Speckle-Tracking Echocardiography for Cardioncological Evaluation in Bevacizumab-Treated Colorectal Cancer Patients.

Angiogenesis inhibitor Bevacizumab (BVZ) may lead to the development of adverse effects, including hypertension and cardiac ischemia. Whether assessment of changes in myocardial strain by two-dimensional speckle-tracking echocardiography (2D-STE) can be of value in detecting BVZ-mediated cardiotoxicity at an earlier stage is not known. We investigated whether 2D-STE can non-invasively detect early evidence of cardiotoxicity in metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) patients treated with BVZ.

A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multicenter study of a ginger extract in the management of chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (CINV) in patients receiving high-dose cisplatin.

Background: The activity of ginger in the management of chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (CINV) has been suggested, but design inadequacies, heterogeneity of the population, small numbers and poor quality of tested products limit the possibility to offer generalizable results.

Patients And Methods: We conducted a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multicenter study in patients planned to receive ≥2 chemotherapy cycles with high dose (>50 mg/m2) cisplatin. Patients received ginger 160 mg/day (with standardized dose of bioactive compounds) or placebo in addition to the standard antiemetic prophylaxis for CINV, starting from the day after cisplatin administration.

Is it possible to encourage hope in non-advanced cancer patients? We must try.

Background: Data are lacking on the relationship between hope and other variables in non-advanced cancer patients. The study explored the relationship between hope, symptoms, needs, and spirituality/religiosity in patients treated in a supportive care unit (SCU).

Patients And Methods: From September 2013 to March 2014, the consecutive patients who accepted to complete: (i) Needs Evaluation Questionnaire (NEQ), (ii) the Edmonton Symptom Assessment System (ESAS), (iii) Hope Herth Index (HHI), and (iv) the System of Belief Inventory (SBI) were enrolled.

Nausea and vomiting during the first 3 intercycle periods in chemo-naive cancer patients receiving moderately/highly emetogenic therapy.

Aims And Background: There is a paucity of data regarding the incidence, intensity, and treatment of nausea and vomiting during the intercycle periods of chemotherapy (CHT). The aims of the study were to assess the incidence and intensity of intercycle nausea and vomiting, to assess the use of rescue antiemetic medications, and to define the more uncomfortable symptom between nausea and vomiting.

Methods: In a prospective study, 108 chemotherapy-naive patients treated with highly or moderately emetogenic CHT for different primary cancers were enrolled.

Sexual satisfaction assessment in 194 nonmetastatic cancer patients on treatment or in follow-up.

Aims And Background: Sexuality is an important aspect of quality of life, but health care professionals still avoid discussing sexual issues with cancer patients.

Methods And Study Design: We present a secondary analysis of sexuality issues according to the results of a survey on 266 patients with early-stage cancer. The aim of the survey was to ascertain the feasibility and clinical usefulness of questionnaires (Patient Dignity Inventory, PDI; Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, HADS; Edmonton Symptom Assesssment Scale, ESAS; FACIT-spiritual well-being scale, FACIT-SP; System of Belief Inventory, SBI-15R) investigating aspects such as dignity, hope and research of meaning in life.

The effectiveness of the quality program Pac-IficO to improve pain management in hospitalized cancer patients: a before-after cluster phase II trial.

Background: Cancer-related pain continues to be a major healthcare issue worldwide. Despite the availability of effective analgesic drugs, published guidelines and educational programs for Health Care Professionals (HCPs) the symptom is still under-diagnosed and its treatment is not appropriate in many patients. The objective of the study is to evaluate the efficacy of the Pac-IFicO programme in improving the quality of pain management in hospitalised cancer patients.

Targeted therapy-induced diarrhea: A review of the literature.

Purpose Of Research: Revision of the literature on targeted therapy-induced diarrhea (TT-ID).

Principal Results: TT-ID is frequent; the mechanisms are mainly secretive, followed by ischemic or autoimmune ones. The duration of TT-ID is protracted over time.

Microbial reduction in wastewater treatment using Fe(3+) and Al(3+) coagulants and PAA disinfectant.

Wastewater is an important source of pathogenic enteric microorganisms in surface water and a major contaminating agent of drinking water. Although primary and secondary wastewater treatments reduce the numbers of microorganisms in wastewater, significant numbers of microbes can still be present in the effluent. The aim of this study was to test the feasibility of tertiary treatment for municipal wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) using PIX (FeCl3) or PAX (AlCl3) coagulants and peracetic acid (PAA) the disinfectant to reduce microbial load in effluent.

The Edmonton Symptom Assessment System (ESAS) as a screening tool for depression and anxiety in non-advanced patients with solid or haematological malignancies on cure or follow-up.

Background: Symptoms' assessment should be considered a clinical practice routine in all cancer stages. The Edmonton Symptom Assessment System (ESAS) is a ten-item patient-rated symptom assessment developed and validated for population affected by cancer in different languages and cultures. The main objective of this study was to assess the performance of ESAS items on anxiety and depression when detecting Hospital Anxiety Depression Scale (HADS) 'cases'.

Efficacy and tolerability of medical ozone gas insufflations in patients with osteonecrosis of the jaw treated with bisphosphonates-Preliminary data: Medical ozone gas insufflation in treating ONJ lesions.

Osteonecrosis of the Jaw (ONJ) is an adverse event reported especially in patients receiving cancer treatments regimen, bisphosphonates (BPs), and denosumab. We performed an open-label, prospective study in patients treated with zoledronic acid who developed ONJ lesions >2.5 cm, and had no benefit after the treatment with the standard therapy, to evaluate the efficacy and tolerability of medical ozone (O3) treatment delivered as gas insufflations on each ONJ lesions.

