How does genetic testing influence anxiety, depression, and quality of life? A hereditary breast and ovarian cancer syndrome suspects trial.

BACKGROUND: Emotional distress associated with genetic testing for hereditary breast and ovarian cancer syndrome (HBOC) is reported to interfere with adherence to treatment and prophylactic measures and compromise quality of life. OBJECTIVES: To determine levels of anxiety, depression, and quality of life in patients tested for pathogenic BRCA1/2 mutations and identify risk factors for the development of adverse psycho-emotional effects. METHODS: Cross-sectional observational trial involving 178 breast or ovarian cancer patients from a referral cancer hospital in Northeastern Brazil. Information was collected with the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) and the World Health Organization (WHO) Quality of Life (QoL) questionnaire (WHOQOL-BREF). RESULTS: Patients suspected of HBOC had higher levels of anxiety than depression. The presence of (probably) pathogenic BRCA1/2 mutations did not affect levels of anxiety and depression. High schooling, history of psychiatric disease, and use of psychotropic drugs were directly associated with high anxiety. High schooling was too inversely associated with QoL as such a breast tumor. Anxiety and depression were directly correlated and both reduced significantly QoL. CONCLUSION: Our results highlight the importance of psychological support and screening of risk factors for anxiety and depression and low QoL in HBOC patients at the time of testing.

Side-Effects of Irinotecan (CPT-11), the Clinically Used Drug for Colon Cancer Therapy, Are Eliminated in Experimental Animals Treated with Latex Proteins from Calotropis procera (Apocynaceae).

Intestinal mucositis (IM) is the critical side effect of irinotecan (CPT-11), which is the front-line drug used for the treatment of colorectal cancer. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of latex proteins (LP) from Calotropis procera to prevent IM and diarrhea in animals. Swiss mice were treated daily with saline or LP (1, 5, or 50 mg/kg, i.v.) 24 h prior to CTP-11 (75 mg/kg/4 days, i.p) and for additional 6 days. Animal survival, body weight variation, and diarrhea were registered. After animal sacrifice (day 7 post first injection of CPT-11), intestinal samples were collected to study morphology and inflammatory parameters. Animals given LP exhibited improved parameters (survival, body weight, and absence of diarrhea) as compared with the CPT-11 control. The severity of IM observed in animals given CPT-11 was reduced in animals treated with LP. Treatment with LP also prevented the reduction in the villus/crypt ratio promoted by CPT-11. The rise in MPO activity and pro-inflammatory cytokines, over-contractility of the smooth muscle, and diarrhea were all abrogated in LP-treated mice. Markedly reduced immunostaining intensity for COX-2, TNF-α, IL-1ß, iNOS, and NF-κB was observed in the intestinal tissue of animals treated with LP. The side-effects of CPT-11 were eliminated by LP treatment in experimental animals and improved clinical parameters characteristic of IM All known biochemical pathogenesis. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Antinociceptive activity and toxicology of the lectin from Canavalia boliviana seeds in mice.

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the potential antinociceptive and toxicity of Canavalia boliviana lectin (CboL) using different methods in mice. The role of carbohydrate-binding sites was also investigated. CboL given to mice daily for 14 days at doses of 5 mg/kg did not cause any observable toxicity. CboL (1, 5, and 10 mg/kg) administered to mice intravenously inhibited abdominal constrictions induced by acetic acid and the two phases of the formalin test. In the hot plate and tail immersion tests, the same treatment of CboL induced significant increase in the latency period. In the hot plate test, the effect of CboL (5 mg/kg) was reversed by naloxone (1 mg/kg), indicating the involvement of the opioid system. In the open-field and rota-rod tests, the CboL treatment did not alter animals' motor function. These results show that CboL presents antinociceptive effects of both central and peripheral origin, involving the participation of the opioid system via lectin domain.