Correlations of health-related quality of life with serum inflammatory indicators IL-8 and mIBI in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma

Assessment of IL-8, RANTES, MIG, MCP-1, IP-10, and IL-12p70 and Their Association with Anxiety and Quality of Life in Patients with Chronic Kidney Disease or After Kidney Transplantation

Anxiety is a subjective feeling of fear in response to stressful or threatening situations. Chronic diseases (such as chronic kidney disease) or the state after kidney transplantation are such situations and they may result in a decreased quality of life. The main aim of this research was to evaluate if the proteins IL-8, RANTES, MIG, MCP-1, IP-10, and IL-12p70 could be indicators of higher levels of anxiety or decreased quality of life in chronically ill women. The assessment was conducted using the STAI and SF-36 questionnaires and with the measurement of listed proteins from the patient's blood sample. The study group consisted of 107 women-101 patients from the Nephrological Clinic and 6 from the Dialysis Center. Both of the facilities are part of University Clinical Hospital No. 2 in Szczecin. Statistical analysis was performed using JASP software (JASP 0.18.3 version). Anxiety levels and quality of life correlations between STAI and SF-36 scores and individual variables were assessed. Logistic regression models were performed for both questionnaire outcomes: SF-36 and STAI. Lower quality of life was found in the group with a higher IL-8 concentration compared to the group of women with a lower IL-8 concentration. A positive weak correlation was found between a decreased quality of life and IL-8 and RANTES. A higher RANTES level increases the odds of a lower quality of life. This study shows that special care should be provided for chronically ill women (especially with CKD or after KTx) with a higher RANTES or IL-8 concentration. They would highly benefit from close monitoring of their mental health.

Determinants of Cancer-Related Fatigue among Cancer Patients: A Systematic Review

Objectives: This systematic review aims to assess and explore various determinants of cancer- related fatigue. Methods: A systematic search of various determinants of Cancer-related fatigue (CRF) was performed in different databases like PubMed, Google Scholar, Science Direct and Clinical Key dating from 1990 to September 2020. Results: A total of 6115 studies were screened and 95 articles related to determinants of fatigue were retained. Various modifiable and non-modifiable determinants including socio-demographic, clinical, treatment related, plasma biomarker related, genetic, behavioural, concurrent symptoms related and psychological determinants were identified. Depression was one of the significant factors reported in 28% of studies, followed by pain, (17%), performance status (16%), chemotherapy and anxiety (15%). Conclusion: It is recommended that nurses and clinicians should anticipate, identify and take appropriate interventions to manage those modifiable factors. Ultimately, managing the modifiable factors helps in the comprehensive care of cancer patients.

The impact of symptom distress on health-related quality of life in liver cancer patients receiving arterial chemoembolization: the mediating role of hope

Background

Trans-hepatic arterial chemoembolization (TACE) is a treatment option for liver cancer patients. It can prolong patients’ survival but can also cause symptom distress. Symptom distress (SDs) can directly impact quality of life (QOL) and may indirectly influence QOL by lessening hope. In this study, we wanted to explore the mediating effect of hope on the relationship between SDs and QOL among patients with liver cancer receiving TACE.

Methods

A cross-sectional study was conducted from December 20, 2017, to August 6, 2018, at a gastroenterology ward of a medical center. The participants were 92 liver cancer patients (69.6% male, mean age 67.8) who were admitted for TACE treatment. Information on SDs, hope, and QOL was collected by questionnaire on discharge day. Hayes’ PROCESS model was used to test the mediating effect of hope on the relationship between SDs and QOL.

Results

The mean score and standard deviation (SD) of SDs, hope, and QOL were 32.08 (SD = 6.22), 27.09 (SD = 3.51), and 55.16 (SD = 17.33), respectively. SDs negatively impacts quality of life. The total effect of SDs on QOL was − 1.41 (95% confidence interval [CI]: − 1.96, − 0.86). The indirect effect via the mediation of hope was − 0.95 (95% CI: − 1.7, − 0.45). Hope partially mediated the effect of SDs on QOL.

Conclusion

SDs after TACE is vital; it directly reduces a patient’s overall QOL and can indirectly hinder it by reducing the patient’s hope. In addition to symptom management, interventions that help patients maintain their hope are key to improving QOL among patients receiving TACE.

Economic Burden and Quality of Life of Hepatocellular Carcinoma in Greater China: A Systematic Review

Background

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) accounts for more than 85%-90% of primary liver cancer globally, and approximately 45% of deaths from HCC occur in greater China. This disease poses a significant economic burden for patients, payers and society and significantly affects patients' quality of life (QoL). However, such impact of HCC in greater China has not been well characterized. This review was conducted to analyze the current evidence about the economic and humanistic impact of HCC in greater China for informing national disease management and identifying clinical gaps yet to be resolved.

Methods

A systematic search literature using seven databases (Web of Science, PubMed, Medline, Cochrane Central, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Wanfang, and Weipu) was performed to identify interventional and observational studies that reported the impact of HCC on cost or QoL and published before April 6, 2021. The focus population included adult patients with HCC in greater China. This review excluded any studies that focused on any specific treatment. Study quality was assessed using the Effective Public Health Practice Project tool.

Results

Of 39,930 studies retrieved, 27 were deemed eligible for inclusion. The methodologies, perspectives and data sources used in studies were heterogeneous. In greater China, while few studies reported the health expenditures of HCC patients and investigations about economic burden at national level was lacking, the significant economic impact of HCC on patients and their families had been reported. Health-related costs increased as the disease deteriorated. Additionally, HCC also has a negative impact on the QoL of patients, mostly in terms of physical, cognitive, social functioning and severe symptoms.