Patient dignity inventory (PDI) questionnaire: the validation study in Italian patients with solid and hematological cancers on active oncological treatments.

Backgrounds: In Oncology, little is known about dignity-related distress and the issues that influence the sense of dignity for patients. We validated the Patient Dignity Inventory (PDI) questionnaire in Italian patients on oncological active treatments.

Methods: After the translation procedures, the PDI was administered to 266 patients along with other questionnaires to assess the psychometric properties of the Italian version of PDI.

Treatment of osteonecrosis of the jaw (ONJ) by medical ozone gas insufflation. A case report.

Osteonecrosis of the jaw (ONJ) is an adverse event reported in patients receiving cancer treatment, especially bisphosphonates and denosumab. A patient with multiple myeloma who underwent up to 22 intravenous zoledronic acid infusions without previous dental examination developed a devastating ONJ lesion in the right horizontal mandibular ramus. He was treated with local ozone gas applications every third day by means of a special bell to avoid O(3) diffusion.

Hope Herth Index (HHI): a validation study in Italian patients with solid and hematological malignancies on active cancer treatment.

Aims And Background: Although hope is a widely used term, the experience of hope in patients with chronic or even life-threatening diseases is often disregarded due to the scarcity of carefully designed and validated assessment tools. The aim of this study was to validate the Hope Herth Index (HHI) questionnaire in the Italian population of patients with solid or hematological malignancies during active cancer treatment.

Methods: After the translation procedures, the psychometric properties of the Italian version of HHI were evaluated in 266 patients with non-advanced cancer cared for in four different settings.

Is the spiritual life of cancer patients a resource to be taken into account by professional caregivers from the time of diagnosis?

Background And Aim: Spiritual life can be defined as the search for personal contact with the transcendent. Careful assessment of spiritual life can help to value its importance to cancer patients from the moment of their diagnosis.

Methods: This is a cross-sectional study.

[Project "Hospital without pain": analysis of the Italian situation before the law 38].

Project "Hospital without pain": analysis of the Italian situation before the law 38. Background. Some years ago, the project "Pain free Hospital" started in Italy to improve standards of pain management.

System of belief inventory (SBI-15R): a validation study in Italian cancer patients on oncological, rehabilitation, psychological and supportive care settings.

Aims And Background: Spiritual and religious needs are part of a patient's clinical history. The aim of the study was to validate the System of Belief Inventory (SBI-15R) in Italy. It is a feasible way to collect useful information on spiritual needs and resources of patients at any stage of the disease.

Modern computer technologies facilitate communication with a young cancer patient.

Aim: The aim of this paper is to show how new technologies may help the communication process in clinical practice in a department providing supportive care to patients undergoing cancer treatment.

Method: Communication via Internet chat between the psychologist and a young man who sees chatting on the Internet as a natural and familiar mode of expression was shown to be useful.

Results: The Internet link enabled us to open a communication channel with the patient and to have a conversation that would otherwise have been impossible.

Nitrogen reduction in wastewater treatment using different anox-circulation flow rates and ethanol as a carbon source.

We studied the optimization of nitrogen reduction from municipal wastewater in a laboratory-scale modified Ludzack-Ettinger activated sludge wastewater treatment plant (WWTP). The unit consisted of primary denitrification, secondary nitrification, a sludge clarifier and a post-denitrification unit. The process simulates the Kuopio WWTP, which provided the influent utilized.

Colon cancer.

Colon cancer is one of the leading tumours in the world and it is considered among the big killers, together with lung, prostate and breast cancer. In the recent years very important advances occurred in the field of treatment of this frequent disease: adjuvant chemotherapy was demonstrated to be effective, chiefly in stage III patients, and surgery was optimized in order to achieve the best results with a low morbidity. Several new target-oriented drugs are under evaluation and some of them (cetuximab and bevacizumab) have already exhibited a good activity/efficacy, mainly in combination with chemotherapy.

The role of adjuvant chemotherapy in colon cancer.

Surgical resection of the primary and regional lymph nodes is still, at this time, the standard treatment of colon cancer. However, the risk of recurrence is still high in many patients. Efforts of the past decades have proved the role of systemic chemotherapy in the adjuvant setting in improving the curative rates.

Adjuvant treatment of colorectal cancer.

Colorectal cancer is one of the most frequent causes of cancer deaths. Survival for locoregional colorectal cancer is about 70% overall and 30-60% in stage III patients. Several randomized trials have shown that adjuvant chemotherapy can increase this survival rate.

Removal of microbes from municipal wastewater effluent by rapid sand filtration and subsequent UV irradiation.

The elimination of wastewater microbes is often necessary when effluent receiving waters are reused for different purposes e.g. for irrigation or as a raw water source of drinking water.

Raltitrexed plus oxaliplatin (TOMOX) as first-line chemotherapy for metastatic colorectal cancer. A phase II study of the Italian Group for the Study of Gastrointestinal Tract Carcinomas (GISCAD).

Background: To evaluate the safety and efficacy of the novel raltitrexed/oxaliplatin combination (TOMOX) as first-line chemotherapy for patients with advanced colorectal cancer.

Materials And Methods: Previously untreated patients with metastatic colorectal cancer received raltitrexed 3 mg/m2 plus oxaliplatin 100 mg/m2, both intravenously, on day 1 every 3 weeks. Patients were re-evaluated after every third cycle and chemotherapy was continued up to tolerance or disease progression.