Does the Argentine Tango Sustainably Improve Cancer-Associated Fatigue and Quality of Life in Breast Cancer Survivors?

BACKGROUND: Chronic cancer-related fatigue is difficult to manage in breast cancer survivors. The tango trial showed that a six-week tango Argentino program was effective in reducing fatigue and improving quality of life, and here we investigated the sustainability of this tango program for breast cancer survivors. METHODS: Stage I-III breast cancer survivors with increased fatigue symptoms were analyzed. The fifty participants in the tango trial were compared with a control cohort (n = 108) who did not participate in the tango program. Using the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Questionnaire C30 (EORTC-QLQ-C30) and the German version of the cancer fatigue scale (CFS-D) self-reported quality of life parameters were assessed and longitudinal changes, correlations, and association factors were calculated. RESULTS: Significant improvements in fatigue (p = 0.006), physical functioning (p = 0.01), and diarrhea (p = 0.04) persisted in the 50 Tango participants at 6 months, but not in the control cohort. Twelve months after joining the tango program, increased fatigue was associated with reduced sporting activities (p = 0.0005), but this was not the case for tango dancing. CONCLUSIONS: The present results suggest that tango may be appropriate as a component of early supportive and follow-up care programs, to promote health-related quality of life and physical activity and also eventually to improve long-term clinical outcomes of breast cancer survivors. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Trial registration numbers DRKS00013335 on 27 November 2017 and DRKS00021601 on 21 August 2020 retrospectively registered.

Self-Reported Baseline Quality of Life Mirrors Treatment-Specific Characteristics of Cancer Patients.

BACKGROUND: Baseline quality of life (bQL) has been shown to be a predictor of the clinical outcome of oncological patients. The primary objective of the present study was to examine the role of bQL as a treatment predictor in oncological patients. METHODS: In this prospective study, all-stage cancer patients registered in the Network Oncology registry were enrolled, and their bQL at diagnosis was evaluated. RESULTS: Five hundred and thirty-eight oncological patients were eligible (median age 64 years). We show that survival-predicting bQL variables such as pain, low physical functioning or financial burden at tumor diagnosis were linked to lower systemic treatment (p = 0.03), reduced surgery (p = 0.007) or reduced oncological treatment compliance (0.01), respectively. Lastly, female gender and older cancer patients exhibited a tempered bQL. CONCLUSION: Our study is one of the first to reveal that bQL at tumor diagnosis is significantly associated with the prediction of oncological treatment with distinctive age- and gender-related patterns. Our results emphasize the need to address the physical, psychosocial, and financial burden of cancer patients prior to their oncological treatment with respect to age and gender. The associations found here pave the way for early integration of patient-reported outcomes into oncological supportive concepts.

Evaluation of quality of life in breast cancer patients who underwent breast-conserving surgery or mastectomy using real-world data.

BACKGROUND: Due to advances in the fight against breast cancer, aesthetic aspects and the prevention of breast deformities are playing an important role in surgical procedures. Currently the main form of breast cancer surgery is breast-conserving surgery (BCS), and even if mastectomy (MAS) is required, oncoplastic surgery and reconstruction options can improve outcomes, including health-related quality of life (QoL) of cancer patients. The purpose of this study was to assess whether surgery options induce different outcomes in self-reported QoL in guide-line treated breast cancer patients of the Network Oncology (NO). METHODS: This prospective Real-World-Data (RWD) study was conducted using data from the NO-clinical registry. QoL was assessed by evaluation of the European Organization of Research and Treatment Health-Related Quality of Life Core Questionnaire scale (EORTC QLQ-C30). Association factors between type of surgery options, without or with immediate breast reconstructions the EORTC QLQ-C30-scales at baseline after surgery, 6, 12, and 24 months later were analyzed with adjusted multivariate regression analysis, considering age, cancer stage, and treatment regimens, using software R. RESULTS: A total of 623 primary breast cancer patients (all tumor stages, median age 58 (ICR: 50-68) diagnosed and guide-line treated between 2013 and 2021), 524 BCS and 99 MAS, 24 of whom received immediate breast reconstruction (MBR), were eligible for analyses. Compared with BCS patients, MBR patients self-reported considerably lower global health, physical and social functioning, and higher burden of pain and financial difficulties at baseline. In later follow-up surveys, functional scales increased and symptoms decreased in all patients, and the differences between MAS and BCS equalized. Longitudinal analyses after 24 months were obtained from 258 patients and revealed that compared to 224 BCS, the 34 MAS patients reported increased social functioning (p = 0.04). CONCLUSIONS: At 24 months after MAS, breast cancer patients' QoL improved compared with BCS, although impairments in QoL were reported immediately after MAS. A growing expertise in surgical procedures as well as supportive care is critical to optimizing patients' well-being. These findings may be considered when counseling breast cancer patients pre- and post-surgery. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: DRKS00013335 on 27/11/2017 retrospectively registered.

