Impact of antihistamine use on the survival outcomes of immune checkpoint inhibitors in advanced cancer patients.

Histamine and H1 receptors play a crucial role in the tumor microenvironment. Preclinical data showed that concomitant use of antihistamines and immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) might increase the effect of ICIs. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of antihistamines on the oncological outcomes of ICIs. This retrospective study was conducted in a tertiary cancer center. Advanced cancer patients treated with ICIs were included in this study. A total of 133 patients receiving ICIs in the metastatic setting were included. Melanoma (33.1%) was the most common tumor type. The most common ICI was nivolumab (63.2%). Fifty-five (38.4%) patients received antihistamines concomitantly with ICIs. The most common antihistamine was pheniramine (85.5%). The median progression-free survival (PFS) (8.2 vs. 5.1 months, P  = 0.016) and overall survival (OS) (16.2 vs. 7.7 months, P  = 0.002) were longer in patients receiving antihistamines concomitantly with ICIs. In multivariate analysis, PFS [hazard ratio (HR) = 0.63, 95% CI: 0.40-0.98, P  = 0.042] and OS (HR = 0.49, 95% CI: 0.29-0.81, P  = 0.006) were also better in those patients after adjusting for confounding factors, such as performance status, bone or liver metastasis, and concurrent chemotherapy. This study suggested that antihistamines may enhance the efficacy of ICIs in patients with advanced cancer. If validated in prospective trials, antihistamines and ICIs combinations might be new options to improve oncological outcomes.

The effect of caregiver educational program on caregiver reactions and lifestyle behaviors for caregivers of colorectal cancer patients: a quasi-experimental study.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the effects of the educational package provided to enhance family caregivers' experience of colorectal cancer patients receiving chemotherapy on healthy lifestyle and caregiving reactions. METHODS: The study was conducted as a pre-test-post-test, quasi-experimental intervention with a control group. The study population consisted of 100 caregivers who provide primary care to patients with colorectal cancer. The data were collected using the "Socio-Demographic Characteristics Data Collection Form," the "Healthy Lifestyle Behaviors Scale-II," and the "Caregiver Reaction Assessment" forms. The pre-test was applied to the experimental and control groups at the first interview. After the preliminary interview, the experimental group was applied three times to face-to-face individual educational sessions through the education booklet prepared by taking the opinions of 5 academician nurses who are experts in the oncology field. The post-test then was applied to the caregivers in the experimental and control groups. RESULTS: After the education provided to the experimental group, a statistically positive change was observed in the mean scores of all sub-dimensions of Healthy Lifestyle Behaviors Scale-II except for the physical sub-dimension (the p values for interpersonal relationships, nutrition, health responsibility, physical activity, stress management, spiritual growth were p = 0.001, p < 0.001, p < 0.001, p = 0.098, p = 0.035, and p = 0.018, respectively). In the control group, there was a statistically significant negative change in the post-test mean scores in all sub-dimensions of the Caregiver Reaction Assessment Scale (the p values for self-esteem, lack of family support, financial problems, interruption of daily life, and health problems were p < 0.001, p < 0.001, p = 0.007, p = 0.004, p = 0.001 respectively). Lack of family support in caregivers negatively affected interpersonal relationships, nutrition (r = - 0.465, p = 0.001, r = - 300 p = 0.034 respectively), health responsibility, and spiritual growth (r = - 0.514 p < 0,001, r = - 384 p = 0.006). CONCLUSION: It is important to interact with caregivers during the chemotherapy process to reduce problems in family members. Providing professional support through an education program reduces negative effects on caregivers, provides psychosocial support to caregivers and can improve patient outcomes.

Combination of trastuzumab and taxane-containing intensified chemotherapy in first-line treatment of HER2-positive advanced gastric cancer.

