Predicting cancer risk knowledge and information seeking: the role of social and cognitive factors.

PubMed

Hovick, Shelly R; Liang, Ming-Ching; Kahlor, Leeann

2014-01-01

This study tests an expanded Structural Influence Model (SIM) to gain a greater understanding of the social and cognitive factors that contribute to disparities in cancer risk knowledge and information seeking. At the core of this expansion is the planned risk information seeking model (PRISM). This study employed an online sample (N = 1,007) of African American, Hispanic, and non-Hispanic White adults. The addition of four cognitive predictors to the SIM substantially increased variance explained in cancer risk knowledge (R(2) = .29) and information seeking (R(2) = .56). Health literacy mediated the effects of social determinants (socioeconomic status [SES] and race/ethnicity) on cancer risk knowledge, while subjective norms mediated their effects on cancer risk information seeking. Social capital and perceived seeking control were also shown to be important mediators of the relationships between SES and cancer communication outcomes. Our results illustrate the social and cognitive mechanisms by which social determinants impact cancer communication outcomes, as well as several points of intervention to reduce communication disparities.

Cancer Information Seeking Among Adult New Zealanders: a National Cross-Sectional Study.

PubMed

Richards, Rosalina; McNoe, Bronwen; Iosua, Ella; Reeder, Anthony; Egan, Richard; Marsh, Louise; Robertson, Lindsay; Maclennan, Brett; Dawson, Anna; Quigg, Robin; Petersen, Anne-Cathrine

2018-06-01

Organisations seeking to establish themselves as leading cancer information sources for the public need to understand patterns and motivators for information seeking. This study describes cancer information seeking among New Zealanders through a national cross-sectional survey conducted in 2014/15 with a population-based sample of adults (18 years and over). Participants were asked if they had sought information about cancer during the past 12 months, the type of information they sought, what prompted them to look for information and ways of getting information they found helpful. Telephone interviews were completed by 1064 participants (588 females, 476 males, 64% response rate). Of these, 33.8% of females and 23.3% of males (total, 29.2%) had searched for information about cancer over the past year. A search was most frequently prompted by a cancer diagnosis of a family member or friend (43.3%), a desire to educate themselves (17.5%), experience of potential symptoms or a positive screening test (9.4%), family history of cancer (8.9%) or the respondent's own cancer diagnosis (7.7%). Across the cancer control spectrum, the information sought was most commonly about treatment and survival (20.2%), symptoms/early detection (17.2%) or risk factors (14.2%), although many were general or non-specific queries (50.0%). The internet was most commonly identified as a helpful source of information (71.7%), followed by health professionals (35.8%), and reading material (e.g. books, pamphlets) (14.7%).This study provides a snapshot of cancer information seeking in New Zealand, providing valuable knowledge to help shape resource delivery to better meet the diverse needs of information seekers and address potential unmet needs, where information seeking is less prevalent.

Fab fragment labeled with ICG-derivative for detecting digestive tract cancer.

PubMed

Yano, Hiromi; Muguruma, Naoki; Ito, Susumu; Aoyagi, Eriko; Kimura, Tetsuo; Imoto, Yoshitaka; Cao, Jianxin; Inoue, Shohei; Sano, Shigeki; Nagao, Yoshimitsu; Kido, Hiroshi

2006-09-01

In previous studies, we generated infrared ray fluorescence-labeled monoclonal antibodies and developed an infrared ray fluorescence endoscope capable of detecting the monoclonal antibodies to establish a novel diagnostic technique for gastrointestinal cancer. Although the whole IgG molecule has commonly been used for preparation of labeled antibodies, labeled IgG displays insufficient sensitivity and specificity, probably resulting from non-specific binding of the Fc fragment to target cells or interference between fluorochromes on the identical labeled antibody, which might be caused by molecular structure. In this in vitro study, we characterized an Fc-free fluorescence-labeled Fab fragment, which was expected to yield more specific binding to target cells than the whole IgG molecule. An anti-mucin antibody and ICG-ATT, an ICG derivative, were used as the labeled antibody and labeling compound, respectively. Paraffin sections of excised gastric cancer tissues were subjected to staining. The labeled whole IgG molecule (ICG-ATT-labeled IgG) and the labeled Fab fragment (ICG-ATT-labeled Fab) were prepared according to a previous report, and the fluorescence properties, antibody activities, and features of fluorescence microscope images obtained from paraffin sections were compared. Both ICG-ATT-labeled Fab and ICG-ATT-labeled IgG were excited by a near infrared ray of 766nm, and maximum emission occurred at 804nm. Antibody activities of ICG-ATT-labeled Fab were shown to be similar to those of unlabeled anti-MUC1 antibody. The fluorescence intensity obtained from paraffin sections of excised gastric cancer tissues revealed a tendency to be greater with ICG-ATT-labeled Fab than with ICG-ATT-labeled IgG. The infrared ray fluorescence-labeled Fab fragment was likely to be more specific than the conventionally labeled antibodies. Fragmentation of antibodies is considered to contribute to improved sensitivity and specificity of labeled antibodies for detection of micro

Skin cancer concerns and genetic risk information-seeking in primary care.

PubMed

Hay, J; Kaphingst, K A; Baser, R; Li, Y; Hensley-Alford, S; McBride, C M

2012-01-01

Genomic testing for common genetic variants associated with skin cancer risk could enable personalized risk feedback to motivate skin cancer screening and sun protection. In a cross-sectional study, we investigated whether skin cancer cognitions and behavioral factors, sociodemographics, family factors, and health information-seeking were related to perceived importance of learning about how (a) genes and (b) health habits affect personal health risks using classification and regression trees (CART). The sample (n = 1,772) was collected in a large health maintenance organization as part of the Multiplex Initiative, ranged in age from 25-40, was 53% female, 41% Caucasian, and 59% African-American. Most reported that they placed somewhat to very high importance on learning about how genes (79%) and health habits (88%) affect their health risks. Social influence actors were associated with information-seeking about genes and health habits. Awareness of family history was associated with importance of health habit, but not genetic, information-seeking. The investment of family and friends in health promotion may be a primary motivator for prioritizing information-seeking about how genes and health habits affect personal health risks and may contribute to the personal value, or personal utility, of risk information. Individuals who seek such risk information may be receptive to interventions aimed to maximize the social implications of healthy lifestyle change to reduce their health risks. Copyright © 2011 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Is lower symptom recognition associated with socioeconomic inequalities in help-seeking for potential breast cancer symptoms?

PubMed

Davies, Hilary; Marcu, Afrodita; Vedsted, Peter; Whitaker, Katriina L

2018-02-01

Socioeconomic inequalities in recognising signs and symptoms of cancer may result in inequalities in timely help-seeking and subsequent prognosis of breast cancer. We explored the mediating role of symptom attribution and concern on the relationship between level of education and help-seeking for potential breast cancer symptoms. Women aged ≥47 years (n = 961) were purposively recruited (by education) to complete an online vignette-based survey that included nipple rash and axillary lump (in separate vignettes) as potential symptoms of breast cancer. Women completed questions relating to medical help-seeking (yes/no), cancer attribution, symptom concern, cancer avoidance, family history, and demographics. Women with low education and mid education attributed nipple rash less often to cancer (26% and 27% mentioned cancer) than women with a degree or higher (40%). However, women with a degree or higher (63%) or mid education (64%) were less likely to anticipate seeking help for the nipple rash than women with no formal qualifications (73%). This association was statistically significant in the 60- to 69-year-old age group. There was no significant association between education and help-seeking for axillary lump. Mediation analysis adjusting for potential confounders confirmed that the association between education and help-seeking for nipple rash was fully mediated by symptom concern. Socioeconomic inequalities in stage at diagnosis and survival of breast cancer may not always be explained by lower likelihood of suspecting cancer and subsequent impact on help-seeking. Reducing inequalities in stage at diagnosis will involve understanding a broader range of bio-psycho-social factors (eg, comorbidities and healthcare system factors). Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Antecedent Characteristics of Online Cancer Information Seeking Among Rural Breast Cancer Patients: An Application of the Cognitive-Social Health Information Processing (C-SHIP) Model

PubMed Central

Shaw, Bret R.; DuBenske, Lori L.; Han, Jeong Yeob; Cofta-Woerpel, Ludmila; Bush, Nigel; Gustafson, David H.; McTavish, Fiona

2013-01-01

Little research has examined the antecedent characteristics of patients most likely to seek online cancer information. This study employs the Cognitive-Social Health Information Processing (C-SHIP) model as a framework to understand what psychosocial characteristics precede online cancer-related information seeking among rural breast cancer patients who often have fewer healthcare providers and limited local support services. Examining 144 patients who were provided free computer hardware, Internet access and training for how to use an Interactive Cancer Communication System, pre-test survey scores indicating patients’ psychosocial status were correlated with specific online cancer information seeking behaviors. Each of the factors specified by the C-SHIP model had significant relationships with online cancer information seeking behaviors with the strongest findings emerging for cancer-relevant encodings and self-construals, cancer-relevant beliefs and expectancies and cancer-relevant self-regulatory competencies and skills. Specifically, patients with more negative appraisals in these domains were more likely to seek out online cancer information. Additionally, antecedent variables associated with the C-SHIP model had more frequent relationships with experiential information as compared to didactic information. This study supports the applicability of the model to discern why people afflicted with cancer may seek online information to cope with their disease. PMID:18569368

Antecedent characteristics of online cancer information seeking among rural breast cancer patients: an application of the Cognitive-Social Health Information Processing (C-SHIP) model.

PubMed

Shaw, Bret R; Dubenske, Lori L; Han, Jeong Yeob; Cofta-Woerpel, Ludmila; Bush, Nigel; Gustafson, David H; McTavish, Fiona

2008-06-01

Little research has examined the antecedent characteristics of patients most likely to seek online cancer information. This study employs the Cognitive-Social Health Information Processing (C-SHIP) model as a framework to understand what psychosocial characteristics precede online cancer-related information seeking among rural breast cancer patients who often have fewer health care providers and limited local support services. Examining 144 patients who were provided free computer hardware, Internet access, and training for how to use an interactive cancer communication system, pretest survey scores indicating patients' psychosocial status were correlated with specific online cancer information seeking behaviors. Each of the factors specified by the C-SHIP model had significant relationships with online cancer information seeking behaviors, with the strongest findings emerging for cancer-relevant encodings and self-construals, cancer-relevant beliefs and expectancies, and cancer-relevant self-regulatory competencies and skills. Specifically, patients with more negative appraisals in these domains were more likely to seek out online cancer information. Additionally, antecedent variables associated with the C-SHIP model had more frequent relationships with experiential information as compared with to didactic information. This study supports the applicability of the model to discern why people afflicted with cancer may seek online information to cope with their disease.

The Doctor-Patient Relationship and Information-Seeking Behavior: Four Orientations to Cancer Communication.

PubMed

Adamson, Matthew; Choi, Kelsey; Notaro, Stephen; Cotoc, Crina

2018-04-01

In cancer communication, patients and physicians often understand a patient's experience and situation differently. This can negatively impact health outcomes and the physician-patient relationship. To explore how cancer patients' interpretations of the physician's role as information giver affect the communication relationship with the physician and their information-seeking behavior regarding different aspects of their cancer care. Participants completed a semistructured qualitative interview addressing their treatment experience and communication with their physician. Interviews were coded and analyzed using inductive thematic analysis. Ten patients with cancer treated at a regional cancer center in central Illinois participated in the study. Cancer stages I to IV and 4 cancer types were represented. Participants' orientations to the relationship with their physician (and their information-seeking behavior) were classified into 4 general categories: (1) "questioners" have a general mistrust toward their physicians and the information doctors are giving; (2) "the undecided" focuses on physician "fit," often requiring time to step away in order to make decisions and process information; (3) "cross-checkers" are concerned with content of their treatment protocol, often double-checking the treatment plan; and (4) "the experience-oriented" feel a gap between their experience and their physician's experience (and perspective), often seeking information from other survivors. All categories described a perceived lack of adequate exchange of information and the need to seek information outside of the physician-patient relationship to compensate. Participants exhibited different information-seeking behaviors based on how they interpreted the role of their physician as information giver. This affected what kind of information they sought and how they understood the information received, which in turn affected understanding of their broader experience and care.

Help-seeking behaviour in newly diagnosed lung cancer patients: assessing the role of perceived stigma.

PubMed

Rose, Shiho; Boyes, Allison; Kelly, Brian; Cox, Martine; Palazzi, Kerrin; Paul, Christine

2018-05-26

This study explored help-seeking behaviours, group identification and perceived legitimacy of discrimination, and its potential relationship with perceived lung cancer stigma. Consecutive consenting adults (n=274) with a primary diagnosis of lung cancer within the previous four months were recruited at 31 outpatient clinics in Australia. A self-report survey assessed help-seeking, group identification, perceived legitimacy of discrimination and perceived lung cancer stigma. Services providing assistance from health professionals (69.5%) and informational support (68.5%) was more frequently used than emotional-based support. Only a small proportion (2.6%) of participants were unlikely to seek help from anyone, with the most popular sources of help being the general practitioner (91.0%), and oncologist/treating clinician (81.3%). One-fifth (21.1%) indicated they identified with being a lung cancer patient, and most did not perceive discrimination against lung cancer patients. Higher perceived lung cancer stigma was significantly associated with greater perceived legitimacy of discrimination (p<0.001), but not help-seeking behaviours or group identification. The relationship between lung cancer stigma and perceived legitimacy of discrimination may guide initiatives to reduce stigma for patients. It is encouraging that perceived stigma did not appear to inhibit help-seeking behaviours. However further research in this emerging field is needed to investigate patterns of perceived stigma and help-seeking over time to identify how and when to offer support services most appropriate to the needs of lung cancer patients. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Postmastectomy Information Needs and Information-seeking Motives for Women with Breast Cancer.

PubMed

Latifi, Masoome; Salimi, Sohrab; Barahmand, Nilofar; Fahimnia, Fateme; Allahbakhshian Farsani, Leili

2018-01-01

Health information-seeking behavior is a key concept in the empowerment of women with breast cancer after mastectomy for self-care management. Thus, a real understanding of their information needs and their information-seeking behavior may open up new opportunities for their postsurgery cares. The current research was conducted to identify the information needs and information-seeking motives of women with breast cancer after mastectomy. This is an applied qualitative research. Samples included 17 women with breast cancer after mastectomy selected from two hospitals of Shahid Mohammadi and Persian Gulf and Omid Central Chemotherapy in Bandar Abbas. Data were collected using semi-structured interview on winter 2014 and analyzed using qualitative content analysis method. Three basic contents were extracted including information needs related to mental health, physical health related to disease and personal daily activities along with their subcategories, and representing common experience and perception of mastectomized women seeking for health information. Furthermore, hope, self-esteem, return to life, and available social support resources were expressed as the main information-seeking motives. Considering research findings, mastectomized women need to receive information in wide range of health and thus pursue purposeful behavior. Hence, it is necessary that required actions and measures are taken by health-care authorities, especially institutions responsible for women health, to support and meet information needs of the patients considering their information-seeking motives.

Help seeking for cancer 'alarm' symptoms: a qualitative interview study of primary care patients in the UK.

PubMed

Whitaker, Katriina L; Macleod, Una; Winstanley, Kelly; Scott, Suzanne E; Wardle, Jane

2015-02-01

Delay in help seeking for cancer 'alarm' symptoms has been identified as a contributor to delayed diagnosis. To understand people's help-seeking decision making for cancer alarm symptoms, without imposing a cancer context. Community-based, qualitative interview study in the UK, using purposive sampling by sex, socioeconomic status, and prior help seeking, with framework analysis of transcripts. Interviewees (n = 48) were recruited from a community-based sample (n = 1724) of adults aged ≥50 years who completed a health survey that included a list of symptoms. Cancer was not mentioned. Participants reporting any of 10 cancer alarm symptoms (n = 915) and who had consented to contact (n = 482) formed the potential pool from which people were invited to an interview focusing on their symptom experiences. Reasons for help seeking included symptom persistence, social influence, awareness/fear of a link with cancer, and 'just instinct'. Perceiving the symptom as trivial or 'normal' was a deterrent, as was stoicism, adopting self-management strategies, and fear of investigations. Negative attitudes to help seeking were common. Participants did not want to be seen as making a fuss, did not want to waste the doctor's time, and were sometimes not confident that the GP could help. Decision making about cancer alarm symptoms was complex. Recognition of cancer risk almost always motivated help seeking (more so than the fear of cancer being a deterrent), assisted by recent public-awareness campaigns. As well as symptom persistence motivating help seeking, it could also have the reverse effect. Negative attitudes to help seeking were significant deterrents. © British Journal of General Practice 2015.

Postmastectomy Information Needs and Information-seeking Motives for Women with Breast Cancer

PubMed Central

Latifi, Masoome; Salimi, Sohrab; Barahmand, Nilofar; Fahimnia, Fateme; Allahbakhshian Farsani, Leili

2018-01-01

Background: Health information-seeking behavior is a key concept in the empowerment of women with breast cancer after mastectomy for self-care management. Thus, a real understanding of their information needs and their information-seeking behavior may open up new opportunities for their postsurgery cares. The current research was conducted to identify the information needs and information-seeking motives of women with breast cancer after mastectomy. Materials and Methods: This is an applied qualitative research. Samples included 17 women with breast cancer after mastectomy selected from two hospitals of Shahid Mohammadi and Persian Gulf and Omid Central Chemotherapy in Bandar Abbas. Data were collected using semi-structured interview on winter 2014 and analyzed using qualitative content analysis method. Results: Three basic contents were extracted including information needs related to mental health, physical health related to disease and personal daily activities along with their subcategories, and representing common experience and perception of mastectomized women seeking for health information. Furthermore, hope, self-esteem, return to life, and available social support resources were expressed as the main information-seeking motives. Conclusion: Considering research findings, mastectomized women need to receive information in wide range of health and thus pursue purposeful behavior. Hence, it is necessary that required actions and measures are taken by health-care authorities, especially institutions responsible for women health, to support and meet information needs of the patients considering their information-seeking motives. PMID:29862224

89Zr-Oxine Complex for In Vivo PET Imaging of Labelled Cells and Associated Methods | NCI Technology Transfer Center | TTC

Cancer.gov

The National Cancer Institute seek parties interested in in-licensing and/or collaborative research to develop and commercialize cell labeling, cell tracking, cell trafficking, cell-based therapy, and PET imaging for cancer.

Self-labelling and stigma as predictors of attitudes towards help-seeking among people at risk of psychosis: 1-year follow-up.

PubMed

Xu, Ziyan; Müller, Mario; Heekeren, Karsten; Theodoridou, Anastasia; Dvorsky, Diane; Metzler, Sibylle; Brabban, Alison; Corrigan, Patrick W; Walitza, Susanne; Rössler, Wulf; Rüsch, Nicolas

2016-02-01

Mental health service use is helpful but rare among young people at risk of psychosis. The label and stigma associated with mental illness may affect attitudes towards help-seeking. We examined 67 individuals at risk of psychosis over the course of 1 year. An increase of self-labelling as "mentally ill" predicted more positive attitudes towards psychiatric medication, while increased perceived stigma and the cognitive appraisal of stigma as a stressor predicted poorer attitudes towards psychotherapy after 1 year. Early intervention could improve non-stigmatizing awareness of at-risk mental state and reduce the public stigma associated with at-risk status to facilitate help-seeking.

Meta-synthesis exploring barriers to health seeking behaviour among Malaysian breast cancer patients.

PubMed

Yu, Foo Qing; Murugiah, Muthu Kumar; Khan, Amer Hayat; Mehmood, Tahir

2015-01-01

Barriers to health seeking constitute a challenging issue in the treatment of breast cancer. The current meta- synthesis aimed to explore common barriers to health seeking among Malaysian breast cancer patients. From the systematic search, nine studies were found meeting the inclusion criteria. Data extraction revealed that health behavior towards breast cancer among Malaysia women was influenced by knowledge, psychological, sociocultural and medical system factors. In terms of knowledge, most of the Malaysian patients were observed to have cursory information and the reliance on the information provided by media was limiting. Among psychological factors, stress and sense of denial were some of the common factors leading to delay in treatment seeking. Family member's advice, cultural beliefs towards traditional care were some of the common sociocultural factors hindering immediate access to advanced medical diagnosis and care. Lastly, the delay in referral was one of the most common health system-related problems highlighted in most of the studies. In conclusion, there is an immediate need to improve the knowledge and understanding of Malaysian women towards breast cancer. Mass media should liaise with the cancer specialists to disseminate accurate and up-to-date information for the readers and audience, helping in modification of cultural beliefs that hinder timing health seeking. However, such intervention will not improve or rectify the health system related barriers to treatment seeking. Therefore, there is an immediate need for resource adjustment and training programs among health professional to improve their competency and professionalism required to develop an efficient health system.

Message on a bottle: are alcohol warning labels about cancer appropriate?

PubMed

Miller, Emma R; Ramsey, Imogen J; Baratiny, Genevieve Y; Olver, Ian N

2016-02-11

Although most Australians are unaware of the risk, there is strong evidence for a direct link between alcohol consumption and many types of cancer. Warning labels on alcohol products have been proposed as a cost-effective strategy to inform the community of this health risk. We aimed to identify how Australians might respond to such an approach. We conducted a national online survey canvassing responses to four separate cancer warning messages on labels. The graphically presented messages were informed by qualitative data from a series of focus groups among self-identified 'light-to-moderate' drinkers. For each label, participants were asked their level of agreement with impact statements about raising awareness, prompting conversation, influencing drinking behaviour and educating others about cancer risk. We analysed responses according to demographic and other factors, including self-reported drinking behaviour (using the 3-item Alcohol Use Disorder Test - AUDIT-C - scores). Approximately 1600 participants completed the survey, which was open to all Australian adults over a period of 1 month in 2014. Overall, the labels were well received, with the majority (>70 %) agreeing all labels could raise awareness and prompt conversations about the cancer risk associated with alcohol. Around 50 % or less agreed that the labels could influence drinking behaviour, but larger proportions agreed that the labels would prompt them to discuss the issue with family and friends. Although sex, AUDIT-C score and age were significantly associated with agreement on bivariate analysis, multivariate analyses demonstrated that being inclined to act upon warning label recommendations in general was the most important predictor of agreement with all of the impact statements. Having a low AUDIT-C score also predicted agreement that the labels might prompt behaviour change in friends. The findings suggest that providing detailed warnings about cancer risk on alcohol products is a viable

Help seeking for cancer ‘alarm’ symptoms: a qualitative interview study of primary care patients in the UK

PubMed Central

Whitaker, Katriina L; Macleod, Una; Winstanley, Kelly; Scott, Suzanne E; Wardle, Jane

2015-01-01

Background Delay in help seeking for cancer ‘alarm’ symptoms has been identified as a contributor to delayed diagnosis. Aim To understand people’s help-seeking decision making for cancer alarm symptoms, without imposing a cancer context. Design and setting Community-based, qualitative interview study in the UK, using purposive sampling by sex, socioeconomic status, and prior help seeking, with framework analysis of transcripts. Method Interviewees (n = 48) were recruited from a community-based sample (n = 1724) of adults aged ≥50 years who completed a health survey that included a list of symptoms. Cancer was not mentioned. Participants reporting any of 10 cancer alarm symptoms (n = 915) and who had consented to contact (n = 482) formed the potential pool from which people were invited to an interview focusing on their symptom experiences. Results Reasons for help seeking included symptom persistence, social influence, awareness/fear of a link with cancer, and ‘just instinct’. Perceiving the symptom as trivial or ‘normal’ was a deterrent, as was stoicism, adopting self-management strategies, and fear of investigations. Negative attitudes to help seeking were common. Participants did not want to be seen as making a fuss, did not want to waste the doctor’s time, and were sometimes not confident that the GP could help. Conclusion Decision making about cancer alarm symptoms was complex. Recognition of cancer risk almost always motivated help seeking (more so than the fear of cancer being a deterrent), assisted by recent public-awareness campaigns. As well as symptom persistence motivating help seeking, it could also have the reverse effect. Negative attitudes to help seeking were significant deterrents. PMID:25624313

Potential Spillover Educational Effects Of Cancer-Related Direct-To-Consumer Advertising On Cancer Patients’ Increased Information Seeking Behaviors: Results From A Cohort Study

PubMed Central

Tan, Andy SL

2014-01-01

Spillover effects of exposure to direct-to-consumer advertising (DTCA) of cancer treatments on patients’ general inquiry about their treatments and managing their illness are not well understood. This study examines the effects of cancer patients’ exposure to cancer-related DTCA on subsequent health information seeking behaviors from clinician and non-clinician sources (lay media and interpersonal contacts). Using a longitudinal survey design over three years, data was collected from cancer survivors diagnosed with colorectal, breast, or prostate cancer who were randomly sampled from the Pennsylvania Cancer Registry. Study outcome measures include patients’ information engagement with their clinicians and information seeking from non-medical sources about cancer treatment and quality of life issues, measured in the second survey. The predictor variable is the frequency of exposure to cancer-related DTCA since diagnosis, measured at the round 1 survey. The analyses utilized lagged weighted multivariate regressions and adjusted for round 1 levels of patient-clinician engagement, information seeking from non-medical sources, and confounders. Exposure to cancer-related DTCA is associated with increased levels of subsequent patient-clinician information engagement (B=.023, 95%CI=.005 to .040, p=.012), controlling for confounders. In comparison, exposure to DTCA is marginally significant in predicting health information seeking from non-clinician sources (B=.009, 95%CI=−.001 to .018, p=.067). Cancer-related DTCA has potentially beneficial spillover effects on health information seeking behaviors among cancer patients. Exposure to DTCA predicts (a little) more patient engagement with their physicians. PMID:24254248

Potential spillover educational effects of cancer-related direct-to-consumer advertising on cancer patients' increased information seeking behaviors: results from a cohort study.

PubMed

Tan, Andy S L

2014-06-01

Spillover effects of exposure to direct-to-consumer advertising (DTCA) of cancer treatments on patients' general inquiry about their treatments and managing their illness are not well understood. This study examines the effects of cancer patients' exposure to cancer-related DTCA on subsequent health information seeking behaviors from clinician and non-clinician sources (lay media and interpersonal contacts). Using a longitudinal survey design over 3 years, data was collected from cancer survivors diagnosed with colorectal, breast, or prostate cancer who were randomly sampled from the Pennsylvania Cancer Registry. Study outcome measures include patients' information engagement with their clinicians and information seeking from non-medical sources about cancer treatment and quality of life issues, measured in the second survey. The predictor variable is the frequency of exposure to cancer-related DTCA since diagnosis, measured at the round 1 survey. The analyses utilized lagged-weighted multivariate regressions and adjusted for round 1 levels of patient-clinician engagement, information seeking from nonmedical sources, and confounders. Exposure to cancer-related DTCA is associated with increased levels of subsequent patient-clinician information engagement (B = .023, 95% CI = .005-.040, p = .012), controlling for confounders. In comparison, exposure to DTCA is marginally significant in predicting health information seeking from non-clinician sources (B = .009, 95% CI = -.001-.018, p = .067). Cancer-related DTCA has potentially beneficial spillover effects on health information seeking behaviors among cancer patients. Exposure to DTCA predicts (a little) more patient engagement with their physicians.

Health-Related Information-Seeking Behaviors and Preferences Among Mexican Patients with Cancer.

PubMed

Soto-Perez-de-Celis, Enrique; Perez-Montessoro, Viridiana; Rojo-Castillo, Patricia; Chavarri-Guerra, Yanin

2018-06-01

Understanding the preferred sources of health-related information among patients with cancer is essential for designing successful cancer education and prevention strategies. However, little is known about health-related information-seeking practices among patients living in low- and middle-income countries. We studied the preferred sources of health-related information among Mexican patients with cancer and explored which factors influence these choices. The health-related information-seeking practices among patients with cancer treated at a public hospital in Mexico City were evaluated using questions from the Spanish Version of the Health Information National Trends Survey. The characteristics of patients who sought health-related information, and of those who chose the internet as their preferred source of information, were analyzed. Fisher's exact test and logistic regression were used for statistical analyses. One hundred forty-eight patients answered the survey (median age 60 years, 70% female), of which 88 (59%) had sought for health-related information. On multivariate analysis, the only characteristic associated with lower odds of seeking health-related information was increasing age (OR 0.93, 95% CI 0.90-0.97). Sixty-one respondents (69%) listed the internet as their preferred source of health-related information. On multivariate analysis, only being of the female gender (OR 4.9, 95% CI 1.3-18.3) was related with higher odds of preferring other sources of information over the internet. Among Mexican patients with cancer, the Internet is the most widely used information source. Older age was the characteristic most strongly associated with not seeking health-related information, while being female was strongly associated with preferring other sources of information over the Internet.

Does the number of cancer patients’ close social ties affect cancer-related information seeking through communication efficacy? Testing a mediation model

PubMed Central

Lewis, Nehama; Martinez, Lourdes S.

2014-01-01

This study addresses the question of whether having a broad social network of close friends equips cancer patients with increased efficacy to engage in communication about their cancer, which then leads to an increased likelihood of patients’ actively seeking cancer-related information. Guided by the theory of motivated information management (TMIM: Afifi & Weiner, 2006), the study also tests whether the effect of the number of close social ties on information seeking is mediated, in part, by communication efficacy. Results are based on data collected from a randomly drawn sample from the Pennsylvania Cancer Registry of 2,013 cancer patients who completed mail surveys in the Fall of 2006. Results are consistent with a cross-sectional mediation effect in which the number of close social ties in one’s social network is positively associated with communication efficacy (b = .17, p = .001), which, in turn, is positively associated with cancer-related information seeking (b = .13, p < .001). PMID:24673194

Information-seeking experiences and decision-making roles of Japanese women with breast cancer.

PubMed

Nakashima, Mitsuyo; Kuroki, Syoji; Shinkoda, Harumi; Suetsugu, Yoshiko; Shimada, Kazuo; Kaku, Tsunehisa

2012-06-01

To investigate the information-seeking experiences and decision-making roles of Japanese women with breast cancer, to examine the relationship between information-seeking experiences and decision-making roles, and to explore the factors that influenced taking a more active role than the preferred role during the treatment decision-making process. In a cross-sectional study, women with breast cancer were retrospectively administered the Control Preferences Scale and the Information-Seeking Experience Scale. The Chi-Square test was used to compare differences among individual variables in decision-making roles and information-seeking experiences. Logistic regression analysis was used to explore the factors that influenced taking a more active role than the preferred role. One hundred and four patients with breast cancer participated in the investigation. Eighty-five patients (78%) perceived themselves as having knowledge of breast cancer and most patients (92%) sought information on breast cancer. The preferred roles in decision-making that they reported having before treatment were 18% active, 69% collaborative and 13% passive. The actual roles they perceived having experienced were 27% active, 43% collaborative and 30% passive. Although there was concordance of preferred and actual role for only 59% of the women, most patients reported that they were satisfied with their decision-making. Many women with breast cancer reported negative experiences with information seeking, including wanting more information (49%), expending a lot of effort to obtain the information needed (53%), not having enough time to obtain needed information (55%), frustration during the search for information (44%), concerns about the quality of the information (45%) and difficulty understanding the information received (49%). This study revealed that having a more active actual role than the initial preferred role was associated with emotional expression to the physician, having undergone

Tumor-Initiating Label-Retaining Cancer Cells in Human Gastrointestinal Cancers Undergo Asymmetric Cell Division

PubMed Central

Xin, Hong-Wu; Hari, Danielle M.; Mullinax, John E.; Ambe, Chenwi M.; Koizumi, Tomotake; Ray, Satyajit; Anderson, Andrew J.; Wiegand, Gordon W.; Garfield, Susan H.; Thorgeirsson, Snorri S.; Avital, Itzhak

2012-01-01

Label-retaining cells (LRCs) have been proposed to represent adult tissue stem cells. LRCs are hypothesized to result from either slow cycling or asymmetric cell division (ACD). However, the stem cell nature and whether LRC undergo ACD remain controversial. Here, we demonstrate label-retaining cancer cells (LRCCs) in several gastrointestinal (GI) cancers including fresh surgical specimens. Using a novel method for isolation of live LRCC, we demonstrate that a subpopulation of LRCC is actively dividing and exhibits stem cells and pluripotency gene expression profiles. Using real-time confocal microscopic cinematography, we show live LRCC undergoing asymmetric nonrandom chromosomal cosegregation LRC division. Importantly, LRCCs have greater tumor-initiating capacity than non-LRCCs. Based on our data and that cancers develop in tissues that harbor normal-LRC, we propose that LRCC might represent a novel population of GI stem-like cancer cells. LRCC may provide novel mechanistic insights into the biology of cancer and regenerative medicine and present novel targets for cancer treatment. PMID:22331764

Does the organizational structure of health care systems influence care-seeking decisions? A qualitative analysis of Danish cancer patients' reflections on care-seeking.

PubMed

Andersen, Rikke Sand; Vedsted, Peter; Olesen, Frede; Bro, Flemming; Søndergaard, Jens

2011-09-01

The absence of a more significant improvement in cancer survival in countries such as the UK and Denmark may be partly rooted in delayed care-seeking among cancer patients. Past research on patient delay has mainly focused on patient characteristics (e.g. sociodemographic and psychological factors and symptom recognition) as causes of delayed care-seeking, while few studies have examined how the organizational structure of health care systems may influence patients' reflections on seeking care. The aim of this study was to explore this relationship. The analysis presented is based on semi-structured interviews with 30 cancer patients and their families. The article raises two hypotheses on the relationship between structural elements of a health care system and people's reflections on seeking health care: (1) Gatekeeping introduces an asymmetrical relationship between the patient and the GP which potentially results in self-restricting care-seeking, (2) Continuity in the doctor-patient relationship may negatively influence patient reflections on access to health care, as the focus shifts from the medical issues of the consultation to reflections on how to properly interact with the GP and the system in which she/he is situated. It is concluded that these hypotheses form a sound basis for further primary care research on how the organizational structure of health care systems influences patient reflections on access to medical care.

Does the organizational structure of health care systems influence care-seeking decisions? A qualitative analysis of Danish cancer patients' reflections on care-seeking

PubMed Central

Andersen, Rikke Sand; Vedsted, Peter; Olesen, Frede; Bro, Flemming; Søndergaard, Jens

2011-01-01

Objective The absence of a more significant improvement in cancer survival in countries such as the UK and Denmark may be partly rooted in delayed care-seeking among cancer patients. Past research on patient delay has mainly focused on patient characteristics (e.g. sociodemographic and psychological factors and symptom recognition) as causes of delayed care-seeking, while few studies have examined how the organizational structure of health care systems may influence patients’ reflections on seeking care. The aim of this study was to explore this relationship. Design The analysis presented is based on semi-structured interviews with 30 cancer patients and their families. Results The article raises two hypotheses on the relationship between structural elements of a health care system and people's reflections on seeking health care: (1) Gatekeeping introduces an asymmetrical relationship between the patient and the GP which potentially results in self-restricting care-seeking, (2) Continuity in the doctor–patient relationship may negatively influence patient reflections on access to health care, as the focus shifts from the medical issues of the consultation to reflections on how to properly interact with the GP and the system in which she/he is situated. Conclusion It is concluded that these hypotheses form a sound basis for further primary care research on how the organizational structure of health care systems influences patient reflections on access to medical care. PMID:21861597

Prevalence and correlates of health information-seeking among Hispanic and non-Hispanic childhood cancer survivors.

PubMed

Miller, Kimberly A; Ramirez, Cynthia N; Wojcik, Katherine Y; Ritt-Olson, Anamara; Baezconde-Garbanati, Lourdes; Thomas, Stefanie M; Freyer, David R; Hamilton, Ann S; Milam, Joel E

2018-04-01

Childhood cancer survivors (CCS) report high unmet information needs. This study examined the prevalence of cancer-related information-seeking among CCS and investigated associations between information-seeking behavior and positive health outcomes such as follow-up care. Participants (n = 193) were young adult CCS diagnosed with cancer in Los Angeles County, 54% of Hispanic ethnicity, with a mean age of 19.87, in remission, and at least 2 years from completion of treatment. CCS were asked where they accessed health information related to their cancer with response options categorized into four information domains: hospital resources, social media, other survivors, and family members. Multivariable logistic regression was used to assess variables associated with each information domain, including sociodemographics, post-traumatic growth (i.e., reporting positive changes since cancer diagnosis), health care engagement, level of education, and health insurance status. Hospital resources were the most commonly accessed information domain (65.3%), and CCS of Hispanic ethnicity (vs. non-Hispanic) were more likely to access this source. Seeking information from other cancer survivors was positively associated with follow-up care and post-traumatic growth. Hispanic CCS were marginally less likely to seek information from other survivors and family than non-Hispanics. While CCS obtain information from a variety of sources, hospital resources are an important site for access, particularly for individuals of Hispanic ethnicity. Information sharing between survivors may promote positive health care engagement; however, Hispanic CCS may be less likely to utilize this resource and may face barriers in information sharing with other cancer survivors.

Patterns of Internet-based health information seeking in adult survivors of childhood cancer.

PubMed

Claridy, Mechelle D; Hudson, Melissa M; Caplan, Lee; Mitby, Pauline A; Leisenring, Wendy; Smith, Selina A; Robison, Leslie L; Mertens, Ann C

2018-05-01

To assess where, when, and why survivors of childhood cancer seek health information. Data from the Childhood Cancer Survivor Study (CCSS) cohort (n = 1386) and Health Information National Trends Survey (n = 2385) were analyzed to determine the health information seeking strategies of childhood cancer survivors. Descriptive frequencies, χ 2 analyses, t-tests, and multivariable logistic regression models were used. To seek health-related information for themselves, 54% (n = 742) of the childhood survivors reported using the Internet in the past 12 months, compared to 45% of the general population (adjusted OR: 2.76; 95% CI: 2.40-3.19). Childhood cancer survivors who used the Internet for health information were more likely to be female, between the ages of 18-34, have received some college education or be a college graduate, and report being in poor health. Although survivors were less likely than the general population to trust health information from the Internet (P < 0.01), they indicated that they would like a secure website that uses information from their medical records to provide individualized health-related information. The use of the Internet to access health information among the childhood cancer survivors was over 50%. Information on late effects was a high priority for most survivors, as was their interest in websites related to late effects and a website on patient information tailored to personal situations. Identification of factors associated with searching the Internet for cancer information may provide direction for development of effective cancer communication interventions for this at-risk population. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

A Time Series Analysis of Cancer-Related Information Seeking: Hints From the Health Information National Trends Survey (HINTS) 2003-2014.

PubMed

Huerta, Timothy R; Walker, Daniel M; Johnson, Tyler; Ford, Eric W

2016-09-01

Recent technological changes, such as the growth of the Internet, have made cancer information widely available. However, it remains unknown whether changes in access have resulted in concomitant changes in information seeking behavior. Previous work explored the cancer information seeking behaviors of the general population using the 2003 Health Information National Trends Survey (HINTS). This article aims to reproduce, replicate, and extend that existing analysis using the original dataset and five additional iterations of HINTS (2007, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014). This approach builds on the earlier work by quantifying the magnitude of change in information seeking behaviors. Bivariate comparison of the 2003 and 2014 data revealed very similar results; however, the multivariate model including all years of data indicated differences between the original and extended models: individuals age 65 and older were no longer less likely to seek cancer information than the 18-35 reference population, and Hispanics were also no longer less likely to be cancer information seekers. The results of our analysis indicate an overall shift in cancer information seeking behaviors and also illuminate the impact of increased Internet usage over the past decade, suggesting specific demographic groups that may benefit from cancer information seeking encouragement.

Why Breast Cancer Patients Seek Traditional Healers

PubMed Central

Muhamad, Mazanah; Merriam, Sharan; Suhami, Norhasmilia

2012-01-01

Traditional healing is a common practice in low and middle income countries such as Malaysia. Eighty percent of Malaysians consult traditional healers or “bomoh” at some time in their life for health-related issues. The purpose of our study was to explore why breast cancer patients visit traditional healers. This is a qualitative study utilizing in-depth interviews with 11 cancer survivors who sought both traditional and Western medicine. The findings revealed the following reasons for which patients seek traditional healers: (1) recommendation from family and friends, (2) sanction from family, (3) perceived benefit and compatibility, (4) healer credibility, and (5) reservation with Western medicine and system delay. These factors work together and are strongly influenced by the Malaysian cultural context. The issue with the Western health system is common in a developing country with limited health facilities. PMID:22295249

Label-free imaging and spectroscopy for early detection of cervical cancer.

PubMed

Jing, Yueyue; Wang, Yulan; Wang, Xinyi; Song, Chuan; Ma, Jiong; Xie, Yonghui; Fei, Yiyan; Zhang, Qinghua; Mi, Lan

2018-05-01

The label-free imaging and spectroscopy method was studied on cervical unstained tissue sections obtained from 36 patients. The native fluorescence spectra of tissues are analyzed by the optical redox ratio (ORR), which is defined as fluorescence intensity ratio between NADH and FAD, and indicates the metabolism change with the cancer development. The ORRs of normal tissues are consistently higher than those of precancer or cancerous tissues. A criterion line of ORR at 5.0 can be used to discriminate cervical precancer/cancer from normal tissues. The sensitivity and specificity of the native fluorescence spectroscopy method for cervical cancer diagnosis are determined as 100% and 91%. Moreover, the native fluorescence spectroscopy study is much more sensitive on the healthy region of cervical precancer/cancer patients compared with the traditional clinical staining method. The results suggest label-free imaging and spectroscopy is a fast, highly sensitive and specific method on the detection of cervical cancer. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Oral Cancer Awareness in Sudan: Assessment of Knowledge, Attitude and Treatment Seeking Behavior

PubMed

Eltayeb, Amel S; Satti, Asim; Sulieman, Ahmed M

2017-06-25

Objective: This study was aimed to assess oral cancer awareness among a selected Sudanese population and to evaluate their knowledge and treatment seeking behavior. Methods: A questionnaire- based survey was performed on the general population who attended the oral cancer awareness campaigns carried between 2015 and 2016 in different geographic areas of the Sudan. It was focusing on general awareness of oral cancer, oral cancer risk factors, oral cancer clinical signs/symptoms and treatment seeking behavior. Data were entered by Microsoft excel 2007 and analyzed by SPSS (version 20) using chi square test with P value <0.05. Result: There were 1,370 participants, 634(46.3%) were males and 736(53.7%) were females. The responses of participants revealed that 66.6% have heard about oral cancer and the media was the common source of information (75.7%). Of all participants only 45.3% mentioned that they don’t have enough knowledge on oral cancer. Some participants believe that oral cancer is treatable (66.5%) whilst 30.4% respond by I don’t know. More than 80% of the respondents were aware that smokeless tobacco (toombak) is a risk factor for oral cancer. While 60.1% were aware of alcohol as a risk factor and 66.2% were aware of smoking as a risk factor. When qui square test was done, smokers were found to be the least to seek help in comparison to non-smokers. The same result was obtained from alcohol consumers but it was different in snuff dippers, as the latter response was similar to that of the non-snuff dippers. Conclusion: This study revealed a level of around 66.6% of oral cancer awareness in different states of Sudan. Counseling sessions should be conducted when necessary with further investigations to find out the reasons behind the continued practice of high risk habits, despite knowledge. Creative Commons Attribution License

Barriers to Seeking Help for Skin Cancer Detection in Rural Australia

PubMed Central

Fennell, Kate M.; Martin, Kimberley; Wilson, Carlene J.; Trenerry, Camilla; Sharplin, Greg; Dollman, James

2017-01-01

This study explores rural South Australians’ barriers to help-seeking for skin cancer detection. A total of 201 randomly selected rural adults (18–94 years, 66% female) were presented with a skin-cancer-related scenario via telephone and were asked the extent to which various barriers would impede their help-seeking, based on an amended version of the Barriers to Help-Seeking Scale. Older (≥63 years) and less educated participants endorsed barriers more strongly than their younger, more educated counterparts in the following domains; “Concrete barriers and distrust of caregivers”, “Emotional control”, “Minimising problem and Normalisation”, “Need for control and self-reliance” (every domain other than “Privacy”). Socioeconomic disadvantage, gender, and farmer status did not predict stronger overall barriers, but some gender and occupation-related differences were detected at the item level. Farmers were also more likely to endorse the “Minimising problem and normalization” domain than their non-farmer working rural counterparts. Widely endorsed barriers included the tendency to minimise the problem, a desire to remain in control/not be influenced by others, reluctance to show emotion or complain, and having concerns about privacy or waiting times. PMID:28208803

Is cancer survival associated with cancer symptom awareness and barriers to seeking medical help in England? An ecological study.

PubMed

Niksic, Maja; Rachet, Bernard; Duffy, Stephen W; Quaresma, Manuela; Møller, Henrik; Forbes, Lindsay Jl

2016-09-27

Campaigns aimed at raising cancer awareness and encouraging early presentation have been implemented in England. However, little is known about whether people with low cancer awareness and increased barriers to seeking medical help have worse cancer survival, and whether there is a geographical variation in cancer awareness and barriers in England. From population-based surveys (n=35 308), using the Cancer Research UK Cancer Awareness Measure, we calculated the age- and sex-standardised symptom awareness and barriers scores for 52 primary care trusts (PCTs). These measures were evaluated in relation to the sex-, age-, and type of cancer-standardised cancer survival index of the corresponding PCT, from the National Cancer Registry, using linear regression. Breast, lung, and bowel cancer survival were analysed separately. Cancer symptom awareness and barriers scores varied greatly between geographical regions in England, with the worst scores observed in socioeconomically deprived parts of East London. Low cancer awareness score was associated with poor cancer survival at PCT level (estimated slope=1.56, 95% CI: 0.56; 2.57). The barriers score was not associated with overall cancer survival, but it was associated with breast cancer survival (estimated slope=-0.66, 95% CI: -1.20; -0.11). Specific barriers, such as embarrassment and difficulties in arranging transport to the doctor's surgery, were associated with worse breast cancer survival. Cancer symptom awareness and cancer survival are associated. Campaigns should focus on improving awareness about cancer symptoms, especially in socioeconomically deprived areas. Efforts should be made to alleviate barriers to seeking medical help in women with symptoms of breast cancer.

Factors related to cancer information scanning and seeking behavior among high school students in Korea.

PubMed

Kye, Su Yeon; Yun, E Hwa; Park, Keeho

2012-01-01

This paper aimed to determine the relationship between cancer information scanning and seeking experience of adolescents and cancer preventive behavior, perceived cancer risk, and levels of cancer- related knowledge. The study sample comprised 1,000 second-year students from 6 high schools: the general and vocational school systems were each represented by 1 boys', 1 girls', and 1 coeducational high school. In July 2011, trained researchers visited each classroom, explained the purpose of the study, distributed questionnaires to the students who agreed to participate, instructed them to complete the survey by self-reporting, and collected the completed questionnaires. The students who attended general high schools (as compared with vocational high schools), earned higher grades, consumed more vegetables, had a higher perceived cancer risk, and answered the cancer-related questions more correctly and had more cancer information scanning and seeking experience. These results reinforce the importance of cancer prevention health education. Furthermore, the results may help in preparing a strategy that enables people to acquire accurate cancer-related information easily and quickly.

Patterns of Information-Seeking for Cancer on the Internet: An Analysis of Real World Data

PubMed Central

Ofran, Yishai; Paltiel, Ora; Pelleg, Dan; Rowe, Jacob M.; Yom-Tov, Elad

2012-01-01

Although traditionally the primary information sources for cancer patients have been the treating medical team, patients and their relatives increasingly turn to the Internet, though this source may be misleading and confusing. We assess Internet searching patterns to understand the information needs of cancer patients and their acquaintances, as well as to discern their underlying psychological states. We screened 232,681 anonymous users who initiated cancer-specific queries on the Yahoo Web search engine over three months, and selected for study users with high levels of interest in this topic. Searches were partitioned by expected survival for the disease being searched. We compared the search patterns of anonymous users and their contacts. Users seeking information on aggressive malignancies exhibited shorter search periods, focusing on disease- and treatment-related information. Users seeking knowledge regarding more indolent tumors searched for longer periods, alternated between different subjects, and demonstrated a high interest in topics such as support groups. Acquaintances searched for longer periods than the proband user when seeking information on aggressive (compared to indolent) cancers. Information needs can be modeled as transitioning between five discrete states, each with a unique signature representing the type of information of interest to the user. Thus, early phases of information-seeking for cancer follow a specific dynamic pattern. Areas of interest are disease dependent and vary between probands and their contacts. These patterns can be used by physicians and medical Web site authors to tailor information to the needs of patients and family members. PMID:23029317

Cancer information seeking in the digital age: effects of Angelina Jolie's prophylactic mastectomy announcement.

PubMed

Noar, Seth M; Althouse, Benjamin M; Ayers, John W; Francis, Diane B; Ribisl, Kurt M

2015-01-01

. This study used digital surveillance to examine the impact of Angelina Jolie's prophylactic mastectomy announcement on cancer information seeking. . We analyzed 4 categories of breast cancer-related Internet search queries from 2010 to 2013 in the United States. . Compared with the preceding 6 weeks, general information queries were 112% (95% confidence interval [CI], 79-146) higher the day of the announcement and remained 35% (95% CI, 22-49) higher over the week after the editorial. Risk assessment queries were 165% (95% CI, 110-222) higher the day of the announcement and 52% (95% CI, 31-75) higher across the week. Genetics and treatment queries showed little volume before the announcement but increased 2154% (95% CI, 1550-7076) and 9900% (95% CI, 3196-1,064,000) the day of, respectively, and remained higher across the week (812% [95% CI, 402-3913] and 2625% [95% CI, 551-317,000]). All query categories returned to normal volumes by the beginning of the second week. . Jolie's unique announcement spurred significant information seeking about breast cancer genetic testing and treatment procedures, although the surge in queries returned to preannouncement levels after 1 week. Future research should apply digital methods to advance our understanding of cancer information seeking in the digital age. © The Author(s) 2014.

Is cancer survival associated with cancer symptom awareness and barriers to seeking medical help in England? An ecological study

PubMed Central

Niksic, Maja; Rachet, Bernard; Duffy, Stephen W; Quaresma, Manuela; Møller, Henrik; Forbes, Lindsay JL

2016-01-01

Background: Campaigns aimed at raising cancer awareness and encouraging early presentation have been implemented in England. However, little is known about whether people with low cancer awareness and increased barriers to seeking medical help have worse cancer survival, and whether there is a geographical variation in cancer awareness and barriers in England. Methods: From population-based surveys (n=35 308), using the Cancer Research UK Cancer Awareness Measure, we calculated the age- and sex-standardised symptom awareness and barriers scores for 52 primary care trusts (PCTs). These measures were evaluated in relation to the sex-, age-, and type of cancer-standardised cancer survival index of the corresponding PCT, from the National Cancer Registry, using linear regression. Breast, lung, and bowel cancer survival were analysed separately. Results: Cancer symptom awareness and barriers scores varied greatly between geographical regions in England, with the worst scores observed in socioeconomically deprived parts of East London. Low cancer awareness score was associated with poor cancer survival at PCT level (estimated slope=1.56, 95% CI: 0.56; 2.57). The barriers score was not associated with overall cancer survival, but it was associated with breast cancer survival (estimated slope=−0.66, 95% CI: −1.20; −0.11). Specific barriers, such as embarrassment and difficulties in arranging transport to the doctor's surgery, were associated with worse breast cancer survival. Conclusions: Cancer symptom awareness and cancer survival are associated. Campaigns should focus on improving awareness about cancer symptoms, especially in socioeconomically deprived areas. Efforts should be made to alleviate barriers to seeking medical help in women with symptoms of breast cancer. PMID:27537388

Nutrition Label Numeracy: Disparities and Association with Health Behaviors.

PubMed

Nogueira, Leticia M; Thai, Chan L; Nelson, Wendy; Oh, April

2016-07-01

We investigated the relative importance of nutrition label numeracy and sociodemographic characteristics in predicting health behaviors. Secondary data analysis of data collected from the National Cancer Institute's Health Information National Trends Survey (HINTS 4, cycle 3, 2013). Weighted age-adjusted ordinal logistical regression was used to evaluate sociodemographic characteristics among individuals with different nutrition label numeracy levels. Dominance analysis was conducted to rank nutrition label numeracy and sociodemographic characteristics in order of importance as predictors of health behavior. Lower levels of nutrition label numeracy were associated with older age, black and Hispanic race/ethnicity, unemployment, being born outside of the United States, lower English proficiency, lower education achievement, lower income, and living in the South. Nutrition label numeracy and income were the most important predictors of health behaviors, accounting for about 50% of the variance in fruit consumption and level of effort, frustration, concern, and confusion experienced while seeking health information. Nutrition label numeracy differed significantly among sociodemographic groups and was a strong predictor of health behaviors. When developing health interventions targeting dietary behaviors, disparities in nutrition label numeracy comprehension should be considered.

"Money talks. And the society we live in is very harsh." Cancer Care-Seeking from the Perspectives of Guam's Chamorros.

PubMed

Moss, John

2013-09-01

Cancer mortality is rising at an astonishing rate on the island of Guam compared to the US. The indigenous people of Guam, the Chamorro, suffer from the highest rates of cancer death compared to other ethnic groups. To better understand some of the factors underlying these mortality rates, in-depth interviews were conducted with 11 self-identified Chamorros of Guam to explore their experiences seeking screening and treatment for cancer. Respondent's care-seeking was significantly influenced by their family's wealth and their health insurance coverage. Informants who did not seek regular cancer screening reported financial barriers along with a lack of awareness of cancer screening. Immediate family members facilitated increased access to cancer care, but extended family members sometimes caused increased stress for participants with cancer. Public awareness campaigns promoting cancer screening need to be tied to structural changes to the health care system to make cancer care financially accessible for care-seekers.

Quality of life and mental health among women with ovarian cancer: examining the role of emotional and instrumental social support seeking.

PubMed

Hill, Erin M

2016-07-01

The purpose of the present study was to examine the role of emotional and instrumental social support seeking in the quality of life (QOL) and mental health of women with ovarian cancer. Participants were recruited through the Pennsylvania Cancer Registry, and one hundred women took part in a mail questionnaire that collected information on their demographics, medical status, social support seeking, QOL and mental health including anxiety, depression and stress. Hierarchical linear regression analyses were conducted to assess the influence of emotional and instrumental social support seeking on QOL and mental health. After controlling for remission status, greater emotional social support seeking was predictive of higher overall QOL, social/family QOL, functional QOL and lower depression scores. Instrumental social support seeking was not significant in the models. The results illustrate that social support seeking as a coping mechanism is an important consideration in the QOL and mental health of women with ovarian cancer. Future studies should examine the psychological and behavioral mediators of the relationship to further understand the QOL and mental health of women with ovarian cancer.

School-based brief psycho-educational intervention to raise adolescent cancer awareness and address barriers to medical help-seeking about cancer: a cluster randomised controlled trial.

PubMed

Hubbard, Gill; Stoddart, Iona; Forbat, Liz; Neal, Richard D; O'Carroll, Ronan E; Haw, Sally; Rauchhaus, Petra; Kyle, Richard G

2016-07-01

Raising cancer awareness and addressing barriers to help-seeking may improve early diagnosis. The aim was to assess whether a psycho-educational intervention increased adolescents' cancer awareness and addressed help-seeking barriers. This was a cluster randomised controlled trial involving 2173 adolescents in 20 schools. The intervention was a 50-min presentation delivered by a member of Teenage Cancer Trust's (UK charity) education team. Schools were stratified by deprivation and roll size and randomly allocated to intervention/control conditions within these strata. Outcome measures were the number of cancer warning signs and cancer risk factors recognised, help-seeking barriers endorsed and cancer communication. Communication self-efficacy and intervention fidelity were also assessed. Regression models showed significant differences in the number of cancer warning signs and risk factors recognised between intervention and control groups. In intervention schools, the greatest increases in recognition of cancer warning signs at 6-month follow-up were for unexplained weight loss (from 44.2% to 62.0%) and change in the appearance of a mole (from 46.3% to 70.7%), up by 17.8% and 24.4%, respectively. Greatest increases in recognition of cancer risk factors were for getting sunburnt more than once as a child (from 41.0% to 57.6%) and being overweight (from 42.7% to 55.5%), up by 16.6% and 12.8%, respectively. Regression models showed that adolescents in intervention schools were 2.7 times more likely to discuss cancer at 2-week follow-up compared with the control group. No differences in endorsement of barriers to help-seeking were observed. School-based brief psycho-educational interventions are easy to deliver, require little resource and improve cancer awareness. © 2015 The Authors. Psycho-Oncology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd. © 2015 The Authors. Psycho-Oncology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

School‐based brief psycho‐educational intervention to raise adolescent cancer awareness and address barriers to medical help‐seeking about cancer: a cluster randomised controlled trial

PubMed Central

Stoddart, Iona; Forbat, Liz; Neal, Richard D.; O'Carroll, Ronan E.; Haw, Sally; Rauchhaus, Petra; Kyle, Richard G.

2015-01-01

Abstract Objectives Raising cancer awareness and addressing barriers to help‐seeking may improve early diagnosis. The aim was to assess whether a psycho‐educational intervention increased adolescents' cancer awareness and addressed help‐seeking barriers. Methods This was a cluster randomised controlled trial involving 2173 adolescents in 20 schools. The intervention was a 50‐min presentation delivered by a member of Teenage Cancer Trust's (UK charity) education team. Schools were stratified by deprivation and roll size and randomly allocated to intervention/control conditions within these strata. Outcome measures were the number of cancer warning signs and cancer risk factors recognised, help‐seeking barriers endorsed and cancer communication. Communication self‐efficacy and intervention fidelity were also assessed. Results Regression models showed significant differences in the number of cancer warning signs and risk factors recognised between intervention and control groups. In intervention schools, the greatest increases in recognition of cancer warning signs at 6‐month follow‐up were for unexplained weight loss (from 44.2% to 62.0%) and change in the appearance of a mole (from 46.3% to 70.7%), up by 17.8% and 24.4%, respectively. Greatest increases in recognition of cancer risk factors were for getting sunburnt more than once as a child (from 41.0% to 57.6%) and being overweight (from 42.7% to 55.5%), up by 16.6% and 12.8%, respectively. Regression models showed that adolescents in intervention schools were 2.7 times more likely to discuss cancer at 2‐week follow‐up compared with the control group. No differences in endorsement of barriers to help‐seeking were observed. Conclusions School‐based brief psycho‐educational interventions are easy to deliver, require little resource and improve cancer awareness. © 2015 The Authors. Psycho‐Oncology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd. PMID:26502987

Cancer-Related Information Seeking and Scanning Behavior of Older Vietnamese Immigrants

PubMed Central

Nguyen, Giang T.; Shungu, Nicholas P.; Niederdeppe, Jeff; Barg, Frances K.; Holmes, John H.; Armstrong, Katrina; Hornik, Robert C.

2010-01-01

Information seeking and scanning refers to active pursuit of information and passive exposure, respectively. Cancer (ca) is the leading cause of mortality for Asian Americans, yet little is known about their ca information seeking/scanning behaviors (SSB). We aimed to evaluate ca SSB among older limited English proficient (LEP) Vietnamese immigrants, compared to Whites/African Americans. 104 semi-structured interviews about breast/prostate/colon ca SSB (age 50–70) were conducted in English and Vietnamese, transcribed, and coded for frequency of source use, active/passive nature, depth of recall, and relevance to decisions. Higher SSB was associated with ca screening. In contrast to non-Vietnamese, SSB for Vietnamese was low. Median # of ca screening sources was 2 (vs. 8–9 for non-Vietnamese). They also had less seeking, lower recall, and less decision-making relevance for information on colon ca and all ca combined. Overall, Vietnamese had lower use of electronic, print, and interpersonal sources for ca SSB, but more research is needed to disentangle potential effects of ethnicity and education. This study brings to light striking potential differences between ca SSB of older LEP Vietnamese compared to Whites/African Americans. Knowledge of SSB patterns among linguistically isolated communities is essential for efficient dissemination of cancer information to these at-risk communities. PMID:21104504

Analysis of clinically relevant values of Ki-67 labeling index in Japanese breast cancer patients.

