Gender differences in patient-perceived changes to the system of values after a cancer diagnosis.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of the presented study was to investigate gender differences in the changes of value systems after a cancer diagnosis. METHODS: In the study, we used the Polish adaptation of the Rokeach Value Survey and compared within-subject differences in the obtained results from before (retrospective) and after patients' cancer diagnosis. In the analysis, we used the Aranowska ω Coefficient of Choice and Single-Sample t-test statistics. RESULTS: Generally, after cancer diagnosis communal values gained, and agentic - lost importance regardless of patients' gender. However, we found statistically significant effects of gender in value system changes, namely agency values ("independent" and "intellectual") become less important for men than women, while the communal value "Mature love" was placed higher by men than women. CONCLUSION: The results of the study confirm our initial hypothesis about significant gender differences in the changes of the value system. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: Obtained knowledge can be used to better predict patient motivation and behavior in the face of oncological treatment. It is important that gender differences are considered in the process of cancer patients treatment. It can be beneficial for communication between a doctor and a patient and for counseling regarding coping with the disease.

Clinical parameters of inflammatory bowel disease in children do not correlate with four common polymorphisms of the transforming growth factor ß1 gene.

Transforming growth factor ß1 (TGF-ß1) is a cytokine affecting cell proliferation and development, which also has an immunomodulatory activity. Correlations between polymorphisms of the TGF-ß1 gene and clinical parameters of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) were reported previously in adults. Here, we tested whether such correlations occur in pediatric patients suffering from IBD. One hundred and four pediatric IBD patients were involved in this study. Among them, 36 were diagnosed with Crohn's Disease (CD) and 68 were diagnosed with ulcerative colitis (UC). The control group consisted of 103 children, in which IBD was excluded. TGF-ß1 levels were determined in plasma and intestinal mucosa samples. The presence of the TGF ß1 protein and the amount of TGF ß1 mRNA were estimated in intestinal mucosa by immunohistochemistry and reverse transcription Real-Time PCR, respectively. Four common polymorphisms of the TGF-ß1 gene were investigated: -800G/A, -509C/T, 869T/C and 915G/C. No significant correlation between TGF-ß1 genotypes and (i) TGF-ß1 levels in plasma and tissue samples, (ii) TGF-ß1 gene expression efficiency in intestinal mucosa, (iii) IBD clinical parameters and (iv) inflammatory activity could be detected in children suffering from IBD. We conclude that, contrary to previous suggestions, the four common polymorphisms of the TGF-ß1 gene do not influence the susceptibility to or clinical parameters of IBD in the tested population of children.

[Gene polymorphism of transforming growth factor beta1 (TGF-beta1) in the pathogenesis and clinical course of chronic hepatitis in children]. / Polimorfizm genu transformujacego czynnika wzrostu beta1 (TGF-beta1) w etiopatogenezie i przebiegu klinicznym przewleklych zapalen watroby u dzieci.

UNLABELLED: Transforming growth factor beta1 (TGF-beta1) is a cytokine modulating the immune response. The role of TGF-beta1 gene polymorphisms in the incidence and modification of the clinical course of these diseases has been recently evaluated. THE AIM of the study was to assess the relation between TGF-beta1gene polymorphism and the incidence of chronic hepatitis, the course of the disease, TGF-beta1 level in plasma and TGF-beta1 mRNA expression in liver tissue. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The studied group comprised 21 patients with chronic hepatitis including 10 with HBV infection, 4 with HCV infection and 7 with autoimmune hepatitis (AIH). Forty-two children were included in the control group. Analysis of four studied polymorphisms of TGF-beta1 gene was based on CAPS (Cleaved Amplified Polymorphic Sequence) method, TGF-beta1 level in plasma was estimated using sandwich ELISA. TGF-beta1 mRNA expression was evaluated by reverse transcription and real-time polymerase chain reaction (Real-Time PCR). RESULTS: No correlation between studied polymorphisms and the incidence or clinical course of chronic hepatitis was found. There were no significant differences in TGF-beta1 level in plasma and mRNA expression depending on polymorphisms of TGF-beta1 gene. CONCLUSIONS: 1. The polymorphisms of TGF-beta1 gene do not appear to influence the incidence and clinical course of chronic hepatitis in children. 2. Due to relatively low number of patients in the analysed groups it seems advisable to perform similar complex studies in larger groups of children with chronic hepatitis.