A questionnaire for assessing fear of radiotherapy in oncology patients

© 2018, University of Kragujevac, Faculty of Science. All rights reserved. Radiotherapy is a frequently prescribed and highly effective form of treatment of oncology patients. However, many patients feel rational or irrational fear of the application of radiotherapy, which may provoke mental and physical stress, anxiety, growing anger and hostility, thus reducing quality of life. The aim of this study was to develop, reliability test and validate a questionnaire for assessing the level of fear of radiotherapy in oncology patients. We performed a prospective qualitative study based on the development, validation and reliability testing of the questionnaire developed for assessing radiotherapy-caused fear in oncology patients treated in the Centre for Oncology and Radiology, Department of Radiotherapy, Clinical Centre Kragujevac. The study included 154 patients and the final version of the questionnaire integrated 15 questions. After the elimination of inappropriate questions the Cronbach coefficient α was 0.946. The questionnaire consists of two factors which represent 57.423% and 6.925%, making a total of 64.348% of the variance of the questionnaire. The results of our study show that the questionnaire used is a unique, reliable and valid instrument for assessing the level of fear of radiotherapy in oncology patients the application of which will allow us to identify patients with elevated levels of fear of radiotherapy

Predicting the survival probability of functional neuroendocrine tumors treated with peptide receptor radionuclide therapy: Serbian experience

IntroductionPeptide receptor radionuclide therapy (PRRT) is a treatment option for well-differentiated, somatostatin receptor positive, unresectable or/and metastatic neuroendocrine tumors (NETs). Although high disease control rates seen with PRRT a significant number NET patients have a short progression-free interval, and currently, there is a deficiency of effective biomarkers to pre-identify these patients. This study is aimed at determining the prognostic significance of biomarkers on survival of patients with NETs in initial PRRT treatment.MethodologyWe retrospectively analyzed 51 patients with NETs treated with PRRT at the Department for nuclear medicine, University Clinical Center Kragujevac, Serbia, with a five-year follow-up. Eligible patients with confirmed inoperable NETs, were retrospectively evaluated hematological, blood-based inflammatory markers, biochemical markers and clinical characteristics on disease progression. In accordance with the progression og the disease, the patients were divided into two groups: progression group (n=18) and a non-progression group (n=33). Clinical data were compared between the two groups.ResultsA total of 51 patients (Md=60, age 25-75 years) were treated with PRRT, of whom 29 (56.86%) demonstrated stable disease, 4 (7.84%) demonstrated a partial response, and 14 (27.46%) demonstrated progressive disease and death was recorded in 4 (7.84%) patients. The mean PFS was a 36.22 months (95% CI 30.14-42.29) and the mean OS was 44.68 months (95% CI 37.40-51.97). Univariate logistic regression analysis displayed that age (p<0.05), functional tumors (p<0.05), absolute neutrophil count (p<0.05), neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio-NLR (p<0.05), C-reactive protein-CRP (p<0.05), CRP/Albumin (p<0.05), alanine aminotransferase-ALT (p<0.05), were risk factors for disease progression. Multivariate logistic regression analysis exhibited that functional tumors (p<0.001), age (p<0.05), CRP (p<0.05), and ALT (p<0.05), were independent risk factors for the disease progression in patients with NETs. Tumor functionality was the most powerful prognostic factor. The median PFS (11.86 ± 1.41 vs. 43.38 ± 3.16 months; p=0.001) and OS (21.81 ± 2.70 vs 53.86 ± 3.70, p=0.001) were significantly shorter in patients with functional than non-functional NETs respectively.ConclusionThe study’s results suggest that tumor functionality, and certain biomarkers may serve as prognostic survival indicators for patients with NETs undergoing PRRT. The findings can potentially help to identify patients who are at higher risk of disease progression and tailor treatment strategies accordingly

A Questionnaire for Assessing Fear of Radiotherapy in Oncology Patients

Radiotherapy is a frequently prescribed and highly effective form of treatment of oncology patients. However, many patients feel rational or irrational fear of the application of radiotherapy, which may provoke mental and physical stress, anxiety, growing anger and hostility, thus reducing quality of life. The aim of this study was to develop, reliability test and validate a questionnaire for assessing the level of fear of radiotherapy in oncology patients