PubMed

Tamaki, Kentaro; Ishida, Takanori; Tamaki, Nobumitsu; Kamada, Yoshihiko; Uehara, Kanou; Miyashita, Minoru; Amari, Masakazu; Tadano-Sato, Akiko; Takahashi, Yayoi; Watanabe, Mika; McNamara, Keely; Ohuchi, Noriaki; Sasano, Hironobu

2014-05-01

It has become important to standardize the methods of Ki-67 evaluation in breast cancer patients, especially those used in the interpretation and scoring of immunoreactivity. Therefore, in this study, we examined the Ki-67 immunoreactivity of breast cancer surgical specimens processed and stained in the same manner in one single Japanese institution by counting nuclear immunoreactivity in the same fashion. We examined 408 Japanese breast cancers with invasive ductal carcinoma and studied the correlation between Ki-67 labeling index and ER/HER2 status and histological grade of breast cancer. We also analyzed overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) of these patients according to individual Ki-67 labeling index. There were statistically significant differences of Ki-67 labeling index between ER positive/HER2 negative and ER positive/HER2 positive, ER negative/HER2 positive or ER negative/HER2 negative, and ER positive/HER2 positive and ER negative/HER2 negative groups (all P < 0.001). There were also statistically significant differences of Ki-67 labeling index among each histological grade (P < 0.001, respectively). As for multivariate analyses, Ki-67 labeling index was strongly associated with OS (HR 39.12, P = 0.031) and DFS (HR 10.85, P = 0.011) in ER positive and HER2 negative breast cancer patients. In addition, a statistically significant difference was noted between classical luminal A group and "20 % luminal A" in DFS (P = 0.039) but not between classical luminal A group and "25 % luminal A" (P = 0.105). A significant positive correlation was detected between Ki-67 labeling index and ER/HER2 status and histological grades of the cases examined in our study. The suggested optimal cutoff point of Ki-67 labeling index is between 20 and 25 % in ER positive and HER2 negative breast cancer patients.

Imaging of Prostate Cancer Using Gallium-68-Labeled Bombesin.

PubMed

Sonni, Ida; Baratto, Lucia; Iagaru, Andrei

2017-04-01

Nuclear medicine can play an important role in evaluating prostate cancer combining anatomical and functional information with hybrid techniques. Various PET radiopharmaceuticals have been used for targeting specific biological markers in prostate cancer. Research is ideally oriented towards the development of radiopharmaceuticals targeting antigens overexpressed in prostate cancer, as opposed to normal prostate tissue. In this regard, gastrin-releasing peptide receptors (GRPR) are excellent candidates. Bombesin analogues targeting the GRPR have been investigated. Gallium-68 ( 68 Ga) is an interesting PET radioisotope due to several advantages, such as availability, ease of radiochemistry, half-life, and costs. The focus of this review is on 68 Ga-labeled bombesin analogues in prostate cancer. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Factors Associated with Use of Interactive Cancer Communication System: An Application of the Comprehensive Model of Information Seeking

PubMed Central

Han, Jeong Yeob; Wise, Meg; Kim, Eunkyung; Pingree, Ray; Hawkins, Robert P.; Pingree, Suzanne; McTavish, Fiona; Gustafson, David H.

2011-01-01

In order to provide insights about cancer patients’ online information seeking behaviors, the present study analyzes individuals’ transaction log data and reports on how demographics, disease-related factors, and psychosocial needs predict patterns of service use within a particular Interactive Cancer Communication System (ICCS). Study sample included 294 recently diagnosed breast cancer patients. Data included pretest survey scores of demographic, disease-related, and psychosocial factors and automatically collected ICCS use data over the 4-month intervention. Statistical analyses correlated pre-test survey scores with subsequent, specific types of ICCS service usage. Patterns of online cancer information seeking differed according to the patients’ characteristics, suggesting that lower income, less educated women and those lacking in information-seeking competence use the computer and online services to the same or a greater degree if those services are made available to them. Results of this study can inform more effective resource development for future eHealth applications. PMID:21760702

Fully convolutional networks with double-label for esophageal cancer image segmentation by self-transfer learning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xue, Di-Xiu; Zhang, Rong; Zhao, Yuan-Yuan; Xu, Jian-Ming; Wang, Ya-Lei

2017-07-01

Cancer recognition is the prerequisite to determine appropriate treatment. This paper focuses on the semantic segmentation task of microvascular morphological types on narrowband images to aid clinical examination of esophageal cancer. The most challenge for semantic segmentation is incomplete-labeling. Our key insight is to build fully convolutional networks (FCNs) with double-label to make pixel-wise predictions. The roi-label indicating ROIs (region of interest) is introduced as extra constraint to guild feature learning. Trained end-to-end, the FCN model with two target jointly optimizes both segmentation of sem-label (semantic label) and segmentation of roi-label within the framework of self-transfer learning based on multi-task learning theory. The learning representation ability of shared convolutional networks for sem-label is improved with support of roi-label via achieving a better understanding of information outside the ROIs. Our best FCN model gives satisfactory segmentation result with mean IU up to 77.8% (pixel accuracy > 90%). The results show that the proposed approach is able to assist clinical diagnosis to a certain extent.

Stage at diagnosis and delay in seeking medical care among women with breast cancer, delhi, India.

PubMed

Pakseresht, Sedigheh; Ingle, Gopal Krishna; Garg, Suneela; Sarafraz, Nahid

2014-12-01

Patients with cancer often delay seeking medical advice in developing countries. It can adversely influence the outcome of disease. The present study was performed to determine the stage at diagnosis and delay in seeking medical care among women with breast cancer in Delhi, India. This was a cross-sectional study based on a census (case series) approach to reach all women (172) diagnosed with primary breast cancer "detected in surgery Out Patient Department (OPD) from January 2007 to December 2009" at Lok Nayak Hospital, Delhi, India. Patients were interviewed using a self-structure questionnaire. Seeking behavior variables were awareness of problem, first consultation, followed physician's advice, detection of problem, system of medicine and gap between knowing the problem and consultation (patient delay). Statistical Analysis was performed using the Microsoft SPSS-pc version 14.0 statistical program. The analytic methods were used (mean, standard deviation, X(2), Fisher's Exact Test, K-S, Kruskal-Wallis) for variables. All statistical tests were performed at a significance level of 5% (P < 0.05). the mean age of women was 46.99 years. 38.4% of women were ≤ 40 years. 61% of women were in stage IV of cancer at the time of diagnosis. The mean duration of gap between knowing the problem and consulting a physician (patients delay) was 10.90 months. There was no significant association between stage of cancer and consultation gap. A significant association was found between the stage of breast cancer and income; women with lower income had a higher stage of breast cancer (P < 005). A significant association was found between ages of women with their delays in consultation. Delay is still prevalent amongst women with breast cancer. It seems necessary to design educating programs for women in both clinical and community settings, about breast cancer and early detection practices.

Adolescent and Young Adult Cancer Survivors' Perspectives on Their Internet Use for Seeking Information on Healthy Eating and Exercise.

PubMed

Mooney, Ryan; Samhouri, Mahasen; Holton, Avery; Devine, Katie A; Kirchhoff, Anne C; Wright, Jennifer; Wu, Yelena P

2017-06-01

To explore adolescent and young adult (AYA) cancer survivors' internet use in seeking healthy lifestyle behavior (HLB) information on diet and exercise. Twenty-five AYA cancer survivors participated in focus groups or interviews. Data were analyzed using qualitative content analysis. Most survivors (92%) sought HLB information from internet sources. Key issues included the following: (1) too much information available, (2) information not meeting survivors' unique needs, and (3) concerns about trustworthiness of information. Although AYA cancer survivors use the internet to seek HLB information, internet resources could be modified to better meet the needs of AYA cancer survivors.

Breast cancer prevention information seeking behavior and interest on cell phone and text use: a cross-sectional study in Malaysia.

PubMed

Akhtari-Zavare, Mehrnoosh; Ghanbari-Baghestan, Abbas; Latiff, Latiffah A; Khaniki, Hadi

2015-01-01

Breast cancer is the most common cancer and the second principal cause of cancer deaths among women worldwide, including Malaysia. This study focused on media choice and attempted to determine the communication channels mostly used and preferred by women in seeking information and knowledge about breast cancer. A cross sectional study was carried out to examine the breast cancer prevention information seeking behavior among 450 students at one private university in Malaysia. The mean age of respondents was 25±4.3 years. Common interpersonal information sources were doctors, friends, and nurses and common channel information sources were television, brochure, and internet. Overall, 89.9% used cell phones, 46.1% had an interest in receiving cell phone breast cancer prevention messages, 73.9% used text messaging, and 36.7% had an interest in receiving text breast cancer prevention messages. Bivariate analysis revealed significant differences among age, eduation, nationality and use of cell phones. Assessment of health information seeking behavior is important for community health educators to target populations for program development.

A recombinant fungal lectin for labeling truncated glycans on human cancer cells.

PubMed

Audfray, Aymeric; Beldjoudi, Mona; Breiman, Adrien; Hurbin, Amandine; Boos, Irene; Unverzagt, Carlo; Bouras, Mourad; Lantuejoul, Sylvie; Coll, Jean-Luc; Varrot, Annabelle; Le Pendu, Jacques; Busser, Benoit; Imberty, Anne

2015-01-01

Cell surface glycoconjugates present alterations of their structures in chronic diseases and distinct oligosaccharide epitopes have been associated with cancer. Among them, truncated glycans present terminal non-reducing β-N-acetylglucosamine (GlcNAc) residues that are rare on healthy tissues. Lectins from unconventional sources such as fungi or algi provide novel markers that bind specifically to such epitopes, but their availability may be challenging. A GlcNAc-binding lectin from the fruiting body of the fungus Psathyrella velutina (PVL) has been produced in good yield in bacterial culture. A strong specificity for terminal GlcNAc residues was evidenced by glycan array. Affinity values obtained by microcalorimetry and surface plasmon resonance demonstrated a micromolar affinity for GlcNAcβ1-3Gal epitopes and for biantennary N-glycans with GlcNAcβ1-2Man capped branches. Crystal structure of PVL complexed with GlcNAcβ1-3Gal established the structural basis of the specificity. Labeling of several types of cancer cells and use of inhibitors of glycan metabolism indicated that rPVL binds to terminal GlcNAc but also to sialic acid (Neu5Ac). Analysis of glycosyltransferase expression confirmed the higher amount of GlcNAc present on cancer cells. rPVL binding is specific to cancer tissue and weak or no labeling is observed for healthy ones, except for stomach glands that present unique αGlcNAc-presenting mucins. In lung, breast and colon carcinomas, a clear delineation could be observed between cancer regions and surrounding healthy tissues. PVL is therefore a useful tool for labeling agalacto-glycans in cancer or other diseases.

A Recombinant Fungal Lectin for Labeling Truncated Glycans on Human Cancer Cells

PubMed Central

Hurbin, Amandine; Boos, Irene; Unverzagt, Carlo; Bouras, Mourad; Lantuejoul, Sylvie; Coll, Jean-Luc; Varrot, Annabelle; Le Pendu, Jacques; Busser, Benoit; Imberty, Anne

2015-01-01

Cell surface glycoconjugates present alterations of their structures in chronic diseases and distinct oligosaccharide epitopes have been associated with cancer. Among them, truncated glycans present terminal non-reducing β-N-acetylglucosamine (GlcNAc) residues that are rare on healthy tissues. Lectins from unconventional sources such as fungi or algi provide novel markers that bind specifically to such epitopes, but their availability may be challenging. A GlcNAc-binding lectin from the fruiting body of the fungus Psathyrella velutina (PVL) has been produced in good yield in bacterial culture. A strong specificity for terminal GlcNAc residues was evidenced by glycan array. Affinity values obtained by microcalorimetry and surface plasmon resonance demonstrated a micromolar affinity for GlcNAcβ1-3Gal epitopes and for biantennary N-glycans with GlcNAcβ1-2Man capped branches. Crystal structure of PVL complexed with GlcNAcβ1-3Gal established the structural basis of the specificity. Labeling of several types of cancer cells and use of inhibitors of glycan metabolism indicated that rPVL binds to terminal GlcNAc but also to sialic acid (Neu5Ac). Analysis of glycosyltransferase expression confirmed the higher amount of GlcNAc present on cancer cells. rPVL binding is specific to cancer tissue and weak or no labeling is observed for healthy ones, except for stomach glands that present unique αGlcNAc-presenting mucins. In lung, breast and colon carcinomas, a clear delineation could be observed between cancer regions and surrounding healthy tissues. PVL is therefore a useful tool for labeling agalacto-glycans in cancer or other diseases. PMID:26042789

Heart Disease and Colon Cancer Prevention Beliefs and Their Association With Information Seeking and Scanning.

PubMed

Hovick, Shelly R; Bigsby, Elisabeth

2016-01-01

Despite their understanding of the links between (a) information seeking and scanning and (b) health outcomes, researchers still know relatively little about the impact of information behaviors on people's disease-related beliefs and attitudes. The goal of this study was to validate findings linking information and health behaviors and to assess whether information seeking and scanning are associated with beliefs about the effectiveness of heart disease and colon cancer risk prevention behaviors (in regard to exercise, controlling one's diet to prevent overweight/obesity, and daily fruit and vegetable intake), as well as determine whether the effects of seeking versus scanning on these beliefs differ. Data from the Annenberg National Health Communication Survey were analyzed (N = 3,212). For colon cancer, significant main effects were detected for information scanning for each of the 3 beliefs assessed (p < .05). For heart disease, both information scanning and heart disease media exposure (p < .05) were associated with stronger beliefs. Information seeking was not associated with beliefs for either disease (p > .05). Our results suggest that disease-related cognitions and beliefs, which ultimately impact decisions to engage in prevention behaviors, may be influenced most by less purposeful forms of information acquisition.

Radioimmunotherapy of nude mice with intraperitoneally growing ovarian cancer xenograft utilizing 211At-labelled monoclonal antibody MOv18.

PubMed

Andersson, H; Lindegren, S; Back, T; Jacobsson, L; Leser, G; Horvath, G

2000-01-01

The aim of this study was to investigate the therapeutic efficacy of 211At-labelled monoclonal antibody given intraperitoneally to nude mice with intraperitoneal growth of a human ovarian cancer cell line. Female nude mice were inoculated intraperitoneally with 1 x 10(7) cells of the human ovarian cancer cell line NIH:OVCAR 3. After about two weeks they were injected with the 211At-labelled specific monoclonal antibody MOv18 intraperitoneally. For comparison, other groups of mice were given the same labelled antibody intravenously, 211At-labelled unspecific antibody C242 intraperitoneally or unalbelled MOv18 intraperitoneally. Six weeks later the animals were sacrificed and the occurrence of tumour and ascites was determined. When the mice were treated with 211At-labelled MOv18 intraperitoneally 9 out of 10 were apparently free of both ascites and tumour compared to none of the mice given unlabelled antibody. 211At-labelled MOv18 given intravenously or 211At-labelled unspecific antibody given intraperitoneally were less effective. Regional radioimmunotherapy with the alpa-emitter 211Astatine seems to be an effective treatment of nude mice with intraperitoneally growing human ovarian cancer. Hopefully this treatment can be given in an adjuvant setting to women with minimal residual ovarian cancer in the future.

Fluorescently labeled bevacizumab in human breast cancer: defining the classification threshold

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Koch, Maximilian; de Jong, Johannes S.; Glatz, Jürgen; Symvoulidis, Panagiotis; Lamberts, Laetitia E.; Adams, Arthur L. L.; Kranendonk, Mariëtte E. G.; Terwisscha van Scheltinga, Anton G. T.; Aichler, Michaela; Jansen, Liesbeth; de Vries, Jakob; Lub-de Hooge, Marjolijn N.; Schröder, Carolien P.; Jorritsma-Smit, Annelies; Linssen, Matthijs D.; de Boer, Esther; van der Vegt, Bert; Nagengast, Wouter B.; Elias, Sjoerd G.; Oliveira, Sabrina; Witkamp, Arjen J.; Mali, Willem P. Th. M.; Van der Wall, Elsken; Garcia-Allende, P. Beatriz; van Diest, Paul J.; de Vries, Elisabeth G. E.; Walch, Axel; van Dam, Gooitzen M.; Ntziachristos, Vasilis

2017-07-01

In-vivo fluorescently labelled drug (bevacizumab) breast cancer specimen where obtained from patients. We propose a new structured method to determine the optimal classification threshold in targeted fluorescence intra-operative imaging.

Adolescent and Young Adult Cancer Survivors' Perspectives on Their Internet Use for Seeking Information on Healthy Eating and Exercise

PubMed Central

Mooney, Ryan; Samhouri, Mahasen; Holton, Avery; Devine, Katie A.; Kirchhoff, Anne C.; Wright, Jennifer

2017-01-01

Purpose: To explore adolescent and young adult (AYA) cancer survivors' internet use in seeking healthy lifestyle behavior (HLB) information on diet and exercise. Methods: Twenty-five AYA cancer survivors participated in focus groups or interviews. Data were analyzed using qualitative content analysis. Results: Most survivors (92%) sought HLB information from internet sources. Key issues included the following: (1) too much information available, (2) information not meeting survivors' unique needs, and (3) concerns about trustworthiness of information. Conclusion: Although AYA cancer survivors use the internet to seek HLB information, internet resources could be modified to better meet the needs of AYA cancer survivors. PMID:27845844

Navigating the cancer information environment: The reciprocal relationship between patient-clinician information engagement and information seeking from nonmedical sources.

PubMed

Moldovan-Johnson, Mihaela; Tan, Andy S L; Hornik, Robert C

2014-01-01

Prior theory has argued and empirical studies have shown that cancer patients rely on information from their health care providers as well as lay sources to understand and make decisions about their disease. However, research on the dynamic and interdependent nature of cancer patients' engagement with different information sources is lacking. This study tested the hypotheses that patient-clinician information engagement and information seeking from nonmedical sources influence one another longitudinally among a representative cohort of 1,293 cancer survivors in Pennsylvania. The study hypotheses were supported in a series of lagged multiple regression analyses. Baseline seeking information from nonmedical sources positively predicted subsequent patient-clinician information engagement at 1-year follow-up. The reverse relationship was also statistically significant; baseline patient-clinician information engagement positively predicted information seeking from nonmedical sources at follow-up. These findings suggest that cancer survivors move between nonmedical and clinician sources in a dynamic way to learn about their disease.

Navigating the cancer information environment: The reciprocal relationship between patient-clinician information engagement and information seeking from nonmedical sources

PubMed Central

Moldovan-Johnson, Mihaela; Tan, Andy SL; Hornik, Robert C

2014-01-01

Prior theory has argued and empirical studies have shown that cancer patients rely on information from their health care providers as well as lay sources to understand and make decisions about their disease. However, research on the dynamic and interdependent nature of cancer patients’ engagement with different information sources is lacking. This study tested the hypotheses that patient-clinician information engagement and information seeking from nonmedical sources influence one another longitudinally among a representative cohort of 1,293 cancer survivors in Pennsylvania. The study hypotheses were supported in a series of lagged multiple regression analyses. Baseline seeking information from nonmedical sources positively predicted subsequent patient-clinician information engagement at one-year follow-up. The reverse relationship was also statistically significant; baseline patient-clinician information engagement positively predicted information seeking from nonmedical sources at follow-up. These findings suggest that cancer survivors move between nonmedical to clinician sources in a dynamic way to learn about their disease. PMID:24359259

How are information seeking, scanning, and processing related to beliefs about the roles of genetics and behavior in cancer causation?

PubMed Central

Waters, Erika A.; Wheeler, Courtney; Hamilton, Jada G.

2016-01-01

Background Understanding that cancer is caused by both genetic and behavioral risk factors is an important component of genomic literacy. However, a considerable percentage of people in the U.S. do not endorse such multifactorial beliefs. Methods Using nationally representative cross-sectional data from the U.S. Health Information National Trends Survey (N=2,529), we examined how information seeking, information scanning, and key information processing characteristics were associated with endorsing a multifactorial model of cancer causation. Results Multifactorial beliefs about cancer were more common among respondents who engaged in cancer information scanning (p=.001), were motivated to process health information (p=.005), and who reported a family history of cancer (p=.0002). Respondents who reported having previous negative information seeking experiences had lower odds of endorsing multifactorial beliefs (p=.01). Multifactorial beliefs were not associated with cancer information seeking, trusting cancer information obtained from the Internet, trusting cancer information from a physician, self-efficacy for obtaining cancer information, numeracy, or being aware of direct-to-consumer genetic testing (ps>.05). Conclusion Gaining additional understanding of how people access, process, and use health information will be critical for the continued development and dissemination of effective health communication interventions and for the further translation of genomics research to public health and clinical practice. PMID:27661291

Internet Access and Online Cancer Information Seeking Among Latino Immigrants From Safety Net Clinics

PubMed Central

SELSKY, CLAIRE; LUTA, GEORGE; NOONE, ANNE-MICHELLE; HUERTA, ELMER E.; MANDELBLATT, JEANNE S.

2013-01-01

Internet use is widespread, but little is known about Internet use for cancer information among Latinos, especially those who rely on safety net clinics. The authors investigated access to and intended use of the Internet for cancer information among low income, immigrant Latinos predominately from Central and South America. A cross-sectional study of 1,273 Latinos 21 years and older attending safety net clinics or health fairs was conducted from June 2007 to November 2008. The authors used logistic regression models to evaluate associations of age, acculturation, psychosocial factors and other covariates with Internet access and intended use of the Internet for cancer information among those with access. Of the sample, 44% reported Internet access. Higher information self-efficacy and greater trust in the Internet were independently associated with Internet access (p= .05 and p < .001, respectively). Among those with access, 53.8% reported they intended to seek cancer help online if they needed information. Those with younger age and higher acculturation, education and self-efficacy had higher odds of intended Internet use for cancer information, considering covariates. In addition, those with high (vs. low) perceived risk of cancer (OR = 1.76; 95% CI [1.14, 2.73]; p = .01) and higher levels of trust in online health information (OR = 1.47 per one-point increase; 95% [CI 1.19, 1.82]; p = .0004) were more likely to intend to seek cancer information online. These findings that Internet access is fairly high in the immigrant Latino population and that the Internet is a trusted source of cancer information suggest that the Internet may be a channel for cancer control interventions. PMID:23066874

Predictors of Online Health Information Seeking Among Women with Breast Cancer: The Role of Social Support Perception and Emotional Well-Being

PubMed Central

Kim, Sojung Claire; Shah, Dhavan V.; Namkoong, Kang; McTavish, Fiona M.; Gustafson, David H.

2013-01-01

This study attempts to examine the role of social support perception and emotional well-being on online information seeking among cancer patients within the context of CHESS, a well-established Interactive Cancer Communication System (ICCS). Factor and regression analyses conducted among 231 breast cancer patients revealed that social support perception and emotional well-being interacted with each other to influence online health information seeking. Patients with low social support perception and high emotional well-being were most likely to seek health information, whereas patients with high social support perception and high emotional well-being sought out the same information least. Practical implications of the study findings were further discussed. PMID:24634575

Predictors of Online Health Information Seeking Among Women with Breast Cancer: The Role of Social Support Perception and Emotional Well-Being.

PubMed

Kim, Sojung Claire; Shah, Dhavan V; Namkoong, Kang; McTavish, Fiona M; Gustafson, David H

2013-01-01

This study attempts to examine the role of social support perception and emotional well-being on online information seeking among cancer patients within the context of CHESS, a well-established Interactive Cancer Communication System (ICCS). Factor and regression analyses conducted among 231 breast cancer patients revealed that social support perception and emotional well-being interacted with each other to influence online health information seeking. Patients with low social support perception and high emotional well-being were most likely to seek health information, whereas patients with high social support perception and high emotional well-being sought out the same information least. Practical implications of the study findings were further discussed.

Quantitative label-free multimodality nonlinear optical imaging for in situ differentiation of cancerous lesions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, Xiaoyun; Li, Xiaoyan; Cheng, Jie; Liu, Zhengfan; Thrall, Michael J.; Wang, Xi; Wang, Zhiyong; Wong, Stephen T. C.

2013-03-01

The development of real-time, label-free imaging techniques has recently attracted research interest for in situ differentiation of cancerous lesions from normal tissues. Molecule-specific intrinsic contrast can arise from label-free imaging techniques such as Coherent Anti-Stokes Raman Scattering (CARS), Two-Photon Excited AutoFluorescence (TPEAF), and Second Harmonic Generation (SHG), which, in combination, would hold the promise of a powerful label-free tool for cancer diagnosis. Among cancer-related deaths, lung carcinoma is the leading cause for both sexes. Although early treatment can increase the survival rate dramatically, lesion detection and precise diagnosis at an early stage is unusual due to its asymptomatic nature and limitations of current diagnostic techniques that make screening difficult. We investigated the potential of using multimodality nonlinear optical microscopy that incorporates CARS, TPEAF, and SHG techniques for differentiation of lung cancer from normal tissue. Cancerous and non-cancerous lung tissue samples from patients were imaged using CARS, TPEAF, and SHG techniques for comparison. These images showed good pathology correlation with hematoxylin and eosin (H and E) stained sections from the same tissue samples. Ongoing work includes imaging at various penetration depths to show three-dimensional morphologies of tumor cell nuclei using CARS, elastin using TPEAF, and collagen using SHG and developing classification algorithms for quantitative feature extraction to enable lung cancer diagnosis. Our results indicate that via real-time morphology analyses, a multimodality nonlinear optical imaging platform potentially offers a powerful minimally-invasive way to differentiate cancer lesions from surrounding non-tumor tissues in vivo for clinical applications.

Ethnic differences in breast cancer prevention information-seeking among rural women: will provider mobile messages work?

PubMed

Kratzke, Cynthia; Wilson, Susan

2014-09-01

Although growing research supports cancer survivor information-seeking, little is known about breast cancer prevention information-seeking among women. The purpose of the study was to examine differences in breast cancer risk factor knowledge, information sources, and desired mobile messages among Hispanic and non-Hispanic rural women. Women were recruited to complete a survey at an imaging center during a mammography screening visit. A total of 156 women (mean age = 61, SD = 12.07) completed the survey. Breast cancer risk factor knowledge was significantly higher for non-Hispanic women compared to Hispanic women (p = .035). Television, magazines, and Internet were the most frequent information sources. Providers were the most frequent interpersonal information source. Nearly 87 % used cell phones and 47 % used texting. Hispanic women were more likely to desire breast cancer prevention cell voice messages (p < .001) and text messages (p = .001) compared to non-Hispanic women. No significant differences were found for text appointment reminders by ethnicity. Health educators and clinicians must promote mobile messages for Hispanics and non-Hispanics for mammography adherence, breast cancer prevention education, and best practices to manage screening appointments.

Evaluating the effectiveness of a smoking warning label on raising patient awareness of smoking and bladder cancer.

PubMed

Johnson, B; Abouassaly, R; Ghiculete, D; Stewart, R J

2013-08-01

We assessed the knowledge of patients with regard to the association between smoking and bladder cancer, and examined the impact of a novel smoking warning label on raising awareness of this issue. We conducted a prospective cross-sectional study involving patients who presented to urology and family practice clinics. A questionnaire was used to assess knowledge regarding the association between smoking and various diseases. Participants were also asked to evaluate a novel smoking warning label for bladder cancer. A total of 291 (97%) patients responded to the questionnaire including 143 (95.3%) at urology clinics and 148 (98.7%) at family practice clinics. Overall only 45.2% of respondents were aware of the association between smoking and bladder cancer compared to 97.4% who knew that there was an association between smoking and lung cancer. There were no significant differences in knowledge between those at urology and family practice clinics. After viewing the warning label, 58.1% of respondents stated that it had changed their opinion on smoking and bladder cancer, and 74.8% felt that this label would be an effective tool to raise awareness of the issue. Patients who changed their opinion had statistically significantly less initial knowledge about the association between smoking and bladder cancer (36.7% vs 57.5% for those who did not change their opinion, p <0.001). Awareness of the link between smoking and bladder cancer remains low. The use of a smoking warning label may help raise awareness of this important public health issue. Copyright © 2013 American Urological Association Education and Research, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Automated labelling of cancer textures in colorectal histopathology slides using quasi-supervised learning.

PubMed

Onder, Devrim; Sarioglu, Sulen; Karacali, Bilge

2013-04-01

Quasi-supervised learning is a statistical learning algorithm that contrasts two datasets by computing estimate for the posterior probability of each sample in either dataset. This method has not been applied to histopathological images before. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the performance of the method to identify colorectal tissues with or without adenocarcinoma. Light microscopic digital images from histopathological sections were obtained from 30 colorectal radical surgery materials including adenocarcinoma and non-neoplastic regions. The texture features were extracted by using local histograms and co-occurrence matrices. The quasi-supervised learning algorithm operates on two datasets, one containing samples of normal tissues labelled only indirectly, and the other containing an unlabeled collection of samples of both normal and cancer tissues. As such, the algorithm eliminates the need for manually labelled samples of normal and cancer tissues for conventional supervised learning and significantly reduces the expert intervention. Several texture feature vector datasets corresponding to different extraction parameters were tested within the proposed framework. The Independent Component Analysis dimensionality reduction approach was also identified as the one improving the labelling performance evaluated in this series. In this series, the proposed method was applied to the dataset of 22,080 vectors with reduced dimensionality 119 from 132. Regions containing cancer tissue could be identified accurately having false and true positive rates up to 19% and 88% respectively without using manually labelled ground-truth datasets in a quasi-supervised strategy. The resulting labelling performances were compared to that of a conventional powerful supervised classifier using manually labelled ground-truth data. The supervised classifier results were calculated as 3.5% and 95% for the same case. The results in this series in comparison with the benchmark

How Are Information Seeking, Scanning, and Processing Related to Beliefs About the Roles of Genetics and Behavior in Cancer Causation?

PubMed

Waters, Erika A; Wheeler, Courtney; Hamilton, Jada G

2016-01-01

Understanding that cancer is caused by both genetic and behavioral risk factors is an important component of genomic literacy. However, a considerable percentage of people in the United States do not endorse such multifactorial beliefs. Using nationally representative cross-sectional data from the U.S. Health Information National Trends Survey (N = 2,529), we examined how information seeking, information scanning, and key information-processing characteristics were associated with endorsing a multifactorial model of cancer causation. Multifactorial beliefs about cancer were more common among respondents who engaged in cancer information scanning (p = .001), were motivated to process health information (p = .005), and reported a family history of cancer (p = .0002). Respondents who reported having previous negative information-seeking experiences had lower odds of endorsing multifactorial beliefs (p = .01). Multifactorial beliefs were not associated with cancer information seeking, trusting cancer information obtained from the Internet, trusting cancer information from a physician, self-efficacy for obtaining cancer information, numeracy, or being aware of direct-to-consumer genetic testing (ps > .05). Gaining additional understanding of how people access, process, and use health information will be critical for the continued development and dissemination of effective health communication interventions and for the further translation of genomics research to public health and clinical practice.

Study of Relationship Between Illness Perception and Delay in Seeking Help for Breast Cancer Patients Based on Leventhal's Self-Regulation Model.

PubMed

Attari, Seyedeh Maryam; Ozgoli, Giti; Solhi, Mahnaz; Alavi Majd, Hamid

2016-01-01

One of the major causes of morbidity and mortality in breast cancer patients is delay in seeking help. Leventhal's self-regulation model provides an appropriate framework to assess delay in seeking help. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between "illness perception" and "help seeking delay" in breast cancer patients based on Leventhal's self-regulation model. In this correlational descriptive study with convenience sampling conducted in 2013, participants were 120 women with breast cancer who were diagnosed in the last year and referred to chemotherapy and radiotherapy centers in Rasht, Iran. Data collection scales included demographic data, Revised Illness Perception Questionnaire (IPQ-R)and a researcher made questionnaire to measure the delay in seeking help. Pre-hospital delay (help seeking delay) was evaluated in 3 phases (assessment, disease, behavior). The data were analyzed using SPSS-19. The mean (SD) age calculated for the patients was 47.3±10.2. Some 43% of the patients had a high school or higher education level and 82% were married. The "pre-hospital delay" was reported ≥3 months. Logistic regression analysis showed that none of the illness perception components were correlated with appraisal and behavioral delay phases. In the illness delay phase, "time line" (p-value =0.04) and "risk factors"(p-value=0.03) had significant effects on reducing and "psychological attributions" had significant effects on increasing the delay (p-value =0.01). "Illness coherence" was correlated with decreased pre-hospital patient delay (p-value<0.01). Women's perceptions of breast cancer influences delay in seeking help. In addition to verifying the validity of Leventhal's self-regulation model in explaining delay in seeking help, the results signify the importance of the "illness delay phase" (decision to seek help) and educational interventions-counseling for women in the community.

Microfluidic microscopy-assisted label-free approach for cancer screening: automated microfluidic cytology for cancer screening.

PubMed

Jagannadh, Veerendra Kalyan; Gopakumar, G; Subrahmanyam, Gorthi R K Sai; Gorthi, Sai Siva

2017-05-01

Each year, about 7-8 million deaths occur due to cancer around the world. More than half of the cancer-related deaths occur in the less-developed parts of the world. Cancer mortality rate can be reduced with early detection and subsequent treatment of the disease. In this paper, we introduce a microfluidic microscopy-based cost-effective and label-free approach for identification of cancerous cells. We outline a diagnostic framework for the same and detail an instrumentation layout. We have employed classical computer vision techniques such as 2D principal component analysis-based cell type representation followed by support vector machine-based classification. Analogous to criminal face recognition systems implemented with help of surveillance cameras, a signature-based approach for cancerous cell identification using microfluidic microscopy surveillance is demonstrated. Such a platform would facilitate affordable mass screening camps in the developing countries and therefore help decrease cancer mortality rate.

Ethnic differences in cancer symptom awareness and barriers to seeking medical help in England.

PubMed

Niksic, Maja; Rachet, Bernard; Warburton, Fiona G; Forbes, Lindsay J L

2016-06-28

Ethnic differences in cancer symptom awareness and barriers to seeking medical help in the English population are not fully understood. We aimed to quantify these differences, to help develop more effective health campaigns, tailored to the needs of different ethnic groups. Using a large national data set (n=38 492) of cross-sectional surveys that used the Cancer Research UK Cancer Awareness Measure, we examined how cancer symptom awareness and barriers varied by ethnicity, controlling for socio-economic position, age and gender. Data were analysed using multivariable logistic regression. Awareness of cancer symptoms was lower in minority ethnic groups than White participants, with the lowest awareness observed among Bangladeshis and Black Africans. Ethnic minorities were more likely than White British to report barriers to help-seeking. South Asians reported the highest emotional barriers, such as lack of confidence to talk to the doctor, and practical barriers, such as worry about many other things. The Irish were more likely than the White British to report practical barriers, such as being too busy to visit a doctor. White British participants were more likely than any other ethnic group to report that they would feel worried about wasting the doctor's time. Overall, Black Africans had the lowest barriers. All differences were statistically significant (P<0.01 level), after controlling for confounders. Our findings suggest the need for culturally sensitive and targeted health campaigns, focused on improving recognition of cancer symptoms among ethnic minorities. Campaigns should tackle the specific barriers prevalent in each ethnic group.

Ethnic differences in cancer symptom awareness and barriers to seeking medical help in England

PubMed Central

Niksic, Maja; Rachet, Bernard; Warburton, Fiona G; Forbes, Lindsay J L

2016-01-01

Background: Ethnic differences in cancer symptom awareness and barriers to seeking medical help in the English population are not fully understood. We aimed to quantify these differences, to help develop more effective health campaigns, tailored to the needs of different ethnic groups. Methods: Using a large national data set (n=38 492) of cross-sectional surveys that used the Cancer Research UK Cancer Awareness Measure, we examined how cancer symptom awareness and barriers varied by ethnicity, controlling for socio-economic position, age and gender. Data were analysed using multivariable logistic regression. Results: Awareness of cancer symptoms was lower in minority ethnic groups than White participants, with the lowest awareness observed among Bangladeshis and Black Africans. Ethnic minorities were more likely than White British to report barriers to help-seeking. South Asians reported the highest emotional barriers, such as lack of confidence to talk to the doctor, and practical barriers, such as worry about many other things. The Irish were more likely than the White British to report practical barriers, such as being too busy to visit a doctor. White British participants were more likely than any other ethnic group to report that they would feel worried about wasting the doctor's time. Overall, Black Africans had the lowest barriers. All differences were statistically significant (P<0.01 level), after controlling for confounders. Conclusions: Our findings suggest the need for culturally sensitive and targeted health campaigns, focused on improving recognition of cancer symptoms among ethnic minorities. Campaigns should tackle the specific barriers prevalent in each ethnic group. PMID:27280638

Reaching rural women: breast cancer prevention information seeking behaviors and interest in Internet, cell phone, and text use.

PubMed

Kratzke, Cynthia; Wilson, Susan; Vilchis, Hugo

2013-02-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the breast cancer prevention information seeking behaviors among rural women, the prevalence of Internet, cell, and text use, and interest to receive breast cancer prevention information cell and text messages. While growing literature for breast cancer information sources supports the use of the Internet, little is known about breast cancer prevention information seeking behaviors among rural women and mobile technology. Using a cross-sectional study design, data were collected using a survey. McGuire's Input-Ouput Model was used as the framework. Self-reported data were obtained from a convenience sample of 157 women with a mean age of 60 (SD = 12.12) at a rural New Mexico imaging center. Common interpersonal information sources were doctors, nurses, and friends and common channel information sources were television, magazines, and Internet. Overall, 87% used cell phones, 20% had an interest to receive cell phone breast cancer prevention messages, 47% used text messaging, 36% had an interest to receive text breast cancer prevention messages, and 37% had an interest to receive mammogram reminder text messages. Bivariate analysis revealed significant differences between age, income, and race/ethnicity and use of cell phones or text messaging. There were no differences between age and receiving text messages or text mammogram reminders. Assessment of health information seeking behaviors is important for community health educators to target populations for program development. Future research may identify additional socio-cultural differences.

Seeking new anti-cancer agents from autophagy-regulating natural products.

PubMed

Hua, Fang; Shang, Shuang; Hu, Zhuo-Wei

2017-04-01

Natural products are an important original source of many widely used drugs, including anti-cancer drugs. Early research efforts for seeking anti-cancer therapy from the natural products are mainly focused on the compounds with cytotoxicity capability. The good examples include vinblastine, vincristine, the camptothecin derivatives; topotecan, irinotecan, epipodophyllotoxin derivatives and paclitaxel. In a recent decade, the fundamental progression has been made in the understanding of molecular and cellular mechanisms regarding tumor initiation, metastasis, therapeutic resistance, immune escape, and relapse, which provide a great opportunity for the development of new mechanism-based anticancer drugs, especially drugs against new molecular and cellular targets. Autophagy, a critical cell homeostasis mechanism and promising drug target involved in a verity of human diseases including cancer, can be modulated by many compounds derived from natural products. In this review, we'll give a short introduction of autophagy and discuss the roles of autophagy in the tumorigenesis and progression. And then, we summarize the accumulated evidences to show the anti-tumor effects of several compounds derived from natural products through modulation of autophagy activity.

Symptom appraisal, help seeking, and lay consultancy for symptoms of head and neck cancer.

PubMed

Queenan, J A; Gottlieb, B H; Feldman-Stewart, D; Hall, S F; Irish, J; Groome, P A

2018-01-01

Early diagnosis is important in head and neck cancer (HNC) patients to maximize the effectiveness of the treatments and minimize the debilitation associated with both the cancer and the invasive treatments of advanced disease. Many patients present with advanced disease, and there is little understanding as to why. This study investigated patients' symptom appraisal, help seeking, and lay consultancy up to the time they first went to see a health care professional (HCP). We interviewed 83 patients diagnosed with HNC. The study design was cross sectional and consisted of structured telephone interviews and a medical chart review. We gathered information on the participant's personal reactions to their symptoms, characteristics of their social network, and the feedback they received. We found that 18% of the participants thought that their symptoms were urgent enough to warrant further investigation. Participants rarely (6%) attributed their symptoms to cancer. Eighty-nine percent reported that they were unaware of the early warning signs and symptoms of HNC. Fifty-seven percent of the participants disclosed their symptoms to at least one lay consultant before seeking help from an HCP. The lay consultants were usually their spouse (77%), and the most common advice they offered was to see a doctor (76%). Lastly, 81% of the participants report that their spouse influenced their decision to see an HCP. The results of this study suggest that patients frequently believe that their symptoms were nonurgent and that their lay consultants influence their decision to seek help from an HCP. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Increasing awareness of gynecological cancer symptoms and reducing barriers to medical help seeking: does health literacy play a role?

PubMed

Boxell, Emily M; Smith, Samuel G; Morris, Melanie; Kummer, Sonja; Rowlands, Gill; Waller, Jo; Wardle, Jane; Simon, Alice E

2012-01-01

Health literacy may influence the efficacy of print-based public health interventions. A key part of the U.K. cancer control strategy is to provide information to the public on earlier diagnoses with a view to improving the United Kingdom's relatively poor 1-year cancer survival statistics. This study examined the effect of health literacy on the efficacy of a gynecological cancer information leaflet. Participants (n = 451) were recruited from 17 Cancer Research UK events. Health literacy was assessed with the Newest Vital Sign test. Gynecological cancer symptom awareness and barriers to medical help seeking were assessed before and after participants read the leaflet. Symptom awareness improved, and barriers to medical help seeking were reduced (ps < .001). Symptom awareness was lower in individuals in lower health literacy groups, both at baseline and at follow-up (p < .05, p < .001, respectively), but there were no significant differences in barriers to medical help seeking at either time point (p > .05). As predicted, individuals with lower health literacy benefited less after exposure to the leaflet (ps < .01 for interactions). Despite careful consideration of information design principles in the development of the leaflet, more intensive efforts may be required to ensure that inequalities are not exacerbated by reliance on print-based public health interventions.

Label-free in vitro prostate cancer cell detection via photonic-crystal biosensor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

DeLuna, Frank; Ding, XiaoFei; Sagredo, Ismael; Bustamante, Gilbert; Sun, Lu-Zhe; Ye, Jing Yong

2018-02-01

Prostate-specific antigen (PSA) biomarker assays are the current clinical method for mass screening of prostate cancer. However, high false-positive rates are often reported due to PSA's low specificity, leading to an urgent need for the development of a more specific detection system independent of PSA levels. In our previous research, we demonstrated the feasibility of using cellular refractive indices (RI) as a unique contrast parameter to accomplish label-free detection of prostate cancer cells via variance testing, but were unable to determine if a specific cell was cancerous or noncancerous. In this paper, we report the use of our Photonic-Crystal biosensor in a Total-Internal-Reflection (PC-TIR) configuration to construct a label-free imaging system, which allows for the detection of individual prostate cancer cells utilizing cellular RI as the only contrast parameter. Noncancerous prostate (BPH-1) cells and prostate cancer (PC-3) cells were mixed at varied ratios and measured concurrently. Additionally, we isolated and induced PC-3 cells to undergo epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) by exposing these cells to soluble factors such as TGF-β1. The biophysical characteristics of the cellular RI were quantified extensively in comparison to non-induced PC-3 cells as well as BPH-1 cells. EMT is a crucial mechanism for the invasion and metastasis of epithelial tumors characterized by the loss of cell-cell adhesion and increased cell mobility. Our study shows promising clinical potential in utilizing the PC-TIR biosensor imaging system to not only detect prostate cancer cells, but also evaluate prostate cancer progression.

Glycoprofiling of cancer biomarkers: Label-free electrochemical lectin-based biosensors

PubMed Central

Pihíková, Dominika; Kasák, Peter

2016-01-01

Glycosylation of biomolecules is one of the most prevalent post- and co-translational modification in a human body, with more than half of all human proteins being glycosylated. Malignant transformation of cells influences glycosylation machinery resulting in subtle changes of the glycosylation pattern within the cell populations as a result of cancer. Thus, an altered terminal glycan motif on glycoproteins could provide a warning signal about disease development and progression and could be applied as a reliable biomarker in cancer diagnostics. Among all highly effective glycoprofiling tools, label-free electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS)-based biosensors have emerged as especially suitable tool for point-of-care early-stage cancer detection. Herein, we highlight the current challenges in glycoprofiling of various cancer biomarkers by ultrasensitive impedimetric-based biosensors with low sample consumption, low cost fabrication and simple miniaturization. Additionally, this review provides a short introduction to the field of glycomics and lectinomics and gives a brief overview of glycan alterations in different types of cancer. PMID:27275016

Human induced pluripotent stem cells labeled with fluorescent magnetic nanoparticles for targeted imaging and hyperthermia therapy for gastric cancer.

PubMed

Li, Chao; Ruan, Jing; Yang, Meng; Pan, Fei; Gao, Guo; Qu, Su; Shen, You-Lan; Dang, Yong-Jun; Wang, Kan; Jin, Wei-Lin; Cui, Da-Xiang

2015-09-01

Human induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells exhibit great potential for generating functional human cells for medical therapies. In this paper, we report for use of human iPS cells labeled with fluorescent magnetic nanoparticles (FMNPs) for targeted imaging and synergistic therapy of gastric cancer cells in vivo. Human iPS cells were prepared and cultured for 72 h. The culture medium was collected, and then was co-incubated with MGC803 cells. Cell viability was analyzed by the MTT method. FMNP-labeled human iPS cells were prepared and injected into gastric cancer-bearing nude mice. The mouse model was observed using a small-animal imaging system. The nude mice were irradiated under an external alternating magnetic field and evaluated using an infrared thermal mapping instrument. Tumor sizes were measured weekly. iPS cells and the collected culture medium inhibited the growth of MGC803 cells. FMNP-labeled human iPS cells targeted and imaged gastric cancer cells in vivo, as well as inhibited cancer growth in vivo through the external magnetic field. FMNP-labeled human iPS cells exhibit considerable potential in applications such as targeted dual-mode imaging and synergistic therapy for early gastric cancer.

Advancing The Cancer Genome Atlas glioma MRI collections with expert segmentation labels and radiomic features

PubMed Central

Bakas, Spyridon; Akbari, Hamed; Sotiras, Aristeidis; Bilello, Michel; Rozycki, Martin; Kirby, Justin S.; Freymann, John B.; Farahani, Keyvan; Davatzikos, Christos

2017-01-01

Gliomas belong to a group of central nervous system tumors, and consist of various sub-regions. Gold standard labeling of these sub-regions in radiographic imaging is essential for both clinical and computational studies, including radiomic and radiogenomic analyses. Towards this end, we release segmentation labels and radiomic features for all pre-operative multimodal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) (n=243) of the multi-institutional glioma collections of The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), publicly available in The Cancer Imaging Archive (TCIA). Pre-operative scans were identified in both glioblastoma (TCGA-GBM, n=135) and low-grade-glioma (TCGA-LGG, n=108) collections via radiological assessment. The glioma sub-region labels were produced by an automated state-of-the-art method and manually revised by an expert board-certified neuroradiologist. An extensive panel of radiomic features was extracted based on the manually-revised labels. This set of labels and features should enable i) direct utilization of the TCGA/TCIA glioma collections towards repeatable, reproducible and comparative quantitative studies leading to new predictive, prognostic, and diagnostic assessments, as well as ii) performance evaluation of computer-aided segmentation methods, and comparison to our state-of-the-art method. PMID:28872634

Human Adipose-Derived Stem Cells Labeled with Plasmonic Gold Nanostars for Cellular Tracking and Photothermal Cancer Cell Ablation.

PubMed

Shammas, Ronnie L; Fales, Andrew M; Crawford, Bridget M; Wisdom, Amy J; Devi, Gayathri R; Brown, David A; Vo-Dinh, Tuan; Hollenbeck, Scott T

2017-04-01

Gold nanostars are unique nanoplatforms that can be imaged in real time and transform light energy into heat to ablate cells. Adipose-derived stem cells migrate toward tumor niches in response to chemokines. The ability of adipose-derived stem cells to migrate and integrate into tumors makes them ideal vehicles for the targeted delivery of cancer nanotherapeutics. To test the labeling efficiency of gold nanostars, undifferentiated adipose-derived stem cells were incubated with gold nanostars and a commercially available nanoparticle (Qtracker), then imaged using two-photon photoluminescence microscopy. The effects of gold nanostars on cell phenotype, proliferation, and viability were assessed with flow cytometry, 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazolyl-2)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide metabolic assay, and trypan blue, respectively. Trilineage differentiation of gold nanostar-labeled adipose-derived stem cells was induced with the appropriate media. Photothermolysis was performed on adipose-derived stem cells cultured alone or in co-culture with SKBR3 cancer cells. Efficient uptake of gold nanostars occurred in adipose-derived stem cells, with persistence of the luminescent signal over 4 days. Labeling efficiency and signal quality were greater than with Qtracker. Gold nanostars did not affect cell phenotype, viability, or proliferation, and exhibited stronger luminescence than Qtracker throughout differentiation. Zones of complete ablation surrounding the gold nanostar-labeled adipose-derived stem cells were observed following photothermolysis in both monoculture and co-culture models. Gold nanostars effectively label adipose-derived stem cells without altering cell phenotype. Once labeled, photoactivation of gold nanostar-labeled adipose-derived stem cells ablates neighboring cancer cells, demonstrating the potential of adipose-derived stem cells as a vehicle for the delivery of site-specific cancer therapy.

Generation of Small 32P-Labeled Peptides as a Potential Approach to Colorectal Cancer Therapy

PubMed Central

Abraham, John M.; Cheng, Yulan; Hamilton, James P.; Paun, Bogdan; Jin, Zhe; Agarwal, Rachana; Kan, Takatsugu; David, Stefan; Olaru, Alexandru; Yang, Jian; Ito, Tetsuo; Selaru, Florin M.; Mori, Yuriko; Meltzer, Stephen J.

2008-01-01

Cancers have been revealed to be extremely heterogenous in terms of the frequency and types of mutations present in cells from different malignant tumors. Thus, it is likely that uniform clinical treatment is not optimal for all patients, and that the development of individualized therapeutic regimens may be beneficial. We describe the generation of multiple, unique small peptides nine to thirty-four amino acids in length which, when labeled with the radioisotope 32P, bind with vastly differing efficiencies to cell lines derived from different colon adenocarcinomas. In addition, the most effective of these peptides permanently transfers the 32P radioisotope to colorectal cancer cellular proteins within two hours at a rate that is more than 150 times higher than in cell lines derived from other cancers or from the normal tissues tested. Currently, the only two FDA-approved radioimmunotherapeutic agents in use both employ antibodies directed against the B cell marker CD20 for the treatment of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. By using the method described herein, large numbers of different 32P-labeled peptides can be readily produced and assayed against a broad spectrum of cancer types. This report proposes the development and use of 32P-labeled peptides as potential individualized peptide-binding therapies for the treatment of colon adenocarcinoma patients. PMID:18575578

Differences among college women for breast cancer prevention acquired information-seeking, desired apps and texts, and daughter-initiated information to mothers.

PubMed

Kratzke, Cynthia; Amatya, Anup; Vilchis, Hugo

2014-04-01

The purpose of this study was to examine among college women acquired breast cancer prevention information-seeking, desired apps and texts, and information given to mothers. Using a cross-sectional study, a survey was administered to college women at a southwestern university. College women (n = 546) used the Internet (44 %) for active breast cancer prevention information-seeking and used the Internet (74 %), magazines (69 %), and television (59 %) for passive information receipt. Over half of the participants desired breast cancer prevention apps (54 %) and texts (51 %). Logistic regression analyses revealed predictors for interest to receive apps were ethnicity (Hispanic), lower self-efficacy, actively seeking online information, and older age and predictors for interest to receive texts were lower self-efficacy and higher university level. Eighteen percent of college women (n = 99) reported giving information to mothers and reported in an open-ended item the types of information given to mothers. Predictors for giving information to mothers were actively and passively seeking online information, breast self-exam practice, and higher university level. Screenings were the most frequent types of information given to mothers. Breast cancer prevention information using apps, texts, or Internet and daughter-initiated information for mothers should be considered in health promotion targeting college students or young women in communities. Future research is needed to examine the quality of apps, texts, and online information and cultural differences for breast cancer prevention sources.

Fluorescent humanized anti-CEA antibody specifically labels metastatic pancreatic cancer in a patient-derived orthotopic xenograft (PDOX) mouse model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lwin, Thinzar M.; Miyake, Kentaro; Murakami, Takashi; DeLong, Jonathan C.; Yazaki, Paul J.; Shivley, John E.; Clary, Bryan; Hoffman, Robert M.; Bouvet, Michael

2018-03-01

Specific tumor targeting can result in selective labeling of cancer in vivo for surgical navigation. In the present study, we show that the use of an anti-CEA antibody conjugated to the near-infrared (NIR) fluorescent dye, IRDye800CW, can selectively target and label pancreatic cancer and its metastases in a clinically relevant patient derived xenograft mouse model.

Rapid label-free profiling of oral cancer biomarker proteins using nano-UPLC-Q-TOF ion mobility mass spectrometry.

PubMed

Nassar, Ala F; Williams, Brad J; Yaworksy, Dustin C; Patel, Vyomesh; Rusling, James F

2016-03-01

It has become quite clear that single cancer biomarkers cannot in general provide high sensitivity and specificity for reliable clinical cancer diagnostics. This paper explores the feasibility of rapid detection of multiple biomarker proteins in model oral cancer samples using label-free protein relative quantitation. MS-based label-free quantitative proteomics offer a rapid alternative that bypasses the need for stable isotope containing compounds to chemically bind and label proteins. Total protein content in oral cancer cell culture conditioned media was precipitated, subjected to proteolytic digestion, and then analyzed using a nano-UPLC (where UPLC is ultra-performance liquid chromatography) coupled to a hybrid Q-Tof ion-mobility mass spectrometry (MS). Rapid, simultaneous identification and quantification of multiple possible cancer biomarker proteins was achieved. In a comparative study between cancer and noncancer samples, approximately 952 proteins were identified using a high-throughput 1D ion mobility assisted data independent acquisition (IM-DIA) approach. As we previously demonstrated that interleukin-8 (IL-8) and vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGF-A) were readily detected in oral cancer cell conditioned media(1), we targeted these biomarker proteins to validate our approach. Target biomarker protein IL-8 was found between 3.5 and 8.8 fmol, while VEGF-A was found at 1.45 fmol in the cancer cell media. Overall, our data suggest that the nano-UPLC-IM-DIA bioassay is a feasible approach to identify and quantify proteins in complex samples without the need for stable isotope labeling. These results have significant implications for rapid tumor diagnostics and prognostics by monitoring proteins such as IL-8 and VEGF-A implicated in cancer development and progression. The analysis in tissue or plasma is not possible at this time, but the subsequent work would be needed for validation. © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Dementia attitudes and help-seeking intentions: an investigation of responses to two scenarios of an experience of the early signs of dementia.

PubMed

Phillipson, Lyn; Magee, Christopher; Jones, Sandra; Reis, Samantha; Skladzien, Ellen

2015-01-01

To investigate associations between dementia-attitudes and help-seeking intentions. An online survey of 611 Australian adults (45-60 years) assessed dementia-related attitudes and help-seeking intentions in response to two scenarios of an experience of early dementia: for themselves (Scenario 1); and for a significant other (proxy help-seeking) (Scenario 2). Logistic regression models examined the relationship between four dementia-related attitudes (labelled Personal Avoidance, Fear of Labelling, Fear of Discrimination and Person Centredness) and help-seeking intentions. Most participants indicated they would seek help from a general practitioner (GP) for themselves (82.2%) or for a proxy (78.7%) in response to the scenarios. Whilst only 7.2% indicated they would seek help from no-one, 21.3% would delay seeking help. In response to Scenario 1, Personal Avoidance and Fear of Labelling were associated with intentions to delay help-seeking. Fear of both Labelling and Discrimination were associated with intentions to seek help from no-one. In response to Scenario 2, Personal Avoidance was associated with intentions to delay proxy help-seeking and a reduced likelihood of seeking help by phone or and with Fear of Discrimination, via a GP. Fear of Labelling was also associated with an intention to delay proxy help-seeking. Efforts to improve help-seeking for dementia should address attitudes relating to stigma including negative labelling and a desire for the avoidance of people with dementia. Fears relating to discrimination indicate a need to build public confidence regarding the capacity of the health and workforce sectors to support people with dementia ethically and appropriately.

Predictors of Online Cancer Prevention Information Seeking Among Patients and Caregivers Across the Digital Divide: A Cross-Sectional, Correlational Study.

PubMed

Ginossar, Tamar

2016-03-09

The digital divide is a recognized public health problem caused by social determinants that exacerbate health disparities. Despite the "tectonic shift" in how most of the public obtains cancer information, underserved communities are at increased risk of being digitally marginalized. However, research that examines factors underlying eHealth information seeking in diverse health contexts is lacking. The aim of this paper is to explore preferences and use of eHealth cancer prevention information (CPI) among patients and caregivers attending a minority-serving oncology clinic using the comprehensive model of information seeking as a theoretical framework. Specifically, the study examined the role of social determinants and prevention orientation in differences in preference and use of the Internet for CPI seeking among this diverse sample. Survey methodology was used to identify social determinants and behavioral factors, including prevention orientation as correlates and predictors of respondents' (n=252) preferences and use of eHealth for CPI seeking. Less than half (112/252, 44.4%) of respondents said that if faced with the need to seek CPI, they would seek this information online. In the final logistic regression model, education, ethnicity, age, and prevention orientation made significant contributions to the model (P<.05). Specifically, for each year increase in age, participants were 3% less likely to use the Internet for CPI seeking (P=.011). Compared to college graduates, respondents who did not complete high school were 11.75 times less likely to cite the Internet as a CPI carrier (P<.001) and those with a high school education were 3 times (2.99, P=.015) less likely. In addition, the odds that a Spanish speaker would cite the Internet as a CPI carrier were one-fifth (22%) of non-Hispanic whites (P=.032) and about one-quarter (26%) of English-speaking Latinos (P=.036). Finally, with each one point increase on the prevention orientation scale, respondents

Predicting Cancer Information Seeking Behaviors of Smokers, Former Smokers and Nonsmokers Using the 2012 Health Information National Trends Survey

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lee, Suekyung

2013-01-01

Cancer can be one of the most serious diseases that can result in a costly reduction in the quality of life. Among a number of cancer risk factors, tobacco use has been identified as the leading preventable cause of deaths. Prior research has suggested that cancer information seeking may be a pre-step to adopt health protective behaviors that can…

Bladder cancer staging in CT urography: effect of stage labels on statistical modeling of a decision support system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gandikota, Dhanuj; Hadjiiski, Lubomir; Cha, Kenny H.; Chan, Heang-Ping; Caoili, Elaine M.; Cohan, Richard H.; Weizer, Alon; Alva, Ajjai; Paramagul, Chintana; Wei, Jun; Zhou, Chuan

2018-02-01

In bladder cancer, stage T2 is an important threshold in the decision of administering neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Our long-term goal is to develop a quantitative computerized decision support system (CDSS-S) to aid clinicians in accurate staging. In this study, we examined the effect of stage labels of the training samples on modeling such a system. We used a data set of 84 bladder cancers imaged with CT Urography (CTU). At clinical staging prior to treatment, 43 lesions were staged as below stage T2 and 41 were stage T2 or above. After cystectomy and pathological staging that is considered the gold standard, 10 of the lesions were upstaged to stage T2 or above. After correcting the stage labels, 33 lesions were below stage T2, and 51 were stage T2 or above. For the CDSS-S, the lesions were segmented using our AI-CALS method and radiomic features were extracted. We trained a linear discriminant analysis (LDA) classifier with leave-one-case-out cross validation to distinguish between bladder lesions of stage T2 or above and those below stage T2. The CDSS-S was trained and tested with the corrected post-cystectomy labels, and as a comparison, CDSS-S was also trained with understaged pre-treatment labels and tested on lesions with corrected labels. The test AUC for the CDSS-S trained with corrected labels was 0.89 +/- 0.04. For the CDSS-S trained with understaged pre-treatment labels and tested on the lesions with corrected labels, the test AUC was 0.86 +/- 0.04. The likelihood of stage T2 or above for 9 out of the 10 understaged lesions was correctly increased for the CDSS-S trained with corrected labels. The CDSS-S is sensitive to the accuracy of stage labeling. The CDSS-S trained with correct labels shows promise in prediction of the bladder cancer stage.

Diagnosing cancer in the bush: a mixed-methods study of symptom appraisal and help-seeking behaviour in people with cancer from rural Western Australia.

