Health-related quality of life associated with different cancer treatments in Chinese breast cancer survivors in Taiwan.

We assessed the quality of life (QoL) associated with patient's characteristics and different cancer treatments among Chinese breast cancer survivors in Taiwan. A cross-sectional survey was conducted in 2017 where 193 patients with hormone receptor-positive/human epidermal growth factor receptor-2-negative metastatic breast cancer were recruited. Three QoL questionnaires were administered: European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire (EORTC QLQ-C30), its breast cancer supplementary measure (QLQ-BR23) and EQ-5D-5L. Multiple linear regression was performed to assess the association between QoL and cancer treatments, with adjustment for patient's characteristics. The mean age of study participants was 55.52 years. Simple linear regression showed that cancer stage and receiving chemotherapy were significantly associated with QoL scores (p < 0.05). Significant adverse effects of chemotherapy on QoL were found among early-stage cancer women (i.e., I or II), including poor cognitive and sexual functioning, and a higher symptom burden (i.e., dyspnoea, constipation, systematic therapy side effects). Multiple linear regression also revealed that receiving chemotherapy was significantly associated with poor QoL (e.g., lower functional health and higher symptom burden measured by the QLQ-BR23), compared to none chemotherapy (p < 0.05). Receiving chemotherapy was associated with poor QoL, especially among early-stage breast cancer patients.

Using a double-channel gastroscope reduces procedural time in performing gastric endoscopic submucosal dissection.

OBJECTIVE: Complications are important determining factors for safety of endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD). ESD of large lesions is associated with increased procedural time. This study investigated whether double-channel gastroscope could be used to reduce procedural time in gastric antrum ESD. METHODS: A retrospective cohort study of 46 patients with one gastric antrum lesion resected by ESD was conducted between January 2013 and December 2015. The diameter of a lesion was from 2cm to 4cm in 46 patients. EUS before ESD was used to evaluate the submucosal vascular structure and the location of lesion in gastric wall. Forty six lesions had ESD with either the ordinary gastroscope (OS group) (n=24) or the double-channel gastroscope (DC group) (n=22). RESULTS: The mean procedural time was significantly lower in the DC group than in the OS group (49.1 minutes vs. 20.5 minutes, p=0.04). There were no significant differences in submucosal injection frequency, specimen size, en bloc resection rate and perforation rate between the two endoscopic groups. There was no recurrence in any case during the follow-up period. CONCLUSIONS: Our data suggest that ESD utilizing double-channel gastroscope may provide a better platform for quicker ESD with equal safety.