The role of temporary ovarian suppression with luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone agonists (LHRHa) in the prevention of chemotherapy-induced premature ovarian failure (POF) is still controversial. ...Our meta-analysis of randomized, controlled trials (RCTs) investigates whether the use of LHRHa during chemotherapy in premenopausal breast cancer patients reduces treatment-related POF rate, increases pregnancy rate, and impacts disease-free survival (DFS).
A literature search using PubMed, Embase, and the Cochrane Library, and the proceedings of major conferences, was conducted up to 30 April 2015. Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for POF (i.e. POF by study definition, and POF defined as amenorrhea 1 year after chemotherapy completion) and for patients with pregnancy, as well hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% CI for DFS, were calculated for each trial. Pooled analysis was carried out using the fixed- and random-effects models.
A total of 12 RCTs were eligible including 1231 breast cancer patients. The use of LHRHa was associated with a significant reduced risk of POF (OR 0.36, 95% CI 0.23–0.57; P < 0.001), yet with significant heterogeneity (I2 = 47.1%, Pheterogeneity = 0.026). In eight studies reporting amenorrhea rates 1 year after chemotherapy completion, the addition of LHRHa reduced the risk of POF (OR 0.55, 95% CI 0.41–0.73, P < 0.001) without heterogeneity (I2 = 0.0%, Pheterogeneity = 0.936). In five studies reporting pregnancies, more patients treated with LHRHa achieved pregnancy (33 versus 19 women; OR 1.83, 95% CI 1.02–3.28, P = 0.041; I2 = 0.0%, Pheterogeneity = 0.629). In three studies reporting DFS, no difference was observed (HR 1.00, 95% CI 0.49–2.04, P = 0.939; I2 = 68.0%, Pheterogeneity = 0.044).
Temporary ovarian suppression with LHRHa in young breast cancer patients is associated with a reduced risk of chemotherapy-induced POF and seems to increase the pregnancy rate, without an apparent negative consequence on prognosis.
Abstract Background Although in clinical practice adjuvant chemotherapy (CT) and endocrine therapy (ET) are administered sequentially in patients with hormone-receptor positive breast cancer, the ...optimal timing, i.e. concurrent or sequential administration, of these treatments has been scarcely investigated. To better clarify this issue we conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized studies comparing these two modalities of administrations in terms of disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS). Methods Relevant studies were identified by searching PubMed, Web of Knowledge and the proceedings of the major conferences with no date restriction up to March 2016. The summary risk estimates (pooled hazard ratio HR and 95% confidence intervals CI) for DFS and OS were calculated using random effect models (DerSimonian and Laird method). Results A total of three randomized studies were eligible including 2021 breast cancer patients. Overall, 755 DFS events were observed, 365 in the sequential arm and 390 in the concomitant arm, with a pooled HR of 0.95 (95% CI = 0.76 to 1.18, P = 0.643). No association between timing of treatment and OS was observed (HR = 0.95; 95% CI = 0.80 to 1.12, P = 0.529). Conclusion Our pooled analysis showed no association between the timing of administration of adjuvant CT and ET and DFS and OS in breast cancer patients candidates for both adjuvant treatments. Because of the small number of published trials, the lack of data on the timing with modern adjuvant treatments, i.e. taxane-containing CT and aromatase inhibitors, this topic remain still controversial and requires further studies to be clarified.
•Test Blanket Systems are operated in ITER to test tritium breeding technologies.•The in-vessel parts of TBS become radio-active during the ITER nuclear phase.•For each TBM campaign the TBM, its ...shield and the Pipe Forests are removed.•High tritium contents and novel materials are specific TBS radwaste features.•A preliminary assessment confirmed RW routing, provided its proper conditioning.
Test Blanket Systems (TBS) will be operated in ITER in order to prepare the next steps towards fusion power generation. After the initial operation in H/He plasmas, the introduction of D and T in ITER will mark the transition to nuclear operation. The significant fusion neutron production will give rise to nuclear heating and tritium breeding in the in-vessel part of the TBS. The management of the activated and tritiated structures of the TBS from operation in ITER is described. The TBS specific features like tritium breeding and power conversion at elevated temperatures, and the use of novel materials require a dedicated approach, which could be different to that needed for the other ITER equipment.
Simian virus-40 (SV40) is a DNA tumour virus that was introduced into the human population with contaminated poliovirus vaccine, and its role in mesothelioma is widely debated. PCR based testing has ...been called into question, as false positives can be because of cross-reactivity with related viruses, or to laboratory contamination. The Institute of Medicine has recommended the development of more sensitive and specific tests to resolve this controversy.
