Can Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment Predict Tolerance of Radiotherapy for Localized Prostate Cancer in Men Aged 75 Years or Older?

Curative radiotherapy for prostate cancer is common in the elderly. However, concerns about potential toxicity have inhibited access to radiotherapy for this population, for whom preserving quality of life (QoL) is crucial. The primary endpoint was to identify predictors of impaired QoL in men aged 75 years or older treated with curative intent radiotherapy with or without androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) for localized prostate cancer.

Effect of 4 Weeks of Foot Orthosis Intervention on Ambulatory Capacities and Posture in Normal-Weight and Obese Patients.

Background: Several works have shown the benefits of foot orthosis intervention on postural stability in healthy individuals and patients with foot malalignment. However, the effects of foot orthoses on the daily ambulatory activities explored by the Six-Minute Walk Test (6MWT) were never examined. We hypothesized that foot orthoses could increase the gait distance and attenuate the post-6MWT posture alterations already reported in healthy individuals.

Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment and quality of life after localized prostate cancer radiotherapy in elderly patients.

Introduction: Radiotherapy can diminish quality of life (QoL) for prostate cancer patients. Our objective was to evaluate the effect of radiotherapy on QoL in men aged 75 years or older treated with radiotherapy for a localized prostate cancer, and to identify predictors of reduced QoL.

Patients And Methods: We prospectively administered a battery of geriatric (MNA, GDS, Get up and Go Test, CIRS-G, ADL, IADL, MMSE), toxicity (IPSS; IIEF 5), and QoL (QLQ C30) screening tests in 100 elderly patients before and two months after prostate cancer radiotherapy (NCT 02876237).

Normal Values of Pressures and Foot Areas Measured in the Static Condition.

Background: Podiatric physicians are increasingly using pedobarographs to measure plantar pressure. However, normal values of static pedobarographic variables for healthy men and women are lacking, which makes it difficult to evaluate abnormal foot positioning in standing patients with low- or high-arched feet or painful feet.

Methods: During upright standing, a computerized pedobarograph measured the maximal (Pmax) and mean (Pmean) plantar pressures, total foot area, and forefoot and rearfoot areas in 84 healthy women and 84 healthy men, aged 18 to 83 years.

Effect of the 6-minute walk test on plantar loading and capability to produce ankle plantar flexion forces.

The six-minute walk test (6MWT) is used to evaluate the ambulatory capacity of patients suffering from respiratory disorders, obesity or neuromuscular diseases. Our primary aim was to evaluate the effects of the 6MWT on the postural sway and the ankle plantar flexion forces in healthy subjects. We measured the ankle plantar flexion forces and the plantar contact area before and after a 6MWT in normal weight and overweight subjects with no history of respiratory, cardiac, and neuromuscular disorders.

Psychophysical estimate of plantar vibration sensitivity brings additional information to the detection threshold in young and elderly subjects.

Objective: Vibration detection threshold of the foot sole was compared to the psychophysical estimate of vibration in a wide range of amplitudes in young (20-34 years old) and elderly subjects (53-67 years old).

Methods: The vibration detection threshold was determined on the hallux, 5th metatarsal head, and heel at frequencies of 25, 50 and 150 Hz. For vibrations of higher amplitude (reaching 360 μm), the Stevens power function ( =  *  ) allowed to obtain regression equations between the vibration estimate () and its physical magnitude (), the coefficient giving the subjective intensity in vibration perception.

How to improve the prevention of chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting? The French NAVI study.

Purpose: Chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (CINV) still remain frequent. The procedure for announcing the diagnosis (PAD) was an emblematic measure of the first French Plan Cancer aiming at providing patients with time to listen, information after cancer diagnosis, and discussion on treatments and their side effects. We aimed at assessing the risk factors of CINV, focusing on patients' satisfaction with the PAD.

Pilot study demonstrating that sole mechanosensitivity can be affected by insole use.

Insoles are known to alter plantar loads and thus plantar sensory input. We therefore hypothesised that plantar somatosensory sensation could be modified over time by use of hard metatarsal pads. A sample of 12 healthy female participants was randomly allocated to either soft metatarsal pads (n=6, latex foam, Shore A11) or hard metatarsal pads groups (n = 6, thermoplastic, ShoreA65).

Consequences of repetitive toenail cutting by podiatric physicians on force production, endurance to fatigue, and the electromyogram of the flexor digitorum superficialis muscles.

