Hollow CeO2-Based Nanozyme with Self-Accelerated Cascade Reactions for Combined Tumor Therapy.

Nanozymes have obvious advantages in improving the efficiency of cancer treatment. However, due to the lack of tissue specificity, low catalytic efficiency, and so on, their clinical applications are limited. Herein, the nanoplatform CeO2@ICG@GOx@HA (CIGH) with self-accelerated cascade reactions is constructed. The as-prepared nanozyme shows the superior oxidase (OXD)-like, superoxide dismutase (SOD)-like, catalase (CAT)-like and peroxidase (POD)-like activities. At the same time, under 808 nm near-infrared (NIR) irradiation, the photodynamic and photothermal capabilities are also significantly enhanced due to the presence of indocyanine green (ICG). We demonstrate that the nanozyme CIGH can efficiently accumulate in the tumor and exhibit amplified cascade antitumor effects with negligible systemic toxicity through the combination of photodynamic therapy (PDT), photothermal therapy (PTT), chemodynamic therapy (CDT) and starvation therapy. The nanozyme prepared in this study provides a promising candidate for catalytic nanomedicines for efficient tumor therapy.

The effects of Managing Cancer and Living Meaningfully (CALM) on psychological distress in esophageal cancer patients.

Aim: To evaluate the effectiveness of Managing Cancer and Living Meaningfully (CALM) in esophageal cancer with psychological distress during treatment. Materials & methods: The study assigned eligible patients to either a CALM group or a usual care group. Psychological distress, anxiety, depression and quality of life scores were assessed for both groups at baseline, during the intervention period and at the end of the intervention. Results: Patients showed a significant reduction in psychological distress, anxiety and depression and demonstrated improved quality of life after the CALM intervention, and the positive effect remained after 1 month of follow-up. Conclusion: This study suggests that CALM may be an effective approach for targeting psychological distress in patients with esophageal cancer.

Psychological distress as risk factor for the efficacy of whole-brain radiotherapy in brain metastasis patients.

Aim: To evaluate the relationship between psychological distress and the efficacy of whole-brain radiotherapy (WBRT) in advanced brain metastasis patients. Methods: Brain metastasis patients (40 with psychological distress and 47 without psychological distress) completed distress thermometer tests before WBRT, and progression-free survival (PFS) was acquired during the follow-up period. Results: Psychological distress was a risk factor for poorer PFS in patients treated with WBRT (p < 0.01). The PFS of survivors who underwent WBRT was superior for those without psychological distress (hazard ratio: 0.295; 95% CI: 0.173-0.500; p < 0.01). Conclusion: The survival of brain metastasis patients receiving WBRT was influenced by psychological distress, which negatively affected the treatment outcome and is likely to be a potential risk indicator in advanced cancer patients receiving WBRT.

Distress thermometer tests were carried out 1 week before whole-brain radiotherapy to assess psychological distress in 87 brain metastasis patients. The results demonstrated that the progression-free survival of brain metastasis patients with psychological distress was obviously inferior to that of patients without psychological distress. The negative effects of psychological distress could be recognized in advanced patients with brain metastases after whole-brain radiotherapy. Psychological distress is likely to be a potential risk indicator for radiotherapy in brain metastasis patients.

Effects of CALM intervention on neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), fear of cancer recurrence and quality of life in patients with lung cancer.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the feasibility and practicability of Managing Cancer and Living Meaningfully (CALM) as a psychological intervention to reduce neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR), fear of cancer recurrence, general distress, and improve quality of life in lung cancer survivors. METHODS: Eighty lung cancer patients with FCRI severity subscale (≥13 points) were recruited and randomly assigned to CALM or usual care (UC). NLR was recorded before and after treatment. The Fear of Cancer Recurrence Inventory (FCRI), Quality of Life Questionnaire Core 30 (QLQ-C30) and Depression-Anxiety-Stress Scale (DASS-21) were used to evaluate patients at baseline (T0), immediately after treatment (T1), and at 2 (T2) and 4 (T3) months. RESULTS: Compared with UC, NLR was significantly different before and after CALM intervention (z=-5.498; P=0.000). There were significant differences in the scores of QLQ, FCR and general distress before and after the T1, T2 and T3 interventions (F=220.30, F=315.20, F=290.10, respectively; P<0.001). NLR was negatively correlated with QOL both before (r=-0.763; P<0.0001) and after the intervention (r=-0.810, P<0.0001). FCR and general distress were negatively correlated with QOL in CALM (T0: r=-0.726, r=-0.776, respectively; P<0.0001; T1: r=-0.664, r=-0.647, respectively; P<0.0001; T2: r=-0.678, r=-0.695, respectively; P<0.0001; T3: r=-0.511, P = 0.0008; r=-0.650, P<0.0001). CONCLUSION: CALM intervention can effectively reduce the NLR, alleviate the recurrence fear and general distress and improve the quality of life in patients. This study suggests that CALM may be an effective psychological intervention for reducing symptoms associated with lung cancer survivors.

