ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to evaluate and compare the fear of cancer recurrence (FCR) in patients diagnosed with a small renal mass (SRM) and managed with either active surveillance (AS) or minimal invasive renal cryoablation (CA). PATIENTS/MATERIAL AND METHODS: A total of 398 patients with SRMs (263 AS and 135 CA patients) were retrospectively identified across three institutions and invited to complete the Fear of Cancer Recurrence-Short Form (FCRI-SF) questionnaire. RESULTS: No statistically significant differences in FCRI-SF score were observed between the AS (mean = 10.9, standard deviation [SD] = 6.9) and CA (mean = 10.2, SD = 7.2) (p = 0.559) patients, with the mean scores of both groups being below the suggested clinically significant cut-off of 16. A total of 25% of AS and 28% of CA patients reported sub-clinical or clinical levels of FCR (FCRI-SF score > 16). Within the AS group, a weak negative association between FCR severity and age was observed (r = -0.23, p = 0.006), and a statistically significant difference in FCRI-SF score between patients aged more or less than 73 years (p = 0.009). INTERPRETATION: FCR levels were comparable between AS and CA patients, suggesting that treatment decisions should prioritise clinical factors. Up to 28% of AS and CA patients report clinically significant FCR, highlighting the importance of considering the possibility of FCR, especially in younger patients.
Subject(s)
Cryosurgery , Fear , Kidney Neoplasms , Neoplasm Recurrence, Local , Watchful Waiting , Humans , Kidney Neoplasms/surgery , Kidney Neoplasms/pathology , Kidney Neoplasms/psychology , Male , Female , Aged , Neoplasm Recurrence, Local/psychology , Neoplasm Recurrence, Local/pathology , Neoplasm Recurrence, Local/epidemiology , Retrospective Studies , Fear/psychology , Middle Aged , Watchful Waiting/statistics & numerical data , Aged, 80 and over , Surveys and Questionnaires , Carcinoma, Renal Cell/surgery , Carcinoma, Renal Cell/pathology , Carcinoma, Renal Cell/psychology , AdultSubject(s)
Biopsy/methods , Carcinoma in Situ/pathology , Carcinoma, Transitional Cell/pathology , Cystoscopy , Neoplasm Recurrence, Local/pathology , Urinary Bladder Neoplasms/pathology , Urinary Bladder/pathology , Urine/cytology , Adjuvants, Immunologic/therapeutic use , Administration, Intravesical , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , BCG Vaccine/therapeutic use , Carcinoma in Situ/therapy , Carcinoma in Situ/urine , Carcinoma, Transitional Cell/therapy , Carcinoma, Transitional Cell/urine , Cohort Studies , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Neoplasm Recurrence, Local/diagnosis , Neoplasm Recurrence, Local/urine , Prospective Studies , Urinary Bladder Neoplasms/therapy , Urinary Bladder Neoplasms/urine , Urologic Surgical ProceduresABSTRACT
Placenta-sequestering Plasmodium falciparum parasites causing pregnancy-associated malaria express pregnancy-specific variant surface antigens (VSA(PAM)). We report here that VSA(PAM)-expressing patient isolates adhere strongly to the choriocarcinoma cell line BeWo and that the BeWo line can be used to efficiently select for VSA(PAM) expression in vitro.
