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PURPOSE: To identify and describe experiences of patients with colorectal cancer (CRC) who have neurotoxic side effects early in the oxaliplatin treatment period, and how neurotoxicity affects their daily lives. PARTICIPANTS & SETTING: 10 patients with stage II-III CRC were included. All were treated with adjuvant oxaliplatin postoperatively and assessed neurotoxicity via a platform-independent mobile phone-based system. Patients were recruited from two hospitals in southern Sweden from November 2013 to August 2014. METHODOLOGIC APPROACH: Qualitative interview study conducted through open-ended, face-to-face, qualitative interviews. Thematic analysis was used. FINDINGS: A main theme was identified. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING: Nurses have an obligation to communicate the importance of early detection of neurotoxicity. Mobile phone technology seems to be a valuable tool for monitoring patient-reported neurotoxicity to improve communication and supportive care., Funding agencies: Swedish Cancer Society; Division of Nursing Science, Department of Medical and Health Sciences at Linkoping University

AimThe study aimed to describe and follow a 2year cohort of colon cancer patients with Stage IV disease from presentation to long-term outcome. MethodThe records of 177 colon cancer patients diagnosed in southeast Sweden during 2009-2010 with disseminated disease at presentation were reviewed retrospectively. ResultsThe patients were heterogeneous with respect to age, performance status and survival. Despite metastatic disease, local symptoms from the primary tumour dominated the initial clinical picture. Forty-one per cent had anaemia. The time from suspicion of colon cancer to established diagnosis of disseminated disease varied from 0 to 231days (emergency cases included, median 12days). The majority (77%) were diagnosed in hospital. In 53% the primary tumour and the metastases were not diagnosed on the same occasion which may increase the risk for misinformation or delays in the care process. The possibility of simultaneous diagnosis was doubled when the patient was investigated as an inpatient. Patients were seen by one to 12 physicians (median three) in the investigation phase, and one to 47 (median 11) from diagnosis until the last record in the hospital notes. The 1-year survival was 46%. ConclusionPatients with metastatic colon cancer at presentation are heterogeneous and warrant an adapted multidisciplinary approach to achieve the goal of individualized treatment for each patient in accordance with the Swedish national cancer strategy.

Patients with colorectal cancer (CRC) can have chemotherapy with oxaliplatin postoperatively.Oxaliplatin can cause acute and chronic neurotoxicity. It is important to be aware of neurotoxicside effects so they can be documented and action taken at an early stage. The study aimed toidentify and explore neurotoxic side effects documented in the medical records of patients withcolorectal cancer treated with oxaliplatin-based adjuvant chemotherapy. Data in this study weremedical records; presenting documentation about patients treated at the University Hospital inthe south of Sweden between 2009 and 2010. A summative content analysis approach was used toexplore the neurotoxic side effects. Identification and quantification of the content of medical recordswere carried out by using a study-specific protocol. “Cold sensitivity” and “tingling in thehands” were the most frequently documented neurotoxicity-related terms in the medical records.This identification was followed by interpretation. Three categories were identified in the interpretivepart of the study: acute, chronic, and degree of neurotoxicity. The results show the importanceof awareness of neurotoxic side effects so that they can be documented and action taken atan early stage. The documentation could be more reliable if patient-reported structured measurementswere used, combined with free descriptions in the medical records. Being able to followthe progression of the symptoms during and after treatment would improve patient’s safety andalso quality of life. The protocol that we developed and used in this review of medical records maybe helpful to structure the documentation in the electronic system for documentation of neurotoxicityside effects.

Objective. In patients with colon cancer, high age and comorbidity is common. In this population-based retrospective study we have investigated causes of death and the influence of urgent operation, and gender on survival. Material and methods. Medical records of 413 patients with verified colon cancer were reviewed. The diagnosis was made during 2000-2006 and operation was performed in 385 patients (93%). Results. The overall 5-year survival after surgery was 48.3%. At the end of the follow-up, 128 patients (54.9%) had verified colon cancer when they died but 105 patients (45.1%) had no signs of colon cancer. Their 5-year survival was 5.5% and 41.9%, respectively (p andlt; 0.0001). Median survival time was significantly shorter after urgent compared with elective admittance, 20.7 months versus 77.9 months, and the 5-year survival 32.4% versus 57.9% (p = 0.0001). The tumor stage at operation was more favorable in patients dying with no signs of colon cancer than in those dying with cancer regarding stage I-II (66.7% versus 16.4%), and stage IV (1.0% versus 53.1%), but not regarding stage III (30.5% versus 29.7%). The overall survival in women who were operated was longer than in men (p = 0.045) as well as survival after elective admittance (p = 0.013). Conclusion. After a median follow-up of 56.1 months almost half of the patients who were dead had died from other causes than colon cancer. Ten percent of those patients had an incorrectly reported diagnosis of colon cancer as cause of death. Urgent admittance was associated with reduced survival time. The median survival time was longer in women than in men.