PubMed

Emery, Jon D; Walter, Fiona M; Gray, Vicky; Sinclair, Craig; Howting, Denise; Bulsara, Max; Bulsara, Caroline; Webster, Andrew; Auret, Kirsten; Saunders, Christobel; Nowak, Anna; Holman, C D'Arcy

2013-06-01

Previous studies have focused on the treatment received by rural cancer patients and have not examined their diagnostic pathways as reasons for poorer outcomes in rural Australia. To compare and explore symptom appraisal and help-seeking behaviour in patients with breast, lung, prostate or colorectal cancer from rural Western Australia (WA). A mixed-methods study of people recently diagnosed with breast, lung, prostate or colorectal cancer from rural WA. The time from first symptom to diagnosis (i.e. total diagnostic interval, TDI) was calculated from interviews and medical records. Sixty-six participants were recruited (24 breast, 20 colorectal, 14 prostate and 8 lung cancer patients). There was a highly significant difference in time from symptom onset to seeking help between cancers (P = 0.006). Geometric mean symptom appraisal for colorectal cancer was significantly longer than that for breast and lung cancers [geometric mean differences: 2.58 (95% confidence interval, CI: 0.64-4.53), P = 0.01; 3.97 (1.63-6.30), P = 0.001, respectively]. There was a significant overall difference in arithmetic mean TDI (P = 0.046); breast cancer TDI was significantly shorter than colorectal or prostate cancer TDI [mean difference : 266.3 days (95% CI: 45.9-486.8), P = 0.019; 277.0 days, (32.1-521.9), P = 0.027, respectively]. These differences were explained by the nature and personal interpretation of symptoms, perceived as well as real problems of access to health care, optimism, stoicism, machismo, fear, embarrassment and competing demands. Longer symptom appraisal was observed for colorectal cancer. Participants defined core characteristics of rural Australians as optimism, stoicism and machismo. These features, as well as access to health care, contribute to later presentation of cancer.

Physical labeling of papillomavirus-infected, immortal, and cancerous cervical epithelial cells reveal surface changes at immortal stage.

PubMed

Swaminathan Iyer, K; Gaikwad, R M; Woodworth, C D; Volkov, D O; Sokolov, Igor

2012-06-01

A significant change of surface features of malignant cervical epithelial cells compared to normal cells has been previously reported. Here, we are studying the question at which progressive stage leading to cervical cancer the surface alteration happens. A non-traditional method to identify malignant cervical epithelial cells in vitro, which is based on physical (in contrast to specific biochemical) labelling of cells with fluorescent silica micron-size beads, is used here to examine cells at progressive stages leading to cervical cancer which include normal epithelial cells, cells infected with human papillomavirus type-16 (HPV-16), cells immortalized by HPV-16, and carcinoma cells. The study shows a statistically significant (at p < 0.01) difference between both immortal and cancer cells and a group consisting of normal and infected. There is no significant difference between normal and infected cells. Immortal cells demonstrate the signal which is closer to cancer cells than to either normal or infected cells. This implies that the cell surface, surface cellular brush changes substantially when cells become immortal. Physical labeling of the cell surface represents a substantial departure from the traditional biochemical labeling methods. The results presented show the potential significance of physical properties of the cell surface for development of clinical methods for early detection of cervical cancer, even at the stage of immortalized, premalignant cells.

Physical Labeling of Papillomavirus-Infected, Immortal, and Cancerous Cervical Epithelial Cells Reveal Surface Changes at Immortal Stage

PubMed Central

Iyer, K. Swaminathan; Gaikwad, R. M.; Woodworth, C. D.; Volkov, D. O.

2013-01-01

A significant change of surface features of malignant cervical epithelial cells compared to normal cells has been previously reported. Here, we are studying the question at which progressive stage leading to cervical cancer the surface alteration happens. A non-traditional method to identify malignant cervical epithelial cells in vitro, which is based on physical (in contrast to specific biochemical) labelling of cells with fluorescent silica micron-size beads, is used here to examine cells at progressive stages leading to cervical cancer which include normal epithelial cells, cells infected with human papillomavirus type-16 (HPV-16), cells immortalized by HPV-16, and carcinoma cells. The study shows a statistically significant (at p <0.01) difference between both immortal and cancer cells and a group consisting of normal and infected. There is no significant difference between normal and infected cells. Immortal cells demonstrate the signal which is closer to cancer cells than to either normal or infected cells. This implies that the cell surface, surface cellular brush changes substantially when cells become immortal. Physical labeling of the cell surface represents a substantial departure from the traditional biochemical labeling methods. The results presented show the potential significance of physical properties of the cell surface for development of clinical methods for early detection of cervical cancer, even at the stage of immortalized, pre-malignant cells. PMID:22351422

The theory of reasoned action and intention to seek cancer information.

PubMed

Ross, Levi; Kohler, Connie L; Grimley, Diane M; Anderson-Lewis, Charkarra

2007-01-01

To evaluate the applicability of the theory of reasoned action to explain men's intentions to seek prostate cancer information. Three hundred randomly selected African American men participated in telephone interviews. Correlational and regression analyses were conducted to examine relationships among measures. All relationships were significant in regression analyses. Attitudes and subjective norm were significantly related to intentions. Indirect measures of beliefs derived from elicitation research were associated with direct measures of attitude and subjective norms. The data are sufficiently clear to support the applicability of the theory for this behavioral domain with African American men and suggest several important areas for future research.

Targeted radionuclide therapy for lung cancer with iodine-131-labeled peptide in a nude-mouse model.

PubMed

Chen, Zhenzhu; Gao, Hongyi; Li, Man; Fang, Shun; Li, Guiping; Guo, Linlang

2017-06-01

Integrin α3β1 has been shown to be a novel candidate target for the imaging and specific therapy of non-small-cell lung cancer. We have previously reported on a peptide containing a novel motif of NGXG that specifically binds to the integrin α3 receptor on lung cancer cells using a one-bead one-peptide combinatorial library. In this study, we developed the peptide cNGEGQQc-based therapeutic agent labeling with radionuclide iodine-131 (I) and evaluated its characteristics including stability, biodistribution, antitumor activity, and safety. The results showed that I-cNGEGQQc was stable in serum. Furthermore, the biodistribution of I-cNGEGQQc was determined in normal mice and rabbits. In-vivo biodistribution studies showed that radiolabeled peptide in the kidney was significantly higher than that in other organs. Nude mice bearing lung cancer cell xenografts (H1975 and L78) were used as an in-vivo model for tumor-inhibition efficacy studies with I-cNGEGQQc. The tumor growth decreased significantly in mice receiving I-labeled peptide compared with the controls and the effect of I-labeled peptide can be blocked by unlabeled cNGEGQQc. Safety studies showed that I-cNGEGQQc was relatively safe for animals without significant toxicity. Our data suggest that I-cNGEGQQc has potential as a targeted radiotherapeutic agent for non-small-cell lung cancer.

A Multi-Label Classification Approach for Coding Cancer Information Service Chat Transcripts

PubMed Central

Rios, Anthony; Vanderpool, Robin; Shaw, Pam

2017-01-01

National Cancer Institute's (NCI) Cancer Information Service (CIS) offers online instant messaging based information service called LiveHelp to patients, family members, friends, and other cancer information consumers. A cancer information specialist (IS) ‘chats’ with a consumer and provides information on a variety of topics including clinical trials. After a LiveHelp chat session is finished, the IS codes about 20 different elements of metadata about the session in electronic contact record forms (ECRF), which are to be later used for quality control and reporting. Besides straightforward elements like age and gender, more specific elements to be coded include the purpose of contact, the subjects of interaction, and the different responses provided to the consumer, the latter two often taking on multiple values. As such, ECRF coding is a time consuming task and automating this process could help ISs to focus more on their primary goal of helping consumers with valuable cancer related information. As a first attempt in this task, we explored multi-label and multi-class text classification approaches to code the purpose, subjects of interaction, and the responses provided based on the chat transcripts. With a sample dataset of about 673 transcripts, we achieved example-based F-scores of 0.67 (for subjects) and 0.58 (responses). We also achieved label-based micro F-scores of 0.65 (for subjects), 0.62 (for responses), and 0.61 (for purpose). To our knowledge this is the first attempt in automatic coding of Live-Help transcripts and our initial results on the smaller corpus indicate promising future directions in this task. PMID:28736775

The role of patient-clinician information engagement and information seeking from nonmedical channels in fruit and vegetable intake among cancer patients.

PubMed

Moldovan-Johnson, Mihaela; Martinez, Lourdes; Lewis, Nehama; Freres, Derek; Hornik, Robert C

2014-12-01

Previous research suggests positive effects of health information seeking on prevention behaviors such as diet, exercise, and fruit and vegetable consumption. The present study builds upon this research and strengthens causal claims from it by examining the lagged effect of patient-clinician information engagement on fruit and vegetable consumption as well as the indirect effect on the outcome through seeking information from nonmedical channels. The results are based on data collected from a randomly drawn sample of breast, prostate, and colorectal cancer patients from the Pennsylvania Cancer Registry who completed mail surveys in the Fall of 2006 and 2007. There was a 65% response rate for baseline subjects (resulting n = 2,013); of those, 1,293 were interviewed 1 year later, and 1,257 were available for our analyses. Results show a positive lagged main effect of patient-clinician information engagement at baseline on fruit and vegetable consumption at follow-up (B = 0.26, SE = 0.10, p = .01). The mediation analysis shows that patient-clinician information engagement leads to increased fruit and vegetable consumption among cancer patients, in part through patients' information seeking from nonmedical channels. Implications of these findings for the cancer patient population and for physicians are discussed.

A Novel PET Imaging Using 64Cu-Labeled Monoclonal Antibody against Mesothelin Commonly Expressed on Cancer Cells

PubMed Central

Kobayashi, Kazuko; Sasaki, Takanori; Takenaka, Fumiaki; Yakushiji, Hiromasa; Fujii, Yoshihiro; Kishi, Yoshiro; Kita, Shoichi; Shen, Lianhua; Kumon, Hiromi; Matsuura, Eiji

2015-01-01

Mesothelin (MSLN) is a 40-kDa cell differentiation-associated glycoprotein appearing with carcinogenesis and is highly expressed in many human cancers, including the majority of pancreatic adenocarcinomas, ovarian cancers, and mesotheliomas, while its expression in normal tissue is limited to mesothelial cells lining the pleura, pericardium, and peritoneum. Clone 11-25 is a murine hybridoma secreting monoclonal antibody (mAb) against human MSLN. In this study, we applied the 11-25 mAb to in vivo imaging to detect MSLN-expressing tumors. In in vitro and ex vivo immunochemical studies, we demonstrated specificity of 11-25 mAb to membranous MSLN expressed on several pancreatic cancer cells. We showed the accumulation of Alexa Fluor 750-labeled 11-25 mAb in MSLN-expressing tumor xenografts in athymic nude mice. Then, 11-25 mAb was labeled with 64Cu via a chelating agent DOTA and was used in both in vitro cell binding assay and in vivo positron emission tomography (PET) imaging in the tumor-bearing mice. We confirmed that 64Cu-labeled 11-25 mAb highly accumulated in MSLN-expressing tumors as compared to MSLN-negative ones. The 64Cu-labeled 11-25 mAb is potentially useful as a PET probe capable of being used for wide range of tumors, rather than 18F-FDG that occasionally provides nonspecific accumulation into the inflammatory lesions. PMID:25883990

Label-free detection of liver cancer cells by aptamer-based microcantilever biosensor.

PubMed

Chen, Xuejuan; Pan, Yangang; Liu, Huiqing; Bai, Xiaojing; Wang, Nan; Zhang, Bailin

2016-05-15

Liver cancer is one of the most common and highly malignant cancers in the world. There are no effective therapeutic options if an early liver cancer diagnosis is not achieved. In this work, detection of HepG2 cells by label-free microcantilever array aptasensor was developed. The sensing microcantilevers were functionalized by HepG2 cells-specific aptamers. Meanwhile, to eliminate the interferences induced by the environment, the reference microcantilevers were modified with 6-mercapto-1-hexanol self-assembled monolayers. The aptasensor exhibits high specificity over not only human liver normal cells, but also other cancer cells of breast, bladder, and cervix tumors. The linear relation ranges from 1×10(3) to 1×10(5)cells/mL, with a detection limit of 300 cells/mL (S/N=3). Our work provides a simple method for detection of liver cancer cells with advantages in terms of simplicity and stability. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Seeking, accepting and declining help for emotional distress in cancer: A systematic review and thematic synthesis of qualitative evidence.

PubMed

Carolan, C M; Smith, A; Davies, G R; Forbat, L

2018-03-01

Many individuals affected by cancer who experience emotional distress report not wanting help. This review aims to understand why individuals affected by cancer seek, accept or decline help for emotional distress and what influences these actions. A systematic review and thematic synthesis of the qualitative literature was conducted. Using pre-defined search terms, four electronic databases were searched from January 2000 to May 2016. Pre-determined inclusion and exclusion criteria were then applied. Identified papers were quality appraised. In total, 32 papers were included in the synthesis. Four themes emerged from data synthesis: attaining normality-the normality paradox; being emotionally literate; perceptions of help; needs-support gap. Attaining normality is ideographic, context dependent and temporally situated; some individuals maintain normality by not seeking/declining help whereas others seek/accept help to achieve a new normality. Thus, attaining normality paradoxically functions to explain both why individuals sought/accepted help or did not seek/declined help. Data indicate that a context dependent, systems thinking approach is merited to enhance psychosocial care. In particular, clinicians must actively explore the personal context of an individual's distress to ensure that help desired and help offered are mutually understood. Further research must address the limitations of the current evidence base to advance theoretical understanding. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Label-free cancer cell separation from human whole blood using inertial microfluidics at low shear stress.

PubMed

Lee, Myung Gwon; Shin, Joong Ho; Bae, Chae Yun; Choi, Sungyoung; Park, Je-Kyun

2013-07-02

We report a contraction-expansion array (CEA) microchannel device that performs label-free high-throughput separation of cancer cells from whole blood at low Reynolds number (Re). The CEA microfluidic device utilizes hydrodynamic field effect for cancer cell separation, two kinds of inertial effects: (1) inertial lift force and (2) Dean flow, which results in label-free size-based separation with high throughput. To avoid cell damages potentially caused by high shear stress in conventional inertial separation techniques, the CEA microfluidic device isolates the cells with low operational Re, maintaining high-throughput separation, using nondiluted whole blood samples (hematocrit ~45%). We characterized inertial particle migration and investigated the migration of blood cells and various cancer cells (MCF-7, SK-BR-3, and HCC70) in the CEA microchannel. The separation of cancer cells from whole blood was demonstrated with a cancer cell recovery rate of 99.1%, a blood cell rejection ratio of 88.9%, and a throughput of 1.1 × 10(8) cells/min. In addition, the blood cell rejection ratio was further improved to 97.3% by a two-step filtration process with two devices connected in series.

Exploring factors influencing health-seeking decisions and retention in childhood cancer treatment programmes: perspectives of parents in Ghana.

PubMed

Renner, Lorna Awo; McGill, Deborah

2016-09-01

Developing countries such as Ghana have very poor childhood cancer survival rates. There is a need to determine reasons for late presentation and treatment abandonment which are major causes of poor survival. Understanding these issues could inform effective strategies for childhood cancer control in resource-constrained settings. To explore factors influencing parental decision-making for children with cancer in Ghana with regard to health seeking and retention in treatment, in order to provide information that will guide Public Health interventions for childhood cancer control. This exploratory qualitative study was conducted based on an interpretative epistemology using a social constructionist approach. Purposive sampling of parents attending the Paediatric Oncology Unit, Korle Bu Teaching Hospital in Accra, Ghana was undertaken. Twelve semi-structured moderate interviews and two small focus group discussions with a total of seven participants were undertaken. Data analysis was through thematic content analysis. Five major themes emerged. Knowledge and perceptions revealed a total lack of appropriate knowledge prior to diagnosis. Health-seeking behaviour was determined by interplay of individual and environmental factors. Orthodox medical treatment was largely perceived favourably. The impact of cancer on parents and children included psychological, physical and socioeconomic effects. Financial, spiritual and psychosocial support helped in coping. Parents recommended public education and health financing to address the major barriers. Broad social determinants and experiences influence parental decision making for children with cancer. This implies Health Promotion strategies with multi-sectorial involvement will be required for effective implementation of the National Strategy for Cancer Control. Funded by authors.

Over-reassurance and undersupport after a 'false alarm': a systematic review of the impact on subsequent cancer symptom attribution and help seeking.

PubMed

Renzi, Cristina; Whitaker, Katriina L; Wardle, Jane

2015-02-04

This literature review examined research into the impact of a previous 'all-clear' or non-cancer diagnosis following symptomatic presentation ('false alarm') on symptom attribution and delays in help seeking for subsequent possible cancer symptoms. The comprehensive literature review included original research based on quantitative, qualitative and mixed data collection methods. We used a combination of search strategies, including in-depth searches of electronic databases (PubMed, EMBASE, PsychInfo), searching key authors and articles listed as 'related' in PubMed, and reference lists. We performed a narrative synthesis of key themes shared across studies. The review included studies published after 1990 and before February 2014 reporting information on adult patients having experienced a false alarm following symptomatic presentation. We excluded false alarms in the context of screening. We evaluated the effect of a 'false alarm' on symptom attribution and help seeking for new or recurrent possible cancer symptoms. Overall, 1442 papers were screened and 121 retrieved for full-text evaluation. Among them, 19 reported on false alarms and subsequent symptom attribution or help seeking. They used qualitative (n=14), quantitative (n=3) and mixed methods (n=2). Breast (n=7), gynaecological (n=3), colorectal (n=2), testicular (n=2), and head and neck cancers (n=2) were the most studied. Two broad themes emerged underlying delays in help seeking: (1) over-reassurance from the previous 'all-clear' diagnosis leading to subsequent symptoms being interpreted as benign, and (2) unsupportive healthcare experiences in which symptoms were dismissed, leaving patients concerned about appearing hypochondriacal or uncertain about the appropriate next actions. The evidence suggested that the effect of a false alarm can persist for months and even years. In conclusion, over-reassurance and undersupport of patients after a false alarm can undermine help seeking in the case of new or

Near-infrared emitting fluorescent nanocrystals-labeled natural killer cells as a platform technology for the optical imaging of immunotherapeutic cells-based cancer therapy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Taik Lim, Yong; Cho, Mi Young; Noh, Young-Woock; Chung, Jin Woong; Chung, Bong Hyun

2009-11-01

This study describes the development of near-infrared optical imaging technology for the monitoring of immunotherapeutic cell-based cancer therapy using natural killer (NK) cells labeled with fluorescent nanocrystals. Although NK cell-based immunotherapeutic strategies have drawn interest as potent preclinical or clinical methods of cancer therapy, there are few reports documenting the molecular imaging of NK cell-based cancer therapy, primarily due to the difficulty of labeling of NK cells with imaging probes. Human natural killer cells (NK92MI) were labeled with anti-human CD56 antibody-coated quantum dots (QD705) for fluorescence imaging. FACS analysis showed that the NK92MI cells labeled with anti-human CD56 antibody-coated QD705 have no effect on the cell viability. The effect of anti-human CD56 antibody-coated QD705 labeling on the NK92MI cell function was investigated by measuring interferon gamma (IFN- γ) production and cytolytic activity. Finally, the NK92MI cells labeled with anti-human CD56 antibody-coated QD705 showed a therapeutic effect similar to that of unlabeled NK92MI cells. Images of intratumorally injected NK92MI cells labeled with anti-human CD56 antibody-coated could be acquired using near-infrared optical imaging both in vivo and in vitro. This result demonstrates that the immunotherapeutic cells labeled with fluorescent nanocrystals can be a versatile platform for the effective tracking of injected therapeutic cells using optical imaging technology, which is very important in cell-based cancer therapies.

Targeting adolescent risk-taking behaviors: the contributions of egocentrism and sensation-seeking.

PubMed

Greene, K; Krcmar, M; Walters, L H; Rubin, D L; Jerold; Hale, L

2000-08-01

Tremendous resources are spent each year developing programs and messages targeting adolescent risk behavior. Adolescents are often reasonably well educated about methods for health promotion such as preventing HIV infection, yet they fail to act accordingly. One widely used individual difference variable, sensation-seeking, has been incorporated in health message design to some extent, but it fails to take development into account. Research on adolescent egocentrism suggests adolescents experience personal fable which can lead to an exaggerated sense of invulnerability. The present study sampled adolescents and college students to examine relative contributions of egocentrism and sensation-seeking to risk-taking behavior. Results indicate a latent factor labeled risk-seeking (primarily indicated by disinhibition and risk-taking personality, and to a lesser degree by invulnerability, experience-seeking, boredom susceptibility, and thrill and adventure-seeking) indeed predicted a latent factor labeled delinquent behavior (primarily indicated by alcohol consumption and delinquency, and to a lesser degree by drug use, drinking and driving, and risky driving). Other results indicate consistently high personal fable combined with high sensation-seeking explained most risk-taking behavior. Implications and directions for future research are discussed. Copyright 2000 The Association for Professionals in Services for Adolescents.

Seeking Support on Facebook: A Content Analysis of Breast Cancer Groups

PubMed Central

Jimenez-Marroquin, Maria-Carolina; Jadad, Alejandro R

2011-01-01

Background Social network sites have been growing in popularity across broad segments of Internet users, and are a convenient means to exchange information and support. Research on their use for health-related purposes is limited. Objective This study aimed to characterize the purpose, use, and creators of Facebook groups related to breast cancer. Methods We searched Facebook (www.Facebook.com) using the term breast cancer. We restricted our analysis to groups that were related to breast cancer, operated in English, and were publicly available. Two of us independently extracted information on the administrator and purpose of the group, as well as the number of user-generated contributions. We developed a coding scheme to guide content analysis. Results We found 620 breast cancer groups on Facebook containing a total of 1,090,397 members. The groups were created for fundraising (277/620, 44.7%), awareness (236, 38.1%), product or service promotion related to fundraising or awareness (61, 9%), or patient/caregiver support (46, 7%). The awareness groups as a whole contained by far the most members (n = 957,289). The majority of groups (532, 85.8%) had 25 wall posts or fewer. The support oriented groups, 47% (27/57) of which were established by high school or college students, were associated with the greatest number of user-generated contributions. Conclusions Facebook groups have become a popular tool for awareness-raising, fundraising, and support-seeking related to breast cancer attracting over one million users. Given their popularity and reach, further research is warranted to explore the implications of social network sites as a health resource across various health conditions, cultures, ages, and socioeconomic groups. PMID:21371990

Seeking support on facebook: a content analysis of breast cancer groups.

PubMed

Bender, Jacqueline L; Jimenez-Marroquin, Maria-Carolina; Jadad, Alejandro R

2011-02-04

Social network sites have been growing in popularity across broad segments of Internet users, and are a convenient means to exchange information and support. Research on their use for health-related purposes is limited. This study aimed to characterize the purpose, use, and creators of Facebook groups related to breast cancer. We searched Facebook (www.Facebook.com) using the term breast cancer. We restricted our analysis to groups that were related to breast cancer, operated in English, and were publicly available. Two of us independently extracted information on the administrator and purpose of the group, as well as the number of user-generated contributions. We developed a coding scheme to guide content analysis. We found 620 breast cancer groups on Facebook containing a total of 1,090,397 members. The groups were created for fundraising (277/620, 44.7%), awareness (236, 38.1%), product or service promotion related to fundraising or awareness (61, 9%), or patient/caregiver support (46, 7%). The awareness groups as a whole contained by far the most members (n = 957,289). The majority of groups (532, 85.8%) had 25 wall posts or fewer. The support oriented groups, 47% (27/57) of which were established by high school or college students, were associated with the greatest number of user-generated contributions. Facebook groups have become a popular tool for awareness-raising, fundraising, and support-seeking related to breast cancer attracting over one million users. Given their popularity and reach, further research is warranted to explore the implications of social network sites as a health resource across various health conditions, cultures, ages, and socioeconomic groups.

Inhibitory effects of Rhenium-188-labeled Herceptin on prostate cancer cell growth: a possible radioimmunotherapy to prostate carcinoma.

PubMed

Wang, Hsin-Yi; Lin, Wan-Yu; Chen, Mei-Chih; Lin, Teh; Chao, Chih-Hao; Hsu, Fu-Ning; Lin, Eugene; Huang, Chih-Yang; Luo, Tsai-Yueh; Lin, Ho

2013-05-01

Herceptin is widely used in treating Her2-overexpressing breast cancer. However, the application of Herceptin in prostate cancer is still controversial. Our previous results have indicated the relevance of Her2 in the transition of the androgen requirement in prostate cancer cells. In this study, the effects of radioimmunotherapy against Her2 in prostate cancer were investigated. DU145, an androgen receptor-negative prostate cancer cell line, was used in vitro and in vivo to evaluate the effects of Herceptin labeled with a beta emitter, Rhenium-188 (Re-188). Its effects on cell growth, extent of apoptosis, the bio-distribution of Re-188 labeled Herceptin (Re-H), and protein levels were determined. Treatments with Re-188 and Re-H reduced the proliferation of DU145 cells in dose- and time-dependent manners compared to the Herceptin-treated group. Growth inhibition and apoptosis were induced after Re-H treatment; growth inhibition was more distinct in cells with high Her2/p-Her2 levels. Our in vivo xenograft studies revealed that Re-H treatment significantly retarded tumor growth and altered the levels of apoptosis-related proteins. The bio-distribution of Re-H in mice demonstrated a tissue-specific pattern. Importantly, the levels of p35 protein, which is related to cancer cell survival and invasion, dramatically decreased after Re-H treatment. Our data demonstrate that Re-188-labeled Herceptin effectively inhibited the growth of DU145 cells compared to the Herceptin- and Re-188-treated cohorts. This implies that targeting Her2 by both radio- and immuno- therapy might be a potential strategy for treating patients with androgen-independent prostate cancer.

Label-free single-cell separation and imaging of cancer cells using an integrated microfluidic system.

PubMed

Antfolk, Maria; Kim, Soo Hyeon; Koizumi, Saori; Fujii, Teruo; Laurell, Thomas

2017-04-20

The incidence of cancer is increasing worldwide and metastatic disease, through the spread of circulating tumor cells (CTCs), is responsible for the majority of the cancer deaths. Accurate monitoring of CTC levels in blood provides clinical information supporting therapeutic decision making, and improved methods for CTC enumeration are asked for. Microfluidics has been extensively used for this purpose but most methods require several post-separation processing steps including concentration of the sample before analysis. This induces a high risk of sample loss of the collected rare cells. Here, an integrated system is presented that efficiently eliminates this risk by integrating label-free separation with single cell arraying of the target cell population, enabling direct on-chip tumor cell identification and enumeration. Prostate cancer cells (DU145) spiked into a sample with whole blood concentration of the peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) fraction were efficiently separated and trapped at a recovery of 76.2 ± 5.9% of the cancer cells and a minute contamination of 0.12 ± 0.04% PBMCs while simultaneously enabling a 20x volumetric concentration. This constitutes a first step towards a fully integrated system for rapid label-free separation and on-chip phenotypic characterization of circulating tumor cells from peripheral venous blood in clinical practice.

A Dual Reporter Iodinated Labeling Reagent for Cancer Positron Emission Tomography Imaging and Fluorescence-Guided Surgery

PubMed Central

2018-01-01

The combination of early diagnosis and complete surgical resection offers the greatest prospect of curative cancer treatment. An iodine-124/fluorescein-based dual-modality labeling reagent, 124I-Green, constitutes a generic tool for one-step installation of a positron emission tomography (PET) and a fluorescent reporter to any cancer-specific antibody. The resulting antibody conjugate would allow both cancer PET imaging and intraoperative fluorescence-guided surgery. 124I-Green was synthesized in excellent radiochemical yields of 92 ± 5% (n = 4) determined by HPLC with an improved one-pot three-component radioiodination reaction. The A5B7 carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA)-specific antibody was conjugated to 124I-Green. High tumor uptake of the dual-labeled A5B7 of 20.21 ± 2.70, 13.31 ± 0.73, and 10.64 ± 1.86%ID/g was observed in CEA-expressing SW1222 xenograft mouse model (n = 3) at 24, 48, and 72 h post intravenous injection, respectively. The xenografts were clearly visualized by both PET/CT and ex vivo fluorescence imaging. These encouraging results warrant the further translational development of 124I-Green for cancer PET imaging and fluorescence-guided surgery. PMID:29388770

Differential diagnosis of breast cancer using quantitative, label-free and molecular vibrational imaging

PubMed Central

Yang, Yaliang; Li, Fuhai; Gao, Liang; Wang, Zhiyong; Thrall, Michael J.; Shen, Steven S.; Wong, Kelvin K.; Wong, Stephen T. C.

2011-01-01

We present a label-free, chemically-selective, quantitative imaging strategy to identify breast cancer and differentiate its subtypes using coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering (CARS) microscopy. Human normal breast tissue, benign proliferative, as well as in situ and invasive carcinomas, were imaged ex vivo. Simply by visualizing cellular and tissue features appearing on CARS images, cancerous lesions can be readily separated from normal tissue and benign proliferative lesion. To further distinguish cancer subtypes, quantitative disease-related features, describing the geometry and distribution of cancer cell nuclei, were extracted and applied to a computerized classification system. The results show that in situ carcinoma was successfully distinguished from invasive carcinoma, while invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC) and invasive lobular carcinoma were also distinguished from each other. Furthermore, 80% of intermediate-grade IDC and 85% of high-grade IDC were correctly distinguished from each other. The proposed quantitative CARS imaging method has the potential to enable rapid diagnosis of breast cancer. PMID:21833355

Breast cancer patients' information needs and information-seeking behavior in a developing country.

PubMed

Kimiafar, Khalil; Sarbaz, Masoumeh; Shahid Sales, Soudabeh; Esmaeili, Mojtaba; Javame Ghazvini, Zohre

2016-08-01

Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women both around the world and in Iran. By studying the information needs of patients with breast cancer, the quality of the information provided for them can be improved. This study investigated the information needs of breast cancer patients and their information-seeking behavior. This cross-sectional study was conducted from March to June, 2015. The research population was 120 women diagnosed with breast cancer and informed about their disease who referred to oncology outpatient clinics at a specialized cancer hospital and a radiotherapy oncology center in Mashhad (the only specialized cancer centers in eastern and northeastern Iran). Average participant age was 46.2 years (SD = 9.9). Eighty-five percent of patients desired more information about their disease. Results showed that the attending physician (mean = 3.76), television health channel (mean = 3.30), and other patients (mean = 3.06) were the most popular sources of information for breast cancer patients. Patients stated their strongest reasons for using information sources as achieving a better understanding of the disease (mean = 3.59), less anxiety (mean = 3.92), and curiosity to learn more about the disease (mean = 3.66), sequentially. Results further indicated that disease management (mean = 4.18) and nutritional options during treatment (mean = 4.14) were the most often mentioned areas in which patients required information, while knowing the progress rate of their disease was the least (mean = 3.73). It seems necessary to have a good, organized plan to provide breast cancer patients with information and increase their information literacy, one of their undeniable rights. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Help Seeking Behavior of Women with Self-Discovered Breast Cancer Symptoms: A Meta-Ethnographic Synthesis of Patient Delay

PubMed Central

Khakbazan, Zohreh; Taghipour, Ali; Latifnejad Roudsari, Robab; Mohammadi, Eesa

2014-01-01

Background and Objective Patient delay makes a critical contribution to late diagnosis and poor survival in cases of breast cancer. Identifying the factors that influence patient delay could provide information for adopting strategies that shorten this delay. The aim of this meta-ethnography was to synthesize existing qualitative evidence in order to gain a new understanding of help seeking behavior in women with self-discovered breast cancer symptoms and to determine the factors that influence patient delay. Methods The design was a meta-ethnography approach. A systematic search of the articles was performed in different databases including Elsevier, PubMed, ProQuest and SCOPUS. Qualitative studies with a focus on help seeking behaviors in women with self-discovered breast cancer symptoms and patient delay, published in the English language between 1990 and 2013 were included. The quality appraisal of the articles was carried out using the Critical Appraisal Skills Programme qualitative research checklist and 13 articles met the inclusion criteria. The synthesis was conducted according to Noblit and Hare’s meta-ethnographic approach (1988), through reciprocal translational analysis and lines-of-argument. Findings The synthesis led to identification of eight repeated key concepts including: symptom detection, initial symptom interpretation, symptom monitoring, social interaction, emotional reaction, priority of medical help, appraisal of health services and personal-environmental factors. Symptom interpretation is identified as the important step of the help seeking process and which changed across the process through active monitoring of their symptoms, social interactions and emotional reactions. The perceived seriousness of the situation, priority to receive medical attention, perceived inaccessibility and unacceptability of the health care system influenced women’s decision-making about utilizing health services. Conclusion Help seeking processes are

Effect of information seeking and avoidance behavior on self-rated health status among cancer survivors.

PubMed

Jung, Minsoo; Ramanadhan, Shoba; Viswanath, Kasisomayajula

2013-07-01

Social determinants, such as socioeconomic status (SES) and race/ethnicity are linked to striking health disparities across the cancer continuum. One important mechanism linking social determinants and health disparities may be communication inequalities that are caused by differences in accessing, processing and utilizing cancer information. In this context, we examined health information-seeking/avoidance as a potential mediator between social determinants and self-rated health (SRH) status among cancer survivors. Data came from the 2008 well-informed, thriving and surviving (WITS) study of post-treatment cancer survivors (n=501). We examined the mediating effect of health communication-related behavior between SES and disparities in SRH. The likelihood of belonging to the Low SRH group was higher among patients who had avoided health information and whose family members had not sought health information on behalf of the survivor, those in the lowest household income bracket, and those who had high school or less education after adjusting for potential confounders. Differences in SRH among cancer survivors are associated with SES as well as communication inequalities. It is necessary to provide a supportive environment in which health information is made available if disparities in health-related quality of life among cancer survivors are to be reduced. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Label-free single-cell separation and imaging of cancer cells using an integrated microfluidic system

PubMed Central

Antfolk, Maria; Kim, Soo Hyeon; Koizumi, Saori; Fujii, Teruo; Laurell, Thomas

2017-01-01

The incidence of cancer is increasing worldwide and metastatic disease, through the spread of circulating tumor cells (CTCs), is responsible for the majority of the cancer deaths. Accurate monitoring of CTC levels in blood provides clinical information supporting therapeutic decision making, and improved methods for CTC enumeration are asked for. Microfluidics has been extensively used for this purpose but most methods require several post-separation processing steps including concentration of the sample before analysis. This induces a high risk of sample loss of the collected rare cells. Here, an integrated system is presented that efficiently eliminates this risk by integrating label-free separation with single cell arraying of the target cell population, enabling direct on-chip tumor cell identification and enumeration. Prostate cancer cells (DU145) spiked into a sample with whole blood concentration of the peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) fraction were efficiently separated and trapped at a recovery of 76.2 ± 5.9% of the cancer cells and a minute contamination of 0.12 ± 0.04% PBMCs while simultaneously enabling a 20x volumetric concentration. This constitutes a first step towards a fully integrated system for rapid label-free separation and on-chip phenotypic characterization of circulating tumor cells from peripheral venous blood in clinical practice. PMID:28425472

Tumor margin assessment of surgical tissue specimen of cancer patients using label-free hyperspectral imaging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fei, Baowei; Lu, Guolan; Wang, Xu; Zhang, Hongzheng; Little, James V.; Magliocca, Kelly R.; Chen, Amy Y.

2017-02-01

We are developing label-free hyperspectral imaging (HSI) for tumor margin assessment. HSI data, hypercube (x,y,λ), consists of a series of high-resolution images of the same field of view that are acquired at different wavelengths. Every pixel on the HSI image has an optical spectrum. We developed preprocessing and classification methods for HSI data. We used spectral features from HSI data for the classification of cancer and benign tissue. We collected surgical tissue specimens from 16 human patients who underwent head and neck (H&N) cancer surgery. We acquired both HSI, autofluorescence images, and fluorescence images with 2-NBDG and proflavine from the specimens. Digitized histologic slides were examined by an H&N pathologist. The hyperspectral imaging and classification method was able to distinguish between cancer and normal tissue from oral cavity with an average accuracy of 90+/-8%, sensitivity of 89+/-9%, and specificity of 91+/-6%. For tissue specimens from the thyroid, the method achieved an average accuracy of 94+/-6%, sensitivity of 94+/-6%, and specificity of 95+/-6%. Hyperspectral imaging outperformed autofluorescence imaging or fluorescence imaging with vital dye (2-NBDG or proflavine). This study suggests that label-free hyperspectral imaging has great potential for tumor margin assessment in surgical tissue specimens of H&N cancer patients. Further development of the hyperspectral imaging technology is warranted for its application in image-guided surgery.

Appraisal of breast cancer symptoms by Iranian women: entangled cognitive, emotional and socio-cultural responses.

PubMed

Khakbazan, Zohreh; Roudsari, Robab Latifnejad; Taghipour, Ali; Mohammadi, Eesa; Pour, Ramesh Omrani

2014-01-01

Breast cancer is the most common cancer in Iranian women and usually features delayed presentation and late diagnosis. Interpretation of symptoms, as the most important step, has a significant impact on patient delay in seeking treatment. There is a dearth of studies on symptom appraisal and the process leading to seeking help in breast cancer patients. This study explored the perceptions and experiences of Iranian women with self-detected possible breast cancer symptoms. A qualitative method was conducted involving in-depth semi-structured interviews with 27 Iranian women with self-discovered breast cancer symptoms. Participants were purposefully selected from women who attended Cancer Institute of Tehran University of Medical Sciences during June 2012 to August 2013. The audiotaped interviews were transcribed and analyzed using conventional content analysis with MAXQDA soft ware version 10. The trustworthiness of the study was verified by prolonged engagement, member validation of codes, and thick description. The main concepts emerging from data analysis were categorized in four categories: symptom recognition, labeling of symptoms, interactive understanding, and confronting the fear of cancer. Symptom recognition through breast self-examination, symptom monitoring and employing prior knowledge distinguished normal from abnormal symptoms and accompanied with perception of being at risk of breast cancer led to symptom labeling. Social interaction by selective disclosure and receiving reassurance from a consultant led to confirmation or redefinition of the situation. Perceived seriousness of the situation and social meanings of breast cancer as a stigmatized and incurable illness associated with loss of femininity were reasons for patient worries and fear. This study emphasized that entangled cognitive, emotional and socio-cultural responses affecting understanding of symptom seriousness require further investigation. It is suggested that programs aimed at

Label-free nanoplasmonic sensing of tumor-associate autoantibodies for early diagnosis of colorectal cancer.

PubMed

Soler, Maria; Estevez, M-Carmen; Villar-Vazquez, Roi; Casal, J Ignacio; Lechuga, Laura M

2016-08-03

Colorectal cancer is treatable and curable when detected at early stages. However there is a lack of less invasive and more specific screening and diagnosis methods which would facilitate its prompt identification. Blood circulating autoantibodies which are immediately produced by the immune system at tumor appearance have become valuable biomarkers for preclinical diagnosis of cancer. In this work, we present the rapid and label-free detection of colorectal cancer autoantibodies directly in blood serum or plasma using a recently developed nanoplasmonic biosensor. Our nanoplasmonic device offers sensitive and real-time quantification of autoantibodies with excellent selectivity and reproducibility, achieving limits of detection around 1 nM (150-160 ng mL(-1)). A preliminary evaluation of clinical samples of colorectal cancer patients has shown good correlation with ELISA. These results demonstrate the reliability of the nanobiosensor strategy and pave the way towards the achievement of a sensitive diagnostic tool for early detection of colorectal cancer. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Ra-224 labeling of calcium carbonate microparticles for internal α-therapy: Preparation, stability, and biodistribution in mice.

PubMed

Westrøm, Sara; Malenge, Marion; Jorstad, Ida Sofie; Napoli, Elisa; Bruland, Øyvind S; Bønsdorff, Tina B; Larsen, Roy H

2018-05-30

Internal therapy with α-emitters should be well suited for micrometastatic disease. Radium-224 emits multiple α-particles through its decay and has a convenient 3.6 days of half-life. Despite its attractive properties, the use of 224 Ra has been limited to bone-seeking applications because it cannot be stably bound to a targeting molecule. Alternative delivery systems for 224 Ra are therefore of considerable interest. In this study, calcium carbonate microparticles are proposed as carriers for 224 Ra, designed for local therapy of disseminated cancers in cavitary regions, such as peritoneal carcinomatosis. Calcium carbonate microparticles were radiolabeled by precipitation of 224 Ra on the particle surface, resulting in high labeling efficiencies for both 224 Ra and daughter 212 Pb and retention of more than 95% of these nuclides for up to 1 week in vitro. The biodistribution after intraperitoneal administration of the 224 Ra-labeled CaCO 3 microparticles in immunodeficient mice revealed that the radioactivity mainly remained in the peritoneal cavity. In addition, the systemic distribution of 224 Ra was found to be strongly dependent on the amount of administered microparticles, with a reduced skeletal uptake of 224 Ra with increasing dose. The results altogether suggest that the 224 Ra-labeled CaCO 3 microparticles have promising properties for use as a localized internal α-therapy of cavitary cancers. © 2018 Oncoinvent AS. Journal of Labelled Compounds and Radiopharmaceuticals Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Wide-field imaging and flow cytometric analysis of cancer cells in blood by fluorescent nanodiamond labeling and time gating

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hui, Yuen Yung; Su, Long-Jyun; Chen, Oliver Yenjyh; Chen, Yit-Tsong; Liu, Tzu-Ming; Chang, Huan-Cheng

2014-07-01

Nanodiamonds containing high density ensembles of negatively charged nitrogen-vacancy (NV-) centers are promising fluorescent biomarkers due to their excellent photostability and biocompatibility. The NV- centers in the particles have a fluorescence lifetime of up to 20 ns, which distinctly differs from those (<10 ns) of cell and tissue autofluorescence, making it possible to achieve background-free detection in vivo by time gating. Here, we demonstrate the feasibility of using fluorescent nanodiamonds (FNDs) as optical labels for wide-field time-gated fluorescence imaging and flow cytometric analysis of cancer cells with a nanosecond intensified charge-coupled device (ICCD) as the detector. The combined technique has allowed us to acquire fluorescence images of FND-labeled HeLa cells in whole blood covered with a chicken breast of ~0.1-mm thickness at the single cell level, and to detect individual FND-labeled HeLa cells in blood flowing through a microfluidic device at a frame rate of 23 Hz, as well as to locate and trace FND-labeled lung cancer cells in the blood vessels of a mouse ear. It opens a new window for real-time imaging and tracking of transplanted cells (such as stem cells) in vivo.

Unraveling Molecular Differences of Gastric Cancer by Label-Free Quantitative Proteomics Analysis.

PubMed

Dai, Peng; Wang, Qin; Wang, Weihua; Jing, Ruirui; Wang, Wei; Wang, Fengqin; Azadzoi, Kazem M; Yang, Jing-Hua; Yan, Zhen

2016-01-21

Gastric cancer (GC) has significant morbidity and mortality worldwide and especially in China. Its molecular pathogenesis has not been thoroughly elaborated. The acknowledged biomarkers for diagnosis, prognosis, recurrence monitoring and treatment are lacking. Proteins from matched pairs of human GC and adjacent tissues were analyzed by a coupled label-free Mass Spectrometry (MS) approach, followed by functional annotation with software analysis. Nano-LC-MS/MS, quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR), western blot and immunohistochemistry were used to validate dysregulated proteins. One hundred forty-six dysregulated proteins with more than twofold expressions were quantified, 22 of which were first reported to be relevant with GC. Most of them were involved in cancers and gastrointestinal disease. The expression of a panel of four upregulated nucleic acid binding proteins, heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein hnRNPA2B1, hnRNPD, hnRNPL and Y-box binding protein 1 (YBX-1) were validated by Nano-LC-MS/MS, qRT-PCR, western blot and immunohistochemistry assays in ten GC patients' tissues. They were located in the keynotes of a predicted interaction network and might play important roles in abnormal cell growth. The label-free quantitative proteomic approach provides a deeper understanding and novel insight into GC-related molecular changes and possible mechanisms. It also provides some potential biomarkers for clinical diagnosis.

Stigma associated with PTSD: perceptions of treatment seeking combat veterans.

PubMed

Mittal, Dinesh; Drummond, Karen L; Blevins, Dean; Curran, Geoffrey; Corrigan, Patrick; Sullivan, Greer

2013-06-01

Although stigma associated with serious mental illness, substance abuse disorders, and depression has been studied very little is known about stigma associated with Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). This study explored stigma related to PTSD among treatment-seeking Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom (OEF/OIF) combat veterans. Sixteen treatment-seeking OEF/OIF veterans with combat-related PTSD participated in focus groups. We used qualitative methods to explore PTSD-related stigma. Common perceived stereotypes of treatment-seeking veterans with PTSD included labels such as "dangerous/violent," or "crazy," and a belief that combat veterans are responsible for having PTSD. Most participants reported avoiding treatment early on to circumvent a label of mental illness. Participants initially reported experiencing some degree of self-stigma; however, following engagement in treatment they predominantly resisted these stereotypes. Although most participants considered combat-related PTSD as less stigmatizing than other mental illnesses, they reported difficulties with reintegration. Such challenges likely stem from both PTSD symptoms and veterans' perceptions of how the public views them. Most reported that fellow combat veterans best understood them. Awareness of public stereotypes impacts help seeking at least early in the course of illness. Peer-based outreach and therapy groups may help veterans engage in treatment early and resist stigma. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2013 APA, all rights reserved).

Label-free surface plasmon sensing towards cancer diagnostics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sankaranarayanan, Goutham

The main objective of this thesis is to develop a conventional, home-built SPR bio-sensor to demonstrate bio-sensing applications. This emphasizes the understanding of basic concepts of Surface Plasmon Resonance and various interrogation techniques. Intensity Modulation was opted to perform the label-free SPR bio-sensing experiments due to its cost-efficient and compact setup. Later, label-free surface plasmon sensing was carried out to study and understand the bio-molecular interactions between (1). BSA and Anti BSA molecules and (2). Exosome/Liposome on thin metal (Au) films. Exosomes are cell-derived vesicles present in bodily fluids like blood, saliva, urine, epididymal fluid containing miRNAs, RNA, proteins, etc., at stable quantities during normal health conditions. The exosomes comprise varied constituents based on their cell origin from where they are secreted and is specific to that particular origin. However an exacerbated release is observed during tumor or cancer conditions. This increased level of exosomes present in the sample, can be detected using the SPR bio-sensor demonstrated in this thesis and effective thickness of adsorption on Au surface can be estimated. Also, chemically synthesized liposome particles were studied to determine if they can generate an equivalent sensor response to that of exosomes to consider them as an alternate. Finally a 10ppb Mercury (Hg) sensing was performed as part of Environment Monitoring application and results have been tabulated and compared.

A bioinformatics approach for precision medicine off-label drug drug selection among triple negative breast cancer patients

PubMed Central

Cheng, Lijun; Schneider, Bryan P

2016-01-01

Background Cancer has been extensively characterized on the basis of genomics. The integration of genetic information about cancers with data on how the cancers respond to target based therapy to help to optimum cancer treatment. Objective The increasing usage of sequencing technology in cancer research and clinical practice has enormously advanced our understanding of cancer mechanisms. The cancer precision medicine is becoming a reality. Although off-label drug usage is a common practice in treating cancer, it suffers from the lack of knowledge base for proper cancer drug selections. This eminent need has become even more apparent considering the upcoming genomics data. Methods In this paper, a personalized medicine knowledge base is constructed by integrating various cancer drugs, drug-target database, and knowledge sources for the proper cancer drugs and their target selections. Based on the knowledge base, a bioinformatics approach for cancer drugs selection in precision medicine is developed. It integrates personal molecular profile data, including copy number variation, mutation, and gene expression. Results By analyzing the 85 triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) patient data in the Cancer Genome Altar, we have shown that 71.7% of the TNBC patients have FDA approved drug targets, and 51.7% of the patients have more than one drug target. Sixty-five drug targets are identified as TNBC treatment targets and 85 candidate drugs are recommended. Many existing TNBC candidate targets, such as Poly (ADP-Ribose) Polymerase 1 (PARP1), Cell division protein kinase 6 (CDK6), epidermal growth factor receptor, etc., were identified. On the other hand, we found some additional targets that are not yet fully investigated in the TNBC, such as Gamma-Glutamyl Hydrolase (GGH), Thymidylate Synthetase (TYMS), Protein Tyrosine Kinase 6 (PTK6), Topoisomerase (DNA) I, Mitochondrial (TOP1MT), Smoothened, Frizzled Class Receptor (SMO), etc. Our additional analysis of target and drug

Quantum Cascade Laser-Based Infrared Microscopy for Label-Free and Automated Cancer Classification in Tissue Sections.

PubMed

Kuepper, Claus; Kallenbach-Thieltges, Angela; Juette, Hendrik; Tannapfel, Andrea; Großerueschkamp, Frederik; Gerwert, Klaus

2018-05-16

A feasibility study using a quantum cascade laser-based infrared microscope for the rapid and label-free classification of colorectal cancer tissues is presented. Infrared imaging is a reliable, robust, automated, and operator-independent tissue classification method that has been used for differential classification of tissue thin sections identifying tumorous regions. However, long acquisition time by the so far used FT-IR-based microscopes hampered the clinical translation of this technique. Here, the used quantum cascade laser-based microscope provides now infrared images for precise tissue classification within few minutes. We analyzed 110 patients with UICC-Stage II and III colorectal cancer, showing 96% sensitivity and 100% specificity of this label-free method as compared to histopathology, the gold standard in routine clinical diagnostics. The main hurdle for the clinical translation of IR-Imaging is overcome now by the short acquisition time for high quality diagnostic images, which is in the same time range as frozen sections by pathologists.

Health information seeking and the World Wide Web: an uncertainty management perspective.

PubMed

Rains, Stephen A

2014-01-01

Uncertainty management theory was applied in the present study to offer one theoretical explanation for how individuals use the World Wide Web to acquire health information and to help better understand the implications of the Web for information seeking. The diversity of information sources available on the Web and potential to exert some control over the depth and breadth of one's information-acquisition effort is argued to facilitate uncertainty management. A total of 538 respondents completed a questionnaire about their uncertainty related to cancer prevention and information-seeking behavior. Consistent with study predictions, use of the Web for information seeking interacted with respondents' desired level of uncertainty to predict their actual level of uncertainty about cancer prevention. The results offer evidence that respondents who used the Web to search for cancer information were better able than were respondents who did not seek information to achieve a level of uncertainty commensurate with the level of uncertainty they desired.

The Discovery of Novel Biomarkers Improves Breast Cancer Intrinsic Subtype Prediction and Reconciles the Labels in the METABRIC Data Set

PubMed Central

Milioli, Heloisa Helena; Vimieiro, Renato; Riveros, Carlos; Tishchenko, Inna; Berretta, Regina; Moscato, Pablo

2015-01-01

Background The prediction of breast cancer intrinsic subtypes has been introduced as a valuable strategy to determine patient diagnosis and prognosis, and therapy response. The PAM50 method, based on the expression levels of 50 genes, uses a single sample predictor model to assign subtype labels to samples. Intrinsic errors reported within this assay demonstrate the challenge of identifying and understanding the breast cancer groups. In this study, we aim to: a) identify novel biomarkers for subtype individuation by exploring the competence of a newly proposed method named CM1 score, and b) apply an ensemble learning, as opposed to the use of a single classifier, for sample subtype assignment. The overarching objective is to improve class prediction. Methods and Findings The microarray transcriptome data sets used in this study are: the METABRIC breast cancer data recorded for over 2000 patients, and the public integrated source from ROCK database with 1570 samples. We first computed the CM1 score to identify the probes with highly discriminative patterns of expression across samples of each intrinsic subtype. We further assessed the ability of 42 selected probes on assigning correct subtype labels using 24 different classifiers from the Weka software suite. For comparison, the same method was applied on the list of 50 genes from the PAM50 method. Conclusions The CM1 score portrayed 30 novel biomarkers for predicting breast cancer subtypes, with the confirmation of the role of 12 well-established genes. Intrinsic subtypes assigned using the CM1 list and the ensemble of classifiers are more consistent and homogeneous than the original PAM50 labels. The new subtypes show accurate distributions of current clinical markers ER, PR and HER2, and survival curves in the METABRIC and ROCK data sets. Remarkably, the paradoxical attribution of the original labels reinforces the limitations of employing a single sample classifiers to predict breast cancer intrinsic subtypes

A silicon-based peptide biosensor for label-free detection of cancer cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Martucci, Nicola M.; Rea, Ilaria; Ruggiero, Immacolata; Terracciano, Monica; De Stefano, Luca; Migliaccio, Nunzia; Dardano, Principia; Arcari, Paolo; Rendina, Ivo; Lamberti, Annalisa

2015-05-01

Sensitive and accurate detection of cancer cells plays a crucial role in diagnosis of cancer and minimal residual disease, so being one of the most hopeful approaches to reduce cancer death rates. In this paper, a strategy for highly selective and sensitive detection of lymphoma cells on planar silicon-based biosensor has been evaluated. In this setting an Idiotype peptide, able to specifically bind the B-cell receptor (BCR) of A20 cells in mice engrafted with A20 lymphoma, has been covalently linked to the sensor active surface and used as molecular probe. The biochip here presented showed a coverage efficiency of 85% with a detection efficiency of 8.5×10-3 cells/μm2. The results obtained suggested an efficient way for specific label-free cell detection by using a silicon-based peptide biosensor. In addition, the present recognition strategy, besides being useful for the development of sensing devices capable of monitoring minimal residual disease, could be used to find and characterize new specific receptor-ligand interactions through the screening of a recombinant phage library.

Effects of labeling and interpersonal contact upon attitudes towards schizophrenia: implications for reducing mental illness stigma in urban China.

PubMed

Yang, Lawrence H; Lo, Graciete; WonPat-Borja, Ahtoy J; Singla, Daisy R; Link, Bruce G; Phillips, Michael R

2012-09-01

As mental illness stigma contributes to poor outcomes for schizophrenia in China, locating strategies to reduce public stigma is imperative. It is currently unknown whether diagnostic labeling and contact with different help-seeking sources increase or decrease public stigma in China. Further, it remains unresolved whether prior personal contact acts to reduce stigma in this context. Advancing understanding of these processes may facilitate stigma-reduction strategies. We administered an experimental vignette randomly assigning one of four labeling conditions to respondents to assess social distance towards a psychotic vignette individual in a sample of 160 Northern, urban Chinese community respondents. As expected, respondents given a "non-psychiatric, indigenous label" + "lay help-seeking" condition endorsed the least social distance. Unexpectedly, the labeling condition with a "psychiatric diagnostic label" + "lay help-seeking" condition elicited the greatest social distance. Unlike Western studies, personal contact did not independently decrease community stigma. However, prior contact reduced social distance to a greater extent in the labeling condition with a "non-psychiatric, indigenous label" + "lay help-seeking" condition when compared with all other labeling conditions. The results indicate that cultural idioms do provide some protection from stigma, but only among respondents who are already familiar with what mental illness is. Our finding that the condition that depicted untreated psychosis elicited the greatest amount of stigma, while the "treated psychosis" condition was viewed relatively benignly in China, suggests that improved access to mental health services in urban China has the potential to decrease public stigma via labeling mechanisms.

Biocompatible and label-free separation of cancer cells from cell culture lines from white blood cells in ferrofluids.

PubMed

Zhao, Wujun; Cheng, Rui; Lim, So Hyun; Miller, Joshua R; Zhang, Weizhong; Tang, Wei; Xie, Jin; Mao, Leidong

2017-06-27

This paper reports a biocompatible and label-free cell separation method using ferrofluids that can separate a variety of low-concentration cancer cells from cell culture lines (∼100 cancer cells per mL) from undiluted white blood cells, with a throughput of 1.2 mL h -1 and an average separation efficiency of 82.2%. The separation is based on the size difference of the cancer cells and white blood cells, and is conducted in a custom-made biocompatible ferrofluid that retains not only excellent short-term viabilities but also normal proliferations of 7 commonly used cancer cell lines. A microfluidic device is designed and optimized specifically to shorten the time of live cells' exposure to ferrofluids from hours to seconds, by eliminating time-consuming off-chip sample preparation and extraction steps and integrating them on-chip to achieve a one-step process. As a proof-of-concept demonstration, a ferrofluid with 0.26% volume fraction was used in this microfluidic device to separate spiked cancer cells from cell lines at a concentration of ∼100 cells per mL from white blood cells with a throughput of 1.2 mL h -1 . The separation efficiencies were 80 ± 3%, 81 ± 5%, 82 ± 5%, 82 ± 4%, and 86 ± 6% for A549 lung cancer, H1299 lung cancer, MCF-7 breast cancer, MDA-MB-231 breast cancer, and PC-3 prostate cancer cell lines, respectively. The separated cancer cells' purity was between 25.3% and 28.8%. In addition, the separated cancer cells from this strategy showed an average short-term viability of 94.4 ± 1.3%, and these separated cells were cultured and demonstrated normal proliferation to confluence even after the separation process. Owing to its excellent biocompatibility and label-free operation and its ability to recover low concentrations of cancer cells from white blood cells, this method could lead to a promising tool for rare cell separation.

Fluorescently labeled chimeric anti-CEA antibody improves detection and resection of human colon cancer in a patient-derived orthotopic xenograft (PDOX) nude mouse model.

PubMed

Metildi, Cristina A; Kaushal, Sharmeela; Luiken, George A; Talamini, Mark A; Hoffman, Robert M; Bouvet, Michael

2014-04-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate a new fluorescently labeled chimeric anti-CEA antibody for improved detection and resection of colon cancer. Frozen tumor and normal human tissue samples were stained with chimeric and mouse antibody-fluorophore conjugates for comparison. Mice with patient-derived orthotopic xenografts (PDOX) of colon cancer underwent fluorescence-guided surgery (FGS) or bright-light surgery (BLS) 24 hr after tail vein injection of fluorophore-conjugated chimeric anti-CEA antibody. Resection completeness was assessed using postoperative images. Mice were followed for 6 months for recurrence. The fluorophore conjugation efficiency (dye/mole ratio) improved from 3-4 to >5.5 with the chimeric CEA antibody compared to mouse anti-CEA antibody. CEA-expressing tumors labeled with chimeric CEA antibody provided a brighter fluorescence signal on frozen human tumor tissues (P = 0.046) and demonstrated consistently lower fluorescence signals in normal human tissues compared to mouse antibody. Chimeric CEA antibody accurately labeled PDOX colon cancer in nude mice, enabling improved detection of tumor margins for more effective FGS. The R0 resection rate increased from 86% to 96% with FGS compared to BLS. Improved conjugating efficiency and labeling with chimeric fluorophore-conjugated antibody resulted in better detection and resection of human colon cancer in an orthotopic mouse model. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Ra‐224 labeling of calcium carbonate microparticles for internal α‐therapy: Preparation, stability, and biodistribution in mice

PubMed Central

Westrøm, Sara; Malenge, Marion; Jorstad, Ida Sofie; Napoli, Elisa; Bruland, Øyvind S.; Bønsdorff, Tina B.

2018-01-01

Internal therapy with α‐emitters should be well suited for micrometastatic disease. Radium‐224 emits multiple α‐particles through its decay and has a convenient 3.6 days of half‐life. Despite its attractive properties, the use of 224Ra has been limited to bone‐seeking applications because it cannot be stably bound to a targeting molecule. Alternative delivery systems for 224Ra are therefore of considerable interest. In this study, calcium carbonate microparticles are proposed as carriers for 224Ra, designed for local therapy of disseminated cancers in cavitary regions, such as peritoneal carcinomatosis. Calcium carbonate microparticles were radiolabeled by precipitation of 224Ra on the particle surface, resulting in high labeling efficiencies for both 224Ra and daughter 212Pb and retention of more than 95% of these nuclides for up to 1 week in vitro. The biodistribution after intraperitoneal administration of the 224Ra‐labeled CaCO3 microparticles in immunodeficient mice revealed that the radioactivity mainly remained in the peritoneal cavity. In addition, the systemic distribution of 224Ra was found to be strongly dependent on the amount of administered microparticles, with a reduced skeletal uptake of 224Ra with increasing dose. The results altogether suggest that the 224Ra‐labeled CaCO3 microparticles have promising properties for use as a localized internal α‐therapy of cavitary cancers. PMID:29380410

A bioinformatics approach for precision medicine off-label drug drug selection among triple negative breast cancer patients.

