Search

Purpose This study examined the effects of Fil-Rouge Integrated Psycho-Oncological Support (FRIPOS) in a group of women with breast cancer compared with a group receiving treatment as usual (TAU). Methods The research design was a randomized, monocentric, prospective study with three time points of data collection: after the preoperative phase (T0), in the initial phase of treatments (T1), and 3 months after the start of treatments (T2). The FRIPOS group (N = 103) and the TAU group (N = 79) completed a sociodemographic questionnaire, the Symptom Checklist-90-R (SCL-90-R) at T0; the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) Quality of Life Questionnaire (QLQ) C30 and EORTC QLQ-BR23 at T1; and SCL-90-R, EORTC QLQ-C30, and EORTC QLQ-BR23 at T2. Results A series of independent and paired t tests showed that patients in the FRIPOS group performed better on all scales related to symptomatic manifestations and on some quality of life scales (fatigue, dyspnea, and sleep disturbances) at T2. In addition, a series of ten multiple regressions were performed to predict each SCL subscale at T2 from the SCL score at T0 and the EORTC QLQ-C30 scores at T2. In nine of ten regression models (all except somatization), both FRIPOS group membership and QoL subscale contributed significantly to prediction. Conclusions This study suggests that patients in the FRIPOS group have more benefits in emotional, psychological, and collateral symptoms than patients in the TAU group and that these improvements are due to integrated psycho-oncology care.

Dilated intercellular spaces (DIS) in the esophageal epithelium have been identified by electron microscopy as marker of acid reflux damage in experimental animals and adults with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). We aimed to identify and quantify DIS by light microscopy in pediatric GERD and esophagitis.We prospectively took esophageal biopsies in 70 consecutive pediatric patients, 48 of whom had GERD symptoms. On hematoxylin and eosin-stained sections esophagitis was scored histologically, and DIS were graded as 0 (absent), + (small and focal), ++ (moderate) or +++ (large and diffuse). A computerized image analysis identified total, cellular and nuclear areas and DIS were quantified as percentage of total minus cellular area.Forty of 48 GERD patients had histological esophagitis (33 G1, 4 G2, 3 G3, 1 of which with Barrett esophagus), and all 40 had DIS (33 +, 4 ++, 3 +++) with 100% interobserver agreement; 15 of 29 (55%) had abnormal pH study (reflux index, 5.7%-36%). In 30 patients the esophagus was histologically normal. DIS values were 2.21% +/- 2.60% (range, 0.11%-12%) in patients with esophagitis and 0.44% +/- 0.13% (0.2%-0.7%) in patients with normal histology (P0.00001), with 0.71% bearing 70% sensitivity and 100% specificity for GERD versus controls. Five other children with esophagitis unrelated to GERD (eosinophilic, Candida, food allergy) also had DIS + to +++, and median DIS area was 5% (1.3%-12%).DIS can be detected and evaluated by light microscopy, and the image analysis used provides an objective quantification of DIS and supports the light microscopy evaluation. DIS are a morphological feature of GERD and esophagitis in infancy and childhood.