Cannabis Consumption Used by Cancer Patients during Immunotherapy Correlates with Poor Clinical Outcome

Cannabis or its derivatives are widely used by patients with cancer to help with cancer symptoms and treatment side effects. However, cannabis has potent immunomodulatory properties. To determine if cannabis consumption during immunotherapy affects therapy outcomes, we conducted a prospective observatory study including 102 (68 immunotherapy and 34 immunotherapy plus cannabis) consecutive patients with advanced cancers who initiated immunotherapy. Cannabis consumption correlated with a significant decrease in time to tumor progression and overall survival. On the other hand, the use of cannabis reduced therapy-related immune-related adverse events. We also tested the possibility that cannabis may affect the immune system or the tumor microenvironment through the alteration of the endocannabinoid system. We analyzed a panel of serum endocannabinoids (eCBs) and eCB-like lipids, measuring their levels before and after immunotherapy in both groups. Levels of serum eCBs and eCB-like lipids, before immunotherapy, showed no significant differences between cannabis users to nonusers. Nevertheless, the levels of four eCB and eCB-like compounds were associated with patients’ overall survival time. Collectively, cannabis consumption has considerable immunomodulatory effects, and its use among cancer patients needs to be carefully considered due to its potential effects on the immune system, especially during treatment with immunotherapy.

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Use of Anti-angiogenic Drugs Potentially Associated With an Increase on Serum AST, LDH, CK, and CK-MB Activities in Patients With Cancer: A Retrospective Study

Frontiers in Cardiovascular Medicine ◽

10.3389/fcvm.2021.755191 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 8 ◽

Author(s):

Qi Zheng ◽

Hanzhou Wang ◽

Wei Hou ◽

Ying Zhang

Keyword(s):

Creatine Kinase ◽

Cancer Patients ◽

Muscle Injury ◽

Lactic Dehydrogenase ◽

Cardiovascular Risks ◽

Patients With Cancer ◽

Specific Effects ◽

Before And After ◽

Cancer Types ◽

Myocardial Muscle

Background: There is a large amount of evidence that anti-angiogenic drugs are effective safe. However, few studies have evaluated the specific effects of anti-angiogenic drugs on myocardial enzyme injury biomarkers: aspartate aminotransferase (AST), lactic dehydrogenase (LDH), creatine kinase (CK) and creatine kinase isoenzyme (CK-MB). The purpose of our study was to determine whether anti-angiogenic drugs serum AST, LDH, CK, and CK-MB activities of cancer patients treated with anti-angiogenic drugs.Methods: This study retrospectively analyzed 81 cancer patients. Patients who had used anti-angiogenic drugs were selected. Serum AST, LDH, CK, and CK-MB activities were measured before and after treatment with anti-angiogenic drugs for 3 weeks.Results: A total of 16 cancer types were analyzed. The distribution of the cancer types in the patients was mainly concentrated in lung, gastric, and colorectal cancers. The anti-angiogenic treatment markedly increased AST, LDH, CK, and CK-MB activities by 32.51, 7.29, 31.25, and 55.56%, respectively in serum.Conclusions: Our findings suggest that patients, who had used anti-angiogenic drugs were likely to have elevated AST, LDH, and CK, indicators of myocardial muscle injury. Use of anti-angiogenic drugs should not be assumed to be completely safe and without any cardiovascular risks.

