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Purpose: We conducted a phase II study evaluating chemoradiotherapy in patients with advanced esophageal cancer, using the docetaxel, cisplatin, and 5-fluorouracil (DCF) regimen followed by surgery. The primary purposes of this clinical trial were to assess the efficacy and safety of chemoradiotherapy employing the DCF regimen in the treatment of advanced esophageal cancer. Material and methods: We enrolled a total of 24 newly diagnosed esophageal cancer patients between April 2015 and November 2017 in this prospective study. The radiotherapy regimen consisted of a total dose of 45 Gy in 25 fractions. The chemotherapy protocol included docetaxel 35 mg/m2 for 1 h on day 1 and day 29, cisplatin 35 mg/m2 for 1 h on day 1 and day 29, and 5-FU 400 mg/m2 for 24 h on day 1–4 and day 29–32. The patients who accepted the re-staging exam should undergo surgery in 4–8 weeks after the completion of radiotherapy. The primary endpoints of this study were disease-free survival (DFS), overall survival (OS), and the evaluation of hematologic toxicity. Results: The study population had a median age of 55.5 years, ranging from 44 to 66, with over 90% of the patients being male. The 5-year DFS was 37.1%, and the 5-year OS was 48.7%. The pathologic complete response rate was 45.8% (11/24). The most common types of toxicity were leukopenia and thrombocytopenia. No grade 3 or greater hematologic toxicity was reported. Conclusions: The use of the DCF regimen in neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy followed by surgery demonstrated tolerable toxicity and achieved acceptable DFS and OS outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The purpose of this study is to observe the preliminary clinical outcome and acute toxicity of hybrid intensity modulated radiotherapy and volumetric modulated arc therapy planning technique with simultaneous integrated boost (SIB). Methods: From November 2015 to December 2018, 149 female patients with left‐side breast cancer who underwent adjuvant radiotherapy with hybrid IMRT and VMAT planning technique with SIB were reviewed retrospectively. The primary endpoint was acute toxicities and the secondary endpoints were local recurrence‐free survival (LRFS), distant metastasis‐freesurvival (DMFS), disease‐free survival (DFS), and overall survival (OS). Results: The median age was 52 years old and median follow‐up was 43.4 months. Eighty‐six percent of patients had acute grade 0 to grade1 dermatitis and 14% had grade 2 dermatitis. No acute radiation pneumonitis, esophagitis, or cardiovascular events were recorded during follow‐up. The 3‐year LRFS, DMFS, DFS, and OS rates were 95.1%, 95.1%, 90.3%, and 97.9%, respectively. The subgroup analysis revealed that patients with lymphovascular invasion had more local recurrence rate and worse DFS rate. Patients with advanced N stage had the trend of worse DMFS. Conclusion: In conclusion, the hybrid IMRT and VMAT technique is feasible, safe and has less acute radiation related toxicities in SIB postoperative radiotherapy for left‐sided breast cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article describes a 98-year-old woman who fell on September 3, 2019. She had back pain and confirmed diagnose the spinal compression fracture and received surgery of percutaneous vertebroplasty. The nursing period ranged from 1 to 4 October, 2019. Data were collected by visits before and after surgery, interviews, physical assessments and medical records. Gordon's eleven functional health patterns assessment tools to establish problems. The major problems were preoperative anxiety, intraoperation acute pain and inefficient breathing pattern, and potentially dangerous falls after surgery. Explain the anesthesia and the surgical procedure to reduce anxiety before surgery. During the operation, the pain was intolerable due to the insertion of the bone needle, immediately assisted in the administration of anesthesia and analgesics, the pain score dropped to 2 points. When the blood oxygen concentration dropped, the doctor was notified and the nasal cannula was immediately provided for oxygen. The blood oxygen concentration promote to 95% quickly. It is recommended to use the back frame and gradually activity without falling during hospitalization. It is hoped that through this sharing of nursing experience, it can provide a reference for clinical care of elderly cases of local anesthesia surgery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Interstitial cystitis (IC) is a silent challenge for patients. Various symptoms related to IC are causes of physical disability and mental distress. Purpose: This study investigated the relationships between clinical symptoms, bladder condition and patient perceptions. Methods: This study enrolled 107 patients diagnosed with interstitial cystitis at a medical center in eastern Taiwan and employed a cross-sectional design. Patient medical charts were reviewed. Structural questionnaires were used to collect data. Results: Participants with a high symptom problem index had poor bladder compliance, severe glomerulation and high visual analog scale (VAS) scores. There was a positive correlation between Hunner's ulcer and a high VAS score. Patients with severe lower urinary symptoms, low competency and severe glomerulation earned significantly higher patient perception of bladder condition scores. Conclusions / Implications for Practice: This study found significant correlations between clinical symptoms, bladder condition and patient perceptions. This study may help enhance nursing staff knowledge of IC clinical symptoms so that they may provide appropriate interventions and education to