A Jatoi

..This article reviews the clinical aspects of EGFR inhibitor-induced rash, which occurs most commonly with use of these agents, and discusses some of the challenges faced in attempting palliation treatment...

..as related to food or taste? What instruction should health care providers give patients about food ingestion prior to prescribing oral chemotherapy? How should we counsel patients about eating before intravenous chemotherapy?..

..This trial explored whether octreotide, an inhibitor of vascular endothelial growth factor, a putative mediator of ascites, prolongs the interval to next paracentesis...

..We describe a facilitated peer mentoring program in our institution's department of medicine...

..This report suggests a need for further study of alcohol as a palliative agent for cancer-associated loss of appetite and weight...

..Patients may also benefit from appetite stimulants such as corticosteroids and progestational agents,and this review summarizes the benefits of using these agents as well as their contraindications...

..Previous studies suggest tetracycline and other antibiotics lessen the severity of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) inhibitor-induced rash. This study sought to confirm such findings...

..Based on favorable preliminary clinical data and the need to identify effective, well-tolerated neoadjuvant regimens for patients with locally advanced esophageal cancer, this clinical trial was undertaken...

..The proteolysis-inducing factor in urine does not appear to be tied to weight loss, anorexia, tumor response, or patient survival in the clinical setting of metastatic gastric/esophageal cancer...

..To answer the question, "should elderly non-small-cell lung cancer patients be offered elderly-specific trials?"..

..We therefore undertook this phase II study to test this first-line combination in patients with metastatic adenocarcinoma of the esophagus, gastroesophageal junction and gastric cardia...

..This review includes a discussion of how these data might be interpreted and explained to cancer patients who are striving to cope with this syndrome...

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..The recent emergence of bortezomib, a proteasome inhibitor, now allows testing on whether proteasome inhibition is effective therapy for cancer-associated weight loss...

..These data suggest an association between vitamin/mineral supplementation and improved survival and point to a need for future studies on vitamin and mineral supplementation in small cell lung cancer patients...

..Fourth, dysphagia was not associated with appetite, leptin or neuropeptide y. This study helps to dispel these four 'myths' and underscores the need for further quality of life research on dysphagia...

..Rash occurs in >50% of patients prescribed epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) inhibitors. This study was undertaken to determine whether sunscreen prevents or mitigates these rashes...

..These preliminary data suggest that certain interleukin-1 beta genetic polymorphisms may modulate the cancer anorexia/weight loss syndrome in patients with metastatic gastric and esophageal cancer. Confirmatory studies are warranted...

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..It suggests that quality of life issues should remain at the forefront as cancer patients and health care providers make decisions about holding cancer therapy...

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..Previous studies have found that marriage is associated with longer survival and better quality of life among lung cancer patients. The present study used the Mayo Clinic Lung Cancer Cohort to re-examine this issue...

..This study tested a 3-drug, multimodality approach. Chemotherapy dose reductions, the addition of amifostine, and pharmacogenetics were tested in an effort to mitigate toxicity and predict outcomes...

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..Although age should not preclude trial entry, these adverse event rates suggest a need to develop more tolerable regimens for older patients with these malignancies...

..The objective of this study was to identify clinical predictors of severe rash in the hope of utilizing such factors in the design of future rash palliative and prevention trials...

..Non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is a disease of the elderly. Seeking a tolerable but effective regimen, we tested cetuximab + radiation in elderly and/or poor performance status patients with locally advanced NSCLC...

..Tomatoes are rich in lycopene. This study explored the efficacy of a lycopene-rich tomato product in androgen-independent prostate cancer and the reasons patients participated in an "alternative medicine" study...

..Because accrual was poor, this trial also offered opportunities for suggesting other study designs for future clinical trials on cognitive dysfunction in this group of patients...

..The safety and pharmacokinetics of infliximab in combination with docetaxel, a commonly used chemotherapy agent for non-small-cell lung cancer, were explored in this pilot study...

..Short chain ceramides induce tumor cell apoptosis in preclinical models. Limited therapeutic options for patients with cutaneous breast cancer prompted the testing of these sphingolipids in patients with this disease...