Purpose: The NORDIC-VII multicenter phase III trial investigated the efficacy of cetuximab when added to bolus fluorouracil/folinic acid and oxaliplatin (Nordic FLOX), administered continuously or intermittently, in previously untreated metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC). The influence of KRAS mutation status on treatment outcome was also investigated. Patients and Methods: Patients were randomly assigned to receive either standard Nordic FLOX (arm A), cetuximab and FLOX (arm B), or cetuximab combined with intermittent FLOX (arm C). Primary end point was progression-free survival (PFS). Overall survival (OS), response rate, R0 resection rate, and safety were secondary end points. Results: Of the 571 patients randomly assigned, 566 were evaluable in intention-to-treat (ITT) analyses. KRAS and BRAF mutation analyses were obtained in 498 (88%) and 457 patients (81%), respectively. KRAS mutations were present in 39% of the tumors; 12% of tumors had BRAF mutations. The presence of BRAF mutations was a strong negative prognostic factor. In the ITT population, median PFS was 7.9, 8.3, and 7.3 months for the three arms, respectively (not significantly different). OS was almost identical for the three groups (20.4, 19.7, 20.3 months, respectively), and confirmed response rates were 41%, 49%, and 47%, respectively. In patients with KRAS wild-type tumors, cetuximab did not provide any additional benefit compared with FLOX alone. In patients with KRAS mutations, no significant difference was detected, although a trend toward improved PFS was observed in arm B. The regimens were well tolerated. Conclusion: Cetuximab did not add significant benefit to the Nordic FLOX regimen in first-line treatment of mCRC.

Background : Colorectal cancer is one of the most common types of tumour in the world. Treatment side effects, together with the tumour symptoms, can result in a ‘symptom burden’. To understand the patient’s burden during chemotherapy treatment and plan effective symptom relief there is a need for more knowledge about the experience of symptoms from the patients’ perspective. Objectives : The study was designed to qualitatively identify and describe the most common symptoms among patients treated for colorectal cancer, and discover whether there are barriers to reporting symptoms. Methods : Thirteen Swedish patients diagnosed with colorectal cancer and treated with chemotherapy were interviewed face-to-face. The interviews were audio-taped and transcribed verbatim. The transcripts were analysed by following the principles of qualitative content analysis. Results : Nine symptoms/forms of distress were identified. Those most frequently expressed were fatigue, changed bowel habits, and affected mental well-being, closely followed by nausea, loss of appetite and neurological problems. Of particular note were the affected mental well-being, the magnitude of the neurological problems described, the symptoms related to skin and mucous membrane problems, and the reports of distressing pain. Barriers to symptom control were only expressed by the patients in passing and very vaguely. Conclusion : This study confirms other reports on most common symptoms in colorectal cancer. It also highlights the early onset of symptoms and provides data on less well-studied issues that warrant further study, namely affected mental well-being, the magnitude of the neurological problems and symptoms related to the skin and mucous membranes. Nurses need to be sensitive to the patients’ need presented and not only noting symptoms/distresses they have guidelines for.

