Hope For Cancer Patients Research Articles

The effect of MBCT mindfulness-based cognitive therapy techniques on increasing hope in cancer patients undergoing radiotherapy

The present study was conducted to investigate the effect of mindfulness techniques on increasing hope in cancer patients undergoing radiotherapy. For this purpose, 30 cancer patients in two control and experimental groups were available by sampling. This research method was semi-experimental, and in this regard, Freiberg (2001) and Snyder (1991) hope test questionnaires were used to collect data. The subjects of the experimental group participated in 8 sessions of 35 minutes of individual psychological therapy of mindfulness. The Freiberg test was performed in the experimental group to mentally prepare the patients for the research before the mindfulness sessions. Also, the subjects responded to Snyder's hope questionnaire as a pre-test and post-test. For data analysis, mean difference and analysis of covariance test (ANCOVA) were used in SPSS software version 22. The findings showed that mindfulness techniques have a positive effect on increasing hope in cancer patients. These findings can provide a new platform for optimal psychological interventions along with medical treatments, to help cancer patients undergoing treatment.

CD300ld: A new target for tumor immunotherapy and new hope for cancer patients

CD300ld: A new target for tumor immunotherapy and new hope for cancer patients

Immunomodulatory effects of exercise in cancer prevention and adjuvant therapy: a narrative review.

Successful application of cancer immunotherapy has rekindled hope in cancer patients. However, a number of patients are unresponsive to immunotherapy and related treatments. This unresponsiveness in cancer patients toward different treatment regimens can be mainly attributed to severe immune dysfunction in such patients. Several reports indicate that physical exercise can significantly lead to improved cancer patient outcomes. Since exercise gets immense response from the immune system, it can be utilized to improve immune function. Leukocytes with enhanced functions are substantially mobilized into the circulation by a single bout of intense physical exercise. Chronic physical exercise results in greater muscle endurance and strength and improved cardiorespiratory function. This exercise regime is also useful in improving T-cell abundance and reducing dysfunctional T cells. The current available data strongly justify for future clinical trials to investigate physical exercise use as an adjuvant in cancer therapy; however, optimal parameters using exercise for a defined outcome are yet to be established. The components of the immune system associate with almost every tumorigenesis step. The inter-relationship between inflammation, cancer, and innate immunity has recently gained acceptance; however, the underlying cellular and molecular mechanisms behind this relationship are yet to be solved. Several studies suggest physical exercise-mediated induction of immune cells to elicit anti-tumorigenic effects. This indicates the potential of exercising in modulating the behavior of immune cells to inhibit tumor progression. However, further mechanistic details behind physical exercise-driven immunomodulation and anticancer effects have to be determined. This review aims to summarize and discuss the association between physical exercise and immune function modulation and the potential of exercise as an adjuvant therapy in cancer prevention and treatment.

NTRK-fusion detection in thyroid and salivary gland cancer offers a targeted therapy with NTRK-inhibitor

NTRK-fusion in cancer is rare but it offers targeted therapy with NTRK-inhibitor. NTRK fusion is not a point mutation. NTRK fusion is an oncogenic driver, NTRK mutation is not an oncogenic driver. Patients with NTRK point mutation do not respond to NTRK-targeted therapy. NTRK fusion was detected in secretory carcinoma. Secretory carcinoma was a new entity, first described in 2010, classified by NTRK-fusion. It is often misdiagnosed, and standard pathology often fails to distinguish it from another histology subtype of salivary gland carcinoma, so its frequency can be higher than has been reported. Therefore, different examinations are needed in order to obtain a correct diagnosis. In thyroid gland carcinoma, NTRK fusion-positive carcinomas are associated with clinically aggressive disease with a high metastatic rate. Therefore NTRK-fusion test should be performed in thyroid cancer patients with recurrence and unresectable disease, metastatic thyroid cancer, Radioactive Iodine (RAI)-refractory disease, and invasive disease. Immunohistochemistry with antibody against TRKA, TRKB, and TRKC can be used to identify TRK protein expression in salivary gland cancer so this test can be used for screening in all salivary gland cancers. NGS or FISH are tools that can be used to confirm NTRK fusion. Detection of NTRK fusion allows new hope for cancer patients with refractory therapy.

