Breast/ovarian cancer genetic counseling: Do anxiety, depression, and health care-related fears influence cancer worry and risk perception?

BACKGROUND: The impact of family and personal cancer history and emotional factors, such as depression and anxiety, on disease representation has received limited attention in studies investigating the development of cancer-related worry and risk perception within the context of genetic counseling. The current study endeavors to fill this gap by exploring the extent to which depression and anxiety influence cancer worry and risk perception, and the role of health care-related fear as potential mediator in this relationship. METHODS: A sample of 178 women who underwent their first genetic counseling for breast/ovarian cancer, 52% of whom had previous cancer diagnoses, completed questionnaires assessing sociodemographic and clinical information, emotional distress in terms of anxiety and depression, cancer-related worry, risk perception, and health care-related fears. RESULTS: Results of mediation analyses showed that cancer-related worry and risk perception increased with rising levels of depression and anxiety, with health care-related fears acting as a mediator in the relationship of depression and anxiety with cancer worry and risk perception. Covariate analysis revealed that previous cancer diagnosis increases cancer-related worry but not risk perception, while the number of family members affected by cancer increases both outcomes. CONCLUSION: These findings emphasize the need for a holistic approach in genetic counseling and have implications for the clinical practice.

Inhibitory effect of cannabichromene, a major non-psychotropic cannabinoid extracted from Cannabis sativa, on inflammation-induced hypermotility in mice.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Cannabichromene (CBC) is a major non-psychotropic phytocannabinoid that inhibits endocannabinoid inactivation and activates the transient receptor potential ankyrin-1 (TRPA1). Both endocannabinoids and TRPA1 may modulate gastrointestinal motility. Here, we investigated the effect of CBC on mouse intestinal motility in physiological and pathological states. EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH: Inflammation was induced in the mouse small intestine by croton oil. Endocannabinoid (anandamide and 2-arachidonoyl glycerol), palmitoylethanolamide and oleoylethanolamide levels were measured by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry; TRPA1 and cannabinoid receptors were analysed by quantitative RT-PCR; upper gastrointestinal transit, colonic propulsion and whole gut transit were evaluated in vivo; contractility was evaluated in vitro by stimulating the isolated ileum, in an organ bath, with ACh or electrical field stimulation (EFS). KEY RESULTS: Croton oil administration was associated with decreased levels of anandamide (but not 2-arachidonoyl glycerol) and palmitoylethanolamide, up-regulation of TRPA1 and CB1 receptors and down-regulation of CB2 receptors. Ex vivo CBC did not change endocannabinoid levels, but it altered the mRNA expression of TRPA1 and cannabinoid receptors. In vivo, CBC did not affect motility in control mice, but normalized croton oil-induced hypermotility. In vitro, CBC reduced preferentially EFS- versus ACh-induced contractions. Both in vitro and in vivo, the inhibitory effect of CBC was not modified by cannabinoid or TRPA1 receptor antagonists. CONCLUSION AND IMPLICATIONS: CBC selectively reduces inflammation-induced hypermotility in vivo in a manner that is not dependent on cannabinoid receptors or TRPA1.

Chemopreventive effect of the non-psychotropic phytocannabinoid cannabidiol on experimental colon cancer.

Colon cancer affects millions of individuals in Western countries. Cannabidiol, a safe and non-psychotropic ingredient of Cannabis sativa, exerts pharmacological actions (antioxidant and intestinal antinflammatory) and mechanisms (inhibition of endocannabinoid enzymatic degradation) potentially beneficial for colon carcinogenesis. Thus, we investigated its possible chemopreventive effect in the model of colon cancer induced by azoxymethane (AOM) in mice. AOM treatment was associated with aberrant crypt foci (ACF, preneoplastic lesions), polyps, and tumour formation, up-regulation of phospho-Akt, iNOS and COX-2 and down-regulation of caspase-3. Cannabidiol-reduced ACF, polyps and tumours and counteracted AOM-induced phospho-Akt and caspase-3 changes. In colorectal carcinoma cell lines, cannabidiol protected DNA from oxidative damage, increased endocannabinoid levels and reduced cell proliferation in a CB(1)-, TRPV1- and PPARγ-antagonists sensitive manner. It is concluded that cannabidiol exerts chemopreventive effect in vivo and reduces cell proliferation through multiple mechanisms.