Background: The adaptor protein PINCH is overexpressed in the stroma of several types of cancer, and is an independent prognostic marker in colorectal cancer. In this study we further investigate the relationship of PINCH and survival regarding the response to chemotherapy in colorectal cancer. Results: Paraffin-embedded tissue sections from 251 primary adenocarcinomas, 149 samples of adjacent normal mucosa, 57 samples of distant normal mucosa and 75 lymph node metastases were used for immunohistochemical staining. Stromal staining for PINCH increased from normal mucosa to primary tumour to metastasis. Strong staining in adjacent normal mucosa was related to worse survival independently of sex, age, tumour location, differentiation and stage (p = 0.044, HR, 1.60, 95% Cl, 1.01-2.52). PINCH staining at the invasive margin tended to be related to survival (p = 0.051). In poorly differentiated tumours PINCH staining at the invasive margin was related to survival independently of sex, age and stage (p = 0.013, HR, 1.90, 95% Cl, 1.14-3.16), while in better differentiated tumours it was not. In patients with weak staining, adjuvant chemotherapy was related to survival (p = 0.010, 0.013 and 0.013 in entire tumour area, invasive margin and inner tumour area, respectively), but not in patients with strong staining. However, in the multivariate analysis no such relationship was seen. Conclusions: PINCH staining in normal adjacent mucosa was related to survival. Further, PINCH staining at the tumour invasive margin was related to survival in poorly differentiated tumours but not in better differentiated tumours, indicating that the impact of PINCH on prognosis was dependent on differentiation status., Original Publication:Jasmine Loof, Johan Rosell, Charlotte Bratthall, Siv Doré, Hans Starkhammar, Hong Zhang and Xiao-Feng Sun, Impact of PINCH expression on survival in colorectal cancer patients, 2011, BMC CANCER, (11), 103, .http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/1471-2407-11-103Licensee: BioMed Centralhttp://www.biomedcentral.com

Background: To compare irinotecan with the Nordic 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) and folinic acid (FA) bolus schedule [irinotecan 180 mg/m2 on day 1, 5-FU 500 mg/m2 and FA 60 mg/m2 on day 1 and 2 (FLIRI)] or the Lv5FU2 schedule [irinotecan 180 mg/m2 on day 1, FA 200 mg/m2, 5-FU bolus 400 mg/m2 and infused 5-FU 600 mg/m2 on day 1 and 2 (Lv5FU2-IRI)] due to uncertainties about how to administrate 5-FU with irinotecan. Patients and methods: Patients (n = 567) with metastatic colorectal cancer were randomly assigned to receive FLIRI or Lv5FU2-IRI. Primary end point was progression-free survival (PFS). Results: Patient characteristics were well balanced. PFS did not differ between groups (median 9 months, P = 0.22). Overall survival (OS) was also similar (median 19 months, P = 0.9). Fewer objective responses were seen in the FLIRI group (35% versus 49%, P = 0.001) but the metastatic resection rate did not differ (4% versus 6%, P = 0.3). Grade 3/4 neutropenia (11% versus 5%, P = 0.01) and grade 2 alopecia (18% versus 9%, P = 0.002) were more common in the FLIRI group. The 60-day mortality was 2.4% versus 2.1%. Conclusions: Irinotecan with the bolus Nordic schedule (FLIRI) is a convenient treatment with PFS and OS comparable to irinotecan with the Lv5FU2 schedule. Neutropenia and alopecia are more prevalent, but both regimens are equally well tolerated. © The Author 2008. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Society for Medical Oncology. All rights reserved.

Background: Oxaliplatin in combination with capecitabine prolongs survival in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC). Chronomodulation might reduce toxicity and improve efficacy. Patients and methods: A phase II study examining chronomodulated XELOX30 (XELOX30chron): oxaliplatin: 130 mg/m2 on day 1, as a 30-min infusion between 1 and 3 p.m. Capecitabine: total daily dose of 2000 mg/m2, 20% of the dose between 7 and 9 a.m. and 80% of the dose between 6 and 8 p.m. in patients with mCRC resistant to irinotecan. Seventy-one patients were enrolled. Response rate was 18%, median progression-free survival 5.1 months and median overall survival (OS) 10.2 months. Platelet count and performance status were significantly correlated to OS in multivariate analyses. Neurotoxicity grade 2 and 3 was seen in 25% and 2% of patients, respectively, other grade 3 toxic effects were as follows: nausea 6%, vomiting 3%, diarrhoea 12% (3% experienced grade 4) and palmoplantart erytem 9%. Conclusion: XELOX30chron is a convenient second-line regimen with efficacy and safety profile similar to other oxaliplatin schedules. To further investigate chronomodulated XELOX, we have started a Nordic randomised phase II study comparing XELOX30 and XELOX30chron as first-line therapy in patients with mCRC. © The Author 2008. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Society for Medical Oncology. All rights reserved.