PubMed

Cheng, Lijun; Schneider, Bryan P; Li, Lang

2016-07-01

Cancer has been extensively characterized on the basis of genomics. The integration of genetic information about cancers with data on how the cancers respond to target based therapy to help to optimum cancer treatment. The increasing usage of sequencing technology in cancer research and clinical practice has enormously advanced our understanding of cancer mechanisms. The cancer precision medicine is becoming a reality. Although off-label drug usage is a common practice in treating cancer, it suffers from the lack of knowledge base for proper cancer drug selections. This eminent need has become even more apparent considering the upcoming genomics data. In this paper, a personalized medicine knowledge base is constructed by integrating various cancer drugs, drug-target database, and knowledge sources for the proper cancer drugs and their target selections. Based on the knowledge base, a bioinformatics approach for cancer drugs selection in precision medicine is developed. It integrates personal molecular profile data, including copy number variation, mutation, and gene expression. By analyzing the 85 triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) patient data in the Cancer Genome Altar, we have shown that 71.7% of the TNBC patients have FDA approved drug targets, and 51.7% of the patients have more than one drug target. Sixty-five drug targets are identified as TNBC treatment targets and 85 candidate drugs are recommended. Many existing TNBC candidate targets, such as Poly (ADP-Ribose) Polymerase 1 (PARP1), Cell division protein kinase 6 (CDK6), epidermal growth factor receptor, etc., were identified. On the other hand, we found some additional targets that are not yet fully investigated in the TNBC, such as Gamma-Glutamyl Hydrolase (GGH), Thymidylate Synthetase (TYMS), Protein Tyrosine Kinase 6 (PTK6), Topoisomerase (DNA) I, Mitochondrial (TOP1MT), Smoothened, Frizzled Class Receptor (SMO), etc. Our additional analysis of target and drug selection strategy is also fully

Breast cancer cells synchronous labeling and separation based on aptamer and fluorescence-magnetic silica nanoparticles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Qiu-Yue; Huang, Wei; Jiang, Xing-Lin; Kang, Yan-Jun

2018-01-01

In this work, an efficient method based on biotin-labeled aptamer and streptavidin-conjugated fluorescence-magnetic silica nanoprobes (FITC@Fe3O4@SiNPs-SA) has been established for human breast carcinoma MCF-7 cells synchronous labeling and separation. Carboxyl-modified fluorescence-magnetic silica nanoparticles (FITC@Fe3O4@SiNPs-COOH) were first synthesized using the Stöber method. Streptavidin (SA) was then conjugated to the surface of FITC@Fe3O4@SiNPs-COOH. The MCF-7 cell suspension was incubated with biotin-labeled MUC-1 aptamer. After centrifugation and washing, the cells were then treated with FITC@Fe3O4@SiNPs-SA. Afterwards, the mixtures were separated by a magnet. The cell-probe conjugates were then imaged using fluorescent microscopy. The results show that the MUC-1 aptamer could recognize and bind to the targeted cells with high affinity and specificity, indicating the prepared FITC@Fe3O4@SiNPs-SA with great photostability and superparamagnetism could be applied effectively in labeling and separation for MCF-7 cell in suspension synchronously. In addition, the feasibility of MCF-7 cells detection in peripheral blood was assessed. The results indicate that the method above is also applicable for cancer cells synchronous labeling and separation in complex biological system.

Label-free determination of lipid composition and secondary protein structure of human salivary noncancerous and cancerous tissues by Raman microspectroscopy.

PubMed

Brozek-Pluska, Beata; Kopec, Monika; Niedzwiecka, Izabela; Morawiec-Sztandera, Alina

2015-04-07

The applications of optical spectroscopic methods in cancer detection open new possibilities in oncological diagnostics. Raman spectroscopy and Raman imaging represent noninvasive, label-free, and rapidly developing tools in cancer diagnosis. In the study described in this paper Raman microspectroscopy has been employed to examine noncancerous and cancerous human salivary gland tissues of the same patient. The most significant differences between noncancerous and cancerous tissues were found in regions typical for the vibrations of lipids and proteins. The detailed analysis of secondary structures of proteins contained in the cancerous and the noncancerous tissues is also presented.

The curative and palliative potential of the monoclonal antibody MOv18 labelled with 211At in nude mice with intraperitoneally growing ovarian cancer xenografts--a long-term study.

PubMed

Andersson, H; Lindegren, S; Bäck, T; Jacobsson, L; Leser, G; Horvath, G

2000-01-01

The purpose of the present study was to investigate the therapeutic efficacy of 211At-labelled specific monoclonal antibody MOv18 in nude mice with intraperitoneal growth of the human ovarian cancer cell line OVCAR3. In the first part of the study the antibody was injected intraperitoneally when the cancer growth was microscopic. The injected activity was 485-555 kBq. The median survival for treated mice was 213 days compared to 138 days for untreated mice (p < 0.014, log-rank test). No obvious toxicity was seen. Thirty-three percent of the mice were apparently free of cancer after 7 months and were probably cured. In the second part of the study mice with macroscopic cancer and signs of ascites were injected intraperitoneally with the same 211At-labelled antibody (377-389 kBq). This treatment possibly delayed the production of ascites. Hopefully radioimmunotherapy with regionally administered 211At-labelled antibody will be of value in women with ovarian cancer as well.

Routes to diagnosis for men with prostate cancer: men's cultural beliefs about how changes to their bodies and symptoms influence help-seeking actions. A narrative review of the literature.

PubMed

King-Okoye, Michelle; Arber, Anne; Faithfull, Sara

2017-10-01

To examine the findings of existing studies in relation to men's cultural beliefs about changes to their bodies relevant to prostate cancer and how these affect interpretation of bodily changes and help-seeking actions. We undertook a narrative review of studies conducted from 2004 to 2017 in 6 databases that highlighted men's beliefs and help-seeking actions for bodily changes suggestive of prostate cancer. Eighteen (18) studies reflecting men from various ethnicities and nationalities were included. The belief that blood and painful urination were warning signs to seek medical help delayed help-seeking among men compared to men that did not experience these symptoms. The belief that urinary symptoms such as dribbling, cystitis and urinary hesitancy were transient and related to ageing, normality and infection significantly delayed symptom appraisal and help-seeking. Men also held the belief that sexual changes, such as impotence and ejaculation dysfunction were private, embarrassing and a taboo. These beliefs impeded timely help-seeking. Cultural beliefs, spirituality and the role of wives/partners were significant for men to help appraise symptoms as requiring medical attention thus sanctioning the need for help-seeking. This review underscores a critical need for further empirical research into men's beliefs about bodily changes relevant to prostate health and how these beliefs affect their interpretation of symptoms and subsequent help-seeking actions. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Quantitative PET imaging of Met-expressing human cancer xenografts with 89Zr-labelled monoclonal antibody DN30.

PubMed

Perk, Lars R; Stigter-van Walsum, Marijke; Visser, Gerard W M; Kloet, Reina W; Vosjan, Maria J W D; Leemans, C René; Giaccone, Giuseppe; Albano, Raffaella; Comoglio, Paolo M; van Dongen, Guus A M S

2008-10-01

Targeting the c-Met receptor with monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) is an appealing approach for cancer diagnosis and treatment because this receptor plays a prominent role in tumour invasion and metastasis. Positron emission tomography (PET) might be a powerful tool for guidance of therapy with anti-Met MAbs like the recently described MAb DN30 because it allows accurate quantitative imaging of tumour targeting (immuno-PET). We considered the potential of PET with either (89)Zr-labelled (residualising radionuclide) or (124)I-labelled (non-residualising radionuclide) DN30 for imaging of Met-expressing tumours. The biodistribution of co-injected (89)Zr-DN30 and iodine-labelled DN30 was compared in nude mice bearing either the human gastric cancer line GLT-16 (high Met expression) or the head-and-neck cancer line FaDu (low Met expression). PET images were acquired in both xenograft models up to 4 days post-injection (p.i.) and used for quantification of tumour uptake. Biodistribution studies in GTL-16-tumour-bearing mice revealed that (89)Zr-DN30 achieved much higher tumour uptake levels than iodine-labelled DN30 (e.g. 19.6%ID/g vs 5.3%ID/g, 5 days p.i.), while blood levels were similar, indicating internalisation of DN30. Therefore, (89)Zr-DN30 was selected for PET imaging of GLT-16-bearing mice. Tumours as small as 11 mg were readily visualised with immuno-PET. A distinctive lower (89)Zr uptake was observed in FaDu compared to GTL-16 xenografts (e.g. 7.8%ID/g vs 18.1%ID/g, 3 days p.i.). Nevertheless, FaDu xenografts were also clearly visualised with (89)Zr-DN30 immuno-PET. An excellent correlation was found between PET-image-derived (89)Zr tumour uptake and ex-vivo-assessed (89)Zr tumour uptake (R(2)=0.98). The long-lived positron emitter (89)Zr seems attractive for PET-guided development of therapeutic anti-c-Met MAbs.

Iranian Women's Breast Health-Seeking Behaviors: Husband's Role.

PubMed

Mazloomy-Mahmoodabad, Seyed Saeed; Khodayarian, Mahsa; Morowatisharifabad, Mohammad Ali; Lamyian, Minoor; Tavangar, Hossein

2017-12-14

Breast cancer has become the most common cancer among Yazdi women in Iran. Thus, it is necessary to encourage these women to participate in breast health-seeking behaviors. In this regard, husbands can play an effective role. The aim of this study was to explore women's perceptions about the effect of their husband's role on breast health-seeking protection motivation. This study used a directed qualitative content analysis approach based on the Protection Motivation Theory. Participants were selected using purposive sampling; in-depth semistructured interviews with 14 Yazdi women were completed. One major category named "motivator role of husband" emerged from the analysis. The following subcategories underlying this category were "indifference and a lack of support as long as the women can continue with expected duties," "what women want for support," "facilitating and restrictive factors of husband's supportive role," "public health education needed," and "husband's agreement with preventive actions." Voluntary participation in breast health-seeking behaviors is a culturally sensitive topic. The qualitative methodology allowed this sensitive topic and its different aspects to be explored. The findings indicated that the major source of support for women was their husband's behavior toward breast health-seeking actions. Family cohesion and love among couples were identified as strong determinant factors pertaining to husband's supportive behaviors. The study findings provided deeper understanding about the effective factors related to a husband's role in motivating a wife to practice breast cancer prevention. These new findings are relevant for health educators and practitioners to develop culturally based interventions.

Brief report: the impact of changing from DSM-IV 'Asperger's' to DSM-5 'autistic spectrum disorder' diagnostic labels on stigma and treatment attitudes.

PubMed

Ohan, Jeneva L; Ellefson, Sarah E; Corrigan, Patrick W

2015-10-01

In the DSM-5, 'Asperger's Disorder' was incorporated into 'Autistic Spectrum Disorder' (ASD). One key concern in this change has been that the ASD label will increase negative attitudes relative to the Asperger's label. To test this, we asked 465 American adults to read a vignette describing a child with autistic symptoms that included an ASD label, an Asperger's label, or no label, and rate their stigma and treatment attitudes (help-seeking and perceived effectiveness). Contrary to predictions, label did not impact stigma. Label did impact treatment attitudes, with greater help-seeking and perceived treatment effectiveness for both Asperger's and ASD labels. In sum, concern that the ASD label will increase negative perceptions, at least amongst the general public, is not supported.

Comparative membrane proteomics analyses of breast cancer cell lines to understand the molecular mechanism of breast cancer brain metastasis.

PubMed

Peng, Wenjing; Zhang, Yu; Zhu, Rui; Mechref, Yehia

2017-09-01

Breast cancer is the leading type of cancer in women. Breast cancer brain metastasis is currently considered an issue of concern among breast cancer patients. Membrane proteins play important roles in breast cancer brain metastasis, involving cell adhesion and penetration of blood-brain barrier. To understand the mechanism of breast cancer brain metastasis, liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) was employed in conjunction with enrichment of membrane proteins to analyze the proteomes from five different breast cancer and a brain cancer cell lines. Quantitative proteomic data of all cell lines were compared with MDA-MB-231BR which is a brain seeking breast cancer cell line, thus representing brain metastasis characteristics. Label-free proteomics of the six cell lines facilitates the identification of 1238 proteins and the quantification of 899 proteins of which more than 70% were membrane proteins. Unsupervised principal component analysis (PCA) of the label-free proteomics data resulted in a distinct clustering of cell lines, suggesting quantitative differences in the expression of several proteins among the different cell lines. Unique protein expressions in 231BR were observed for 28 proteins. The up-regulation of STAU1, AT1B3, NPM1, hnRNP Q, and hnRNP K and the down-regulation of TUBB4B and TUBB5 were noted in 231BR relative to 231 (precursor cell lines from which 231BR is derived). These proteins might contribute to the breast cancer brain metastasis. Ingenuity pathway analysis (IPA) supported the great brain metastatic propensity of 231BR and suggested the importance of the up-regulation of integrin proteins and down-regulation of EPHA2 in brain metastasis. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Dual-Responsive Metabolic Precursor and Light-Up AIEgen for Cancer Cell Bio-orthogonal Labeling and Precise Ablation.

PubMed

Hu, Fang; Yuan, Youyong; Wu, Wenbo; Mao, Duo; Liu, Bin

2018-06-05

Metabolic glycoengineering of unnatural glycans with bio-orthogonal chemical groups and a subsequent click reaction with fluorescent probes have been widely used in monitoring various bioprocesses. Herein, we developed a dual-responsive metabolic precursor that could specifically generate unnatural glycans with azide groups on the membrane of targeted cancer cells with high selectivity. Moreover, a water-soluble fluorescent light-up probe with aggregation-induced emission (AIE) was synthesized, which turned its fluorescence on upon a click reaction with azide groups on the cancer cell surface, enabling special cancer cell imaging with low background signal. Furthermore, the probe can generate 1 O 2 upon light irradiation, fulfilling its dual role as an imaging and therapeutic agent for cancer cells. Therefore, the concepts of the cancer-cell-specific metabolic precursor cRGD-S-Ac 3 ManNAz and the AIE light-up probe are promising in bio-orthogonal labeling and cancer-specific imaging and therapy.

Detection of Cancer Metastases with a Dual-labeled Near-Infrared/Positron Emission Tomography Imaging Agent12

PubMed Central

Sampath, Lakshmi; Kwon, Sunkuk; Hall, Mary A; Price, Roger E; Sevick-Muraca, Eva M

2010-01-01

By dual labeling a targeting moiety with both nuclear and optical probes, the ability for noninvasive imaging and intraoperative guidance may be possible. Herein, the ability to detect metastasis in an immunocompetent animal model of human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER-2)-positive cancer metastases using positron emission tomography (PET) and near-infrared (NIR) fluorescence imaging is demonstrated. METHODS: (64Cu-DOTA)n-trastuzumab-(IRDye800)m was synthesized, characterized, and administered to female Balb/c mice subcutaneously inoculated with highly metastatic 4T1.2neu/R breast cancer cells. (64Cu-DOTA)n-trastuzumab-(IRDye800)m (150 µg, 150 µCi, m = 2, n = 2) was administered through the tail vein at weeks 2 and 6 after implantation, and PET/computed tomography and NIR fluorescence imaging were performed 24 hours later. Results were compared with the detection capabilities of F-18 fluorodeoxyglucose (18FDG-PET). RESULTS: Primary tumors were visualized with 18FDG and (64Cu-DOTA)n-trastuzumab-(IRDye800)m, but resulting metastases were identified only with the dual-labeled imaging agent. 64Cu-PET imaging detected lung metastases, whereas ex vivo NIR fluorescence showed uptake in regions of lung, skin, skeletal muscle, and lymph nodes, which corresponded with the presence of cancer cells as confirmed by histologic hematoxylin and eosin stains. In addition to detecting the agent in lymph nodes, the high signal-to-noise ratio from NIR fluorescence imaging enabled visualization of channels between the primary tumor and the axillary lymph nodes, suggesting a lymphatic route for trafficking cancer cells. Because antibody clearance occurs through the liver, we could not distinguish between nonspecific uptake and liver metastases. CONCLUSION: (64Cu-DOTA)n-trastuzumab-(IRDye800)m may be an effective diagnostic imaging agent for staging HER-2-positive breast cancer patients and intraoperative resection. PMID:20885893

In vivo examination of (188)Re(I)-tricarbonyl-labeled trastuzumab to target HER2-overexpressing breast cancer.

PubMed

Chen, Kuo-Ting; Lee, Te-Wei; Lo, Jem-Mau

2009-05-01

Trastuzumab (Herceptin), a humanized IgG1 monoclonal antibody directed against the extracellular domain of the HER2 protein, acts as an immunotherapeutic agent for HER2-overexpressing human breast cancers. Radiolabeled trastuzumab with beta- or alpha emitters can be used as radioimmunotherapeutic agent for the similar purpose but with additional radiation effect. In this study, trastuzumab was labeled with (188)Re for radioimmunotherapy of HER2/neu-positive breast cancer. (188)Re(I)-tricarbonyl ion, [(188)Re(OH(2))(3)(CO)(3)](+), was employed as a precursor for directly labeling the monoclonal antibody with (188)Re. The immunoreactivity of (188)Re(I)-trastuzumab was estimated by competition receptor-binding assay using HER2/neu-overexpressive BT-474 human breast cancer cells. The localization properties of (188)Re(I)-trastuzumab within both tumor and normal tissues of athymic mice bearing BT-474 human breast cancer xenografts (HER2/neu-overexpressive) and similar mice bearing MCF-7 human breast cancer xenografts (HER2/neu-low expressive) were investigated. When incubated with human serum albumin and histidine at 25 degrees C, (188)Re(I)-trastuzumab was found to be stable within 24 h. The IC(50) of (188)Re(I)-trastuzumab was found to be 22.63+/-4.57 nM. (188)Re(I)-trastuzumab was shown to accumulate specifically in BT-474 tumor tissue in in vivo biodistribution studies. By microSPECT/CT, the image of (188)Re localized BT-474 tumor was clearly visualized within 24 h. In contrast, (188)Re(I)-trastuzumab uptake in HER2-low-expressing MCF-7 tumor was minimal, and the (188)Re image at the localization of the tumor was dim. These results reveal that (188)Re(I)-trastuzumab could be an appropriate radioimmunotherapeutic agent for the treatment of HER2/neu-overexpressing cancers.

High Contrast PET Imaging of GRPR Expression in Prostate Cancer Using Cobalt-Labeled Bombesin Antagonist RM26

PubMed Central

Thisgaard, Helge; Rosenström, Ulrika; Dam, Johan Hygum; Larhed, Mats

2017-01-01

High gastrin releasing peptide receptor (GRPR) expression is associated with numerous cancers including prostate and breast cancer. The aim of the current study was to develop a 55Co-labeled PET agent based on GRPR antagonist RM26 for visualization of GRPR-expressing tumors. Labeling with 57Co and 55Co, stability, binding specificity, and in vitro and in vivo characteristics of 57Co-NOTA-PEG2-RM26 were studied. NOTA-PEG2-RM26 was successfully radiolabeled with 57Co and 55Co with high yields and demonstrated high stability. The radiopeptide showed retained binding specificity to GRPR in vitro and in vivo. 57Co-NOTA-PEG2-RM26 biodistribution in mice was characterized by rapid clearance of radioactivity from blood and normal non-GRPR-expressing organs and low hepatic uptake. The clearance was predominantly renal with a low degree of radioactivity reabsorption. Tumor-to-blood ratios were approximately 200 (3 h pi) and 1000 (24 h pi). The favorable biodistribution of cobalt-labeled NOTA-PEG2-RM26 translated into high contrast preclinical PET/CT (using 55Co) and SPECT/CT (using 57Co) images of PC-3 xenografts. The initial biological results suggest that 55Co-NOTA-PEG2-RM26 is a promising tracer for PET visualization of GRPR-expressing tumors. PMID:29097932

A label-free and high-efficient GO-based aptasensor for cancer cells based on cyclic enzymatic signal amplification.

PubMed

Xiao, Kunyi; Liu, Juan; Chen, Hui; Zhang, Song; Kong, Jilie

2017-05-15

A label-free and high-efficient graphene oxide (GO)-based aptasensor was developed for the detection of low quantity cancer cells based on cell-triggered cyclic enzymatic signal amplification (CTCESA). In the absence of target cells, hairpin aptamer probes (HAPs) and dye-labeled linker DNAs stably coexisted in solution, and the fluorescence was quenched by the GO-based FÖrster resonance energy transfer (FRET) process. In the presence of target cells, the specific binding of HAPs with the target cells triggered a conformational alternation, which resulted in linker DNA complementary pairing and cleavage by nicking endonuclease-strand scission cycles. Consequently, more cleaved fragments of linker DNAs with more the terminal labeled dyes could show the enhanced fluorescence because these cleaved DNA fragments hardly combine with GOs and prevent the FRET process. Fluorescence analysis demonstrated that this GO-based aptasensor exhibited selective and sensitive response to the presence of target CCRF-CEM cells in the concentration range from 50 to 10 5 cells. The detection limit of this method was 25 cells, which was approximately 20 times lower than the detection limit of normal fluorescence aptasensors without amplification. With high sensitivity and specificity, it provided a simple and cost-effective approach for early cancer diagnosis. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Deconstructing Cancer Patient Information Seeking in a Consumer Health Library Toward Developing a Virtual Information Consult for Cancer Patients and Their Caregivers: A Qualitative, Instrumental Case Study.

PubMed

Papadakos, Janet; Trang, Aileen; Cyr, Alaina B; Abdelmutti, Nazek; Giuliani, Meredith E; Snow, Michelle; McCurdie, Tara; Pulandiran, Menaka; Urowitz, Sara; Wiljer, David

2017-05-24

Cancer patients and their caregivers want information about their disease and are interested in finding health information online. Despite the abundance of cancer information online, it is often fragmented, its quality is highly variable, and it can be difficult to navigate without expert-level knowledge of the cancer system. The Patient & Family Library at the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre offers a broad collection of high-quality cancer health information and staff are available to help patrons refine their questions and explore information needs that they may not have considered. The purpose of this research study was to deconstruct patrons' information-seeking behaviors in the library to assess the feasibility of replicating the services provided in the library through a Web app, extending the service beyond the walls of the cancer centre. The specific aims of this research were to understand (1) how patrons approach information seeking in the library (interface design), (2) how patrons communicate their informational needs (information categorization and metadata requirements), and (3) what resources are provided to address the patrons' information needs (collection development). We employed a qualitative, instrumental case study to deconstruct patrons' health information-seeking behavior. The study population included patients, the librarian, and library volunteers. Ethnographic observation was conducted at the library over 3 days and key informant interviews with library staff were conducted to address the first aim. A closed card-sorting activity was conducted to address the second aim and the library shift logs and Search Request Forms (SRFs) were reviewed to address the third aim. A total of 55 interactions were recorded during the ethnographic observation and nine semistructured interviews were conducted during the key informant interviews. Seven library patron personas were identified: (1) Newbie, (2) Seasoned, (3) Direct, (4) Window Shopper, (5

A Video Game Promoting Cancer Risk Perception and Information Seeking Behavior Among Young-Adult College Students: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

PubMed

Khalil, Georges Elias; Beale, Ivan L; Chen, Minxing; Prokhorov, Alexander V

2016-07-28

Risky behaviors tend to increase drastically during the transition into young adulthood. This increase may ultimately facilitate the initiation of carcinogenic processes at a young age, highlighting a serious public health problem. By promoting information seeking behavior (ISB), young adults may become aware of cancer risks and potentially take preventive measures. Based on the protection motivation theory, the current study seeks to evaluate the impact of challenge in a fully automated video game called Re-Mission on young adult college students' tendency to perceive the severity of cancer, feel susceptible to cancer, and engage in ISB. A total of 216 young adults were recruited from a university campus, consented, screened, and randomized in a single-blinded format to 1 of 3 conditions: an intervention group playing Re-Mission at high challenge (HC; n=85), an intervention group playing Re-Mission at low challenge (LC; n=81), and a control group with no challenge (NC; presented with illustrated pictures of Re-Mission; n=50). Measurement was conducted at baseline, immediate posttest, 10-day follow-up, and 20-day follow-up. Repeated-measures mixed-effect models were conducted for data analysis of the main outcomes. A total of 101 young adults continued until 20-day follow-up. Mixed-effect models showed that participants in the HC and LC groups were more likely to increase in perceived susceptibility to cancer (P=.03), perceived severity of cancer (P=.02), and ISB (P=.01) than participants in the NC group. The LC group took until 10-day follow-up to show increase in perceived susceptibility (B=0.47, standard error (SE) 0.16, P=.005). The HC group showed an immediate increase in perceived susceptibility at posttest (B=0.43, SE 0.14, P=.002). The LC group exhibited no changes in perceived severity (B=0.40, SE 0.33, P=.24). On the other hand, the HC group showed a significant increase from baseline to posttest (B=0.39, SE 0.14, P=.005), maintaining this increase until

Food Labeling and Consumer Associations with Health, Safety, and Environment.

PubMed

Sax, Joanna K; Doran, Neal

2016-12-01

The food supply is complicated and consumers are increasingly calling for labeling on food to be more informative. In particular, consumers are asking for the labeling of food derived from genetically modified organisms (GMO) based on health, safety, and environmental concerns. At issue is whether the labels that are sought would accurately provide the information desired. The present study examined consumer (n = 181) perceptions of health, safety and the environment for foods labeled organic, natural, fat free or low fat, GMO, or non-GMO. Findings indicated that respondents consistently believed that foods labeled GMO are less healthy, safe and environmentally-friendly compared to all other labels (ps < .05). These results suggest that labels mean something to consumers, but that a disconnect may exist between the meaning associated with the label and the scientific consensus for GMO food. These findings may provide insight for the development of labels that provide information that consumers seek.

Ultrasensitive electrochemical aptasensor based on sandwich architecture for selective label-free detection of colorectal cancer (CT26) cells.

PubMed

Hashkavayi, Ayemeh Bagheri; Raoof, Jahan Bakhsh; Ojani, Reza; Kavoosian, Saeid

2017-06-15

Colorectal cancer is one of the most common cancers in the world and has no effective treatment. Therefore, development of new methods for early diagnosis is instantly required. Biological recognition probes such as synthetic receptor and aptamer is one of the candidate recognition layers to detect important biomolecules. In this work, an electrochemical aptasensor was developed by fabricating an aptamer-cell-aptamer sandwich architecture on an SBA-15-3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (SBA-15-pr-NH 2 ) and Au nanoparticles (AuNPs) modified graphite screen printed electrode (GSPE) surface for the selective, label-free detection of CT26 cancer cells. Based on the incubation of the thiolated aptamer with CT26 cells, the electron-transfer resistance of Fe (CN) 6 3-/4- redox couple increased considerably on the aptasensor surface. The results obtained from cyclic voltammetry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy studies showed that the fabricated aptasensor can specifically identify CT26 cells in the concentration ranges of 10-1.0×10 5 cells/mL and 1.0×10 5 -6.0×10 6 cells/mL, respectively, with a detection limit of 2cells/mL. Applying the thiol terminated aptamer (5TR1) as a recognition layer led to a sensor with high affinity for CT26 cancer cells, compared to control cancer cells of AGS cells, VERO Cells, PC3 cells and SKOV-3 cells. Therefore a simple, rapid, label free, inexpensive, excellent, sensitive and selective electrochemical aptasensor based on sandwich architecture was developed for detection of CT26 Cells. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Elapsed Time Between the First Symptoms of Breast Cancer and Medical Help-Seeking Behavior and the Affecting Factors.

PubMed

Gözüm, Sebahat; Tuzcu, Ayla

Many studies have determined that the time between women's realization of first symptoms and seeking help from a healthcare professional is more than 1 month. The situation is defined as delay in medical help-seeking behavior (MHSB). The purpose of this study was to determine the time elapsed between the first symptoms of breast cancer and MHSB, as well as the factors contributing to the delay. In this descriptive study, the data were collected from 132 patients who received a diagnosis of breast cancer and are receiving treatment in the Oncology Clinic of Akdeniz University Hospital. The questionnaire used in the study was structured in 3 parts: sociodemographic characteristics, breast cancer history/screening behaviors, and psychological factors affecting MHSB. The elapsed time between patients' first symptoms and MHSB was classified into "normal" when it was less than 1 month, "delay" when it was between 1 and 3 months, "long-term delay" when it was more than 3 months, and "very serious delay" when it was more than 6 months. A total of 59.8% were classified as normal, 16.7% as delayed, 5.3% as a long-term delay, and 18.2% as a very serious delay after first symptoms. The delay in MHSB time was affected 18.55 times by "not caring/minding," 10.73 times by "fear," 7.13 times by "having more important problems," and 4.23 times by "realization of first symptoms" by themselves. Psychological factors were the most important determinants in delay. The MHSB time was less if those first realizing the symptoms were healthcare professionals. Healthcare professionals should direct women to screenings and train them to interpret symptoms correctly.

Deconstructing Cancer Patient Information Seeking in a Consumer Health Library Toward Developing a Virtual Information Consult for Cancer Patients and Their Caregivers: A Qualitative, Instrumental Case Study

PubMed Central

Abdelmutti, Nazek; Giuliani, Meredith E; Snow, Michelle; McCurdie, Tara; Pulandiran, Menaka; Urowitz, Sara; Wiljer, David

2017-01-01

Background Cancer patients and their caregivers want information about their disease and are interested in finding health information online. Despite the abundance of cancer information online, it is often fragmented, its quality is highly variable, and it can be difficult to navigate without expert-level knowledge of the cancer system. The Patient & Family Library at the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre offers a broad collection of high-quality cancer health information and staff are available to help patrons refine their questions and explore information needs that they may not have considered. Objective The purpose of this research study was to deconstruct patrons’ information-seeking behaviors in the library to assess the feasibility of replicating the services provided in the library through a Web app, extending the service beyond the walls of the cancer centre. The specific aims of this research were to understand (1) how patrons approach information seeking in the library (interface design), (2) how patrons communicate their informational needs (information categorization and metadata requirements), and (3) what resources are provided to address the patrons’ information needs (collection development). Methods We employed a qualitative, instrumental case study to deconstruct patrons’ health information-seeking behavior. The study population included patients, the librarian, and library volunteers. Ethnographic observation was conducted at the library over 3 days and key informant interviews with library staff were conducted to address the first aim. A closed card-sorting activity was conducted to address the second aim and the library shift logs and Search Request Forms (SRFs) were reviewed to address the third aim. Results A total of 55 interactions were recorded during the ethnographic observation and nine semistructured interviews were conducted during the key informant interviews. Seven library patron personas were identified: (1) Newbie, (2

Growth fraction in non-small cell lung cancer estimated by proliferating cell nuclear antigen and comparison with Ki-67 labeling and DNA flow cytometry data.

PubMed Central

Fontanini, G.; Pingitore, R.; Bigini, D.; Vignati, S.; Pepe, S.; Ruggiero, A.; Macchiarini, P.

1992-01-01

Results generated by the immunohistochemical staining with PC10, a new monoclonal antibody recognizing PCNA (a nuclear protein associated with cell proliferation) in formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded tissue were compared with those of Ki-67 labeling and DNA flow cytometry in 47 consecutive non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). PCNA reactivity was observed in all samples and confined to the nuclei of cancer cells. Its frequency ranged from 0 to 80% (37.7 +/- 23.6) and larger sized, early-staged and DNA aneuploid tumors expressed a significant higher number of PCNA-reactive cells. The PCNA and Ki-67 labeling rates were closely correlated (r = 0.383, P = 0.009). By flow cytometry, we observed a good correlation among PCNA labeling and S-phase fraction (r = 0.422, P = .0093) and G1 phase (r = 0.303, P = .051) of the cell cycle. Results indicate that PCNA labeling with PC10 is a simple method for assessing the proliferative activity in formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissue of NSCLC and correlates well with Ki-67 labeling and S-phase fraction of the cell cycle. Images Figure 2 PMID:1361306

10 CFR 850.38 - Warning signs and labels.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... CANCER HAZARD AUTHORIZED PERSONNEL ONLY (b) Warning labels. (1) The responsible employer must affix... CONTAMINATED WITH BERYLLIUM DO NOT REMOVE DUST BY BLOWING OR SHAKING CANCER AND LUNG DISEASE HAZARD (c) Warning...

10 CFR 850.38 - Warning signs and labels.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... CANCER HAZARD AUTHORIZED PERSONNEL ONLY (b) Warning labels. (1) The responsible employer must affix... CONTAMINATED WITH BERYLLIUM DO NOT REMOVE DUST BY BLOWING OR SHAKING CANCER AND LUNG DISEASE HAZARD (c) Warning...

10 CFR 850.38 - Warning signs and labels.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... CANCER HAZARD AUTHORIZED PERSONNEL ONLY (b) Warning labels. (1) The responsible employer must affix... CONTAMINATED WITH BERYLLIUM DO NOT REMOVE DUST BY BLOWING OR SHAKING CANCER AND LUNG DISEASE HAZARD (c) Warning...

10 CFR 850.38 - Warning signs and labels.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... CANCER HAZARD AUTHORIZED PERSONNEL ONLY (b) Warning labels. (1) The responsible employer must affix... CONTAMINATED WITH BERYLLIUM DO NOT REMOVE DUST BY BLOWING OR SHAKING CANCER AND LUNG DISEASE HAZARD (c) Warning...

10 CFR 850.38 - Warning signs and labels.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... CANCER HAZARD AUTHORIZED PERSONNEL ONLY (b) Warning labels. (1) The responsible employer must affix... CONTAMINATED WITH BERYLLIUM DO NOT REMOVE DUST BY BLOWING OR SHAKING CANCER AND LUNG DISEASE HAZARD (c) Warning...

177Lu-labeled Gold Nanoparticles for Radiation Therapy of Locally Advanced Breast Cancer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yook, Simmyung

Locally advanced breast cancer (LABC) occurs in about 10-15% of patients diagnosed with breast cancer (BC) and 30% of these patients have triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) that are often epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-positive. The goal of the proposed research was design and evaluate preclinically a novel radiation nanomedicine for LABC composed of EGFR-targeted gold nanoparticles (AuNP) by covalently conjugating panitumumab and 1,4,7,10-tetraazacyclododecane-1,4,7,10-tetraacetic acid (DOTA) complexing 177Lu incorporated into a metal-chelating polymer (MCP) (177 Lu-T-AuNP) which could be used as a neoadjuvant treatment to improve the outcome of patients with LABC. 177Lu-T-AuNP were efficiently internalized by EGFR-positive BC cells and were significantly more effective than 177Lu-labeled and non-targeted (NT)-AuNP for killing these cells. For radiation treatment of EGFR-positive tumours, both 177Lu-T-AuNP and 177Lu-NT-AuNP were intratumourally (i.t.) injected into athymic mice with MDA-MB-468 BC xenografts for comparison. Biodistribution studies showed that 177Lu-T-AuNPs exhibited 2-fold higher tumour retention than 177Lu-NT-AuNPs following i.t. injection at 48 h p.i. Both forms of radiolabeled AuNP were highly effective for inhibiting tumour growth without normal organ toxicity due to local tumour retention of both form of AuNP. To minimize the displacement of 177Lu-labeled MCP from AuNP, polyethylene glycol (PEG) ligands presenting a disulfide [ 177Lu-DOTA-PEG-ortho-pyridyl disulfide (OPSS)], a lipoic acid (LA) [177Lu-DOTA-PEG-lipoic acid (LA)] or multi-LA [PEG- pGlu(177Lu-DOTA)8-LA4] for multivalent binding were synthesized and the stability of MCP-AuNP complexes determined. In vitro challenge study with thiol-containing molecules or human plasma, PEG-pGlu(DOTA)8-LA4-AuNP were most stable. In whole body elimination study, elimination of radioactivity due to displacement of 177Lu-MCP from AuNP in mice injected with 177Lu-DOTA-PEG-OPSS-AuNP was more

Men's help-seeking behavior with regards to lower bowel symptoms.

PubMed

Oberoi, Devesh V; Jiwa, Moyez; McManus, Alexandra; Hodder, Rupert

2015-03-01

To explore the barriers to help-seeking among men experiencing lower bowel symptoms. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 13 men recruited via purposive sampling. Interviews were audio-taped, transcribed, and analyzed thematically. Misinterpretation of the symptoms and the attribution of the symptoms to non-medical causes were common barriers to help-seeking. Other barriers include the cost of consulting a GP, llow level of confidence in consultation, and fear of cancer diagnosis. Some participants did not seek medical advice as the symptoms were intermittent or resolved with over-the-counter medications. There is a need for health promotion campaigns for men with regards to seeking timely medical advice for lower bowel symptoms.

Photoacoustic imaging with an acoustic lens detects prostate cancer cells labeled with PSMA-targeting near-infrared dye-conjugates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dogra, Vikram; Chinni, Bhargava; Singh, Shalini; Schmitthenner, Hans; Rao, Navalgund; Krolewski, John J.; Nastiuk, Kent L.

2016-06-01

There is an urgent need for sensitive and specific tools to accurately image early stage, organ-confined human prostate cancers to facilitate active surveillance and reduce unnecessary treatment. Recently, we developed an acoustic lens that enhances the sensitivity of photoacoustic imaging. Here, we report the use of this device in conjunction with two molecular imaging agents that specifically target the prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) expressed on the tumor cell surface of most prostate cancers. We demonstrate successful imaging of phantoms containing cancer cells labeled with either of two different PSMA-targeting agents, the ribonucleic acid aptamer A10-3.2 and a urea-based peptidomimetic inhibitor, each linked to the near-infrared dye IRDye800CW. By specifically targeting cells with these agents linked to a dye chosen for optimal signal, we are able to discriminate prostate cancer cells that express PSMA.

Microfluidic flow fractionation device for label-free isolation of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) from breast cancer patients.

PubMed

Hyun, Kyung-A; Kwon, Kiho; Han, Hyunju; Kim, Seung-Il; Jung, Hyo-Il

2013-02-15

Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) are dissociated from primary tumor and circulate in peripheral blood. They are regarded as the genesis of metastasis. Isolation and enumeration of CTCs serve as valuable tools for cancer prognosis and diagnosis. However, the rarity and heterogeneity of CTCs in blood makes it difficult to separate intact CTCs without loss. In this paper, we introduce a parallel multi-orifice flow fractionation (p-MOFF) device in which a series of contraction/expansion microchannels are placed parallel on a chip forming four identical channels. CTCs were continuously isolated from the whole blood of breast cancer patients by hydrodynamic forces and cell size differences. Blood samples from 24 breast cancer patients were analyzed (half were from metastatic breast cancer patients and the rest were from adjuvant breast cancer patients). The number of isolated CTCs varied from 0 to 21 in 7.5 ml of blood. Because our devices do not require any labeling processes (e.g., EpCAM antibody), heterogeneous CTCs can be isolated regardless of EpCAM expression. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Medicalizing versus psychologizing mental illness: what are the implications for help seeking and stigma? A general population study.

PubMed

Pattyn, E; Verhaeghe, M; Sercu, C; Bracke, P

2013-10-01

This study contrasts the medicalized conceptualization of mental illness with psychologizing mental illness and examines what the consequences are of adhering to one model versus the other for help seeking and stigma. The survey "Stigma in a Global Context-Belgian Mental Health Study" (2009) conducted face-to-face interviews among a representative sample of the general Belgian population using the vignette technique to depict schizophrenia (N = 381). Causal attributions, labeling processes, and the disease view are addressed. Help seeking refers to open-ended help-seeking suggestions (general practitioner, psychiatrist, psychologist, family, friends, and self-care options). Stigma refers to social exclusion after treatment. The data are analyzed by means of logistic and linear regression models in SPSS Statistics 19. People who adhere to the biopsychosocial (versus psychosocial) model are more likely to recommend general medical care and people who apply the disease view are more likely to recommend specialized medical care. Regarding informal help, those who prefer the biopsychosocial model are less likely to recommend consulting friends than those who adhere to the psychosocial model. Respondents who apply a medical compared to a non-medical label are less inclined to recommend self-care. As concerns treatment stigma, respondents who apply a medical instead of a non-medical label are more likely to socially exclude someone who has been in psychiatric treatment. Medicalizing mental illness involves a package deal: biopsychosocial causal attributions and applying the disease view facilitate medical treatment recommendations, while labeling seems to trigger stigmatizing attitudes.

Evaluation of a novel label-free photonic-crystal biosensor imaging system for the detection of prostate cancer cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

DeLuna, Frank; Ding, XiaoFie; Sun, Lu-Zhe; Ye, Jing Yong

2017-02-01

Biomarker screening for prostate-specific antigen (PSA) is the current clinical standard for detection of prostate cancer. However this method has shown many limitations, mainly in its specificity, which can lead to a high false positive rate. Thus, there is a growing need in developing a more specific detection system for prostate cancer. Using a Photonic- Crystal-based biosensor in a Total-Internal-Reflection (PC-TIR) configuration, we demonstrate the use of refractive index (RI) to accomplish label-free detection of prostate cancer cells against non-cancerous prostate epithelial cells. The PC-TIR biosensor possesses an open microcavity, which in contrast to traditional closed microcavities, allows for easier access of analyte molecules or cells to interact with its sensing surface. In this study, an imaging system was designed using the PC-TIR biosensor to quantify cell RI as the contrast parameter for prostate cancer detection. Non-cancerous BPH-1 prostate epithelial cells and prostate cancer PC-3 cells were placed on a single biosensor and measured concurrently. Recorded image data was then analyzed through a home-built MatLab program. Results demonstrate that RI is a suitable variable for differentiation between prostate cancer cells and non-cancerous prostate epithelial cells. Our study shows clinical potential in utilizing RI test for the detection of prostate cancer.

Depression literacy and help-seeking in Australian police.

PubMed

Reavley, Nicola J; Milner, Allison J; Martin, Angela; Too, Lay San; Papas, Alicia; Witt, Katrina; Keegel, Tessa; LaMontagne, Anthony D

2018-02-01

To assess depression literacy, help-seeking and help-offering to others in members of the police force in the state of Victoria, Australia. All staff in police stations involved in a cluster randomised controlled trial of an integrated workplace mental health intervention were invited to participate. Survey questions covered sociodemographic and employment information, recognition of depression in a vignette, stigma, treatment beliefs, willingness to assist co-workers with mental health problems, help-giving and help-seeking behaviours, and intentions to seek help. Using the baseline dataset associated with the trial, the paper presents a descriptive analysis of mental health literacy and helping behaviours, comparing police station leaders and lower ranks. Respondents were 806 staff, comprising 618 lower-ranked staff and 188 leaders. Almost 84% of respondents were able to correctly label the problem described in the vignette. Among those who had helped someone with a mental health problem, both lower ranks and leaders most commonly reported 'talking to the person' although leaders were more likely to facilitate professional help. Leaders' willingness to assist the person and confidence in doing so was very high, and over 80% of leaders appropriately rated police psychologists, general practitioners, psychologists, talking to a peer and contacting welfare as helpful. However, among both leaders and lower ranks with mental health problems, the proportion of those unlikely to seek professional help was greater than those who were likely to seek it. Knowledge about evidence-based interventions for depression was lower in this police sample than surveys in the general population, pointing to the need for education and training to improve mental health literacy. Such education should also aim to overcome barriers to professional help-seeking. Interventions that aim to improve mental health literacy and help-seeking behaviour appear to be suitable targets for better

A Comprehensive Model of Cancer-Related Information Seeking Applied to Magazines.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Johnson, J. David; Meischke, Hendrika

1993-01-01

Examines a comprehensive model of information seeking resulting from the synthesis of three theoretical research streams: the health belief model, uses and gratifications research, and a model of media exposure. Suggests that models of information seeking from mass media should focus on purely communicative factors. (RS)

Systematic review: reliability of compendia methods for off-label oncology indications.

PubMed

Abernethy, Amy P; Raman, Gowri; Balk, Ethan M; Hammond, Julia M; Orlando, Lori A; Wheeler, Jane L; Lau, Joseph; McCrory, Douglas C

2009-03-03

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services limit coverage of cancer drugs for off-label indications to indications listed in specified compendia. To assess whether compendia provide comprehensive, research-based, and timely information for off-label prescribing in oncology. 6 drug compendia, English-language literature searches of MEDLINE and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials from 2006 and 2008, and American Society of Clinical Oncology annual meeting abstracts from 2004 to 2007. Data Assessment: The compendia's stated methods, literature related to off-label indications of 14 cancer drugs in 2006, updated literature related to 1 off-label indication between 2006 and 2008, and completeness of compendia content and citations were assessed. The compendia's stated methods varied greatly from their actual practices. Compendia cited little of the available evidence, often neither the most recent nor that of highest methodological quality. Compendia differed in evidence cited, terminology, detail, presentation, and referencing. For the 14 off-label indications studied, the compendia differed in the indications included and whether and how they recommended particular agents for particular types of cancer. Update schedules varied, and documentation practices made it difficult to determine whether and when compendia content was updated. For 1 indication, compendia citations did not increase between 2006 and 2008 despite newly published articles. The 2006 analysis was limited to 14 off-label indications; the 2008 update examined 1 indication. Only off-label indications for cancer drugs were included, and results cannot be generalized to noncancer drugs or indications. Oncologists rely on compendia for up-to-date access to evidence and reimbursement information for off-label indications. Current compendia lack transparency, cite little current evidence, and lack systematic methods to review or update evidence.

Magneto-impedance based detection of magnetically labeled cancer cells and bio-proteins

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Devkota, J.; Howell, M.; Mohapatra, S.; Nhung, T. H.; Mukherjee, P.; Srikanth, H.; Phan, M. H.

2015-03-01

A magnetic biosensor with enhanced sensitivity and immobilized magnetic markers is essential for a reliable analysis of the presence of a biological entity in a fluid. Based on conventional approaches, however, it is quite challenging to create such a sensor. We report on a novel magnetic biosensor using the magneto-impedance (MI) effect of a Co-based amorphous ribbon with a microhole-patterned surface that fulfils these requirements. The sensor probe was fabricated by patterning four microholes, each of diameter 2 μm and depth 2 μm, on the ribbon surface using FIB lithography. The magnetically labeled Luis Lung Carcinoma (LLC) cancer cells and Bovine serum albumin (BSA) proteins were drop-casted on the ribbon surface, and MI was measured over 0.1 - 10 MHz frequency range. As the analytes were trapped into the microholes, their physical motion was minimized and interaction among the magnetic fields was strengthened, thus yielding a more reliable and sensitive detection of the biological entities. The presence of magnetically labeled LLC cells (8.25x105 cells/ml, 10 μl) and BSA proteins (2x1011 particles/ml, 10 μl) were found to result in a ~ 2% change in MI with respect to the reference signal.

Development and evaluation of an automatic labeling technique for spring small grains

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Crist, E. P.; Malila, W. A. (Principal Investigator)

1981-01-01

A labeling technique is described which seeks to associate a sampling entity with a particular crop or crop group based on similarity of growing season and temporal-spectral patterns of development. Human analyst provide contextual information, after which labeling decisions are made automatically. Results of a test of the technique on a large, multi-year data set are reported. Grain labeling accuracies are similar to those achieved by human analysis techniques, while non-grain accuracies are lower. Recommendations for improvments and implications of the test results are discussed.

Label-free serum ribonucleic acid analysis for colorectal cancer detection by surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy and multivariate analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Yanping; Chen, Gang; Feng, Shangyuan; Pan, Jianji; Zheng, Xiongwei; Su, Ying; Chen, Yan; Huang, Zufang; Lin, Xiaoqian; Lan, Fenghua; Chen, Rong; Zeng, Haishan

2012-06-01

Studies with circulating ribonucleic acid (RNA) not only provide new targets for cancer detection, but also open up the possibility of noninvasive gene expression profiling for cancer. In this paper, we developed a surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS), platform for detection and differentiation of serum RNAs of colorectal cancer. A novel three-dimensional (3-D), Ag nanofilm formed by dry MgSO4 aggregated silver nanoparticles, Ag NP, as the SERS-active substrate was presented to effectively enhance the RNA Raman signals. SERS measurements were performed on two groups of serum RNA samples. One group from patients, n=55 with pathologically diagnosed colorectal cancer and the other group from healthy controls, n=45. Tentative assignments of the Raman bands in the normalized SERS spectra demonstrated that there are differential expressions of cancer-related RNAs between the two groups. Linear discriminate analysis, based on principal component analysis, generated features can differentiate the colorectal cancer SERS spectra from normal SERS spectra with sensitivity of 89.1 percent and specificity of 95.6 percent. This exploratory study demonstrated great potential for developing serum RNA SERS analysis into a useful clinical tool for label-free, noninvasive screening and detection of colorectal cancers.

Robust Statistical Fusion of Image Labels

PubMed Central

Landman, Bennett A.; Asman, Andrew J.; Scoggins, Andrew G.; Bogovic, John A.; Xing, Fangxu; Prince, Jerry L.

2011-01-01

Image labeling and parcellation (i.e. assigning structure to a collection of voxels) are critical tasks for the assessment of volumetric and morphometric features in medical imaging data. The process of image labeling is inherently error prone as images are corrupted by noise and artifacts. Even expert interpretations are subject to subjectivity and the precision of the individual raters. Hence, all labels must be considered imperfect with some degree of inherent variability. One may seek multiple independent assessments to both reduce this variability and quantify the degree of uncertainty. Existing techniques have exploited maximum a posteriori statistics to combine data from multiple raters and simultaneously estimate rater reliabilities. Although quite successful, wide-scale application has been hampered by unstable estimation with practical datasets, for example, with label sets with small or thin objects to be labeled or with partial or limited datasets. As well, these approaches have required each rater to generate a complete dataset, which is often impossible given both human foibles and the typical turnover rate of raters in a research or clinical environment. Herein, we propose a robust approach to improve estimation performance with small anatomical structures, allow for missing data, account for repeated label sets, and utilize training/catch trial data. With this approach, numerous raters can label small, overlapping portions of a large dataset, and rater heterogeneity can be robustly controlled while simultaneously estimating a single, reliable label set and characterizing uncertainty. The proposed approach enables many individuals to collaborate in the construction of large datasets for labeling tasks (e.g., human parallel processing) and reduces the otherwise detrimental impact of rater unavailability. PMID:22010145

Cancer Therapy Evaluation Program | Office of Cancer Genomics

Cancer.gov

The Cancer Therapy Evaluation Program (CTEP) seeks to improve the lives of cancer patients by finding better treatments, control mechanisms, and cures for cancer. CTEP funds a national program of cancer research, sponsoring clinical trials to evaluate new anti-cancer agents.

Progressive multi-atlas label fusion by dictionary evolution.

PubMed

Song, Yantao; Wu, Guorong; Bahrami, Khosro; Sun, Quansen; Shen, Dinggang

2017-02-01

Accurate segmentation of anatomical structures in medical images is important in recent imaging based studies. In the past years, multi-atlas patch-based label fusion methods have achieved a great success in medical image segmentation. In these methods, the appearance of each input image patch is first represented by an atlas patch dictionary (in the image domain), and then the latent label of the input image patch is predicted by applying the estimated representation coefficients to the corresponding anatomical labels of the atlas patches in the atlas label dictionary (in the label domain). However, due to the generally large gap between the patch appearance in the image domain and the patch structure in the label domain, the estimated (patch) representation coefficients from the image domain may not be optimal for the final label fusion, thus reducing the labeling accuracy. To address this issue, we propose a novel label fusion framework to seek for the suitable label fusion weights by progressively constructing a dynamic dictionary in a layer-by-layer manner, where the intermediate dictionaries act as a sequence of guidance to steer the transition of (patch) representation coefficients from the image domain to the label domain. Our proposed multi-layer label fusion framework is flexible enough to be applied to the existing labeling methods for improving their label fusion performance, i.e., by extending their single-layer static dictionary to the multi-layer dynamic dictionary. The experimental results show that our proposed progressive label fusion method achieves more accurate hippocampal segmentation results for the ADNI dataset, compared to the counterpart methods using only the single-layer static dictionary. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Seeking Medical Information Using Mobile Apps and the Internet: Are Family Caregivers Different from the General Public?

PubMed

Kim, Hyunmin; Paige Powell, M; Bhuyan, Soumitra S; Bhuyan, Soumitra Sudip

2017-03-01

Family caregivers play an important role to care cancer patients since they exchange medical information with health care providers. However, relatively little is known about how family caregivers seek medical information using mobile apps and the Internet. We examined factors associated with medical information seeking by using mobile apps and the Internet among family caregivers and the general public using data from the 2014 Health Information National Trends Survey 4 Cycle 1. The study sample consisted of 2425 family caregivers and 1252 non-family caregivers (the general public). Guided by Comprehensive Model of Information Seeking (CMIS), we examined related factors' impact on two outcome variables for medical information seeking: mobile apps use and Internet use with multivariate logistic regression analyses. We found that online medical information seeking is different between family caregivers and the general public. Overall, the use of the Internet for medical information seeking is more common among family caregivers, while the use of mobile apps is less common among family caregivers compared with the general public. Married family caregivers were less likely to use mobile apps, while family caregivers who would trust cancer information were more likely to use the Internet for medical information seeking as compared to the general public. Medical information seeking behavior among family caregivers can be an important predictor of both their health and the health of their cancer patients. Future research should explore the low usage of mobile health applications among family caregiver population.

The Role of Positron Emission Tomography With (68)Gallium (Ga)-Labeled Prostate-specific Membrane Antigen (PSMA) in the Management of Patients With Organ-confined and Locally Advanced Prostate Cancer Prior to Radical Treatment and After Radical Prostatectomy.

PubMed

Rai, Bhavan Prasad; Baum, Richard Paul; Patel, Amit; Hughes, Robert; Alonzi, Roberto; Lane, Tim; Adshead, Jim; Vasdev, Nikhil

2016-09-01

The role of positron emission tomography (PET) with (68)Gallium (Ga)-labeled prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) imaging for prostate cancer is gaining prominence. Current imaging strategies, despite having progressed significantly, have limitations, in particular their ability to diagnose metastatic lymph node involvement. Preliminary results of PET with (68)Ga-labeled PSMA have shown encouraging results, particularly in the recurrent prostate cancer setting. Furthermore, the ability of PET with (68)Ga-labeled PSMA of playing a dual diagnostic and therapeutic setting (theranostics) is currently being investigated as well. PET with (68)Ga-labeled PSMA certainly has a role to play in bridging some of the voids in contemporary prostate cancer imaging tools. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Label-free reflectance hyperspectral imaging for tumor margin assessment: a pilot study on surgical specimens of cancer patients

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fei, Baowei; Lu, Guolan; Wang, Xu; Zhang, Hongzheng; Little, James V.; Patel, Mihir R.; Griffith, Christopher C.; El-Diery, Mark W.; Chen, Amy Y.

2017-08-01

A label-free, hyperspectral imaging (HSI) approach has been proposed for tumor margin assessment. HSI data, i.e., hypercube (x,y,λ), consist of a series of high-resolution images of the same field of view that are acquired at different wavelengths. Every pixel on an HSI image has an optical spectrum. In this pilot clinical study, a pipeline of a machine-learning-based quantification method for HSI data was implemented and evaluated in patient specimens. Spectral features from HSI data were used for the classification of cancer and normal tissue. Surgical tissue specimens were collected from 16 human patients who underwent head and neck (H&N) cancer surgery. HSI, autofluorescence images, and fluorescence images with 2-deoxy-2-[(7-nitro-2,1,3-benzoxadiazol-4-yl)amino]-D-glucose (2-NBDG) and proflavine were acquired from each specimen. Digitized histologic slides were examined by an H&N pathologist. The HSI and classification method were able to distinguish between cancer and normal tissue from the oral cavity with an average accuracy of 90%±8%, sensitivity of 89%±9%, and specificity of 91%±6%. For tissue specimens from the thyroid, the method achieved an average accuracy of 94%±6%, sensitivity of 94%±6%, and specificity of 95%±6%. HSI outperformed autofluorescence imaging or fluorescence imaging with vital dye (2-NBDG or proflavine). This study demonstrated the feasibility of label-free, HSI for tumor margin assessment in surgical tissue specimens of H&N cancer patients. Further development of the HSI technology is warranted for its application in image-guided surgery.

Data set of the protein expression profiles of Luminal A, Claudin-low and overexpressing HER2+ breast cancer cell lines by iTRAQ labelling and tandem mass spectrometry

PubMed Central

Calderón-González, Karla Grisel; Valero Rustarazo, Ma Luz; Labra-Barrios, Maria Luisa; Bazán-Méndez, César Isaac; Tavera-Tapia, Alejandra; Herrera-Aguirre, Marí;aEsther; Sánchez del Pino, Manuel M.; Gallegos-Pérez, José Luis; González-Márquez, Humberto; Hernández-Hernández, Jose Manuel; León-Ávila, Gloria; Rodríguez-Cuevas, Sergio; Guisa-Hohenstein, Fernando; Luna-Arias, Juan Pedro

2015-01-01

Breast cancer is the most common and the leading cause of mortality in women worldwide. There is a dire necessity of the identification of novel molecules useful in diagnosis and prognosis. In this work we determined the differentially expression profiles of four breast cancer cell lines compared to a control cell line. We identified 1020 polypeptides labelled with iTRAQ with more than 95% in confidence. We analysed the common proteins in all breast cancer cell lines through IPA software (IPA core and Biomarkers). In addition, we selected the specific overexpressed and subexpressed proteins of the different molecular classes of breast cancer cell lines, and classified them according to protein class and biological process. Data in this article is related to the research article “Determination of the protein expression profiles of breast cancer cell lines by Quantitative Proteomics using iTRAQ Labelling and Tandem Mass Spectrometry” (Calderón-González et al. [1] in press). PMID:26217805

AuNP-DG: deoxyglucose-labeled gold nanoparticles as X-ray computed tomography contrast agents for cancer imaging.

PubMed

Aydogan, Bulent; Li, Ji; Rajh, Tijana; Chaudhary, Ahmed; Chmura, Steven J; Pelizzari, Charles; Wietholt, Christian; Kurtoglu, Metin; Redmond, Peter

2010-10-01

To study the feasibility of using 2-deoxy-D-glucose (2-DG)-labeled gold nanoparticle (AuNP-DG) as a computed tomography (CT) contrast agent with tumor targeting capability through in vitro experiments. Gold nanoparticles (AuNP) were fabricated and were conjugated with 2-deoxy-D-glucose. The human alveolar epithelial cancer cell line, A-549, was chosen for the in vitro cellular uptake assay. Two groups of cell samples were incubated with the AuNP-DG and the unlabeled AuNP, respectively. Following the incubation, the cells were washed with sterile PBS to remove the excess gold nanoparticles and spun to cell pellets using a centrifuge. The cell pellets were imaged using a microCT scanner immediately after the centrifugation. The reconstructed CT images were analyzed using a commercial software package. Significant contrast enhancement in the cell samples incubated with the AuNP-DG with respect to the cell samples incubated with the unlabeled AuNP was observed in multiple CT slices. Results from this study demonstrate enhanced uptake of 2-DG-labeled gold nanoparticle by cancer cells in vitro and warrant further experiments to study the exact molecular mechanism by which the AuNP-DG is internalized and retained in the tumor cells.

Imaging Neurotensin Receptor in Prostate Cancer With 64Cu-Labeled Neurotensin Analogs.

PubMed

Deng, Huaifu; Wang, Hui; Zhang, He; Wang, Mengzhe; Giglio, Ben; Ma, Xiaofen; Jiang, Guihua; Yuan, Hong; Wu, Zhanhong; Li, Zibo

2017-01-01

Neurotensin receptor 1 (NTR-1) is expressed and activated in prostate cancer cells. In this study, we explore the NTR expression in normal mouse tissues and study the positron emission tomography (PET) imaging of NTR in prostate cancer models. Three 64 Cu chelators (1, 4, 7, 10-tetraazacyclododecane-1, 4, 7, 10-tetraacetic acid [DOTA], 1,4,7-triazacyclononane-N,N',N″-triacetic acid [NOTA], or AmBaSar) were conjugated to an NT analog. Neurotensin receptor binding affinity was evaluated using cell binding assay. The imaging profile of radiolabeled probes was compared in well-established NTR + HT-29 tumor model. Stability of the probes was tested. The selected agents were further evaluated in human prostate cancer PC3 xenografts. All 3 NT conjugates retained the majority of NTR binding affinity. In HT-29 tumor, all agents demonstrated prominent tumor uptake. Although comparable stability was observed, 64 Cu-NOTA-NT and 64 Cu-AmBaSar-NT demonstrated improved tumor to background contrast compared with 64 Cu-DOTA-NT. Positron emission tomography/computed tomography imaging of the NTR expression in PC-3 xenografts showed high tumor uptake of the probes, correlating with the in vitro Western blot results. Blocking experiments further confirmed receptor specificity. Our results demonstrated that 64 Cu-labeled neurotensin analogs are promising imaging agents for NTR-positive tumors. These agents may help us identify NTR-positive lesions and predict which patients and individual tumors are likely to respond to novel interventions targeting NTR-1.

A novel electrochemical biosensor based on polyadenine modified aptamer for label-free and ultrasensitive detection of human breast cancer cells.

