Transportome Malfunctions and the Hallmarks of Pancreatic Cancer.

Ion channels and transporters (ICT) play important roles in almost all basic cellular processes. During last decades, abundant evidences have been provided that ICT (e.g.

Evaluation of the effects of sensorimotor exercise on physical and psychological parameters in breast cancer patients undergoing neurotoxic chemotherapy.

Introduction: Breast cancer is the most common cancer disease of women in industrialized countries. Neurotoxic chemotherapy drugs are known to harm peripheral nerves and cause a chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN). CIPN is one of the most common adverse events associated with Paclitaxel chemotherapy and may remain present long after the termination of chemotherapy.

Influence of physical activity on the immune system in breast cancer patients during chemotherapy.

Purpose: Physical activity can impact the immune system in different ways, e.g. by alteration of the humoral and cellular immune response.

Feasibility study to evaluate compliance of physical activity over a long time period and its influence on the total activity score, glucose metabolism and physical and psychological parameters following breast cancer.

Despite recommendations that patients with breast cancer ought to undertake physical exercise, a majority of breast cancer patients fail to change their lifestyle and to increase their physical activity following diagnosis. In this clinical intervention feasibility study, compliance and sustainability of a walking training program over 24 weeks in patients with breast cancer following treatment were examined. The endpoints were retention rates after 12 and 24 weeks (6 months) and serum levels of glucose metabolism, the total activity score, endurance, a subjectively perceived exertion-during-endurance stress test, quality of life and fatigue.

The prognostic relevance of primary tumor location in patients undergoing resection for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma.

Different clinical presentations and prognoses have been implied between pancreatic head and body/tail cancers. We aimed to identify the prognostic relevance of primary tumor location in patients undergoing resection for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). Thirty-two pairs of patients with strictly matched early stage (II) pancreatic head and body/tail cancers were enrolled.

Influence of arm crank ergometry on development of lymphedema in breast cancer patients after axillary dissection: A randomized controlled trail.

Objective: To investigate the safety and efficacy of arm crank ergometry in breast cancer patients after axillary lymph node dissection, with regard to changes in bioelectrical impedance analysis, arm circumference, muscular strength, quality of life and fatigue.

Design: Randomized controlled clinical intervention trial.

Subjects: Forty-nine patients with breast cancer after axillary lymph node dissection.

Comparing Endurance and Resistance Training with Standard Care during Chemotherapy for Patients with Primary Breast Cancer.

Background/aim: Previous findings suggest that physical activity during breast cancer treatment can reduce side-effects and improve clinical outcome. In the present study, endurance (ET) and resistance training (RT) in 67 patients with breast cancer undergoing chemotherapy were compared with standard-care (SC).

Patients And Methods: Study end-points were muscular strength, endurance and subjective perceived exertion during the endurance stress test (Borg scale) and quality of life (QoL) measured by standardized report form of the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC QLQ C30+BR23) before and after 12 weeks of treatment.

A non-comparative phase II study of dose intensive chemotherapy with doxorubicin and ifosfamide followed by high dose ICE consolidation with PBSCT in non-resectable, high grade, adult type soft tissue sarcomas.

The objective was to determine the role of dose intensive induction chemotherapy in patients with soft tissue sarcomas (STS) that were considered unresectable. Treatment consisted of 2-3 cycles of doxorubicin (Dox) and ifosfamide (Ifo) followed by high dose chemotherapy with ifosfamide, carboplatin, etoposide (HD-ICE) plus peripheral blood stem cell transplantation (PBSCT). 30 out of 631 consecutive patients, median age 46 years (21-62), with high grade STS were included.

Gentle strength training in rehabilitation of breast cancer patients compared to conventional therapy.

Unlabelled: Movement therapy during the rehabilitation of breast cancer has become more important over the last years.

Patients And Methods: In a randomized controlled study the feasibility of gentle strenght training was compared to conventional gymnastic exercises during rehabilitation of breast cancer patients. The aim oft this study was to identify alternative sports intervention in the treatment of breast cancer patients.

Incidence and prognosis of parathyroid gland carcinoma: a population-based study in The Netherlands estimating the preoperative diagnosis.