PURPOSE: Taxane-containing combinations are recommended for the first-line therapy of advanced gastric cancer. It is not known which chemotherapy regimen is the best with trastuzumab for HER2-positive patients. The aim of this study was to compare taxane-containing intensified chemotherapy versus standard chemotherapy in combination with trastuzumab in the first-line treatment of HER2-positive advanced gastric adenocarcinoma. METHODS: This study is a retrospective multicenter study of the Turkish Oncology Group. A total of 130 HER2-positive patients with inoperable locally advanced, recurrent, or metastatic gastric adenocarcinoma being given chemotherapy plus trastuzumab as the first-line treatment were included from 16 different oncology centers. Trastuzumab combination with intensified chemotherapy including taxane or standard chemotherapy was compared in terms of progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS), and toxicity. RESULTS: There were 108 patients in the standard and 22 patients in the intensified chemotherapy group. PFS of the standard and intensified group were 5.6 months (95% confidence interval [CI] 4.8-6.4) and 5.3 months (95% CI 2.6-8), respectively (p = 0.70). OS of the standard and intensified group were 11.1 months (95% CI 8.3-13.9) and 15.2 months (95% CI 12.7-17.7), respectively (p = 0.03). Repeated analysis excluding patients given any previous therapy revealed similar results. The intensified group had more fever and febrile neutropenia. CONCLUSION: Trastuzumab combination with intensified chemotherapy provides better OS in first-line treatment of HER2-positive advanced gastric cancer. Further large-scale studies should be performed in HER2-positive patients.

Worse patient-physician relationship is associated with more fear of cancer recurrence (Deimos Study): A study of the Palliative Care Working Committee of the Turkish Oncology Group (TOG).

OBJECTIVE: Fear of cancer recurrence (FCR) is an important psychological trauma associated with reduction in the quality of life, disruptions in the level of adjustment, emotional distress and anxiety. The purpose of the study was to evaluate the impact of patient-physician relationship on FCR. METHODS: The study was designed as a multicentre survey study. The cancer survivors, who were under remission, were evaluated with structured questionnaires. Patient-physician relationship (PPR) scale in which higher scores indicate better relationship and FCR inventory was used. RESULTS: Between January and April 2019, 1,580 patients were evaluated. The median age was 57.0 (19-88), and 66% were female. There was high level of FCR scores in 51% of participants. There was a negative correlation between PPR and FCR scores (r = -.134, p < .001). In multivariate analysis, young age, female gender, history of metastasectomy and worse PPR were associated with high levels of FCR. CONCLUSION: It is the first data showing the adverse impact of worse PPR on FCR. The strategies to improve the PPR should be practised. In addition, the cancer survivors, who are under the risk of FCR, should be evaluated and managed.

Posttraumatic growth and death anxiety in caregivers of cancer patients: PHOENIX study

Background/aim: Posttraumatic growth (PTG) is defined as positive psychological changes following a challenging or traumatic life event. The purpose of this study is to define the predictors of PTG and death anxiety (DAN) in caregivers of cancer patients and evaluate the impact of DAN on PTG. Materials and methods: The caregivers of cancer patients were evaluated using structured questionnaires, including a validated PTG scale and Templer death anxiety scale. Results: In 3 different cancer centers, 426 participants were evaluated. In multivariate analysis of factors associated with PTG, a high DAN score was the only parameter associated with high PTG scores [OR: 1.6, CI (95%) 1.02­2.5, P = 0.03]. In multivariate analysis of factors associated with DAN, female sex was the only risk factor for high DAN scores [OR: 1.6, CI (95%) 1.1­2.8, P = 0.049]. There was a positive correlation between PTG and DAN scores (r = 0.15, P = 0.001). Higher DAN scores were associated with positive impacts on self-perception (37.0 versus 35.0, P = 0.02), philosophy of life (16.0 versus 13.0, P = 0.035), and changes in relationship (16.0 versus 14.0, P = 0.01) Conclusions: This is the first report regarding the association between DAN and PTG. We found a positive impact of death anxiety on psychological changes in caregivers of cancer patients.

Pembrolizumab plus Chemotherapy for Squamous Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer.