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INVESTIGATING THE EFFECT OF REFLEXOLOGY IN INTENSITY OF PAIN AND ANXIETY AMONG PATIENTS SUFFERING FROM METASTATIC CANCER IN ADULTS’ HEMATOLOGY WARD

Asian Journal of Pharmaceutical and Clinical Research ◽

10.22159/ajpcr.2018.v11i6.25212 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 11 (6) ◽

pp. 401 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Simin Jahani ◽

Fatemeh Salari ◽

Nasrin Elahi ◽

Bahman Cheraghian

Keyword(s):

Cancer Patients ◽

Metastatic Cancer ◽

Test Group ◽

Control Group ◽

Anxiety Management ◽

Patients With Cancer ◽

Significant Difference ◽

Before And After ◽

The Mean ◽

And Control

Objective: Findings suggest dissatisfaction of half of the cancer patients regarding pain and anxiety management. This study aimed to determine the effect of reflexology on the intensity of pain and anxiety among patients with metastatic cancer hospitalized inadulthematology ward. Methods: In this study, the samples were selected from adult hematology ward in Baghaei 2 hospital in Ahwaz, Iran, according to the inclusion criteria. They were then assigned into treatment and control groups. In the treatment group, reflexology protocol was performed following manual reflexology method by Fr Josef Eugster based on Ingham method on the patient’s bed. In the control group, sole touching was used as the placebo. Reflexology was performed for three days, 30 min per day. Spielberger questionnaire were provided to the samples and completed in the first and third days, and Spielberger questionnaire was provided to the samples and completed. The data obtained from this study were then analyzed by SPSS 20.Results: The two groups did not show a significant difference in terms of demographic characteristics (p>0.05). Based on the obtained results, it was found that in the test group, there was a significant difference between the mean intensity of pain before and after the treatment across all 3 days as well as the mean anxiety of the 1st and 3rd days (p<0.05). However, in the control group, there was no significant difference in terms of mean pain intensity before and after the treatment across 3 days (p>0.05). No significant difference was observed between the mean anxiety of the 1st and 3rd days either (p>0.05).Conclusion: Considering the findings of this research, it can be concluded that reflexology has a positive effect on mitigating the intensity of pain and anxiety in metastatic cancer patients. Therefore, it is recommended that nurses employed in cancer centers benefit from the findings of this research to further help patients with cancer. It is also suggested that further research be conducted on the effect of reflexology on the pain and anxiety of other patients.

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Zinc Supplementation Prevents the Complications of COVID-19 Infection in Cancer Patients

Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Care ◽

10.31557/apjcc.2020.5.s1.137-141 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 5 (S1) ◽

pp. 137-141

Author(s):

Samir Derouiche

Keyword(s):

Immune System ◽

Cancer Patients ◽

Inflammatory Cytokines ◽

Zinc Supplementation ◽

Beneficial Effects ◽

Patients With Cancer ◽

Growth Development ◽

Novel Coronavirus ◽

Cancer Diseases ◽

Significant Mortality

Novel coronavirus” SARS-CoV-2 is rapidly spreading worldwide with a significant mortality rate. In the crisis of COVID-19, cancer patients are seen as a very weak group and this is because of their weakened immune system and hence we aim in this research to show the importance of zinc as a buffer against cancer in COVID-19 for cancer patients. Zinc is an essential trace element that is crucial for growth, development, and the maintenance of immune function. zinc supplementation decreased and generation of inflammatory cytokines. zinc supplementation should have beneficial effects on cancer by decreasing oxidative stress, angiogenesis and induction of inflammatory cytokines while increasing apoptosis in cancer cells. zinc supplementation implemented to improve the antiviral response and systemic immunity in patients with cancer diseases. With the multiple doses approved from zinc, we suggest that there be an supplement in zinc by 50 mg / day for three month with each treatment for cancer patients, in order to strengthen the immune system to prevent the serious effects of COVID19 infection.