A cuproptosis-related lncRNA signature for predicting prognosis and immunotherapy response of lung adenocarcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Copper-induced cell death (cuproptosis) is a new regulatory cell death mechanism. Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are related to tumor immunity and metastasis. However, the correlation of cuproptosis-related lncRNAs with the immunotherapy response and prognosis of lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) patients is not clear. METHODS: We obtained the clinical characteristics and transcriptome data from TCGA-LUAD dataset (containing 539 LUAD and 59 paracancerous tissues). By utilizing LASSO-penalized Cox regression analysis, we identified a prognostic signature composed of cuproptosis-related lncRNAs. This signature was then utilized to segregate patients into two different risk categories based on their respective risk scores. The identification of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between high- and low-risk groups was carried out using Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analyses. We evaluated the immunotherapy response by analyzing tumor mutational burden (TMB), immunocyte infiltration and Tumor Immune Dysfunction and Exclusion (TIDE) web application. The "pRRophetic" R package was utilized to conduct further screening of potential therapeutic drugs for their sensitivity. RESULTS: We ultimately identified a prognostic risk signature that includes six cuproptosis-related lncRNAs (AP003778.1, AC011611.2, CRNDE, AL162632.3, LY86-AS1, and AC090948.1). Compared with clinical characteristics, the signature was significantly correlated with prognosis following the control of confounding variables (HR = 2.287, 95% CI = 1.648-3.174, p ˂ 0.001), and correctly predicted 1-, 2-, and 3-year overall survival (OS) rates (AUC value = 0.725, 0.715, and 0.662, respectively) in LUAD patients. In terms of prognosis, patients categorized as low risk exhibited more positive results in comparison to those in the high-risk group. The enrichment analysis showed that the two groups had different immune signaling pathways. Immunotherapy may offer a more appropriate treatment option for high-risk patients due to their higher TMB and lower TIDE scores. The higher risk score may demonstrate increased sensitivity to bexarotene, cisplatin, epothilone B, and vinorelbine. CONCLUSIONS: Based on cuproptosis-related lncRNAs, we constructed and validated a novel risk signature that may be used to predict immunotherapy efficacy and prognosis in LUAD patients.

3D Thioether-Based Covalent Organic Frameworks for Selective and Efficient Mercury Removal.

Developing functionalized 3D covalent organic frameworks (3D COFs) is critical to broaden their potential applications. However, the introduction of specific functionality in 3D COFs remains a great challenge because most of the functional groups are not compatible with the synthesis conditions. Herein, for the first time 3D thioether-based COFs (JUC-570 and JUC-571) for mercury (Hg2+ ) removal from aqueous solution is reported. These 3D thioether-based COFs prepared by the bottom-up approach display high Hg2+ uptakes (972 mg g-1 for JUC-570 and 970 mg g-1 for JUC-571 at pH = 5), fast adsorption kinetics (distribution coefficient Kd value of 2.29 × 107  mL g-1 for JUC-570 and 2.07 × 107  mL g-1 for JUC-571), and favorable selectivity. In particular, JUC-570 is periodically decorated with isopropyl groups around imine bonds that markedly improve its chemical stability and effectively prevent the pore collapse, and thus endows high Hg2+ adsorption capacity (619 mg g-1 ) and excellent cycle performance even at pH = 1. This study not only puts forward a new route to construct stable functionalized 3D COFs, but also promotes their potential applications in areas related to the environment.

