Long-term dietary sodium, potassium and fluid intake; exploring potential novel risk factors for renal cell cancer in the Netherlands Cohort Study on diet and cancer.

BACKGROUND: As sodium, potassium and fluid intake are related to hypertension, an established risk factor for renal cell cancer (RCC), they may be independent risk factors for RCC. METHODS: The Netherlands Cohort Study (NLCS) with case-cohort design included 120,852 participants aged 55-69 years. At baseline, diet and lifestyle were assessed with questionnaires. After 17.3 years of follow-up, 485 RCC cases and 4438 subcohort members were available for analyses. RESULTS: Sodium intake increased RCC risk (P-trend=0.03), whereas fluid and potassium intake did not. For high sodium and low fluid intake, the RCC risk additionally increased (P-interaction=0.02). CONCLUSION: Sodium intake is a potential risk factor for RCC, particularly if fluid consumption is low.

[Palliation in patients with metastatic breast cancer often better with antitumour treatment than with only symptomatic treatment]. / Palliatie bij patiënten met gemetastaseerd mammacarcinoom vaak beter door antitumorbehandeling dan door alleen symptoombestrijding.

Two women, aged 57 and 55 years, with metastatic breast cancer were admitted for uncontrolled pain due to bone metastases. Despite the fact that progressive disease was evident, a change in antitumour therapy had not been recommended. The pain control was optimised in both patients. In one patient, palliative chemotherapy was installed, combined with trastuzumab because of HER2/neu overexpression. She was still alive after one and a half year of treatment. The other patient could not adjust mentally to the fact that her palliative therapy was changed to antitumour therapy; she died one month later. It is important to be aware of the various kinds of therapy in metastatic breast cancer because palliative treatment is more than just symptomatic treatment. Systemic antitumour therapy includes hormone therapy, chemotherapy and targeted therapy. Furthermore, in patients with bone metastases, radiotherapy combined with bisphosphonates results in pain relief and can reduce skeletal complications. Because of the ensuing complexity of the treatment of metastatic breast cancer, these patients should be regularly managed by a breast-cancer care team in order to improve the quality of care.

[Temozolomide, an oral chemotherapeutic agent with potential severe toxicity]. / Temozolomide, een oraal chemotherapeuticum met soms ernstige toxiciteit.

Two patients, a 58-year-old man and a 55-year-old woman, both under treatment for glioblastoma multiforme, were admitted with fever and neutropenia a few weeks after starting to take the oncolytic agent temozolomide. The man died of a cerebral haemorrhage against a background of severe thrombocytopenia and febrile neutropenia, and the woman died of neutropenic sepsis. Temozolomide is an oral alkylating agent that is considered to be a well-tolerated chemotherapeutic agent. It is important to be aware of the potentially life-threatening toxicity of every chemotherapeutic agent, including temozolomide. Therefore, temozolomide should be prescribed only by doctors with sufficient clinical experience with treatment by means of oncolytic agents, and with the recognition of the side effects and treatment of the complications of chemotherapy. In view of the multidisciplinary aspects of the treatment of patients with glioblastoma multiforme, treatment by a specialised team is preferable.

Hemodynamic and neurohumoral responses to head-up tilt in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome.

BACKGROUND: Data on the prevalence of orthostatic intolerance (OI) in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) are limited and controversial. We tested the hypothesis that a majority of CFS patients exhibit OI during head-up tilt. METHODS: Hemodynamic and neurohumoral responses to 40 minutes of head-up tilt were studied in 36 CFS patients and 36 healthy controls. Changes in stroke volume, cardiac output and peripheral vascular resistance were estimated from finger arterial pressure waveform analysis (Modelflow). Blood samples were drawn before and at the end of head-up tilt for measurement of plasma catecholamines. RESULTS: At baseline, supine heart rate was higher in CFS patients (CFS: 66.4 +/- 8.4 bpm; controls: 57.4 +/- 6.6 bpm; p < 0.001) as was the plasma epinephrine level (CFS: 0.11 +/- 0.07 nmol/l; controls: 0.08 +/- 0.07 nmol/l: p = 0.015). An abnormal blood pressure and/or heart rate response to head-up tilt was seen in 10 (27.8 %) CFS patients (6 presyncope, 2 postural tachycardia, 2 tachycardia and presyncope) and 6 (16.7 %, p = 0.26) controls (5 presyncope, 1 tachycardia, 2 tachycardia and presyncope). Head-up tilt-negative CFS patients showed a larger decrease in stroke volume during tilt (-46.9 +/- 10.6) than head-up tilt-negative controls (-40.3 +/- 13.6 %, p = 0.008). Plasma catecholamine responses to head-up tilt did not differ between these groups. CONCLUSION: Head-up tilt evokes postural tachycardia or (pre)syncope in a minority of CFS patients. The observations in head-up tilt-negative CFS patients of a higher heart rate at baseline together with a marked decrease in stroke volume in response to head-up tilt may point to deconditioning.

Physical activity and exercise performance in symptomatic Cambodia veterans.

BACKGROUND: Dutch (ex-)servicemen who encounter health problems since return from the 1992-3 peace operation UNTAC, commonly complain of reduced activity levels, decreases in physical fitness and aggravation of symptoms after strenuous exercise. AIM: To evaluate these symptoms. DESIGN: A prospective study of 26 symptomatic Cambodia veterans and 26 matched controls (healthy Cambodia veterans). METHODS: Using an actometer and diaries, both groups were followed for a 12-day baseline period prior to an incremental maximal exercise test on a bicycle ergometer, followed by 7 days of post-ergometer data. RESULTS: During baseline, symptomatic Cambodia veterans reported more symptoms, had lower levels of physical activity and took longer periods of rest after high activity periods. Symptomatic veterans did not perceive the exercise test needing more exertion than healthy veterans did, although their physical fitness was decreased. Post-ergometer, daily observed symptoms did not aggravate in symptomatic veterans. Four days post-ergometer, actometer and daily observed activity scores were lowered in both groups. As compared to baseline, one day post-ergometer, levels of physical activity were changed in healthy veterans, but not in controls. DISCUSSION: Complaints about reduced activity levels and decreases in physical fitness in symptomatic Cambodia veterans were confirmed. Post-exertion malaise was not found. The observed post-exertion effects were traced back to weekday patterns.