Health-related quality of life measured by EQ-5D-3L for the spouses of breast cancer patients.

To explore factors influencing the health-related quality of life of spouses of breast cancer patients and the suitable questionnaires for this purpose. A cross-sectional study was conducted in the Third Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University. The spouses of breast cancer patients were included and evaluated via face-to-face interviews. Self-designed demographic characteristics and disease-related questionnaires, the 12-item health survey questionnaire (SF-12), the three-level European five-dimensional health status scale (EQ-5D-3L), and the Social Support Rate Scale (SSRS) were used. The internal consistency reliability measure Cronbach's coefficient, criterion-related validity, construct validity, and sensitivity were used to evaluate the applicability of the EQ-5D-3L. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to analyze the factors associated with the health-related quality of life of spouses of breast cancer patients. We investigated a total of 100 spouses of breast cancer patients. Cronbach's α, the internal consistency reliability coefficient, was 0.502. The EQ-5D-3L health utility score was moderately correlated with PCS-12 (r=0.46, p=0.0001) and weakly correlated with MCS-12 (r=0.35, p=0.0001). The EQ-5D-3L health utility score for the spouses of breast cancer patients was 0.870, and the EQ-VAS was 78.3. In multivariate analysis, social support and cognition of the treatment effect were factors that influenced the EQ-5D-3L health utility score. The EQ-5D-3L has good reliability, validity, and sensitivity for measuring the physiological aspects of the health-related quality of life of spouses of BC patients. EQ-5D-3L was considered suitable for this study.

ATAS Acupuncture Reduces Chemotherapy Induced Fatigue in Breast Cancer Through Regulating ADROA1 Expression: A Randomized Sham-Controlled Pilot Trial.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the feasibility and effectiveness of ATAS acupuncture (Acupoints-Time-Space Acupuncture) as a non-pharmacological intervention to prevent or relieve chemotherapy-induced fatigue in breast cancer patients undergoing taxane chemotherapy. METHODS: A pilot study in Kunming center with the aim of evaluating 40 patients randomized to 3 groups: ATAS, sham and non-acupuncture with an unequal randomization of 2:1:1. Participants with stage I-III breast cancer were scheduled to receive adjuvant EC4P4 chemotherapy. Participants in the ATAS and sham acupuncture arms received 20 sessions of acupuncture over 20 weeks, non-acupuncture arm received usual care. Evaluation scales, including VAS-F, MFI-20, HDAS, ISI, and blood samples were collected at four timepoints (T1-T4). mRNA sequencing was performed to detect the mechanism of acupuncture. RESULTS: A total of 581 sessions of acupuncture were performed on patients in the acupuncture group. There was no difference between the three groups in terms of clinical characteristics. Patients randomized to ATAS acupuncture had improved symptoms including fatigue, anxiety and insomnia during the whole process of chemotherapy compared with the other two groups. The VAS-F score of ATAS acupuncture group was decreased compared with non-acupuncture group (P=0.004). The score of MFI-20 in ATAS acupuncture group was kept at low level, while the other two groups' scores kept climbing during chemotherapy (P=0.016; P=0.028, respectively). The mechanism of ATAS acupuncture which reduced fatigue and depression may be related to ADROA1, by regulating cGMP/PKG pathway. CONCLUSION: This pilot study has demonstrated that ATAS acupuncture can significantly reduce fatigue induced by chemotherapy. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Chinese Clinical Trials Registry, ChiCTR-IPR-17,013,652, registered Dec 3, 2017. http://www.chictr.org.cn/. PROTOCOL VERSION: Version 3.2 dated from 2018/04/20.

Microarray Analysis of Circular RNA Expression Profile Associated with 5-Fluorouracil-Based Chemoradiation Resistance in Colorectal Cancer Cells.

Preoperative 5-fluorouracil- (5-FU-) based chemoradiotherapy is a standard treatment for locally advanced colorectal cancer (CRC). However, the effect of 5-FU-based chemoradiotherapy on CRC is limited due to the development of chemoradiation resistance (CRR), and the molecular mechanisms underlying this resistance are yet to be investigated. Recently, circular RNAs (circRNAs), which can function as microRNA sponges, were found to be involved in the development of several cancers. In this study, we focused on clarifying the modulation of the expression profiles of circRNAs in CRR. Microarray analysis identified 71 circRNAs differentially expressed in chemoradiation-resistant CRC cells. Among them, 47 were upregulated and 24 were downregulated by more than twofold. Furthermore, expression modulation of five representative circRNAs was validated by quantitative reverse transcription PCR (qRT-PCR). Moreover, these modulated circRNAs were predicted to interact with 355 miRNAs. Furthermore, Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analysis showed that the most modulated circRNAs regulate several cancers and cancer-related pathways, and the possible mechanism underlying CRR was discussed. This is the first report revealing the circRNA modulations in 5-FU chemoradiation-resistant CRC cells by microarray. The study provided a useful database for further understanding CRR and presents potential targets to overcome CRR in CRC.

