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Background: In the world of elderly people and people with chronic diseases, caregivers give a solution to caring at home. This study aimed to evaluate the burden of caregivers of patients with chronic diseases in primary health care and identify possible demographic and other determinants of it., Methods: This was a cross-sectional study with a convenience sample, which was conducted in two health centers. The sample comprised 291 caregivers who visited the aforementioned health centers in Patra, Greece. A composite questionnaire was utilized: the first part included demographic data and care-related information and the second included the Zarit Burden Interview and the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale-21 (DASS-21)., Results: The highest mean score in the DASS was recorded in the depression subscale and the lowest in the stress subscale. Concerning the Zarit Burden Interview, the highest mean score was recorded in the personal strain subscale and the lowest in the management of care subscale. The highest correlation was recorded between role strain and anxiety and the lowest was between management of care and stress. Similarly, the total score in the Zarit Burden Interview correlated significantly (in a positive direction) with depression, anxiety, and stress., Conclusions: Most of the caregivers of patients with chronic diseases in primary health care experienced a moderate to severe burden (especially in the dimension of personal strain) and moderate depression. The experienced burden was positively associated with depression, anxiety, and stress. There were significant differences in the caregivers' burden according to several demographic and care-related characteristics.

Purpose: Ovarian cancer may have a high percentage of residual disease after chemotherapy. It is questionable whether second or more lines of chemotherapy are needed in patients with slow-growing residual disease. In the present trial we compared the median survival of patients with residual or recurrent disease who received 1-2 lines of chemotherapy with those who received 3-9 lines., Methods: Two hundred and five patients with advanced stage IIIA, B, C and IV ovarian cancer were divided into two groups based on the number of chemotherapy lines they received. All patients had prior first-line chemotherapy; the criteria for recruitment in the study were: a) residual or recurrent disease and b) failure to respond to first-line therapy. Group A included patients who received 1 or 2 lines of chemotherapy and group B, 3-9 lines., Results: The median survival of group A was 76 months and of group B 53 months (p<0.001). Complete response (CR) was observed in 80 out of the 193 7lpar;41.45%) evaluable patients, partial response (PR) in 37 (19.17%), stable disease (SD) in 54 (27.987percnt;) and progressive disease (PD) in 22 (11.40%) patients., Conclusion: In ovarian cancer patients with advanced disease, multiple chemotherapy lines (3=9) offer no advantage over 1 or 2 lines, with respect to overall survival.

Background: The aim of the present trial was to determine the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) and dose-limiting toxicity (DLT) of liposomal cisplatin (lipoplatin) using nephrotoxicity, gastrointestinal toxicity and myelotoxicity as the main adverse reactions., Patients and Methods: Lipoplatin, a liposomal formulation of cisplatin was first tested as monotherapy starting at a dose of 125 mg/m(2) and escalating up to 350 mg/m(2). Lipoplatin was then escalated in combination with paclitacel starting at a dose of 100 mg/m(2) escalating up to 250 mg/m(2) for the former and 100 mg/m(2) escalating up to 175 mg/m(2) for the latter., Results and Conclusion: The present trial determined the DLT for lipoplatin monotherapy at 350 mg/m(2) and the MTD at 300 mg/m(2); for lipoplatin-paclitaxel combination therapy, the DLT was 250 mg/m(2) for lipoplatin and 175 mg/m(2) for paclitaxel whereas the MTD was 200 mg/m(2) for lipoplatin and 175 mg/m(2) for paclitaxel.

Background: Colorectal cancer is a non-aggressive slow-growing disease. Surgery is often considered for the management of metastases. Chemotherapeutical agents may offer tumor reduction but radical tumor remission can only be achieved by surgery. The aim of the present study was to show the evolution of patients with lung metastases from colorectal cancer, treated with surgery., Patients and Methods: Five hundred and seventy-nine (male 327, female 252, median age 60 years [range 30-87 years], disease stage IV) patients with colorectal cancer were evaluated. Histology showed adenocarcinoma with 94% moderate differentiation. Sixty-six patients (11.40%) had only lung metastasis (single or multiple deposits). Of these 66 patients, 57 were treated with surgery (pneumonectomy, lobectomy or nodule excision) and in 52/57 (91.23%) the tumor was removed., Results: In 29 patients (50.88%) the disease recurred 8 months after surgery, at the earliest; however, no recurrence was observed in 28 patients (49.12%) during 2-8 years of follow-up after the operation. Five-year survival was 32.69%., Conclusion: Metastectomy of lung metastasis from primary colorectal cancer may achieve long-term survival without recurrence in a large percentage of patients.

Background: Capecitabine (Xeloda) is a fluoropyrimidine which is transformed to 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) at the tumor site. The aim of the present study was to estimate the efficacy of this agent in pretreated patients with advanced breast and colorectal cancer, and to determine the response rate and adverse reactions., Patients and Methods: Forty-two patients (median age 65 years, range 27-80 years), 24 with breast cancer, 17 with colorectal cancer and one with a pancreatic islet tumor were included. Capecitabine was administered at a dose of 1200 mg/m2 twice daily for two weeks every 21 days. No other agent or supportive treatment was planned., Results: A partial response was observed in 29.16% of the patients with breast cancer and in 11.76% of the patients with colorectal cancer. Stable disease was observed in 58.33% and 70.59% of the breast cancer and colorectal patients, respectively. Adverse reactions were very mild with respect to myelotoxicity and GI tract toxicity. Grade 3 hand-foot syndrome was observed in three patients (7.14%). Hypertriglyceridemia, an unusual side-effect, was observed in 5/12 patients who were tested for serum cholesterol triglycerides., Conclusion: Capecitabine is a well tolerated treatment with low toxicity, rendering a partial response in 29.16% and 11.76% of patients with breast and colorectal cancer, respectively.

This is a review of extraosseous Ewing's sarcoma (ES) which includes a new, extremely rare case. The literature was examined with respect to determining the locations of extraosseous ESs, the incidence per site and in total and the criteria which confirm the similarity between extraosseous and osseous ES. ES sites were detected in several organs and tissues, mainly in the trunk, extremities and the retroperitoneal region. Studies confirmed that osseous and extraosseous ES are identical chromosomally and histologically. ES of the small intestine, described here, has not been previously documented in the literature. Along with the other different documented sites, a new location of primary extraosseous ES is also reported here.