Research progress of calcium carbonate nanomaterials in cancer therapy: challenge and opportunity.

Cancer has keeping the main threat to the health of human being. Its overall survival rate has shown rare substantial progress in spite of the improving diagnostic and treatment techniques for cancer in recent years. Indeed, such classic strategies for malignant tumor as surgery, radiation and chemotherapy have been developed and bring more hope to the patients, but still been accompanied by certain limitations, which include the challenge of managing large wound sizes, systemic toxic side effects, and harmful to the healthy tissues caused by imprecise alignment with tumors in radiotherapy. Furthermore, immunotherapy exhibits a limited therapeutic effect in advanced tumors which is reported only up to 25%-30%. The combination of nanomaterials and cancer treatment offers new hope for cancer patients, demonstrating strong potential in the field of medical research. Among the extensively utilized nanomaterials, calcium carbonate nanomaterials (CCNM) exhibit a broad spectrum of biomedical applications due to their abundant availability, cost-effectiveness, and exceptional safety profile. CCNM have the potential to elevate intracellular Ca2+ levels in tumor cells, trigger the mitochondrial damage and ultimately lead to tumor cell death. Moreover, compared with other types of nanomaterials, CCNM exhibit remarkable advantages as delivery systems owing to their high loading capacity, biocompatibility and biodegradability. The purpose of this review is to provide an overview of CCNM synthesis, focusing on summarizing its diverse roles in cancer treatment and the benefits and challenges associated with CCNM in cancer therapy. Hoping to present the significance of CCNM as for the clinical application, and summarize information for the design of CCNM and other types of nanomaterials in the future.

Severe cutaneous adverse reactions associated with immune checkpoint inhibitors therapy and anti-VEGF combination therapy: a real-world study of the FDA adverse event reporting system

ABSTRACT Background Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) therapy combined with anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF) regimens showed new hope for cancer patients and considered as future pillar of cancer therapy. However, severe cutaneous adverse reactions (SCARs) in patients with ICIs and anti-VEGF combined therapy raise a serious concern and remain thoroughly assessed in clinics. Research design and methods Data retrieved from the first quarter of 2004 to the third quarter of 2022 in FAERS database underwent disproportionality analysis and Bayesian analysis were utilized to detect and assess the SCAR signals of ICIs and ICIs and anti-VEGF combined therapy for comparison. Results In total, 854 (1.10%) and 80 (1.06%) reports on SCARs associated with ICIs and a combination of ICIs and anti-VEGF therapy, respectively, were analyzed. Most of SCARs reports were associated with the use of pembrolizumab (36.01%), nivolumab (23.97%) and a combination of ipilimumab and nivolumab (19.71%). A use of atezolizumab and bevacizumab combined therapy (60.00%) caused the most SCARs records out of ICIs and anti-VEGF combined therapies. Conclusions Treatment with joint therapy of ICIs and anti-VEGF agents may cause severe cutaneous adverse events. It is vital to identify ICI-related SCARs early, and to manage them appropriately.

Epigenetic Perspective of Immunotherapy for Cancers

Immunotherapy has brought new hope for cancer patients in recent times. However, despite the promising success of immunotherapy, there is still a need to address major challenges including heterogeneity in response among patients, the reoccurrence of the disease, and iRAEs (immune-related adverse effects). The first critical step towards solving these issues is understanding the epigenomic events that play a significant role in the regulation of specific biomolecules in the context of the immune population present in the tumor immune microenvironment (TIME) during various treatments and responses. A prominent advantage of this step is that it would enable researchers to harness the reversibility of epigenetic modifications for their druggability. Therefore, we reviewed the crucial studies in which varying epigenomic events were captured with immuno-oncology set-ups. Finally, we discuss the therapeutic possibilities of their utilization for the betterment of immunotherapy in terms of diagnosis, progression, and cure for cancer patients.

