can concomitant diseases predict the compliance with cisplatin plus rt in patients with la scchn an exploratory endpoint analysis of the comply trial

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Predictors of overall satisfaction of cancer patients undergoing radiation therapy

Martina Becker-Schiebe,1,2 Uwe Pinkert,1 Tahera Ahmad,1 Christof Schäfer,3 Wolfgang Hoffmann,1 Heiko Franz4 1Department of Radiotherapy and Radio-Oncology, Städtisches Klinikum Braunschweig gGmbH, Braunschweig, 2Radiation Oncology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, 3Radiation Oncology Straubing, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, 4Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Städtisches Klinikum Braunschweig gGmbH, Braunschweig, Germany Background: Reporting the experiences and satisfaction of patients, as well as their quality of care scores is an emerging recommendation in health care systems. Many aspects of patients’ experience determine their overall satisfaction. The aim of this evaluation was to define the main factors contributing to the satisfaction of patients undergoing radiotherapy in an outpatient setting. Patients and methods: A total of 1,710 patients with a histologically proven cancer, who were treated in our department between 2012 and 2014, were recruited for this prospective evaluation. At the end of therapy, each patient was asked to grade the skills and the care provided by radiation therapists, physicians, and physician’s assistants, as well as the overall satisfaction during therapy. Statistical analysis was performed to determine which parameters had the greatest influence on overall satisfaction. Results: Overall satisfaction with the provided care was high with a mean satisfaction score of 1.4. Significant correlations were found between overall satisfaction and each of the following survey items: courtesy, protection of privacy, professional skills and care provided by the radiation therapists and physicians, accuracy of provided information, and cleanliness. Linear regression analysis demonstrated that courteous behavior and the protection of privacy were the strongest predictors for overall satisfaction (P<0.001), followed by care and skills of physicians and radiation therapists. Patients suffering from head and neck cancer expressed lower overall satisfaction. Conclusion: Based on our prospectively acquired data, we were able to identify and confirm key factors for patient satisfaction in an outpatient radiooncological cancer center. From these results, we conclude that patients want most importantly to be treated with courtesy, protection of privacy and care. Keywords: patient satisfaction, radiotherapy, informatio

Lessons learned after one year of COVID-19 from a urologist and radiotherapist view: A German survey on prostate cancer diagnosis and treatment.

INTRODUCTION: Since the beginning of the pandemic in 2020, COVID-19 has changed the medical landscape. International recommendations for localized prostate cancer (PCa) include deferred treatment and adjusted therapeutic routines. MATERIALS AND METHODS: To longitudinally evaluate changes in PCa treatment strategies in urological and radiotherapy departments in Germany, a link to a survey was sent to 134 institutions covering two representative baseline weeks prior to the pandemic and 13 weeks from March 2020 to February 2021. The questionnaire captured the numbers of radical prostatectomies, prostate biopsies and case numbers for conventional and hypofractionation radiotherapy. The results were evaluated using descriptive analyses. RESULTS: A total of 35% of the questionnaires were completed. PCa therapy increased by 6% in 2020 compared to 2019. At baseline, a total of 69 radiotherapy series and 164 radical prostatectomies (RPs) were documented. The decrease to 60% during the first wave of COVID-19 particularly affected low-risk PCa. The recovery throughout the summer months was followed by a renewed reduction to 58% at the end of 2020. After a gradual decline to 61% until July 2020, the number of prostate biopsies remained stable (89% to 98%) during the second wave. The use of RP fluctuated after an initial decrease without apparent prioritization of risk groups. Conventional fractionation was used in 66% of patients, followed by moderate hypofractionation (30%) and ultrahypofractionation (4%). One limitation was a potential selection bias of the selected weeks and the low response rate. CONCLUSION: While the diagnosis and therapy of PCa were affected in both waves of the pandemic, the interim increase between the peaks led to a higher total number of patients in 2020 than in 2019. Recommendations regarding prioritization and fractionation routines were implemented heterogeneously, leaving unexplored potential for future pandemic challenges

Electrophysiological and behavioural responses of Ips typographus (L.) to trans-4-thujanol—a host tree volatile compound

International audienceAbstractKey messageSpruce trees emit significant amounts of trans-4-thujanol, but the amount of this compound in bark decreases with tree age. Trans-4-thujanol acts as an efficient repellent for the bark beetle Ips typographus.ContextThe spruce bark beetle, Ips typographus, is an economically significant pest of Norway spruce (Picea abies) that preferentially infests and kills old trees.AimsWe looked for spruce volatiles that were perceivable by I. typographus and that differed as the host tree aged.MethodsBark beetles were collected in the wild. Bark samples from spruce trees of different age were hydrodistilled. Gas chromatography–electroantennogram detection (GC-EAD) was used to identify which compounds induced beetle olfactory responses. These were identified by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Behavioural responses of bark beetles were tested using a Y-tube olfactometer.ResultsSeveral EAD peaks were recorded, of which trans-4-thujanol was consistently active and could be identified chemically unequivocally. The antennae of I. typographus females responded to a lower dosage of the compound than males, but both sexes were repelled by it. The bark of 10-year-old spruce trees contained 3 times more trans-4-thujanol than that of 35- 40-year-old trees, 27 times more than that of 70- to 80-year-old trees, and 200 times more than that of 120-year-old trees.ConclusionsTrans-4-thujanol is a bioactive compound in Norway spruce bark that varies in amount with tree age and affects spruce bark beetle behaviour under laboratory conditions. It is suggested that trans-4-thujanol might play a role in both spruce tree defence and tree choice by beetles