Background: Parathyroid carcinoma is a rare malignancy and generally is diagnosed after surgery for primary hyperparathyroidism. Lack of a preoperative diagnosis and ill-considered surgical planning with its impact on survival are ill-described.

Methods: In a retrospective population-based cohort study the clinical features, treatment, recurrences, and survival of 41 parathyroid cancer patients are reported and compared with characteristics of patients with primary hyperparathyroidism.

Assessment of anti-inflammatory tumor treatment efficacy by longitudinal monitoring employing sonographic micro morphology in a preclinical mouse model.

Background: With the development of increasingly sophisticated three-dimensional volumetric imaging methods, tumor volume can serve as a robust and reproducible measurement of drug efficacy. Since the use of molecularly targeted agents in the clinic will almost certainly involve combinations with other therapeutic modalities, the use of volumetric determination can help to identify a dosing schedule of sequential combinations of cytostatic drugs resulting in long term control of tumor growth with minimal toxicity. The aim of this study is to assess high resolution sonography imaging for the in vivo monitoring of efficacy of Infliximab in pancreatic tumor.

Coping and its effect on psychological distress of parents of pediatric cancer patients: a longitudinal prospective study.

Objective: This prospective 5-year longitudinal study examined the use of coping styles of fathers and mothers of pediatric cancer patients over time and the prospective effects of coping on distress.

Methods: Psychological distress (General Health Questionnaire) and the use of seven coping styles (Utrecht Coping List: active problem focussing, palliative and passive reaction patterns, avoidance, social support seeking, expression of emotions, and comforting cognition) were assessed in 115 parents shortly after diagnosis, 6 and 12 months, and 5 years later.

Results: At diagnosis, parents' use of coping styles did not differ from the norm population except more frequent use of support seeking.

Variation in lymph node evaluation in rectal cancer: a Dutch nationwide population-based study.

Background: For adequate staging and subsequent accurate estimation of prognosis, a sufficient number of lymph nodes (LNs) has to be evaluated. This study aimed to identify factors associated with adequate nodal evaluation and to determine its relationship with survival.

Methods: Data from all patients with stage I to III rectal carcinoma who underwent surgical treatment and who were diagnosed in the period 2000 to 2006 were retrieved from the Netherlands Cancer Registry.

TRAIL signaling is mediated by DR4 in pancreatic tumor cells despite the expression of functional DR5.

Tumor necrosis factor related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) and agonistic anti-DR4/TRAIL-R1 and anti-DR5/TRAIL-R2 antibodies are currently under clinical investigation for treatment of different malignancies. TRAIL activates DR4 and DR5 and thereby triggers apoptotic and non-apoptotic signaling pathways, but possible different roles of DR4 or DR5 in these responses has poorly been addressed so far. In the present work, we analyzed cell viability, DISC formation as well as IL-8 and NF-kappaB activation side by side in responses to TRAIL and agonistic antibodies against DR4 (mapatumumab) and against DR5 (lexatumumab) in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma cells.

Screening and referral for psychosocial distress in oncologic practice: use of the Distress Thermometer.

Background: The objectives of this study were to validate the Distress Thermometer (DT) in the Netherlands and to examine its correspondence with a 46-item Problem List, possible risk factors, and the wish for a referral.

Methods: A cross-sectional group of 277 cancer patients who were treated at 9 hospitals filled in the DT and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale and rated the presence and severity of problems (response rate, 49%).

Results: Receiver operating characteristic analyses identified an ideal cutoff score of 5 on the DT with a positive predictive value of 39% and a negative predictive value of 95%.

Risk of new primary nonbreast cancers after breast cancer treatment: a Dutch population-based study.

Purpose: To assess the risk of secondary nonbreast cancers (SNBCs) in a recently treated population-based cohort of breast cancer patients focused on the association with treatment and prognostic implications.

Patients And Methods: In 58,068 Dutch patients diagnosed with invasive breast cancer between 1989 and 2003, SNBC risk was quantified using standardized incidence ratios (SIRs), cumulative incidence, and Cox regression analysis, adjusted for competing risks.

