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Adherence to capecitabine, an effective oral chemotherapy agent, is essential in achieving treatment response in cancer. In this study, we aimed to investigate factors associated with non-adherence to capecitabine in a sample of patients with gastrointestinal cancer. We enrolled 98 patients with colon, rectal or gastric cancers who were undergoing treatment with capecitabine as part of their single or multi-agent chemotherapy regimen. The patients were followed during cohort time up to four consecutive cycles of their chemotherapy. For adherence measurement, the participants were asked to bring back the leftover medicines at the time of follow-up visits and were considered adherent if they had taken ≥95% of their prescribed dose. The mean adherence rate was 97.7%, and the patients were adherent to capecitabine in 93.1% of their cycles. The patients who underwent neoadjuvant chemotherapy were significantly less adherent to capecitabine (60%) as compared with adjuvant (95.2%) and palliative chemotherapy (94.6%) [P=0.004]. Multivariable logistic regression revealed that neoadjuvant chemotherapy and the presence of nausea and mucositis were inversely associated with adherence rate. We did not find any association between adherence and any of our laboratory findings. Our findings suggest a high adherence rate to capecitabine among patients with gastrointestinal cancers. Neoadjuvant chemotherapy and the presence of nausea and mucositis may play a significant role in non-adherence to capecitabine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: This study evaluated the effect of adjuvant chemotherapy and hormone therapy on overall survival and disease-free survival in patients with breast cancer with hormone receptor-positive, HER2-negative tumors without lymph node involvement. Methods: Breast cancer patients with hormone receptor-positive, HER2-negative, and no lymph node involvement were included in this retrospective cohort study. Patient records were used to collect data on sex, age, time of disease onset, tumor subtype, tumor size, grade, lymphovascular and perineural involvement, ki67, and treatment protocols. Patients were divided into 2 groups: Patients who received both adjuvant chemotherapy and hormonal therapy and patients who received hormonal therapy only. Disease-free survival index (DFS) and overall survival index (OS) were evaluated. Results: Sixty-seven female patients were enrolled in this study. Of them, 68.2% received both adjuvant chemotherapy and hormonal therapy and 31.6% received hormonal therapy only. During follow-up, recurrences occurred in 8 patients. The 3-year and 5-year DFS were 93.4% and 90%, respectively. The 3-year and 5-year DFS was 94% and 92%, respectively, in patients who received both adjuvant chemotherapy and hormonal therapy, and 91% and 85%, respectively, in patients who received hormonal therapy. None of the factors studied affected the 3-year and 5-year DFS. The 3-year and 5-year DFS OS were 98.6% and 96.9%, respectively Conclusion: Adjuvant chemotherapy in patients with breast cancer with hormone receptor-positive, HER2-negative, and no lymph node involvement compared with similar patients receiving hormone therapy alone had no significant difference in disease-free survival index and overall survival index. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: We aimed to investigate safety and efficacy of preoperative chemotherapy using EOX regime in patients with locally advanced gastric and GEJ cancer who were admitted at Imam-Khomeini Oncology clinic and Aram clinic. Method: We performed a mix-cohort study in 51 gastric cancer patients. In the beginning, we performed contrast thorax and abdominal CT scan or ECO cardiograph to determine cancer staging. After that, each patient received 3-weeks EOX regime in 6 cycle. After each three cycles follow-up CT scan was performed to assess any possible progression. Response to the treatment, Overall survival, and Progression-Free Survival were the main outcomes that we evaluated in the current study. We used Kaplan-Meier approach and Cox regression to address survival rate and its prognostic factors. Results: Overall, 72.5% percent were male and mean age of study participants was 57.6. Complete response rate was observed in 11.1%, while 51.1% showed partial response. Median of overall survival and Progression-Free Survival was estimated 35.0 and 28.0 month, respectively. The 5-year overall survival was 74.2% and for PFS it was estimated at 57.7%. Conclusion: Preoperative chemotherapy using EOX regime could increase survival rate among patients with gastric and GEJ cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: DNA oxidation is one of the essential destructive effects of reactive oxygen species (ROS) on the cell membrane macromolecules leading to the