PubMed

Wang, Kun; He, Meng-Qi; Zhai, Fu-Heng; He, Rong-Huan; Yu, Yong-Liang

2017-05-01

Simple, rapid, sensitive, and specific detection of cancer cells plays a pivotal role in the diagnosis and prognosis of cancer. A sandwich electrochemical biosensor was developed based on polyadenine (polydA)-aptamer modified gold electrode (GE) and polydA-aptamer functionalized gold nanoparticles/graphene oxide (AuNPs/GO) hybrid for the label-free and selective detection of breast cancer cells (MCF-7) via a differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) technique. Due to the intrinsic affinity between multiple consecutive adenines of polydA sequences and gold, polydA modified aptamer instead of thiol terminated aptamer was immobilized on the surface of GE and AuNPs/GO. The label-free MCF-7 cells could be recognized by polydA-aptamer and self-assembled onto the surface of GE. The polydA-aptamer functionalized AuNPs/GO hybrid could further bind to MCF-7 cells to form a sandwich sensing system. Characterization of the surface modified GE was carried out by cyclic voltammetry (CV) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) using Fe(CN) 6 3-/4- as a redox probe. Under the optimized experimental conditions, a detection limit of 8 cellsmL -1 (3σ/slope) was obtained for MCF-7 cells by the present electrochemical biosensor, along with a linear range of 10-10 5 cellsmL -1 . By virtue of excellent sensitivity, specificity and repeatability, the present electrochemical biosensor provides a potential application in point-of-care cancer diagnosis. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Gold Nanoparticle Labels Amplify Ellipsometric Signals

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Venkatasubbarao, Srivatsa

2008-01-01

The ellipsometric method reported in the immediately preceding article was developed in conjunction with a method of using gold nanoparticles as labels on biomolecules that one seeks to detect. The purpose of the labeling is to exploit the optical properties of the gold nanoparticles in order to amplify the measurable ellipsometric effects and thereby to enable ultrasensitive detection of the labeled biomolecules without need to develop more-complex ellipsometric instrumentation. The colorimetric, polarization, light-scattering, and other optical properties of nanoparticles depend on their sizes and shapes. In the present method, these size-and-shape-dependent properties are used to magnify the polarization of scattered light and the diattenuation and retardance of signals derived from ellipsometry. The size-and-shape-dependent optical properties of the nanoparticles make it possible to interrogate the nanoparticles by use of light of various wavelengths, as appropriate, to optimally detect particles of a specific type at high sensitivity. Hence, by incorporating gold nanoparticles bound to biomolecules as primary or secondary labels, the performance of ellipsometry as a means of detecting the biomolecules can be improved. The use of gold nanoparticles as labels in ellipsometry has been found to afford sensitivity that equals or exceeds the sensitivity achieved by use of fluorescence-based methods. Potential applications for ellipsometric detection of gold nanoparticle-labeled biomolecules include monitoring molecules of interest in biological samples, in-vitro diagnostics, process monitoring, general environmental monitoring, and detection of biohazards.

Long term imaging of living brain cancer cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Farias, Patricia M. A.; Galembeck, André; Milani, Raquel; Andrade, Arnaldo C. D. S.; Stingl, Andreas

2018-02-01

QDs synthesized in aqueous medium and functionalized with polyethylene glycol were used as fluorescent probes. They label and monitor living healthy and cancer brain glial cells in culture. Physical-chemical characterization was performed. Toxicological studies were performed by in vivo short and long-term inhalation in animal models. Healthy and cancer glial living cells were incubated in culture media with highly controlled QDs. Specific features of glial cancer cells were enhanced by QD labelling. Cytoplasmic labelling pattern was clearly distinct for healthy and cancer cells. Labelled cells kept their normal activity for same period as non-labelled control samples.

Socioeconomic and Geographic Disparities in Health Information Seeking and Internet Use in Puerto Rico

PubMed Central

Hesse, Bradford W; Moser, Richard P; Ortiz Martinez, Ana Patricia; Kornfeld, Julie; Vanderpool, Robin C; Byrne, Margaret; Tortolero Luna, Guillermo

2012-01-01

Background Geographically isolated Hispanic populations, such as those living in Puerto Rico, may face unique barriers to health information access. However, little is known about health information access and health information-seeking behaviors of this population. Objective To examine differences in health and cancer information seeking among survey respondents who ever used the Internet and those who did not, and to explore sociodemographic and geographic trends. Methods Data for our analyses were from a special implementation of the Health Information National Trends Survey conducted in Puerto Rico in 2009. We collected data through random digit dialing, computer-assisted telephone interviews (N = 639). The sample was drawn from the eight geographic regions of the Puerto Rico Department of Health. To account for complex survey design and perform weighted analyses to obtain population estimates, we analyzed the data using SUDAAN. Frequencies, cross-tabulation with chi-square, and logistic regression analyses were conducted. Geographic information system maps were developed to examine geographic distributions of Internet use and information seeking. Results Of 639 participants, 142 (weighted percentage 32.7%) indicated that they had ever gone online to access the Internet or World Wide Web; this proportion was substantially lower than that of US mainland Hispanics who reported using the Internet (49%). While 101 of 142 (weighted percentage 59.6%) respondents who used the Web had ever sought health information, only 118 of 497 (weighted percentage 20.0%) of those who did not use the Web had sought health information. The pattern was similar for cancer information: 76 of 142 respondents (weighted percentage 47.2%) who used the Web had ever sought cancer information compared with 105 of 497 (weighted percentage 18.8%) of those who had not used the Web. These results were slightly lower but generally consistent with US mainland Hispanics’ health (50.9%) and cancer

Socioeconomic and geographic disparities in health information seeking and Internet use in Puerto Rico.

PubMed

Finney Rutten, Lila J; Hesse, Bradford W; Moser, Richard P; Ortiz Martinez, Ana Patricia; Kornfeld, Julie; Vanderpool, Robin C; Byrne, Margaret; Tortolero Luna, Guillermo

2012-07-19

Geographically isolated Hispanic populations, such as those living in Puerto Rico, may face unique barriers to health information access. However, little is known about health information access and health information-seeking behaviors of this population. To examine differences in health and cancer information seeking among survey respondents who ever used the Internet and those who did not, and to explore sociodemographic and geographic trends. Data for our analyses were from a special implementation of the Health Information National Trends Survey conducted in Puerto Rico in 2009. We collected data through random digit dialing, computer-assisted telephone interviews (N = 639). The sample was drawn from the eight geographic regions of the Puerto Rico Department of Health. To account for complex survey design and perform weighted analyses to obtain population estimates, we analyzed the data using SUDAAN. Frequencies, cross-tabulation with chi-square, and logistic regression analyses were conducted. Geographic information system maps were developed to examine geographic distributions of Internet use and information seeking. Of 639 participants, 142 (weighted percentage 32.7%) indicated that they had ever gone online to access the Internet or World Wide Web; this proportion was substantially lower than that of US mainland Hispanics who reported using the Internet (49%). While 101 of 142 (weighted percentage 59.6%) respondents who used the Web had ever sought health information, only 118 of 497 (weighted percentage 20.0%) of those who did not use the Web had sought health information. The pattern was similar for cancer information: 76 of 142 respondents (weighted percentage 47.2%) who used the Web had ever sought cancer information compared with 105 of 497 (weighted percentage 18.8%) of those who had not used the Web. These results were slightly lower but generally consistent with US mainland Hispanics' health (50.9%) and cancer (26.4%) information seeking. Results of

[(64) Cu]-labelled trastuzumab: optimisation of labelling by DOTA and NODAGA conjugation and initial evaluation in mice.

PubMed

Schjoeth-Eskesen, Christina; Nielsen, Carsten Haagen; Heissel, Søren; Højrup, Peter; Hansen, Paul Robert; Gillings, Nic; Kjaer, Andreas

2015-05-30

The human epidermal growth factor receptor-2 (HER2) is overexpressed in 20-30% of all breast cancer cases, leading to increased cell proliferation, growth and migration. The monoclonal antibody, trastuzumab, binds to HER2 and is used for treatment of HER2-positive breast cancer. Trastuzumab has previously been labelled with copper-64 by conjugation of a 1,4,7,10-tetraazacyclododecane-1,4,7,10-tetraacetic acid (DOTA) chelator. The aim of this study was to optimise the (64) Cu-labelling of DOTA-trastuzumab and as the first to produce and compare with its 1,4,7-triazacyclononane, 1-glutaric acid-5,7 acetic acid (NODAGA) analogue in a preliminary HER2 tumour mouse model. The chelators were conjugated to trastuzumab using the activated esters DOTA mono-N-hydroxysuccinimide (NHS) and NODAGA-NHS. (64) Cu-labelling of DOTA-trastuzumab was studied by varying the amount of DOTA-trastuzumab used, reaction temperature and time. Full (64) Cu incorporation could be achieved using a minimum of 10-µg DOTA-trastuzumab, but the fastest labelling was obtained after 15 min at room temperature using 25 µg of DOTA-trastuzumab. In comparison, 80% incorporation was achieved for (64) Cu-labelling of NODAGA-trastuzumab. Both [(64) Cu]DOTA-trastuzumab and [(64) Cu]NODAGA-trastuzumab were produced after purification with radiochemical purities of >97%. The tracers were injected into mice with HER2 expressing tumours. The mice were imaged by positron emission tomography and showed high tumour uptake of 3-9% ID/g for both tracers. © 2015 The Authors Journal of Labelled Compounds and Radiopharmaceuticals published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Proteomic analysis of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) from lung cancer patients using label-free mass spectrometry.

PubMed

Hmmier, Abduladim; O'Brien, Michael Emmet; Lynch, Vincent; Clynes, Martin; Morgan, Ross; Dowling, Paul

2017-06-01

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related mortality in both men and women throughout the world. The need to detect lung cancer at an early, potentially curable stage, is essential and may reduce mortality by 20%. The aim of this study was to identify distinct proteomic profiles in bronchoalveolar fluid (BALF) and plasma that are able to discriminate individuals with benign disease from those with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Using label-free mass spectrometry analysis of BALF during discovery-phase analysis, a significant number of proteins were found to have different abundance levels when comparing control to adenocarcinoma (AD) or squamous cell lung carcinoma (SqCC). Validation of candidate biomarkers identified in BALF was performed in a larger cohort of plasma samples by detection with enzyme-linked immunoassay. Four proteins (Cystatin-C, TIMP-1, Lipocalin-2 and HSP70/HSPA1A) were selected as a representative group from discovery phase mass spectrometry BALF analysis. Plasma levels of TIMP-1, Lipocalin-2 and Cystatin-C were found to be significantly elevated in AD and SqCC compared to control. The results presented in this study indicate that BALF is an important proximal biofluid for the discovery and identification of candidate lung cancer biomarkers. There is good correlation between the trend of protein abundance levels in BALF and that of plasma which validates this approach to develop a blood biomarker to aid lung cancer diagnosis, particularly in the era of lung cancer screening. The protein signatures identified also provide insight into the molecular mechanisms associated with lung malignancy.

Food labels, autonomy, and the right (not) to know.

PubMed

Bonotti, Matteo

2014-12-01

Food labelling has been overlooked in the emerging body of literature concerning the normative dimensions of food and drink policies. In this paper, I argue that arguments normally advanced in bioethics and medical ethics regarding the "right to know" and the "right not to know" can provide useful normative guidelines for critically assessing existing and proposed food labelling regimes. More specifically, I claim that food labelling ought to respect the legitimate interests and the autonomy of both consumers who seek knowledge about their food in order to make informed dietary choices and consumers who prefer to remain ignorant about the contents and effects of their food in order to avoid the emotional and psychological harm, or more simply the loss of enjoyment, which may result from receiving that information.

Identifying potential markers in Breast Cancer subtypes using plasma label-free proteomics.

PubMed

Corrêa, Stephany; Panis, Carolina; Binato, Renata; Herrera, Ana Cristina; Pizzatti, Luciana; Abdelhay, Eliana

2017-01-16

Breast Cancer (BC) is the most common neoplasia among women and has a high mortality rate worldwide. Over the past several decades, increasing molecular knowledge of BC has resulted in its stratification into 4 major molecular subtypes according to hormonal receptor expression. Unfortunately, although the data accumulated thus far has improved BC prognosis and treatment, there have been few achievements in its diagnosis. In this study, we applied a Label-free Nano-LC/MSMS approach to reveal systemic molecular features and possible plasma markers for BC patients. Compared to healthy control plasma donors, we identified 191, 166, 182, and 186 differentially expressed proteins in the Luminal, Lumina-HER2, HER2, and TN subtypes. In silico analysis demonstrated an overall downregulation of cellular basal machinery and, more importantly, brought new focus to the known pathways and signaling molecules in BC that are related to immune system alterations. Moreover, using western blot analysis, we verified high levels of BCAS3, IRX1, IRX4 and IRX5 in BC plasma samples, thus highlighting the potential use of plasma proteomics in investigations into cancer biomarkers. The results of this study provide new insight into Breast Cancer (BC). We determined the plasma proteomic profile of BC subtypes. Furthermore, we report that the signaling pathways correlating with late processes in BC already exhibit plasma alterations in less aggressive subtypes. Additionally, we validated the high levels of particular proteins in patient samples, which suggests the use of these proteins as potential disease markers.

Determinants of health information-seeking behavior: implications for post-treatment cancer patients.

PubMed

Jung, Minsoo

2014-01-01

Health information-seeking behavior (HISB) is active need-fulfillment behavior whereby health information is obtained from diverse sources, such as the media, and has emerged as an important issue within the transforming medical environment and the rise of medical consumers. However, little is known about the factors that affect HISB and its associations, and the health outcome of HISB. The aim of this study was to examine individual and social contextual factors associated with HISB and to systematically review their effects on health status among post- treatment cancer patients. Individual determinants of HISB included demographic factors, psychosocial factors, perceived efficacy and norms, and health beliefs. Contextual determinants of HISB encompassed community characteristics, neighborhood social capital, and media advocacy. Improving through factors on these two levels, HISB raised individuals' self-care management skills and medical treatment compliance, and enhanced shared decision-making and medical treatment satisfaction. Moreover, because HISB can differ according to individuals' social contextual conditions, it can give rise to communication inequalities. Because these can ultimately lead to health disparities between groups, social interest in HISB and balanced HISB promotion strategies are necessary.

CdSe/ZnS Quantum Dot-Labeled Lateral Flow Strips for Rapid and Quantitative Detection of Gastric Cancer Carbohydrate Antigen 72-4

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yan, Xinyu; Wang, Kan; Lu, Wenting; Qin, Weijian; Cui, Daxiang; He, Jinghua

2016-03-01

Carbohydrate antigen 72-4 (CA72-4) is an important biomarker associated closely with diagnosis and prognosis of early gastric cancer. How to realize quick, sensitive, specific, and quantitative detection of CA72-4 in clinical specimens has become a great requirement. Herein, we reported a CdSe/ZnS quantum dot-labeled lateral flow test strip combined with a charge-coupled device (CCD)-based reader was developed for rapid, sensitive, and quantitative detection of CA72-4. Two mouse monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) against CA72-4 were employed. One of them was coated as a test line, while another mAb was labeled with quantum dots and coated onto conjugate pad. The goat anti-mouse IgG was immobilized as a control line. After sample was added, a sandwich structure was formed with CA72-4 and these two mAbs. The fluorescent signal from quantum dots (QD)-labeled mAb in sandwich structure was related to the amount of detected CA72-4. A CCD-based reader was used to realize quantitative detection of CA72-4. Results showed that developed QD-labeled lateral flow strips to detect CA72-4 biomarker with the sensitivity of 2 IU/mL and 10 min detection time. One hundred sera samples from clinical patients with gastric cancer and healthy people were used to confirm specificity of this strip method; results showed that established strip method own 100 % reproducibility and 100 % specificity compared with Roche electrochemiluminescence assay results. In conclusion, CdSe/ZnS quantum dot-labeled lateral flow strips for detection of CA72-4 could realize rapid, sensitive, and specific detection of clinical samples and could own great potential in clinical translation in near future.

A Critical Role of Lateral Hypothalamus in Context-Induced Relapse to Alcohol Seeking after Punishment-Imposed Abstinence

PubMed Central

Rabei, Rana; Kaganovsky, Konstantin; Caprioli, Daniele; Bossert, Jennifer M.; Bonci, Antonello

2014-01-01

In human alcoholics, abstinence is often self-imposed, despite alcohol availability, because of the negative consequences of excessive use. During abstinence, relapse is often triggered by exposure to contexts associated with alcohol use. We recently developed a rat model that captures some features of this human condition: exposure to the alcohol self-administration environment (context A), after punishment-imposed suppression of alcohol self-administration in a different environment (context B), provoked renewal of alcohol seeking in alcohol-preferring P rats. The mechanisms underlying context-induced renewal of alcohol seeking after punishment-imposed abstinence are unknown. Here, we studied the role of the lateral hypothalamus (LH) and its forebrain projections in this effect. We first determined the effect of context-induced renewal of alcohol seeking on Fos (a neuronal activity marker) expression in LH. We next determined the effect of LH reversible inactivation by GABAA + GABAB receptor agonists (muscimol + baclofen) on this effect. Finally, we determined neuronal activation in brain areas projecting to LH during context-induced renewal tests by measuring double labeling of the retrograde tracer cholera toxin subunit B (CTb; injected in LH) with Fos. Context-induced renewal of alcohol seeking after punishment-imposed abstinence was associated with increased Fos expression in LH. Additionally, renewal was blocked by muscimol + baclofen injections into LH. Finally, double-labeling analysis of CTb + Fos showed that context-induced renewal of alcohol seeking after punishment-imposed abstinence was associated with selective activation of accumbens shell neurons projecting to LH. The results demonstrate an important role of LH in renewal of alcohol seeking after punishment-imposed abstinence and suggest a role of accumbens shell projections to LH in this form of relapse. PMID:24872550

On-the-spot lung cancer differential diagnosis by label-free, molecular vibrational imaging and knowledge-based classification

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gao, Liang; Li, Fuhai; Thrall, Michael J.; Yang, Yaliang; Xing, Jiong; Hammoudi, Ahmad A.; Zhao, Hong; Massoud, Yehia; Cagle, Philip T.; Fan, Yubo; Wong, Kelvin K.; Wang, Zhiyong; Wong, Stephen T. C.

2011-09-01

We report the development and application of a knowledge-based coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering (CARS) microscopy system for label-free imaging, pattern recognition, and classification of cells and tissue structures for differentiating lung cancer from non-neoplastic lung tissues and identifying lung cancer subtypes. A total of 1014 CARS images were acquired from 92 fresh frozen lung tissue samples. The established pathological workup and diagnostic cellular were used as prior knowledge for establishment of a knowledge-based CARS system using a machine learning approach. This system functions to separate normal, non-neoplastic, and subtypes of lung cancer tissues based on extracted quantitative features describing fibrils and cell morphology. The knowledge-based CARS system showed the ability to distinguish lung cancer from normal and non-neoplastic lung tissue with 91% sensitivity and 92% specificity. Small cell carcinomas were distinguished from nonsmall cell carcinomas with 100% sensitivity and specificity. As an adjunct to submitting tissue samples to routine pathology, our novel system recognizes the patterns of fibril and cell morphology, enabling medical practitioners to perform differential diagnosis of lung lesions in mere minutes. The demonstration of the strategy is also a necessary step toward in vivo point-of-care diagnosis of precancerous and cancerous lung lesions with a fiber-based CARS microendoscope.

Well-Designed Bone-Seeking Radiolabeled Compounds for Diagnosis and Therapy of Bone Metastases

PubMed Central

2015-01-01

Bone-seeking radiopharmaceuticals are frequently used as diagnostic agents in nuclear medicine, because they can detect bone disorders before anatomical changes occur. Furthermore, their effectiveness in the palliation of metastatic bone cancer pain has been demonstrated in the clinical setting. With the aim of developing superior bone-seeking radiopharmaceuticals, many compounds have been designed, prepared, and evaluated. Here, several well-designed bone-seeking compounds used for diagnostic and therapeutic use, having the concept of radiometal complexes conjugated to carrier molecules to bone, are reviewed. PMID:26075256

Immunoscintigraphy and radioimmunotherapy in Cuba: experiences with labeled monoclonal antibodies for cancer diagnosis and treatment (1993-2013).

PubMed

Peña, Yamilé; Perera, Alejandro; Batista, Juan F

2014-01-01

INTRODUCTION The availability of monoclonal antibodies in Cuba has facilitated development and application of innovative techniques (immunoscintigraphy and radioimmunotherapy) for cancer diagnosis and treatment. Objective Review immunoscintigraphy and radioimmunotherapy techniques and analyze their use in Cuba, based on the published literature. In this context, we describe the experience of Havana's Clinical Research Center with labeled monoclonal antibodies for cancer diagnosis and treatment during the period 1993-2013. EVIDENCE ACQUISITION Basic concepts concerning cancer and monoclonal antibodies were reviewed, as well as relevant international and Cuban data. Forty-nine documents were reviewed, among them 2 textbooks, 34 articles by Cuban authors and 13 by international authors. All works published by the Clinical Research Center from 1993 through 2013 were included. Bibliography was obtained from the library of the Clinical Research Center and Infomed, Cuba's national health telematics network, using the following keywords: monoclonal antibodies, immunoscintigraphy and radioimmunotherapy. RESULTS Labeling the antibodies (ior t3, ior t1, ior cea 1, ior egf/r3, ior c5, h-R3, 14F7 and rituximab) with radioactive isotopes was a basic line of research in Cuba and has fostered their use as diagnostic and therapeutic tools. The studies conducted demonstrated the good sensitivity and diagnostic precision of immunoscintigraphy for detecting various types of tumors (head and neck, ovarian, colon, breast, lymphoma, brain). Obtaining different radioimmune conjugates with radioactive isotopes such as 99mTc and 188Re made it possible to administer radioimmunotherapy to patients with several types of cancer (brain, lymphoma, breast). The objective of 60% of the clinical trials was to determine pharmacokinetics, internal dosimetry and adverse effects of monoclonal antibodies, as well as tumor response; there were few adverse effects, no damage to vital organs, and a positive

Molecular radiotheragnostics in prostate cancer.

PubMed

Du, Yong; Dizdarevic, Sabina

2017-10-01

Two different molecular radio-theragnostic principles are applied in prostate cancer, providing a personalised management for those patients. Firstly, radiopharmaceuticals with the same or similar mechanism of action but different energy (gamma-γ, eg 99m Tc-diphosphonates or positron-β+, eg 18F-NaF emitting isotopes) can be used to identify patients with osteoblastic metastases for a treatment with bone seeking beta (β-) or alpha (α-) emitting radionuclides to deliver targeted molecular radiotherapy. A number of such β- emitting molecules have been used for bone palliation. More recently, an alpha emitting 223 Ra-dicholoride demonstrated not only symptomatic relief but also significantly improved overall survival in castration-resistant prostate cancer with predominant bone metastases. The second principle involves utilisation of the same prostatic specific membrane antigen (PSMA) or similar compound (eg PSMA-11, PSMA-617), but different label with either β+ ( 68 Ga) or γ ( 99m Tc) emitting radioisotope for imaging and subsequently β- ( 177 Lu) or α ( 225 Ac) emitting radionuclide for treatment. © Royal College of Physicians 2017. All rights reserved.

42 CFR 414.930 - Compendia for determination of medically-accepted indications for off-label uses of drugs and...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... indications for off-label uses of drugs and biologicals in an anti-cancer chemotherapeutic regimen. 414.930... indications for off-label uses of drugs and biologicals in an anti-cancer chemotherapeutic regimen. (a... specialty compendium, for example a compendium of anti-cancer treatment. A compendium— (i) Includes a...

42 CFR 414.930 - Compendia for determination of medically-accepted indications for off-label uses of drugs and...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... indications for off-label uses of drugs and biologicals in an anti-cancer chemotherapeutic regimen. 414.930... indications for off-label uses of drugs and biologicals in an anti-cancer chemotherapeutic regimen. (a... specialty compendium, for example a compendium of anti-cancer treatment. A compendium— (i) Includes a...

42 CFR 414.930 - Compendia for determination of medically-accepted indications for off-label uses of drugs and...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... indications for off-label uses of drugs and biologicals in an anti-cancer chemotherapeutic regimen. 414.930... indications for off-label uses of drugs and biologicals in an anti-cancer chemotherapeutic regimen. (a... specialty compendium, for example a compendium of anti-cancer treatment. A compendium— (i) Includes a...

42 CFR 414.930 - Compendia for determination of medically-accepted indications for off-label uses of drugs and...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... indications for off-label uses of drugs and biologicals in an anti-cancer chemotherapeutic regimen. 414.930... indications for off-label uses of drugs and biologicals in an anti-cancer chemotherapeutic regimen. (a... specialty compendium, for example a compendium of anti-cancer treatment. A compendium— (i) Includes a...

42 CFR 414.930 - Compendia for determination of medically-accepted indications for off-label uses of drugs and...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... indications for off-label uses of drugs and biologicals in an anti-cancer chemotherapeutic regimen. 414.930... indications for off-label uses of drugs and biologicals in an anti-cancer chemotherapeutic regimen. (a... specialty compendium, for example a compendium of anti-cancer treatment. A compendium— (i) Includes a...

PET Imaging of VEGFR-2 Expression in Lung Cancer with 64Cu-Labeled Ramucirumab.

PubMed

Luo, Haiming; England, Christopher G; Graves, Stephen A; Sun, Haiyan; Liu, Glenn; Nickles, Robert J; Cai, Weibo

2016-02-01

Lung cancer accounts for 17% of cancer-related deaths worldwide, and most patients present with locally advanced or metastatic disease. Novel PET imaging agents for assessing vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-2 (VEGFR-2) expression can be used for detecting VEGFR-2-positive malignancies and subsequent monitoring of therapeutic response to VEGFR-2-targeted therapies. Here, we report the synthesis and characterization of an antibody-based imaging agent for PET imaging of VEGFR-2 expression in vivo. Ramucirumab (named RamAb), a fully humanized IgG1 monoclonal antibody, was conjugated to 2-S-(4-isothiocyanatobenzyl)-1,4,7-triazacyclononane-1,4,7-triacetic acid (p-SCN-Bn-NOTA) and labeled with (64)Cu. Flow cytometry analysis and microscopy studies were performed to compare the VEGFR-2 binding affinity of RamAb and NOTA-RamAb. PET imaging and biodistribution studies were performed in nude mice bearing HCC4006 and A549 xenograft tumors. Ex vivo histopathology was performed to elucidate the expression patterns of VEGFR-2 in different tissues and organs to validate in vivo results. Flow cytometry examination revealed the specific binding capacity of fluorescein isothiocyanate-RamAb to VEGFR-2, and no difference in VEGFR-2 binding affinity was seen between RamAb and NOTA-RamAb. After being labeled with (64)Cu, PET imaging revealed specific and prominent uptake of (64)Cu-NOTA-RamAb in VEGFR-2-positive HCC4006 tumors (9.4 ± 0.5 percentage injected dose per gram at 48 h after injection; n = 4) and significantly lower uptake in VEGFR-2-negative A549 tumors (4.3 ± 0.2 percentage injected dose per gram at 48 h after injection; n = 3). Blocking experiments revealed significantly lower uptake in HCC4006 tumors, along with histology analysis, further confirming the VEGFR-2 specificity of (64)Cu-NOTA-RamAb. This study provides initial evidence that (64)Cu-NOTA-RamAb can function as a PET imaging agent for visualizing VEGFR-2 expression in vivo, which may also find

Calorie-labelling in catering outlets: acceptability and impacts on food sales.

PubMed

Nikolaou, Charoula K; Lean, Michael E J; Hankey, Catherine R

2014-10-01

Obesity is the biggest challenge facing preventive medicine. Calorie-labelling has been suggested as a way of changing the architecture of an 'obesogenic' environment without limiting consumer choice. This study examined the effect of calorie-labelling on sales of food items at catering outlets on a city-centre university campus. Sales data were collected for two consecutive months in 2013 on three UK university sites (two with calorie-labelling during second month, one control) and analysed with chi-square 'Goodness-of-Fit' tests. A questionnaire seeking consumers' views and use of the calorie-labelling was administered and analysed at group-level with chi-square tests. In intervention vs control sites, total sales of all labelled items fell significantly (-17% vs -2%, p<0.001) for the month with calorie-labelling. Calorie-labelling was associated with substantially reduced sales of high-calorie labelled items, without any compensatory changes in unlabelled alternative items. Among 1166 student- and 646 staff-respondents, 56% reported using the calorie-labels, 97% of them to make lower-calorie choices. More females (63%) than males (40%) reported being influenced by calorie-labels when choosing foods (p=0.01). This study provides evidence, beyond that from single-meal exposures, for the acceptability of meal calorie-labelling and its potential as an effective low-cost anti-obesity measure. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Label-free vascular imaging in a spontaneous hamster cheek pouch carcinogen model for pre-cancer detection (Conference Presentation)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hu, Fangyao; Morhard, Robert; Liu, Heather; Murphy, Helen; Farsiu, Sina; Ramanujam, Nimmi

2016-03-01

Inducing angiogenesis is one hallmark of cancer. Tumor induced neovasculature is often characterized as leaky, tortuous and chaotic, unlike a highly organized normal vasculature. Additionally, in the course of carcinogenesis, angiogenesis precedes a visible lesion. Tumor cannot grow beyond 1-2 mm in diameter without inducing angiogenesis. Therefore, capturing the event of angiogenesis may aid early detection of pre-cancer -important for better treatment prognoses in regions that lack the resources to manage invasive cancer. In this study, we imaged the neovascularization in vivo in a spontaneous hamster cheek pouch carcinogen model using a, non-invasive, label-free, high resolution, reflected-light spectral darkfield microscope. Hamsters' cheek pouches were painted with 7,12-Dimethylbenz[a]anthracene (DMBA) to induce pre-cancerous to cancerous changes, or mineral oil as control. High resolution spectral darkfield images were obtained over the course of pre-cancer development and in control cheek pouches. The vasculature was segmented with a multi-scale Gabor filter with an 85% accuracy compared with manually traced masks. Highly tortuous vasculature was observed only in the DMBA treated cheek pouches as early as 6 weeks of treatment. In addition, the highly tortuous vessels could be identified before a visible lesion occurred later during the treatment. The vessel patterns as determined by the tortuosity index were significantly different from that of the control cheek pouch. This preliminary study suggests that high-resolution darkfield microscopy is promising tool for pre-cancer and early cancer detection in low resource settings.

Naming, labeling, and packaging of pharmaceuticals.

PubMed

Kenagy, J W; Stein, G C

2001-11-01

The problem of medical errors associated with the naming, labeling, and packaging of pharmaceuticals is discussed. Sound-alike and look-alike drug names and packages can lead pharmacists and nurses to unintended interchanges of drugs that can result in patient injury or death. The existing medication-use system is flawed because its safety depends on human perfection. Simplicity, standardization, differentiation, lack of duplication, and unambiguous communication are human factors concepts that are relevant to the medication-use process. These principles have often been ignored in drug naming, labeling, and packaging. Instead, current methods are based on long-standing commercial considerations and bureaucratic procedures. The process for naming a marketable drug is lengthy and complex and involves submission of a new chemical entity and patent application, generic naming, brand naming, FDA review, and final approval. Drug companies seek the fastest possible approval and may believe that the incremental benefit of human factors evaluation is small. "Trade dress" is the concept that underlies labeling and packaging issues for the drug industry. Drug companies are resistant to changing trade dress and brand names. Although a variety of private-sector organizations have called for reforms in drug naming, labeling, and packaging standards have been proposed, the problem remains. Drug names, labels, and packages are not selected and designed in accordance with human factors principles. FDA standards do not require application of these principles, the drug industry has struggled with change, and private-sector initiatives have had only limited success.

Using Ensemble Decisions and Active Selection to Improve Low-Cost Labeling for Multi-View Data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rebbapragada, Umaa; Wagstaff, Kiri L.

2011-01-01

This paper seeks to improve low-cost labeling in terms of training set reliability (the fraction of correctly labeled training items) and test set performance for multi-view learning methods. Co-training is a popular multiview learning method that combines high-confidence example selection with low-cost (self) labeling. However, co-training with certain base learning algorithms significantly reduces training set reliability, causing an associated drop in prediction accuracy. We propose the use of ensemble labeling to improve reliability in such cases. We also discuss and show promising results on combining low-cost ensemble labeling with active (low-confidence) example selection. We unify these example selection and labeling strategies under collaborative learning, a family of techniques for multi-view learning that we are developing for distributed, sensor-network environments.

Imaging with indium111-labeled anticarcinoembryonic antigen monoclonal antibody ZCE-025 of recurrent colorectal or carcinoembryonic antigen-producing cancer in patients with rising serum carcinoembryonic antigen levels and occult metastases

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Patt, Y.Z.; Lamki, L.M.; Shanken, J.

1990-07-01

We tested whether nuclear imaging with indium111 (111In)-labeled murine monoclonal (MoAb) anticarcinoembryonic antigen (anti-CEA) ZCE-025 antibody could detect recurrent disease in patients with a rising serum CEA level but negative findings for computed tomographic (CT) scans of the abdomen and pelvis, chest radiograph, and colonoscopy or barium enema. Twenty patients with a history of completely resected CEA-producing adenocarcinoma and a rising serum CEA level were given an intravenous infusion of 2 mg of 111In-labeled ZCE-025 mixed with 38 mg of unlabeled ZCE-025. Planar and single-photon emission CT (SPECT) scans were acquired at 72 and 144 hours, and in 19 ofmore » the 20 patients these were positive. Of those 19, 13 underwent exploratory surgery, and cancer was found in 10, and two had a diagnostic biopsy, which confirmed cancer. Three patients who had negative laparotomies and all four patients who did not undergo surgery or biopsy were followed radiologically. In all seven, cancer was subsequently detected at the sites suggested by the ZCE-025 scan. Thus, tumor was confirmed in all 19 patients with positive scans. Five of 13 patients who were explored benefited from the study and the exploratory laparotomy, as disease was entirely resected in four or was subjected to definitive radiation therapy to the pelvis in the fifth. In two additional patients who were not explored, MoAb imaging resulted in definitive therapy to regionally confined recurrent disease. 111In-labeled anti-CEA MoAb ZCE-025 scanning in patients with rising CEA successfully imaged metastatic colorectal cancer that eluded detection by other methods and affected the care given to some. These results suggest an important role for 111In-labeled ZCE-025 scanning among patients with rising CEA and otherwise occult metastatic cancer.« less

A critical role of lateral hypothalamus in context-induced relapse to alcohol seeking after punishment-imposed abstinence.

PubMed

Marchant, Nathan J; Rabei, Rana; Kaganovsky, Konstantin; Caprioli, Daniele; Bossert, Jennifer M; Bonci, Antonello; Shaham, Yavin

2014-05-28

In human alcoholics, abstinence is often self-imposed, despite alcohol availability, because of the negative consequences of excessive use. During abstinence, relapse is often triggered by exposure to contexts associated with alcohol use. We recently developed a rat model that captures some features of this human condition: exposure to the alcohol self-administration environment (context A), after punishment-imposed suppression of alcohol self-administration in a different environment (context B), provoked renewal of alcohol seeking in alcohol-preferring P rats. The mechanisms underlying context-induced renewal of alcohol seeking after punishment-imposed abstinence are unknown. Here, we studied the role of the lateral hypothalamus (LH) and its forebrain projections in this effect. We first determined the effect of context-induced renewal of alcohol seeking on Fos (a neuronal activity marker) expression in LH. We next determined the effect of LH reversible inactivation by GABAA + GABAB receptor agonists (muscimol + baclofen) on this effect. Finally, we determined neuronal activation in brain areas projecting to LH during context-induced renewal tests by measuring double labeling of the retrograde tracer cholera toxin subunit B (CTb; injected in LH) with Fos. Context-induced renewal of alcohol seeking after punishment-imposed abstinence was associated with increased Fos expression in LH. Additionally, renewal was blocked by muscimol + baclofen injections into LH. Finally, double-labeling analysis of CTb + Fos showed that context-induced renewal of alcohol seeking after punishment-imposed abstinence was associated with selective activation of accumbens shell neurons projecting to LH. The results demonstrate an important role of LH in renewal of alcohol seeking after punishment-imposed abstinence and suggest a role of accumbens shell projections to LH in this form of relapse. Copyright © 2014 the authors 0270-6474/14/347447-11$15.00/0.

The Recognition of Mental Illness, Schizophrenia Identification, and Help-Seeking from Friends in Late Adolescence.

PubMed

Yamasaki, Syudo; Ando, Shuntaro; Shimodera, Shinji; Endo, Kaori; Okazaki, Yuji; Asukai, Nozomu; Usami, Satoshi; Nishida, Atsushi; Sasaki, Tsukasa

2016-01-01

The recognition of mental illness without anticipating stigma might encourage adolescents' help-seeking behavior. We aimed to identify the relationship between mental illness identification and adolescents' intention to seek help if faced with mental illness. We examined the relationships between help-seeking intentions and recognition of mental illness (RMI) without correctly identifying the disease name, as well as correct labelling of schizophrenia (LSC) using a vignette about a person with schizophrenia in a cross-sectional survey of 9,484 Japanese high-school students aged 15-18 years. When compared with adolescents who were unable to recognize the mental illness (UMI) in the vignette, those in the RMI group reported they were significantly more likely to seek help from friends (odds ratio [OR] = 1.29; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.17-1.41; P < 0.001) and expressed an increased likelihood to seek help from professionals (all P < .05). Those in the LSC group reported they were significantly less likely to exhibit help-seeking behavior (OR = 0.77, 95% CI = 0.65-0.92, P = 0.003) and expressed an increased likelihood of help-seeking from health professionals than the UMI group (all P < .05). The ability to recognize mental illness without identifying the disease may increase help-seeking from friends, while the ability to identify the disease as schizophrenia might decrease late adolescents' help-seeking. To promote help-seeking behavior among adolescents, improving their ability to recognize mental illness generally is recommended.

The influence of risk labeling on risk perception and willingness to seek help in an experimental simulation of preventive medical examinations.

PubMed

Nieuwenhuijsen, Karen; Hulshof, Carel T; Sluiter, Judith K

2018-07-01

To study the influence of the presentation of results of a preventive medical examination on risk perception and willingness to seek help for work-related fatigue or being overweight. A factorial design experiment was conducted, presenting workers (n = 82) with vignettes including eight scenarios of test results with and without an emphasis on the risk of a current or future health condition or a probe to seek help. Participants rated perceived risk and willingness to seek help (0-100 Visual Analogue Scale) as if these were their own results. Differences were tested with paired-sample t-tests. In scenarios emphasizing the risk of a current or future disorder, participants perceived higher risk and were more willing to seek help (p-values < .00). Slightly higher willingness to seek help scores was observed in all scenarios that included probes (p < .00). Risk perception and willingness to seek help of workers participating in a preventive medical examination were higher when they were told that the test results indicate a risk of a current or future disorder and after being advised to seek help. Healthcare providers should take the potential effects on risk perception and help-seeking into account in preventive settings. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Religiosity, spirituality, and cancer fatalism beliefs on delay in breast cancer diagnosis in African American women.

PubMed

Gullatte, Mary Magee; Brawley, Otis; Kinney, Anita; Powe, Barbara; Mooney, Kathi

2010-03-01

African American women are more likely than any other racial or ethnic group to present with a later stage of breast cancer at initial diagnosis. Delay in breast cancer detection is a critical factor in diagnosis at a later stage. Available data indicate a delay of 3 months or more is a significant factor in breast cancer mortalty. Numerous factors have been reported as contributing to delay in time to seek medical care including religiosity, spirituality, and fatalistic beliefs. This study examined the influence of religiosity, spirituality, and cancer fatalism on delay in diagnosis and breast cancer stage in African American women with self-detected breast symptoms. A descriptive correlation, retrospective methodology using an open-ended questionnaire and three validated measurement scales were used: the Religious Problem Solving Scale (RPSS), the Religious Coping Activity Scale (RCAS) subscale measuring spiritually based coping, and the modified Powe Fatalism Inventory (mPFI). A convenience sample of 129 women ages between 30 and 84 years who self-reported detecting a breast symptom before diagnosis of breast cancer within the preceding 12 months were included in the study. Outcome variables were time to seek medical care and breast cancer stage. Other variables of interest included marital status, income, education, insurance status, and to whom the women spoke about their breast symptoms. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, logistic regression analysis, Pearson r correlations, Mann-Whitney U analysis, and Chi Square analysis. Participants were found to be highly religious and spiritual but not fatalistic. While most women delayed more than 3 months in seeking medical care, no associations were found between the three predictor variables and time to seek medical care. The median delay in time from self detection of a breast symptom to seeking medical care was 5.5 months. Women who were less educated, unmarried, and talked to God only about their

Label-free biomolecular characterization of human breast cancer tissue with stimulated Raman scattering (SRS) spectral imaging (Conference Presentation)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lu, Fa-Ke F.; Calligaris, David; Suo, Yuanzhen; Santagata, Sandro; Golby, Alexandra J.; Xie, X. Sunney; Mallory, Melissa A.; Golshan, Mehra; Dillon, Deborah A.; Agar, Nathalie Y. R.

2017-02-01

Stimulated Raman scattering (SRS) microscopy has been used for rapid label-free imaging of various biomolecules and drugs in living cells and tissues (Science, doi:10.1126/science.aaa8870). Our recent work has demonstrated that lipid and protein mapping of cancer tissue renders pathology-like images, providing essential histopathological information with subcellular resolution of the entire specimen (Cancer Research, doi: 10.1158/0008-5472.CAN-16-027). We have also established the first SRS imaging Atlas of human brain tumors (Harvard Dataverse, doi: (doi:10.7910/DVN/EZW4EK). SRS imaging of tissue could provide invaluable information for cancer diagnosis and surgical guidance in two aspects: rapid surgical pathology and quantitative biomolecular characterization. In this work, we present the use of SRS microscopy for characterization of a few essential biomolecules in breast cancer. Human breast cancer tissue specimens at the tumor core, tumor margin and normal area (5 cm away from the tumor) from surgical cases will be imaged with SRS at multiple Raman shifts, including the peaks for lipid, protein, blood (absorption), collagen, microcalcification (calcium phosphates and calcium oxalate) and carotenoids. Most of these Raman shifts have relatively strong Raman cross sections, which ensures high-quality and fast imaging. This proof-of-principle study is sought to demonstrate the feasibility and potential of SRS imaging for ambient diagnosis and surgical guidance of breast cancer.

A Label-Free, Quantitative Fecal Hemoglobin Detection Platform for Colorectal Cancer Screening

PubMed Central

Soraya, Gita V.; Nguyen, Thanh C.; Abeyrathne, Chathurika D.; Huynh, Duc H.; Chan, Jianxiong; Nguyen, Phuong D.; Nasr, Babak; Chana, Gursharan; Kwan, Patrick; Skafidas, Efstratios

2017-01-01

The early detection of colorectal cancer is vital for disease management and patient survival. Fecal hemoglobin detection is a widely-adopted method for screening and early diagnosis. Fecal Immunochemical Test (FIT) is favored over the older generation chemical based Fecal Occult Blood Test (FOBT) as it does not require dietary or drug restrictions, and is specific to human blood from the lower digestive tract. To date, no quantitative FIT platforms are available for use in the point-of-care setting. Here, we report proof of principle data of a novel low cost quantitative fecal immunochemical-based biosensor platform that may be further developed into a point-of-care test in low-resource settings. The label-free prototype has a lower limit of detection (LOD) of 10 µg hemoglobin per gram (Hb/g) of feces, comparable to that of conventional laboratory based quantitative FIT diagnostic systems. PMID:28475117

F-18 labelled PSMA-1007: biodistribution, radiation dosimetry and histopathological validation of tumor lesions in prostate cancer patients.

PubMed

Giesel, Frederik L; Hadaschik, B; Cardinale, J; Radtke, J; Vinsensia, M; Lehnert, W; Kesch, C; Tolstov, Y; Singer, S; Grabe, N; Duensing, S; Schäfer, M; Neels, O C; Mier, W; Haberkorn, U; Kopka, K; Kratochwil, C

2017-04-01

The prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) targeted positron-emitting-tomography (PET) tracer 68 Ga-PSMA-11 shows great promise in the detection of prostate cancer. However, 68 Ga has several shortcomings as a radiolabel including short half-life and non-ideal energies, and this has motivated consideration of 18 F-labelled analogs. 18 F-PSMA-1007 was selected among several 18 F-PSMA-ligand candidate compounds because it demonstrated high labelling yields, outstanding tumor uptake and fast, non-urinary background clearance. Here, we describe the properties of 18 F-PSMA-1007 in human volunteers and patients. Radiation dosimetry of 18 F-PSMA-1007 was determined in three healthy volunteers who underwent whole-body PET-scans and concomitant blood and urine sampling. Following this, ten patients with high-risk prostate cancer underwent 18 F-PSMA-1007 PET/CT (1 h and 3 h p.i.) and normal organ biodistribution and tumor uptakes were examined. Eight patients underwent prostatectomy with extended pelvic lymphadenectomy. Uptake in intra-prostatic lesions and lymph node metastases were correlated with final histopathology, including PSMA immunostaining. With an effective dose of approximately 4.4-5.5 mSv per 200-250 MBq examination, 18 F-PSMA-1007 behaves similar to other PSMA-PET agents as well as to other 18 F-labelled PET-tracers. In comparison to other PSMA-targeting PET-tracers, 18 F-PSMA-1007 has reduced urinary clearance enabling excellent assessment of the prostate. Similar to 18 F-DCFPyL and with slightly slower clearance kinetics than PSMA-11, favorable tumor-to-background ratios are observed 2-3 h after injection. In eight patients, diagnostic findings were successfully validated by histopathology. 18 F-PSMA-1007 PET/CT detected 18 of 19 lymph node metastases in the pelvis, including nodes as small as 1 mm in diameter. 18 F-PSMA-1007 performs at least comparably to 68 Ga-PSMA-11, but its longer half-life combined with its superior energy characteristics and

Experience of, awareness of and help-seeking for potential cancer symptoms in smokers and non-smokers: A cross-sectional study.

PubMed

Walabyeki, Julie; Adamson, Joy; Buckley, Hannah L; Sinclair, Helena; Atkin, Karl; Graham, Hilary; Whitaker, Katriina; Wardle, Jane; Macleod, Una

2017-01-01

Presenting to primary care with potential cancer symptoms is contingent on one's ability to recognize potentially serious symptoms. We investigated differences between smokers and non-smokers in symptoms experienced, awareness and consulting of potential respiratory, head and neck cancer symptoms. Smokers and non-smokers aged over 50 from Yorkshire general practice lists were sent a postal questionnaire asking about symptoms, consulting and awareness of cancer symptoms. Data were analysed using STATA14. Response rate after one reminder was 30.5% (1205/3954). Smoking status was associated with experience of cough (p<0.001), breathlessness (p = 0.002) and tiredness (p = 0.004) with smokers (25.8% of population) more likely than never-smokers (53.6% of population) to experience all three symptoms (cough OR = 2.56;95%CI[1.75-3.75], breathlessness OR = 2.39;95%CI[1.43-4.00], tiredness OR = 1.57;95%CI[1.12-2.19]). Smoking status was associated with awareness of breathlessness as a potential cancer symptom (p = 0.035) and consulting for cough (p = 0.011) with smokers less likely to consult than never-smokers (OR = 0.37;95% CI[0.17-0.80]). Our findings suggest that current smokers are more likely to experience cough, breathlessness and tiredness, but are less likely to consult for cough than never-smokers. To increase cancer awareness and promote consulting among smokers, innovative interventions improving symptom recognition and empowering smokers to seek help are required.

Specific tumor labeling enhanced by polyethylene glycol linkage of near infrared dyes conjugated to a chimeric anti-carcinoembryonic antigen antibody in a nude mouse model of human pancreatic cancer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maawy, Ali A.; Hiroshima, Yukihiko; Zhang, Yong; Luiken, George A.; Hoffman, Robert M.; Bouvet, Michael

2014-10-01

Labeling of metastatic tumors can aid in their staging and resection of cancer. Near infrared (NIR) dyes have been used in the clinic for tumor labeling. However, there can be a nonspecific uptake of dye by the liver, lungs, and lymph nodes, which hinders detection of metastasis. In order to overcome these problems, we have used two NIR dyes (DyLight 650 and 750) conjugated to a chimeric anti-carcinoembryonic antigen antibody to evaluate how polyethylene glycol linkage (PEGylation) can improve specific tumor labeling in a nude mouse model of human pancreatic cancer. The conjugated PEGylated and non-PEGylated DyLight 650 and 750 dyes were injected intravenously into non-tumor-bearing nude mice. Serum samples were collected at various time points in order to determine serum concentrations and elimination kinetics. Conjugated PEGylated dyes had significantly higher serum dye concentrations than non-PEGylated dyes (p=0.005 for the 650 dyes and p<0.001 for the 750 dyes). Human pancreatic tumors subcutaneously implanted into nude mice were labeled with antibody-dye conjugates and serially imaged. Labeling with conjugated PEGylated dyes resulted in significantly brighter tumors compared to the non-PEGylated dyes (p<0.001 for the 650 dyes; p=0.01 for 750 dyes). PEGylation of the NIR dyes also decreased their accumulation in lymph nodes, liver, and lung. These results demonstrate enhanced selective tumor labeling by PEGylation of dyes conjugated to a tumor-specific antibody, suggesting their future clinical use in fluorescence-guided surgery.

Intra-operative label-free multimodal multiphoton imaging of breast cancer margins and microenvironment (Conference Presentation)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sun, Yi; You, Sixian; Tu, Haohua; Spillman, Darold R.; Marjanovic, Marina; Chaney, Eric J.; Liu, George Z.; Ray, Partha S.; Higham, Anna; Boppart, Stephen A.

2017-02-01

Label-free multi-photon imaging has been a powerful tool for studying tissue microstructures and biochemical distributions, particularly for investigating tumors and their microenvironments. However, it remains challenging for traditional bench-top multi-photon microscope systems to conduct ex vivo tumor tissue imaging in the operating room due to their bulky setups and laser sources. In this study, we designed, built, and clinically demonstrated a portable multi-modal nonlinear label-free microscope system that combined four modalities, including two- and three- photon fluorescence for studying the distributions of FAD and NADH, and second and third harmonic generation, respectively, for collagen fiber structures and the distribution of micro-vesicles found in tumors and the microenvironment. Optical realignments and switching between modalities were motorized for more rapid and efficient imaging and for a light-tight enclosure, reducing ambient light noise to only 5% within the brightly lit operating room. Using up to 20 mW of laser power after a 20x objective, this system can acquire multi-modal sets of images over 600 μm × 600 μm at an acquisition rate of 60 seconds using galvo-mirror scanning. This portable microscope system was demonstrated in the operating room for imaging fresh, resected, unstained breast tissue specimens, and for assessing tumor margins and the tumor microenvironment. This real-time label-free nonlinear imaging system has the potential to uniquely characterize breast cancer margins and the microenvironment of tumors to intraoperatively identify structural, functional, and molecular changes that could indicate the aggressiveness of the tumor.

A near-infrared phthalocyanine dye-labeled agent for integrin αvβ6-targeted theranostics of pancreatic cancer.

PubMed

Gao, Duo; Gao, Liquan; Zhang, Chenran; Liu, Hao; Jia, Bing; Zhu, Zhaohui; Wang, Fan; Liu, Zhaofei

2015-06-01

Integrin αvβ6 is widely upregulated in variant malignant cancers but is undetectable in normal organs, making it a promising target for cancer diagnostic imaging and therapy. Using streptavidin-biotin chemistry, we synthesized an integrin αvβ6-targeted near-infrared phthalocyanine dye-labeled agent, termed Dye-SA-B-HK, and investigated whether it could be used for cancer imaging, optical imaging-guided surgery, and phototherapy in pancreatic cancer mouse models. Dye-SA-B-HK specifically bound to integrin αvβ6 in vitro and in vivo with high receptor binding affinity. Using small-animal optical imaging, we detected subcutaneous and orthotopic BxPC-3 human pancreatic cancer xenografts in vivo. Upon optical image-guidance, the orthotopically growing pancreatic cancer lesions could be successfully removed by surgery. Using light irradiation, Dye-SA-B-HK manifested remarkable antitumor effects both in vitro and in vivo. (18)F-FDG positron emission tomography (PET) imaging and ex vivo fluorescence staining validated the observed decrease in proliferation of treated tumors by Dye-DA-B-HK phototherapy. Tissue microarray results revealed overexpression of integrin αvβ6 in over 95% cases of human pancreatic cancer, indicating that theranostic application of Dye-DA-B-HK has clear translational potential. Overall, the results of this study demonstrated that integrin αvβ6-specific Dye-SA-B-HK is a promising theranostic agent for the management of pancreatic cancer. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Immunoscintigraphy of ovarian cancer with indium-111-labeled OV-TL 3 F(ab')2 monoclonal antibody.

PubMed

Massuger, L F; Kenemans, P; Claessens, R A; Verheijen, R H; Schijf, C P; Strijk, S P; Poels, L G; van Hoesel, R G; Corstens, F H

1990-11-01

The safety and diagnostic accuracy of immunoscintigraphy with the indium-111-labeled monoclonal antibody OV-TL 3 F(ab')2(111In-OV-TL 3 F(ab')2) for diagnosis and follow-up of ovarian cancer was prospectively studied in 31 patients. Planar and SPECT scintigraphy were performed up to 4 days after i.v. injection of 140 MBq 111In-OV-TL 3 F(ab')2. Surgical evaluation was possible in 22 out of 31 patients. Imaging results were compared with X-ray computed tomography, ultrasound, and CA 125 serum level using the histologically confirmed surgical findings as a "gold standard." Apart from a transient rash observed in two patients, no other immediate or delayed adverse reactions were observed. Within the surgically evaluated group, ovarian cancer lesions were detected in 16 out of 17 patients (94%). Of 45 distinct tumor deposits found at operation, 67% were detected and localized with immunoscintigraphy while X-ray computed tomography and ultrasound visualized 53% and 23%, respectively.

Recognition of Live Phosphatidylserine-Labeled Tumor Cells by Dendritic Cells: A Novel Approach to Immunotherapy of Skin Cancer

PubMed Central

Shurin, Michael R.; Potapovich, Alla I.; Tyurina, Yulia Y.; Tourkova, Irina L.; Shurin, Galina V.; Kagan, Valerian E.

2014-01-01

Dendritic cells (DC) loaded with tumor antigens from apoptotic/necrotic tumor cells are commonly used as vaccines for cancer therapy. However, the use of dead tumor cells may cause both tolerance and immunity, making the effect of vaccination unpredictable. To deliver live tumor “cargoes” into DC, we developed a new approach based on the “labeling” of tumors with a phospholipid “eat-me” signal, phosphatidylserine. Expression of phosphatidylserine on live tumor cells mediated their recognition and endocytosis by DC resulting in the presentation of tumor antigens to antigen-specific T cells. In mice, topical application of phosphatidylserine-containing ointment over melanoma induced tumor-specific CTL, local and systemic antitumor immunity, and inhibited tumor growth. Thus, labeling of tumors with phosphatidylserine is a promising strategy for cancer immunotherapy. PMID:19276376

An open-label extension study to investigate the long-term safety and tolerability of THC/CBD oromucosal spray and oromucosal THC spray in patients with terminal cancer-related pain refractory to strong opioid analgesics.

PubMed

Johnson, Jeremy R; Lossignol, Dominique; Burnell-Nugent, Mary; Fallon, Marie T

2013-08-01

Chronic pain in patients with advanced cancer poses a serious clinical challenge. The Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC)/cannabidiol (CBD) oromucosal spray (U.S. Adopted Name, nabiximols; Sativex(®)) is a novel cannabinoid formulation currently undergoing investigation as an adjuvant therapy for this treatment group. This follow-up study investigated the long-term safety and tolerability of THC/CBD spray and THC spray in relieving pain in patients with advanced cancer. In total, 43 patients with cancer-related pain experiencing inadequate analgesia despite chronic opioid dosing, who had participated in a previous three-arm (THC/CBD spray, THC spray, or placebo), two-week parent randomized controlled trial, entered this open-label, multicenter, follow-up study. Patients self-titrated THC/CBD spray (n=39) or THC spray (n=4) to symptom relief or maximum dose and were regularly reviewed for safety, tolerability, and evidence of clinical benefit. The efficacy end point of change from baseline in mean Brief Pain Inventory-Short Form scores for "pain severity" and "worst pain" domains showed a decrease (i.e., improvement) at each visit in the THC/CBD spray patients. Similarly, the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire-C30 scores showed a decrease (i.e., improvement) from baseline in the domains of insomnia, pain, and fatigue. No new safety concerns associated with the extended use of THC/CBD spray arose from this study. This study showed that the long-term use of THC/CBD spray was generally well tolerated, with no evidence of a loss of effect for the relief of cancer-related pain with long-term use. Furthermore, patients who kept using the study medication did not seek to increase their dose of this or other pain-relieving medication over time, suggesting that the adjuvant use of cannabinoids in cancer-related pain could provide useful benefit. Copyright © 2013 U.S. Cancer Pain Relief Committee. Published by Elsevier Inc

Carbon-11 and Fluorine-18 Labeled Amino Acid Tracers for Positron Emission Tomography Imaging of Tumors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sun, Aixia; Liu, Xiang; Tang, Ganghua

2017-12-01

Tumor cells have an increased nutritional demand for amino acids(AAs) to satisfy their rapid proliferation. Positron-emitting nuclide labeled AAs are interesting probes and are of great importance for imaging tumors using positron emission tomography (PET). Carbon-11 and fluorine-18 labeled AAs include the [1-11C] amino acids, labeling alpha-C- amino acids, the branched-chain of amino acids and N-substituted carbon-11 labeled amino acids. These tracers target protein synthesis or amino acid(AA) transport, and their uptake mechanism mainly involves AA transport. AA PET tracers have been widely used in clinical settings to image brain tumors, neuroendocrine tumors, prostate cancer, breast cancer, non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and hepatocellular carcinoma. This review focuses on the fundamental concepts and the uptake mechanism of AAs, AA PET tracers and their clinical applications.

‘I'll be in a safe place’: a qualitative study of the decisions taken by people with advanced cancer to seek emergency department care

PubMed Central

Henson, Lesley A; Higginson, Irene J; Daveson, Barbara A; Ellis-Smith, Clare; Koffman, Jonathan; Morgan, Myfanwy; Gao, Wei

2016-01-01

Objective To explore the decisions of people with advanced cancer and their caregivers to seek emergency department (ED) care, and understand the issues that influence the decision-making process. Design Cross-sectional qualitative study incorporating semistructured patient and caregiver interviews. Methods Between December 2014 and July 2015, semistructured interviews were conducted with 18 people with advanced cancer, all of whom had recently attended the ED of a large university teaching hospital located in south-east London; and six of their caregivers. Interviews were audio recorded, transcribed verbatim and analysed using a constant comparative approach. Padgett and Brodsky's modified version of the ‘Behavioral Model of Health Services Use’ was used as a framework to guide the study. Results Issues influencing the decision-making process included: (1) disease-related anxiety—those with greater anxiety related to their cancer diagnosis interpreted their symptoms as more severe and/or requiring immediate attention; (2) prior patterns of health-seeking behaviour—at times of crisis participants defaulted to previously used services; (3) feelings of safety and familiarity with the hospital setting—many felt reassured by the presence of healthcare professionals and monitoring of their condition; and, (4) difficulties accessing community healthcare services—especially urgently and/or out-of-hours. Conclusions These data provide healthcare professionals and policymakers with a greater understanding of how systems of care may be developed to help reduce ED visits by people with advanced cancer. In particular, our findings suggest that the number of ED visits could be reduced with greater end-of-life symptom support and education, earlier collaboration between oncology and palliative care, and with increased access to community healthcare services. PMID:27807085

'I'll be in a safe place': a qualitative study of the decisions taken by people with advanced cancer to seek emergency department care.

PubMed

Henson, Lesley A; Higginson, Irene J; Daveson, Barbara A; Ellis-Smith, Clare; Koffman, Jonathan; Morgan, Myfanwy; Gao, Wei

2016-11-02

To explore the decisions of people with advanced cancer and their caregivers to seek emergency department (ED) care, and understand the issues that influence the decision-making process. Cross-sectional qualitative study incorporating semistructured patient and caregiver interviews. Between December 2014 and July 2015, semistructured interviews were conducted with 18 people with advanced cancer, all of whom had recently attended the ED of a large university teaching hospital located in south-east London; and six of their caregivers. Interviews were audio recorded, transcribed verbatim and analysed using a constant comparative approach. Padgett and Brodsky's modified version of the 'Behavioral Model of Health Services Use' was used as a framework to guide the study. Issues influencing the decision-making process included: (1) disease-related anxiety-those with greater anxiety related to their cancer diagnosis interpreted their symptoms as more severe and/or requiring immediate attention; (2) prior patterns of health-seeking behaviour-at times of crisis participants defaulted to previously used services; (3) feelings of safety and familiarity with the hospital setting-many felt reassured by the presence of healthcare professionals and monitoring of their condition; and, (4) difficulties accessing community healthcare services-especially urgently and/or out-of-hours. These data provide healthcare professionals and policymakers with a greater understanding of how systems of care may be developed to help reduce ED visits by people with advanced cancer. In particular, our findings suggest that the number of ED visits could be reduced with greater end-of-life symptom support and education, earlier collaboration between oncology and palliative care, and with increased access to community healthcare services. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/.