Efficacy of Tango Argentino for Cancer-Associated Fatigue and Quality of Life in Breast Cancer Survivors: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

BACKGROUND: Persistent impairments of quality of life-in particular, cancer-associated fatigue-are a major limitation for breast cancer survivors. As physical activity and mindfulness interventions have been shown to be effective in reducing fatigue symptoms, we investigated the efficacy of a six-week Argentine tango program. METHODS: A randomized controlled trial was conducted with 60 breast cancer survivors diagnosed with stage I-III tumors 12-48 months prior to study enrollment and who had increased symptoms of fatigue. The participants were randomly assigned with a 1:1 allocation to either the tango or the waiting group. The treatment consisted of six weeks of supervised weekly one-hour tango group-sessions. Self-reported fatigue and further quality of life parameters were assessed at baseline and six weeks post-baseline. Longitudinal changes, correlations, Cohen's D (d) effect sizes, and association factors were also calculated. RESULTS: Superiority of the tango intervention over the waiting list control was found in terms of improvement in fatigue (d = -0.64; 95%CI, -1.2 to -0.08; p = 0.03), especially cognitive fatigue. In addition, a superiority of the tango intervention over the waiting list was found in the improvement of diarrhea (d = -0.69; 95%CI, -1.25 to -0.13; p = 0.02). A pooled pre-post analysis of the 50 participants completing the six-week tango program revealed a close to 10% improvement of fatigue (p = 0.0003), insomnia (p = 0.008) and further quality of life outcomes. Adjusted multivariate linear regression analyses revealed the greatest improvements for participants who were more active in sports. In particular, survivors who received endocrine therapies, were obese, or had no prior dance experience seemed to especially benefit from the tango program. CONCLUSIONS: This randomized controlled trial demonstrated that a six-week Argentine tango program improves fatigue in breast cancer survivors. Further trials are warranted to determine whether such improvements lead to better long-term clinical outcomes. TRIAL REGISTRATION: trial registration number DRKS00021601. Retrospectively registered on 21 August 2020.

Evaluation of quality of life in lung cancer patients receiving radiation and Viscum album L.: a real-world data study.

BACKGROUND: Lung cancer (LC) is associated with high mortality and poor quality of life (QoL). The disease as well as oncological treatments such as radiation and chemotherapy with adverse effects can impair the QoL of patients. Add-on treatment with extracts of Viscum album L. (white-berry European mistletoe, VA) has been shown to be feasible and safe and to improve the QoL of cancer patients. The aim of this study was to analyze the changes in QoL of LC patients being treated with radiation according to oncological guidelines and add-on VA treatment in a real-world setting. METHODS: A real-world data study was conducted using registry data. Self-reported QoL was assessed by the evaluation of the European Organization of Research and Treatment Health-Related Quality of Life Core Questionnaire scale (EORTC QLQ-C30). Adjusted multivariate linear regression analyses were performed to analyze factors associated with changes in QoL at 12 months. RESULTS: A total of 112 primary LC patients (all stages, 92% non-small-cell lung cancer, median age 70 (ICR: 63-75)), answered the questionnaires at first diagnosis and 12 months later. Assessment of 12 months changes in QoL revealed significant improvement of 27 points for pain (p = 0.006) and 17 points for nausea/vomiting (p = 0.005) in patients who received combined radiation and VA. In addition, significant improvements of 15 to 21 points for role (p = 0.03), physical (p = 0.02), cognitive (p = 0.04), and social functioning (p = 0.04) were observed in guideline treated patients receiving no radiation but add-on VA. CONCLUSIONS: Add-on VA therapy reveals supportive effects for the QoL of LC patients. Particularly in combination with radiation a significant reduction in pain and nausea/ vomiting has been observed. Trial registration The study received ethics approval and was retrospectively registered (DRKS00013335 on 27/11/2017).