BACKGROUND: Standard first-line therapy for metastatic, squamous non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is platinum-based chemotherapy or pembrolizumab (for patients with programmed death ligand 1 [PD-L1] expression on ≥50% of tumor cells). More recently, pembrolizumab plus chemotherapy was shown to significantly prolong overall survival among patients with nonsquamous NSCLC. METHODS: In this double-blind, phase 3 trial, we randomly assigned, in a 1:1 ratio, 559 patients with untreated metastatic, squamous NSCLC to receive 200 mg of pembrolizumab or saline placebo for up to 35 cycles; all the patients also received carboplatin and either paclitaxel or nanoparticle albumin-bound [nab]-paclitaxel for the first 4 cycles. Primary end points were overall survival and progression-free survival. RESULTS: After a median follow-up of 7.8 months, the median overall survival was 15.9 months (95% confidence interval [CI], 13.2 to not reached) in the pembrolizumab-combination group and 11.3 months (95% CI, 9.5 to 14.8) in the placebo-combination group (hazard ratio for death, 0.64; 95% CI, 0.49 to 0.85; P<0.001). The overall survival benefit was consistent regardless of the level of PD-L1 expression. The median progression-free survival was 6.4 months (95% CI, 6.2 to 8.3) in the pembrolizumab-combination group and 4.8 months (95% CI, 4.3 to 5.7) in the placebo-combination group (hazard ratio for disease progression or death, 0.56; 95% CI, 0.45 to 0.70; P<0.001). Adverse events of grade 3 or higher occurred in 69.8% of the patients in the pembrolizumab-combination group and in 68.2% of the patients in the placebo-combination group. Discontinuation of treatment because of adverse events was more frequent in the pembrolizumab-combination group than in the placebo-combination group (13.3% vs. 6.4%). CONCLUSIONS: In patients with previously untreated metastatic, squamous NSCLC, the addition of pembrolizumab to chemotherapy with carboplatin plus paclitaxel or nab-paclitaxel resulted in significantly longer overall survival and progression-free survival than chemotherapy alone. (Funded by Merck Sharp & Dohme; KEYNOTE-407 ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT02775435 .).

Diagnostic serum vitamin D level is not a reliable prognostic factor for resectable breast cancer.

AIM: There are inconsistent results about the effects of vitamin D level on breast cancer prognosis. We aimed to investigate the effect of vitamin D levels on the prognosis of resectable breast cancer in a patient group with highly different clothing styles. PATIENTS & METHODS: A total of 186 breast cancer patients were enrolled in the study. RESULTS: Vitamin D level was sufficient, insufficient and deficient in 17.2, 52.2 and 30.6% of patients, respectively. There was a significant relationship between clothing style and serum 25 (OH) D levels. We could not establish any relation between vitamin D level and tumor characteristics or survival. CONCLUSION: Vitamin D supplementation can be more important than diagnostic serum vitamin D level on prognosis of breast cancer.

Perspectives and practical applications of medical oncologists on defensive medicine (SYSIPHUS study): a study of the Palliative Care Working Committee of the Turkish Oncology Group (TOG).

Defensive medicine occasionally indulges unnecessary treatment requests to defend against lawsuits for medical errors and the use of unapproved medical applications. This study determines the attitudes and orientations of medical oncologists on defensive medicine. A cross-sectional survey was sent by e-mail to medical oncologists. The survey was designed to determine the participants' demographic characteristics and defensive medicine practices. The survey measured the attitudes about defensive medicine practices of the oncologists based on a five-point Likert scale (never, rarely, sometimes, often, and always). One hundred and forty-six of a total of 402 physicians serving in oncology were fully filled, and the rate of return invitation was 36 %. The majority of participants were male, with a duration of between 7 and 9 years of work as university hospital officials, and the mean age was 46 ± 9 (years). International guidelines were followed in the most common is NCCN, and the majority of respondents felt that the application of these guidelines improves their defensive medicine. All participants of defensive medicine who stand on the basis of the definition were found to be more afraid of complaints by patients' relatives. Physicians of 45 % was noted that applying defensive medicine. Among the participants were the most frequent checkups of positive defensive approach is defined as increasing or shortening the follow-up period, while avoiding high-risk patients were detected as described in the definition of negative defensive medicine. Both professional groups in both the positive and negative defensive medicine approach defensive medicine approach, academic tasks, work experience and job time, there was a significant correlation between the location. Made in single- and multi-variable analyses, positions were identified both positive and negative defensive medicine is an independent risk factor for direction. Improving the working conditions of young physicians to protect against medical error may require additional educational opportunities.

[Treatment in elderly patients with small cell lung cancer]. / Küçük hücreli akciger kanseri olan yasli hastalarda tedavi.

The elderly small cell lung cancer patients' benefit from treatment is similar to younger patients, but experience more treatment-related adverse effects. These patients of good performance status must be treated as standard treatments. Therapy may be modified fort he unfavorable groups. Clinical trials for older patients are needed, for treatment decisions.