deformation of cellular DNA. The most abundant oxidative DNA product on which most studies have focused is re-oxidized DNA, 8 oxo-deoxyguanosine (8-oxodG). This deformation of cellular DNA is associated with various cancer initiation and progression. DNA damage can be a cancer marker including 8-oxodG, thymidine glycol, 8-oxoadenine, etc. DNA oxidation is affected by environmental and non-environmental factors. Age, diet, and metabolism are at the heart of this process. This review study summarizes the types of cancer-related DNA oxidation that serve as a cancer biomarker. Also, we will look at the factors influencing their formation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Background: Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and Vitamin D deficiency, are too common disorders in the world. Various investigations argues the association between two diseases, however, findings are contradictory and controversial. The aim of the present study was to examine the effect of complementary vitamin D supplementation on improvement of various glycemic parameters in T2DM. Methods: In a double blind randomized clinical trial, 60 persons of T2DM patients were selected and divided into 2 groups with 30 patients. Group 1 were treated with oral Vitamin D (50,000 unit /week for 12 week), and group 2 were treated with placebo drug. Findings: The age of studied population were between 34 to 76 years and the mean age was 55 ± 10.7 years. Age, sex, BMI and serum levels of HbA1c and 25(OH) vitamin D were not significantly different between two groups before the study. After 12 weeks treatment intervention, no significant difference was found in serum HbA1c and lipids between two groups. Conclusion: In this study weekly vitamin D supplementation for 12 weeks had not significant decremental effect on HbA1c and lipid profiles, however, further studies needs to evaluate clinical usefulness of our findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Patients with colorectal cancer who undergo surgery face many postoperative problems. These problems include the risk of relapse, side effects, and long-term complications., Objective: This study sought to design and develop a remote monitoring system as a technological solution for the postdischarge care of these patients., Methods: This research was conducted in 3 main steps: system feature extraction, system design, and evaluation. After feature extraction from a systematic review, the necessary features were defined by 18 clinical experts in Iran. In the next step, the architecture of the system was designed based on the requirements; the software and hardware parts of the system were embedded in the architecture, then the software system components were drawn using the unified modeling language diagrams, and the details of software system implementation were identified. Regarding the hardware design, different accessible hardware modules were evaluated, and suitable ones were selected. Finally, the usability of the system was evaluated by demonstrating it over a Skype virtual meeting session and using Nilsen's usability principles., Results: A total of 21 mandatory features in 5 main categories, including patient information registration, periodic monitoring of health parameters, education, reminders, and assessments, were defined and validated for the system. The software was developed using an ASP.Net core backend, a Microsoft SQL Server database, and an Ionic frontend alongside the Angular framework, to build an Android app. The user roles of the system included 3 roles: physicians, patients, and the system administrator. The hardware was designed to contain an Esp8266 as the Internet of Things module, an MLX90614 infrared temperature sensor, and the Maxim Integrated MAX30101 sensor for sensing the heartbeat. The hardware was designed in the shape of a wristband device using SolidWorks 2020 and printed using a 3D printer. The firmware of the hardware was developed in Arduino with the capability of firmware over the air. In evaluating the software system from the perspective of usability, the system received an average score of 3.8 out of 5 from 4 evaluators., Conclusions: Sensor-based telemonitoring systems for patients with colorectal cancer after surgery are possible solutions that can make the process automatic for patients and caregivers. The apps for remote colorectal patient monitoring could be designed to be useful; however, more research regarding the developed system's implementation in clinic settings and hospitals is required to understand the probable barriers and limitations., (©Seyed Mohammad Ayyoubzadeh, Tayebeh Baniasadi, Mohammad Shirkhoda, Sharareh Rostam Niakan Kalhori, Niloofar Mohammadzadeh, Kamran Roudini, Reza Ghalehtaki, Fereidoon Memari, Amirmohsen Jalaeefar. Originally published in JMIR Cancer (https://cancer.jmir.org), 15.02.2023.)