Are Aspects of Integrative Concepts Helpful to Improve Pancreatic Cancer Therapy?

Numerous clinical studies have been conducted to improve the outcomes of patients suffering from pancreatic cancer. Different approaches using targeted therapeutic strategies and precision medicine methods have been investigated, and synergies and further therapeutic advances may be achieved through combinations with integrative methods. For pancreatic tumors, a particular challenge is the presence of a microenvironment and a dense stroma, which is both a physical barrier to drug penetration and a complex entity being controlled by the immune system. Therefore, the state of immunological tolerance in the tumor microenvironment must be overcome, which is a considerable challenge. Integrative approaches, such as hyperthermia, percutaneous irreversible electroporation, intra-tumoral injections, phytotherapeutics, or vitamins, in combination with standard-oncological therapies, may potentially contribute to the control of pancreatic cancer. The combined application of standard-oncological and integrative methods is currently being studied in ongoing clinical trials. An actual overview is given here.

TANGO: effect of tango Argentino on cancer-associated fatigue in breast cancer patients-study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: The majority of breast cancer patients suffer from persistent impairments after completion of their primary oncological therapy. Cancer-related fatigue (CRF) in particular is a multidimensional syndrome having a profound negative impact on the quality of life. To counter CRF symptoms, physical activities are suggested as first-line interventions, mind-body therapies have been shown to be effective, and music therapy can also reduce anxiety and stress in breast cancer patients. Tango therapy that combines various elements can have an impact on physical, psychological, and cognitive abilities and could therefore have a beneficial effect on breast cancer patients. The purpose of this study is to investigate whether a 6-week tango module is suited as a therapeutic approach for people after primary breast cancer therapy to favorably influence their quality of life, especially CRF levels. METHODS: Sixty patients with a diagnosis for stage I-III breast cancer 12-48 months before enrollment and with CRF (age > 18) will be recruited and randomized 1:1 to a tango or a waiting-list group. Movement concepts using elements of Argentine tango (self-awareness, musical and spatial perception, self-perception, playfulness, shared experience) will be examined with the participants during six consecutive weekly 1-h tango sessions. The primary outcome will be the improvement of CRF (German version of the Cancer Fatigue Scale), and the secondary outcomes will be the improvement in sleep quality (Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index) and quality of life (EORTC-QLQ-C30). Patient-reported outcomes will be measured at baseline and 6 weeks later; follow-up will be performed 6, 12, and 24 months after baseline. An evaluation will be performed by means of descriptive data analyses. DISCUSSION: Argentine tango, as a music-based movement therapy, can influence different skills and may improve several outcomes. The therapeutic use of Argentine tango in the care of breast cancer patients has not yet been reported. It is anticipated that participants receiving the tango module will have improved CRF, sleep, and quality of life scores compared to a waitlist control. TRIAL REGISTRATION: German Clinical Trials Registry (DRKS) DRKS00021601 . Retrospectively registered on 21 August 2020.

Assessment of integrative non-pharmacological interventions and quality of life in breast cancer patients using real-world data.

BACKGROUND: Treatments with non-pharmacological interventions (NPIs), comprising art and exercise therapies, nursing interventions, and educational components, are considered to improve quality of life of cancer patients. The aim of this study was to assess the longitudinal changes in self-reported quality of life of breast cancer patients receiving an integrative medicine program consisting of hospital-based NPIs and standard oncological treatments. METHODS: This real-world data study was conducted using data from the Network Oncology clinical registry of the Gemeinschaftskrankenhaus Havelhöhe. Primary breast cancer patients of all tumor stages, who answered the European Organization of Research and Treatment Health-Related Quality of Life Core Questionnaire scale (EORTC QLQ-C30) at first diagnosis and 12 months later, were included. Association factors between received NPIs and longitudinal EORTC QLQ-C30-changes were analyzed with additive non-parametric regression tests, considering treatment regimens and demographic variables, using the software R. RESULTS: A total of 231 primary breast cancer patients were enrolled and separate regression analyses were carried out. Significant associations between the received NPIs elaborate consultations and life review, nursing compresses, music and eurythmy therapy and improvements of 8-13 points for global health, all five functional EORTC-scales, and symptoms fatigue, dyspnea, insomnia, and financial difficulties were observed. CONCLUSION: Our findings support the beneficial impact of NPIs for breast cancer patients. Further research could be directed towards synergistic effects of multimodal applied NPIs. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Trial registration number DRKS00013335 on 27/11/2017 retrospectively registered.

