Mammography Adherence: Creation of a Process Change Plan to Increase Usage Rates.

Background: Mammography is the optimal tool to mitigate breast cancer morbidity and mortality; however, in many healthcare settings, mammography adherence rates are decreasing.

Objectives: This nurse-led quality improvement project was conducted to improve patient adherence to annual mammography screening.

Methods: Data collection included clinical information from the electronic health record, chart reviews, tracking documentation used by the clinic's social worker, interviews with staff, observation of the clinical setting, creation of a process flow map to identify barriers, and identification of internal and external resources.

African American Women's Recollected Experiences of Adherence to Breast Cancer Treatment.

Purpose/objectives: To explore African American women's recollected experiences of breast cancer treatment.
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Research Approach: Qualitative description and narrative analysis.

Oncology Nurses' Experiences With Patients Who Choose to Discontinue Cancer Chemotherapy.

Purpose/objectives: To describe the experiences of oncology nurses whose patients prematurely discontinue cancer chemotherapy.
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Research Approach: Qualitative, in-depth interviews.

The consumption of seaweed as a protective factor in the etiology of breast cancer: proof of principle.

Daily consumption of seaweed has been proposed as a factor in explaining lower postmenopausal breast cancer (BC) incidence and mortality rates in Japan. This clinical trial assessed the impact of introducing seaweed- to non-seaweed-consuming American postmenopausal women. Fifteen healthy postmenopausal women were recruited for a 3-month single-blinded placebo controlled clinical trial; five had no history of BC (controls) and ten were BC survivors.

Could dietary seaweed reverse the metabolic syndrome?

Incidence of the metabolic syndrome is increasing worldwide, with notable exceptions of some Asian countries where seaweeds are commonly consumed. 13 men (mean age 47.4+/-9.

TJ-41 Induces Apoptosis and Potentiates the Apoptotic Effects of 5-FU in Breast Cancer Cell Lines.

Recent studies suggest that TJ-41, a herbal drug, possesses chemotherapeutic effects. Accordingly, this study was undertaken to investigate the anticarcinogenic effects of TJ-41 on human breast cancer cells lines. TJ-41 inhibited the proliferation of human breast cancer cell lines dose dependently.

Weight patterns in children with higher risk ALL: A report from the Children's Oncology Group (COG) for CCG 1961.

Background: This retrospective analysis defined and described patterns and predictors of weight change during treatment in children with acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL) with high-risk features who received treatment on Children's Cancer Group protocol CCG 1961.

Procedure: Patients (1,638) were enrolled in CCG 1961 from November 1996 to May 2002. Weight was measured as BMI percent (%), specific for age and gender, and defined as 100 x ln(BMI/median BMI).

Dietary seaweed modifies estrogen and phytoestrogen metabolism in healthy postmenopausal women.

Seaweed and soy foods are consumed daily in Japan, where breast cancer rates for postmenopausal women are significantly lower than in the West. Likely mechanisms include differences in diet, especially soy consumption, and estrogen metabolism. Fifteen healthy postmenopausal women participated in this double-blind trial of seaweed supplementation with soy challenge.

Loss of p53 induces epidermal growth factor receptor promoter activity in normal human keratinocytes.

Overexpression of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) in human papillomavirus type 16-immortalized human keratinocytes (HKc) is caused by the viral oncoprotein E6, which targets p53 for degradation. We have previously observed that expression of p53 RNAi in normal HKc is associated with an increase in EGFR mRNA and protein. We now report that p53 RNAi induces EGFR promoter activity up to approximately 10-fold in normal HKc, and this effect does not require intact p53 binding sites on the EGFR promoter.

Quality of life and lymphedema following breast cancer.

The aim of the study was to compare Quality of Life (QOL) of breast cancer patients with and without secondary lymphedema (SLE) using a cross-sectional design with a convenience sample. Research packets were mailed to 2088 breast cancer patients (BrCaPt). The QOL component of the study used the Quality of Life Instrument --Breast Cancer Patient Version for data collection.

CD69 expression as an index of T-cell function: assay standardization, validation and use in monitoring immune recovery.

Background: CD69 is a surrogate marker of T-cell responsiveness to mitogen and Ag stimulus and can be used as a measure of T-lymphocyte activation. Quantitative flow cytometric determination of CD69 expression on T lymphocytes has several advantages over traditional lymphocyte proliferation assays, but this method has not yet been standardized for clinical applications.

Methods: We qualified a commercially available assay using the manufacturer's procedures for measurement of T-cell response to a mitogen (PHA), superantigen (Staphylococcus endotoxin B; SEB) and Ca(2+) ionophore (phorbyl myristate acetate; PMA) with peripheral blood from healthy volunteers.

Long term disease-free survival in acute leukemia patients recovering with increased gammadelta T cells after partially mismatched related donor bone marrow transplantation.

