Pictorial Cigarette Warning Labels: Effects of Severity and Likelihood of Risk Messages

INTRODUCTION: Pictorial cigarette warning labels often contain text-messages about severity of health risks and less often about the likelihood of health risks. We aimed to examine the influence of severity of risk versus likelihood of risk text-messages on information seeking behavior. METHODS: Study 1: An experimental study with a 2 (severity) x 2 (likelihood) between-subjects design (n=260); Study 2: An experimental study with a 2 (severity) x 2 (likelihood) x 2 (picture) between-subjects design (n=537). Main outcome measures were information seeking intention and information seeking behavior (accepting a brochure about smoking cessation in Study 1; clicking on a link to a smoking cessation webpage in Study 2). RESULTS: In Study 1, exposure to likelihood text-messages was associated with more information seeking behavior but not with attitudes and intention to quit. In Study 2, exposure to likelihood text-messages was not associated with information seeking behavior, but was associated with higher warning label ratings and with more positive attitudes towards quitting when it was a pictorial cigarette warning label; exposure to severity text-messages was associated with higher warning label ratings and higher risk perceptions. Presence of a picture with smokers' diseased lungs in Study 2 was associated with higher warning label ratings and with higher risk perceptions, but did not influence attitudes and intention to quit. CONCLUSIONS: We found preliminary indications that pictorial cigarette labels with likelihood of risk text-messages may be effective in influencing behavior. However, results from our two studies were not consistent. Therefore, future studies should examine this further

The gut wall's potential as a partner for precision oncology in immune checkpoint treatment

The gut wall is the largest immune organ and forms a barrier through which gut microbiota interact with the immune system in the rest of the body. Gut microbiota composition plays a role in the strength and timing of the anticancer immune response on immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI). Surprisingly, the effects of gut wall characteristics, such as physical barrier integrity, permeability, and activity and composition of the intestinal immune system, on response to ICI has received little attention. Here, we provide an overview of markers to characterize the gut wall and interventions that can modulate these gut wall characteristics. Finally, we present a future perspective on how these gut wall markers and interventions might be utilized and studied to improve ICI treatment strategies

Treatment costs and quality of life with granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor in patients with antineoplastic therapy-related febrile neutropenia:Results of a randomised placebo-controlled trial

This study examined the costs of treatment of, and quality of life in, patients with antineoplastic therapy-induced neutropenic fever who were treated with antibacterials, with or without granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF). Patients with haematological malignancies (n = 47) or solid tumours (n = 87) who had severe neutropenia (neutrophil count &lt;0.5 x 109/L) and fever (&gt;38.5°C once, or &gt;38°C twice, in a 12-hour observation period) were randomised to receive subcutaneous GM-CSF 5 μg/kg/day (n = 65) or placebo (n = 69) in conjunction with broad-spectrum antibacterials. GM-CSF enhanced neutrophil recovery compared with placebo. Median neutrophil counts at day 4 were 2.9 (range 0 to 25) x 109/L in the GM-CSF arm and 1.3 (range 0 to 9) x 109/L in the placebo group (p &lt; 0.001). No significant difference was observed with regard to median days with neutrophil count ≤1.0 x 109/L or in time to resolution of fever. Quality-of-life scores in 90 patients demonstrated significant differences in favour of the placebo group. The results for the oncology and haematology patients were similar to the results for the total group. patients in the GM-CSF and placebo groups had a mean hospital stay of 7.25 and 8.33 days, respectively. Hospital costs were higher for the GM-CSF-treated patients when GM-CSF was included in the price [mean costs: GM-CSF arm $US5177 vs placebo arm$US4178 (p &lt; 0.05; 1992 values)l. The haematology patients stayed longer in hospital than the oncology patients, resulting in higher total costs for the former group. These results indicate that GM-CSF does not affect the number of days required for resolution of fever or the hospitalisation period for this patient group, and does not provide a cost-effective contribution to the treatment of these patients. Sensitivity analyses indicate that GM-CSF would produce savings if the duration of hospitalisation with GM-CSF was ≤76.5% of that in the placebo group.</p