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Cancer diagnosis and treatment often produce psychologic stresses resulting from the actual symptoms of the disease, as well as from perceptions of the disease and its stigma. Depression is seen in many cancer patients. Depression occurs in approximately 25% of palliative care patients. It is widely recognised by clinicians that depression is a difficult symptom to identify amongst patients with advanced illness. The study is aimed for screening of depression among palliative care female patients. This study was local, prospective and cross-sectional. It was carried at Department of Clinical Oncology and Radiation Therapy of Charles University Hospital in Hradec Kralove, Czech Republic. Dates were obtained during year 2007 - 2008 in 64 palliative care female patients. The mean age for all 64 subjects was 60,5 years old (aged 29 - 88 years old). The Czech version of Zung self-rating depression scale was performed. The statistical evaluation presents that mean SDS (self-rating depression score) certifies the presence of signs of mildly depression among palliative care female patients (SDS range was 50-59). The mean SDS in all subjects was 56. The mean SDS in group of healthy females was 38,9 (normal range). The incidence of depression is 71,8% (46 of all 64 subjects). The relevance of depression is characterized: severely depressed was proved in 8 of all 46 subjects, the moderately depressed in 21 subjects of all 46 subjects and mildly depressed in 17 of all 46 subjects. The statistical evaluation not presents statistically significant dependence of SDS on smoking abuse, marital status, age, number of associated diseases and type of palliative care. The statistical evaluation presents that patients with cancer of lung, with cancer of endometrium, with cancer of gallbladder and with melanomas are moderately depressed (SDS 60-69), patients with cancer of ovary, with cancer of breast, with primary brain tumour, with cancer of ventricle, with cancer of pancreas head and with cancer of bucall cavity are mildly depressed (SDS 50-59). The results show that subsists clear association between oncological disease in palliative care and depression.

BackgroundAnnually, more than 27,000 persons die of cancer in the Czech Republic. It is known that in addition to the demographic aging of the Czech population, the cancer burden is increased.AimThese data clearly demonstrate the need for affordable and good follow-up care for patients, especially for older patients and/or patients with no other cancer treatment due to irreversible progression of tumor.Materials and methodsWe are talking about so-called palliative cancer care, which can be provided at different levels. One of the most common forms of palliative cancer care is hospice care.ResultsOur clinic in the years 2008–2010 received a total of 446 patients. 288 of them were women and 158 men. The average age of women was 61 years (age range 20–81 years). The average age of men was 56 years (age range 18–96 years). The performance status was in the fitness category PS-0 (8%), PS-1 (54%), PS-2 (33%) and PS-3 (5%).ConclusionCurrently the outpatient palliative cancer care are coming more into the forefront. This type of care allows patients to stay as long as possible at home among their close relatives. Prerequisite for a well working outpatient palliative care is cooperation with general practitioners and home health care agencies.

The authors report on a case of tamoxifen/norfloxacin interaction leading to QT interval prolongation in an 83-year-old female patient with extracranial meningioma treated with radiation and hormonal therapy (with Tamoxifen). This case report highlights the potential risk of tamoxifen causing depression of electrical impulse in sinoatrial node, leading to symptomatic sinus bradycardia with prolonged QT interval. At the same time it indicates the need to be on the look out for drug interactions (in our case between tamoxifen and norfloxacin), as well as to be aware of other drugs possibly inducing QT interval prolongation (Fig. 2, Ref. 7).

Peripheral blood progenitor cell transplantation (PBPCT) is a therapeutic modality used in the anti-tumorous treatment of hemato-oncological diseases and solid tumors. Apart of that, it is also used in therapy of non-malignant and hereditary diseases.As is the case with other treatments, PBPCT also affects not only the disease process but also the quality of life (QoL).In the last decade of 20th century, several QoL studies among patients treated with PBPCT were undertaken and an influence on particular dimensions of QoL was observed. One of closely watched aspects was sexuality in patients treated with PBPCT.Sexuality and its expression belong to very important aspects of human behavior. It is also a very sensitive and sensible aspect, so with no doubts it is affected by the diagnosis of neoplasm and cancer treatment.Physical and psychosocial factors of PBPCT do affect patient's sexuality and sexual functioning as part of QoL. They remain in focus because of the complex care of patients treated with PBPCT (Fig. 2, Ref. 21).

Depression is seen in many cancer patients. It occurs in approximately 25% of palliative care patients.This study was local, prospective and cross-sectional. It was carried at Department of Clinical Oncology and Radiation Therapy of Charles University Hospital and Faculty of Medicine in Hradec Králové, Czech Republic.The incidence of depression was 83.3% (25 of all 30 survivors). The relevance of depression is characterized: severely depressed was proved in 9 of all 30 survivors, the moderately depressed in 5 of all 30 survivors, the mildly depressed in 11 of all 30 survivors and normal range in 5 of all 30 survivors. The statistical evaluation not presents statistically significant dependence of ZSRDS on smoking abuse, marital status, age, number of associated diseases and type of palliative cancer care.The results of the pilot depression study showed that subsist clear association between metastatic ovarian cancer and depression (Fig. 2, Ref. 30). Full Text (Free, PDF) www.bmj.sk.