Expanding the Synthesis Field of High-Silica Zeolites.

Aluminosilicate zeolites are synthesized under hydrothermal conditions in a basic/alkaline medium in the pH range between 9 and 14. The synthesis of MFI-type zeolite in an acidic medium is presented. The critical parameter determining the zeolite formation in an acidic medium was found to be the isoelectric point (IEP) of gel particles. MFI-type zeolite was synthesized above the isoelectric point of the employed silica source, where the silica species exhibit a negative charge and the paradigm of zeolite formation based on the electrostatic interaction with the positively charged template is retained. No zeolite formation is observed below the isoelectric point of silica. The impact of aluminum on the zeolite formation is also studied. The results of this study will serve to extend the synthesis field of high silica zeolites to the acidic medium and thus open new opportunities to control the zeolite properties.

Three-Dimensional Tetrathiafulvalene-Based Covalent Organic Frameworks for Tunable Electrical Conductivity.

The functionalization of three-dimensional (3D) covalent organic frameworks (COFs) is essential to broaden their applications. However, the introduction of organic groups with electroactive abilities into 3D COFs is still very limited. Herein we report the first case of 3D tetrathiafulvalene-based COFs (3D-TTF-COFs) with non- or 2-fold interpenetrated pts topology and tunable electrochemical activity. The obtained COFs show high crystallinity, permanent porosity, and large specific surface area (up to 3000 m2/g). Furthermore, these TTF-based COFs are redox active to form organic salts that exhibit tunable electric conductivity (as high as 1.4 × 10-2 S cm-1 at 120 °C) by iodine doping. These results open a way toward designing 3D electroactive COF materials and promote their applications in molecular electronics and energy storage.

Long Non-Coding RNA AWPPH Promotes Postoperative Distant Recurrence in Resected Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer by Upregulating Transforming Growth Factor beta 1 (TGF-ß1).

BACKGROUND Postoperative recurrence of cancers is responsible for a large portion of deaths in cancer patients. Our study investigated the involvement of lncRNA AWPPH in recurrence of resected non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). MATERIAL AND METHODS A total of 128 patients were followed up for 3 years. Blood was extracted from each patient on the day of discharge, the day of the diagnosis of recurrence, or at the end of follow-up. Blood from 30 healthy controls was used as a control group. Patient were divided into 3 groups - a non-recurrence group (NR, n=54), a local recurrence group (LR, n=42), and a distant recurrence (DR, n=32) group - according to the follow-up results. Blood AWPPP was detected by qRT-PCR. AWPPH expression vectors were transfected into cells of human NSCLC cell lines. Cell migration and invasion were detected by Transwell migration and invasion assay, respectively. TGF-ß1 expression was detected by Western blot analysis. RESULTS Blood AWPPH levels were the highest in the DR group, followed by the LR and NR groups. The lowest blood AWPPH levels were observed in the control group. Blood AWPPH levels increased significantly in the DR group but not in the NR and LR groups during follow-up. Blood AWPPH levels were positively correlated with TGF-ß1 mRNA levels in the DR group but not in the NR and LR groups during follow-up. AWPPH overexpression promoted cell migration and invasion and upregulated TGF-ß1 expression. CONCLUSIONS lncRNA AWPPH can promote postoperative distant recurrence in resected NSCLC by upregulating TGF-ß1.

Wnt3a/GSK3ß/ß-catenin Signalling Modulates Doxorubicin-associated Memory Deficits in Breast Cancer.