We have characterized highly sensitive RT-PCR based assays that are specific for SV40-encoded microRNAs (miRNAs), as an alternative to current testing methods.
Using this sensitive and specific detection method, we were unable to identify SV40 miRNA expression in human malignant pleural mesothelioma (MM) samples.
Our work indicates that SV40 miRNAs are not likely to contribute to mesothelioma tumourogenesis, but highlights the value of this approach when compared with the relatively unspecific current testing methods.
This study evaluates the distribution of papers published by European Union (EU) authors in oncological journals from 1996 to 2000, and compares the results with those of a previous study carried out ...in 1995. The impact of oncological research in the EU is compared with that of the United States (US) and the world, and research trends are highlighted through an analysis of keywords. Data on articles published in oncological journals (ISI Subject Category=ONCOLOGY) selected from Current Contents/Life Science and Current Contents/Clinical Medicine (1996–2000) on the weekly diskette version were downloaded. Mean Impact Factor (IF), source country population and gross domestic product (GDP) were analysed. A special-purpose software to determine the most commonly used keywords was utilised. From 1996 to 2000, 66 021 papers were published in the world in oncological journals: 35.5% came from the EU (UK, Italy, Germany, France and The Netherlands ranking the highest) and 38.8% from the US. The total number of EU papers increased from 4063 in 1995 to 4843 in 2000. Compared with the previous study, no important changes were seen, with the top five countries in 1995 maintaining their ranking in 2000. However, some small countries (Denmark, Norway and Ireland) fared worse in 2000, while others (France, Germany and Greece) improved their position. The mean IF for the EU papers was 2.9 compared with 4.0 in the US. The mean IF increased for all of the nations. In particular, while France and Germany showed a very positive performance trend in their respective IFs, countries such as Norway, Denmark and Italy showed less improvement. The analysis of keywords appearing in articles written in 2000 showed that the leading fields of research were breast cancer in the diseases category of keywords, cisplatin and platinum compounds in the drugs category, radiotherapy in the treatment category and apoptosis in the experimental studies category. Variety in the use of keywords should be avoided, and journal editors should encourage their standardisation.
Gravitational-wave observatories such as Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO) use suspended optics in a Michelson interferometer configuration to measure strains in space ...between 10 Hz and 3 kHz. One potential noise source in this frequency range is the buildup and motion of surface charge on the optics, which can generate fluctuating electric fields, interfere with position control, and reduce reflectance by attracting dust to the optical surface. We have developed a capacitive probe to measure the magnitude and relaxation time of surface charge deposited on smaller test optics in high vacuum ( approximately 10(-5) Torr). Our device modulates capacitance with a tuning-fork optical chopper between probe and sample, chosen for vacuum compatibility and minimal cost. We have found that the probe has a resolution of (3.5+/-0.5)x10(5) e(-)cm(2) in air, on the order of charging levels that could contribute noise to Advanced LIGO, and sufficient for measuring relaxation times on test optics.
27 Quality of life assessment in palliative care Catania, G; Beccaro, M; Costantini, M ...
European journal of oncology nursing : the official journal of European Oncology Nursing Society,
September 2014, Letnik:
18
Journal Article
The comet assay is a rapid, sensitive and relatively simple method for measuring DNA damage. A bibliometric study was performed to evaluate temporal and geographical trends, research quality and main ...areas of interest in scientific production in this field. A PubMed search strategy was developed and 7674 citations were retrieved in the period 1990-2013. Notably, the MeSH (Medical Subject Headings) term 'comet assay', officially introduced in 2000, is used by indexers only in two thirds of papers retrieved. Articles on the comet assay were published in 78 countries, spread over the 5 continents. The EU contributed the greatest output, producing >2900 articles with IF (42.0%) and totalling almost 10000 IF points, and was followed by USA. In the new millennium, research with this assay reached a plateau or slow decline in the most industrialised areas (USA, Germany, UK, Italy), while its use has boomed in emerging countries, with increases of 5- to 7-fold in the last 10 years in China, India and Brazil, for instance. This transition resulted in a slow decrease of scientific production quality, as the countries that increased their relative weight typically had lower mIFs. The most common MeSH terms used in papers using the comet assay referred to wide areas of interest, such as DNA damage and repair, cell survival and apoptosis, cancer and oxidative stress, occupational and environmental health. Keywords related to humans, rodents and cell culture were also frequently used. The top journal for the comet assay articles was found to be Mutation Research, followed by Mutagenesis. Most papers using the comet assay as a biomarker were published in genetic and toxicology journals, with a stress on environmental and occupational disciplines.
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