Hijos de madres adictas con síndrome de abstinencia en Terapia Intensiva Neonatal / Neonatal abstinence syndrome in a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit

Introducción. En años recientes, se ha incrementado el consumo de drogas en mujeres mexicanas durante la gestación, surgiendo como entidad el síndrome del feto adicto y el síndrome de abstinencia en el neonato (SAN). Objetivo: caracterizar una muestra de neonatos, hijos de madres adictas a drogas ilícitas y que desarrollaron síndrome de abstinencia, así como conocer la respuesta terapéutica del fenobarbital en estos pacientes. Métodos. Se aplicó en forma prospectiva un cuestionario estructurado sobre la madre y el producto de todos los hijos de madres consumidoras de drogas ilegales que ingresaron a la Unidad de Cuidados Intensivos Neonatales Externos del Antiguo Hospital Civil de Guadalajara "Fray Antonio Alcalde" entre el 1 de enero de 2003 y el 20 de diciembre de 2007, por presentar SAN. Resultados. Noventa y dos neonatos desarrollaron SAN durante el período evaluado. La media de la edad materna fue de 22 años, con un bajo nivel educacional. La droga más utilizada por las madres fue la cocaína, y 10 de ellas resultaron VIH-positivas. La edad gestacional promedio fue de 37 semanas. El peso al nacer, la talla corporal y el conteo de Apgar promedios fueron de 2 600 g, 47 cm y 9 puntos, respectivamente. El síntoma más frecuente fue la irritabilidad (77% de la muestra), y en todos los casos el tratamiento con fenobarbital resultó adecuado para el control clínico de los síntomas y signos. Conclusiones. El SAN constituyó 3.5% del total de ingresos en nuestra institución durante un período de 4 años. En general, los neonatos mostraron cortejo sintomático similar al reportado previamente en la literatura. Se observó una alta incidencia de infecciones concurrentes -en particular, VIH- y un predominio de la cocaína y la marihuana como las drogas más consumidas por las madres. El tratamiento con fenobarbital resultó exitoso para el control de síntomas y signos en todos los casos. Dada su incidencia e importancia clínica, el uso de drogas durante el embarazo y sus consecuencias sobre el producto merecen un estudio más consistente e intensivo en México.

Introduction. To our knowledge, in spite of the increasing drug-abuse statistics in Mexican pregnant women, there are no published clinical researches approaching this issue in our country. We describe the characteristics of neonatal abstinent infants admitted in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) located at the Hospital Civil of Guadalajara. Objective: To describe the characteristics of a sample of neonatal abstinent children as well as the efficacy of phenobarbital as a pharmacological alternative. Methods. Children from drug dependent mothers who were admitted to NICU from January 1st 2003 to December 20th 2007 and developed the neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS) were prospectively evaluated with a structured feedback form including parental data. Results. Ninety two NAS cases (3.5% of the total) were recruited in the assessed period. Mother's mean age was about 22 years with a low educational profile. The most common drug consumed by the mothers was cocaine (35%). Ten mothers had HIV-positive results, while the neonatal averaged gestational age was 37 weeks. Birth weight, corporal size and Apgar score mean values were 2 600 g, 47 cm and 9 points, respectively. The most common symptom was irritability in 77% of the patients. All the cases were treated with phenobarbital reaching a successful clinical remission of the symptoms. Conclusions. NAS represented the 3.5% of all the neonate patients admitted in NICU throughout 4 years. Our observations correspond to those previously reported in the literature. High incidence of concomitant infectious conditions was observed -especially HIV- and the predominant used drugs were cocaine and marijuana. Due to its high incidence and clinical relevance, drug-abuse during pregnancy ought to have further study in our country.