..With the emergence of data to suggest that single agent docetaxel and irinotecan carry antineoplastic effects in this setting, we determined the response rate of these agents when given in combination...

..This Phase II trial explored green tea's antineoplastic effects in patients with androgen independent prostate carcinoma...

..To determine whether dronabinol administered alone or with megestrol acetate was more, less, or equal in efficacy to single-agent megestrol acetate for palliating cancer-associated anorexia...

..Our investigation provides no evidence that megestrol acetate down-regulates IL-6 in patients with cancer-associated anorexia and weight loss...

..This study determined whether an EPA supplement-administered alone or with megestrol acetate (MA)-was more effective than MA...

..This increase in REE leads to weight loss, which in turn confers a poor prognosis. This study was undertaken to determine whether the cancer cachexia syndrome occurs in patients with nonmetastatic NSCLC...

..Anorexia is a noxious symptom, and over half of patients with advanced cancer experience it. Neuropeptide Y (NPY), leptin, and cholecystokinin 8 (CCK8) have been implicated...

..Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) inhibitors are effective cancer therapies, but they are reported to cause a rash in >50% of patients. In the current study, the authors examined the use of tetracycline for rash prevention...

..As the translational component of a large multi-institutional trial, this study assessed the clinical value of serum concentrations of these cytokines in patients with this syndrome...

..This case control study explored the purported inverse relationship between folate status and lung cancer development...

..However, no study has validated this hypothesis to date. This study's objective was to examine the prognostic significance of REE in NSCLC...

..This study tested the hypothesis that language does, in fact, pose a barrier to screening and that Spanish-speaking women report lower lifetime screening rates...

..This review discusses the general approach to patients with ovarian cancer and inoperable malignant bowel obstruction, with an emphasis on such palliative strategies...

..to describe the daily activities of older patients as they undergo chemotherapy for incurable metastatic lung cancer...

..CONCLUSIONS: The regimen docetaxel and capecitabine shows activity in patients with metastatic adenocarcinoma of the stomach and gastroesophageal junction. This regimen merits further study...

..Neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy followed by esophagogastrectomy has become the standard of care for patients with locally advanced esophageal cancer. This report analyzes our experience with this treatment approach...

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..This cross-sectional study of postoperative non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients examined possible effects of vitamin intake and folate status on disease-free survival...

..The goal of this study was to determine whether vitamin/mineral supplementation is associated with improved survival and quality of life in a cohort of NSCLC patients...

..This review provides an update of such observations and places them within the context of previous work...

..Two different treatment schedules of bortezomib in combination with paclitaxel and carboplatin were tested in this phase I study to evaluate the effects of scheduling on toxicities, pharmacodynamics and clinical activity...

..We report the patterns of ETS exposure history in a clinical cohort of women with newly diagnosed lung cancer...

..To date, however, palliative options remain limited. Megestrol acetate and dexamethasone provide only modest relief. Novel agents such as thalidomide, adenosine triphosphate, and other cytokine inhibitors merit further investigation...

..This review focuses on these trials, summarizing their findings and providing a practical approach for prescribing megestrol acetate to advanced cancer patients who suffer from the cancer anorexia/weight loss syndrome...

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..This article reviews data to support the use of these agents, discusses the findings of other more recent studies in this field and provides an overview of promising strategies that merit further investigation...

..As the mechanisms behind this syndrome are further elucidated, more effective therapeutic strategies will likely emerge...

..However, the relatively mild toxicity profile observed in this trial suggests that this regimen might remain an option for patients at increased risk for myelosuppression or with a poor performance status...

..As a result, few studies have focused on these patients' cumulative, cancer-related morbidity and late mortality. This descriptive study was undertaken to explore such issues...

..CONCLUSIONS: Oral vinorelbine, as prescribed in this trial, provides minimal activity in the treatment of advanced non-small cell lung cancer in patients > or = 65 years of age...

..No difference in survival was identified between the two arms. The current analysis examined the relation between age and outcome for patients treated during this trial...