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Endocannabinoid Levels in Ulcerative Colitis Patients Correlate With Clinical Parameters and Are Affected by Cannabis Consumption

Frontiers in Endocrinology ◽

10.3389/fendo.2021.685289 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 ◽

Author(s):

Shelly Tartakover Matalon ◽

Shahar Azar ◽

David Meiri ◽

Rivka Hadar ◽

Alina Nemirovski ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Ulcerative Colitis ◽

Clinical Symptoms ◽

Fatty Acid Amide Hydrolase ◽

Acid Amide ◽

Endocannabinoid System ◽

Beneficial Effects ◽

Before And After ◽

Bowel Diseases ◽

Bowel Movements ◽

Cannabis Consumption

BackgroundInflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs) are chronic, idiopathic, inflammatory, gastrointestinal disorders. The endocannabinoid system may have a role in the pathogenesis of IBD. We aimed to assess whether cannabis treatment influences endocannabinoids (eCBs) level and clinical symptoms of IBD patients.MethodsBlood samples and biopsies were taken from IBD patients treated by either cannabis or placebo for 8 weeks. Immunohistochemistry for N-acyl-phosphatidylethanolamine-selective phospholipase D (NAPE-PLD) and fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH) expression was done on colon biopsies, and sample levels of anandamide (AEA), eCB2-arachidonylglycerol (2-AG), arachidonic acid (AA), palmitoylethanolamine (PEA), and oleoylethanolamine (OEA) were measured in patient’s sera before and after cannabis treatment. Caco-2 cells were cultured with extracts of cannabis with/without tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and their proteins extracted, and Western blotting for NAPE-PLD and FAAH expression was done.ResultsThirteen patients with Crohn’s disease (CD) and nine patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) were treated with cannabis. Seventeen patients with CD and 10 with UC served as placebo groups. In all CD patients, the levels of eCBs remained unaltered during the treatment period. In UC patients treated with placebo, but not in those treated with cannabis, the levels of PEA, AEA, and AA decreased significantly. The percent reduction in bowel movements was negatively correlated with changes observed in the circulating AEA and OEA, whereas improvement in quality of life was positively correlated with the levels of 2-AG. In the biopsies from UC patients, FAAH levels increased over the study period. In Caco-2 cells, both cannabis extracts increased NAPE-PLD levels but reduced FAAH expression levels.ConclusionOur study supports the notion that cannabis use affects eCB “tone” in UC patients and may have beneficial effects on disease symptoms in UC patients.

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Prognostic significance of 8-hydroxy-2′-deoxyguanosine in solid tumors: a meta-analysis

BMC Cancer ◽

10.1186/s12885-019-6189-9 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 19 (1) ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Xiangcheng Qing ◽

Deyao Shi ◽

Xiao Lv ◽

Baichuan Wang ◽

Songfeng Chen ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Breast Cancer ◽

Overall Survival ◽

Cancer Patients ◽

Solid Tumors ◽

Prognostic Value ◽

Oxidative Dna Damage ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Prognostic Significance ◽

Cancer Prognosis ◽

Patients With Cancer

Abstract Background High level of reactive oxygen species (ROS) has been detected in almost all cancers, which make it become one of the best-characterized phenotypes in cancers. Though ROS plays an important role in tumors, the degree of oxidative stress can be better evaluated by assessing stable metabolites of oxidative reactions because of its high instability. 8-hydroxy-2′-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG), a product of oxidative damage to 2′-deoxyguanosine, is known as a useful marker for assessing oxidative DNA damage and has been a feature of carcinogenesis in several researches. But the exact prognostic value of 8-OHdG expression in patients with cancer is still unclear. Methods A comprehensive search was performed in PubMed, Web of Science, EMBASE. Eligible studies were included based on defined exclusion and inclusion criteria to perform a meta-analysis. STATA 14.0 was used to estimate pooled hazard ratios (HRs) with 95% confidence interval (95% CI), the heterogeneity among studies and publication bias to judge the prognostic value. Results A total of 2121 patients from 21 eligible studies were included in the meta-analysis. A significant association was found between elevated 8-OHdG expression and poor OS (overall survival) in cancer patients (pooled HR 1.921, 95% CI: 1.437–2.570); In the subgroup analysis, race of sample, cancer types, detection method of 8-OHdG, sample classification, detection location of 8-OHdG and paper quality (score more or less than 7) did not alter the association between 8-OHdG expression and cancer prognosis. Furthermore, 8-OHdG expression was an independent prognostic marker for overall survival in patients with cancer (pooled HR 2.110, 95% CI: 1.482–3.005) using Cox multivariate analyses. Conclusions This meta-analysis found that highly expressed 8-OHdG in tumor tissues may be a predictor of prognosis in most solid tumors. However, especially in breast cancer, low 8-OHdG expression is associated with poor prognosis, which is partly because of the increased antioxidant mechanisms in breast cancer tissues. This study demonstrates for the first time that 8-OHdG expression is associated with the prognosis of cancer patients. In the future, whether the expression level of 8-OHdG can be used as a biomarker for the prognosis of all human cancers requires more research.