Evaluation of the effects of integrative non-pharmacological interventions on the internal coherence and resilience of breast cancer patients.

PURPOSE: In the breast cancer center at the Gemeinschaftskrankenhaus Havelhöhe (GKH), integrative strategies are implemented in the routine care of breast cancer patients. The aim of this breast cancer real-world study was to systematically evaluate changes in patients' internal coherence and resilience, associated with the use of non-pharmacological interventions (NPIs). METHODS: This study included 231 primary breast cancer patients treated with standard oncological therapy and NPIs, which comprise art and movement therapies, nursing interventions, and educational components, and had answered the internal coherence scale (ICS) questionnaire at first diagnosis and 12 months later. Data were collected from the Network Oncology clinical registry of the GKH, and effects of NPIs on ICS changes were analyzed with adjusted linear multivariable regression analyses, using the software R. RESULTS: Two hundred twenty breast cancer patients of all tumor stages were eligible for a total of 27 separate adjusted multivariable linear regression analyses. The NPIs elaborate consultations and life review (ECLR); nursing compresses, music therapy, and rhythmic massages were significantly associated with increases of about 2-point changes in inner resilience and coherence (p < 0.05). Furthermore, a significant association with an elevation of the thermo coherence was observed for the application of nursing compresses. CONCLUSIONS: The evaluation of real-world data carried out here shows that the application of the multimodal treatment concept can lead to an enhancement of the internal coherence and resilience in breast cancer patients. To improve the care of cancer patients, this multimodal program should be further expanded into routine clinical practices. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Trial registration number DRKS00013335 on 27/11/2017 retrospectively registered.

Analysis of Changes in Cancer-Related Fatigue of Breast Cancer Patients Receiving an Integrative Medicine Program.

INTRODUCTION: Cancer-related fatigue (CRF) occurs frequently in breast cancer patients. The aim of this real-world study was to analyze the longitudinal changes of CRF in breast cancer patients receiving an integrative medicine program, which includes the application of non-pharmacological interventions (NPIs) and Viscum album L. (VA) extracts. METHODS: All data were collected from the clinical register of the Network Oncology of a German certified breast cancer center of the Gemeinschaftskrankenhaus Havelhöhe (GKH). Primary breast cancer patients, treated upon initial diagnosis with integrated NPIs, comprising art and exercise therapy, nursing interventions, and educational components, during their hospital stay, and who had answered the German Cancer-Fatigue Scale (CFS-D) questionnaire at first diagnosis and 12 months later, were included. The associations between NPIs and CFS-D changes were analyzed with adjusted multivariable regression analyses, considering received treatment regimens and demographic variables, using the software R. RESULTS: 231 female breast cancer patients of all tumor stages were evaluated. While chemotherapy exhibited significant severe deterioration, add-on VA applications seem to partially mitigate this impairment on CRF. 36 separate multivariable regression analyses for all NPIs showed that in particular significant associations between CFS-D improvements and the interventions nursing compresses (6 point change; P = .0002; R² = 28%) or elaborate consultations and life review (ECLR) (4 point change; P = .0002; R² = 25%) were observed. CONCLUSIONS: Breast cancer patients benefit from a hospital-based integrative medicine program. To alleviate fatigue symptoms during oncological therapy, an expansion of this concept should be developed in the future.

Impact of Oncological Therapy and Viscum album L Treatment on Cancer-Related Fatigue and Internal Coherence in Nonmetastasized Breast Cancer Patients.