An interpretive phenomenological analysis of hope in cancer patients: A qualitative study.

In positive psychology, increased recognition of the phenomenon of hope among people suffering from cancer, along with alleviating their negative mental states like anxiety, depression, and fear of death is evident and promising. The aim of the study was to explore the lived experience of hope in cancer patients. Qualitative phenomenological research approach was used. A semi-structured in-depth interview with open-ended questions was administered to explore the patient's hope related experiences during the journey of cancer. A purposive sampling technique was used to select a total of 10 participants for the study. The size of the sample was decided on the basis of literature for the interpretive phenomenological study. Results revealed five major common themes related to hope during illness: (1) survival expectation; (2) will to live; (3) prognostic clarification; (4) positivity of health providers; and (5) recovery of other patients: A source of hopefulness. The lived experiences of cancer patients shows that hope is the positive expectation of survival, which is a source of motivation during their journey of illness. It also denotes goal setting behaviour. Thus, hope is the "will to live" which is related to social support, positive communication with healthcare providers, and recovery of fellow patients.

Effects of Regular Exercise, Arts (Origami), and Group Psychotherapy on the Quality of Life, Anxiety, Depression, Patient Satisfaction, and Hope in Cancer Patients in Remission: A Prospective Study

Background: Cancer is a critical public health problem worldwide. Some studies found that group psychotherapy, when applied to cancer patients as a psychiatric approach, also decreases the existing psychopathological symptoms. Objectives: This study aimed to determine the effects of a Quality-of-Life Support Program (QOLSP) for cancer patients in remission. Methods: Twenty-six cancer patients who were monitored while in remission were included in this study. During the eight-week prospective study, a QOLSP was implemented weekly. The patients’ hope, anxiety, depression, and quality of life (QoL) were assessed using different scales. Additional questionnaires assessed the status of program satisfaction and the arm utilization angle of the breast cancer patients (n=20). Results: The total mean score on the hope scale was initially 25.6±3.9 and increased to 29.7±1.9 post-QOLSP (P˂0.001). Additionally, the total mean score on the EORTC QLQ-C30 scale was initially 68.9±4.9 and increased to 92.6±2.2 post-QOLSP (P˂0.001). Moreover, the total mean anxiety and depression scores on the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) decreased (P<0.001) post-QOLSP. Factors affecting the hope score differences, including the hope pre-score and the sap score (Loss of Appetite), in the EORTC QLQ-C30 symptom scale were significant (P<0.001 and P=0.01, respectively). Factors affecting the anxiety and depression score differences were the HADS anxiety (P=0.001) and depression (P<0.001) pre-scores, in descending order. Moreover, the factor affecting the sql2 score, evaluating General Health Status on the EORTC QLQ-C30, was the sql2 pre-score (P<0.001). All 26 patients were “very satisfied” with the program, and the arm usage angle of the 20 operated breast cancer patients improved. Conclusion: Facilities that can provide a multidisciplinary QOLSP throughout treatment and follow-up will favorably affect QoL, anxiety, depression, hope, and satisfaction among cancer patients.

Biomarkers of related driver genes predict anti-tumor efficacy of immune checkpoint inhibitors.

Cancer is a disease with high morbidity and mortality in the world. In the past, the main treatment methods for cancer patients were surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy. However, with early treatment, the recurrence rate of cancer is higher, and the drug resistance of cancer cells is faster. In recent years, with the discovery of immune escape mechanism of cancer cells, Immunotherapy, especially Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors (ICIs), has made a breakthrough in the treatment of solid tumors, significantly prolonging the overall survival time and disease-free progression in some solid tumors, and its clinical benefits are more prominent than those of traditional anti-tumor drugs, which has become the hope of cancer patients after the failure of multi-line therapy. More and more studies have shown that there is a correlation between cancer driving genes and the clinical benefits of ICIs treatment, and the therapeutic effects and adverse reactions of ICIs can be predicted by the status of driving genes. Therefore, screening potential biomarkers of people who may benefit from immunotherapy in order to maximize the therapeutic benefits is a top priority. This review systematically summarizes the cancer driving genes that may affect the clinical benefits of immune checkpoint inhibitors, and provides accurate scientific basis for clinical practice.