Results: After a median follow-up of 5.

The impact of adjuvant therapy on contralateral breast cancer risk and the prognostic significance of contralateral breast cancer: a population based study in the Netherlands.

Background: The impact of age and adjuvant therapy on contralateral breast cancer (CBC) risk and prognostic significance of CBC were evaluated.

Patients And Methods: In 45,229 surgically treated stage I-IIIA patients diagnosed in the Netherlands between 1989 and 2002 CBC risk was quantified using standardised incidence ratios (SIRs), cumulative incidence and Cox regression analysis, adjusted for competing risks.

Results: Median follow-up was 5.

The prognostic effect of the number of histologically examined axillary lymph nodes in breast cancer: stage migration or age association?

Background: The number of pathologically examined axillary nodes has been associated with breast cancer survival, and examination of >or=10 nodes has been advocated for reliable axillary staging. The considerable variation observed in axillary staging prompted this population-based study, which evaluated the prognostic effect of a variable number of pathologically examined nodes.

Methods: In total, 5314 consecutive breast cancer patients who underwent mastectomy or breast-conserving surgery and axillary dissection between 1994 and 1999 were included.

Guideline adherence for early breast cancer before and after introduction of the sentinel node biopsy.

This population-based study aimed to analyse variations in surgical treatment and guideline compliance with respect to the application of radiotherapy and axillary lymph node dissection (ALND), for early breast cancer, before and after the sentinel node biopsy (SNB) introduction. The study included 13 532 consecutive surgically treated stage I-IIIA breast cancer patients diagnosed in 1989-2002. Hospitals showed large variation in breast-conserving surgery (BCS) rates, ranging between 27 and 72% for T1 and 14 and 42% for T2 tumours.

Quality of adjuvant CMF chemotherapy for node-positive primary breast cancer: a population-based study.

Purpose: Adjuvant 'classical' oral cyclophosphamide, methotrexate, and 5-fluorouracil (CMF) has long been the mainstay of adjuvant chemotherapy for premenopausal breast cancer patients. The Comprehensive Cancer Center North Netherlands (CCCN) breast cancer working group performed a retrospective audit of treatment guideline adherence and quality of CMF in hospitals in the CCCN area.

Methods: The CMF treatment data of 251 consecutive axillary lymph node-positive breast cancer patients <50 years old, diagnosed between 1993 and 1996, were analyzed.

Variability in axillary lymph node dissection for breast cancer.

Background: The axillary nodal status may influence the prognosis and the choice of adjuvant treatment of individual breast cancer patients. The variation in number of reported axillary lymph nodes and its effect on the axillary nodal stage were studied and the implications are discussed.

Methods: Between 1994 and 1997, a total of 4,806 axillary dissections for invasive breast cancers in 4,715 patients were performed in hospitals in the North-Netherlands.

The effects of a postgraduate course on opioid-prescribing patterns of general practitioners.

Background: The objective of this study is to evaluate whether a single palliative cancer care workshop, which included information about drug prescribing, had an effect on the opioid-prescription patterns of general practitioners in daily practice.

Method: The opioid-prescription figures of 68 general practitioners who had participated in the workshop were aggregated from the computer system of the Regional Sick Fund. The prescription figures of a year before and a year after the workshop were compared and a control group of non-participants was included.

Learning effects of a workshop in palliative cancer care for general practitioners.

Background: Cancer patients may unnecessarily suffer from pain and other symptoms due to insufficient knowledge on the part of their doctors. In The Netherlands, the general practitioner is considered to be the key provider of palliative care for the cancer patient. Therefore, the authors developed and conducted workshops to teach symptom control to general practitioners.

Symptoms and functional status of patients with disseminated cancer visiting outpatient departments.

Considerable research has focused on pain and other symptoms in terminal cancer patients referred to hospices and palliative care services. These patients differ from Dutch cancer patients in the palliative stage of their disease because the latter are cared for by general practitioners at home and medical specialists in outpatient departments. To clarify the experience of these Dutch patients, a study was started to investigate the prevalence and severity of pain and other symptoms as well as the functional status of consecutive patients visiting oncology outpatient departments for follow-up.