Conclusions

HCC has brought significant economic and QoL burden to patients in greater China. Both physical and psychological factors predicted QoL in patients with HCC in greater China. Future studies should explore the disease-related economic effects on Chinese patients and their families, the effects of physical and psychological factors on QoL and the relationships of physical and psychological factors in the region.

Systematic Review Registration:www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?RecordID=278421, PROSPERO: CRD42021278421

A randomized, placebo-controlled phase 2 study of paclitaxel in combination with reparixin compared to paclitaxel alone as front-line therapy for metastatic triple-negative breast cancer (fRida)

Purpose

CXCR1, one of the receptors for CXCL8, has been identified as a druggable target on breast cancer cancer stem cells (CSC). Reparixin (R), an investigational oral inhibitor of CXCR1, was safely administered to metastatic breast cancer patients in combination with paclitaxel (P) and appeared to reduce CSC in a window-of-opportunity trial in operable breast cancer. The fRida trial (NCT02370238) evaluated the addition of R to weekly as first-line therapy for metastatic (m) TNBC.

Subjects and Methods

Subjects with untreated mTNBC were randomized 1:1 to R or placebo days 1–21 in combination with weekly P 80 mg/m² on days 1, 8, 15 of 28-day cycles. The primary endpoint was PFS by central review.

Results

123 subjects were randomized (62 to R + P and 61 to placebo + P). PFS was not different between the 2 groups (median 5.5 and 5.6 months for R + P and placebo + P, respectively; HR 1.13, p = 0.5996). ALDH⁺ and CD24⁻/CD44⁺ CSC centrally evaluated by IHC were found in 16 and 34 of the 54 subjects who provided a metastatic tissue biopsy at study entry. Serious adverse events (21.3 and 20% of subjects) and grade ≥ 3 adverse reactions (ADR) (9.1 and 6.3% of all ADRs) occurred at similar frequency in both groups.

Conclusion

fRida is the first randomized, double-blind clinical trial of a CSC-targeting agent in combination with chemotherapy in breast cancer. The primary endpoint of prolonged PFS was not met.

Clinical Trial Registration/Date of Registration

NCT01861054/February 24, 2015.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s10549-021-06367-5.

PRIM1 promotes the proliferation of hepatocellular carcinoma cells in vitro and in vivo

PRIM1 plays an important role during oncogenesis, however it has never been reported in liver cancer, and thus our objective is to explore the role of PRIM1 in liver cancer. We selected RNAseq data of 50 paired liver cancer samples from the Cancer Gene Atlas (TCGA), and then bioinformatics methods and Mann-Whitney U test were used to analyze the correlation between PRIM1 and the clinical pathological stage of liver cancer. Quantitative polymerase chain reaction (QPCR) was used to detect mRNA expression of PRIM1 in BEL-7404, BCL-7402, HepG2 and SMMC-7721 cell lines. LV-PRIM1-RNAi was transfected into BEL-7404 and SMMC-7721 cells by lentivirus, and then Celigo imaging cytometer, Caspase3/7 Assay, flow cytometry and MTT assay were used to detect the proliferation and apoptosis of BEL-7404 and SMMC-7721 cells with ≥50% gene reduction rate after lentivirus transfection detected by QPCR. BEL-7404 and SMMC-7721 carrying PRIM1 gene were used for oncogenesis in vitro to observe the weight and fluorescence intensity of the tumor. Bioinformatics method was used to obtain the information about PRIM1 gene, and the correlation between PRIM1 and clinical pathological stage of liver cancer was analyzed by Mann-Whitney U test. QPCR results showed that PRIM1 was expressed in BEL-7404, BCL-7402, HepG2 and SMMC-7721 cell lines, which was highest in BCL-7404 cell line. Celigo imaging cytometer, Caspase3/7 Assay, flow cytometry and MTT assay showed that the proliferative ability of BEL-7404 and SMMC-7721 were decreased after LV-PRIM1-RNAi transfection. Furthermore, the weight and the fluorescence intensity of the tumors in vitro formed by LV-PRIM1-RNAi cells on SCID mice were decreased. So, interference of PRIM1 expression can inhibit the proliferation of BEL-7404 and SMMC-7721 cells, as well as induce the apoptosis of liver cancer cells.

Dietary inflammatory index is associated with pain intensity and some components of quality of life in patients with knee osteoarthritis

OBJECTIVES

We aim to measure dietary inflammatory index (DII) and its association with functional status, pain intensity and quality of life (QOL) in patients with knee osteoarthritis (KOA). Dietary information from 220 qualified patients with KOA was collected by a 168-item food frequency questionnaire. The functional status, pain intensity and QOL were evaluated by Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) questionnaire, Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) and SF36 questionnaire respectively.

RESULTS

Linear regression analysis showed that the DII was significantly associated with VAS (p = 0.040; β = 0.151), and physical function (p = 0.039; β = - 0.184), emotional wellbeing (p = 0.048; β = - 0.158) and pain (p = 0.020; β = 0.161) scales and physical health (p = 0.047; β = 0.110) subscale of QOL after adjusting for age, sex, body mass index, and physical activity. There was no significant differences concerning WOMAC across the DII tertiles with and without adjustment to probable confounders (Ptrend = 0.091 and 0.181, respectively). After adjustment, a significantly increased severe pain odds was observed in the highest tertile of DII score in comparison with the lowest tertile (OR tertile 3 vs. 1 = 1.55, 95% CI 1.04-2.31; Ptrend = 0.04).