Fatigue in survivors of malignant melanoma and its determinants: a register-based cohort study.

Purpose: Fatigue has found increasing attention as a debilitating and lasting condition of cancer patients. However, it has remained unclear to what degree long-term survivors of malignant melanoma suffer from fatigue. Therefore, this study aimed to determine fatigue and its link with quality of life, aftercare behavior, and mental and physical symptoms among melanoma survivors.

Extemporaneous formulations in Germany - relevance for everyday clinical practice.

Background: Extemporaneous formulations broaden the spectrum of therapeutic options for topical treatment in particular and thus improve patient care. The latest amendment to the Regulation on the Operation of Pharmacies issued in 2012 brought about changes in prescribing and manufacturing practices. The aim of the present study was to assess the relevance of extemporaneous formulations in everyday clinical practice.

Depression and cognitive deficits as long-term consequences of thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura.

Background: Thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP) is an acute life-threatening microangiopathy with a tendency of relapse characterized by consumptive thrombocytopenia, microangiopathic hemolytic anemia, and spontaneous von Willebrand factor-induced platelet clumping leading to microthrombi. The brain is frequently affected by microthrombi leading to neurologic abnormalities of varying severity.

Study Design And Methods: The aim of this observational cohort study was to investigate the prevalence of depression and cognitive deficits in 104 patients having survived acute TTP.

c-met is overexpressed in type I ovarian cancer: Results of an investigative analysis in a cohort of consecutive ovarian cancer patients.

The tyrosine kinase c-met alters signaling cascades such as the BRAF-MAPK and PI3K-PKB pathways. These alterations are involved in the carcinogenesis of type I but not type II ovarian cancer (OC). Therefore, the present study investigated the patterns of c-met expression in a cohort of consecutive patients with OC.

Validation of a two-tier grading system in an unselected, consecutive cohort of serous ovarian cancer patients.

Purpose: New insights into the carcinogenesis of ovarian cancer (OC) lead to the definition of low-grade and high-grade serous OC. In this study, we validated the MD Anderson Cancer Center (MDACC) two-tier grading system and compared it with the traditional three-tier grading system as suggested by the International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO).

Methods: Consecutive patients with serous OC were enrolled.

Organic Cation Transporter 1 (OCT1) mRNA expression in hepatocellular carcinoma as a biomarker for sorafenib treatment.

Background: The polyspecific organ cation transporter 1 (OCT1) is one of the most important active influx pumps for drugs like the kinase inhibitor sorafenib. The aim of this retrospective study was the definition of the role of intratumoral OCT1 mRNA expression in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) as a biomarker in systemic treatment with sorafenib.

Methods: OCT1 mRNA expression levels were determined in biopsies from 60 primary human HCC by real time PCR.

Reproducibility and Daytime-Dependent Changes of Corneal Epithelial Thickness and Whole Corneal Thickness Measured With Fourier Domain Optical Coherence Tomography.

Purpose: To evaluate the reproducibility of Fourier domain anterior segment optical coherence tomography (RTVue) based on repeated measurements of corneal thickness (CT) and epithelial thickness (ET) and to test daytime-dependent changes of these parameters.

Methods: Twenty-three eyes from 23 healthy volunteers were included in this prospective study. Three clinical observers performed 3 consecutive measurements each of CT and ET in 3 sessions using RTVue, resulting in 9 measurements per session.

Efficacy and safety of a conversion from the original tacrolimus and mycophenolate mofetil to the generics Tacpan and Mowel after liver transplantation.

Background: Expensive pharmaceuticals are a major reason for cost intensive health care systems. Long-term immunosuppressive therapy plays a relevant role after organ transplantation. Patents of original drugs have expired and cheaper products are available.

Early changes in dynamic biomarkers of liver fibrosis in hepatitis C virus-infected patients treated with sofosbuvir.

Background: Chronic hepatitis C is a major cause of liver-associated mortality caused by decompensated cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. With the approval of sofosbuvir, therapeutic efficacy has markedly increased. Early changes in non-invasive biomarkers of liver fibrosis under effective antiviral therapy are widely unknown.

High-Concentration Liquid Prednisolone Formula: Filling a Therapeutic Niche in Severe Acute Attacks of Urticaria and Angioedema.

Background/aims: According to current guidelines, the emergency kit for patients with severe urticaria and/or angioedema should include a corticosteroid with a prednisolone-equivalent of 50-100 mg. Since severe dysphagia may occur in anaphylaxis, liquid corticosteroids are advantageous. Presently, only liquid preparations with less than 100 mg prednisolone equivalent are available worldwide.

A weighting approach for judging the effect of patient strata on high-dimensional risk prediction signatures.

Background: High-dimensional molecular measurements, e.g. gene expression data, can be linked to clinical time-to-event endpoints by Cox regression models and regularized estimation approaches, such as componentwise boosting, and can incorporate a large number of covariates as well as provide variable selection.

Comparison of Rebound Tonometry, Perkins Applanation Tonometry and Ocular Response Analyser in Mucopolysaccharidosis Patients.

Aims: To investigate the feasibility and to compare three devices measuring intraocular pressure (IOP) in mucopolysaccharidosis patients (MPS): iCare rebound tonometer (RT), Perkins applanation tonometer (PAT) and ocular response analyzer (ORA).