BACKGROUND: Chemobrain is widespread in breast cancer patients receiving chemotherapy. However, the exact mechanism, especially the associated signalling pathway, is not currently clear. This study was to evaluate the behavioural changes in breast cancer mice after chemotherapy and to further explore the role of Wnt3a/glycogen synthase kinase (GSK3ß)/ß-catenin signalling in chemobrain. METHODS: MMTV-PyMT(+) breast cancer mice were injected intraperitoneally with doxorubicin (4 mg/kg) once a week for three weeks to establish a chemobrain model. The Morris water maze (MWM) and novel object recognition (NOR) tests were performed to assess the learning and memory ability. Electron microscopy was used to observe the structural changes in the hippocampal CA1 region. The brain tissue of breast cancer mice after chemotherapy was taken out for mRNA-seq detection. Then, the expression levels and phosphorylation of key proteins in the Wnt3a/GSK3 ß/ß-catenin signalling pathway were evaluated through Western blotting (WB) and immunofluorescence. RESULTS: Doxorubicin-induced spatial and short-term memory impairment was observed in breast cancer mice, and obvious neuronal damage could be seen in the hippocampal CA1 region. Immunofluorescence staining for GSK3ß was increased. Wnt signalling pathway is highly enriched from mRNA-seq analysis, with GSK3ß genes at important nodes. The relative protein levels of p-PI3K, p-AKT, p-GSK3 ß, Wnt3a and TCF-1 were decreased significantly, while the p-ß-catenin level was increased. After injection of the GSK3ß inhibitor sb216763 (1 ng/0.5 µl/side), hippocampal neuronal injury was alleviated to some extent, and the changes in the expression of proteins upstream and downstream of this signalling pathway were reversed. CONCLUSION: Wnt3a/GSK3 ß/ß-catenin signalling is likely involved in doxorubicin-induced memory impairment. This result provides basic evidence for the further study of chemobrain in breast cancer.

Rational design of Au-Bi bimetallic nanozyme for NIR-II laser mediated multifunctional combined tumor therapy.

To maximize the therapeutic effects and minimize the adverse effects of synergistic tumor therapies, a multifunctional nanozyme Au-Bi/ZIF-8@DOX@HA (ABZ@DOX@HA) was designed and synthesized through the Au and Bi bimetallic doping of ZIF-8, loading of the DOX, and modifying with hyaluronic acid (HA). The ABZ@DOX@HA nanoparticles (NPs) could simulate the enzymatic activities of glucose oxidase (GOx) and peroxidase (POD). Upon irradiated by near-infrared region (NIR-II) laser, the strong synergism of the photothermal abilities of the loaded Au and Bi nanodots accelerated the collapse of the ABZ structure at the tumor site considerably and released Au, Bi nanodots and DOX. The results in vitro and in vivo proved that ABZ@DOX@HA nanozyme could effectively exert the combined tumor therapy of starvation treatment, photothermal therapy (PTT), chemodynamic therapy (CDT) and chemotherapy. The current research provides a new strategy to address the inherent challenges of easy clearance and short blood circulation of small-sized NPs during the treatment of tumors with nanomedicine, as well as the aggregation and oxidation of inorganic nanodots.

GSK3ß rs3107669 polymorphism implicates chemotherapy-associated retrospective memory deficits in breast cancer survivors.

Glycogen synthase kinase-3ß (GSK-3ß) plays an important role in the development of neurodegenerative diseases. However, the underlying effect of GSK-3ß polymorphism on chemobrain in cancer survivors is unclear. This study aimed to evaluate the correlation between GSK-3ß polymorphism and chemotherapy-associated retrospective memory deficits in breast cancer survivors. The difference in GSK-3ß gene expression between breast cancer patients and healthy controls was confirmed using bioinformatics technology. All participants (197 with breast cancer and 40 healthy controls) underwent prospective and retrospective memory tests, and five single-nucleotide polymorphism loci of GSK-3ß (rs3107669, rs1154597, rs334543, rs334558 and rs3755557) were genotyped from peripheral blood. Breast cancer survivors had memory impairment after chemotherapy (P<0.0001). The expression difference of the GSK-3ß gene was determined through bioinformation analysis, and a genotype frequency difference of GSK-3ß rs3107669 was found between the breast cancer and healthy control groups. GSK-3ß rs3107669 was a genetic risk in comparison to the healthy controls (OR=0.382; 95% CI=0.186-0.786; P=0.009). Breast cancer with the GSK-3ß rs3107669 (C/A+A/A) genotype was a protective factor for chemobrain (Beta=-0.306; 95% CI=-5.556~-2.145; P<0.0001) from multiple linear regression. The C/A+A/A genotype carrier performed better on the retrospective memory test than the C/C genotype (z=-4.302, P<0.0001). Breast cancer patients with chemotherapy who also carried the GSK-3ß rs3107669 (C/C) genotype more easily presented cognitive deficits. The GSK-3ß rs3107669 polymorphism was a feasible genetic risk factor for chemotherapy-associated retrospective memory impairments in breast cancer survivors.