Background: We hypothesized that the repetitive use of a toenail clipper by podiatric physicians could induce fatigue of the flexor digitorum superficialis (FDS) muscle, reducing the accuracy of toenail cutting.

Methods: We examined the consequences of cutting a plastic sheet, reproducing the resistance of thick toenails, with a podiatric medical clipper on the maximal handgrip force (Fmax) developed by the FDS muscle and an isometric handgrip sustained at 50% of Fmax, during which endurance to fatigue and changes in the power spectra of the surface FDS muscle electromyogram (root mean square and median frequency) were measured. The same participants randomly performed one or five runs of 30 successive cuttings, each on different days.

Changes in stationary upright standing and proprioceptive reflex control of foot muscles after fatiguing static foot inversion.

We searched for the consequences of a maximal static foot inversion sustained until exhaustion on the post-exercise stationary upright standing and the proprioceptive control of the foot muscles. Twelve healthy subjects executed an unilateral maximal static foot inversion during which continuous power spectrum analyses of surface electromyograms of the tibialis anterior (TA), peroneus longus (PL), and gastrocnemius medialis (GM) muscles were performed. Superimposed pulse trains (twitch interpolation) were delivered to the TA muscle to identify "central" or "peripheral" fatigue.

Decreased foot inversion force and increased plantar surface after maximal incremental running exercise.

Formulating the hypothesis that a maximal running exercise could induce fatigue of some foot muscles, we searched for electromyographic (EMG) signs of fatigue in the tibialis anterior (TA), peroneus longus (PL), and gastrocnemius medialis (GM) muscles. We also searched for post-exercise alterations of the stationary upright standing in normal-arched feet subjects. Healthy subjects performed a maximal running exercise.

Phase II study of preoperative radiation plus concurrent daily tegafur-uracil (UFT) with leucovorin for locally advanced rectal cancer.

Background: Considerable variation in intravenous 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) metabolism can occur due to the wide range of dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase (DPD) enzyme activity, which can affect both tolerability and efficacy. The oral fluoropyrimidine tegafur-uracil (UFT) is an effective, well-tolerated and convenient alternative to intravenous 5-FU. We undertook this study in patients with locally advanced rectal cancer to evaluate the efficacy and tolerability of UFT with leucovorin (LV) and preoperative radiotherapy and to evaluate the utility and limitations of multicenter staging using pre- and post-chemoradiotherapy ultrasound.

Selective inhibition of persistent sodium current by F 15845 prevents ischaemia-induced arrhythmias.

Background And Purpose: Myocardial ischaemia is associated with perturbations of electrophysiological profile of cardiac myocytes. The persistent sodium current (I(Nap)) is one of the major contributors to ischaemic arrhythmias and appears as an attractive therapeutic target. We investigated the effects of F 15845, a new anti-anginal drug on I(Nap) and in integrative models of I(Nap)-induced arrhythmias.

3-(R)-[3-(2-methoxyphenylthio-2-(S)-methylpropyl]amino-3,4-dihydro-2H-1,5-benzoxathiepine bromhydrate (F 15845) prevents ischemia-induced heart remodeling by reduction of the intracellular Na+ overload.

The present study investigates whether 3-(R)-[3-(2-methoxyphenylthio-2-(S)-methylpropyl]amino-3,4-dihydro-2H-1,5-benzoxathiepine bromhydrate (F 15845), a new, persistent sodium current blocker, can reduce the ischemic Na(+) accumulation and exert short- and long-term cardioprotection after myocardial infarction. First, F 15845 concentration-dependently reduced veratrine-induced diastolic contracture (IC(50) = 0.14 microM) in isolated atria.

Preoperative treatment combining capecitabine with radiation therapy in rectal cancer: a GERCOR Phase II Study.

Objective(s): To assess efficacy and tolerability of preoperative capecitabine chemoradiation in rectal cancer.

Methods: Patients received radiotherapy 45 Gy in 25 fractions over 5 weeks and capecitabine 825 mg/m(2) twice daily throughout radiotherapy. Surgery was performed 5-7 weeks after radiotherapy.

Effects of SM-20550 against myocardial infarction-induced arrhythmias, late infarct expansion, and left ventricular dysfunction.

The aim of the study was to evaluate the cardioprotective and antiarrhythmic effects of intravenous Na+/H+ blockers (cariporide and SM-20550) in a rat model of ischemia and a long period reperfusion (14 days). This model allowed study of the role of Na+/H+ exchanger against late myocardial infarct expansion and left ventricular dysfunction. Each compound was administered 5 min before ischemia.