Introduction:Viscum album L extracts (VA) are frequently used in integrative oncology. Aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of add-on VA applications on various patient-reported outcome measures. Methods: A longitudinal real-world study was conducted, using data from the Network Oncology clinical registry. Primary, nonmetastasized breast cancer patients treated with oncological standard therapy partly combined with VA applications were included. Internal Coherence Cancer-related Fatigue, and EORTC QLQ-C30 questionnaires were assessed at baseline and 6, 12, and 24 months later. Results: A total of 319 patients received standard oncological therapy and 40% of them additionally VA applications. After 6 and 12 months for patients treated with chemotherapy (Ctx) only a significant decline of the thermo-coherence, and worsening of fatigue was observed. For patients receiving VA applications but no Ctx, significant beneficial effects on thermo-coherence, fatigue, and seven EORTC QLQ-C30 scales were observed 24 months later. Adjusted multivariable long-term subgroup (n = 106) regression analysis revealed that Ctx, immuno-, and endocrine therapies had a worsening of 17, 17, and 6 point changes, respectively, for EORTC QLQ-C30 fatigue (P = .0004), while VA applications showed an improvement of 12 point change. A similar impact of improvement (add-on VA) and worsening (standard oncological treatment regimens) on EORTC QLQ-C30 insomnia (P = .009) and physical functioning (P = .005) were observed. Conclusions: In the present real-world study, add-on VA applications had a supportive effect on cancer-related fatigue, insomnia, physical functioning, and thermo-coherence. Thus, VA applications might be suited to alleviate symptom burden during anticancer therapy in breast cancer patients.

Acupuncture for Breathlessness in Advanced Diseases: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

CONTEXT: Nonpharmacological approaches are effective strategies for difficult to palliate breathlessness. Although acupuncture is effective for dyspnea in early-stage chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), little is known about its effects in patients with advanced (non)malignant diseases. OBJECTIVES: The objective of this study was to identify and examine the evidence of acupuncture on breathlessness in advanced malignant and nonmalignant diseases. METHODS: Systematic literature review of randomized controlled trials of acupuncture and acupressure searched in five databases. Included were adult participants with at least 25% having advanced diseases such as cancer or COPD with severe breathlessness. Primary outcome was severity of dyspnea on Visual Analogue Scale or Borg Scale. Secondary outcomes included quality of life, function, and acceptability. Data were pooled using a random effects model of standardized mean differences. RESULTS: Twelve studies with 597 patients (347 COPD, 190 advanced cancer) were included. For breathlessness severity, significant differences were obtained in a meta-analysis (10 studies with 480 patients; standardized mean difference (SMD) = -1.77 [95% CI -3.05, -0.49; P = 0.007; I2 = 90%]) and in a subgroup analysis of using sham acupuncture control groups and a treatment duration of at least three weeks (6 studies with 302 patients; SMD = -2.53 [95% CI -4.07, -0.99; P = 0.001; I2 = 91%]). Exercise tolerance (6-minute walk test) improved significantly in the acupuncture group (6 studies with 287 patients; SMD = 0.93 [95% CI 0.27, 1.59; P = 0.006; I2 = 85%]). In four of six studies, quality of life improved in the acupuncture group. CONCLUSION: Acupuncture improved breathlessness severity in patients with advanced diseases. The methodological heterogeneity, low power, and potential morphine-sparing effects of acupuncture as add-on should be further addressed in future trials.

Mistletoe and Immunomodulation: Insights and Implications for Anticancer Therapies.

In early tumor development, cancer cells develop a plethora of strategies to escape surveillance from the adaptive and innate immune system. Cancer immunotherapies, in particular immune checkpoint inhibitors, are becoming a highly promising cancer therapeutic approach that has remarkable increased progress in combating various cancer types. Unfortunately, their mechanisms of action induce some complications, such as inflammatory reactions and immune-related adverse events. In the management of side effects during anticancer therapy, complementary and integrative therapy approaches are becoming of growing interest. Particularly, mistletoe, Viscum album L. (VA), has a long traditional history of about 100 years as an add-on therapy of cancer treatment in German-speaking countries. Besides antitumoral and quality of life-promoting activities, VA applications reduce side effects of modern conventional anticancer therapies and exert immunomodulatory characteristics. As these properties may provide a good basis for a combination with modern oncological therapies, the biological activities of VA applications and mechanisms involved have to be understood. In this review, the impact of VA compounds on different cellular pathways and immunological reactions in the fight against cancerous cells is discussed.

Use and Safety of Viscum album L Applications in Cancer Patients With Preexisting Autoimmune Diseases: Findings From the Network Oncology Study.