Barriers to help-seeking in men diagnosed with benign colorectal diseases.

PubMed

Oberoi, Devesh V; Jiwa, Moyez; McManus, Alexandra; Hodder, Rupert

2015-01-01

To explore the help-seeking pathway for lower bowel symptoms in men diagnosed with benign bowel diseases. Semi-structured interviews were conducted. The data were analyzed thematically using Andersen's Model of Patient Delay as the theoretical framework. The major delaying factors were attribution of symptoms to self-limiting conditions, failure to make time to visit a GP, low expectation of help from the GP, fear of cancer diagnosis and embarrassment. The major causes of delay in help-seeking were related to the participants, whereas factors associated with treatment delay were less prominent in diagnostic delay.

Label-Free Detection of Cancer Biomarkers Using an In-Line Taper Fiber-Optic Interferometer and a Fiber Bragg Grating

PubMed Central

Sun, Dandan; Wang, Guanjun

2017-01-01

A compact and label-free optical fiber sensor based on a taper interferometer cascaded with a fiber Bragg grating (FBG) is proposed and experimentally demonstrated for detection of a breast cancer biomarker (HER2). The tapered fiber-optic interferometer is extremely sensitive to the ambient refractive index (RI). In addition, being insensitive to the RI variation, the FBG can be applied as a temperature thermometer due to its independent response to the temperature. Surface functionalization to the sensor is carried out to achieve specific targeting of the unlabeled biomarkers. The result shows that the proposed sensor presents a low limit-of-detection (LOD) of 2 ng/mL, enabling its potentials of application in early diagnosis on the breast cancer. PMID:29113127

The Development, Validity, and Reliability of the Barriers to Seeking Psychological Help Scale for College Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Topkaya, Nursel; Sahin, Ertugrul; Meydan, Betül

2017-01-01

The aim of this study was to develop a scale to determine the barriers affecting psychological help-seeking in college students. In line with this purpose, the validity and reliability of the scale were examined in five different studies. Exploratory factor analysis results suggested that the scale consists of five dimensions, labeled as…

Celebrity disclosures and information seeking: the case of Angelina Jolie.

PubMed

Juthe, Robin H; Zaharchuk, Amber; Wang, Catharine

2015-07-01

On 14 May 2013, actress Angelina Jolie disclosed that she had a BRCA1 mutation and underwent a prophylactic bilateral mastectomy. This study documents the impact of her disclosure on information-seeking behavior, specifically that regarding online genetics and risk reduction resources available from the National Cancer Institute. Using Adobe Analytics, daily page views for 11 resources were tracked from 23 April 2013 through 25 June 2013. Usage data were also obtained for four resources over a 2-year period (2012-2013). Source of referral that viewers used to locate a specific resource was also examined. There was a dramatic and immediate increase in traffic to the National Cancer Institute's online resources. The Preventive Mastectomy fact sheet received 69,225 page views on May 14, representing a 795-fold increase as compared with the previous Tuesday. A fivefold increase in page views was observed for the PDQ Genetics of Breast and Ovarian Cancer summary in the same time frame. A substantial increase, from 0 to 49%, was seen in referrals from news outlets to four resources from 7 May to 14 May. Celebrity disclosures can dramatically influence online information-seeking behaviors. Efforts to capitalize on these disclosures to ensure easy access to accurate information are warranted.

ALTERNATIVE APPROACH TO ESTIMATING CANCER ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

The alternative approach for estimating cancer potency from inhalation exposure to asbestos seeks to improve the methods developed by USEPA (1986). This efforts seeks to modify the the current approach for estimating cancer potency for lung cancer and mesothelioma to account for the current scientific consensus that cancer risk from asbestos depends both on mineral type and on particle size distribution. In brief, epidemiological exposure-response data for lung cancer and mesothelioma in asbestos workers are combined with estimates of the mineral type(s) and partical size distribution at each exposure location in order to estimate potency factors that are specific to a selected set of mineral type and size

Label-free Raman spectroscopy provides early determination and precise localization of breast cancer-colonized bone alterations.

PubMed

Zhang, Chi; Winnard, Paul T; Dasari, Sidarth; Kominsky, Scott L; Doucet, Michele; Jayaraman, Swaathi; Raman, Venu; Barman, Ishan

2018-01-21

Breast neoplasms frequently colonize bone and induce development of osteolytic bone lesions by disrupting the homeostasis of the bone microenvironment. This degenerative process can lead to bone pain and pathological bone fracture, a major cause of cancer morbidity and diminished quality of life, which is exacerbated by our limited ability to monitor early metastatic disease in bone and assess fracture risk. Spurred by its label-free, real-time nature and its exquisite molecular specificity, we employed spontaneous Raman spectroscopy to assess and quantify early metastasis driven biochemical alterations to bone composition. As early as two weeks after intracardiac inoculations of MDA-MB-435 breast cancer cells in NOD-SCID mice, Raman spectroscopic measurements in the femur and spine revealed consistent changes in carbonate substitution, overall mineralization as well as crystallinity increase in tumor-bearing bones when compared with their normal counterparts. Our observations reveal the possibility of early stage detection of biochemical changes in the tumor-bearing bones - significantly before morphological variations are captured through radiographic diagnosis. This study paves the way for a better molecular understanding of altered bone remodeling in such metastatic niches, and for further clinical studies with the goal of establishing a non-invasive tool for early metastasis detection and prediction of pathological fracture risk in breast cancer.

Experience of, awareness of and help-seeking for potential cancer symptoms in smokers and non-smokers: A cross-sectional study

PubMed Central

Adamson, Joy; Buckley, Hannah L.; Sinclair, Helena; Atkin, Karl; Graham, Hilary; Whitaker, Katriina; Macleod, Una

2017-01-01

Background Presenting to primary care with potential cancer symptoms is contingent on one’s ability to recognize potentially serious symptoms. We investigated differences between smokers and non-smokers in symptoms experienced, awareness and consulting of potential respiratory, head and neck cancer symptoms. Methods Smokers and non-smokers aged over 50 from Yorkshire general practice lists were sent a postal questionnaire asking about symptoms, consulting and awareness of cancer symptoms. Data were analysed using STATA14. Results Response rate after one reminder was 30.5% (1205/3954). Smoking status was associated with experience of cough (p<0.001), breathlessness (p = 0.002) and tiredness (p = 0.004) with smokers (25.8% of population) more likely than never-smokers (53.6% of population) to experience all three symptoms (cough OR = 2.56;95%CI[1.75–3.75], breathlessness OR = 2.39;95%CI[1.43–4.00], tiredness OR = 1.57;95%CI[1.12–2.19]). Smoking status was associated with awareness of breathlessness as a potential cancer symptom (p = 0.035) and consulting for cough (p = 0.011) with smokers less likely to consult than never-smokers (OR = 0.37;95% CI[0.17–0.80]). Conclusion Our findings suggest that current smokers are more likely to experience cough, breathlessness and tiredness, but are less likely to consult for cough than never-smokers. To increase cancer awareness and promote consulting among smokers, innovative interventions improving symptom recognition and empowering smokers to seek help are required. PMID:28846706

"Something You Have to Do"--Why Do Parents of Children with Developmental Disabilities Seek a Differential Diagnosis?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Watson, Shelley L.

2008-01-01

This basic interpretive study addressed the reasons why parents seek a differential diagnosis for their child who has a developmental disability. Fourteen parents were interviewed about why they sought a label for the disabilities of their child. Participants included six parents of children with identified genetic conditions, three parents of…

Label-free tissue scanner for colorectal cancer screening

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kandel, Mikhail E.; Sridharan, Shamira; Liang, Jon; Luo, Zelun; Han, Kevin; Macias, Virgilia; Shah, Anish; Patel, Roshan; Tangella, Krishnarao; Kajdacsy-Balla, Andre; Guzman, Grace; Popescu, Gabriel

2017-06-01

The current practice of surgical pathology relies on external contrast agents to reveal tissue architecture, which is then qualitatively examined by a trained pathologist. The diagnosis is based on the comparison with standardized empirical, qualitative assessments of limited objectivity. We propose an approach to pathology based on interferometric imaging of "unstained" biopsies, which provides unique capabilities for quantitative diagnosis and automation. We developed a label-free tissue scanner based on "quantitative phase imaging," which maps out optical path length at each point in the field of view and, thus, yields images that are sensitive to the "nanoscale" tissue architecture. Unlike analysis of stained tissue, which is qualitative in nature and affected by color balance, staining strength and imaging conditions, optical path length measurements are intrinsically quantitative, i.e., images can be compared across different instruments and clinical sites. These critical features allow us to automate the diagnosis process. We paired our interferometric optical system with highly parallelized, dedicated software algorithms for data acquisition, allowing us to image at a throughput comparable to that of commercial tissue scanners while maintaining the nanoscale sensitivity to morphology. Based on the measured phase information, we implemented software tools for autofocusing during imaging, as well as image archiving and data access. To illustrate the potential of our technology for large volume pathology screening, we established an "intrinsic marker" for colorectal disease that detects tissue with dysplasia or colorectal cancer and flags specific areas for further examination, potentially improving the efficiency of existing pathology workflows.

Melanoma targeting with alpha-melanocyte stimulating hormone analogs labeled with fac-[99mTc(CO)3]+: effect of cyclization on tumor-seeking properties.

PubMed

Raposinho, Paula D; Xavier, Catarina; Correia, João D G; Falcão, Soraia; Gomes, Paula; Santos, Isabel

2008-03-01

Early detection of primary melanoma tumors is essential because there is no effective treatment for metastatic melanoma. Several linear and cyclic radiolabeled alpha-melanocyte stimulating hormone (alpha-MSH) analogs have been proposed to target the melanocortin type 1 receptor (MC1R) overexpressed in melanoma. The compact structure of a rhenium-cyclized alpha-MSH analog (Re-CCMSH) significantly enhanced its in vivo tumor uptake and retention. Melanotan II (MT-II), a cyclic lactam analog of alpha-MSH (Ac-Nle-cyclo[Asp-His-DPhe-Arg-Trp-Lys]-NH2]), is a very potent and stable agonist peptide largely used in the characterization of melanocortin receptors. Taking advantage of the superior biological features associated with the MT-II cyclic peptide, we assessed the effect of lactam-based cyclization on the tumor-seeking properties of alpha-MSH analogs by comparing the pharmacokinetics profile of the 99mTc-labeled cyclic peptide betaAla-Nle-cyclo[Asp-His-D-Phe-Arg-Trp-Lys]-NH2 with that of the linear analog betaAla-Nle-Asp-His-DPhe-Arg-Trp-Lys-NH2 in melanoma-bearing mice. We have synthesized and coupled the linear and cyclic peptides to a bifunctional chelator containing a pyrazolyl-diamine backbone (pz) through the amino group of betaAla, and the resulting pz-peptide conjugates were reacted with the fac-[99mTc(CO)3]+ moiety. The 99mTc(CO)3-labeled conjugates were obtained in high yield, high specific activity, and high radiochemical purity. The cyclic 99mTc(CO)3-labeled conjugate presents a remarkable internalization (87.1% of receptor-bound tracer and 50.5% of total applied activity, after 6 h at 37 degrees C) and cellular retention (only 24.7% released from the cells after 5 h) in murine melanoma B16F1 cells. A significant tumor uptake and retention was obtained in melanoma-bearing C57BL6 mice for the cyclic radioconjugate [9.26 +/- 0.83 and 11.31 +/- 1.83% ID/g at 1 and 4 h after injection, respectively]. The linear 99mTc(CO)3-pz-peptide presented lower values for

Physician response to financial incentives when choosing drugs to treat breast cancer.

PubMed

Epstein, Andrew J; Johnson, Scott J

2012-12-01

This paper considers physician agency in choosing drugs to treat metastatic breast cancer, a clinical setting in which patients have few protections from physicians' rent seeking. Physicians have explicit financial incentives attached to each potential drug treatment, with profit margins ranging more than a hundred fold. SEER-Medicare claims and Medispan pricing data were formed into a panel of 4,503 patients who were diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer and treated with anti-cancer drugs from 1992 to 2002. We analyzed the effects of product attributes, including profit margin, randomized controlled trial citations, FDA label, generic status, and other covariates on therapy choice. Instruments and drug fixed effects were used to control for omitted variables and possible measurement error associated with margin. We find that increasing physician margin by 10% yields between an 11 and 177% increase in the likelihood of drug choice on average across drugs. Physicians were more likely to use drugs with which they had experience, had more citations, and were FDA-approved to treat breast cancer. Oncologists are susceptible to financial incentives when choosing drugs, though other factors play a large role in their choice of drug.

Deep Learning in Label-free Cell Classification

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Chen, Claire Lifan; Mahjoubfar, Ata; Tai, Li-Chia

Label-free cell analysis is essential to personalized genomics, cancer diagnostics, and drug development as it avoids adverse effects of staining reagents on cellular viability and cell signaling. However, currently available label-free cell assays mostly rely only on a single feature and lack sufficient differentiation. Also, the sample size analyzed by these assays is limited due to their low throughput. Here, we integrate feature extraction and deep learning with high-throughput quantitative imaging enabled by photonic time stretch, achieving record high accuracy in label-free cell classification. Our system captures quantitative optical phase and intensity images and extracts multiple biophysical features of individualmore » cells. These biophysical measurements form a hyperdimensional feature space in which supervised learning is performed for cell classification. We compare various learning algorithms including artificial neural network, support vector machine, logistic regression, and a novel deep learning pipeline, which adopts global optimization of receiver operating characteristics. As a validation of the enhanced sensitivity and specificity of our system, we show classification of white blood T-cells against colon cancer cells, as well as lipid accumulating algal strains for biofuel production. In conclusion, this system opens up a new path to data-driven phenotypic diagnosis and better understanding of the heterogeneous gene expressions in cells.« less

Deep Learning in Label-free Cell Classification

PubMed Central

Chen, Claire Lifan; Mahjoubfar, Ata; Tai, Li-Chia; Blaby, Ian K.; Huang, Allen; Niazi, Kayvan Reza; Jalali, Bahram

2016-01-01

Label-free cell analysis is essential to personalized genomics, cancer diagnostics, and drug development as it avoids adverse effects of staining reagents on cellular viability and cell signaling. However, currently available label-free cell assays mostly rely only on a single feature and lack sufficient differentiation. Also, the sample size analyzed by these assays is limited due to their low throughput. Here, we integrate feature extraction and deep learning with high-throughput quantitative imaging enabled by photonic time stretch, achieving record high accuracy in label-free cell classification. Our system captures quantitative optical phase and intensity images and extracts multiple biophysical features of individual cells. These biophysical measurements form a hyperdimensional feature space in which supervised learning is performed for cell classification. We compare various learning algorithms including artificial neural network, support vector machine, logistic regression, and a novel deep learning pipeline, which adopts global optimization of receiver operating characteristics. As a validation of the enhanced sensitivity and specificity of our system, we show classification of white blood T-cells against colon cancer cells, as well as lipid accumulating algal strains for biofuel production. This system opens up a new path to data-driven phenotypic diagnosis and better understanding of the heterogeneous gene expressions in cells. PMID:26975219

Deep Learning in Label-free Cell Classification

DOE PAGES

Chen, Claire Lifan; Mahjoubfar, Ata; Tai, Li-Chia; ...

2016-03-15

Label-free cell analysis is essential to personalized genomics, cancer diagnostics, and drug development as it avoids adverse effects of staining reagents on cellular viability and cell signaling. However, currently available label-free cell assays mostly rely only on a single feature and lack sufficient differentiation. Also, the sample size analyzed by these assays is limited due to their low throughput. Here, we integrate feature extraction and deep learning with high-throughput quantitative imaging enabled by photonic time stretch, achieving record high accuracy in label-free cell classification. Our system captures quantitative optical phase and intensity images and extracts multiple biophysical features of individualmore » cells. These biophysical measurements form a hyperdimensional feature space in which supervised learning is performed for cell classification. We compare various learning algorithms including artificial neural network, support vector machine, logistic regression, and a novel deep learning pipeline, which adopts global optimization of receiver operating characteristics. As a validation of the enhanced sensitivity and specificity of our system, we show classification of white blood T-cells against colon cancer cells, as well as lipid accumulating algal strains for biofuel production. In conclusion, this system opens up a new path to data-driven phenotypic diagnosis and better understanding of the heterogeneous gene expressions in cells.« less

Deep Learning in Label-free Cell Classification

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Claire Lifan; Mahjoubfar, Ata; Tai, Li-Chia; Blaby, Ian K.; Huang, Allen; Niazi, Kayvan Reza; Jalali, Bahram

2016-03-01

Label-free cell analysis is essential to personalized genomics, cancer diagnostics, and drug development as it avoids adverse effects of staining reagents on cellular viability and cell signaling. However, currently available label-free cell assays mostly rely only on a single feature and lack sufficient differentiation. Also, the sample size analyzed by these assays is limited due to their low throughput. Here, we integrate feature extraction and deep learning with high-throughput quantitative imaging enabled by photonic time stretch, achieving record high accuracy in label-free cell classification. Our system captures quantitative optical phase and intensity images and extracts multiple biophysical features of individual cells. These biophysical measurements form a hyperdimensional feature space in which supervised learning is performed for cell classification. We compare various learning algorithms including artificial neural network, support vector machine, logistic regression, and a novel deep learning pipeline, which adopts global optimization of receiver operating characteristics. As a validation of the enhanced sensitivity and specificity of our system, we show classification of white blood T-cells against colon cancer cells, as well as lipid accumulating algal strains for biofuel production. This system opens up a new path to data-driven phenotypic diagnosis and better understanding of the heterogeneous gene expressions in cells.

Ultrahigh-resolution optical coherence microscopy accurately classifies precancerous and cancerous human cervix free of labeling

PubMed Central

Zeng, Xianxu; Zhang, Xiaoan; Li, Canyu; Wang, Xiaofang; Jerwick, Jason; Xu, Tao; Ning, Yuan; Wang, Yihong; Zhang, Linlin; Zhang, Zhan; Ma, Yutao; Zhou, Chao

2018-01-01

Cervical cancer remains the fourth most common cause of cancer worldwide and the third leading cause of cancer deaths for women in developing countries. Traditional screening tools, such as human papillomavirus and Pap tests, cannot provide results in real-time and cannot localize suspicious regions. Colposcopy-directed biopsies are invasive in nature and only a few sites of the cervix may be chosen for investigation. A non-invasive, label-free and real-time imaging method with a resolution approaching that of histopathology is desirable for early detection of the disease. Methods: Ultrahigh-resolution optical coherence microscopy (OCM) is an emerging imaging technique used to obtain 3-dimensional (3-D) “optical biopsies” of biological samples with cellular resolution. In this study, 497 3-D OCM datasets from 159 specimens were collected from 92 patients. Results: Distinctive patterns for normal cervix, squamocolumnar junction, ectropion, low-grade and high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (LSIL and HSIL) and invasive cervical lesions were clearly observed from OCM images, which matched well with corresponding histological slides. OCM images demonstrated a sensitivity of 80% (95% confidence interval, CI, 72%-86%) and a specificity of 89% (95% CI, 84%-93%) for detecting high-risk lesions (HSIL and invasive lesions) when blindly tested by three investigators. A substantial inter-observer agreement was observed (κ=0.627), which showed high diagnostic consistency among three investigators. Conclusion: These results laid the foundation for future non-invasive optical evaluation of cervical tissue in vivo, which could lead to a less invasive and more effective screening and “see-and-treat” strategy for the management of cervical cancer. PMID:29896305

Fluorescent Quantum Dots for Biological Labeling

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

McDonald, Gene; Nadeau, Jay; Nealson, Kenneth; Storrie-Lomardi, Michael; Bhartia, Rohit

2003-01-01

Fluorescent semiconductor quantum dots that can serve as "on/off" labels for bacteria and other living cells are undergoing development. The "on/off" characterization of these quantum dots refers to the fact that, when properly designed and manufactured, they do not fluoresce until and unless they come into contact with viable cells of biological species that one seeks to detect. In comparison with prior fluorescence-based means of detecting biological species, fluorescent quantum dots show promise for greater speed, less complexity, greater sensitivity, and greater selectivity for species of interest. There are numerous potential applications in medicine, environmental monitoring, and detection of bioterrorism.

Health technology assessment and value: the cancer value label (CAVALA) methodology

PubMed Central

Rocha-Gonçalves, Francisco; Borges, Marina; Redondo, Patrícia; Laranja-Pontes, José

2016-01-01

In modern health care systems, the soaring prices of drugs pose at least three major challenges: the growing economic burden of diseases, the uncertainty regarding innovation in health care, and the use of generic drugs and new indications. In this context, the assessment of health care technology is not just about drugs, it is about ensuring that the system’s resources, namely financial, yield maximum health benefits. So, the assessment is about relating inputs with outputs; and also, resources with health-related outcomes. However, this method is based on specific assumptions and has its shortcomings. This paper proposes a methodology called Cancer Value Label (CAVALA) which is a holistic and flexible concept of value. CAVALA overcomes the rationale that suffers from the communicational trap of having to discuss money versus life years gained. Some examples of CAVALA demonstrate that it has the potential to support health care decisions. Using a step-by-step approach, we show how CAVALA can be implemented and further extended. We discuss its main uses to assess outcome selections, the pricing of drugs, and the decisions on the reimbursement of new drugs and indications. PMID:28066507

Category labels versus feature labels: category labels polarize inferential predictions.

PubMed

Yamauchi, Takashi; Yu, Na-Yung

2008-04-01

What makes category labels different from feature labels in predictive inference? This study suggests that category labels tend to make inductive reasoning polarized and homogeneous. In two experiments, participants were shown two schematic pictures of insects side by side and predicted the value of a hidden feature of one insect on the basis of the other insect. Arbitrary verbal labels were shown above the two pictures, and the meanings of the labels were manipulated in the instructions. In one condition, the labels represented the category membership of the insects, and in the other conditions, the same labels represented attributes of the insects. When the labels represented category membership, participants' responses became substantially polarized and homogeneous, indicating that the mere reference to category membership can modify reasoning processes.

[Cancer related fatigue in patients with breast cancer after chemotherapy and coping style].

PubMed

Jiang, Pinglan; Wang, Shuhong; Jiang, Dongmei; Yu, Lingli

2011-04-01

To study the relevance between cancer related fatigue and coping styles in breast cancer patients after chemotherapy. A survey was conducted in 396 patients with breast cancer after chemotherapy on cancer related fatigue scale and Jalowiec coping scale, and the relation was analyzed. The rate of overall fatigue in breast cancer patients was 96.97%, mostly moderate fatigue. The rate of fatigue dimensions from high to low was physical fatigue, feeling fatigue and cognitive fatigue, respectively. The score of coping styles in patients with breast cancer after chemotherapy from high to low was optimistic coping, facing bravely, support seeking, self-reliance, emotional catharsis, avoidance, fatalism, and conservation. The most widely used coping style was optimistic coping style, and the least was emotional catharisis. There was a positive correlation between coping style of emotional catharsis and cancer related fatigue of all dimensions (P<0.01). There was a negative correlation between emotional fatigue and optimistic,facing bravely, support seeking, self-reliance, or conservation (P<0.05). There was also a negative correlation between physical fatigue and optimistic or support seeking (P<0.05), but there was a positive correlation between avoidance or fatalism and the dimensions of general fatigue, physical fatigue, and cognitive fatigue (P<0.05). There is prevalent cancer related fatigue in patients with breast cancer after chemotherapy. We should guide the patients to more active coping styles, to enhance the ability of psychological adaption in patients, reduce cancer related fatigue, and improve the quality of life.

Daily subcutaneous parecoxib injection for cancer pain: an open label pilot study.

PubMed

Kenner, David J; Bhagat, Sandeep; Fullerton, Sonia L

2015-04-01

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory analgesics (NSAIDs) are useful in cancer pain but the specific use of subcutaneous parecoxib has not been previously reported. This pilot study aimed to establish the efficacy and side effect profile of short-term sequential single daily dose subcutaneous parecoxib sodium in patients with severe cancer bone pain. Nineteen hospitalized patients with advanced cancer and uncontrolled malignant bone pain (9 males, 10 females) received 24 courses of one, two, or three days sequential therapy with 'off-label' daily subcutaneous parecoxib. All patients were receiving opioid therapy; the median baseline daily oral equivalent dose (OED) of morphine was 180 mg. Pain was assessed at baseline, 24 hours, 48 hours, and 72 hours. Pain scores as assessed on an 11-point numeric pain rating scale (NPRS), any side effects including subcutaneous site reactions, as well as patient satisfaction rating with analgesia were recorded. A clinically significant decrease in pain scores was defined as a reduction of two or more points on the NPRS. Median pain score of all patient treatments decreased from 7 to 4.5 at 24 hours (p<0.001) and 4.0 at 48 hours. A response was seen in 17 (71%) of the 24 treatments at 24 hours. There was no difference between median negative change in pain scores in 19 (79%) treatments where pain was either strongly movement related, or in 22 (94%) treatments where local bone tenderness was more pronounced. No major side effects were observed during treatment. One patient died from pulmonary embolism after cessation of concurrent prophylactic low molecular weight heparin prior to staging liver biopsy. Subcutaneous site reactions occurred in 2 (8%) treatments and were mild and self limiting. Short-term daily subcutaneous parecoxib injection was effective for malignant bone pain when added to existing analgesic therapy and was well tolerated. Further research is warranted into the short-term use of parecoxib in hospitalized patients with

Cryo-imaging of fluorescently labeled single cells in a mouse

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Steyer, Grant J.; Roy, Debashish; Salvado, Olivier; Stone, Meredith E.; Wilson, David L.

2009-02-01

We developed a cryo-imaging system to provide single-cell detection of fluorescently labeled cells in mouse, with particular applicability to stem cells and metastatic cancer. The Case cryoimaging system consists of a fluorescence microscope, robotic imaging positioner, customized cryostat, PC-based control system, and visualization/analysis software. The system alternates between sectioning (10-40 μm) and imaging, collecting color brightfield and fluorescent blockface image volumes >60GB. In mouse experiments, we imaged quantum-dot labeled stem cells, GFP-labeled cancer and stem cells, and cell-size fluorescent microspheres. To remove subsurface fluorescence, we used a simplified model of light-tissue interaction whereby the next image was scaled, blurred, and subtracted from the current image. We estimated scaling and blurring parameters by minimizing entropy of subtracted images. Tissue specific attenuation parameters were found [uT : heart (267 +/- 47.6 μm), liver (218 +/- 27.1 μm), brain (161 +/- 27.4 μm)] to be within the range of estimates in the literature. "Next image" processing removed subsurface fluorescence equally well across multiple tissues (brain, kidney, liver, adipose tissue, etc.), and analysis of 200 microsphere images in the brain gave 97+/-2% reduction of subsurface fluorescence. Fluorescent signals were determined to arise from single cells based upon geometric and integrated intensity measurements. Next image processing greatly improved axial resolution, enabled high quality 3D volume renderings, and improved enumeration of single cells with connected component analysis by up to 24%. Analysis of image volumes identified metastatic cancer sites, found homing of stem cells to injury sites, and showed microsphere distribution correlated with blood flow patterns. We developed and evaluated cryo-imaging to provide single-cell detection of fluorescently labeled cells in mouse. Our cryo-imaging system provides extreme (>60GB), micron

Carbon "Quantum" Dots for Fluorescence Labeling of Cells.

PubMed

Liu, Jia-Hui; Cao, Li; LeCroy, Gregory E; Wang, Ping; Meziani, Mohammed J; Dong, Yiyang; Liu, Yuanfang; Luo, Pengju G; Sun, Ya-Ping

2015-09-02

The specifically synthesized and selected carbon dots of relatively high fluorescence quantum yields were evaluated in their fluorescence labeling of cells. For the cancer cell lines, the cellular uptake of the carbon dots was generally efficient, resulting in the labeling of the cells with bright fluorescence emissions for both one- and two-photon excitations from predominantly the cell membrane and cytoplasm. In the exploration on labeling the live stem cells, the cellular uptake of the carbon dots was relatively less efficient, though fluorescence emissions could still be adequately detected in the labeled cells, with the emissions again predominantly from the cell membrane and cytoplasm. This combined with the observed more efficient internalization of the same carbon dots by the fixed stem cells might suggest some significant selectivity of the stem cells toward surface functionalities of the carbon dots. The needs and possible strategies for more systematic and comparative studies on the fluorescence labeling of different cells, including especially live stem cells, by carbon dots as a new class of brightly fluorescent probes are discussed.

PSMA-11-Derived Dual-Labeled PSMA Inhibitors for Preoperative PET Imaging and Precise Fluorescence-Guided Surgery of Prostate Cancer.

PubMed

Baranski, Ann-Christin; Schäfer, Martin; Bauder-Wüst, Ulrike; Roscher, Mareike; Schmidt, Jana; Stenau, Esther; Simpfendörfer, Tobias; Teber, Dogu; Maier-Hein, Lena; Hadaschik, Boris; Haberkorn, Uwe; Eder, Matthias; Kopka, Klaus

2018-04-01

Resection of tumors using targeted dual-modality probes combining preoperative imaging with intraoperative guidance is of high clinical relevance and might considerably affect the outcome of prostate cancer therapy. This work aimed at the development of dual-labeled prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) inhibitors derived from the established N,N' -bis[2-hydroxy-5-(carboxyethyl)benzyl]ethylenediamine- N,N' -diacetic acid (HBED-CC)-based PET tracer 68 Ga-Glu-urea-Lys(Ahx)-HBED-CC ( 68 Ga-PSMA-11) to allow accurate intraoperative detection of PSMA-positive tumors. Methods: A series of novel PSMA-targeting fluorescent dye conjugates of Glu-urea-Lys-HBED-CC was synthesized, and their biologic properties were determined in cell-based assays and confocal microscopy. As a preclinical proof of concept, specific tumor uptake, pharmacokinetics, and feasibility for intraoperative fluorescence guidance were investigated in tumor-bearing mice and healthy pigs. Results: The designed dual-labeled PSMA inhibitors exhibited high binding affinity and PSMA-specific effective internalization. Conjugation of fluorescein isothiocyanate (10.86 ± 0.94 percentage injected dose [%ID]/g), IRDye800CW (13.66 ± 3.73 %ID/g), and DyLight800 (15.62 ± 5.52 %ID/g) resulted in a significantly increased specific tumor uptake, whereas 68 Ga-Glu-urea-Lys-HBED-CC-AlexaFluor488 (9.12 ± 5.47 %ID/g) revealed a tumor uptake similar to that of 68 Ga-PSMA-11 (4.89 ± 1.34 %ID/g). The first proof-of-concept studies with the clinically relevant candidate 68 Ga-Glu-urea-Lys-HBED-CC-IRDye800CW reinforced a fast, specific enrichment in PSMA-positive tumors, with rapid background clearance. With regard to intraoperative navigation, a specific fluorescence signal was detected in PSMA-expressing tissue. Conclusion: This study demonstrated that PSMA-11-derived dual-labeled dye conjugates are feasible for providing PSMA-specific pre-, intra-, and postoperative detection of prostate cancer lesions and have high

Baicalin supplementation reduces serum biomarkers of skeletal muscle wasting and may protect against lean body mass reduction in cancer patients: Results from a pilot open-label study.

PubMed

Emanuele, Enzo; Bertona, Marco; Pareja-Galeano, Helios; Fiuza-Luces, Carmen; Morales, Javier Salvador; Sanchis-Gomar, Fabian; Lucia, Alejandro

2016-07-01

Muscle wasting in patients with cancer has been linked to an increased activity of nuclear factor κB (NF-κB) and higher circulating levels of activin-A (ActA), a negative growth factor for muscle mass. Baicalin is a natural flavonoid that can reduce skeletal muscle atrophy in animal models of cancer cachexia by inhibiting NF-κB. This pilot open-label study assessed the effects of baicalin supplementation (50 mg daily for 3 months) in cancer patients who showed involuntary weight loss >5% over the past 6 months. A total of 20 patients were investigated. Participants were evaluated at baseline and at the end of the 3-month study period for the following endpoints: 1) changes from baseline in serum NF-κB and ActA levels; and 2) change from baseline in lean body mass (LBM). We observed significant reduction in both NF-κB (p<0.05) and ActA (p<0.05) serum levels from baseline to 3 months. At 3 months, patients also showed a significant mean increase in LBM (+0.8 kg, p<0.05 compared with baseline). Our pilot open-label data suggest that baicalin supplementation is potentially useful for contrasting lean body mass reduction in cancer patients with involuntary weight loss, an effect which is likely mediated by the inhibition of negative growth factors for muscle mass.

Collaborative labeling of malignant glioma with WebMILL: a first look

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Singh, Eesha; Asman, Andrew J.; Xu, Zhoubing; Chambless, Lola; Thompson, Reid; Landman, Bennett A.

2012-02-01

Malignant gliomas are the most common form of primary neoplasm in the central nervous system, and one of the most rapidly fatal of all human malignancies. They are treated by maximal surgical resection followed by radiation and chemotherapy. Herein, we seek to improve the methods available to quantify the extent of tumors using newly presented, collaborative labeling techniques on magnetic resonance imaging. Traditionally, labeling medical images has entailed that expert raters operate on one image at a time, which is resource intensive and not practical for very large datasets. Using many, minimally trained raters to label images has the possibility of minimizing laboratory requirements and allowing high degrees of parallelism. A successful effort also has the possibility of reducing overall cost. This potentially transformative technology presents a new set of problems, because one must pose the labeling challenge in a manner accessible to people with little or no background in labeling medical images and raters cannot be expected to read detailed instructions. Hence, a different training method has to be employed. The training must appeal to all types of learners and have the same concepts presented in multiple ways to ensure that all the subjects understand the basics of labeling. Our overall objective is to demonstrate the feasibility of studying malignant glioma morphometry through statistical analysis of the collaborative efforts of many, minimally-trained raters. This study presents preliminary results on optimization of the WebMILL framework for neoplasm labeling and investigates the initial contributions of 78 raters labeling 98 whole-brain datasets.

77 FR 4498 - Rules and Regulations Under the Wool Products Labeling Act of 1939

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-01-30

... Commission requests public comment on the overall costs, benefits, necessity, and regulatory and economic... seeking public comment on the continuing need for the rule or guide as well as its costs and benefits to..., and on the costs and benefits of certain provisions of the Wool Products Labeling Act of 1939. DATES...

Understanding cancer survivors' information needs and information-seeking behaviors for complementary and alternative medicine from short- to long-term survival: a mixed-methods study.

PubMed

Scarton, Lou Ann; Del Fiol, Guilherme; Oakley-Girvan, Ingrid; Gibson, Bryan; Logan, Robert; Workman, T Elizabeth

2018-01-01

The research examined complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) information-seeking behaviors and preferences from short- to long-term cancer survival, including goals, motivations, and information sources. A mixed-methods approach was used with cancer survivors from the "Assessment of Patients' Experience with Cancer Care" 2004 cohort. Data collection included a mail survey and phone interviews using the critical incident technique (CIT). Seventy survivors from the 2004 study responded to the survey, and eight participated in the CIT interviews. Quantitative results showed that CAM usage did not change significantly between 2004 and 2015. The following themes emerged from the CIT: families' and friends' provision of the initial introduction to a CAM, use of CAM to manage the emotional and psychological impact of cancer, utilization of trained CAM practitioners, and online resources as a prominent source for CAM information. The majority of participants expressed an interest in an online information-sharing portal for CAM. Patients continue to use CAM well into long-term cancer survivorship. Finding trustworthy sources for information on CAM presents many challenges such as reliability of source, conflicting information on efficacy, and unknown interactions with conventional medications. Study participants expressed interest in an online portal to meet these needs through patient testimonials and linkage of claims to the scientific literature. Such a portal could also aid medical librarians and clinicians in locating and evaluating CAM information on behalf of patients.

Tumour detection and localization using 99Tcm-labelled OV-TL 3 Fab' in patients suspected of ovarian cancer.

PubMed

Tibben, J G; Massuger, L F; Claessens, R A; Schijf, C P; Pak, K Y; Strijk, S P; Kenemans, P; Corstens, F H

1992-12-01

Fab' fragments of the monoclonal antibody OV-TL 3, that recognizes an ovarian carcinoma-associated antigen (OA3), were labelled with 99Tcm using D-glucarate as a ligand. Twenty patients suspected of having primary or recurrent ovarian cancer received intravenously 1 mg of the Fab' labelled with 740 MBq 99Tcm. Both planar and single photon emission computed tomographic (SPECT) scintigraphy were performed up to 30 h after intravenous infusion. In 19 out of 20 patients surgical and histopathological evaluation was performed between 2 and 6 days postinfusion. Imaging results were compared with X-ray computed tomography (CT), ultrasonography (US) and CA 125 serum level. Blood clearance was fast with median t1/2 beta of 9.5 h. Thirty-seven per cent of the injected dose (% ID) was excreted in the urine within the first 24 h, whereas 7% ID was excreted in the 24 h faeces. In one patient with an OA3 negative ovarian carcinoma, radioimmunoscintigraphy (RIS) did not visualize the tumour. In two other patients a benign ovarian cyst was found, also showing no elevated uptake. In 13 out of 17 patients ovarian cancer lesions were detected with RIS, whereas CT and US detected lesions in, respectively, 15 and 12 patients. Of 36 surgically defined tumour deposits larger than 1 cm in diameter, 53% were detected and localized with RIS, whereas CT and US detected 61 and 40%, respectively. Radioimmunoscintigraphy with 99Tcm-OV-TL 3 Fab' is less distressing for the patients but the overall imaging performance is not improved when compared with 111In-OV-TL 3 F(ab')2.

Medical, demographic and psychological correlates of fear of cancer recurrence (FCR) morbidity in breast, colorectal and melanoma cancer survivors with probable clinically significant FCR seeking psychological treatment through the ConquerFear study.

PubMed

Smith, Allan 'Ben'; Sharpe, Louise; Thewes, Belinda; Turner, Jane; Gilchrist, Jemma; Fardell, Joanna E; Girgis, Afaf; Tesson, Stephanie; Descallar, Joseph; Bell, Melanie L; Beith, Jane; Butow, Phyllis

2018-06-07

Despite the prevalence of fear of cancer recurrence (FCR), understanding of factors underlying clinically significant FCR is limited. This study examined factors associated with greater FCR morbidity, according to a cognitive processing model, in cancer survivors who screened positively for clinically significant FCR seeking psychological treatment through the ConquerFear trial. Participants had completed treatment for breast, colorectal or melanoma cancer 2 months to 5 years previously and scored ≥ 13/36 on the Fear of Cancer Recurrence Inventory-Short Form (FCRI-SF). Hierarchical regression analyses examined associations between demographic, medical and psychological variables, namely metacognitions (MCQ-30), post-traumatic stress symptoms (IES-R) and FCR (FCRI total score). Two hundred and ten (95%) of the 222 cancer survivors who consented to the ConquerFear trial completed the baseline questionnaire. Participants were predominantly (89%) breast cancer survivors. The final regression model accounted for 68% of the variance in FCR (demographic and medical variables 13%, metacognitions 26%, post-traumatic stress symptoms 28%). Negative metacognitive beliefs about worry and intrusive post-traumatic stress symptoms were significant individual correlates of FCR, but negative beliefs about worry did not significantly moderate the impact of intrusions on FCR morbidity. Results provide partial support for the cognitive processing model of FCR. Psychological factors were found to play an important role in FCR morbidity after controlling for demographic/medical factors. More intrusive thoughts and negative beliefs about worry were strong independent predictors of FCR morbidity. Cancer survivors with clinically significant FCR may benefit from assessment for intrusive thoughts and metacognitions and delivery of trauma- and/or metacognitive-based interventions accordingly.

In vitro autoradiography of carcinoembryonic antigen in tissue from patients with colorectal cancer using multifunctional antibody TF2 and 67/68Ga-labeled haptens by pretargeting

PubMed Central

Hall, Håkan; Velikyan, Irina; Blom, Elisabeth; Ulin, Johan; Monazzam, Azita; Påhlman, Lars; Micke, Patrick; Wanders, Alkwin; McBride, William; Goldenberg, David M.; Långström, Bengt

2012-01-01

The carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) was visualized in vitro in tissue from patients with colorectal cancer with trivalent bispecific antibody TF2 and two hapten molecules, [67/68Ga]Ga-IMP461 and [67/68Ga]Ga-IMP485 by means of pretargeting. Colorectal cancer tissue samples obtained from surgery at Uppsala University Hospital, were frozen fresh and cryosectioned. The two hapten molecules comprising 1,4,7-triazacyclononanetriacetic acid chelate moiety (NOTA) were labeled with 67Ga or 68Ga. The autoradiography was conducted by incubating the tissue samples with the bispecific antibody TF2, followed by washing and incubation with one of the radiolabeled hapten molecules. After washing, drying and exposure to phosphor imager plates, the autoradiograms were analyzed and compared to standard histochemistry (hematoxylin-eosin). Pronounced binding was found in the tissue from colorectal cancer using the bispecific antibody TF2 and either of the haptens [67/68Ga]Ga-IMP461 and [67/68Ga]Ga-IMP485. Distinct binding was also detected in the epithelium of most samples of neighboring tissue, taken at a minimum of 10 cm from the site of the tumor. It is concluded that pretargeting CEA with the bispecific antibody TF2 followed by the addition of 67/68Ga-labeled hapten is extremely sensitive for visualizing this marker for colorectal cancer. This methodology is therefore a very specific complement to other histochemical techniques in the diagnosis of biopsies or in samples taken from surgery. Use of the pretargeting technique in vivo may also be an advance in diagnosing patients with colorectal cancer, either using 67Ga and SPECT or 68Ga and PET. PMID:23133809

Non-invasive detection of urothelial cancer through the analysis of driver gene mutations and aneuploidy

PubMed Central

Li, Lu; Douville, Christopher; Wang, Yuxuan; Cohen, Joshua David; Taheri, Diana; Silliman, Natalie; Schaefer, Joy; Ptak, Janine; Dobbyn, Lisa; Papoli, Maria; Kinde, Isaac; Afsari, Bahman; Tregnago, Aline C; Bezerra, Stephania M; VandenBussche, Christopher; Fujita, Kazutoshi; Ertoy, Dilek; Cunha, Isabela W; Yu, Lijia; Bivalacqua, Trinity J; Grollman, Arthur P; Diaz, Luis A; Karchin, Rachel; Danilova, Ludmila; Huang, Chao-Yuan; Shun, Chia-Tung; Turesky, Robert J; Yun, Byeong Hwa; Rosenquist, Thomas A; Pu, Yeong-Shiau; Hruban, Ralph H; Tomasetti, Cristian; Papadopoulos, Nickolas; Kinzler, Ken W

2018-01-01

Current non-invasive approaches for detection of urothelial cancers are suboptimal. We developed a test to detect urothelial neoplasms using DNA recovered from cells shed into urine. UroSEEK incorporates massive parallel sequencing assays for mutations in 11 genes and copy number changes on 39 chromosome arms. In 570 patients at risk for bladder cancer (BC), UroSEEK was positive in 83% of those who developed BC. Combined with cytology, UroSEEK detected 95% of patients who developed BC. Of 56 patients with upper tract urothelial cancer, 75% tested positive by UroSEEK, including 79% of those with non-invasive tumors. UroSEEK detected genetic abnormalities in 68% of urines obtained from BC patients under surveillance who demonstrated clinical evidence of recurrence. The advantages of UroSEEK over cytology were evident in low-grade BCs; UroSEEK detected 67% of cases whereas cytology detected none. These results establish the foundation for a new non-invasive approach for detection of urothelial cancer. PMID:29557778

Semi-Supervised Projective Non-Negative Matrix Factorization for Cancer Classification.

PubMed

Zhang, Xiang; Guan, Naiyang; Jia, Zhilong; Qiu, Xiaogang; Luo, Zhigang

2015-01-01

Advances in DNA microarray technologies have made gene expression profiles a significant candidate in identifying different types of cancers. Traditional learning-based cancer identification methods utilize labeled samples to train a classifier, but they are inconvenient for practical application because labels are quite expensive in the clinical cancer research community. This paper proposes a semi-supervised projective non-negative matrix factorization method (Semi-PNMF) to learn an effective classifier from both labeled and unlabeled samples, thus boosting subsequent cancer classification performance. In particular, Semi-PNMF jointly learns a non-negative subspace from concatenated labeled and unlabeled samples and indicates classes by the positions of the maximum entries of their coefficients. Because Semi-PNMF incorporates statistical information from the large volume of unlabeled samples in the learned subspace, it can learn more representative subspaces and boost classification performance. We developed a multiplicative update rule (MUR) to optimize Semi-PNMF and proved its convergence. The experimental results of cancer classification for two multiclass cancer gene expression profile datasets show that Semi-PNMF outperforms the representative methods.

Help-seeking intentions in college students: an exploration of eating disorder specific help-seeking and general psychological help-seeking.

PubMed

Tillman, Kathleen S; Sell, Darcie M

2013-04-01

This study investigated help-seeking intentions for eating disorders and general psychological problems in college students. Participants reported that they would be more likely to seek help for a friend with an eating disorder than for themselves if they were experiencing an eating disorder. Multiple factors (i.e., sex, year in college, knowledge of eating disorders, and knowledge of available resources) were assessed to determine the prediction of help-seeking intentions. Only the knowledge of eating disorders significantly predicted whether or not a student would be willing to seek help for a friend with a general psychological disorder. None of these factors predicted willingness to seek help for friends with an eating disorder. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Label-free measurements on cell apoptosis using a terahertz metamaterial-based biosensor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Caihong; Liang, Lanju; Ding, Liang; Jin, Biaobing; Hou, Yayi; Li, Chun; Jiang, Ling; Liu, Weiwei; Hu, Wei; Lu, Yanqing; Kang, Lin; Xu, Weiwei; Chen, Jian; Wu, Peiheng

2016-06-01

Label-free, real-time, and in-situ measurement on cell apoptosis is highly desirable in cell biology. We propose here a design of terahertz (THz) metamaterial-based biosensor for meeting this requirement. This metamaterial consists of a planar array of five concentric subwavelength gold ring resonators on a 10 μm-thick polyimide substrate, which can sense the change of dielectric environment above the metamaterial. We employ this sensor to an oral cancer cell (SCC4) with and without cisplatin, a chemotherapy drug for cancer treatment, and find a linear relation between cell apoptosis measured by Flow Cytometry and the relative change of resonant frequencies of the metamaterial measured by THz time-domain spectroscopy. This implies that we can determine the cell apoptosis in a label-free manner. We believe that this metamaterial-based biosensor can be developed into a cheap, label-free, real-time, and in-situ detection tool, which is of significant impact on the study of cell biology.

An Informatics-assisted Label-free Approach for Personalized Tissue Membrane Proteomics: Case Study on Colorectal Cancer*

PubMed Central

Han, Chia-Li; Chen, Jinn-Shiun; Chan, Err-Cheng; Wu, Chien-Peng; Yu, Kun-Hsing; Chen, Kuei-Tien; Tsou, Chih-Chiang; Tsai, Chia-Feng; Chien, Chih-Wei; Kuo, Yung-Bin; Lin, Pei-Yi; Yu, Jau-Song; Hsueh, Chuen; Chen, Min-Chi; Chan, Chung-Chuan; Chang, Yu-Sun; Chen, Yu-Ju

2011-01-01

We developed a multiplexed label-free quantification strategy, which integrates an efficient gel-assisted digestion protocol, high-performance liquid chromatography tandem MS analysis, and a bioinformatics alignment method to determine personalized proteomic profiles for membrane proteins in human tissues. This strategy provided accurate (6% error) and reproducible (34% relative S.D.) quantification of three independently purified membrane fractions from the same human colorectal cancer (CRC) tissue. Using CRC as a model, we constructed the personalized membrane protein atlas of paired tumor and adjacent normal tissues from 28 patients with different stages of CRC. Without fractionation, this strategy confidently quantified 856 proteins (≥2 unique peptides) across different patients, including the first and robust detection (Mascot score: 22,074) of the well-documented CRC marker, carcinoembryonic antigen 5 by a discovery-type proteomics approach. Further validation of a panel of proteins, annexin A4, neutrophils defensin A1, and claudin 3, confirmed differential expression levels and high occurrences (48–70%) in 60 CRC patients. The most significant discovery is the overexpression of stomatin-like 2 (STOML2) for early diagnostic and prognostic potential. Increased expression of STOML2 was associated with decreased CRC-related survival; the mean survival period was 34.77 ± 2.03 months in patients with high STOML2 expression, whereas 53.67 ± 3.46 months was obtained for patients with low STOML2 expression. Further analysis by ELISA verified that plasma concentrations of STOML2 in early-stage CRC patients were elevated as compared with those of healthy individuals (p < 0.001), suggesting that STOML2 may be a noninvasive serological biomarker for early CRC diagnosis. The overall sensitivity of STOML2 for CRC detection was 71%, which increased to 87% when combined with CEA measurements. This study demonstrated a sensitive, label-free strategy for differential

Herniated Thoracic Spleen Mimicking Lung Metastasis on 68Ga-Labeled Prostate-Specific Membrane Antigen PET/CT in a Patient With Prostate Cancer.

PubMed

Malik, Dharmender; Basher, Rajender K; Sood, Apurva; Devana, Sudheer Kumar; Bhattacharya, Anish; Mittal, Bhagwant Rai

2017-06-01

We report a case of clinically asymptomatic patient of prostate cancer who was previously subjected to radical prostatectomy presenting with a rising serum prostate-specific antigen level of 6.6 ng/mL. Whole-body PET/CT with Ga-labeled prostate-specific membrane antigen ligand was performed to assess for disease recurrence, which revealed an intense tracer uptake in a soft tissue mass in left hemithorax mimicking lung metastasis; which later turned out to be splenic tissue.

Affinity fluorescence-labeled peptides for the early detection of cancer in Barrett's esophagus

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Meng; Lu, Shaoying; Piraka, Cyrus; Appelman, Henry; Kwon, Rich; Soetikno, Roy; Kaltenbach, Tonya; Wang, Thomas D.

2009-02-01

Fluorescence-labeled peptides that affinity bind to neoplastic mucsosa are promising for use as a specific contrast agent in the detection of pre-malignant tissue in the esophagus. This method is can be used to identify expression of biological markers associated with dysplasia on endoscopic imaging as a guide for biopsy and represents a novel method for the early detection and prevention of cancer. We demonstrate the use of phage display to select affinity peptides and identify the sequence "ASYNYDA" that binds with high target-to-background ratio to dysplastic esophageal mucosa compared to that of intestinal metaplasia. Validation of preferential binding is demonstrated for neoplasia in the setting of Barrett's esophagus. An optimal tradeoff between sensitivity and specificity of 82% and 85% was found at the relative threshold of 0.60 with a target-to-background ratio of 1.81 and an area under the ROC curve of 0.87. Peptides are a novel class of ligand for targeted detection of pre-malignant mucosa for purposes of screening and surveillance.

Bio-Imaging of Colorectal Cancer Models Using Near Infrared Labeled Epidermal Growth Factor

PubMed Central

Cohen, Gadi; Lecht, Shimon; Arien-Zakay, Hadar; Ettinger, Keren; Amsalem, Orit; Oron-Herman, Mor; Yavin, Eylon; Prus, Diana; Benita, Simon; Nissan, Aviram; Lazarovici, Philip

2012-01-01

Novel strategies that target the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) have led to the clinical development of monoclonal antibodies, which treat metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) but only subgroups of patients with increased wild type KRAS and EGFR gene copy, respond to these agents. Furthermore, resistance to EGFR blockade inevitably occurred, making future therapy difficult. Novel bio-imaging (BOI) methods may assist in quantization of EGFR in mCRC tissue thus complementing the immunohistochemistry methodology, in guiding the future treatment of these patients. The aim of the present study was to explore the usefulness of near infrared-labeled EGF (EGF-NIR) for bio-imaging of CRC using in vitro and in vivo orthotopic tumor CRC models and ex vivo human CRC tissues. We describe the preparation and characterization of EGF-NIR and investigate binding, using BOI of a panel of CRC cell culture models resembling heterogeneity of human CRC tissues. EGF-NIR was specifically and selectively bound by EGFR expressing CRC cells, the intensity of EGF-NIR signal to background ratio (SBR) reflected EGFR levels, dose-response and time course imaging experiments provided optimal conditions for quantization of EGFR levels by BOI. EGF-NIR imaging of mice with HT-29 orthotopic CRC tumor indicated that EGF-NIR is more slowly cleared from the tumor and the highest SBR between tumor and normal adjacent tissue was achieved two days post-injection. Furthermore, images of dissected tissues demonstrated accumulation of EGF-NIR in the tumor and liver. EGF-NIR specifically and strongly labeled EGFR positive human CRC tissues while adjacent CRC tissue and EGFR negative tissues expressed weak NIR signals. This study emphasizes the use of EGF-NIR for preclinical studies. Combined with other methods, EGF-NIR could provide an additional bio-imaging specific tool in the standardization of measurements of EGFR expression in CRC tissues. PMID:23144978

Bio-imaging of colorectal cancer models using near infrared labeled epidermal growth factor.

PubMed

Cohen, Gadi; Lecht, Shimon; Arien-Zakay, Hadar; Ettinger, Keren; Amsalem, Orit; Oron-Herman, Mor; Yavin, Eylon; Prus, Diana; Benita, Simon; Nissan, Aviram; Lazarovici, Philip

2012-01-01

Novel strategies that target the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) have led to the clinical development of monoclonal antibodies, which treat metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) but only subgroups of patients with increased wild type KRAS and EGFR gene copy, respond to these agents. Furthermore, resistance to EGFR blockade inevitably occurred, making future therapy difficult. Novel bio-imaging (BOI) methods may assist in quantization of EGFR in mCRC tissue thus complementing the immunohistochemistry methodology, in guiding the future treatment of these patients. The aim of the present study was to explore the usefulness of near infrared-labeled EGF (EGF-NIR) for bio-imaging of CRC using in vitro and in vivo orthotopic tumor CRC models and ex vivo human CRC tissues. We describe the preparation and characterization of EGF-NIR and investigate binding, using BOI of a panel of CRC cell culture models resembling heterogeneity of human CRC tissues. EGF-NIR was specifically and selectively bound by EGFR expressing CRC cells, the intensity of EGF-NIR signal to background ratio (SBR) reflected EGFR levels, dose-response and time course imaging experiments provided optimal conditions for quantization of EGFR levels by BOI. EGF-NIR imaging of mice with HT-29 orthotopic CRC tumor indicated that EGF-NIR is more slowly cleared from the tumor and the highest SBR between tumor and normal adjacent tissue was achieved two days post-injection. Furthermore, images of dissected tissues demonstrated accumulation of EGF-NIR in the tumor and liver. EGF-NIR specifically and strongly labeled EGFR positive human CRC tissues while adjacent CRC tissue and EGFR negative tissues expressed weak NIR signals. This study emphasizes the use of EGF-NIR for preclinical studies. Combined with other methods, EGF-NIR could provide an additional bio-imaging specific tool in the standardization of measurements of EGFR expression in CRC tissues.

Short and Sweet: The Persuasive Effects of Message Framing and Temporal Context in Antismoking Warning Labels.

PubMed

Mollen, Saar; Engelen, Susanne; Kessels, Loes T E; van den Putte, Bas

2017-01-01

Current warning labels on cigarette packages are generally focused on long-term losses that can be incurred if one continues smoking. This study compares the effects of these labels against warning labels that stress short-term losses of smoking as well as labels that stress short- and long-term benefits that can be obtained when one quits smoking. A 2 (message frame: gain vs. loss) × 2 (temporal context: short vs. long term) between-subjects experiment was conducted among 132 smokers, with attitude toward quitting smoking and intention to quit smoking, as well as information-seeking behavior and message recall, as the dependent variables. Findings were in line with theory regarding message framing and temporal discounting, showing enhanced effects of gain over loss frames and short-term over long-term consequences on warning labels for attitudes and intentions. In addition, an interaction between message frame and temporal context was found. Especially, gain-framed messages showed stronger effects on intentions to quit smoking than loss-framed messages when warning labels concerned short-term outcomes. Findings suggest that current warning labels, with an emphasis on long-term negative health outcomes, should be reconsidered.

Israeli Arab and Jewish youth knowledge and opinion about alcohol warning labels: pre-intervention data.

PubMed

Weiss, S

1997-01-01

This article presents baseline data on the opinion toward alcohol beverage warning labels and on levels of knowledge of the risks discussed in the contents of the labels prior to the labels' introduction, and on levels of knowledge of additional alcohol-related hazards not included in the proposed warning labels, among a sample of 3065 adolescents of four religions living in the northern region of Israel. About 2220 Arab participants (Moslems, Christians and Druze) and 845 Jewish respondents answered in the winter of 1996 a Hebrew version of an American questionnaire, which had been used to measure levels of knowledge of the label in the United States. More respondents were in favour of warning labels on alcohol containers than on advertisements. Arabs as a group were more in favour of warning labels on alcohol containers than Jews. The initial knowledge levels among the participants were not very high, especially concerning the item 'Drinking impairs the ability to operate machinery' (74.4%) which is included on the proposed warning label, and concerning two hazards which are not included: 'Drinking increases risk of cancer' (54.6%) and 'Drinking increases risk of high blood pressure' (60.4%). Abstainers knew more than drinkers that 'Pregnant women should not drink', 'Drinking increases risk of cancer' and 'Alcohol in combination with other drugs is hazardous'. Implications for public health are discussed and alternative warning messages that might be used to inform the Israeli public of several less well-known hazards are suggested.

Performance limitations of label-free sensors in molecular diagnosis using complex samples

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Varma, Manoj

2016-03-01

Label-free biosensors promised a paradigm involving direct detection of biomarkers from complex samples such as serum without requiring multistep sample processing typical of labelled methods such as ELISA or immunofluorescence assays. Label-free sensors have witnessed decades of development with a veritable zoo of techniques available today exploiting a multitude of physical effects. It is appropriate now to critically assess whether label-free technologies have succeeded in delivering their promise with respect to diagnostic applications, particularly, ambitious goals such as early cancer detection using serum biomarkers, which require low limits of detection (LoD). Comparison of nearly 120 limits of detection (LoD) values reported by labelled and label-free sensing approaches over a wide range of detection techniques and target molecules in serum revealed that labeled techniques achieve 2-3 orders of magnitude better LoDs. Data from experiments where labelled and label-free assays were performed simultaneously using the same assay parameters also confirm that the LoD achieved by labelled techniques is 2 to 3 orders of magnitude better than that by label-free techniques. Furthermore, label-free techniques required significant signal amplification, for e.g. using nanoparticle conjugated secondary antibodies, to achieve LoDs comparable to labelled methods substantially deviating from the original "direct detection" paradigm. This finding has important implications on the practical limits of applying label-free detection methods for molecular diagnosis.

An open label pilot study of citalopram for depression and boredom in ambulatory cancer patients.