Chemotherapy plus involved-field radiation in early-stage Hodgkin's disease.

Background: Treatment of early-stage Hodgkin's disease is usually tailored in line with prognostic factors that allow for reductions in the amount of chemotherapy and extent of radiotherapy required for a possible cure.

Methods: From 1993 to 1999, we identified 1538 patients (age, 15 to 70 years) who had untreated stage I or II supradiaphragmatic Hodgkin's disease with favorable prognostic features (the H8-F trial) or unfavorable features (the H8-U trial). In the H8-F trial, we compared three cycles of mechlorethamine, vincristine, procarbazine, and prednisone (MOPP) combined with doxorubicin, bleomycin, and vinblastine (ABV) plus involved-field radiotherapy with subtotal nodal radiotherapy alone (reference group).

Impact of radiation schedule and chemotherapy duration in definitive chemoradiotherapy regimen for esophageal cancer.

Unlabelled: Impact of radiotherapy (RT) schedule on local response and duration of the 5-fluorouracil/cisplatin (5 FU/CDDP) chemotherapy (CT) on m are still questioning in chemoradiotherapy (CRT) regimen in esophageal carcinoma.

Aim: Evaluate two RT schedules and two different CT durations by a retrospective comparison of the CRT regimens used by two centres between 1994 and 2000.

Methods: In centre I (regimen I), patients received 2 CT concomitantly to a continuous RT (50 Gy/25 fractions/5 weeks).

A novel steroid-like compound F90927 exerting positive-inotropic effects in cardiac muscle.

Here we report a novel steroid-like compound F90363, exhibiting positive inotropy in vivo and in vitro in various cardiac muscle preparations. F90363 is a racemic mixture composed of the stereoisomers (-)-F90926 and (+)-F90927. Only F90927 exerted positive inotropy, while F90926 induced a weak negative inotropy, but only at concentrations 10(3) times higher than F90927 and most likely resulting from an unspecific interaction.

Pharmacological characterisation of sodium channels in sinoatrial node pacemaking in the rat heart.

Blockade of sodium channels located in the sinoatrial node can slow diastolic depolarisation rate, recorded in vitro. The objective was therefore to determine whether these blockers could slow heart rate in vivo. The heart rate was firstly measured in spontaneously beating, isolated rat heart atria in the presence of different voltage gated sodium channel blockers.

Conformal radiotherapy, reduced boost volume, hyperfractionated radiotherapy, and online quality control in standard-risk medulloblastoma without chemotherapy: results of the French M-SFOP 98 protocol.

Purpose: Between December 1998 and October 2001, patients <19 years old were treated for standard-risk medulloblastoma according to the Medulloblastome-Société Française d'Oncologie Pédiatrique 1998 (M-SFOP 98) protocol. Patients received hyperfractionated radiotherapy (36 Gy in 36 fractions) to the craniospinal axis, a boost with conformal therapy restricted to the tumor bed (to a total dose of 68 Gy in 68 fractions), and no chemotherapy. Records of craniospinal irradiation were reviewed before treatment start.

[Evaluation of predictive factors, particularly the Van Nuys index, of local recurrence in ductal carcinoma in situ of the breast: study of 166 cases with conservative treatment and review of the literature].

Ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS), a non metastazing lesion of the breast is more frequently observed due to the improvement of mammography and widespread use of screening. The most important risk of this disease is local recurrence. In about half of cases, it occurs as an infiltrating carcinoma.

Evidence that ranolazine behaves as a weak beta1- and beta2-adrenoceptor antagonist in the rat [correction of cat] cardiovascular system.

The clinical anti-anginal effectiveness of ranolazine is currently being evaluated. However, the mechanism of its anti-ischaemic action is still unclear. The aim of this work was to establish whether ranolazine exerts functional beta-adrenoceptor antagonist activity in the rat cardiovascular system.

Localized squamous-cell cancer of the esophagus: retrospective analysis of three treatment schedules.

Background And Purpose: A retrospective study comparing chemotherapy and radiation, esophagectomy alone versus preoperative radiochemotherapy and surgery in localized squamous-cell esophageal carcinoma.

Materials And Methods: Between 1989 and 1995, 139 patients (40 stage I, 77 stage IIA and 22 stage IIB according to the UICC 78 TNM classification) were treated in two different institutions. They were divided into three groups according to the treatment proposed: E group (treatment by esophagectomy; n = 30), RCT+E group (treatment by preoperative radiochemotherapy and esophagectomy; n = 46), RCT group (treatment by radiochemotherapy; n = 63).