Effects of a 12-week home-based exercise program on quality of life, psychological health, and the level of physical activity in colorectal cancer survivors: a randomized controlled trial.

PURPOSE: To examine the effects of a home-based exercise program on quality of life (QOL), psychological health, and the level of physical activity (PA) in colorectal cancer survivors. METHODS: Seventy-one colorectal cancer survivors were randomized into either a home-based exercise group (N = 37) or control group (N = 34). The home-based exercise program included unsupervised walking, stationary bike, or swimming for aerobic exercise, as well as resistance exercise DVDs, a pedometer, and an exercise log. The Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Colorectal, Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy-Fatigue Scale, patient health questionnaire, and Godin Leisure-Time Exercise Questionnaire were used to assess QOL, fatigue, depression, and PA levels. RESULTS: Among the 71 participants, 30 in the exercise group and 28 in the control group completed the study. The change in the QOL between the intervention and control groups was insignificant. However, QOL was significantly improved in the exercise group (QOL, p = 0.024). Sub-domain of QOL, emotional well-being, and trial outcome index-physical/functional/colorectal (p = 0.015 and p = 0.035, respectively) were improved in the exercise group. The level of PA was significantly increased after 12 weeks in the exercise group (97.0 ± 188.5 vs. 332.6 ± 306.1, p < 0.001), and the change significantly differed compared with the control group (mean change 235.6 vs. 16.3, p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The home-based exercise program may improve the QOL and psychological health in colorectal cancer survivors. We have demonstrated that the home-based exercise program was effective in increasing the level of PA in colorectal cancer survivors.

Retrospective biodosimetry using translocation frequency in a stable cell of occupationally exposed to ionizing radiation.

Two cases of hematological malignancies were reported in an industrial radiography company over a year, which were reasonably suspected of being consequences of prolonged exposure to ionizing radiation because of the higher incidence than expected in the general population. We analyzed chromosomal aberrations in the peripheral blood lymphocytes from the other workers who had been working under similar circumstances as the patients in the company. Among the subjects tested, 10 workers who belonged to the highest band were followed up periodically for 1.5 years since the first analysis. The aim of this study was to clarify pertinence of translocation analysis to an industrial set-up where chronic exposure was commonly expected. To be a useful tool for a retrospective biodosimetry, the aberrations need to be persistent for a decade or longer. Therefore we calculated the decline rates and half-lives of frequency for both a reciprocal translocation and a dicentric chromosome and compared them. In this study, while the frequency of reciprocal translocations was maintained at the initial level, dicentric chromosomes were decreased to 46.9% (31.0-76.5) of the initial frequency over the follow-up period. Our results support the long-term stability of reciprocal translocation through the cell cycle and validate the usefulness of translocation analysis as a retrospective biodosimetry for cases of occupational exposure.

Volume-controlled versus pressure-controlled ventilation-volume guaranteed mode during one-lung ventilation.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to investigate the changes in airway pressure and arterial oxygenation between ventilation modes during one-lung ventilation (OLV) in patients undergoing thoracic surgery. METHODS: We enrolled 27 patients for thoracic surgery with OLV in the lateral decubitus position. The subjects received various modes of ventilation in random sequences during surgery, including volume-controlled ventilation (VCV) and pressure-controlled ventilation-volume guaranteed (PCV-VG) with a tidal volume (TV) of 8 ml/kg of actual body weight. Target-controlled infusion (TCI) with propofol and remifentanil was used for anesthesia induction and maintenance. After double-lumen endobronchial tube (DLT) insertion, the proper positioning of the DLT was assessed using a fiberoptic bronchoscope. Peak inspiratory pressure (Ppeak), exhaled TV, and arterial blood gas were measured 30 min after each ventilation mode. RESULTS: Ppeak was significantly reduced with the PCV-VG mode (19.6 ± 2.5 cmH2O) compared with the VCV mode (23.2 ± 3.1 cmH2O) (P < 0.000). However, no difference in arterial oxygen tension was noted between the groups (PCV-VG, 375.8 ± 145.1 mmHg; VCV, 328.1 ± 123.7 mmHg) (P = 0.063). The exhaled TV was also significantly increased in PCV-VG compared with VCV (451.4 ± 85.4 vs. 443.9 ± 85.9 ml; P = 0.035). CONCLUSIONS: During OLV in patients with normal lung function, although PCV-VG did not provide significantly improved arterial oxygen tension compared with VCV, PCV-VG provided significantly attenuated airway pressure despite significantly increased exhaled TV compared with VCV.