PubMed

Theobald, Dale E; Kirsh, Kenneth L; Holtsclaw, Elizabeth; Donaghy, Kathleen; Passik, Steven D

2003-03-01

Significant levels of depressive symptoms are an impediment to adjustment and affect greater than one-third of people with cancer. The clinical diagnosis of major depression is estimated to occur in 25%. Depression is dramatically underrecognized by oncologists and oncology nurses, and as a result, often undertreated. Clinical experience suggests that antidepressants of virtually all types are well tolerated and potentially efficacious. There is, however, a lack of an evidence base for the use of antidepressants in cancer patients. We undertook an open-label pilot study using citalopram in 30 cancer patients who reported a high level of depressive symptoms on the Zung Self-Rating Depression Scale (ZSDS). In addition to the ZSDS, eligible patients completed a series of visual analog scales for pain, depression, and sleep disturbance; the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-General Module; and the Purposelessness, Understimulation, and Boredom Scale developed by the research team. Patients began a 2-month course of therapy with citalopram 20 mg, increasing to 40 mg at the end of the fourth week if the patient was in the same range of depressive symptoms as measured by the ZSDS. Twenty-one of 30 patients completed the protocol. The average age of the sample was 57.32 years (SD = 12.6) and was comprised of 11 women (52.4%) and 10 men (47.6%). Depressive symptoms decreased and quality of life improved during the 8-week treatment period. Of special interest was the rate of improvement in boredom, and using the total boredom score of the PUB, significant improvement compared to baseline was seen in weeks 6 (F = 5.266, p < .05) and 8 (F = 9.248, p < .01). Overall, the positive findings suggest the need for a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of citalopram in cancer patients. Regarding the interplay of boredom and depression, the relationship between improvements in depressive symptoms and boredom is complex. This is illustrated by the way in which the

Understanding cancer survivors’ information needs and information-seeking behaviors for complementary and alternative medicine from short- to long-term survival: a mixed-methods study

PubMed Central

Scarton, Lou Ann; Del Fiol, Guilherme; Oakley-Girvan, Ingrid; Gibson, Bryan; Logan, Robert; Workman, T. Elizabeth

2018-01-01

Objective The research examined complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) information-seeking behaviors and preferences from short- to long-term cancer survival, including goals, motivations, and information sources. Methods A mixed-methods approach was used with cancer survivors from the “Assessment of Patients’ Experience with Cancer Care” 2004 cohort. Data collection included a mail survey and phone interviews using the critical incident technique (CIT). Results Seventy survivors from the 2004 study responded to the survey, and eight participated in the CIT interviews. Quantitative results showed that CAM usage did not change significantly between 2004 and 2015. The following themes emerged from the CIT: families’ and friends’ provision of the initial introduction to a CAM, use of CAM to manage the emotional and psychological impact of cancer, utilization of trained CAM practitioners, and online resources as a prominent source for CAM information. The majority of participants expressed an interest in an online information-sharing portal for CAM. Conclusion Patients continue to use CAM well into long-term cancer survivorship. Finding trustworthy sources for information on CAM presents many challenges such as reliability of source, conflicting information on efficacy, and unknown interactions with conventional medications. Study participants expressed interest in an online portal to meet these needs through patient testimonials and linkage of claims to the scientific literature. Such a portal could also aid medical librarians and clinicians in locating and evaluating CAM information on behalf of patients. PMID:29339938

Celebrity disclosures and information seeking: The case of Angelina Jolie

PubMed Central

Juthe, Robin H.; Zaharchuk, Amber; Wang, Catharine

2014-01-01

Purpose On May 14, 2013, actress Angelina Jolie disclosed that she had a BRCA1 mutation and underwent a prophylactic bilateral mastectomy. This study documents the impact of her disclosure on information-seeking behavior, specifically regarding online genetics and risk reduction resources available from the National Cancer Institute (NCI). Methods Using Adobe Analytics, daily page views for 11 resources were tracked from April 23, 2013 through June 25, 2013. Usage data were also obtained for four resources over a 2-year period (2012–2013). Source of referral by which viewers located a specific resource was also examined. Results There was a dramatic and immediate increase in traffic to NCI’s online resources. The Preventive Mastectomy fact sheet received 69,225 page views on May 14, representing a 795-fold increase compared with the previous Tuesday. A fivefold increase in page views was observed for the PDQ® Genetics of Breast and Ovarian Cancer summary in the same timeframe. A substantial increase from 0% to 49% was seen in referrals from news outlets to four resources from May 7 to May 14. Conclusion Celebrity disclosures can dramatically influence online information-seeking behaviors. Efforts to capitalize on these disclosures to ensure easy access to accurate information are warranted. PMID:25341112

Looking Holistically in a Climate of Partiality: Identities of Students Labeled Long-Term English Language Learners

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Flores, Nelson; Kleyn, Tatyana; Menken, Kate

2015-01-01

In recent years there has been growing awareness about a sub-group of students labeled "Long-Term English Language Learners" (LTELLs). Our study seeks to show how students who fall within the LTELL category see themselves through the lens of their lived experiences as (emergent) bilinguals, students, family/community members and…

Transforming for Inclusive Practice: Professional Development to Support the Inclusion of Students Labelled as Emotionally Disturbed

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Naraian, Srikala; Ferguson, Dianne L.; Thomas, Natalie

2012-01-01

Few models of professional development (PD) are designed to bring about the fundamental shifts in thinking about student behaviour that can support the inclusion of students labelled as having emotional/behavioural disabilities within general education classrooms. In this paper, we seek to accomplish two goals: (1) we briefly delineate the…

Cancer metabolism: strategic diversion from targeting cancer drivers to targeting cancer suppliers.

PubMed

Kim, Soo-Youl

2015-03-01

Drug development groups are close to discovering another pot of gold-a therapeutic target-similar to the success of imatinib (Gleevec) in the field of cancer biology. Modern molecular biology has improved cancer therapy through the identification of more pharmaceutically viable targets, and yet major problems and risks associated with late-phase cancer therapy remain. Presently, a growing number of reports have initiated a discussion about the benefits of metabolic regulation in cancers. The Warburg effect, a great discovery approximately 70 years ago, addresses the "universality" of cancer characteristics. For instance, most cancer cells prefer aerobic glycolysis instead of mitochondrial respiration. Recently, cancer metabolism has been explained not only by metabolites but also through modern molecular and chemical biological techniques. Scientists are seeking context-dependent universality among cancer types according to metabolic and enzymatic pathway signatures. This review presents current cancer metabolism studies and discusses future directions in cancer therapy targeting bio-energetics, bio-anabolism, and autophagy, emphasizing the important contribution of cancer metabolism in cancer therapy.

Yohimbine Increases Opioid-Seeking Behavior in Heroin-Dependent, Buprenorphine-Maintained Individuals

PubMed Central

Greenwald, Mark K.; Lundahl, Leslie H.; Steinmiller, Caren L.

2012-01-01

Rationale In laboratory animals, the biological stressor yohimbine (α2-noradrenergic autoreceptor antagonist) promotes drug seeking. Human laboratory studies have demonstrated that psychological stressors can increase drug craving but not that stressors alter drug seeking. Objectives This clinical study tested whether yohimbine increases opioid seeking behavior. Methods Ten heroin-dependent, buprenorphine (8-mg/day) stabilized volunteers, sampled two doses of hydromorphone (12 and 24 mg IM in counterbalanced order, labeled Drug A [session 1] and Drug B [session 2]). During each of six later sessions (within-subject, double blind, randomized crossover design), volunteers could respond on a 12-trial choice progressive ratio task to earn units (1 or 2 mg) of the sampled hydromorphone dose (Drug A or B) vs. money ($2) following different oral yohimbine pretreatment doses (0, 16.2 and 32.4 mg). Results Behavioral economic demand intensity and peak responding (Omax) were significantly higher for hydromorphone 2-mg than 1-mg. Relative to placebo, yohimbine significantly increased hydromorphone demand inelasticity, more so for hydromorphone 1-mg units (Pmax = 909, 3647 and 3225 for placebo, 16.2 and 32.4 mg yohimbine doses, respectively) than hydromorphone 2-mg units (Pmax = 2656, 3193 and 3615, respectively). Yohimbine produced significant but clinically modest dose-dependent increases in blood pressure (systolic ≈15 and diastolic ≈10 mmHg) and opioid withdrawal symptoms, and decreased opioid agonist symptoms and elated mood. Conclusions These findings concur with preclinical data by demonstrating that yohimbine increases drug seeking; in this study, these effects occurred without clinically significant subjective distress or elevated craving, and partly depended on opioid unit dose. PMID:23161001

Inactivation of the Prelimbic Cortex Impairs the Context-Induced Reinstatement of Ethanol Seeking.

PubMed

Palombo, Paola; Leao, Rodrigo M; Bianchi, Paula C; de Oliveira, Paulo E C; Planeta, Cleopatra da Silva; Cruz, Fábio C

2017-01-01

Evidence indicates that drug relapse in humans is often provoked by exposure to the self-administered drug-associated context. An animal model called "ABA renewal procedure" has been used to study the context-induced relapse to drug seeking. Here, we reported a new and feasible training procedure for the ABA renewal method to explore the role of the prelimbic cortex in context-induced relapse to ethanol seeking. By using a saccharin fading technique, we trained rats to self-administer ethanol (10%). The drug delivery was paired with a discrete tone-light cue. Lever pressing was subsequently extinguished in a non-drug-associated context in the presence of the discrete cue. Rats were subsequently tested for reinstatement in contexts A or B, under extinction conditions. Ethanol-associated context induced the reinstatement of ethanol seeking and increased the expression of Fos in the prelimbic cortex. The rate of neural activation in the prelimbic cortex was 3.4% in the extinction context B and 7.7% in the drug-associated context A, as evidenced by double-labeling of Fos and the neuron-specific protein NeuN. The reversible inactivation of the neural activity in the prelimbic cortex with gamma-Aminobutyric acid (GABA) receptor agonists (muscimol + baclofen) attenuated the context-induced reinstatement of ethanol self-administration. These results demonstrated that the neuronal activation of the prelimbic cortex is involved in the context-induced reinstatement of ethanol seeking.

Stable isotopic labeling-based quantitative targeted glycomics (i-QTaG).

PubMed

Kim, Kyoung-Jin; Kim, Yoon-Woo; Kim, Yun-Gon; Park, Hae-Min; Jin, Jang Mi; Hwan Kim, Young; Yang, Yung-Hun; Kyu Lee, Jun; Chung, Junho; Lee, Sun-Gu; Saghatelian, Alan

2015-01-01

Mass spectrometry (MS) analysis combined with stable isotopic labeling is a promising method for the relative quantification of aberrant glycosylation in diseases and disorders. We developed a stable isotopic labeling-based quantitative targeted glycomics (i-QTaG) technique for the comparative and quantitative analysis of total N-glycans using matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS). We established the analytical procedure with the chemical derivatizations (i.e., sialic acid neutralization and stable isotopic labeling) of N-glycans using a model glycoprotein (bovine fetuin). Moreover, the i-QTaG using MALDI-TOF MS was evaluated with various molar ratios (1:1, 1:2, 1:5) of (13) C6 /(12) C6 -2-aminobenzoic acid-labeled glycans from normal human serum. Finally, this method was applied to direct comparison of the total N-glycan profiles between normal human sera (n = 8) and prostate cancer patient sera (n = 17). The intensities of the N-glycan peaks from i-QTaG method showed a good linearity (R(2) > 0.99) with the amount of the bovine fetuin glycoproteins. The ratios of relative intensity between the isotopically 2-AA labeled N-glycans were close to the theoretical molar ratios (1:1, 1:2, 1:5). We also demonstrated that the up-regulation of the Lewis antigen (~82%) in sera from prostate cancer patients. In this proof-of-concept study, we demonstrated that the i-QTaG method, which enables to achieve a reliable comparative quantitation of total N-glycans via MALDI-TOF MS analysis, has the potential to diagnose and monitor alterations in glycosylation associated with disease states or biotherapeutics. © 2015 American Institute of Chemical Engineers.

Public reaction to the death of Steve Jobs: implications for cancer communication.

PubMed

Myrick, Jessica Gall; Noar, Seth M; Willoughby, Jessica Fitts; Brown, Jennifer

2014-01-01

The present study aimed to examine the public reaction to the death of Steve Jobs, focusing on general and cancer-specific information seeking and interpersonal communication. Shortly after Jobs's death, employees from a large university in the Southeastern United States (N = 1,398) completed a web-based survey. Every employee had heard about Steve Jobs's death, and 97% correctly identified pancreatic cancer as the cause of his death. General (50%) and pancreatic cancer-specific (7%) information seeking, as well as general (74%) and pancreatic cancer-specific (17%) interpersonal communication, took place in response to Steve Jobs's death. In multivariate logistic regression analyses controlling for demographics and several cancer-oriented variables, both identification with Steve Jobs and cancer worry in response to Steve Jobs's death significantly (p < .05) predicted pancreatic cancer information seeking as well as interpersonal communication about pancreatic cancer. Additional analyses revealed that cancer worry partially mediated the effects of identification on these outcome variables. Implications of these results for future research as well as cancer prevention and communication efforts are discussed.

Novel Hypoxia-Directed Cancer Therapeutics

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-07-01

as anti-cancer therapies. 15. SUBJECT TERMS Hypoxia-inducible factors, mass-spectrometry, drug discovery, kidney cancer 16. SECURITY CLASSIFICATION...programs required for driving solid tumor growth in cancers of kidney , pancreas, stomach, colon and skin. We seek the discovery of drug-like...drug discovery, kidney cancer. 5 What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided? How were the

Stigma as a barrier to seeking health care among military personnel with mental health problems.

PubMed

Sharp, Marie-Louise; Fear, Nicola T; Rona, Roberto J; Wessely, Simon; Greenberg, Neil; Jones, Norman; Goodwin, Laura

2015-01-01

Approximately 60% of military personnel who experience mental health problems do not seek help, yet many of them could benefit from professional treatment. Across military studies, one of the most frequently reported barriers to help-seeking for mental health problems is concerns about stigma. It is, however, less clear how stigma influences mental health service utilization. This review will synthesize existing research on stigma, focusing on those in the military with mental health problems. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of studies between 2001 and 2014 to examine the prevalence of stigma for seeking help for a mental health problem and its association with help-seeking intentions/mental health service utilization. Twenty papers met the search criteria. Weighted prevalence estimates for the 2 most endorsed stigma concerns were 44.2% (95% confidence interval: 37.1, 51.4) for "My unit leadership might treat me differently" and 42.9% (95% confidence interval: 36.8, 49.0) for "I would be seen as weak." Nine studies found no association between anticipated stigma and help-seeking intentions/mental health service use and 4 studies found a positive association. One study found a negative association between self-stigma and intentions to seek help. Counterintuitively, those that endorsed high anticipated stigma still utilized mental health services or were interested in seeking help. We propose that these findings may be related to intention-behavior gaps or methodological issues in the measurement of stigma. Positive associations may be influenced by modified labeling theory. Additionally, other factors such as self-stigma and negative attitudes toward mental health care may be worth further attention in future investigation. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Extracting genetic alteration information for personalized cancer therapy from ClinicalTrials.gov

PubMed Central

Xu, Jun; Lee, Hee-Jin; Zeng, Jia; Wu, Yonghui; Zhang, Yaoyun; Huang, Liang-Chin; Johnson, Amber; Holla, Vijaykumar; Bailey, Ann M; Cohen, Trevor; Meric-Bernstam, Funda; Bernstam, Elmer V

2016-01-01

Objective: Clinical trials investigating drugs that target specific genetic alterations in tumors are important for promoting personalized cancer therapy. The goal of this project is to create a knowledge base of cancer treatment trials with annotations about genetic alterations from ClinicalTrials.gov. Methods: We developed a semi-automatic framework that combines advanced text-processing techniques with manual review to curate genetic alteration information in cancer trials. The framework consists of a document classification system to identify cancer treatment trials from ClinicalTrials.gov and an information extraction system to extract gene and alteration pairs from the Title and Eligibility Criteria sections of clinical trials. By applying the framework to trials at ClinicalTrials.gov, we created a knowledge base of cancer treatment trials with genetic alteration annotations. We then evaluated each component of the framework against manually reviewed sets of clinical trials and generated descriptive statistics of the knowledge base. Results and Discussion: The automated cancer treatment trial identification system achieved a high precision of 0.9944. Together with the manual review process, it identified 20 193 cancer treatment trials from ClinicalTrials.gov. The automated gene-alteration extraction system achieved a precision of 0.8300 and a recall of 0.6803. After validation by manual review, we generated a knowledge base of 2024 cancer trials that are labeled with specific genetic alteration information. Analysis of the knowledge base revealed the trend of increased use of targeted therapy for cancer, as well as top frequent gene-alteration pairs of interest. We expect this knowledge base to be a valuable resource for physicians and patients who are seeking information about personalized cancer therapy. PMID:27013523

A pretargeted nanoparticle system for tumor cell labeling

PubMed Central

Gunn, Jonathan; Park, Steven I.; Veiseh, Omid; Press, Oliver W.; Zhang, Miqin

2011-01-01

Nanoparticle-based cancer diagnostics and therapeutics can be significantly enhanced by selective tissue localization, but the strategy can be complicated by the requirement of a targeting ligand conjugated on nanoparticles, that is specific to only one or a limited few types of neoplastic cells, necessitating the development of multiple nanoparticle systems for different diseases. Here, we present a new nanoparticle system that capitalizes on a targeting pretreatment strategy, where a circulating fusion protein (FP) selectively prelabels the targeted cellular epitope, and a biotinylated iron oxide nanoparticle serves as a secondary label that binds to the FP on the target cell. This approach enables a single nanoparticle formulation to be used with any one of existing fusion proteins to bind a variety of target cells. We demonstrated this approach with two fusion proteins against two model cancer cell lines: lymphoma (Ramos) and leukemia (Jurkat), which showed 72.2% and 91.1% positive labeling, respectively. Notably, TEM analysis showed that a large nanoparticle population was endocytosed via attachment to the non-internalizing CD20 epitope. PMID:21107453

A pretargeted nanoparticle system for tumor cell labeling.

PubMed

Gunn, Jonathan; Park, Steven I; Veiseh, Omid; Press, Oliver W; Zhang, Miqin

2011-03-01

Nanoparticle-based cancer diagnostics and therapeutics can be significantly enhanced by selective tissue localization, but the strategy can be complicated by the requirement of a targeting ligand conjugated on nanoparticles, that is specific to only one or a limited few types of neoplastic cells, necessitating the development of multiple nanoparticle systems for different diseases. Here, we present a new nanoparticle system that capitalizes on a targeting pretreatment strategy, where a circulating fusion protein (FP) selectively prelabels the targeted cellular epitope, and a biotinylated iron oxide nanoparticle serves as a secondary label that binds to the FP on the target cell. This approach enables a single nanoparticle formulation to be used with any one of existing fusion proteins to bind a variety of target cells. We demonstrated this approach with two fusion proteins against two model cancer cell lines: lymphoma (Ramos) and leukemia (Jurkat), which showed 72.2% and 91.1% positive labeling, respectively. Notably, TEM analysis showed that a large nanoparticle population was endocytosed via attachment to the non-internalizing CD20 epitope.

In vivo, label-free, and noninvasive detection of melanoma metastasis by photoacoustic flow cytometry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Rongrong; Wang, Cheng; Hu, Cheng; Wang, Xueding; Wei, Xunbin

2014-02-01

Melanoma, a malignant tumor of melanocytes, is the most serious type of skin cancer in the world. It accounts for about 80% of deaths of all skin cancer. For cancer detection, circulating tumor cells (CTCs) serve as a marker for metastasis development, cancer recurrence, and therapeutic efficacy. Melanoma tumor cells have high content of melanin, which has high light absorption and can serve as endogenous biomarker for CTC detection without labeling. Here, we have developed an in vivo photoacoustic flow cytometry (PAFC) to monitor the metastatic process of melanoma cancer by counting CTCs of melanoma tumor bearing mice in vivo. To test in vivo PAFC's capability of detecting melanoma cancer, we have constructed a melanoma tumor model by subcutaneous inoculation of highly metastatic murine melanoma cancer cells, B16F10. In order to effectively distinguish the targeting PA signals from background noise, we have used the algorithm of Wavelet denoising method to reduce the background noise. The in vivo flow cytometry (IVFC) has shown a great potential for detecting circulating tumor cells quantitatively in the blood stream. Compared with fluorescence-based in vivo flow cytometry (IVFC), PAFC technique can be used for in vivo, label-free, and noninvasive detection of circulating tumor cells (CTCs).

Selective information seeking: can consumers' avoidance of evidence-based information on colorectal cancer screening be explained by the theory of cognitive dissonance?

PubMed

Steckelberg, Anke; Kasper, Jürgen; Mühlhauser, Ingrid

2007-08-27

Evidence-based patient information (EBPI) is a prerequisite for informed decision-making. However, presentation of EBPI may lead to irrational reactions causing avoidance, minimisation and devaluation of the information. To explore whether the theory of cognitive dissonance is applicable to medical decision-making and useful to explain these phenomena. 261 volunteers from Hamburg (157 women), >or=50 years old without diagnosis of colorectal cancer. DESIGN AND VARIABLES: Within an experiment we simulated information seeking on colorectal cancer screening. Consumers' attitudes towards screening were surveyed using a rating scale from -5 (participate in no way) to +5 (participate unconditionally) (independent variable). Using a cover story, participants were asked to sort 5 article headlines according to their reading preferences. The headlines simulated the pro to contra variety of contents to be found in print media about colorectal cancer screening. The dependent variable was the sequence of article headlines. Participants were very much in favour of screening with scores for faecal occult blood test of 4.0 (0.1) and for colonoscopy 3.3 (0.1). According to our hypothesis we found statistically significant positive correlations between the stimuli in favour of screening and attitudes and significant negative correlations between the stimuli against screening and attitudes. The theory of cognitive dissonance is applicable to medical decision-making. It may explain some phenomena of irrational reactions to evidence-based patient information.

Choice of unconventional treatment by patients with cancer.

PubMed

Kimby, Charlotte Kira; Launsø, Laila; Henningsen, Inge; Langgaard, Henrik

2003-08-01

Previous studies conducted on the use of unconventional treatment by patients with cancer have focused on unconventional treatment as a joint group of therapies. The objective of this study is to gather preliminary information about the use of different modes of unconventional cancer treatment by patients with cancer and to describe user profiles of standardized and individualized treatments. Data originate from an ongoing explorative 5-year study of 441 consecutively registered cancer patients who have consulted medical doctors and alternative therapists practicing unconventional treatment in Denmark. This paper is based on data from the first and second of six questionnaires. The unconventional treatments included in this study are categorized into two forms of treatment: standardized and individualized treatment. Four hundred and forty-one (441) Danish patients with cancer who use unconventional cancer treatment. The analysis shows significant correlations between type of treatment and the following variables: gender, education, occupational status, type of cancer, purpose of seeking unconventional treatment, metastatic spread, opinion regarding appropriate unconventional treatment, and simultaneous use of unconventional treatment. The study shows that there are significant differences between patients with cancer choosing standardized and those choosing individualized unconventional treatment. The probability of choosing standardized unconventional treatment is greatest among male participants, patients having shorter school education, and for patients who have recovery as the goal of seeking unconventional treatment. The probability of choosing individualized unconventional treatment is greatest among women, for patients with longer school education, and for patients wanting relief from symptoms, information, and improvement of general condition as the purpose of seeking unconventional cancer treatment. Patients with breast and gynecologic cancer are more

US Consumers' Understanding of Nutrition Labels in 2013: The Importance of Health Literacy.

PubMed

Persoskie, Alexander; Hennessy, Erin; Nelson, Wendy L

2017-09-28

We examined US adults' understanding of a Nutrition Facts panel (NFP), which requires health literacy (ie, prose, document, and quantitative literacy skills), and the association between label understanding and dietary behavior. Data were from the Health Information National Trends Survey, a nationally representative survey of health information seeking among US adults (N = 3,185) conducted from September 6, 2013, through December 30, 2013. Participants viewed an ice cream nutrition label and answered 4 questions that tested their ability to apply basic arithmetic and understanding of percentages to interpret the label. Participants reported their intake of sugar-sweetened soda, fruits, and vegetables. Regression analyses tested associations among label understanding, demographic characteristics, and self-reported dietary behaviors. Approximately 24% of people could not determine the calorie content of the full ice-cream container, 21% could not estimate the number of servings equal to 60 g of carbohydrates, 42% could not estimate the effect on daily calorie intake of foregoing 1 serving, and 41% could not calculate the percentage daily value of calories in a single serving. Higher scores for label understanding were associated with consuming more vegetables and less sugar-sweetened soda, although only the association with soda consumption remained significant after adjusting for demographic factors. Many consumers have difficulty interpreting nutrition labels, and label understanding correlates with self-reported dietary behaviors. The 2016 revised NFP labels may address some deficits in consumer understanding by eliminating the need to perform certain calculations (eg, total calories per package). However, some tasks still require the ability to perform calculations (eg, percentage daily value of calories). Schools have a role in teaching skills, such as mathematics, needed for nutrition label understanding.

Radionuclide therapy using ¹³¹I-labeled anti-epidermal growth factor receptor-targeted nanoparticles suppresses cancer cell growth caused by EGFR overexpression.

PubMed

Li, Wei; Liu, Zhongyun; Li, Chengxia; Li, Ning; Fang, Lei; Chang, Jin; Tan, Jian

2016-03-01

Anti-epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-targeted nanoparticles can be used to deliver a therapeutic and imaging agent to EGFR-overexpressing tumor cells. (131)I-labeled anti-EGFR nanoparticles derived from cetuximab were used as a tumor-targeting vehicle in radionuclide therapy. This paper describes the construction of the anti-EGFR nanoparticle EGFR-BSA-PCL. This nanoparticle was characterized for EGFR-targeted binding and cellular uptake in EGFR-overexpressing cancer cells by using flow cytometry and confocal microscopy. Anti-EGFR and non-targeted nanoparticles were labeled with (131)I using the chloramine-T method. Analyses of cytotoxicity and targeted cell killing with (131)I were performed using the MTT assay. The time-dependent cellular uptake of (131)I-labeled anti-EGFR nanoparticles proved the slow-release effects of nanoparticles. A radioiodine therapy study was also performed in mice. The EGFR-targeted nanoparticle EGFR-BSA-PCL and the non-targeted nanoparticle BSA-PCL were constructed; the effective diameters were approximately 100 nm. The results from flow cytometry and confocal microscopy revealed significant uptake of EGFR-BSA-PCL in EGFR-overexpressing tumor cells. Compared with EGFR-BSA-PCL, BSA-PCL could also bind to cells, but tumor cell retention was minimal and weak. In MTT assays, the EGFR-targeted radioactive nanoparticle (131)I-EGFR-BSA-PCL showed greater cytotoxicity and targeted cell killing than the non-targeted nanoparticle (131)I-BSA-PCL. The radioiodine uptake of both (131)I-labeled nanoparticles, (131)I-EGFR-BSA-PCL and (131)I-BSA-PCL, was rapid and reached maximal levels 4 h after incubation, but the (131)I uptake of (131)I-EGFR-BSA-PCL was higher than that of (131)I-BSA-PCL. On day 15, the average tumor volumes of the (131)I-EGFR-BSA-PCL and (131)I-BSA-PCL groups showed a slow growth relationship compared with that of the control group. The EGFR-targeted nanoparticle EGFR-BSA-PCL demonstrated superior cellular binding and uptake

Cancer Information Seeking and Scanning: Sources and Patterns

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barnes, Laura L. B.; Khojasteh, Jam J.; Wheeler, Denna

2017-01-01

Objective: This study aimed to identify predominant search patterns in a recent search for health information and a potential search for strongly needed cancer information, to identify the commonly scanned sources of information that may represent stable elements of the information fields characteristic of these patterns, and to evaluate whether…

Breast Cancer Awareness among Middle Class Urban Women--a Community-Based Study from Mumbai, India.

PubMed

Gadgil, Anita; Sauvaget, Catherine; Roy, Nobhojit; Grosse Frie, Kirstin; Chakraborty, Anuradha; Lucas, Eric; Bantwal, Kanchan; Haldar, Indrani; Sankaranarayanan, Rengaswamy

2015-01-01

Targeting breast cancer awareness along with comprehensive cancer care is appropriate in low and middle income countries like India, where there are no organized and affordable screening services. It is essential to identify the existing awareness about breast cancer in the community prior to launching an organized effort. This study assessed the existing awareness about breast cancer amongst women and their health seeking practices in an urban community in Mumbai, India. A postal survey was undertaken with low or no cost options for returning the completed questionnaires. The majority of the women were aware about cancer but awareness about symptoms and signs was poor. Women were willing to accept more information about cancer and those with higher awareness scores were more likely to seek medical help. They were also more likely to have undergone breast examination in the past and less likely to use alternative medicines. High income was associated with better awareness but this did not translate into better health seeking behaviour. Organized programmes giving detailed information about breast cancer and its symptoms are needed and women from all income categories need to be encouraged for positive change towards health seeking. Further detailed studies regarding barriers to health seeking in India are necessary.

Science Writer | Center for Cancer Research

Cancer.gov

The Center for Cancer Research (CCR) is seeking a science writer to help us tell our stories of cancer research discoveries, clinical advances and our patients, who are participating in clinical trials.  CCR is the National Cancer Institute’s internal cancer center located on campuses in Bethesda and Frederick, Maryland.  The writing supports communications for our website,

Label-Free Sensors Based on Graphene Field-Effect Transistors for the Detection of Human Chorionic Gonadotropin Cancer Risk Biomarker

PubMed Central

Haslam, Carrie; Damiati, Samar; Whitley, Toby; Ifeachor, Emmanuel

2018-01-01

We report on the development of label-free chemical vapour deposition (CVD) graphene field effect transistor (GFET) immunosensors for the sensitive detection of Human Chorionic Gonadotropin (hCG), a glycoprotein risk biomarker of certain cancers. The GFET sensors were fabricated on Si/SiO2 substrate using photolithography with evaporated chromium and sputtered gold contacts. GFET channels were functionalised with a linker molecule to an immobile anti-hCG antibody on the surface of graphene. The binding reaction of the antibody with varying concentration levels of hCG antigen demonstrated the limit of detection of the GFET sensors to be below 1 pg/mL using four-probe electrical measurements. We also show that annealing can significantly improve the carrier transport properties of GFETs and shift the Dirac point (Fermi level) with reduced p-doping in back-gated measurements. The developed GFET biosensors are generic and could find applications in a broad range of medical diagnostics in addition to cancer, such as neurodegenerative (Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s) and cardiovascular disorders. PMID:29316718

SU-E-I-14: Comparison of Iodine-Labeled and Indium-Labeled Antibody Biodistributions

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Williams, L

2014-06-01

Purpose: It is often assumed that animal biodistributions of novel proteins are not dependent upon the radiolabel used in their determination. In units of percent injected dose per gram of tissue (%ID/g), organ uptake results (u) may be obtained using either iodine or metal as radioactive labels. Iodination is preferred as it is a one-step process whereas metal labeling requires two chemical procedures and therefore more protein material. It is important to test whether the radioactive tag leads to variation in the uptake value. Methods: Uptakes of 3antibodies to Carcinoembryonic Antigen (CEA) were evaluated in a nude mouse model bearingmore » 150 to 300 mg LS174T human colon cancer xenografts. Antibodies included diabody (56 kDa), minibody (80kDa) and intact M5A (150 kDa) anti-CEA cognates. Both radioiodine and indium-111 labels were used with uptakes evaluated at 7 time(t) points out to 96 h. Ratios (R) of u(iodine-label)/u(indium-label) were determined for liver, spleen, kidneys, lung and tumor. Results: Hepatic loss was rapid for diabody and minibody; by 24 h their R values were only 2%; i.e., uptake of iodine was 2% of that of indium for these 2 antibodies. By contrast, R for the intact cognate was 50% at that time point. Splenic results were similar. Tumor uptake ratios did not depend upon the antibody type and were 50% at 24 h. Conclusions: Relatively rapid loss of iodine relative to indium in liver and spleen was observed in lower mass antibodies. Tumor ratios were larger and independent of antibody type. Aside from tumor, the R ratio of uptakes depended on the antibody type. R values decreased monotonically with time in all tissues and for all cognates. Using this ratio, one can possibly correct iodine-based u (t) results so that they resemble radiometal-derived biodistributions.« less

Imaging, biodistribution, and dosimetry of radionuclide-labeled PD-L1 antibody in an immunocompetent mouse model of breast cancer

PubMed Central

Josefsson, Anders; Nedrow, Jessie R.; Park, Sunju; Banerjee, Sangeeta Ray; Rittenbach, Andrew; Jammes, Fabien; Tsui, Benjamin; Sgouros, George

2015-01-01

The programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD-L1) participates in an immune checkpoint system involved in preventing autoimmunity. PD-L1 is expressed on tumor cells, tumor-associated macrophages, and other cells in the tumor microenvironment. Anti-PD-L1 antibodies are active against a variety of cancers, and combined anti-PD-L1 therapy with external beam radiotherapy has been shown to increase therapeutic efficacy. PD-L1 expression status is an important indicator of prognosis and therapy responsiveness, but methods to precisely capture the dynamics of PD-L1 expression in the tumor microenvironment are still limited. In this study, we developed a murine anti-PD-L1 antibody conjugated to the radioactive isotope Indium-111 (111In) for imaging and biodistribution studies in an immune-intact mouse model of breast cancer. The distribution of 111In-DTPA-anti-PD-L1 in tumors as well as the spleen, liver, thymus, heart, and lungs peaked 72 hours after injection. Co-injection of labeled and 100-fold unlabeled antibody significantly reduced spleen uptake at 24 hours, indicating that an excess of unlabeled antibody effectively blocked PD-L1 sites in the spleen, thus shifting the concentration of 111In-DTPA-anti-PD-L1 into the blood stream and potentially increasing tumor uptake. Clearance of 111In-DTPA-anti-PD-L1 from all organs occurred at 144 hours. Moreover, dosimetry calculations revealed that radionuclide-labeled anti-PD-L1 antibody yielded tolerable projected marrow doses, further supporting its use for radiopharmaceutical therapy. Taken together, these studies demonstrate the feasibility of using anti-PD-L1 antibody for radionuclide imaging and radioimmunotherapy, and highlight a new opportunity to optimize and monitor the efficacy of immune checkpoint inhibition therapy. PMID:26554829

Label-free isolation of a prostate cancer cell among blood cells and the single-cell measurement of drug accumulation using an integrated microfluidic chip.

PubMed

Khamenehfar, A; Beischlag, T V; Russell, P J; Ling, M T P; Nelson, C; Li, P C H

2015-11-01

Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) are found in the blood of patients with cancer. Although these cells are rare, they can provide useful information for chemotherapy. However, isolation of these rare cells from blood is technically challenging because they are small in numbers. An integrated microfluidic chip, dubbed CTC chip, was designed and fabricated for conducting tumor cell isolation. As CTCs usually show multidrug resistance (MDR), the effect of MDR inhibitors on chemotherapeutic drug accumulation in the isolated single tumor cell is measured. As a model of CTC isolation, human prostate cancer cells were mixed with mouse blood cells and the label-free isolation of the tumor cells was conducted based on cell size difference. The major advantages of the CTC chip are the ability for fast cell isolation, followed by multiple rounds of single-cell measurements, suggesting a potential assay for detecting the drug responses based on the liquid biopsy of cancer patients.

Colloid labelled with radionuclide and method

DOEpatents

Atcher, Robert W.; Hines, John J.

1990-01-01

A ferric hydroxide colloid having an alpha-emitting radionuclide essentially on the outer surfaces and a method of forming same. The method includes oxidizing a ferrous hydroxide to ferric hydroxide in the presence of a preselected radionuclide to form a colloid having the radionuclide on the outer surface thereof, and thereafter washing the colloid, and suspending the washed colloid in a suitable solution. The labelled colloid is useful in cancer therapy and for the treatment of inflamed joints.

In Vivo Photoacoustic Imaging of Prostate Cancer Using Targeted Contrast Agent

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-09-01

detection of early stage prostate cancer, development of near infrared dyes - labeled RNA aptamer that recognizes the prostate specific cell surface protein...the application of PAI for the detection of early stage prostate cancer, development of a NIR dye - labeled RNA aptamer that recognizes the prostate...proposed to enhance the application of PAI for the detection of early stage PrCa: 1. Use of a NIR dye labeled RNA aptamer that recognizes the prostate

Postdoctoral Fellow | Center for Cancer Research

Cancer.gov

The Neuro-Oncology Branch (NOB), Center for Cancer Research (CCR), National Cancer Institute (NCI) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) is seeking outstanding postdoctoral candidates interested in studying metabolic and cell signaling pathways in the context of brain cancers through construction of computational models amenable to formal computational analysis and

The Role of Web-Based Health Information in Help-Seeking Behavior Prior to a Diagnosis of Lung Cancer: A Mixed-Methods Study

PubMed Central

Jay, Caroline; Harper, Simon; Todd, Chris

2017-01-01

Background Delays to diagnosis in lung cancer can lead to reduced chance of survival, and patients often wait for several months before presenting symptoms. The time between first symptom recognition until diagnosis has been theorized into three intervals: symptom appraisal, help-seeking, and diagnostic interval (here: “pathway to diagnosis”). Interventions are needed to reduce delays to diagnosis in lung cancer. The Web has become an important lay health information source and could potentially play a role in this pathway to diagnosis. Objective Our overall aim was to gain a preliminary insight into whether Web-based information plays a role in the pathway to diagnosis in lung cancer in order to assess whether it may be possible to leverage this information source to reduce delays to diagnosis. Methods Patients diagnosed with lung cancer in the 6 months before study entry completed a survey about whether (and how, if yes) they had used the Web to appraise their condition prior to diagnosis. Based on survey responses, we purposively sampled patients and their next-of-kin for semistructured interviews (24 interviews; 33 participants). Interview data were analyzed qualitatively using Framework Analysis in the context of the pathway to diagnosis model. Results A total of 113 patients completed the survey (age: mean 67.0, SD 8.8 years). In all, 20.4% (23/113) reported they or next-of-kin had researched their condition online before the diagnosis. The majority of searches (20/23, 87.0%) were conducted by or with the help of next-of-kin. Interview results suggest that patients and next-of-kin perceived an impact of the information found online on all three intervals in the time to diagnosis. In the appraisal interval, participants used online information to evaluate symptoms and possible causes. In the help-seeking interval, the Web was used to inform the decision of whether to present to health services. In the diagnostic interval, it was used to evaluate health

The Role of Web-Based Health Information in Help-Seeking Behavior Prior to a Diagnosis of Lung Cancer: A Mixed-Methods Study.

PubMed

Mueller, Julia; Jay, Caroline; Harper, Simon; Todd, Chris

2017-06-08

Delays to diagnosis in lung cancer can lead to reduced chance of survival, and patients often wait for several months before presenting symptoms. The time between first symptom recognition until diagnosis has been theorized into three intervals: symptom appraisal, help-seeking, and diagnostic interval (here: "pathway to diagnosis"). Interventions are needed to reduce delays to diagnosis in lung cancer. The Web has become an important lay health information source and could potentially play a role in this pathway to diagnosis. Our overall aim was to gain a preliminary insight into whether Web-based information plays a role in the pathway to diagnosis in lung cancer in order to assess whether it may be possible to leverage this information source to reduce delays to diagnosis. Patients diagnosed with lung cancer in the 6 months before study entry completed a survey about whether (and how, if yes) they had used the Web to appraise their condition prior to diagnosis. Based on survey responses, we purposively sampled patients and their next-of-kin for semistructured interviews (24 interviews; 33 participants). Interview data were analyzed qualitatively using Framework Analysis in the context of the pathway to diagnosis model. A total of 113 patients completed the survey (age: mean 67.0, SD 8.8 years). In all, 20.4% (23/113) reported they or next-of-kin had researched their condition online before the diagnosis. The majority of searches (20/23, 87.0%) were conducted by or with the help of next-of-kin. Interview results suggest that patients and next-of-kin perceived an impact of the information found online on all three intervals in the time to diagnosis. In the appraisal interval, participants used online information to evaluate symptoms and possible causes. In the help-seeking interval, the Web was used to inform the decision of whether to present to health services. In the diagnostic interval, it was used to evaluate health care professionals' advice, to support

Flow-aggregated traffic-driven label mapping in label-switching networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nagami, Kenichi; Katsube, Yasuhiro; Esaki, Hiroshi; Nakamura, Osamu

1998-12-01

Label switching technology enables high performance, flexible, layer-3 packet forwarding based on the fixed length label information mapped to the layer-3 packet stream. A Label Switching Router (LSR) forwards layer-3 packets based on their label information mapped to the layer-3 address information as well as their layer-3 address information. This paper evaluates the required number of labels under traffic-driven label mapping policy using the real backbone traffic traces. The evaluation shows that the label mapping policy requires a large number of labels. In order to reduce the required number of labels, we propose a label mapping policy which is a traffic-driven label mapping for the traffic toward the same destination network. The evaluation shows that the proposed label mapping policy requires only about one tenth as many labels compared with the traffic-driven label mapping for the host-pair packet stream,and the topology-driven label mapping for the destination network packet stream.

Nutrition Label Viewing during a Food-Selection Task: Front-of-Package Labels vs Nutrition Facts Labels.

PubMed

Graham, Dan J; Heidrick, Charles; Hodgin, Katie

2015-10-01

Earlier research has identified consumer characteristics associated with viewing Nutrition Facts labels; however, little is known about those who view front-of-package nutrition labels. Front-of-package nutrition labels might appeal to more consumers than do Nutrition Facts labels, but it might be necessary to provide consumers with information about how to locate and use these labels. This study quantifies Nutrition Facts and front-of-package nutrition label viewing among American adult consumers. Attention to nutrition information was measured during a food-selection task. One hundred and twenty-three parents (mean age=38 years, mean body mass index [calculated as kg/m(2)]=28) and one of their children (aged 6 to 9 years) selected six foods from a university laboratory-turned-grocery aisle. Participants were randomized to conditions in which front-of-package nutrition labels were present or absent, and signage explaining front-of-package nutrition labels was present or absent. Adults' visual attention to Nutrition Facts labels and front-of-package nutrition labels was objectively measured via eye-tracking glasses. To examine whether there were significant differences in the percentages of participants who viewed Nutrition Facts labels vs front-of-package nutrition labels, McNemar's tests were conducted across all participants, as well as within various sociodemographic categories. To determine whether hypothesized factors, such as health literacy and education, had stronger relationships with front-of-package nutrition label vs Nutrition Facts label viewing, linear regression assessed the magnitude of relationships between theoretically and empirically derived factors and each type of label viewing. Overall, front-of-package nutrition labels were more likely to be viewed than Nutrition Facts labels; however, for all subgroups, higher rates of front-of-package nutrition label viewership occurred only when signage was present drawing attention to the presence and

21 CFR 740.18 - Coal tar hair dyes posing a risk of cancer.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 7 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Coal tar hair dyes posing a risk of cancer. 740.18... posing a risk of cancer. (a) The principal display panel of the label and any labeling accompanying a... your skin and has been determined to cause cancer in laboratory animals. (b) Hair dyes containing any...

21 CFR 740.18 - Coal tar hair dyes posing a risk of cancer.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 7 2011-04-01 2010-04-01 true Coal tar hair dyes posing a risk of cancer. 740.18... posing a risk of cancer. (a) The principal display panel of the label and any labeling accompanying a... your skin and has been determined to cause cancer in laboratory animals. (b) Hair dyes containing any...

21 CFR 740.18 - Coal tar hair dyes posing a risk of cancer.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 7 2014-04-01 2014-04-01 false Coal tar hair dyes posing a risk of cancer. 740.18... posing a risk of cancer. (a) The principal display panel of the label and any labeling accompanying a... your skin and has been determined to cause cancer in laboratory animals. (b) Hair dyes containing any...

21 CFR 740.18 - Coal tar hair dyes posing a risk of cancer.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 7 2013-04-01 2013-04-01 false Coal tar hair dyes posing a risk of cancer. 740.18... posing a risk of cancer. (a) The principal display panel of the label and any labeling accompanying a... your skin and has been determined to cause cancer in laboratory animals. (b) Hair dyes containing any...

Improved Facial Nerve Identification During Parotidectomy With Fluorescently Labeled Peptide

PubMed Central

Hussain, Timon; Nguyen, Linda T.; Whitney, Michael; Hasselmann, Jonathan; Nguyen, Quyen T.

2016-01-01

Objectives/Hypothesis Additional intraoperative guidance could reduce the risk of iatrogenic injury during parotid gland cancer surgery. We evaluated the intraoperative use of fluorescently labeled nerve binding peptide NP41 to aid facial nerve identification and preservation during parotidectomy in an orthotopic model of murine parotid gland cancer. We also quantified the accuracy of intraoperative nerve detection for surface and buried nerves in the head and neck with NP41 versus white light (WL) alone. Study Design Twenty-eight mice underwent parotid gland cancer surgeries with additional fluorescence (FL) guidance versus WL reflectance (WLR) alone. Eight mice were used for additional nerve-imaging experiments. Methods Twenty-eight parotid tumor-bearing mice underwent parotidectomy. Eight mice underwent imaging of both sides of the face after skin removal. Postoperative assessment of facial nerve function measured by automated whisker tracking were compared between FL guidance (n = 13) versus WL alone (n = 15). In eight mice, nerve to surrounding tissue contrast was measured under FL versus WLR for all nerve branches detectable in the field of view. Results Postoperative facial nerve function after parotid gland cancer surgery tended to be better with additional FL guidance. Fluorescent labeling significantly improved nerve to surrounding tissue contrast for both large and smaller buried nerve branches compared to WLR visualization and improved detection sensitivity and specificity. Conclusions NP41 FL imaging significantly aids the intraoperative identification of nerve braches otherwise nearly invisible to the naked eye. Its application in a murine model of parotid gland cancer surgery tended to improve functional preservation of the facial nerve. PMID:27171862

Colorectal cancer--applying a gender lens.

PubMed

Oberoi, Devesh V; Jiwa, Moyez; McManus, Alexandra; Hodder, Rupert

2014-01-01

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a major global health problem with survival varying according to stage at diagnosis. The incidence of CRC is much higher in patients with lower bowel symptoms. The symptoms are non-specific and are commonly experienced in the general population. Biological and environmental factors account for the high incidence and poor prognosis of CRC in men. To review the behavioural factors influencing patient delay in seeking help for lower bowel symptoms using a gender lens. An extensive literature search was performed using various databases including Medline, PubMed, CINAHL Plus, EMBASE and PsycINFO (1993-2013). Various search terms including rectal bleeding, prevalence, colorectal cancer, consultation, help-seeking, gender differences and men were used. A systematic methodology including systematic data extraction and narrative synthesis was applied. Thirty-two studies were included in the review. All studies except four were quantitative. Although there is some evidence that men delay more compared with women, there has not been any major improvement in the help-seeking behaviour for such symptoms over the past two decades. Several behavioural and demographic factors were associated with low rates of help-seeking. There are limited studies focusing on men's help-seeking behaviour for lower bowel symptoms. To facilitate timely help-seeking in men, it is important to understand their patterns of helpseeking for such symptoms. Further research to understand men's help-seeking behaviour is warranted.

Co-Labeling for Multi-View Weakly Labeled Learning.

PubMed

Xu, Xinxing; Li, Wen; Xu, Dong; Tsang, Ivor W

2016-06-01

It is often expensive and time consuming to collect labeled training samples in many real-world applications. To reduce human effort on annotating training samples, many machine learning techniques (e.g., semi-supervised learning (SSL), multi-instance learning (MIL), etc.) have been studied to exploit weakly labeled training samples. Meanwhile, when the training data is represented with multiple types of features, many multi-view learning methods have shown that classifiers trained on different views can help each other to better utilize the unlabeled training samples for the SSL task. In this paper, we study a new learning problem called multi-view weakly labeled learning, in which we aim to develop a unified approach to learn robust classifiers by effectively utilizing different types of weakly labeled multi-view data from a broad range of tasks including SSL, MIL and relative outlier detection (ROD). We propose an effective approach called co-labeling to solve the multi-view weakly labeled learning problem. Specifically, we model the learning problem on each view as a weakly labeled learning problem, which aims to learn an optimal classifier from a set of pseudo-label vectors generated by using the classifiers trained from other views. Unlike traditional co-training approaches using a single pseudo-label vector for training each classifier, our co-labeling approach explores different strategies to utilize the predictions from different views, biases and iterations for generating the pseudo-label vectors, making our approach more robust for real-world applications. Moreover, to further improve the weakly labeled learning on each view, we also exploit the inherent group structure in the pseudo-label vectors generated from different strategies, which leads to a new multi-layer multiple kernel learning problem. Promising results for text-based image retrieval on the NUS-WIDE dataset as well as news classification and text categorization on several real-world multi

Labeling and Biological Evaluation of (99m)Tc-HYNIC-Trastuzumab as a Potential Radiopharmaceutical for In Vivo Evaluation of HER2 Expression in Breast Cancer.

PubMed

Calzada, Victoria; Garcia, Fernanda; Fernández, Marcelo; Porcal, Williams; Quinn, Thomas; Alonso, Omar; Gambini, Juan Pablo; Cabral, Pablo

2013-01-01

The amplification of HER2 gene has been described in several tumor types, mainly breast cancer with a subsequent increase in HER2 protein expression. Trastuzumab is a humanized monoclonal antibody that recognizes selectively the HER2 extracellular domain. The objective of the present work was to standardize the conjugation of Trastuzumab with Succinimidyl-hydrazinonicotinamide (HYNIC) and labeling with (99m)Tc to obtain (99m)Tc-HYNIC-Trastuzumab for use as in vivo tracer of the HER2 expression in breast cancer. The labeling procedure involved derivatization of 0.067 μmol of Trastuzumab with 0.33 μmols of HYNIC in dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO). The mixture was incubated for 30 min. A mixture of Tricine and SnCl2.2H2O was prepared by add a solution of 44.6 μmols Tricine in 0.05 mL HCl 2.0 M and a similar volume of another solution containing 44.3 μmols SnCl2.2H2O in 0.5 mL HCl 2.0 M. Then, 0.05 mL of this mixed was added to the conjugated with 296 MBq of 99mTcO-4. The final mixture was incubated at room temperature (18-25°C) for 30 min. Radiochemical purity of the labeled solution was studied by chromatography, to evaluate (99m)Tc-Tricine, (99m)TcO2.H2O, and free (99m)TcO4 (-). Radiochemical purity was also evaluated by HPLC. Stability studies were tested in solution at 4°C and lyophilized at 4°C. Biodistribution studies were performed in healthy CD-1 female mice at 2, 5, and 24 h (n = 3) and CD-1 female mice spontaneous breast adenocarcinoma (n = 3). Scintigraphic images of spontaneous breast adenocarcinoma in female CD-1 mice were acquired in a gamma camera at 2, 5, and 24 h post-injection. Labeling was easily performed with high yields (>90%) and radiopharmaceutical stability for 24 h post-labeling. Stability studies revealed that antibody derivative must be lyophilized for undamaged storage. Biodistribution studies and imaging revealed excellent uptake in the tumor. Based on the results it was concluded that (99m)Tc-HYNIC-Trastuzumab could be a promising

Microfluidic 68Ga-labeling: a proof of principle study.

PubMed

Pfaff, Sarah; Philippe, Cecile; Pichler, Verena; Hacker, Marcus; Mitterhauser, Markus; Wadsak, Wolfgang

2018-05-01

Positron emission tomography (PET) as a tool for molecular imaging of cancer has gained huge interest in the last few years. Gallium-68 is a popular PET nuclide due to its favorable characteristics, like advantageous half-life (68 min) and independency of a cyclotron on-site for its production. Accordingly, several 68Ga-complexes for cancer imaging via PET have been made available during the last few years. In this work, 68Ga-labeled compounds were synthesized applying a commercially available microfluidic device for the first time. Therefore, a proof of principle study using three important radiotracers, [68Ga]Ga-PSMA-11, [68Ga]Ga-NODAGA-RGDyk and [68Ga]Ga-DOTA-NOC, was designed. For all three radioligands, various synthesis parameters were evaluated and the feasibility of using a continuous flow reactor was assessed. All of the precursors were successfully radiolabeled with a radiochemical yield higher than 80%, proving the principle that a microfluidic set-up is a suitable approach for the production of 68Ga-labeled tracers.

Selective information seeking: can consumers' avoidance of evidence-based information on colorectal cancer screening be explained by the theory of cognitive dissonance?

PubMed Central

Steckelberg, Anke; Kasper, Jürgen; Mühlhauser, Ingrid

2007-01-01

Background: Evidence-based patient information (EBPI) is a prerequisite for informed decision-making. However, presentation of EBPI may lead to irrational reactions causing avoidance, minimisation and devaluation of the information. Objective: To explore whether the theory of cognitive dissonance is applicable to medical decision-making and useful to explain these phenomena. Setting and participants: 261 volunteers from Hamburg (157 women), ≥50 years old without diagnosis of colorectal cancer. Design and variables: Within an experiment we simulated information seeking on colorectal cancer screening. Consumers’ attitudes towards screening were surveyed using a rating scale from -5 (participate in no way) to +5 (participate unconditionally) (independent variable). Using a cover story, participants were asked to sort 5 article headlines according to their reading preferences. The headlines simulated the pro to contra variety of contents to be found in print media about colorectal cancer screening. The dependent variable was the sequence of article headlines. Results: Participants were very much in favour of screening with scores for faecal occult blood test of 4.0 (0.1) and for colonoscopy 3.3 (0.1). According to our hypothesis we found statistically significant positive correlations between the stimuli in favour of screening and attitudes and significant negative correlations between the stimuli against screening and attitudes. Conclusion: The theory of cognitive dissonance is applicable to medical decision-making. It may explain some phenomena of irrational reactions to evidence-based patient information. PMID:19675713

Extracting genetic alteration information for personalized cancer therapy from ClinicalTrials.gov.

PubMed

Xu, Jun; Lee, Hee-Jin; Zeng, Jia; Wu, Yonghui; Zhang, Yaoyun; Huang, Liang-Chin; Johnson, Amber; Holla, Vijaykumar; Bailey, Ann M; Cohen, Trevor; Meric-Bernstam, Funda; Bernstam, Elmer V; Xu, Hua

2016-07-01

Clinical trials investigating drugs that target specific genetic alterations in tumors are important for promoting personalized cancer therapy. The goal of this project is to create a knowledge base of cancer treatment trials with annotations about genetic alterations from ClinicalTrials.gov. We developed a semi-automatic framework that combines advanced text-processing techniques with manual review to curate genetic alteration information in cancer trials. The framework consists of a document classification system to identify cancer treatment trials from ClinicalTrials.gov and an information extraction system to extract gene and alteration pairs from the Title and Eligibility Criteria sections of clinical trials. By applying the framework to trials at ClinicalTrials.gov, we created a knowledge base of cancer treatment trials with genetic alteration annotations. We then evaluated each component of the framework against manually reviewed sets of clinical trials and generated descriptive statistics of the knowledge base. The automated cancer treatment trial identification system achieved a high precision of 0.9944. Together with the manual review process, it identified 20 193 cancer treatment trials from ClinicalTrials.gov. The automated gene-alteration extraction system achieved a precision of 0.8300 and a recall of 0.6803. After validation by manual review, we generated a knowledge base of 2024 cancer trials that are labeled with specific genetic alteration information. Analysis of the knowledge base revealed the trend of increased use of targeted therapy for cancer, as well as top frequent gene-alteration pairs of interest. We expect this knowledge base to be a valuable resource for physicians and patients who are seeking information about personalized cancer therapy. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the American Medical Informatics Association. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Evaluation of Efficacy of Radioimmunotherapy with 90Y-Labeled Fully Human Anti-Transferrin Receptor Monoclonal Antibody in Pancreatic Cancer Mouse Models

PubMed Central

Sugyo, Aya; Tsuji, Atsushi B.; Sudo, Hitomi; Okada, Maki; Koizumi, Mitsuru; Satoh, Hirokazu; Kurosawa, Gene; Kurosawa, Yoshikazu; Saga, Tsuneo

2015-01-01

Objective Pancreatic cancer is an aggressive tumor and the prognosis remains poor. Therefore, development of more effective therapy is needed. We previously reported that 89Zr-labeled TSP-A01, an antibody against transferrin receptor (TfR), is highly accumulated in a pancreatic cancer xenograft, but not in major normal organs. In the present study, we evaluated the efficacy of radioimmunotherapy (RIT) with 90Y-TSP-A01 in pancreatic cancer mouse models. Methods TfR expression in pancreatic cancer cell lines (AsPC-1, BxPC-3, MIAPaCa-2) was evaluated by immunofluorescence staining. 111In-labeled anti-TfR antibodies (TSP-A01, TSP-A02) were evaluated in vitro by cell binding assay with the three cell lines and by competitive inhibition assay with MIAPaCa-2. In vivo biodistribution was evaluated in mice bearing BxPC-3 and MIAPaCa-2 xenografts. Tumor volumes of BxPC-3 and MIAPaCa-2 were sequentially measured after 90Y-TSP-A01 injection and histological analysis of tumors was conducted. Results MIAPaCa-2 cells showed the highest TfR expression, followed by AsPC-1 and BxPC-3 cells. 111In-TSP-A01 and 111In-TSP-A02 bound specifically to the three cell lines according to TfR expression. The dissociation constants for TSP-A01, DOTA-TSP-A01, TSP-A02, and DOTA-TSP-A02 were 0.22, 0.28, 0.17, and 0.22 nM, respectively. 111In-TSP-A01 was highly accumulated in tumors, especially in MIAPaCa-2, but this was not true of 111In-TSP-A02. The absorbed dose for 90Y-TSP-A01 was estimated to be 8.3 Gy/MBq to BxPC-3 and 12.4 Gy/MBq to MIAPaCa-2. MIAPaCa-2 tumors treated with 3.7 MBq of 90Y-TSP-A01 had almost completely disappeared around 3 weeks after injection and regrowth was not observed. Growth of BxPC-3 tumors was inhibited by 3.7 MBq of 90Y-TSP-A01, but the tumor size was not reduced. Conclusion 90Y-TSP-A01 treatment achieved an almost complete response in MIAPaCa-2 tumors, whereas it merely inhibited the growth of BxPC-3 tumors. 90Y-TSP-A01 is a promising RIT agent for pancreatic cancer

Colloid labelled with radionuclide and method

DOEpatents

Atcher, R.W.; Hines, J.J.

1990-11-13

A ferric hydroxide colloid having an alpha-emitting radionuclide essentially on the outer surfaces and a method of forming same. The method includes oxidizing a ferrous hydroxide to ferric hydroxide in the presence of a preselected radionuclide to form a colloid having the radionuclide on the outer surface thereof, and thereafter washing the colloid, and suspending the washed colloid in a suitable solution. The labelled colloid is useful in cancer therapy and for the treatment of inflamed joints. No Drawings

The Influences of Immigration on Health Information Seeking Behaviors among Korean Americans and Native Koreans

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Oh, Kyeung Mi; Zhou, Qiuping; Kreps, Gary; Kim, Wonsun

2014-01-01

Korean Americans (KAs) have low screening rates for cancer and are often not well informed about their chronic diseases. Reduced access to health-related information is one reason for gaps in knowledge and the widening health disparities among minority populations. However, little research exists about KAs' health information seeking behaviors.…

Synthesis and preliminary in vitro biological evaluation of new carbon-11-labeled celecoxib derivatives as candidate PET tracers for imaging of COX-2 expression in cancer.

PubMed

Gao, Mingzhang; Wang, Min; Miller, Kathy D; Zheng, Qi-Huang

2011-09-01

The enzyme cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) is overexpressed in a variety of malignant tumors. This study was designed to develop new radiotracers for imaging of COX-2 in cancer using biomedical imaging technique positron emission tomography (PET). Carbon-11-labeled celecoxib derivatives, [(11)C]4a-c and [(11)C]8a-d, were prepared by O-[(11)C] methylation of their corresponding precursors using [(11)C]CH(3)OTf under basic conditions and isolated by a simplified solid-phase extraction (SPE) method in 52 ± 2% (n = 5) and 57 ± 3% (n = 5) radiochemical yields based on [(11)C]CO(2) and decay corrected to end of bombardment (EOB). The overall synthesis time from EOB was 23 min, the radiochemical purity was >99%, and the specific activity at end of synthesis (EOS) was 277.5 ± 92.5 GBq/μmol (n = 5). The IC(50) values to block COX-2 for known compounds celecoxib (4d), 4a and 4c were 40, 290 and 8 nM, respectively, and preliminary findings from in vitro biological assay indicated that the synthesized new compounds 4b and 8a-d display similar strong inhibitory effectiveness in the MDA-MB-435 human cancer cell line in comparison with the parent compound 4d. These results encourage further in vivo evaluation of carbon-11-labeled celecoxib derivatives as new potential PET radiotracers for imaging of COX-2 expression in cancer. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Care Seeking after Stroke Symptoms

PubMed Central

Howard, Virginia J.; Lackland, Daniel T.; Lichtman, Judith H.; McClure, Leslie A.; Howard, George; Wagner, Libby; Pulley, LeaVonne; Gomez, Camilo R.

2013-01-01

Objective To assess risk factors associated with seeking care for stroke symptoms. Methods Using data from the population-based national cohort study (REasons for Geographic And Racial Differences in Stroke) conducted January 25, 2003–February 28, 2007 (N = 23,664), we assessed care-seeking behavior among 3,668 participants who reported a physician diagnosis of stroke/transient ischemic attack (n = 647) or stroke symptoms (n = 3,021) during follow-up. Care seeking was defined as seeking medical attention after stroke symptoms or a physician diagnosis. Results Overall, 58.5% of participants (2,146/3,668) sought medical care. In multivariable models, higher income was associated with greater likelihood of seeking care ( p = 0.02): participants with income of ≥$75,000 had odds 1.43 times (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.02–2.02) greater than those with income of less than $20,000. Diabetes and previous heart disease were associated with increased care seeking: odds ratio (OR) of 1.23 (95% CI, 1.04 –1.47) and OR of 1.26 (95% CI, 1.06– 1.49), respectively. Participants with previous stroke symptoms but no stroke history were less likely to seek care than those with stroke history or without previous symptoms (OR, 0.80; 95% CI, 0.67– 0.96). Past smoking was associated with lower likelihood (OR, 0.71; 95% CI, 0.59–0.85; p = 0.0003) of seeking care relative to nonsmokers. Interpretation Only approximately half of participants with stroke symptoms sought care. This is despite the encouragement of advocacy groups to seek prompt attention for stroke symptoms. Our results highlight the importance of identifying characteristics associated with care-seeking behavior. Recognizing factors that contribute to delays provides opportunities to enhance education on the importance of seeking care for stroke symptoms. PMID:18360830

Presence seeking and sensation seeking as motives for international travel.