Finding your niche: immune evasion in quiescent tumor reservoirs

Emerging immunotherapies offer a new hope for cancer patients but are not always effective even when a tumor is recognized by the immune system. Baldominos and colleagues address this challenge by characterizing a resilient niche of metabolically unique quiescent cancer cells (QCCs) that resist T cell-mediated control.

Effects of Psychotherapy on Hope/Hopelessness in Adults with Cancer: a Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

Although psychotherapy is a common treatment for hopelessness and hope, the effectiveness remains controversial. The purpose of this study was to quantitatively synthesize available evidence related to the effect of a broad range of psychotherapy interventions on hope/hopelessness in cancer patients. Eight electronic databases were searched for studies with adult cancer patients (mean age ≥ 18years) receiving psychotherapy interventions with hope/hopelessness measured as outcomes and written in English. We used the random-effects model to compute effect size using Hedges' g and conducted moderator analyses. We found 27 primary studies which included 1,998 participants who were 57.6 ± 8.0years old across studies. The psychotherapy effect size ranged from - 0.86 to 2.92. Researchers who conducted psychotherapy at hospital/health centers showed higher effects, that is, improved hope scores (g = 0.63), than those who conducted psychotherapy in the community (g = 0.05). When researchers enrolled participants alone, psychotherapy resulted in higher effects (g = 0.62) than when partners/caregivers were involved (g = - 0.04). Researchers who included group discussion showed lower effects (g = 0.36) than without group discussion (g = 1.10). Researchers who examined fidelity found lower effects (g = 0.16) than researchers who did not examine fidelity (g = 0.66). Interestingly, researchers who studied people with breast cancer showed higher effects (g = 0.96) than those who studied people with other types of cancer (g = 0.26). Researchers who included higher percentages of women showed greater effects (slope = 0.008, Qmodel = 3.99, p = 0.046). Finally, the greater the time span between psychotherapy and the measurement of hope, the lower the psychotherapy effects (slope = - 0.002, Qmodel = 4.25, p = 0.039). Psychotherapy had a solid moderate effect on reducing hopelessness and improving hope in cancer patients compared to controls.

Hope therapy in cancer patients: a systematic review.

To identify the associated factors of hope therapy during treatment in cancer patients. Hope is very important to cancer patients at all stages of the disease process. Several and different factors are associated with hope. A systematic literature review of quantitative empirical studies on hope and quality of life in cancer patients. Search in MEDLINE, Psychinfo, and Cochrane (January 2010-December 2020). A coherent search strategy was designed where MESH terms were combined with "free text" terms: hope (e.g., hope therapy, Herth Hope Index, quality of life) and cancer (e.g. neoplasm, tumor). Two authors independently screened all the studies and assessed their quality. Twenty studies were included. The overall score of Herth Hope Index in cancer patients was 36.93, and the overall score of quality of life in cancer patients were 47.52. Also, the trend of quality of life and Herth Hope Index in cancer patients has been decreasing, from 2010 to 2020. This systematic literature review of associated factors of hope in cancer patients receiving treatment shows that hope seems to be positively related mainly by intrinsic factors, such as perceived health, quality of life, and social support.

Balancing the good and the bad: controlling immune-related adverse events versus anti-tumor responses in cancer patients treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors.

Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) have provided new hope for cancer patients, and in particular for patients with tumors that are immunologically active and classified as hot tumors. These tumors express antigenic and tumor microenvironment (TME) characteristics that make them potential candidates for therapy with checkpoint inhibitors that aim to reactivate the immune response such as anti-PD-1 and anti-CTLA-4. Examples of potentially responsive cancers are, melanoma, non-small cell lung cancer and several other metastatic or unresectable tumors with genetic instability: DNA mismatch repair deficiency (dMMR), microsatellite instability-high (MSI-H), or with a high tumor mutational burden (TMB). Immunotherapy using checkpoint inhibitors is typically associated with adverse events (AEs) that are milder than those with chemotherapy. However, a significant percentage of patients develop short-term immune-related AEs (irAEs) which range from mild (~70%) to severe cases (~13%) that can lead to modifications of the checkpoint inhibitor therapy and in some cases, death. While some studies have investigated immune mechanisms behind the development of irAEs, much more research is needed to understand the mechanisms and to develop interventions that could attenuate severe irAEs, while maintaining the anti-tumor response intact. Moreover, studies to identify biomarkers that can predict the likelihood of a patient developing severe irAEs would be of great clinical importance. Here we discuss some of the clinical ramifications of irAEs, potential immune mechanisms behind their development and studies that have investigated potentially useful biomarkers of irAEs development.

Assessment of the level of spirituality and hope of cancer patients

Assessment of the level of spirituality and hope of cancer patients

A single nucleotide variant of human PARP1 determines response to PARP inhibitors

The introduction of novel cancer drugs and innovative treatments brings great hope for cancer patients, but also an urgent need to match drugs to suitable patients, since certain drugs that benefit one patient may actually harm others. The newly developed poly-ADP ribose polymerase (PARP) inhibitors (PARPis) are a group of pharmacological enzyme inhibitors used clinically for multiple indications. Several forms of cancer tend to be PARP dependent, making PARP an attractive target for cancer therapy. Specifically, PARPis are commonly used in BRCA-associated breast cancers patients, since unrepaired single-strand breaks are converted into double-strand breaks and BRCA-associated tumors cannot repair them by homologous recombination so that PARPi leads to tumor cell death, by a mechanism called “Synthetic Lethality”. Unfortunately, not all patients respond to PARPi, and it is not currently possible to predict who will or will not respond. Here, we present a specific genomic marker, which reflects a single-nucleotide polymorphism of human PARP1 and correlates in vitro with response to PARPi, throughout all indications. In addition, we report that this SNP is associated with re-shaping mRNA, and mRNA levels, and influences the final protein structure to expose new binding sites while hiding others. The status of the SNP is therefore critical to patients’ care, as it relates responses to PARPi to the PARP1-SNP carried.

Associated factors of hope in cancer patients during treatment: A systematic literature review.

To identify the associated factors of hope during treatment in cancer patients. Hope is very important to cancer patients at all stages of the disease process. Hope is seen as an important coping mechanism. Most research about hope in cancer patients considered the end of life or in palliative care. Several and different factors are associated with hope. It is not yet sufficiently clear which factors are associated with hope during the treatment. A systematic literature review of quantitative empirical studies on hope in cancer patients during treatment. Search in MEDLINE (PubMed interface), CINAHL (EBSCO interface), Psychinfo and Cochrane (January 2009-December 2018). Empirical quantitative studies were included regardless of the disease stage, written in English or Dutch, measuring hope from the perspective of cancer patients. Two authors independently screened all the studies and assessed their quality. Thirty-three studies were included. Positive relationship has been established between hope and quality of life, social support, spiritual and existential well-being. Hope appears to be negatively associated with symptom burden, psychological distress and depression. There appears to be no relationship between hope and demographic and clinical variables. The relationship between anxiety and hope remains unclear. Hope primarily seems to be a process that takes place in a person's inner being rather than being determined from outside. Health professionals may want to focus on the meaning of hope for cancer patients in relation to the associated factors. A better understanding of the meaning of hope during treatment can be of great value in supporting cancer patients with regard to treatment decisions, psychosocial support, the experienced quality of life and symptom burden and any wishes they may have with regard to advanced care planning.

"Hedgehog pathway": a potential target of itraconazole in the treatment of cancer.