Allogeneic stem cell transplantation (ASCT) has improved leukemia-free survival (LFS) in many but not all patients with acute leukemia. This is an eight-year follow-up to our previous study showing a survival advantage to patients with an increased gammadelta T cells following ASCT. gammadelta T cell levels were collected prospectively in 153 patients (acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) n = 77; acute myelogenous leukemia (AML) n = 76) undergoing partially mismatched related donor ASCT.

Measurement in group interventions for women with breast cancer.

Instrumentation is a critical component of intervention research. This article discusses a review of measurement tools used in research on group interventions for women with breast cancer. The wide variety of instruments used in research studies is listed.

Nutrition and cancer: the herbal revolution.

There is growing evidence that compounds of plant origin have the ability to prevent cancer. Populations with greater reliance on fruits and vegetables in the diet experience a reduced risk for the major cancers. Research has focused on specific micronutrients and nonnutrient compounds that may have health benefits.

Expression of COX-2 in platelet-monocyte interactions occurs via combinatorial regulation involving adhesion and cytokine signaling.

Tight regulation of COX-2 expression is a key feature controlling eicosanoid production in atherosclerosis and other inflammatory syndromes. Adhesive interactions between platelets and monocytes occur in these conditions and deliver specific signals that trigger inflammatory gene expression. Using a cellular model of monocyte signaling induced by activated human platelets, we identified the central posttranscriptional mechanisms that regulate timing and magnitude of COX-2 expression.

Subject recruitment for cancer control studies in an adverse environment.

Subject recruitment in an adverse environment prompted researchers to identify a novel method to gain a different perspective on the problem. Lewin's Model of Change was used in a post hoc examination of recruitment strategies from 5 cancer control studies of breast or prostate cancer. Based on this evaluation, driving and restraining forces in recruitment were identified.

Is risk of axillary lymph node metastasis associated with proximity of breast cancer to the skin?

Introduction: Risk of axillary lymph node metastasis, the most important predictor of disease-free and overall survival in breast cancer patients, is estimated primarily from histologic features of the primary cancer including tumor size, histologic type and grade, and hormone receptor expression. Based upon a clinical impression, and research showing that palpable cancers are more likely to be node positive, we hypothesized that primary breast cancers more proximal to the skin of the breast are more likely to be positive for axillary lymph node metastasis.

Methods: This is a retrospective medical record review of 209 women with stage T1 or T2 ( View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Chemopreventive effects of Khaya senegalensis bark extract on human colorectal cancer.

An extract of the bark of Khaya senegalensis is commonly used in African traditional medicine for pain and inflammation. Khaya senegalensis bark extract (KSBE) was hypothesized to contain inhibitors of the cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) gene and to be useful in the prevention and treatment of colorectal cancer. The diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH)- free radical activity and the total phenolic content of KSBE were measured, followed by an investigation of cell growth inhibition, COX and prostaglandin E 2 (PGE2) suppression, as well as apoptosis by Western blot analysis and ELISA.

Green tea polyphenol (-)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate inhibits cyclooxygenase-2 expression in colon carcinogenesis.

Tea, one of the most widely consumed beverages worldwide, has been shown to have anti-cancer activity in various cancers including colon cancer. It has been demonstrated that overexpression of the inducible isoform of cyclooxygenase (COX-2) occurs during colon tumorigenesis and inhibition of COX-2 by non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) is chemopreventive. To determine whether the anti-cancer effect associated with green tea impacted COX-2 expression levels, human colorectal cancer cell lines HT-29 and HCA-7, were treated with (-)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), the most abundant and effective polyphenol of green tea.

Diallylsulfide and allylmethylsulfide are uniquely effective among organosulfur compounds in inhibiting CYP2E1 protein in animal models.

Garlic is a popular culinary herb that is also used throughout the world as a traditional medicine for the prevention and treatment of disease. Epidemiologic studies have suggested that long-term consumption of garlic reduces risk for certain cancers, most notably stomach and colon cancer. This article summarizes the key findings behind one important mechanism explaining the anticarcinogenic effects of garlic-derived agents in animal models: the inhibition of cytochrome p4502E1 (CYP2E1), with some commentary on other aspects of carcinogen metabolism modified by these unique phytochemicals.

Gene expression determinants of clinical outcome.

Purpose Of Review: Gene expression profiling of human cancers has produced a large amount of information that could aid physicians in making decisions related to the treatment of their patients. A number of recent studies have identified collections of genes and corresponding expression levels that correlate with the physical appearance and clinical behavior of all common human neoplasms.

Recent Findings: This article will discuss emerging trends of study design and approaches to gene expression signature identification.

Role of zinc and zinc transporters in the molecular pathogenesis of diabetes mellitus.

Diabetes is one of the most common chronic diseases in the United States. An estimated 18.2 million people in the US (6.