PubMed

Fontaine, G

1994-12-01

Although independent research has identified presence seeking and sensation seeking as important motives for a variety of activities, there is sufficient conceptual overlap to suggest the concepts describe in part the same motive or are related. The possible relationship was examined in motives of students for international travel. Nonsignificant correlations suggest that, at least for this activity, they are differentiable.

Label Review Training: Module 1: Label Basics, Page 21

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

This module of the pesticide label review training provides basic information about pesticides, their labeling and regulation, and the core principles of pesticide label review. Learn about types of labels.

Label Review Training: Module 1: Label Basics, Page 20

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

This module of the pesticide label review training provides basic information about pesticides, their labeling and regulation, and the core principles of pesticide label review. This section focuses on supplemental labeling.

Label Review Training: Module 1: Label Basics, Page 22

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

This module of the pesticide label review training provides basic information about pesticides, their labeling and regulation, and the core principles of pesticide label review. Learn about what labels require review.

Label Review Training: Module 1: Label Basics, Page 19

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

This module of the pesticide label review training provides basic information about pesticides, their labeling and regulation, and the core principles of pesticide label review. This section covers supplemental distributor labeling.

Label Review Training: Module 1: Label Basics, Page 18

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

This module of the pesticide label review training provides basic information about pesticides, their labeling and regulation, and the core principles of pesticide label review. This section discusses the types of labels.

Label Review Training: Module 1: Label Basics, Page 26

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

This module of the pesticide label review training provides basic information about pesticides, their labeling and regulation, and the core principles of pesticide label review. Learn about mandatory and advisory label statements.

Label Review Training: Module 1: Label Basics, Page 15

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

This module of the pesticide label review training provides basic information about pesticides, their labeling and regulation, and the core principles of pesticide label review. Learn about the consequences of improper labeling.

Label Review Training: Module 1: Label Basics, Page 14

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

This module of the pesticide label review training provides basic information about pesticides, their labeling and regulation, and the core principles of pesticide label review. Learn about positive effects from proper labeling.

Label-free isolation of circulating tumor cells in microfluidic devices: Current research and perspectives.

PubMed

Cima, Igor; Wen Yee, Chay; Iliescu, Florina S; Phyo, Wai Min; Lim, Kiat Hon; Iliescu, Ciprian; Tan, Min Han

2013-01-01

This review will cover the recent advances in label-free approaches to isolate and manipulate circulating tumor cells (CTCs). In essence, label-free approaches do not rely on antibodies or biological markers for labeling the cells of interest, but enrich them using the differential physical properties intrinsic to cancer and blood cells. We will discuss technologies that isolate cells based on their biomechanical and electrical properties. Label-free approaches to analyze CTCs have been recently invoked as a valid alternative to "marker-based" techniques, because classical epithelial and tumor markers are lost on some CTC populations and there is no comprehensive phenotypic definition for CTCs. We will highlight the advantages and drawbacks of these technologies and the status on their implementation in the clinics.

The SEEK Program: A SEEK Student's View. Community Issues, July 1970.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Robinson, Jackie

The Search for Elevation through Education and Knowledge (SEEK) experience at Queens College has been a hectic and strained undertaking, culminating in a confrontation between black and white students which gained national attention. The white community at Queens reacted negatively towards SEEK students, faculty, and counseling staff. The…

Parental help-seeking in primary care for child and adolescent mental health concerns: qualitative study.

PubMed

Sayal, Kapil; Tischler, Victoria; Coope, Caroline; Robotham, Sarah; Ashworth, Mark; Day, Crispin; Tylee, Andre; Simonoff, Emily

2010-12-01

Child and adolescent mental health problems are common in primary care. However, few parents of children with mental health problems express concerns about these problems during consultations. To explore the factors influencing parental help-seeking for children with emotional or behavioural difficulties. Focus group discussions with 34 parents from non-specialist community settings who had concerns about their child's mental health. All groups were followed by validation groups or semi-structured interviews. Most children had clinically significant mental health symptoms or associated impairment in function. Appointment systems were a key barrier, as many parents felt that short appointments did not allow sufficient time to address their child's difficulties. Continuity of care and trusting relationships with general practitioners (GPs) who validated their concerns were perceived to facilitate help-seeking. Parents valued GPs who showed an interest in their child and family situation. Barriers to seeking help included embarrassment, stigma of mental health problems, and concerns about being labelled or receiving a diagnosis. Some parents were concerned about being judged a poor parent and their child being removed from the family should they seek help. Primary healthcare is a key resource for children and young people with emotional and behavioural difficulties and their families. Primary care services should be able to provide ready access to health professionals with an interest in children and families and appointments of sufficient length so that parents feel able to discuss their mental health concerns.

Fact Sheet | Division of Cancer Prevention

Cancer.gov

What is the Alliance of Glycobiologists for Detection of Cancer? The Alliance is a trans-National Institutes of Health initiative to discover and develop new classes of molecular markers that can be used to detect cancer early. This effort seeks to discover, develop, and clinically validate cancer biomarkers by targeting complex carbohydrates, or the "glycan," part of a

Postdoctoral Fellow | Center for Cancer Research

Cancer.gov

The Women's Malignancies Branch (WMB), Center for Cancer Research (CCR), National Cancer Institute (NCI) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) is seeking outstanding postdoctoral candidates interested in studying DNA repair and cell cycle pathways in the context of ovarian cancer and drug resistance. Our broad goal is to explore the molecular and cellular mechanisms of

Label Review Training: Module 1: Label Basics, Page 24

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

This module of the pesticide label review training provides basic information about pesticides, their labeling and regulation, and the core principles of pesticide label review. This page is about which labels require review.

Label Review Training: Module 1: Label Basics, Page 17

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

This module of the pesticide label review training provides basic information about pesticides, their labeling and regulation, and the core principles of pesticide label review. See an overview of the importance of labels.

Label Review Training: Module 1: Label Basics, Page 27

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

This module of the pesticide label review training provides basic information about pesticides, their labeling and regulation, and the core principles of pesticide label review. See examples of mandatory and advisory label statements.

Label Review Training: Module 1: Label Basics, Page 23

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

This module of the pesticide label review training provides basic information about pesticides, their labeling and regulation, and the core principles of pesticide label review. Lists types of labels that do not require review.

Neurokinin-1 receptor antagonism attenuates neuronal activity triggered by stress-induced reinstatement of alcohol seeking.

PubMed

Schank, J R; Nelson, B S; Damadzic, R; Tapocik, J D; Yao, M; King, C E; Rowe, K E; Cheng, K; Rice, K C; Heilig, M

2015-12-01

Substance P (SP) and its cognate neurokinin-1 receptor (NK1R) are involved in alcohol-related behaviors. We have previously reported that NK1R antagonism attenuates stress-induced reinstatement of alcohol seeking and suppresses escalated alcohol self-administration, but does not affect primary reinforcement or cue-induced reinstatement. Here, we administered an NK1R antagonist or vehicle prior to footshock-induced reinstatement of alcohol seeking, and mapped the resulting neuronal activation using Fos immunohistochemistry. As expected, vehicle treated animals exposed to footshock showed induction of Fos immunoreactivity in several regions of the brain stress circuitry, including the amygdala (AMG), nucleus accumbens (NAC), dorsal raphe nucleus (DR), prefrontal cortex (PFC), and bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST). NK1R antagonism selectively suppressed the stress-induced increase in Fos in the DR and NAC shell. In the DR, Fos-induction by stress largely overlapped with tryptophan hydroxylase (TrpH), indicating activation of serotonergic neurons. Of NAC shell neurons activated during stress-induced reinstatement of alcohol seeking, about 30% co-expressed dynorphin (DYN), while 70% co-expressed enkephalin (ENK). Few (<1%) activated NAC shell neurons coexpressed choline acetyltransferase (ChAT), which labels the cholinergic interneurons of this region. Infusion of the NK1R antagonist L822429 into the NAC shell blocked stress-induced reinstatement of alcohol seeking. In contrast, L822429 infusion into the DR had no effect, suggesting that the influence of NK1R signaling on neuronal activity in the DR is indirect. Taken together, our results outline a potential pathway through which endogenous NK1R activation mediates stress-induced alcohol seeking. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Small-Animal PET Imaging of Pancreatic Cancer Xenografts Using a 64Cu-Labeled Monoclonal Antibody, MAb159.

PubMed

Wang, Hui; Li, Dan; Liu, Shuanglong; Liu, Ren; Yuan, Hong; Krasnoperov, Valery; Shan, Hong; Conti, Peter S; Gill, Parkash S; Li, Zibo

2015-06-01

Overexpression of the GRP78 receptor on cell surfaces has been linked with tumor growth, metastasis, and resistance to therapy. We developed a (64)Cu-labeled probe for PET imaging of tumor GRP78 expression based on a novel anti-GRP78 monoclonal antibody, MAb159. MAb159 was conjugated with the (64)Cu-chelator DOTA through lysines on the antibody. DOTA-human IgG was also prepared as a control that did not bind to GRP78. The resulting PET probes were evaluated in BXPC3 pancreatic cancer xenografts in athymic nude mice. The radiotracer was synthesized with a specific activity of 0.8 MBq/μg of antibody. In BXPC3 xenografts, (64)Cu-DOTA-MAb159 demonstrated prominent tumor accumulation (4.3 ± 1.2, 15.4 ± 2.6, and 18.3 ± 1.0 percentage injected dose per gram at 1, 17, and 48 after injection, respectively). In contrast, (64)Cu-DOTA-human IgG had low BXPC3 tumor accumulation (4.8 ± 0.5, 7.5 ± 0.7, and 4.6 ± 0.8 percentage injected dose per gram at 1, 17, and 48 h after injection, respectively). We demonstrated that GRP78 can serve as a valid target for pancreatic cancer imaging. The success of this approach will be valuable for evaluating disease course and therapeutic efficacy at the earliest stages of anti-GRP78 treatment. Moreover, these newly developed probes may have important applications in other types of cancer overexpressing GRP78. © 2015 by the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging, Inc.

Label Review Training: Module 1: Label Basics, Page 16

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

This module of the pesticide label review training provides basic information about pesticides, their labeling and regulation, and the core principles of pesticide label review. Learn about the importance of labels and the role in enforcement.

[Classification and characteristics of interval cancers in the Principality of Asturias's Breast Cancer Screening Program].

PubMed

Prieto García, M A; Delgado Sevillano, R; Baldó Sierra, C; González Díaz, E; López Secades, A; Llavona Amor, J A; Vidal Marín, B

2013-09-01

To review and classify the interval cancers found in the Principality of Asturias's Breast Cancer Screening Program (PDPCM). A secondary objective was to determine the histological characteristics, size, and stage of the interval cancers at the time of diagnosis. We included the interval cancers in the PDPCM in the period 2003-2007. Interval cancers were classified according to the breast cancer screening program protocol, with double reading without consensus, without blinding, with arbitration. Mammograms were interpreted by 10 radiologists in the PDPCM. A total of 33.7% of the interval cancers could not be classified; of the interval cancers that could be classified, 40.67% were labeled true interval cancers, 31.4% were labeled false negatives on screening, 23.7% had minimal signs, and 4.23% were considered occult. A total of 70% of the interval cancers were diagnosed in the year of the period between screening examinations and 71.7% were diagnosed after subsequent screening. A total of 76.9% were invasive ductal carcinomas, 61.1% were stage II when detected, and 78.7% were larger than 10mm when detected. The rate of interval cancers and the rate of false negatives in the PDPCM are higher than those recommended in the European guidelines. Interval cancers are diagnosed later than the tumors detected at screening. Studying interval cancers provides significant training for the radiologists in the PDPCM. Copyright © 2011 SERAM. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.

The influence of calorie labeling on food orders and consumption: A review of the literature1

PubMed Central

Kiszko, Kamila M.; Martinez, Olivia D.; Abrams, Courtney; Elbel, Brian

2014-01-01

Obesity is a challenging public health problem that affects millions of Americans. Increasingly policy makers are seeking environmental and policy-based solutions to combat and prevent its serious health effects. Calorie labeling mandates, including the provision in the 2010 Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act that is set to begin in 2014, have been one of the most popular and most studied approaches. This review examines 31 studies published from January 1, 2007 through July 19, 2013. It builds on Harnack and French's 2008 review and assesses the evidence on the effectiveness of calorie labeling at the point of purchase. We find that, while there are some positive results reported from studies examining the effects of calorie labeling, overall the best designed studies (real world studies, with a comparison group) show that calorie labels do not have the desired effect in reducing total calories ordered at the population level. Moving forward, researchers should consider novel, more effective ways of presenting nutrition information, while keeping a focus on particular subgroups that may be differentially affected by nutrition policies. PMID:24760208

Does Context Matter? Examining PRISM as a Guiding Framework for Context-Specific Health Risk Information Seeking Among Young Adults.

PubMed

Willoughby, Jessica Fitts; Myrick, Jessica Gall

2016-06-01

Research indicates that when people seek health information, they typically look for information about a specific symptom, preventive measure, disease, or treatment. It is unclear, however, whether general or disease-specific theoretical models best predict how people search for health information. We surveyed undergraduates (N = 963) at a large public southeastern university to examine health information seeking in two incongruent health contexts (sexual health and cancer) to test whether a general model would hold for specific topics that differed in their immediate personal relevance for the target population. We found that the planned risk information seeking model was statistically a good fit for the data. Yet multiple predicted paths were not supported in either data set. Certain variables, such as attitudes, norms, and affect, appear to be strong predictors of intentions to seek information across health contexts. Implications for theory building, research methodology, and applied work in health-related risk information seeking are discussed.

Improved facial nerve identification during parotidectomy with fluorescently labeled peptide.

PubMed

Hussain, Timon; Nguyen, Linda T; Whitney, Michael; Hasselmann, Jonathan; Nguyen, Quyen T

2016-12-01

Additional intraoperative guidance could reduce the risk of iatrogenic injury during parotid gland cancer surgery. We evaluated the intraoperative use of fluorescently labeled nerve binding peptide NP41 to aid facial nerve identification and preservation during parotidectomy in an orthotopic model of murine parotid gland cancer. We also quantified the accuracy of intraoperative nerve detection for surface and buried nerves in the head and neck with NP41 versus white light (WL) alone. Twenty-eight mice underwent parotid gland cancer surgeries with additional fluorescence (FL) guidance versus WL reflectance (WLR) alone. Eight mice were used for additional nerve-imaging experiments. Twenty-eight parotid tumor-bearing mice underwent parotidectomy. Eight mice underwent imaging of both sides of the face after skin removal. Postoperative assessment of facial nerve function measured by automated whisker tracking were compared between FL guidance (n = 13) versus WL alone (n=15). In eight mice, nerve to surrounding tissue contrast was measured under FL versus WLR for all nerve branches detectable in the field of view. Postoperative facial nerve function after parotid gland cancer surgery tended to be better with additional FL guidance. Fluorescent labeling significantly improved nerve to surrounding tissue contrast for both large and smaller buried nerve branches compared to WLR visualization and improved detection sensitivity and specificity. NP41 FL imaging significantly aids the intraoperative identification of nerve braches otherwise nearly invisible to the naked eye. Its application in a murine model of parotid gland cancer surgery tended to improve functional preservation of the facial nerve. NA Laryngoscope, 126:2711-2717, 2016. © 2016 The American Laryngological, Rhinological and Otological Society, Inc.

Intact stable isotope labeled plasma proteins from the SILAC-labeled HepG2 secretome.

PubMed

Mangrum, John B; Martin, Erika J; Brophy, Donald F; Hawkridge, Adam M

2015-09-01

The plasma proteome remains an attractive biospecimen for MS-based biomarker discovery studies. The success of these efforts relies on the continued development of quantitative MS-based proteomics approaches. Herein we report the use of the SILAC-labeled HepG2 secretome as a source for stable isotope labeled plasma proteins for quantitative LC-MS/MS measurements. The HepG2 liver cancer cell line secretes the major plasma proteins including serum albumin, apolipoproteins, protease inhibitors, coagulation factors, and transporters that represent some of the most abundant proteins in plasma. The SILAC-labeled HepG2 secretome was collected, spiked into human plasma (1:1 total protein), and then processed for LC-MS/MS analysis. A total of 62 and 56 plasma proteins were quantified (heavy:light (H/L) peptide pairs) from undepleted and depleted (serum albumin and IgG), respectively, with log2 H/L = ± 6. Major plasma proteins quantified included albumin, apolipoproteins (e.g., APOA1, APOA2, APOA4, APOB, APOC3, APOE, APOH, and APOM), protease inhibitors (e.g., A2M and SERPINs), coagulation factors (e.g., Factor V, Factor X, fibrinogen), and transport proteins (e.g., TTR). The average log2 H/L values for shared plasma proteins in both undepleted and depleted plasma samples were 0.43 and 0.44, respectively. This work further expands the SILAC strategy into MS-based biomarker discovery of clinical biospecimens. © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Improved Personalized Cancer Immunotherapy | NCI Technology Transfer Center | TTC

Cancer.gov

The National Cancer Institute’s Surgery Branch seeks partners interested in collaborative research to co-develop adoptive transfer of tumor infiltrating leukocytes (TIL) for cancers other than melanoma.

Label-free image-based detection of drug resistance with optofluidic time-stretch microscopy (Conference Presentation)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kobayashi, Hirofumi; Lei, Cheng; Mao, Ailin; Jiang, Yiyue; Guo, Baoshan; Ozeki, Yasuyuki; Goda, Keisuke

2017-02-01

Acquired drug resistance is a fundamental predicament in cancer therapy. Early detection of drug-resistant cancer cells during or after treatment is expected to benefit patients from unnecessary drug administration and thus play a significant role in the development of a therapeutic strategy. However, the development of an effective method of detecting drug-resistant cancer cells is still in its infancy due to their complex mechanism in drug resistance. To address this problem, we propose and experimentally demonstrate label-free image-based drug resistance detection with optofluidic time-stretch microscopy using leukemia cells (K562 and K562/ADM). By adding adriamycin (ADM) to both K562 and K562/ADM (ADM-resistant K562 cells) cells, both types of cells express unique morphological changes, which are subsequently captured by an optofluidic time-stretch microscope. These unique morphological changes are extracted as image features and are subjected to supervised machine learning for cell classification. We hereby have successfully differentiated K562 and K562/ADM solely with label-free images, which suggests that our technique is capable of detecting drug-resistant cancer cells. Our optofluidic time-stretch microscope consists of a time-stretch microscope with a high spatial resolution of 780 nm at a 1D frame rate of 75 MHz and a microfluidic device that focuses and orders cells. We compare various machine learning algorithms as well as various concentrations of ADM for cell classification. Owing to its unprecedented versatility of using label-free image and its independency from specific molecules, our technique holds great promise for detecting drug resistance of cancer cells for which its underlying mechanism is still unknown or chemical probes are still unavailable.

Radionuclide 131I-labeled multifunctional dendrimers for targeted SPECT imaging and radiotherapy of tumors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhu, Jingyi; Zhao, Lingzhou; Cheng, Yongjun; Xiong, Zhijuan; Tang, Yueqin; Shen, Mingwu; Zhao, Jinhua; Shi, Xiangyang

2015-10-01

We report the synthesis, characterization, and utilization of radioactive 131I-labeled multifunctional dendrimers for targeted single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) imaging and radiotherapy of tumors. In this study, amine-terminated poly(amidoamine) dendrimers of generation 5 (G5.NH2) were sequentially modified with 3-(4'-hydroxyphenyl)propionic acid-OSu (HPAO) and folic acid (FA) linked with polyethylene glycol (PEG), followed by acetylation modification of the dendrimer remaining surface amines and labeling of radioactive iodine-131 (131I). The generated multifunctional 131I-G5.NHAc-HPAO-PEG-FA dendrimers were characterized via different methods. We show that prior to 131I labeling, the G5.NHAc-HPAO-PEG-FA dendrimers conjugated with approximately 9.4 HPAO moieties per dendrimer are noncytotoxic at a concentration up to 20 μM and are able to target cancer cells overexpressing FA receptors (FAR), thanks to the modified FA ligands. In the presence of a phenol group, radioactive 131I is able to be efficiently labeled onto the dendrimer platform with good stability and high radiochemical purity, and render the platform with an ability for targeted SPECT imaging and radiotherapy of an FAR-overexpressing xenografted tumor model in vivo. The designed strategy to use the facile dendrimer nanotechnology may be extended to develop various radioactive theranostic nanoplatforms for targeted SPECT imaging and radiotherapy of different types of cancer.We report the synthesis, characterization, and utilization of radioactive 131I-labeled multifunctional dendrimers for targeted single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) imaging and radiotherapy of tumors. In this study, amine-terminated poly(amidoamine) dendrimers of generation 5 (G5.NH2) were sequentially modified with 3-(4'-hydroxyphenyl)propionic acid-OSu (HPAO) and folic acid (FA) linked with polyethylene glycol (PEG), followed by acetylation modification of the dendrimer remaining surface amines and

Method of making colloid labeled with radionuclide

DOEpatents

Atcher, Robert W.; Hines, John J.

1991-01-01

A ferric hydroxide colloid having an alpha-emitting radionuclide essentially on the outer surfaces and a method of forming same. The method includes oxidizing a ferrous hydroxide to ferric hydroxide in the presence of a preselected radionuclide to form a colloid having the radionuclide on the outer surface thereof, and thereafter washing the colloid, and suspending the washed colloid in a suitable solution. The labelled colloid is useful in cancer therapy and for the treatment of inflamed joints.

"Off Label" Use of FDA-Approved Devices and Digital Breast Tomosynthesis.

PubMed

Kopans, Daniel B

2015-11-01

The purpose of this article is to clarify for radiologists the meaning of U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval with respect to Digital Breast Tomosynthesis (DBT). DBT is a major improvement over 2D mammography in the detection of cancers (sensitivity) and the reduction in recalls resulting from screening (specificity). Most imaging systems that have been approved by the FDA are used "off label" for breast imaging. Although the FDA determines which claims a manufacturer can make for a device, physicians may use approved devices, such as DBT, off label to provide better patient care.

Measuring the labeling efficiency of pseudocontinuous arterial spin labeling.

PubMed

Chen, Zhensen; Zhang, Xingxing; Yuan, Chun; Zhao, Xihai; van Osch, Matthias J P

2017-05-01

Optimization and validation of a sequence for measuring the labeling efficiency of pseudocontinuous arterial spin labeling (pCASL) perfusion MRI. The proposed sequence consists of a labeling module and a single slice Look-Locker echo planar imaging readout. A model-based algorithm was used to calculate labeling efficiency from the signal acquired from the main brain-feeding arteries. Stability of the labeling efficiency measurement was evaluated with regard to the use of cardiac triggering, flow compensation and vein signal suppression. Accuracy of the measurement was assessed by comparing the measured labeling efficiency to mean brain pCASL signal intensity over a wide range of flip angles as applied in the pCASL labeling. Simulations show that the proposed algorithm can effectively calculate labeling efficiency when correcting for T1 relaxation of the blood spins. Use of cardiac triggering and vein signal suppression improved stability of the labeling efficiency measurement, while flow compensation resulted in little improvement. The measured labeling efficiency was found to be linearly (R = 0.973; P < 0.001) related to brain pCASL signal intensity over a wide range of pCASL flip angles. The optimized labeling efficiency sequence provides robust artery-specific labeling efficiency measurement within a short acquisition time (∼30 s), thereby enabling improved accuracy of pCASL CBF quantification. Magn Reson Med 77:1841-1852, 2017. © 2016 International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine Magn Reson Med 77:1841-1852, 2017. © 2016 International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine. © 2016 International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine.

Characteristics of cancer patients presenting to an integrative medicine practice-based research network.

PubMed

Edman, Joel S; Roberts, Rhonda S; Dusek, Jeffery A; Dolor, Rowena; Wolever, Ruth Q; Abrams, Donald I

2014-09-01

To assess psychosocial characteristics, symptoms and reasons for seeking integrative medicine (IM) care in cancer patients presenting to IM clinical practices. A survey of 3940 patients was conducted at 8 IM sites. Patient reported outcome measures were collected and clinicians provided health status data. This analysis compares 353 participants self-identified as cancer patients with the larger noncancer cohort. Mean age of the cancer cohort was 55.0 years. Participants were predominantly white (85.9%), female (76.4%), and well educated (80.5% completed college). For 15.2% of cancer patients, depression scores were consistent with depressive symptoms, and average scores for perceived stress were higher than normal, but neither were significantly different from noncancer patients. The most prevalent comorbid symptoms were chronic pain (39.8%), fatigue (33.5%), and insomnia (23.3%). In the cancer cohort, perceived stress was significantly associated with depression, fatigue, insomnia, pain, and QOL. Cancer patients who chose an IM clinical practice "seeking healthcare settings that address spirituality as an aspect of care" had significantly higher levels of perceived stress, depression, and pain than those not selecting this reason. Demographic characteristics, depression scores, perceived stress scores, and reasons for seeking integrative cancer care were not significantly different between cancer patients and noncancer patients. Perceived stress may be an important indicator of QOL. The association of perceived stress, depression and pain with seeking spirituality suggests that providing IM interventions, such as effective stress management techniques and pastoral or spiritual counseling, may be helpful to patients living with cancer. © The Author(s) 2014.

International Review of the Development and Implementation of Energy Efficiency Standards and Labeling Programs

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Zhou, Nan; Zheng, Nina; Fridley, David

2012-02-28

Appliance energy efficiency standards and labeling (S&L) programs have been important policy tools for regulating the efficiency of energy-using products for over 40 years and continue to expand in terms of geographic and product coverage. The most common S&L programs include mandatory minimum energy performance standards (MEPS) that seek to push the market for efficient products, and energy information and endorsement labels that seek to pull the market. This study seeks to review and compare some of the earliest and most well-developed S&L programs in three countries and one region: the U.S. MEPS and ENERGY STAR, Australia MEPS and Energymore » Label, European Union MEPS and Ecodesign requirements and Energy Label and Japanese Top Runner programs. For each program, key elements of S&L programs are evaluated and comparative analyses across the programs undertaken to identify best practice examples of individual elements as well as cross-cutting factors for success and lessons learned in international S&L program development and implementation. The international review and comparative analysis identified several overarching themes and highlighted some common factors behind successful program elements. First, standard-setting and programmatic implementation can benefit significantly from a legal framework that stipulates a specific timeline or schedule for standard-setting and revision, product coverage and legal sanctions for non-compliance. Second, the different MEPS programs revealed similarities in targeting efficiency gains that are technically feasible and economically justified as the principle for choosing a standard level, in many cases at a level that no product on the current market could reach. Third, detailed survey data such as the U.S. Residential Energy Consumption Survey (RECS) and rigorous analyses provide a strong foundation for standard-setting while incorporating the participation of different groups of stakeholders further strengthen the

Intention to seek professional psychological help among college students in Turkey: influence of help-seeking attitudes

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Depression rates are high among college students in Turkey, but often students do not seek mental health care. This study aimed to examine the association between attitudes toward seeking professional psychological help and intention to seek professional psychological help among such college students. We also examined the factors associated with students’ professional psychological help-seeking attitudes. We conducted this cross-sectional study among 456 conveniently sampled graduate and undergraduate students in Ankara. We collected students’ data using self-administered, structured questionnaires in the Turkish language and then analyzed the data using both descriptive and multivariate methods. Results In the multiple linear regression analyses, students’ attitudes towards seeking professional psychological help were positively associated with intention to seek such help (p < 0.001). Other factors positively associated with students’ attitudes towards seeking professional psychological help included the following: age (p < 0.001), perceived social support from family (p < 0.05), perceived social support from friends (p < 0.01), and perceived social support from significant other (p < 0.05). Students with less positive attitudes toward seeking professional psychological help were more likely to be men (p < 0.001), undergraduate students (p < 0.001), and students who were not aware of the presence of the on-campus counseling center (p < 0.01). Conclusions Students’ positive attitudes toward seeking professional psychological help were positively associated with their intentions to seek such help. To encourage utilization of the counseling center inside the campus more frequently when in need, interventions might be necessary to improve students’ attitudes toward seeking professional psychological help—in particular among young male students. PMID:24313965

Microdistribution of fluorescently-labeled monoclonal antibody in a peritoneal dissemination model of ovarian cancer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kosaka, Nobuyuki; Ogawa, Mikako; Paik, David S.; Paik, Chang H.; Choyke, Peter L.; Kobayashi, Hisataka

2010-02-01

The microdistribution of therapeutic monoclonal antibodies within a tumor is important for determining clinical response. Nonuniform microdistribution predicts therapy failure. Herein, we developed a semiquantitative method for measuring microdistribution of an antibody within a tumor using in situ fluorescence microscopy and sought to modulate the microdistribution by altering the route and timing of antibody dosing. The microdistribution of a fluorescently-labeled antibody, trastuzumab (50-μg and 150-μg intraperitoneal injection (i.p.), and 100-μg intravenous injection (i.v.)) was evaluated in a peritoneal dissemination mouse model of ovarian cancer. In addition, we evaluated the microdistribution of concurrently-injected (30-μg i.p. and 100-μg i.v.) or serial (two doses of 30-μg i.p.) trastuzumab using in situ multicolor fluorescence microscopy. After the administration of 50-μg i.p. and 100-μg i.v. trastuzumab fluorescence imaging showed no significant difference in the central to peripheral signal ratio (C/P ratio) and demonstrated a peripheral-dominant accumulation, whereas administration of 150-μg i.p. trastuzumab showed relatively uniform, central dominant accumulation. With concurrent-i.p.-i.v. injections trastuzumab showed slightly higher C/P ratio than concurrently-injected i.p. trastuzumab. Moreover, in the serial injection study, the second injection of trastuzumab distributed more centrally than the first injection, while no difference was observed in the control group. Our results suggest that injection routes do not affect the microdistribution pattern of antibody in small peritoneal disseminations. However, increasing the dose results in a more uniform antibody distribution within peritoneal nodules. Furthermore, the serial i.p. injection of antibody can modify the microdistribution within tumor nodules. This work has implications for the optimal delivery of antibody based cancer therapies.

Age and violent-content labels make video games forbidden fruits for youth.

PubMed

Bijvank, Marije Nije; Konijn, Elly A; Bushman, Brad J; Roelofsma, Peter H M P

2009-03-01

To protect minors from exposure to video games with objectionable content (eg, violence and sex), the Pan European Game Information developed a classification system for video games (eg, 18+). We tested the hypothesis that this classification system may actually increase the attractiveness of games for children younger than the age rating. Participants were 310 Dutch youth. The design was a 3 (age group: 7-8, 12-13, and 16-17 years) x 2 (participant gender) x 7 (label: 7+, 12+, 16+, 18+, violence, no violence, or no label control) x 2 (game description: violent or nonviolent) mixed factorial. The first 2 factors were between subjects, whereas the last 2 factors were within subjects. Three personality traits (ie, reactance, trait aggressiveness, and sensation seeking) were also included in the analyses. Participants read fictitious video game descriptions and rated how much they wanted to play each game. Results revealed that restrictive age labels and violent-content labels increased the attractiveness of video games for all of the age groups (even 7- to 8-year-olds and girls). Although the Pan European Game Information system was developed to protect youth from objectionable content, this system actually makes such games forbidden fruits. Pediatricians should be aware of this forbidden-fruit effect, because video games with objectionable content can have harmful effects on children and adolescents.

Comparative assessment of a 99mTc labeled H1299.2-HYNIC peptide bearing two different co-ligands for tumor-targeted imaging.

PubMed

Torabizadeh, Seyedeh Atekeh; Abedi, Seyed Mohammad; Noaparast, Zohreh; Hosseinimehr, Seyed Jalal

2017-05-01

Peptides are a class of targeting agents that bind to cancer-specific cell surfaces. Since they specifically target cancer cells, they could be used as molecular imaging tools. In this study, the 15-mer peptide Ac-H1299.2 (YAAWPASGAWTGTAP) was conjugated with HYNIC via lysine amino acid on C-terminus and labeled with 99m Tc using tricine and EDDA/tricine as the co-ligands. These radiotracers were evaluated for potential utilization in diagnostic imaging of ovarian cancer cells (SKOV-3). The cell-specificity of these radiolabeled peptides was determined based on their binding on an ovarian cancer cell line (SKOV-3), and displaying a low affinity for lung adenocarcinoma cell line (A549) and breast cancer cell line (MCF7). Biodistribution studies were conducted in normal mice as well as in nude mice bearing SKOV-3 ovarian cancer xenografts. HYNIC-peptide was labeled with 99m Tc with more than 99% efficiency and showed high stability in buffer and serum. We observed nanomolar binding affinities for both radiolabeled peptides. The tumor uptakes were 3.27%±0.46% and 1.55%±0.20% for tricine and 2.34±1.1% and 1.09%±0.18% for EDDA/tricine at 1 and 4h after injection, respectively. A higher tumor to background ratio and lower radioactivity in the blood were observed for EDDA/tricine co-ligands, leading to clear tumor visualization in imaging with injection of this peptide. This new 99m Tc-labeled peptide selectively targeted ovarian cancer and introduction of a (EDDA/tricine) as a co-ligand improved the pharmacokinetics of 99m Tc-labeled H1299.2 for tumor imaging in animals. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Postdoctoral Fellow | Center for Cancer Research

Cancer.gov

The Genetics of Cancer Susceptibility Section in the Mouse Cancer Genetics Program at NCI is seeking a highly motivated postdoctoral researcher to identify novel genetic interactors of BRCA2 using CRISPR-based genetic screen in mouse embryonic stem cells and perform functional studies in mouse models.

Opportunities for Cancer-relevant Innovative Technologies with Transformative Potential | Office of Cancer Clinical Proteomics Research

Cancer.gov

The National Cancer Institute (NCI) is seeking input from the community on identifying priorities with regards to supporting innovative technology development for cancer-relevant research. While the NCI provides support for technology development through a variety of mechanisms, it is important to understand whether or not these are sufficient for catalyzing and supporting the development of tools with significant potential for advancing important fields of cancer research or clinical care.

Rent Seeking: A Textbook Example

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pecorino, Paul

2007-01-01

The author argues that the college textbook market provides a clear example of monopoly seeking as described by Tullock (1967, 1980). This behavior is also known as rent seeking. Because this market is important to students, this example of rent seeking will be of particular interest to them. (Contains 24 notes.)

Patient-reported outcome labeling claims and measurement approach for metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer treatments in the United States and European Union

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) and its treatment significantly affect health-related quality of life (HRQOL). Our objectives were to evaluate and compare patient-reported outcome (PRO) claims granted by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and European Medicines Agency (EMA) for 5 recently approved mCRPC treatments and to examine key characteristics, development, and measurement properties of the PRO measures supporting these claims against current regulatory standards. Methods Five products approved for treatment of mCRPC by the FDA and the EMA (2010–2013) were examined: enzalutamide, abiraterone, sipuleucel-T, cabazitaxel, and radium Ra 223 dichloride. United States (US) drug approval packages and European Public Assessment Reports were reviewed. PRO claims in the US labels and European Summaries of Product Characteristics and supporting measures were identified. For PRO measures supporting claims, a targeted literature review was conducted to identify information on key characteristics and measurement properties; this information was compared against FDA PRO guidance criteria. Results Nine PRO “claims” were granted across 4 of 5 products reviewed. The EMA granted more claims (7 claims—4 for pain, 3 for HRQOL) than the FDA (2 claims, both for pain). The Brief Pain Inventory–Short Form (BPI-SF) worst pain item supported most pain claims and was the only measure supporting US claims. EMA pain claims were supported by BPI-SF worst pain (n = 2) and average pain (n = 1) items and the McGill Pain Questionnaire Present Pain Intensity component (n = 1). EMA HRQOL claims were supported by the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy–Prostate Module (n = 2) and the EuroQol 5 Dimensions with visual analogue scale (n = 1). Pain and prostate cancer–specific HRQOL measures supporting claims met US regulatory standards for construct validity, reliability, and responsiveness; these properties were strongest

The use of radiocobalt as a label improves imaging of EGFR using DOTA-conjugated Affibody molecule.

PubMed

Garousi, Javad; Andersson, Ken G; Dam, Johan H; Olsen, Birgitte B; Mitran, Bogdan; Orlova, Anna; Buijs, Jos; Ståhl, Stefan; Löfblom, John; Thisgaard, Helge; Tolmachev, Vladimir

2017-07-20

Several anti-cancer therapies target the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR). Radionuclide imaging of EGFR expression in tumours may aid in selection of optimal cancer therapy. The 111 In-labelled DOTA-conjugated Z EGFR:2377 Affibody molecule was successfully used for imaging of EGFR-expressing xenografts in mice. An optimal combination of radionuclide, chelator and targeting protein may further improve the contrast of radionuclide imaging. The aim of this study was to evaluate the targeting properties of radiocobalt-labelled DOTA-Z EGFR:2377 . DOTA-Z EGFR:2377 was labelled with 57 Co (T 1/2  = 271.8 d), 55 Co (T 1/2  = 17.5 h), and, for comparison, with the positron-emitting radionuclide 68 Ga (T 1/2  = 67.6 min) with preserved specificity of binding to EGFR-expressing A431 cells. The long-lived cobalt radioisotope 57 Co was used in animal studies. Both 57 Co-DOTA-Z EGFR:2377 and 68 Ga-DOTA-Z EGFR:2377 demonstrated EGFR-specific accumulation in A431 xenografts and EGFR-expressing tissues in mice. Tumour-to-organ ratios for the radiocobalt-labelled DOTA-Z EGFR:2377 were significantly higher than for the gallium-labelled counterpart already at 3 h after injection. Importantly, 57 Co-DOTA-Z EGFR:2377 demonstrated a tumour-to-liver ratio of 3, which is 7-fold higher than the tumour-to-liver ratio for 68 Ga-DOTA-Z EGFR:2377 . The results of this study suggest that the positron-emitting cobalt isotope 55 Co would be an optimal label for DOTA-Z EGFR:2377 and further development should concentrate on this radionuclide as a label.

Why doctors should seek publicity: 15+ reasons to seek media attention.

PubMed

Baum, Neil

2014-01-01

Physicians have been shy about reaching out for free publicity, even though they are some of the most well-trained and accomplished professionals in our society. There's no reason for them not to seek out attention and to promote themselves in an ethical fashion. This article will review 15+ reasons for physicians to seek publicity and become a darling of the media.

Separable Bilayer Microfiltration Device for Label-Free Enrichment of Viable Circulating Tumor Cells.

PubMed

Hao, Sijie; Nisic, Merisa; He, Hongzhang; Tai, Yu-Chong; Zheng, Si-Yang

2017-01-01

Analysis of rare circulating tumor cells enriched from metastatic cancer patients yields critical information on disease progression, therapy response, and the mechanism of cancer metastasis. Here we describe in detail a label-free enrichment process of circulating tumor cells based on its unique physical properties (size and deformability). Viable circulating tumor cells can be successfully enriched and analyzed, or easily released for further characterization due to the novel separable two-layer design.

Understanding Cancer Prognosis

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... before cancer How you respond to treatment Seeking Information About Your Prognosis Is a Personal Decision When ... Twitter Instagram YouTube Google+ LinkedIn GovDelivery RSS CONTACT INFORMATION Contact Us LiveHelp Online Chat MORE INFORMATION About ...

Problem gambling and help seeking among Chinese international students: narratives of place identity transformation.

PubMed

Li, Wendy Wen; Tse, Samson

2015-03-01

This article uses examples of problem gambling and help seeking among Chinese international students in New Zealand to demonstrate place identity transformation. Two-wave narrative interviews were conducted with 15 Chinese international students. Place identity among participants is shown to be a process that features the transformation of participants' identity. While the casinos in which the Chinese international students gambled gave rise to negative place identities, positive place identities facilitated the participants to change their problematic gambling. Through the investigation of place identity transformation, this article promotes a strength-based, non-labelling approach to intervention for people who are concerned about their gambling behaviours. © The Author(s) 2015.

Women's interpretation of and responses to potential gynaecological cancer symptoms: a qualitative interview study

PubMed Central

Low, E L; Whitaker, K L; Simon, A E; Sekhon, M; Waller, J

2015-01-01

Objective To explore women's experiences of symptoms potentially indicative of gynaecological cancer in a community-based sample without imposing a cancer perspective. Design A qualitative interview study with thematic analysis of transcripts. Participants 26 women aged ≥30 years, who had experienced a symptom that might indicate gynaecological cancer in the past 3 months, were recruited using a screening questionnaire distributed online and in community settings. Setting London, UK. Results Women attributed gynaecological symptoms to existing illnesses/conditions or considered themselves to be predisposed to them, either through their ‘genes’ or previous personal experience. Normalising symptoms by attributing them to demographic characteristics (eg, age, sex) was common, as was considering them a side effect of hormonal contraception. When women raised cancer as a possible cause, they often dismissed it as unlikely. Responses to symptoms included self-management (eg, self-medicating, making lifestyle changes), adopting a ‘lay system of care’, or consulting a healthcare professional. Triggers to help-seeking included persistent, painful or debilitating symptoms, concern about symptom seriousness, and feeling that help-seeking was legitimised. Barriers to help-seeking included lack of concern, vague symptoms, unusual symptom location, competing time demands, previous negative experiences with the healthcare system, and not wanting to be perceived as a time-waster. Conclusions Attributions of symptoms potentially indicative of a gynaecological cancer were varied, but most often involved women fitting symptoms into their expectations of what was ‘normal’. Normalising acted as a barrier to seeking help from a healthcare professional, alongside competing time demands and negative attitudes towards help-seeking. These barriers may lead to later diagnosis and poorer cancer survival. Our findings could be used to inform the development of interventions

Women's interpretation of and responses to potential gynaecological cancer symptoms: a qualitative interview study.

PubMed

Low, E L; Whitaker, K L; Simon, A E; Sekhon, M; Waller, J

2015-07-06

To explore women's experiences of symptoms potentially indicative of gynaecological cancer in a community-based sample without imposing a cancer perspective. A qualitative interview study with thematic analysis of transcripts. 26 women aged ≥30 years, who had experienced a symptom that might indicate gynaecological cancer in the past 3 months, were recruited using a screening questionnaire distributed online and in community settings. London, UK. Women attributed gynaecological symptoms to existing illnesses/conditions or considered themselves to be predisposed to them, either through their 'genes' or previous personal experience. Normalising symptoms by attributing them to demographic characteristics (eg, age, sex) was common, as was considering them a side effect of hormonal contraception. When women raised cancer as a possible cause, they often dismissed it as unlikely. Responses to symptoms included self-management (eg, self-medicating, making lifestyle changes), adopting a 'lay system of care', or consulting a healthcare professional. Triggers to help-seeking included persistent, painful or debilitating symptoms, concern about symptom seriousness, and feeling that help-seeking was legitimised. Barriers to help-seeking included lack of concern, vague symptoms, unusual symptom location, competing time demands, previous negative experiences with the healthcare system, and not wanting to be perceived as a time-waster. Attributions of symptoms potentially indicative of a gynaecological cancer were varied, but most often involved women fitting symptoms into their expectations of what was 'normal'. Normalising acted as a barrier to seeking help from a healthcare professional, alongside competing time demands and negative attitudes towards help-seeking. These barriers may lead to later diagnosis and poorer cancer survival. Our findings could be used to inform the development of interventions to encourage appropriate help-seeking. Published by the BMJ Publishing

Color-coding cancer and stromal cells with genetic reporters in a patient-derived orthotopic xenograft (PDOX) model of pancreatic cancer enhances fluorescence-guided surgery

PubMed Central

Yano, Shuya; Hiroshima, Yukihiko; Maawy, Ali; Kishimoto, Hiroyuki; Suetsugu, Atsushi; Miwa, Shinji; Toneri, Makoto; Yamamoto, Mako; Katz, Matthew H.G.; Fleming, Jason B.; Urata, Yasuo; Tazawa, Hiroshi; Kagawa, Shunsuke; Bouvet, Michael; Fujiwara, Toshiyoshi; Hoffman, Robert M.

2015-01-01

Precise fluorescence-guided surgery (FGS) for pancreatic cancer has the potential to greatly improve the outcome in this recalcitrant disease. In order to achieve this goal, we have used genetic reporters to color code cancer and stroma cells in a patient-derived orthotopic xenograft (PDOX) model. The telomerase-dependent green fluorescent protein (GFP) containing adenovirus OBP401 was used to label the cancer cells of the pancreatic cancer PDOX. The PDOX was previously grown in a red fluorescent protein (RFP) transgenic mouse that stably labeled the PDOX stroma cells bright red. The color-coded PDOX model enabled FGS to completely resect the pancreatic tumors including stroma. Dual-colored FGS significantly prevented local recurrence, which bright-light surgery (BLS) or single color could not. FGS, with color-coded cancer and stroma cells has important potential for improving the outcome of recalcitrant cancer. PMID:26088297

Tumor microenvironment derived exosomes pleiotropically modulate cancer cell metabolism.

PubMed

Zhao, Hongyun; Yang, Lifeng; Baddour, Joelle; Achreja, Abhinav; Bernard, Vincent; Moss, Tyler; Marini, Juan C; Tudawe, Thavisha; Seviour, Elena G; San Lucas, F Anthony; Alvarez, Hector; Gupta, Sonal; Maiti, Sourindra N; Cooper, Laurence; Peehl, Donna; Ram, Prahlad T; Maitra, Anirban; Nagrath, Deepak

2016-02-27

Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are a major cellular component of tumor microenvironment in most solid cancers. Altered cellular metabolism is a hallmark of cancer, and much of the published literature has focused on neoplastic cell-autonomous processes for these adaptations. We demonstrate that exosomes secreted by patient-derived CAFs can strikingly reprogram the metabolic machinery following their uptake by cancer cells. We find that CAF-derived exosomes (CDEs) inhibit mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation, thereby increasing glycolysis and glutamine-dependent reductive carboxylation in cancer cells. Through 13C-labeled isotope labeling experiments we elucidate that exosomes supply amino acids to nutrient-deprived cancer cells in a mechanism similar to macropinocytosis, albeit without the previously described dependence on oncogenic-Kras signaling. Using intra-exosomal metabolomics, we provide compelling evidence that CDEs contain intact metabolites, including amino acids, lipids, and TCA-cycle intermediates that are avidly utilized by cancer cells for central carbon metabolism and promoting tumor growth under nutrient deprivation or nutrient stressed conditions.

Renal Cancer Biomarkers | NCI Technology Transfer Center | TTC

Cancer.gov

The National Cancer Institute's Laboratory of Proteomics and Analytical Technologies is seeking statements of capability or interest from parties interested in collaborative research to further develop, evaluate, or commercialize diagnostic, therapeutic and prognostic cancer biomarkers from clinical specimens.

Fluorescence-labeled methylation-sensitive amplified fragment length polymorphism (FL-MS-AFLP) analysis for quantitative determination of DNA methylation and demethylation status.

PubMed

Kageyama, Shinji; Shinmura, Kazuya; Yamamoto, Hiroko; Goto, Masanori; Suzuki, Koichi; Tanioka, Fumihiko; Tsuneyoshi, Toshihiro; Sugimura, Haruhiko

2008-04-01

The PCR-based DNA fingerprinting method called the methylation-sensitive amplified fragment length polymorphism (MS-AFLP) analysis is used for genome-wide scanning of methylation status. In this study, we developed a method of fluorescence-labeled MS-AFLP (FL-MS-AFLP) analysis by applying a fluorescence-labeled primer and fluorescence-detecting electrophoresis apparatus to the existing method of MS-AFLP analysis. The FL-MS-AFLP analysis enables quantitative evaluation of more than 350 random CpG loci per run. It was shown to allow evaluation of the differences in methylation level of blood DNA of gastric cancer patients and evaluation of hypermethylation and hypomethylation in DNA from gastric cancer tissue in comparison with adjacent non-cancerous tissue.

19F-perfluorocarbon-labeled human peripheral blood mononuclear cells can be detected in vivo using clinical MRI parameters in a therapeutic cell setting.

PubMed

Fink, Corby; Gaudet, Jeffrey M; Fox, Matthew S; Bhatt, Shashank; Viswanathan, Sowmya; Smith, Michael; Chin, Joseph; Foster, Paula J; Dekaban, Gregory A

2018-01-12

A 19 Fluorine ( 19 F) perfluorocarbon cell labeling agent, when employed with an appropriate cellular MRI protocol, allows for in vivo cell tracking. 19 F cellular MRI can be used to non-invasively assess the location and persistence of cell-based cancer vaccines and other cell-based therapies. This study was designed to determine the feasibility of labeling and tracking peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC), a heterogeneous cell population. Under GMP-compliant conditions human PBMC were labeled with a 19 F-based MRI cell-labeling agent in a manner safe for autologous re-injection. Greater than 99% of PBMC labeled with the 19 F cell-labeling agent without affecting functionality or affecting viability. The 19 F-labeled PBMC were detected in vivo in a mouse model at the injection site and in a draining lymph node. A clinical cellular MR protocol was optimized for the detection of PBMC injected both at the surface of a porcine shank and at a depth of 1.2 cm, equivalent to depth of a human lymph node, using a dual 1 H/ 19 F dual switchable surface radio frequency coil. This study demonstrates it is feasible to label and track 19 F-labeled PBMC using clinical MRI protocols. Thus, 19 F cellular MRI represents a non-invasive imaging technique suitable to assess the effectiveness of cell-based cancer vaccines.

Siloxane nanoprobes for labeling and dual modality imaging of neural stem cells

PubMed Central

Addington, Caroline P.; Cusick, Alex; Shankar, Rohini Vidya; Agarwal, Shubhangi; Stabenfeldt, Sarah E.; Kodibagkar, Vikram D.

2015-01-01

Cell therapy represents a promising therapeutic for a myriad of medical conditions, including cancer, traumatic brain injury, and cardiovascular disease among others. A thorough understanding of the efficacy and cellular dynamics of these therapies necessitates the ability to non-invasively track cells in vivo. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) provides a platform to track cells as a non-invasive modality with superior resolution and soft tissue contrast. We recently reported a new nanoprobe platform for cell labeling and imaging using fluorophore doped siloxane core nanoemulsions as dual modality (1H MRI/Fluorescence), dual-functional (oximetry/detection) nanoprobes. Here, we successfully demonstrate the labeling, dual-modality imaging, and oximetry of neural progenitor/stem cells (NPSCs) in vitro using this platform. Labeling at a concentration of 10 μl/104 cells with a 40%v/v polydimethylsiloxane core nanoemulsion, doped with rhodamine, had minimal effect on viability, no effect on migration, proliferation and differentiation of NPSCs and allowed for unambiguous visualization of labeled NPSCs by 1H MR and fluorescence and local pO2 reporting by labeled NPSCs. This new approach for cell labeling with a positive contrast 1H MR probe has the potential to improve mechanistic knowledge of current therapies, and guide the design of future cell therapies due to its clinical translatability. PMID:26597417

Label free quantitative proteomics analysis on the cisplatin resistance in ovarian cancer cells.

PubMed

Wang, F; Zhu, Y; Fang, S; Li, S; Liu, S

2017-05-20

Quantitative proteomics has been made great progress in recent years. Label free quantitative proteomics analysis based on the mass spectrometry is widely used. Using this technique, we determined the differentially expressed proteins in the cisplatin-sensitive ovarian cancer cells COC1 and cisplatin-resistant cells COC1/DDP before and after the application of cisplatin. Using the GO analysis, we classified those proteins into different subgroups bases on their cellular component, biological process, and molecular function. We also used KEGG pathway analysis to determine the key signal pathways that those proteins were involved in. There are 710 differential proteins between COC1 and COC1/DDP cells, 783 between COC1 and COC1/DDP cells treated with cisplatin, 917 between the COC1/DDP cells and COC1/DDP cells treated with LaCl3, 775 between COC1/DDP cells treated with cisplatin and COC1/DDP cells treated with cisplatin and LaCl3. Among the same 411 differentially expressed proteins in cisplatin-sensitive COC1 cells and cisplain-resistant COC1/DDP cells before and after cisplatin treatment, 14% of them were localized on the cell membrane. According to the KEGG results, differentially expressed proteins were classified into 21 groups. The most abundant proteins were involved in spliceosome. This study lays a foundation for deciphering the mechanism for drug resistance in ovarian tumor.

Imaging Prostate Cancer Microenvironment by Collagen Hybridization

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-12-01

2: Evaluation of 18F-DCFPyL labelling and tracking of PSMA+ CAR T cells Title: PSMA Directed Imaging of Prostate Cancer Focus on Androgen Receptor ... receptors to treat cancer Title: Plasmid Selection and Characterisation Time Commitments: 1.20 calendar months Supporting Agency: Cancer Targeting...AWARD NUMBER: W81XWH-12-1-0556 TITLE: Imaging Prostate Cancer Microenvironment by Collagen Hybridization PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR: Martin

Unique gene alterations are induced in FACS-purified Fos-positive neurons activated during cue-induced relapse to heroin seeking.

PubMed

Fanous, Sanya; Guez-Barber, Danielle H; Goldart, Evan M; Schrama, Regina; Theberge, Florence R M; Shaham, Yavin; Hope, Bruce T

2013-01-01

Cue-induced heroin seeking after prolonged withdrawal is associated with neuronal activation and altered gene expression in prefrontal cortex (PFC). However, these previous studies assessed gene expression in all neurons regardless of their activity state during heroin seeking. Using Fos as a marker of neural activity, we describe distinct molecular alterations induced in activated versus non-activated neurons during cue-induced heroin seeking after prolonged withdrawal. We trained rats to self-administer heroin for 10 days (6 h/day) and assessed cue-induced heroin seeking in extinction tests after 14 or 30 days. We used fluorescent-activated cell sorting (FACS) to purify Fos-positive and Fos-negative neurons from PFC 90 min after extinction testing. Flow cytometry showed that Fos-immunoreactivity was increased in less than 10% of sparsely distributed PFC neurons. mRNA levels of the immediate early genes fosB, arc, egr1, and egr2, as well as npy and map2k6, were increased in Fos-positive, but not Fos-negative, neurons. In support of these findings, double-label immunohistochemistry indicated substantial coexpression of neuropeptide Y (NPY)- and Arc-immunoreactivity in Fos-positive neurons. Our data indicate that cue-induced relapse to heroin seeking after prolonged withdrawal induces unique molecular alterations within activated PFC neurons that are distinct from those observed in the surrounding majority of non-activated neurons. Published 2012. This article is a US Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.

The role of patient satisfaction in online health information seeking.

PubMed

Tustin, Nupur

2010-01-01

Studies of online health information seeking are beginning to address a basic question: why do people turn to the Internet? This study draws upon the Uses and Gratifications (U&G) and Media System Dependency (MSD) perspectives to examine in this process the role played by satisfaction with care. The sample comprised 178 cancer listserv users, of whom 35% chose the Internet as their preferred source of health information compared with 19% who named their oncologist. Dissatisfied patients were significantly more likely to rate the Internet as a better source of information than the provider (p = .001). The level of empathy shown by the provider and the quality of time spent with the patient had a significant negative association with choosing the Internet as a preferred source of information, and a significant positive association with choosing the oncologist as an information source. The results from this study emphasize the significance of the patient-provider interaction. Dissatisfied patients' tendency to seek and trust information sources other than their physician also may have implications for compliance with treatment.

Multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWCNT) synthesis, preparation, labeling, and functionalization.

PubMed

Kateb, Babak; Yamamoto, Vicky; Alizadeh, Darya; Zhang, Leying; Manohara, Harish M; Bronikowski, Michael J; Badie, Behnam

2010-01-01

Nanomedicine is a growing field with a great potential for introducing new generation of targeted and personalized drug. Amongst new generation of nano-vectors are carbon nanotubes (CNTs), which can be produced as single or multi-walled. Multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) can be fabricated as biocompatible nanostructures (cylindrical bulky tubes). These structures are currently under investigation for their application in nanomedicine as viable and safe nanovectors for gene and drug delivery. In this chapter, we will provide you with the necessary information to understand the synthesis of MWCNTs, functionalization, PKH26 labeling, RNAi, and DNA loading for in vitro experimentation and in vivo implantation of labeled MWCNT in mice as well as materials used in this experimentation. We used this technique to manipulate microglia as part of a novel application for the brain cancer immunotherapy. Our published data show this is a promising technique for labeling, and gene and drug delivery into microglia.

Cancer, Stress, and Ironies of Cancer Understanding in South Korea.

PubMed

Nelson, Laura C

2017-01-01

Cancer incidence has been rising in South Korea, coincident with industrialization and with increased longevity. This has opened the way to a presentation of cancer as a symptom of prosperity and social advancement. Cancer care for older South Koreans is marketed widely as a way of giving back to the older generation, and is often portrayed as an opportunity to mobilize technological achievement alongside family care work to honor aging parents. Because breast cancer tends to affect a younger cohort, however, breast cancer patients seek more specific explanations for their illness in order to prevent recurrence. Many breast cancer patients identify 'stress' as the cause of their cancer, reflecting endemic stress in the lives of ordinary South Korean women. While this implies a critique of society and, specifically, of gender constructs, the emphasis on interpersonal 'stress' situates cancer causality in family relationships rather than in social, political, or environmental contexts. Cancer management and stress explanations together mute inquiry into causality.

Chelator-Free Labeling of Layered Double Hydroxide Nanoparticles for in Vivo PET Imaging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shi, Sixiang; Fliss, Brianne C.; Gu, Zi; Zhu, Yian; Hong, Hao; Valdovinos, Hector F.; Hernandez, Reinier; Goel, Shreya; Luo, Haiming; Chen, Feng; Barnhart, Todd E.; Nickles, Robert J.; Xu, Zhi Ping; Cai, Weibo

2015-11-01

Layered double hydroxide (LDH) nanomaterial has emerged as a novel delivery agent for biomedical applications due to its unique structure and properties. However, in vivo positron emission tomography (PET) imaging with LDH nanoparticles has not been achieved. The aim of this study is to explore chelator-free labeling of LDH nanoparticles with radioisotopes for in vivo PET imaging. Bivalent cation 64Cu2+ and trivalent cation 44Sc3+ were found to readily label LDH nanoparticles with excellent labeling efficiency and stability, whereas tetravalent cation 89Zr4+ could not label LDH since it does not fit into the LDH crystal structure. PET imaging shows that prominent tumor uptake was achieved in 4T1 breast cancer with 64Cu-LDH-BSA via passive targeting alone (7.7 ± 0.1%ID/g at 16 h post-injection; n = 3). These results support that LDH is a versatile platform that can be labeled with various bivalent and trivalent radiometals without comprising the native properties, highly desirable for PET image-guided drug delivery.

Food Labels

MedlinePlus

... Staying Safe Videos for Educators Search English Español Food Labels KidsHealth / For Teens / Food Labels What's in ... to have at least 95% organic ingredients. Making Food Labels Work for You The first step in ...

Complementary therapies for cancer patients: assessing information use and needs.

PubMed

Verhoef, M J; Trojan, L; Armitage, G D; Carlson, L; Hilsden, R J

2009-01-01

Many cancer patients seek complementary therapies (CTs) for cancer management; however, relatively little is known about patients' CT information seeking behaviour. Therefore, we assessed: 1) cancer patients' use of the types and sources of CT information; 2) their information preferences; and 3) their understanding of the phrase "scientific evidence or proof that a therapy works." We collected data from 404 patients attending the Tom Baker Cancer Centre (TBCC) in Calgary and 303 patients calling the Cancer Information Service (CIS) helpline. In most cases, patients wanted information on the safety of CTs, how CTs work and their potential side effects. Physicians and conventional cancer centres were the most desired sources of CT information, but relatively few patients obtained information via these sources. Although patients were aware of the meaning of scientific evidence, they often used information based on non-scientific evidence, such as patient testimonials. The creation of a supportive care environment in conventional cancer treatment centres, by providing CT information, may help address cancer patients' concerns and alleviate some of the stress that may have been caused by the cancer diagnosis.

Label Review Training: Module 1: Label Basics, Page 25

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

This module of the pesticide label review training provides basic information about pesticides, their labeling and regulation, and the core principles of pesticide label review: clarity, accuracy, consistency with EPA policy, and enforceability.

Label Review Training: Module 1: Label Basics, Page 29

EPA Pesticide Factsheets