Itraconazole is an antifungal drug that has been clinically used for over 30years. In recent years, scholars have discovered that it possesses an anticancer effect. Moreover, its mechanism has been clarified to some degree. What deserves to be mentioned is that itraconazole acting on the Hedgehog pathway has made a new progress in the treatment of cancers. While interestingly, studies have demonstrated that the Hedgehog pathway is largely activated in different cancer cells. This review tries to highlight the effect of itraconazole on smoothened receptor (SMO) in the Hedgehog pathway, thereby reducing the glioma-associated oncogene homolog (GLI) release and finally exhibiting a range of anticancer effects, promoting apoptosis of cancer cells, and inhibiting proliferation by indirect inhibition of NF-κB pathway and inflammation, moreover, promoting the expression of cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitors, inhibiting the expression of target genes transcribed by GLI such as BCL-2 and Cyclin-D1. Besides, itraconazole increases the number of Bnip3, subsequently, inducing the dissociation of the Beclin-1/BCL-2 binding complex, as a result of ultimately promoting autophagy of cancer cells. As a new anticancer drug, whether itraconazole eventually entering clinical application requires the joint eforts of all scholars. In any case, an in-depth study on itraconazole will bring new hope for cancer patients in the near future.

Pharmacologic studies of CDH17/CD3 bispecific antibodies to treat colorectal and pancreatic cancers.

116 Background: Immunotherapy has emerged as a new hope for cancer patients who do not respond to conventional therapies. In addition to the widely investigated immune checkpoint inhibitors such as PD-L1 antibody, bispecific T cell redirecting antibodies have also drawn much attention from pharmaceutical companies. The popularity of bispecific T cell engager has been increasing since the US FDA’s accelerated approval of blinatumomab for treatment of haematological malignancies. The clinical efficacy of such engagers in solid tumors have however remained to be demonstrated. Cadherin-17 (CDH17) is a promising immunotherapeutic target for gastrointestinal (GI) cancers. It is a highly tumor-specific antigen with restricted expression limited to the tight junction of intestine that is normally inaccessible to biologics. CDH17 overexpression correlates with tumor burden and poor prognosis. Methods: Fully humanized CDH17/CD3 bispecific antibodies were generated. T cell-mediated cytotoxicity was tested in vitro and in vivo. Safety was addressed in cynomolgus monkeys with intestinal CDH17 level equivalent to that of human. Results: One lead antibody, ARB202 exhibited high-affinity binding to CDH17 and CD3. In the presence of CDH17-positive pancreatic cancer cells, ARB202 stimulated in vitro IL-2 release in CD3/CD28-expanded PBMC. In the absence of tumor cells ARB202 stimulated cytokine production in PBMCs required over 600-fold greater concentrations. ARB202 specifically directed in vitro T cell killing of GI cancer cells expressing CDH17, but not of cells lacking CDH17 expression. In mouse xenograft models reconstituted with human immune cells, ARB202 demonstrated significant tumor growth inhibition with concomitant IL-2 response. No dose-dependent toxicities on cynomolgus monkeys were observed over a 3-log dose range. ARB202 displayed favourable in vivo pharmacokinetic profiles in mice and monkeys. ARB202 is a stable bispecific antibody retaining functional activity after incubation for a month at 37°C at pH6.0. Conclusions: ARB202 is a promising candidate for clinical trials. A proprietary cell line is generated for the pilot manufacturing of ARB202 for IND enabling studies.

Hope in Hospitalized Patients with Terminal Cancer.

Hope is of great importance for patients diagnosed with cancer, especially those that are terminally ill. The diagnosis often puts an end to the realization of personal, social, and professional goals. The aim of this study was to characterize the hope of hospitalized patients diagnosed with cancer in the terminal phase of the disease. The research tool used in the study was Block’s hope test (NCN-36; NCN- Nadzieja Chorych Nowotworowych—Hope of Cancer Patients), designed for patients with life-threatening diseases. The results showed that the patients were characterized by a moderate level of global hope. The highest levels of hope were noted in the spiritual-religious area and the lowest levels of hope concerned curing the disease. Patients exhibited varied levels of hope and varied internal structures of hope. They presented four different types of hope: optimistic, moderate, religious, and weak. Optimistic hope was found most frequently in patients diagnosed with a terminal phase of cancer, while weak hope was represented by the smallest group of these patients.