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Current concern over the carcinogenic potential of cytotoxic drugs and photochemotherapy used in the management of psoriasis increases the need for an accurate assessment of the ‘background’ incidence of carcinoma in psoriatics not receiving these modalities. This study compares the observed incidence of carcinoma in 719 tar-treated psoriatics with that expected, based on data from the West of Scotland Cancer Registry. No increase in malignancy was found in psoriasis over that expected in the general population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A descriptive study using two interviewer-administered questionnaires was conducted with the aim of getting to know more about cancer support groups and the people who are using these services. All 71 patients and relatives attending six cancer support groups in the West of Scotland at the time of the investigation were interviewed. They were asked about their satisfaction with care and support, past and current concerns, global health and quality of life, and needs. The majority of participants were married women, middle class, aged 50-65 years old, and were long-time survivors. Fifty-two per cent of cancer patients and 70% of relatives of cancer patients stated that they were very satisfied with support were receiving. Nearly 90% of patients reported that they did not receive any counselling either during their pretreatment from their cancer specialists or latter from a professional counsellor. The "general perceived health" and "global quality of life" among patients and relatives were found to be moderately good or good. Concerns of patients and relatives were studied. Patients reported optimistic changes, while relatives were more negative. Needs assessment indicated that 52% of patients require symptom relief and family support, whereas 53% of relatives need counselling from a professional counsellor and informational support. One-third of patients reported that they had no problems at present, and the rest identified difficulties with home duties, shopping and transportation, and financial problems. The study suggests that there is value in encouraging cancer patients and their relatives to take part in existing cancer support groups. This may help to reduce the burden of disease and the care-burden imposed on families. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A case-control study of quality of life in patients with lung cancer was carried out. The investigation was conducted by means of a series of interviewer-administered instruments. As part of the study, patients' attitudes towards the interviewer-administered questionnaires were studied. Previously we reported that a high proportion of the patients found being interviewed acceptable. The present study firstly examines why patients found being interviewed acceptable and secondly investigates whether there is an association between gender, age, diagnosis, place of interview, patients' overall health status, global quality of life and patients' feelings. Two hundred and thirty-two patients attending an outpatient clinic with either lung cancer or chronic respiratory disease were interviewed by means of a short questionnaire. They were asked to indicate their feelings about interviews, and to explain the reasons why they had their particular feelings. We documented issues on communication between interviewers and patients. These include observations on interviewing cancer patients, interviewing at home, and interviewing in the clinic. Nearly all the patients (96%) indicated that they found being interviewed acceptable. A content analysis of data showed that patients' feelings can be attributed to four major themes: the interview was not disturbing, they felt relaxed and at ease, they liked to talk, and the interview was conversational. There were no significant association between gender, age, diagnosis (cases and controls), place of interview, patients' overall health status and global quality of life and the reasons expressed. Practical experience from interviewing patients at home or in the clinic reveals several issues on communication between interviewer and patients. The study results suggest that apart from communication factors, other parameters such as age, gender, diagnosis, overall health status and quality of life and interview setting do not have significant role in patients' feelings about interviews. If data on quality of life studies are to be collected by interviewers, then proper communication is essential. How to achieve this remains a major question. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ovarian cancer is the most malignant cancer in women, where it is the fifth leading cause of cancer-related death. The disease and its treatment have considerable effects on the quality of life of patients with this cancer. This study reviews existing literature on quality of life in patients with ovarian cancer to demonstrate the importance of the topic, to comment on improvements achieved and to consider their implications for the implementation of optimal treatment. A literature search was carried out through MEDLINE and of published papers on quality of life in patients with ovarian cancer from 1976 to 1994. Twenty papers have been reviewed, of which, 10 were treatment-related assessments of quality of life and the remaining 10 dealt with different topics including psychometric issues in measuring health-related quality of life. Twenty-four instruments were employed to measure quality of life. Of these, the Rotterdam Symptom Checklist (RSCL) and The European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer Core Quality of Life Questionnaire (EORTC QLQ-C30) were found to be the most appropriate. Although meta-analysis of results is impossible, it appears that debulking surgery followed by platinum-based chemotherapy could improve both quality of life and survival. In addition to effective and efficient treatment, psychological counselling, palliative and home care, nutritional support and pain relief are the most important areas for improving quality of life of patients with ovarian cancer. Knowledge and insight into the quality of life of patients with ovarian cancer are still limited, and a large carefully planned international study is required. Use of existing standard measures is preferable and agreement should be reached on a selected single instrument. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As part of a project on quality of life in patients with lung cancer, an investigation was carried out to examine how patients reacted to the study. A group of 82 patients attending a chest clinic were interviewed by means of a short questionnaire. They were asked to indicate whether an interview was preferable to filling in a questionnaire and whether a home visit was preferable to a clinic interview, and their feelings about interviews. In addition, we documented our observations during the study period. All patients agreed to participate in the study, of whom, 56 patients (68%) preferred to be interviewed, 8 (10%) preferred to fill in a questionnaire by themselves, and the remaining 18 (22%) expressed no preference. Forty-one patients (50%) preferred to be interviewed at their homes, 13 (16%) in the clinic, and 28 (34%) expressed no preference. Nearly all patients (96%) indicated that they found being interviewed very or quite comfortable. Our observations indicated that patients were pleased to talk about and discuss their perceived cultural and social values or daily life experiences. The findings suggest that, despite the strenuous attempts by clinicians to deliver effective health care, proper communication with patients remains limited. The finding has some implications for community care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In all 8353 women and 7058 men aged 45-64 took part in the Renfrew/Paisley survey in 1972-1976. They formed a prospective cohort study of a general population in the West of Scotland; an area with high ischaemic heart disease (IHD) mortality rates. The objective of this study was to investigate three indicators of pre-existing IHD and determine how they predicted subsequent IHD mortality in females compared with males.Methods: Pre-existing IHD was ascertained by the Rose Angina questionnaire, a question on severe chest pain indicating evidence of previous IHD and an electrocardiogram at a screening examination. Mortality information for a 15-year follow-up period was available.Results: Pre-existing IHD was higher at older ages and was less common in women than men. The risks of IHD mortality were doubled for those with a single cardiovascular indicator compared to those without, and were increased to fourfold for those with two or more indicators. Indicators of pre-existing IHD had high specificity and low sensitivity for subsequent IHD mortality in both women and men, and the positive predictive values for women in the oldest age group were similar to those for men in the youngest age group.Conclusions: Each indicator of pre-existing IHD was a useful predictor of subsequent IHD mortality in both women and men, even though IHD mortality rates were lower in women. The indicators obtained by questionnaire could be implemented in the primary health care setting to identify quickly those at risk who would benefit from further investigation and intervention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A general population cohort of 7055 men aged 45-64 and resident in Renfrew and Paisley, two urban burghs in the West of Scotland, has been followed for 10 1/2 years. Analysis of the cigarette smoking and lung cancer (incidence and mortality) relation has been undertaken in order to establish whether unusual results found in a case-control study of cigarette smoking and lung cancer in the adjacent city of Glasgow could be confirmed. Lung cancer incidence and mortality rates increased markedly for exposure categories up to an average consumption of 15-24 cigarettes per day. Above this level the rates increased only marginally. Expressing these rates relative to that estimated for the never-smoked group and comparing them with the relative risks estimated in the case-control study revealed a similarity in terms of both the shape and the level of the dose-response relation. Comparison of the lung cancer rates found in this cohort with those observed in other cohort studies in the literature (UK doctors, US Veterans, and American Cancer Society volunteers) suggested that the West of Scotland rates were substantially higher at all levels of cigarette exposure. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Altogether 656 male lung cancer cases and 1312 age and sex matched controls were interviewed between 1976 and 1981 in a case-control study of cigarette smoking habits and lung cancer in Glasgow and the West of Scotland, an area with the highest recorded incidence in the world. The relative risk of lung cancer increased significantly for smokers whose consumption was below 20 cigarettes per day but did not rise significantly in those who smoked more than 20 cigarettes per day. Other smoking characteristics such as inhalation and tar yields of brands smoked did not explain this finding. Additionally, the relative risks observed at all levels of cigarette consumption were low in comparison with those in the published literature. By constructing an index of cigarette exposure which included the tar yields of brands smoked, an assessment of the risk of lung cancer in relation to tar exposure independent of amount smoked was derived. Only in smokers of less than 15 cigarettes per day was there a statistically significant reduction in risk of lung cancer associated with lower levels of tar yield. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The relationship between survival and 25 clinical and histologic variables was studied in 195 patients (171 women. 24 men) who satisfied stringent criteria for the diagnosis of primary biliary cirrhosis. The mean duration of follow-up was 6 yr (range 0-17). One hundred and sixteen patients died, 84% as the result of liver disease and 16% from nonhepatic causes. Using the Kaplan-Meier estimate, we calculated the mortality from liver disease to be 40% after 5 yr and 60% after 10 yr. Ascites, serum bilirubin level, variceal hemorrhage, and age were identified as independent clinical risk factors, and extent of hepatic fibrosis, bilirubino-stasis. and Mallory's hyalin were identified as independent histologic risk factors correlating with reduced survival. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To determine the value of specific immunotherapy with adjuvant BCG in operable lung cancer, the immunological and clinical results of serial postoperative injections of autologous irradiated tumour cells and BCG were compared with those of a single preoperative injection of BCG in two randomly selected groups of patients undergoing resection of their tumours. There was a significant rise in tuberculin skin reactivity from seven weeks to 11 months after operation in the treated group. Actuarial curves for survival and freedom from tumour recurrence and median survival times showed an advantage for the treated patients who had stage I tumours, but these differences were significant only at the levels p = 0.07 - 0.09. Survival and duration of freedom from tumour recurrence was greater in autograft-treated patients whose skin responded to a weak test dose of dinitrochlorobenzene (DNCB) after sensitisation with 2% DNCB than in control DNCB-positive patients (p = 0.02). There were no significant differences in the actual proportion of patients from each group surviving at two years. The results show that this form of specific immunotherapy with adjuvant may have a beneficial effect in patients with stage I tumours and those who become sensitised to 2% DNCB after the first exposure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 52 patients undergoing tests of cell-mediated immunity before surgical resection of bronchial carcinoma a positive tuberculin test result was found in 71% compared with 68% of age- and sex-matched controls. Sensitisation to DNCB occurred in 52% of 37 patients but in 78% of controls. There was depression of lymphocyte transformation by PPD in 19 patients compared with controls (P=0.001), but there was no difference in lymphocyte transformation by PHA or pokeweed mitogen between 34 patients and controls. In a pilot study patients were randomly allocated to autograft (eight) or non-autograft (seven) groups. The autograft group were given an intradermal injection of a suspension of irradiated autologous tumour-cells mixed with intradermal BCG on the day of operation. Tests of cell-mediated immunity were repeated two weeks after operation. Five patients in each group received a course of radiotherapy to the mediastinum three weeks after operation. There was a rise in cutaneous tuberculin reactivity (P=0.08) and total leucocyte count (P=0.09) in the autograft group postoperatively with a fall in total lymphocyte and T lymphocyte counts in the non-autograft group (P less 0.05). These differences, however, were not followed by any difference in the frequency of tumour recurrence or the survival rate two years after operation. The results show that the immunological surveillance mechanism is impaired even in patients with early bronchial carcinoma and that it is possible to overcome postoperative immunological depression with specific immunotherapy combined with BCG. This treatment did not produce any clinical advantage in this small number of patients and the skin lesions caused the patients considerable discomfort. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

An account is given of the development of a multiphasic screening unit designed to detect susceptibility to and early evidence of cardiorespiratory disease in apparently healthy populations. The procedure is based on an augmented mass miniature radiography procedure costing £2.65 for each person examined. Some preliminary results are presented from the first prospective study of 4, 681 subjects re-examined after more than two years. The prevalence of cardiorespiratory abnormality and 271 deaths representing annual mortality rates of 10.0 per thousand in males and 3.8 per thousand in females respectively, are described. A comparison is made of certain measurements obtained at the first screening examination of male decedents and a random sample of survivors; and the use of the likelihood ratio, a statistical procedure derived from multivariate analysis, is suggested as a prognostic index of incipient cardiorespiratory disease worthy of further study. At present theoretical errors of up to 10 per cent exist in predicting survival of men under fifty and of up to 12 per centin predicting death for men over fifty. Larger errors may be present in the prediction of death in men under fifty and survival of men over fifty. The implication of these errors is discussed in relation to their consequence for the patient and their place in the validation of future surveys. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]