BACKGROUND: Viscum album L (VA, mistletoe) extracts are commonly used in integrative oncology. Here the clinical safety profile of additional VA-treatments to standard care in cancer patients with preexisting autoimmune diseases was analyzed. METHODS: In this observational cohort study medical data and recorded adverse events (AEs) of treated patients were retrieved from the Network Oncology registry and a safety analysis was performed. RESULTS: A total of 106 patients (median age 63 years) treated with add-on VA-extracts were analyzed. Most frequent autoimmune diseases were Hashimoto's thyroiditis (27%), psoriasis (19%), and ulcerative colitis (15%). Seventeen patients (16%) experienced VA-related AEs, but neither long-term side effects nor VA-therapy discontinuations were recorded. In a subgroup of 30 patients receiving long-term VA-therapy no exacerbations or flares of underlying autoimmune diseases were recorded. Additionally, a significant halving of overall AE-rates was observed during VA-treatment periods (p= 0.019). CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that add-on VA-therapy in cancer patients with preexisting autoimmune diseases as Hashimoto's thyroiditis, psoriasis, ulcerative colitis, Grave's disease, and some rheumatic diseases is safe. No higher rates of VA-associated AEs were observed and the overall AE-rates were significantly lowered in VA-therapy periods. However, results should be interpreted with caution in light of the study's observational character.

The Internal Coherence of Breast Cancer Patients Is Associated with the Decision-Making for Chemotherapy and Viscum album L. Treatment.

OBJECTIVE: In the present observational study, the influence of internal coherence on shared decision-making for chemotherapy (CTX) and Viscum album L. extracts (VA) treatment in breast cancer patients was evaluated. METHODS: Breast cancer patients with a guideline-oriented advice from the tumor board for CTX were included in the study. At first diagnosis (T0) and 6 months later (T1), a questionnaire, the internal coherence scale (ICS), was administered and evaluated. Prior to analysis, patients were classified retrospectively depending on their treatment decision. RESULTS: 64 primary nonmetastasized breast cancer patients (median age 54.8 years, IQR: 46.3-65.3) were analyzed in this study. At T0, adjusted multivariable linear regression analyses revealed significant low ICS scores in patients rejecting CTX, especially in the ICS subscale "thermo coherence" (p = 0.006). The decision for add-on VA-therapy was associated with low scores for the ICS subscale "inner resilience coherence", in particular low for the item "courage". At T1, in the CTX+VA-group the thermo coherence increased significantly (p(d) < 0.01), while in contrast, in the CTX-only group the thermo coherence decreased significantly (p(d) = 0.02). CONCLUSION: Add-on VA-applications in CTX treatment support the thermo coherence of breast cancer patients, revealing a decision option to encourage patients to undergo CTX in combination with additional VA-treatments.

Integrative cancer care in a certified Cancer Centre of a German Anthroposophic hospital.

OBJECTIVE: The concept of integrative oncology (IO) comprising guideline-oriented standard and add-on complementary medicine has gained growing importance. The Anthroposophic-integrative Cancer Centre (CC) at the hospital Gemeinschaftskrankenhaus (GKH) in Berlin has been implementing IO concepts during recent years. Furthermore, it is a certified CC and has been annually audited by national cancer authorities since 2012. The objective of the present study was to evaluate IO concepts of the certified CC GKH. METHODS: Clinical, demographic, integrative treatment and follow-up data were analyzed between 2011 and 2016. In addition, CC GKH quality measures were compared with those of nationwide benchmarking CCs. RESULTS: Between 2011 and 2016, 2.382 primary cancer patients, median age 66 years, were treated at the CC GKH. 70.1% of the patients showed either Union for International Cancer Control (UICC) stage 0, I, II or III and 25.6% were in UICC stage IV. IO therapies included surgery (64.4% of patients), radiation (41.2%), and application of cytostatic drugs (53.9%), add-on mistletoe therapy (30.5%), and non-pharmacological interventions (87.3%). Regarding psycho-oncological support and quota of patient's enrollment in studies the CC GKH performs above nationwide benchmarks. Research outcomes including safety issues, clinical impact as well as patient's health-related quality of life are continuously evaluated and integrated into hospital's decision-management. CONCLUSION: This analysis reveals that IO concepts are applied to a high proportion of male and female primary cancer patients of all age groups, indicating a successful implementation at the certified CC GKH. Ongoing clinical evaluations have been initiated and cost-effectiveness comparisons are under analyses.

