The relationship between coping self-efficacy and B cells in breast cancer patients.

BACKGROUND: Breast cancer is the most common tumor among women throughout the world. Diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer are associated with stress and depression. Self-efficacy is one of the most important personal characteristics, studied in cancer, and is correlated with depression and immunity. The aim of the study is as follows: 1. Examining the correlation between coping self-efficacy with depression, DHEA levels, and immunity 2. Examining the correlation between depression and DHEA levels 3. Studying the effect of depression and DHEA levels on immunity 4. Examining the intermediate effect of DHEA levels on the correlation between coping self-efficacy and immunity METHODS: Thirty newly diagnosed breast cancer patients recruited from the Oncology Department, Kasr EL-Aini, Cairo University (ages 51.40 + 8.24 years) responded to two questionnaires: Coping Self-Efficacy Scale (CSES) and Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9); blood samples were collected to measure the phenotype of patients' cellular immunity and DHEA levels by flowcytometry and ELISA technique. RESULTS: There was a significant negative correlation between CSES and PHQ-9, a significant positive correlation between PHQ-9 and B-cell count, and there is a significant negative correlation between CSES and B-cell count. The presence of DHEA has no mediatory role on correlation between CSES and B-cell count. CONCLUSION: This paper presents a new model of psychoneuroimmunology by suggesting an effect of coping self-efficacy on immunity against breast cancer patients.

Psychoeducational Program for the Family Member Caregivers of People with Dementia to Reduce Perceived Burden and Increase Patient's Quality of Life: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

BACKGROUND: Dementia is one of the world's greatest public health issues. Most people with dementia receive home care, and family members are vulnerable to feeling burdened and depressed that reinforces the need for caregiver-driven services to mitigate these negative effects. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this research was to evaluate the effect of the psychoeducational program on burden and quality of life of family caregivers for people with dementia. METHODS: This randomized controlled trial (RCT) was conducted on 60 family caregivers. Participants were randomly assigned to receive either the 8-session psychoeducational program (study group) or routine care only (control group). The demographic data of the caregivers and their patients, the burden of caregivers using Zarit Burden Interview (ZBI), and the quality of life of the patients using Quality of Life in Alzheimer Disease (QoL-AD) questionnaire were measured before and after the psychoeducational program and compared between the study group and the control group. RESULTS: The results revealed that 80% of the family caregivers were female and 42% were daughters. The mean ± SD of the baseline burden was 61 ± 13.7 and 60.9 ± 10 in the study and the control group, respectively. ZBI burden score in the study group demonstrated a significant drop after the psychoeducational program compared to the control group. Logistic regression analysis showed that caregivers who received the psychoeducational program have OR (95% CI) of 14 (3.1-67.8) compared to those who did not receive the psychoeducational program. CONCLUSIONS: Psychoeducational program is effective in reducing the family caregivers' perceived burden. These findings need to be considered in developing comprehensive dementia care programs to well increase the strategies that help caregivers to deal with their patients.

Correlations between MHLC scores and Indicators of Immune Response in Egyptian Women with Breast Cancer.

BACKGROUND: Recent studies indicate the immune dysfunction in cancer patients in comparison with healthy individuals. The quality and quantity of this dysfunction are not equal in all patients even with similar cancer type. AIM: This study aims to correlate health locus of control (HLC) beliefs with CD4+ helper T (Thelper) cells, T regulatory (Treg) cells, NK cells, IL-1ß and TNF-a in breast cancer patients. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The study included 30 early diagnostic breast cancer patients who responded to Form C of the MHLC questionnaire that assessed internal (IHLC), chance (CHLC), doctor (DHLC) and other person's (OHLC) control of the patient's health status. Peripheral blood samples were collected to analyze the numbers and phenotype of Thelper cells, Treg cells and NK cells by flow cytometry and to measure gene expression of IL-1ß and TNF-a with real time PCR. RESULTS: A significant positive correlation was found between IHLC with Thelper cells and NK cells. However, a significant inverse correlation was found between DHLC with NK, Thelper and Treg cells. CONCLUSION: There is strong probability that the quality of immunity in cancer patients is related to their MHLC beliefs. Further research is recommended for studying whether MHLC beliefs of patients with other types of cancer can improve their immune responses and how beliefs control immune system.