improve patient self-care abilities and life quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Nursing is the property of Taiwan Nurses Association and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Journal of Nursing is the property of Taiwan Nurses Association and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Aim: To investigate the impact of DIBH for heart sparing effect on left sided breast postoperative whole breast irradiation by comparing the dosimetric characteristics of 3D-CRT hybrid VMAT and pure VMAT treatment planning under DIBH condition., Materials and Methods: The primary CT data sets from previously treated left sided early breast cancer were used for pure volumetric arc therapy (VMAT) technique re-planning for the dosimetric characteristics comparison. A treatment plan of 3D-CRT hybrid VMAT technique was re-planned on the free breath (FB) condition for the investigation of the dosimetric characteristics comparison on DIBH condition. The prescribed dose for all the treatment plans was 42.5Gy in 16 fractions. All plans were optimized to cover 100% of the PTV by 95% of prescribed dose. The dosimetric differences among the 3 treatment plans for the 20 patients were analyzed using Wilcoxon signed-rank test, with p value<0.05 considered statistically significant., Results: 3D-CRT hybrid VMAT using DIBH technique yielded the best results on the conformity index (CI) and homogeneity index (HI). By comparing this 3D-CRT hybrid VMAT technique using FB and DIBH technique, the mean heart dose (MHD) was reduced from 5.38Gy to 1.65Gy, respectively (p =0.001) and the left anterior descending coronary artery (LAD)0.03cc dose was reduced from 27.87Gy to 9.41Gy, respectively (p =0.001). 3D-CRT hybrid VMAT using DIBH technique significantly reduced the V5, V20 and D mean of the ipsilateral lung and D mean of the contralateral lung. The D5 of right breast was significantly reduced by 3D-CRT hybrid VMAT compared with VMAT using DIBH technique., Conclusion: The incorporation of DIBH into 3D-CRT hybrid VMAT technique provides the best benefits for the heart and the OAR with respect to the radiation dose-sparing effect without compromising the target conformity and homogeneity in the treatment planning., Competing Interests: The authors report no conflicts of interest in this work., (© 2023 Yeh and Lin.)

Background: Interstitial cystitis (IC) is a silent challenge for patients. Various symptoms related to IC are causes of physical disability and mental distress., Purpose: This study investigated the relationships between clinical symptoms, bladder condition and patient perceptions., Methods: This study enrolled 107 patients diagnosed with interstitial cystitis at a medical center in eastern Taiwan and employed a cross-sectional design. Patient medical charts were reviewed. Structural questionnaires were used to collect data., Results: Participants with a high symptom problem index had poor bladder compliance, severe glomerulation and high visual analog scale (VAS) scores. There was a positive correlation between Hunner's ulcer and a high VAS score. Patients with severe lower urinary symptoms, low competency and severe glomerulation earned significantly higher patient perception of bladder condition scores., Conclusions/implications for Practice: This study found significant correlations between clinical symptoms, bladder condition and patient perceptions. This study may help enhance nursing staff knowledge of IC clinical symptoms so that they may provide appropriate interventions and education to improve patient self-care abilities and life quality.

Background: Interstitial cystitis (IC) is an enigmatic disease that currently remains incurable. Failure to adopt positive self-care behaviors can exacerbate recurrent clinical symptoms and significantly affect a patient's capacity to function normally in work, family and social setting. Proper disease perception can improve patient attitudes toward disease management and positively influence behavior., Purpose: This study investigated correlations between disease perceptions, attitudes and self-care behaviors in patients with interstitial cystitis., Methods: This study used a cross-sectional method and enrolled 82 outpatients currently receiving treatment for interstitial cystitis at a medical center in East Taiwan. A structured questionnaires filled out individually and submitted by mail was used for date collection., Results: (1) The mean perception scale score was 7.6, with 63.3% providing correct responses. (2) The mean attitude score of 3.5 indicated respondents held positive attitudes. (3) The mean self-care behavior score of 3.4 indicated a leaning toward "occasional" self-care behavior. (4) Correlations among disease perception, attitude and self-care behavior in participants exhibited a significant, mild and positive correlation. (5) Higher education level correlated positively with insight and attitude toward interstitial cystitis. Participants with lower "current voiding problems" had a more positive attitude toward their disease. Participants with higher "numbers of painful sites" had better disease perception and better self care behaviors. Patients reporting "symptoms aggravated by other conditions" also had better interstitial cystitis perception., Conclusions/implications for Practice: We found positive correlations among disease perceptions, attitudes and self-care behaviors in patients with interstitial cystitis. We strongly recommend that all healthcare providers evaluate patient disease perception extent. Nurses should provide patients with correct disease concepts, and encourage positive attitudes and self-caring behaviors toward interstitial cystitis.