Clinical Safety of Combined Targeted and Viscum album L. Therapy in Oncological Patients.

Background: Despite improvement of tumor response rates, targeted therapy may induce toxicities in cancer patients. Recent studies indicate amelioration of adverse events (AEs) by add-on mistletoe (Viscum album L., VA) in standard oncological treatment. The primary objective of this multicenter observational study was to determine the safety profile of targeted and add-on VA therapy compared to targeted therapy alone. Methods: Demographic and medical data were retrieved from the Network Oncology registry. Allocation to either control (targeted therapy) or combinational group (targeted/add-on VA) was performed. Safety-associated variables were evaluated by adjusted multivariable analyses. Results: The median age of the study population (n = 310) at first diagnosis was 59 years; 67.4% were female. In total, 126 patients (40.6%) were in the control and 184 patients (59.4%) in the combination group. Significant differences were observed between both groups with respect to overall AE frequency (χ² = 4.1, p = 0.04) and to discontinuation of standard oncological treatment (χ² = 4.8, p = 0.03) with lower rates in the combinational group (20.1%, 35% respectively) compared to control (30.2%, 60.5%, respectively). Addition of VA to targeted therapy significantly reduced the probability of oncological treatment discontinuation by 70% (Odds ratio (OR) 0.30, p = 0.02). Conclusions: Our results indicate a highly significant reduction of AE-induced treatment discontinuation in all-stage cancer patients when treated with VA in addition to targeted therapy.

MNNG-induced cell death is controlled by interactions between PARP-1, poly(ADP-ribose) glycohydrolase, and XRCC1.

PARP-1 (poly(ADP-ribose) polymerases) modifies proteins with poly(ADP-ribose), which is an important signal for genomic stability. ADP-ribose polymers also mediate cell death and are degraded by poly(ADP-ribose) glycohydrolase (PARG). Here we show that the catalytic domain of PARG interacts with the automodification domain of PARP-1. Furthermore, PARG can directly down-regulate PARP-1 activity. PARG also interacts with XRCC1, a DNA repair factor that is recruited by DNA damage-activated PARP-1. We investigated the role of XRCC1 in cell death after treatment with supralethal doses of the alkylating agent MNNG. Only in XRCC1-proficient cells MNNG induced a considerable accumulation of poly(ADP-ribose). Similarly, extracts of XRCC1-deficient cells produced large ADP-ribose polymers if supplemented with XRCC1. Consequently, MNNG triggered in XRCC1-proficient cells the translocation of the apoptosis inducing factor from mitochondria to the nucleus followed by caspase-independent cell death. In XRCC1-deficient cells, the same MNNG treatment caused non-apoptotic cell death without accumulation of poly(ADP-ribose). Thus, XRCC1 seems to be involved in regulating a poly(ADP-ribose)-mediated apoptotic cell death.

Roles of DNA ligase III and XRCC1 in regulating the switch between short patch and long patch BER.

Damaged DNA bases are repaired by base excision repair (BER), which can proceed via two pathways: short patch and long patch BER. During the latter, a stretch of several nucleotides is replaced by strand displacement DNA synthesis. We recently demonstrated that the ATP concentration may govern the decision between these BER sub-pathways. Employing a reconstituted BER complex containing among others DNA polymerase beta (Pol beta), DNA ligase III (Lig III) and XRCC1, here we show that Lig III and XRCC1 are essential mediators of this regulation. XRCC1 stimulates Pol beta strand displacement activity and releases inhibition of Pol beta by DNA-bound Lig III if ligation is prevented. XRCC1 is thus able to strongly promote strand displacement and long patch BER under conditions of ATP shortage. If sufficient ATP is available, ligation by Lig III prevents strand displacement, leading to short patch BER. Ligation-inactive mutants of Lig III do not prevent strand displacement by Pol beta under the same conditions. Consequently, the preferred use of short patch BER depends on the ligation competence of Lig III. Accordingly, lowering the levels of the XRCC1/Lig III complex in HeLa cells using siRNA decreases ligation capacity but enhances Pol beta-dependent DNA synthesis.