..This review provides a summary of the factors that may contribute to cognitive decline in this group of patients and comments upon how cognitive dysfunction or the risk for it might influence patient management...

..5 months from treatment initiation. Rexin-G is well tolerated in doses up to 6 x 10(11) CFU in patients with recurrent pancreatic cancer, but there was no evidence of clinical antitumor activity...

..No difference in survival was identified between the two arms. This secondary analysis was performed to examine the relationship between patient age and outcome...

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..Well-designed and adequately powered studies can be implemented, and large numbers of patients can be accrued. The resulting research evaluations can be published in peer-reviewed medical journals...

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..We further discuss the potential implication of these dietary chemicals on prevention of development and progression of prostate cancer...

..Patients with esophageal carcinoma (EC) report deficits in quality of life (QOL), depending on the extent of malignant disease and the goals of treatment at the time of QOL measurement...

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..Physical activity level may have important QOL and symptom management benefits for long-term lung cancer survivors...

..The goal of this review is to present an overview of the available research evidence on BCHT, dispel myths about the use of compounded hormones, and provide helpful tips to answer commonly asked questions about BCHT...

..If confirmed, future studies should focus on identifying risk factors and optimal strategies for the prevention and treatment of vertebral fractures in patients with esophageal cancer...

..At least 13 studies have shown that the ubiquitin-proteasome system mediates muscle wasting in weight-losing cancer subjects. We hypothesized that cancer itself may activate the ubiquitin-proteasome system, regardless of weight loss...

..The reporting of adverse events from cancer symptom control and palliative care interventions should be improved - especially in trials not sponsored by pharmaceutical companies...

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..96). Thus this trial did not suggest any role for oral glutamine, compared with placebo, for preventing the development, or alleviating the severity, of paclitaxel-induced myalgias/arthralgias...

..To determine prognostic factors and impact of adjuvant chemotherapy (CT) and radiotherapy (RT) on overall survival (OS) after resection of pancreatic adenocarcinoma...

..Patients with schizophrenia sometimes receive substandard medical care. This study explored such disparities among lung cancer patients with underlying schizophrenia...

..This review discusses recent studies in this field and outlines promising versus less promising therapeutic strategies...

..This multi-institutional, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial was conducted to provide definitive evidence of this mineral's palliative efficacy...

..A prospective cohort study was conducted to analyze whether self-reported fatigue predicts overall survival in patients with esophageal cancer...

..Rib parosteal osteosarcomas are even rarer, with only 2 cases in the literature. We report a third such case, with a 32-month disease-free survival. Issues relevant to the management of rib parosteal osteosarcomas are discussed...

..It also embarks on a brief discussion of issues that investigators must face when designing clinical trials aimed at rash palliation...

..In this review, we provide an overview of ovarian cancer with particular emphasis on recent advances in operative management and systemic therapies...

..This study assessed osteoporosis knowledge deficits among cancer patients and their spouses/partners...

..An ongoing phase 2 trial by the North Central Cancer Treatment Group (NCCTG) may help clarify a role for cytoprotectants in patients receiving combined-modality therapy for esophageal cancer...

..56 (95% confidence interval,-0.01-1.14; P = 0.06). Dietary counseling does not appear to improve QOL significantly in patients with cancer. However,an observed trend toward benefit underscores the need for further study...

..obtain longitudinal toxicity and quality of life data on this same cohort of 50 patients and will make direct comparisons between treatment arms on toxicity incidence and severity and on maximal quality of life scores ..

..3. To explore whether wine in combination with megestrol acetate alters the hormonal milieu that modulates appetite. We will specifically look for alterations of circulating leptin, ghrelin, and neuropeptide y. ..

..These two pilot studies will allow us to lay the groundwork for such larger trials. Our ultimate goal is to help cancer patients who suffer from anorexia. ..

..This K23 grant application will serve as a springboard to allow her to delve into the pathophysiology of this syndrome and to develop into an independent clinical investigator. ..

..3. To explore whether wine in combination with megestrol acetate alters the hormonal milieu that modulates appetite. We will specifically look for alterations of circulating leptin, ghrelin, and neuropeptide y. ..