleep disturbance and fatigue.

Changes in symptom clusters in patients undergoing radiation therapy.

Goals Of Work: The goals of the study were to determine the occurrence rates for and the severity of symptoms at the middle, end, and 1 month after the completion of radiation therapy (RT), to determine the number and types of symptom clusters at these three time points, and to evaluate for changes over time in these symptom clusters.

Materials And Methods: Symptom occurrence and severity were evaluated using the Memorial Symptom Assessment Scale (MSAS) in a sample of patients (n = 160) who underwent RT for breast or prostate cancer. At each time point, an exploratory factor analysis was done to determine the number of symptom clusters (i.

Trajectories of fatigue in family caregivers of patients undergoing radiation therapy for prostate cancer.

Predictors of and trajectories for evening and morning fatigue were evaluated in family caregivers of oncology patients using hierarchical linear modeling. Evening fatigue trajectory fit a quadratic model. Predictors included baseline sleep disturbances in family caregivers and baseline evening fatigue in patients.

Radiation for spinal metastatic tumors.

Radiotherapeutic management of vertebral metastases varies based on the extent of disease within the spine and systemically, the histology of the tumor, and the life expectancy of the patient. The goals of pain reduction, structural stability of the axial skeleton, and maintenance of local control for the remainder of the patient's life guide the decision to proceed with a short simple course of standard therapy or a more complex approach with stereotactic regimens. The complex and rigorous processes involved in stereotactic radiotherapy for the spine require close cooperation among the radiation oncologist, neurosurgeon, orthopedic surgeon, and medical oncologist, but the clinical results show that the result is an enhanced quality of life for the patient.

Trajectories of fatigue in men with prostate cancer before, during, and after radiation therapy.

Fatigue is the most common and distressing symptom reported by patients undergoing radiation therapy (RT). However, limited information is available on the trajectories of fatigue, as well as on the predictors of interindividual variability in fatigue. This study evaluated a sample of patients who underwent RT for prostate cancer to examine how ratings of evening and morning fatigue changed from the time of simulation to four months after the completion of RT and to investigate whether specific patient, disease, and symptom characteristics predicted the initial levels of fatigue and/or characteristics of the trajectories of evening and morning fatigue.