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Treatment of venous thromboembolism in patients with cancer: Subgroup analysis of the Matisse clinical trials

Thrombosis and Haemostasis ◽

10.1160/th08-09-0563 ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 101 (04) ◽

pp. 762-769 ◽

Cited By ~ 73

Author(s):

Gary Raskob ◽

Bruce Davidson ◽

Hervé Decousus ◽

Alexander Gallus ◽

Anthie Lensing ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Overall Survival ◽

Venous Thromboembolism ◽

Unfractionated Heparin ◽

Cancer Patients ◽

Initial Treatment ◽

Vitamin K Antagonists ◽

Good Alternative ◽

Absolute Difference ◽

Patients With Cancer ◽

Post Hoc

SummaryIn the initial treatment of venous thromboembolism (VTE) fondaparinux, a pentasaccharide, is a good alternative to heparin. Whether this is also true for cancer patients is unknown. We performed two post-hoc analyses of two randomized studies to compare efficacy, safety and overall survival of fondaparinux to standard initial (low-molecular-weight) heparin (LMWH) treatment in cancer patients with venous thromboembolism. Two hundred thirty-seven cancer patients with deep venous thrombosis (DVT) were initially treated with fondaparinux or enoxaparin. Two hundred forty cancer patients with pulmonary embolism (PE) received fondaparinux or unfractionated heparin. The initial treatment was followed by vitamin K antagonists. In DVT patients, the three-month recurrence rate was 5.4% in the enoxaparin recipients compared to 12.7% in those treated with fondaparinux [absolute difference 7.3%, 95% CI 0.1, 14.5]. A recurrence was observed in 8.9% of the PE patients treated with fondaparinux compared to 17.2% in the unfractionated heparin recipients [absolute difference –8.3, 95% CI –16.7, 0.1]. In both studies no difference in bleeding and overall survival was observed. Regarding overall survival and bleeding fondaparinux is comparable to enoxaparin and unfractionated heparin in cancer patients. No significant differences in recurrent VTE were observed when comparing fondaparinux with unfractionated or LMWH. Because of study limitations these results should be considered hypothesis-generating.

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A Pilot Clinical Study on the Prognostic Relevance of Plasmatic Exosomes Levels in Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma Patients

Cancers ◽

10.3390/cancers11030429 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 11 (3) ◽

pp. 429 ◽

Cited By ~ 24

Author(s):

Samuel Rodríguez Zorrilla ◽

Mario Pérez-Sayans ◽

Stefano Fais ◽

Mariantonia Logozzi ◽

Mercedes Gallas Torreira ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Overall Survival ◽