Radiotherapy concurrent versus sequential with endocrine therapy in breast cancer: A meta-analysis.

INTRODUCTION: This study compared treatment outcomes of radiotherapy concurrent with endocrine therapy and radiotherapy sequential with endocrine therapy in breast cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Eligible studies of radiotherapy concurrent and sequential with endocrine therapy in breast cancer were retrieved through extensive searches of the PubMed, Medline, Embase, Cochrane library, FEBM, FMJS, Web of science, Wiley, CBM, CNKI, Wang fang, Cqvip databases from 2000 to 2014. Original English and Chinese publications of radiotherapy concurrent and sequential with endocrine therapy in breast cancer were included. The primary endpoint was radiation-induced toxicity including upper than grade 2 skin related toxicity, radiation pneumonia and pulmonary fibrosis; the second endpoint was survival date, including local recurrence, distant metastasis, 5-year OS, 10-year OS. RESULTS: Eleven eligible trials were identified, six in English and five in Chinese. Totally, there were 1291 women in concurrent groups, and 1179 in sequential groups. Statistical analysis showed that there was no statistical difference between concurrent and sequential groups in skin related toxicity (RR 1.20, 95% CI 0.92-1.56, P = 0.17), radiation pneumonia (RR 1.11, 95% CI 0.46-2.70, P = 0.81) and pulmonary fibrosis (RR 1.35, 95% CI 0.75-2.41, P = 0.32). Meanwhile, no statistical difference was found in survival data, (RR 0.97, 95% CI 0.79-1.28, P = 0.26), (RR 0.86, 95% CI 0.66-1.12, P = 0.27) in local recurrence and distant metastasis respectively, (RR 1.01, 95% CI 0.96-1.06, P = 0.65), (RR 0.98, 95% CI 0.93-1.02, P = 0.32) in 5-year and 10-year overall survival respectively. Stratification analysis was proceeded, grouped by tamoxifen and AI in different treatment timing, however, no statistical difference was found in radiation-induced toxicity and survival outcomes. CONCLUSION: Radiotherapy concurrent with endocrine therapy didn't increase or decrease neither the incidence of radiation-induced toxicity nor the survival rate compared with that of sequential group; Endocrine therapy drugs didn't influence outcomes in different treatment timing.

Microarray Analysis of Long Non-coding RNA Expression Profile Associated with 5-Fluorouracil-Based Chemoradiation Resistance in Colorectal Cancer Cells.

BACKGROUND: Preoperative 5-fluorouracil (5-FU)-based chemoradiotherapy is a standard treatment for locally advanced colorectal cancer (CRC). However, CRC cells often develop chemoradiation resistance (CRR). Recent studies have shown that long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) plays critical roles in a myriad of biological processes and human diseases, as well as chemotherapy resistance. Since the roles of lncRNAs in 5-FU-based CRR in human CRC cells remain unknown, they were investigated in this study. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A 5-FU-based concurrent CRR cell model was established using human CRC cell line HCT116. Microarray expression profiling of lncRNAs and mRNAs was undertaken in parental HCT116 and 5-FU-based CRR cell lines. RESULTS: In total, 2,662 differentially expressed lncRNAs and 2,398 mRNAs were identified in 5-FU-based CRR HCT116 cells when compared with those in parental HCT116. Moreover, 6 lncRNAs and 6 mRNAs found to be differentially expressed were validated by quantitative real time PCR (qRT-PCR). Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analysis for the differentially expressed mRNAs indicated involvement of many, such as Jak- STAT, PI3K-Akt and NF-kappa B signaling pathways. To better understand the molecular basis of 5-FU-based CRR in CRC cells, correlated expression networks were constructed based on 8 intergenic lncRNAs and their nearby coding genes. CONCLUSIONS: Changes in lncRNA expression are involved in 5-FU-based CRR in CRC cells. These findings may provide novel insight for the prognosis and prediction of response to therapy in CRC patients.