0000000000446888
AUTHOR
C Gallo
Quality of Life Analysis of TORCH, a Randomized Trial Testing First-Line Erlotinib Followed by Second-Line Cisplatin/Gemcitabine Chemotherapy in Advanced Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer.
INTRODUCTION:: The TORCH (Tarceva or Chemotherapy) trial randomized patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer to first-line erlotinib followed by second-line cisplatin/gemcitabine versus. standard inverse sequence. The trial, designed to test noninferiority in overall survival, was stopped at interim analysis because of inferior survival in the experimental arm. Quality of life (QoL), a secondary outcome, is reported here. METHODS:: QoL was assessed at baseline and every 3 weeks during first-line, using European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire - Core 30 and QLQ-lung cancer specific module (LC13). Mean changes from baseline within arms …
Pretreatment quality of life and functional status assessment significantly predict survival of elderly patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer receiving chemotherapy: a prognostic analysis of the multicenter Italian lung cancer in the elderly study
Purpose To study the prognostic value for overall survival of baseline assessment of functional status, comorbidity, and quality of life (QoL) in elderly patients with advanced non—small-cell lung cancer treated with chemotherapy. Patients and Methods Data from 566 patients enrolled onto the phase III randomized Multicenter Italian Lung Cancer in the Elderly Study (MILES) study were analyzed. Functional status was measured as activities of daily living (ADL) and instrumental ADL (IADL). The presence of comorbidity was assessed with a checklist of 33 items; items 29 and 30 of the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) core questionnaire QLQ-C30 (EORTC QLQ-C30) wer…
Work environment, volume of activity and staffing in neonatal intensive care units in Italy: results of the SONAR-nurse study
Background Neonatal units’ volume of activity, and other quantitative and qualitative variables, such as staffing, workload, work environment, care organization and geographical location, may influence the outcome of high risk newborns. Data about the distribution of these variables and their relationships among Italian neonatal units are lacking. Methods Between March 2010-April 2011, 63 neonatal intensive care units adhering to the Italian Neonatal Network participated in the SONAR Nurse study. Their main features and work environment were investigated by questionnaires compiled by the chief and by physicians and nurses of each unit. Twelve cross-sectional monthly-repeated surveys on diff…
Salivary proteomic biomarkers of oral squamous cell carcinoma
Objectives. The aim of the present study is to investigate the presence of proteomic signatures of Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma (OSCC) in saliva and their use as potential biomarkers for early and non-invasive diagnosis, as well as prognostication. Methods. Saliva from 45 OSCC patients and 30 healthy controls was analysed by SELDI-TOF mass spectrometry and ProteinChip® technology. Proteomic profiles were tested with differential expression analysis and fold change of protein peaks, principal component analysis, Spearman rank correlation test and hierarchical clustering in order to identify a list of peaks of interest representative of controls, N- and N+ cases. Those peaks were used in a su…