Depression is seen in many cancer patients. It occurs in approximately 25% of palliative care patients. The quality of life term contains the information on an individual's physical social and spiritual condition. The study evaluated incidence and relevance of depression symptoms and level of health-related quality of life (HRQoL) among patients with metastatic breast cancer in programme of palliative cancer care. This study was local prospective and cross-sectional. It was carried at Department of Clinical Oncology and Radiation Therapy of Charles University Hospital in Hrader Kralove, Czech Republic. Dates were obtained during year 2008 among 41 patients with metastatic breast cancer in programme of palliative cancer care. The mean age for all 41 subjects was 58 years old (aged 41 - 80 years old). The Czech version of Zung self-rating depression scale was performed for evaluation of depression symptoms. The Czech version of genetic EuroQol questionnaire EQ-5D was performed for evaluation of level of HRQoL. The statistical evaluation presents that mean ZSDS (Zung self-rating depression score) certifies the presence of signs of moderately depression symptoms among patients with metastatic breast cancer (ZSDS range was 60-69). The mean ZSDS in all patients was 60,6. The mean ZSDS is group of healthy females was 38,9 (normal range of ZSDS). The incidence of depression was 61% (25 of all 41 subjects). The relevance of depression is characterized: severely depressed was proved in 5 of all 25 subjects, the moderately depressed in 10 subjects of all 25 subjects and mildly depressed in 10 of all 25 subjects. The statistical evaluation not presents statistically significant dependence of ZSDS on age, number of associated diseases and type of palliative cancer care. The HRQoL among patients with metastatic breast cancer is on very low level. The mean EQ-5D score (dimension of quality of life) was 55%. The mean EQ-5D VAS (subjective health condition) was 59,2%. The mean EQ-5D score in group of healthy female was 78,4% and the mean EQ-5D VAS was 85% (both QoL parameters show very good of QoL level). The statistical evaluation not presents statistically significant dependence of EQ-5D score and EQ-5D VAS on age, number of associated diseases and type of palliative cancer care. The results showed that subsist clear association between metastatic breast cancer in programme of palliative cancer care and depression. Also, the results showed that subsist low level of HRQoL of patients with metastatic breast cancer.

Obesity is a multifactorial, chronic disorder that has reached epidemic proportions in most industrialised countries and is threatening to become a global epidemic.The pilot study evaluates the effect of sibutramine therapy on health-related quality of life and occurence of depression symptoms among adult obese non-diabetic patients.This study was prospective and longitudinal. It was conducted at the Department of Hygiene of Faculty of Military Health Sciences in Hradec Králove, Czech Republic. Dates were obtained during year 2007. Twenty two adult obese non-diabetic patients (6 males and 16 females) were treated with sibutramine in dose of 10 mg daily. All of these 22 patients were over 18 years old. The European Quality of Life Questionnaire--EQ-5D Version was used for evaluation of health-related quality of life. The self-assessement Zung-SDS was applied for evaluation of occurrence of depression.The statistical evaluation demonstrated that health-related quality of life (EQ-5D score and EQ-5D visual analogue scale) presents highly significant statistical dependence on sibutramine therapy (p0.05). The statistical evaluation demonstrated that index of depression (SDS index) presents highly significant statistical dependence on sibutramine therapy (p0.05).The results show that sibutramine therapy has a highly positive effect on health-related quality of life among adult obese non-diabetic patients. Also, the results show that sibutramine therapy has a highly positive effect on occurence of depresion symptoms among adult obese non-diabetic patients (Fig. 2, Ref. 10).

Depression is seen in many cancer patients. It is common in the general population and in adults and children with cancer and frequently coexists with anxiety and pain. The pilot study evaluated the level of the global quality of life (QoL) and the incidence and the relevance of the depression among metastatic breast cancer patients in a programme of palliative cancer care. The study is prospective and cross-sectional. Dates were obtained during year 2008 among 41 patients. The mean age of all 41 subjects was 58 years old (aged 41-80 years old). The Czech version of Zung self-rating depression scale was performed for the evaluation of the depression. The Czech version of generic European Quality of Life Questionnaire EQ-5D was performed for the evaluation of the level of global QoL. The statistical evaluation presents that mean ZSDS (Zung self-rating depression score) certifies the presence of the signs of the moderate depression among metastatic breast cancer patients (ZSDS range was 60-69). The incidence of the depression was 61% (25 of all 41 subjects). The relevance of the depression is characterized: the severe depression was proved in five of all 25 subjects, the moderate depression in 10 of all 25 subjects, and the mild depression in 10 of all 25 subjects. The global QoL among metastatic breast cancer patients is on very low level. The mean EQ-5D score (dimension of QoL) was 55%. The mean EQ-5D VAS (subjective health status) was 59.2%. The results showed that subsist association between metastatic breast cancer, depression, and the low level of the global QoL.

Introduction: Annually more than 27,000 persons die of cancer in the Czech Republic and the overall incidence of malignancies is still increasing. These data shows the need for affordable and good follow-up care especially for patients without any cancer treatment due to irreversible progression of tumor. Currently the outpatient palliative cancer care gets more into the forefront. Prerequisite for a well working outpatient palliative care is cooperation with general practitioners and home health care agencies. The purpose of the so called program of palliative cancer care is to guide a patient in palliative cancer care and to improve the cooperation among health care providers. Methods: During the period from January 2008 to October 2010 we evaluated in patient without any oncology treatment due to irreversible progression of tumor. Results: In palliative outpatient clinic we treated 446 patients, 119 of them received home care services with average length of 27.8 days. 77 patients died at home, 51 in health facilities and 41 in inpatient hospice care. Conclusion: We present pilot study focusing on outpatient palliative cancer care which shows the real benefit from early indication of palliative cancer care. This type of care allows patients to stay as long as possible at home among their close relatives.