Effects of the CALM intervention on resilience in Chinese patients with early breast cancer: a randomized trial.

OBJECTIVE: Resilience is an important regulating factor for anxiety and depression in breast cancer. The Managing Cancer and Living Meaningfully (CALM) intervention has been confirmed to improve anxiety and depression in patients, but the role of resilience is still unclear. This study explores this issue. METHODS: In this study, a cohort of 124 patients diagnosed with breast cancer was recruited and randomly assigned to either the intervention group (IG) or the control group (CG). In addition, we enrolled a group of cancer-free women (regular control group) and assessed their resilience. All patients were evaluated using the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC), Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy (FACT-B) and Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) at different time points. The primary outcomes were resilience, quality of life, anxiety, depression, and perceived stress. A repeated measures ANOVA was used to compare the scores of the IG and CG groups. The relationship between resilience and quality of life was analyzed using Pearson's correlation test. The paired-sample t-test was used to compare the changes in each score at different time points. RESULTS: The intervention group showed significant differences in resilience, adamancy, optimism, tenacity, anxiety, depression, perceived stress and QOL scores before and after 6, 12, and 24 weeks (F = 17.411, F = 226.55, F = 29.096, F = 50.67, F = 82.662, F = 105.39, F = 62.66, F = 72.43, F = 34.561, respectively; P < 0.001). Compared to the control group, the intervention group demonstrated significant improvement in resilience and quality of life (t = -11.517, p < 0.001; t = - 4.929, p < 0.001), as well as a significant reduction in anxiety, depression, and perceived stress scores (t = 5.891, p < 0.001; t = 2.654, p < 0.001; t = 4.932, p < 0.001). In the intervention group, a significant positive correlation was observed between resilience in breast cancer survivors and quality of life (QOL) scores. (before CALM treatment: r = 0.3204, P = 0.0111; after 6 weeks: r = 0.3619, P = 0.0038; after 12 weeks: r = 0.3355, P = 0.0077; after 24 weeks: r = 0.2801, P = 0.0274). CONCLUSIONS: A positive impact of the CALM intervention can be seen in improved resilience and reduced anxiety and depression, supporting its use as an effective psychological management tool and intervention strategy in the early stages of long-term breast cancer recovery.

Positive influence of managing cancer and living meaningfully (CALM) on fear of cancer recurrence in breast cancer survivors.

To evaluate the effectiveness and feasibility of managing cancer and living meaningfully (CALM), an intervention used to reduce the fear of cancer recurrence (FCR) in breast cancer survivors and improve their quality of life (QoL). A total of 103 breast cancer survivors were enrolled. Participants were randomly assigned to the CALM group or the care as usual (CAU) group. The participants completed a survey at baseline (T0) and after two (T1), four (T2), and six (T3) intervention sessions. The patients were assessed using the Cancer Worry Scale (CWS), Psychological Distress Thermometer (DT), Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Breast (FACT-B) and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). After the intervention, the CALM group showed a significant decrease in levels of FCR, distress, anxiety, and depression (χ2=154.353, χ2=130.292, χ2=148.879, and χ2=78.681; P<0.001, 0.001, 0.001, and 0.001, respectively) and an increased QoL (χ2=122.822, P<0.001). Compared with the CAU group, the CALM group showed significant differences in FCR, distress, QoL, anxiety and depression (F=292.431, F=344.156, F=11.115, F=45.124, and F=16.155; P<0.001, P<0.001, P=0.01, P<0.001, and P<0.001, respectively). Negative correlations were found between CWS and FACT-B scores in the CALM group (T0: r=-0.6345, P<0.001; T1: r=-0.4127, P=0.0017; T2: r=-0.2919, P=0.0306; and T3: r=-0.3188, P=0.0177) and in the CAU group (T0: r=-0.7714, P<0.0001; T1: r=-0.6549, P<0.0001; T2: r=-0.5060, P=0.0002; and T3: r=-0.3151, P=0.0291). Thus, the CALM intervention reduced FCR, distress, anxiety and depression in breast cancer survivors and improved QoL.

