Canine thyroid carcinoma prognosis following the utilisation of computed tomography assisted staging.

BACKGROUND: Metastatic disease is frequently present at the time of diagnosis of canine thyroid carcinoma; however, utilisation of computed tomography (CT) alone for staging pre-treatment has been rarely reported in the veterinary literature. METHODS: The aims of this retrospective study were to stage affected dogs using CT findings of the cervical and thoracic regions, combined with histopathology/cytology results, in order to assess whether metastatic disease/WHO staging was of prognostic significance. RESULTS: Fifty-eight dogs were included in the study. Classification of cases into WHO stages I, II, III and IV were 10%, 50%, 9% and 31%, respectively. No statistically significant effect of WHO stage classification on overall survival/follow-up time was found (P = .576). Surgery resulted in a statistically significant increase in overall survival/follow-up time (P < .01). There was no statistically significant effect on overall survival/follow-up time in dogs that received medical therapy, either as sole therapy or as an adjunctive post-surgery (P = .198). CONCLUSION: In summary, this study documents the metastatic rate of canine thyroid carcinoma using CT for staging pre-treatment. Staging utilising CT revealed a higher distant metastatic rate in dogs with thyroid carcinoma when compared to historical studies using different imaging techniques. As long-term outcomes are possible for cases with advanced disease, surgical intervention could still be considered.

A Pilot Study of Proinflammatory Cytokines and Fatigue in Women With Breast Cancer During Chemotherapy.

BACKGROUND: Fatigue remains a prevalent, persistent, and debilitating side effect of chemotherapy for stage I and II breast cancer patients. Severity of fatigue varies among patients. Evidence suggests that proinflammatory cytokines contribute to the development of fatigue. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to investigate predictors of fatigue and cytokine levels in women undergoing chemotherapy for stage I or II breast cancer. METHODS: Piper Fatigue Scales and blood samples for interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) levels were collected at baseline and days 7, 14, and 21 for each chemotherapy cycle. Descriptive statistics, general linear mixed models, and graphic analysis were used to analyze the data. RESULTS: The predominantly white convenience sample was composed of 11 women with stage I or II breast cancer who were 37 to 72 years old (mean, 52 years). Predictors of fatigue were type of chemotherapy drugs, time, and IL-6 levels. A predictor of IL-6 and TNF-α levels was whether chemotherapy was administered at the visit. Type of chemotherapy significantly predicted TNF-α levels. Fatigue patterns were characterized by chaotic pattern of peaks and troughs unique to each woman. CONCLUSIONS: Women with stage I and II breast cancer experienced variability in the severity of fatigue and levels of IL-6 and TNF-α throughout their treatment trajectories. The presence and role of genetic variants related to cancer-related fatigue may explain the individual variation and warrant further research. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: These findings highlight the importance of symptom assessments including fatigue at each clinic visit and individualized interventions throughout the cancer trajectory.