Secondary Hypertension: Differential Diagnosis and Basic Principles of Treatment

Secondary hypertension occurs in 5-10% of cases in the patient population with primary hypertension. The most common forms of secondary hypertension are as follows: parenchymal renal disease (renoparenchymal hypertension), renal artery stenosis (renovascular hypertension), adrenal gland adenoma (primary hyperaldosteronism), a tumour of the adrenal gland marrow (pheochromocytoma) and adenoma of adrenal and pituitary glands (Cushing’s syndrome). In patients with a typical clinical picture of secondary hypertension, the appropriate diagnostic tests should be conducted based on the suspected form of secondary hypertension. Determining a diagnosis of secondary hypertension is gradual. First, the appropriate screening tests are performed. If the screening test is positive, then additional tests to confirm the forms of secondary hypertension are conducted. Once a diagnosis of the appropriate form of secondary hypertension is confirmed, tests to distinguish causes and laterality tests to determine the precise localisation of the pathological process are applied to evaluate the response to therapy. Analysing the results of endocrine diagnostic tests provides an accurate diagnosis and selection of optimal therapeutic procedures

Renovascular Hypertension: Clinical Features, Differential Diagnoses and Basic Principles of Treatment

Renovascular hypertension is caused by renal artery stenosis. Its prevalence in populations of hypertensive patients is 1-8%, and in populations of patients with resistant hypertension, it is up to 20%. The two main causes of stenosis are atherosclerosis and fibromuscular dysplasia of the renal artery. The main clinical consequences of renal artery stenosis include renovascular hypertension, ischemic nephropathy and “flash” acute pulmonary oedema. Unilateral stenosis of the renal artery causes angiotensin II-dependent hypertension, and bilateral stenosis of the renal arteries produces volume-dependent hypertension. Renovascular aetiology of hypertension should be questioned in patients with resistant hypertension, hypertension with a murmur identified upon auscultation of the renal arteries, and a noticeable side-to-side difference in kidney size. Non-invasive diagnostic tests include the determination of concentrations of peripheral vein plasma renin activity, the captopril test, captopril scintigraphy, colour Doppler ultrasonography, computed tomography angiography, and nuclear resonance angiography. Renovasography represents the gold standard for the diagnosis of renovascular hypertension. The indications for revascularization of the renal artery include haemodynamically significant renal artery stenosis (with a systolic pressure gradient at the site of stenosis of - ΔP ≥ 20 mmHg, along with the ratio of the pressure in the distal part of the renal artery (Pd) and aortic pressure (Pa) less than 0.9 (Pd/Pa 0.8, chronic kidney disease (GFR <30 ml/min/1.73 m2) and negative captopril scintigraphy (lack of lateralization)

Acute chemoradiotherapy toxicity in cervical cancer patients

During radiotherapy treatment for cervical cancer, up to 84% of patients exhibit some form of acute radiation toxicity (ART). The primary aim of this clinical study is to determine the impact of angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors, β-blockers and other risk factors such as the patient’s anatomical characteristics on ART emergence in patients with locally advanced cervical cancer treated by chemoradiotherapy. This is a combination of two nested case–control studies within the cohort of patients with locally advanced cervical cancer based on the analysis of potential risk factors for the onset of ART in patients treated with 3D conformal radiotherapy (3D-CRT) and 2D conventional radiotherapy (2D-RT), prospectively followed up from January 2017 to September 2018 in a tertiary care hospital. The ACE inhibitors and bladder volume were identified as factors that significantly affect the occurrence of ART in patients treated with 3D-CRT. In patients treated with 2D-RT, the factors that significantly affect the occurrence of ART were ACE inhibitors, body mass index (BMI), brachytherapy rectal and bladder dose. This study has shown that BMI, radiation dose received by the bladder and rectum are of exceptional importance for the occurrence of the ART and also that therapy with ACE inhibitors was associated with the decreased chances of the ART

Effect of Astaxanthin Supplementation on Salivary IgA, Oxidative Stress, and Inflammation in Young Soccer Players

The physiologic stress induced by physical activity is reflected in immune system perturbations, oxidative stress, muscle injury, and inflammation. We investigated the effect of astaxanthin (Asx) supplementation on salivary IgA (sIgA) and oxidative stress status in plasma, along with changes in biochemical parameters and total/differential white cell counts. Forty trained male soccer players were randomly assigned to Asx and placebo groups. Asx group was supplemented with 4 mg of Asx. Saliva and blood samples were collected at the baseline and after 90 days of supplementation in preexercise conditions. We observed a rise of sIgA levels at rest after 90 days of Asx supplementation, which was accompanied with a decrease in prooxidant-antioxidant balance. The plasma muscle enzymes levels were reduced significantly by Asx supplementation and by regular training. The increase in neutrophil count and hs-CRP level was found only in placebo group, indicating a significant blunting of the systemic inflammatory response in the subjects taking Asx. This study indicates that Asx supplementation improves sIgA response and attenuates muscle damage, thus preventing inflammation induced by rigorous physical training. Our findings also point that Asx could show significant physiologic modulation in individuals with mucosal immunity impairment or under conditions of increased oxidative stress and inflammation