Advances in the study of the molecular biological mechanisms of radiation-induced brain injury.

Radiation therapy is one of the most commonly used treatments for head and neck cancers, but it often leads to radiation-induced brain injury. Patients with radiation-induced brain injury have a poorer quality of life, and no effective treatments are available. The pathogenesis of this condition is unknown. This review summarizes the molecular biological mechanism of radiation-induced brain injury and provides research directions for future studies. The molecular mechanisms of radiation-induced brain injury are diverse and complex. Radiation-induced chronic neuroinflammation, destruction of the blood-brain barrier, oxidative stress, neuronal damage, and physiopathological responses caused by specific exosome secretion lead to radiation-induced brain injury.

Music therapy, quality of life and efficacy of immunotherapy for NSCLC.

OBJECTIVE: Our study examines how non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) survivors undergoing immunotherapy can experience reduced anxiety and psychological distress, improved quality of life (QOL) and increased immunotherapy efficacy. METHODS: 133 men and 20 women with NSCLCs were enrolled. In a randomised controlled trial involving a care as usual group (CG) and a music therapy group (MTG), the researchers employed various tools such as the Self-Rating Anxiety Scale, Symptom Distress Thermometer, Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-General version 4 and Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumours. These measures were used to evaluate anxiety, psychological distress, QOL and immunotherapy efficacy in patients undergoing immunotherapy before and after patients' completion. RESULTS: After the intervention, patients in the MTG demonstrated a noteworthy reduction in anxiety (t=6.272, p≤0.001) and distress (t=10.111, p≤0.001), as well as an increase in QOL (t=-7.649, p≤0.001). Moreover, compared with patients in the CG, those in the MTG demonstrated a remarkable drop in anxiety (t=-4.72, p≤0.001) and distress (t=-7.29, p≤0.001), a significant increase in QOL (t=5.363, p≤0.001) and a significant improvement in immunotherapy efficacy (z=-2.18, p≤0.05) after the intervention. CONCLUSIONS: The use of individual music therapy sessions appears to be effective in reducing anxiety and distress, while also increasing QOL and immunotherapy efficacy in patients with NSCLCs undergoing immunotherapy.

The role of the oxytocin system in the resilience of patients with breast cancer.

Breast cancer is a grave traumatic experience that can profoundly compromise patients' psychological resilience, impacting their overall quality of life. The oxytocin system represents one of the essential neurobiological bases of psychological resilience and plays a critical role in regulating resilience in response to social or traumatic events during adulthood. Oxytocin, through its direct interaction with peripheral or central oxytocin receptors, has been found to have a significant impact on regulating social behavior. However, the precise mechanism by which the activation of peripheral oxytocin receptors leads to improved social is still not completely comprehended and requires additional research. Its activation can modulate psychological resilience by influencing estrogen and its receptors, the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, thyroid function, 5-hydroxytryptamine metabolism levels, and arginine pressure release in breast cancer patients. Various interventions, including psychotherapy and behavioral measures, have been employed to improve the psychological resilience of breast cancer patients. The potential effectiveness of such interventions may be underpinned by their ability to modulate oxytocin release levels. This review provides an overview of the oxytocin system and resilience in breast cancer patients and identifies possible future research directions and interventions.

Effects of fear of cancer recurrence on subjective physical and mental health in breast cancer patients: The intermediary role of heart rate variability.

BACKGROUND: Fear of cancer recurrence (FCR) and psychological distress are common psychological problems in breast cancer (BC) patients and ultimately affecting their health-related quality of life (HRQoL). Heart rate variability (HRV) can reflect the activity of the parasympathetic nervous system. However, the pathways through which HRV influences between FCR and HRQoL are unclear. This study preliminarily explored the intermediary role of HRV in FCR and HRQoL in BC patients. METHODS: A total of 101 BC patients participated in this study. HRV parameters were measured by a 5-min dynamic electrocardiogram. FCR, psychological distress and HRQoL were evaluated by the Fear of disease progression simplified scale (FOP-Q-SF), Distress thermometer and SF-36 concise health survey. The intermediary effect model was established to test the intermediary effect of high frequency-HRV (HF-HRV) on FCR and HRQoL. RESULTS: FCR and psychological distress were negatively correlated with HRV in the time domain, negatively correlated with HF-HRV in the frequency domain, and positively correlated with low frequency/high frequency (LF/HF). HF-HRV had a partial mediating effect on the FCR and physical health and mental health, with effects of 30.23% and 9.53%, respectively. CONCLUSION: FCR and psychological distress are correlated with HRV parameters in the time domain and the frequency domain, and we preliminarily believe that parasympathetic nerves play an important intermediary role between FCR and subjective physical and mental health. This may provide intervention information for improving the HRQoL of BC patients.

