Treatment Information No comments yet

Breast Cancer Patients With Strong Social Network Live Longer

By on September 23rd, 2011

Breast cancer patients who have a strong social support system in the first year after diagnosis are less likely to die or have a recurrence of cancer, according to new research from Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center (VICC) and the Shanghai Institute of Preventive Medicine. The study, led by first author Meira Epplein, Ph.D., assistant professor of Medicine at VICC, was published in a recent edition of the Journal of Clinical Oncology.

Patients in the study were enrolled in the Shanghai Breast Cancer Survivor Study, a large, population-based review of female breast cancer survivors in China, which Vanderbilt University Medical Center and the Shanghai Institute of Preventive Medicine have carried out since 2002 under the leadership of principal investigator Xiao Ou Shu, M.D., Ph.D., professor of Medicine at VICC, and senior author of the study.

From 2002 to 2004, a total of 2,230 breast cancer survivors completed a quality of life survey six months after diagnosis and a majority responded to a follow-up survey 36 months after diagnosis. The women were asked about physical issues like sleep, eating and pain, psychological well-being, social support and material well-being. The answers were converted to an overall quality of life score.

During a median follow-up of 4.8 years after the initial quality of life assessment, the investigators documented participants who had died or been diagnosed with a cancer recurrence.

Six months after diagnosis, only greater social well-being was significantly associated with a decreased risk of dying or having a cancer recurrence. Compared to women with the lowest scores, women who scored highest on the social well-being quality of life scale had a 48 percent reduction in their risk of a cancer recurrence and a 38 percent reduction in the risk of death.

Emotional support was the strongest predictor of cancer recurrence. Specifically, women reporting the highest satisfaction with marriage and family had a 43 percent risk reduction, while those with strong social support had a 40 percent risk reduction and those with favorable interpersonal relationships had a 35 percent risk reduction.

“We found that social well-being in the first year after cancer diagnosis is an important prognostic factor for breast cancer recurrence or death,” said Epplein. “This suggests that the opportunity exists for the design of treatment interventions to maintain or enhance social support soon after diagnosis to improve disease outcomes.”

While a strong social support network influenced cancer recurrence and mortality during the first year, the association tapered off and was no longer statistically significant by the third year after diagnosis. This may be related to a smaller sample size of patients who answered the questionnaire, or other factors beyond quality of life that take precedence in later years.

“Our research supports previous studies that found a benefit for breast cancer patients who have a meaningful emotional support network,” said Epplein. “These results suggest that therapeutic interventions may be useful because social well-being is potentially modifiable.”

The study was supported by grants from the U.S. Department of Defense Breast Cancer Research Program and the National Cancer Institute. …source …more on breast cancer


Treatment Information No comments yet

New Test Predicts Risk for Impotence After Prostate Cancer

By on September 22nd, 2011

Researchers say they’ve developed a method that reasonably predicts which men undergoing prostate cancer treatment will suffer from impotence as a result.

The strategy could someday be one more ingredient in the decision-making process for men faced with the choice of whether to undergo certain prostate cancer therapies or simply “wait and see” if the tumor becomes aggressive.

“With cancer in general the most important goal is to prolong life and ensure survival,” explained study senior author Dr. Martin G. Sanda, director of the prostate center at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston, as well as an associate professor of urology at Harvard Medical School. “But with early-stage prostate cancer most men do survive.” The question then shifts, he said, to doing a better job predicting the kind of side effects each individual is likely to suffer from treatment for the disease.

“So, what we’ve got here,” said Sanda, “is a simple, quick, but valid questionnaire that can greatly facilitate treatment decisions by moving away from a one-size-fits-all approach.”

Based on an assessment of pre-treatment sexual function, quality of life, and tell-tale clinical markers, the tool could offer much-needed clarity for newly diagnosed patients, experts say. …source …more on prostate cancer


In-Depth Information No comments yet

Regular Use of Nonaspirin NSAIDs May Increase Kidney Cancer Risk

By on September 22nd, 2011

Long-term users of nonaspirin nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) may have an increased risk of developing renal cell (kidney) cancer. These findings were recently reported in the Archives of Internal Medicine.

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are used to reduce inflammation and pain; they include drugs such as aspirin and ibuprofen. Some studies have suggested that NSAIDs may reduce the risk of certain types of cancer, such as colorectal cancer, breast cancer, and prostate cancer. When it comes to kidney cancer, however, some data have shown that NSAIDs may increase rather than reduce risk.

To further investigate the link between NSAID use and kidney cancer, researchers tracked aspirin, nonaspirin NSAID, and acetaminophen (also a pain reliever) use among 77,525 women and 49,403 men participating in the Nurses’ Health Study and the Health Professionals Follow-Up Study. Data were collected beginning in1990 for the Nurses’ Health Study and in 1986 for the Health Professionals Follow-Up Study and again every two years through follow-up at 16 and 20 years, respectively.

  • 333 cases of kidney cancer were diagnosed among participants in both studies combined.
  • Regular use of nonaspirin NSAIDs appeared to increase risk of kidney cancer, with an increase in relative risk of 51%.
  • Regular use of aspirin and acetaminophen did not appear to increase risk of kidney cancer.
  • Longer use of nonaspirin NSAIDs was associated with increasing risk of kidney cancer: Use for less than four years was associated with a 19% decreased relative risk of developing kidney cancer, whereas use from four to 10 years was associated with a 36% increased relative risk and use for 10 years or more with an almost threefold increase in relative risk.

The researchers conclude that because regular use of nonaspirin NSAIDs may increase risk of developing kidney cancer, “Risks and benefits should be considered in deciding whether to use [pain relievers].” Regular nonaspirin NSAID users may want to be especially aware of the risks and benefits, given the increased risk associated with long-term use.

Reference: Cho E, Curhan G, Hankinson SE, et al. Prospective evaluation of analgesic use and risk of renal cell cancer. Archives of Internal Medicine. 2011;171(16):1487-1493. doi:10.1001/archinternmed.2011.356.