Methods: MPS patients who underwent at least two examinations out of: RT, PAT and ORA at the same visit were identified and retrospectively analyzed in this study.

Results: 17 patients fulfilled the inclusion criterion.

Psychosocial Care Needs of Melanoma Survivors: Are They Being Met?

Patients who have survived malignant melanoma for more than five years may lack the opportunity to talk about their burden. As a consequence their psychosocial care needs remain undetected and available supportive interventions may not be utilised. Therefore, the psychosocial burden of this patient group needs to be assessed using specific screening instruments.

Depression, anxiety and quality of life in long-term survivors of malignant melanoma: a register-based cohort study.

Aim: The purpose of the study was to determine anxiety and depression, quality of life, and their determinants in long-term survivors of malignant melanoma.

Methods: In a state cancer registry a cohort of survivors of malignant melanoma was contacted via the physician registered. Of 1302 contactable patients, 689 (52.

The CpG island methylator phenotype in breast cancer is associated with the lobular subtype.

Background: Aberrations in DNA methylation patterns are well-described in human malignancies. However, the existence of the 'CpG island methylator phenotype' (CIMP) in human breast cancer is still controversial.

Materials & Methods: Illumina's HumanMethylation 450K BeadChip was used to analyze genome-wide DNA methylation patterns.

Prognostic influence of pre-operative C-reactive protein in node-negative breast cancer patients.

The importance of inflammation is increasingly noticed in cancer. The aim of this study was to analyze the prognostic influence of pre-operative serum C-reactive protein (CRP) in a cohort of 148 lymph node-negative breast cancer patients. The prognostic significance of CRP level for disease-free survival (DFS), metastasis-free survival (MFS) and overall survival (OS) was evaluated using univariate and multivariate Cox regression, also including information on age at diagnosis, tumor size, tumor grade, estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR) and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) status, proliferation index (Ki67) and molecular subtype, as well as an assessment of the presence of necrosis and inflammation in the tumor tissue.

Cardiotoxicity of mitoxantrone treatment in a german cohort of 639 multiple sclerosis patients.

Background And Purpose: The aim of this study was to elucidate the role of therapy-related cardiotoxicity in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients treated with mitoxantrone and to identify potential predictors for individual risk assessment.

Methods: Within a multicenter retrospective cohort design, cardiac side effects attributed to mitoxantrone were analyzed in 639 MS patients at 2 MS centers in Germany. Demographic, disease, treatment, and follow-up data were collected from hospital records.

Influence of E-smoking liquids on human periodontal ligament fibroblasts.

Introduction: Over the last years, electronic cigarettes (ECs) have become more popular, particularly in individuals who want to give up smoking tobacco. The aim of the present study was to assess the influence of the different e-smoking liquids on the viability and proliferation of human periodontal ligament fibroblasts.

Method And Materials: For this study six test solutions with components from ECs were selected: lime-, hazelnut- and menthol-flavored liquids, nicotine, propylene glycol, and PBS as control group.

In vitro study on dental erosion caused by different vinegar varieties using an electron microprobe.

Background: Among health-conscious individuals, including vegetarians, salads dressed with vinegar are frequently consumed. Dental erosion can also be caused by an acidic diet, and occurs with increasing tendency. The aim of this study was to analyze the erosive potential of vinegar varieties on human enamel samples.

Overexpression of epithelial cell adhesion molecule protein is associated with favorable prognosis in an unselected cohort of ovarian cancer patients.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to evaluate the prognostic influence of epithelial cell adhesion molecule (EpCAM) in an unselected cohort of ovarian cancer (OC) patients.

Methods: Expression of EpCAM was determined by immunohistochemistry in an unselected cohort of 117 patients with OC. Univariable and multivariable Cox regression analyses adjusted for age, tumor stage, histological grading, histological subtype, postoperative tumor burden and completeness of chemotherapy were performed in order to determine the prognostic influence of EpCAM.

Ki-67 as an independent prognostic factor in an unselected cohort of patients with ovarian cancer: results of an explorative, retrospective study.

The identification of prognostic markers has clinical implications in epithelial ovarian carcinoma (EOC). Here, we studied markers for proliferation (Ki-67), endocrine regulation [progesterone receptor (PR), estrogen receptor (ER)], and invasion [urokinase-type plasminogen activator (uPA) and plasminogen activator inhibitor (PAI-1)]. All patients with available follow-up information and EOC tissue, who were treated at our institution between 1997 and 2004, were enrolled in the present study.

Chronic periodontitis and its possible association with oral squamous cell carcinoma - a retrospective case control study.

Introduction: Different inflammatory processes may trigger the development of malignancies. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to evaluate a potential association between radiological determined chronic periodontitis (CPA) and oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC).

Methods: In a retrospective study, OSCC-patients and a control group without malignant tumors were radiographically examined for bone loss.

Ischemic-type biliary lesions after liver transplantation: a retrospective analysis of risk factors and outcome.

Background: Ischemic-type biliary lesions (ITBL) are the most troublesome complications after liver transplantation. Their cause remains unknown and, although some risk factors have been identified, results from different research groups are often conflicting. The goal of this study was to investigate potential risk factors for ITBL.