Background: The efficacy of oxaliplatin combined with capecitabine (XELOX) as second-line therapy in patients with advanced colorectal cancer (ACRC) resistant to irinotecan is not well established. Oxaliplatin induces acute, cold-induced neuropathy in most patients. The incidence is claimed to be infusion rate-dependent and therefore a 2-h infusion is recommended. Patients and methods: For practical and economic reasons, but also for patient's convenience, we performed a phase II study to examine XELOX30 (capecitabine 1000 mg/m2 orally twice daily on days 1-14 and oxaliplatin 130 mg/m2 as a 30 min infusion on day 1) in patients with ACRC resistant to irinotecan. In addition the pharmacokinetics of oxaliplatin was studied. Results: From November 2002 to September 2003, 70 patients with ACRC were treated with XELOX30. Median age was 62 (range 33-74 years) years and median performance status was 1 (range 0-2). The median number of courses was four (range 1-12) and median cumulative dose of oxaliplatin was 530 (range 125-1560) mg/m2. The response rate was 17% (95% CI 10-23), median time to progression (TTP) was 5.4 months (95% CI 4.6-6.4) and median survival 9.5 months (95% CI 8.5-11.2). White blood cell count (WBC) and performance status were significantly correlated to TTP. Neurotoxicity was moderate: grade 1 56%, grade 2 17% and grade 3 6%. Other grade 3 toxicities were nausea/ vomiting 9%, diarrhoea 14% and PPE 8%. The maximum blood concentration and total body clearance of oxaliplatin was higher than previously reported in studies examining 2-h infusions, but the volume of distribution and terminal half-life was in close agreement with previous results. Conclusion: XELOX30 is a very convenient second-line regimen in ACRC with an activity and safety profile similar to other oxaliplatin schedules. © 2005 European Society for Medical Oncology.

An increasing incidence of testicular cancer has been reported from several countries in the Western world during the last decades. According to current hypothesis, testicular cancer is initiated during the fetal period, and exposure to endocrine disruptors, i.e., xenoestrogens, has been of concern. In this investigation we studied the concentrations of the sum of 38 polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), p,p'-dichlorodiphenyl-dichloroethylene, hexachlorobenzene (HCB), and chlordanes, in 61 cases with testicular cancer and 58 age-matched controls. Furthermore, case and control mothers were also asked to participate, and 44 case mothers and 45 control mothers agreed. They were of similar age. In cases only the concentration on lipid basis of cis-nonachlordane was significantly increased, whereas case mothers showed significantly increased concentrations of the sum of PCBs, HCB, trans- and cis-nonachlordane, and the sum of chlordanes. Among case mothers the sum of PCBs yielded an odds ratio (OR) of 3.8, 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.4-10 was calculated using the median concentration for the control mothers as cutoff value. For HCB, OR = 4.4 (95% CI, 1.7-12), for trans-nonachlordane, OR = 4.1 (95% CI, 1.5-11), for cis-nonachlordane, OR = 3.1 (95% CI, 1.2-7.8), and for sum of chlordanes, OR = 1.9 (95% CI, 0.7-5.0). No consistent different risk pattern was found for seminoma. or nonseminoma testicular cancer.

In 1996 a specialized palliative care unit was opened at the Link÷ping University Hospital in Sweden and different patterns of referral from different parts of the district soon became apparent. The aim of this study was to investigate the mechanisms underlying these patterns. During the first 6 months, 133 referrals were analyzed. The stated reason for referral and the actual content of care were, in each case, classified into five groups: symptom control, terminal care, rehabilitation, respite care, and special treatment and investigations. The stated reason for referral and the content of care coincided in three groups: terminal care, rehabilitation, and special treatment and investigations. When symptom control was the stated reason for referral, it was the main content of care in only 33 of 78 cases, while terminal care was the actual main content in 28 of 78 cases. Variations in patterns of referral were also observed in the different hospital-based home care teams (HBHC). In our study differences in the three HBHC teams regarding knowledge, skill, and attitudes might be reflected in variations in patterns of referral. The results illustrate the need for further education regarding referral indications, improvements in documentation of reason for referral, improved communication between HBHC teams and the palliative care unit, and improved prognostication at the end of life.