Effects of Managing Cancer and Living Meaningfully on Cancer-Related Fatigue and Cytokine Levels in Gastrointestinal Cancer Patients.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effects of managing cancer and living meaningfully (CALM), a psychological intervention with semi-structured interviews, on cancer-related fatigue (CRF), quality of life (QOL), and sleep quality in patients with gastrointestinal (GI) cancer, which may be accompanied by changes in cytokine levels. METHODS: A total of 152 GI cancer patients with CRF were enrolled in the study during treatment. Patients were randomly assigned to CALM or usual care (UC) groups. Patients in the CALM group received 12 weeks of CALM plus usual care, and patients in the UC group received usual care plus usual health education. All study participants were evaluated at baseline and at 12 weeks using the Revised Piper Fatigue Scale, the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer-Quality of Life Questionnaire-Core 30, and the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index scale, while cytokine levels were measured. RESULTS: At 12 weeks, the differences in total CRF, QOL, sleep quality, IL-6, IL-4, and TNF-α levels were statistically significant not only in the CALM group compared to patients in the UC group (t = -7.902, t = 2.163, t = -2.187, t = 3.313, t = -4.120, t = -3.853, respectively; P < .05), but also in the CALM group compared to baseline (t = 11.331, t = -5.492, t = 5.450, t = -2.418, t = 2.186, t = 2.699, respectively; P < .05). Additionally, the total CRF at 12 weeks was correlated with IL-4, IL-6, and TNF-α levels (r = -.30, r = .31, r = .32, respectively; P < .001). CONCLUSIONS: CALM alleviated CRF and improved QOL and sleep quality in patients with GI cancer, and these improvements were accompanied by changes in IL-4, IL-6, and TNF-α levels.

Aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 polymorphism is associated with chemotherapy-related cognitive impairment in patients with breast cancer who receive chemotherapy.

BACKGROUND: Chemotherapy-related cognitive impairment (CRCI) is a common but easily overlooked condition that markedly affects the quality of life (QOL) of patients with breast cancer. The rs671 is a common gene polymorphism of aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 (ALDH2) in Asia that is involved in aldehyde metabolism and may be closely related to CRCI. However, no study has yet summarised the association between ALDH2 and CRCI. METHODS: This study enrolled one hundred and twenty-four patients diagnosed with breast cancer according to the pathology results, genotyped for ALDH2 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) to explore these. The mini-mental state exam (MMSE), verbal fluency test (VFT), and digit span test (DST) results were compared in these patients before and after chemotherapy (CT). RESULTS: We found that patients with ALDH2 gene genotypes of rs671_GG, rs886205_GG, rs4648328_CC, and rs4767944_TT polymorphisms were more likely to suffer from cognitive impairment during chemotherapy. A trend toward statistical significance was observed for rs671_GG of DST (z = 2.769, p = 0.006), VFT (t = 4.624, P<0.001); rs886205_GG of DST (z = 3.663, P<0.001); rs4648328_CC of DST (z = 2.850, p = 0.004), VFT (t = 3.477, p = 0.001); and rs4767944_TT of DST (z = 2.967, p = 0.003), VFT (t = 2.776, p = 0.008). The cognitive indicators of these patients significantly decreased after chemotherapy (p < 0.05). The difference in ALDH2 rs671 was most obvious. CONCLUSION: Our results showed what kinds of ALDH2 genotyped patients that are more likely to develop CRCI. In the future, it may be possible to infer the risk of CRCI by detecting the single-nucleotide locus of ALDH2 that is conducive to strengthening clinical interventions for these patients and improving their QOL. More importantly, this study has important implications for Asian women with breast cancer as ALDH2 rs671 is a common polymorphism in Asians.