Surgical Treatment ◽

Cancer Patients ◽

Distant Metastases ◽

Tumour Mass ◽

Double Blind ◽

Mean Values ◽

Local Bone ◽

Before And After

Background: To evaluate the relationship between the plasmatic CD63 and CAV1 positive exosome levels, in patients with OSCC before and after surgical treatment and to correlate it with their overall survival. Methods: A double-blind pilot study over 10 patients OSCC and T4 stage without distant metastases or local bone invasion has been performed. The average follow-up period was 37.64 months (34.3–40.84). We obtained 2 plasma tubes of 1 mL each before surgery and 7 days after surgery. Before performing the immunocapture-based analysis, EVs (Extracellular Vesicles) were isolated from the plasma and characterized with western blot analysis. Results: Mean values of CD63 positive plasmatic exosomes (EXO-CD63) after surgery decreased from 750.88 ± 286.67 to 541.71 ± 244.93 (p = 0.091). On the other hand, CAV-1 positive plasmatic exosomes (EXO-CAV-1) increased after surgery from 507 ± 483.39 to 1120.25 ± 1151.17 (p = 0.237). Patients with EXO-CD63 levels lower than the mean global value before the surgery had a survival of 36.04 months compared with the group with EXO-CD63 higher than the average who only survived 12.49 ± 1.67 months from the diagnosis, p = 0.225. When EXO-CAV-1 levels before surgery was lower than the average (813.94 ± 801.21) overall survival was 24.69 ± 22.23 months in contrast when it was higher that was only 11.64 months, p = 0.157. Patients with lower EXO-CD63 levels after surgery lived an average of 23.84 ± 23.9 months, while those with higher plasmatic levels of EXO-CD63 live 13.35 months, p = 0.808. When EXO-CAV-1 levels after surgery were lower, the average overall survival was 20.344 ± 15.40 months, in contrast when the EXO-CAV-1 levels were higher showing rather an estimate survival expectation of 1.64 months. Conclusions: Surgical treatment induced a dramatic reduction of the plasmatic levels of exosomes expressing CD63 as early as 1 week after resection. This first result suggests that the tumour mass is responsible of the high levels of circulating exosomes detected in cancer patients. At the same time point exosome expressing CAV-1 increased, possibly due to the inflammatory reaction immediately after surgery. Lastly, statistical analysis showed that lower levels of plasmatic exosomes both before and after surgery correlated with a better life expectancy of OSCC patients. Hopefully, this approach will prove useful in the clinical follow-up of cancer patients.

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The Role of Factor Xa-Independent Pathway and Anticoagulant Therapies in Cancer-Related Stroke

Journal of Clinical Medicine ◽

10.3390/jcm11010123 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (1) ◽

pp. 123

Author(s):

Hyung Jun Kim ◽

Jong-Won Chung ◽

Oh Young Bang ◽

Yeon Hee Cho ◽

Yun Jeong Lim ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Cancer Patients ◽

Factor Xa ◽

Factor Xa Inhibitors ◽

Low Molecular Weight ◽

Patients With Cancer ◽

Before And After ◽

Underlying Mechanisms ◽

D Dimer ◽

Active Cancer

Background: The optimal strategy for stroke prevention in cancer patients is unknown. We compared the underlying mechanisms of coagulopathy and the effects of anticoagulants in patients with active cancer and atrial fibrillation (AF). Methods: We retrospectively enrolled 46 consecutive patients with embolic stroke of unknown source and active cancer (cancer stroke). We consecutively screened patients with cancer patients without stroke (n = 29), AF stroke (n = 52), and healthy subjects (n = 28), which served as controls. Patients with cancer stroke were treated with either enoxaparin (a low-molecular-weight heparin) or a factor Xa inhibitor, and those with AF stroke were treated with factor Xa inhibitors. D-dimer, factor Xa, and circulating cell-free DNA (cfDNA), a marker of neutrophil extracellular traposis, were measured at both before and after anticoagulation. Results: In AF stroke, factor Xa activity and cfDNA and D-dimer levels were decreased by treatment with factor Xa inhibitors. In contrast, in cancer stroke, factor Xa activity was decreased, D-dimer levels were unchanged, and cfDNA levels were increased by treatment with factor Xa inhibitors. In cancer stroke patients treated with enoxaparin, D-dimer levels were decreased (p = 0.011) and cfDNA levels were unchanged. Conclusion: The anticoagulation effects of factor Xa inhibitors differed between cancer stroke and AF stroke.

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Does total breastfeeding time influence the clinicopathologic characteristics and prognosis in breast cancer patients?

Journal of Clinical Oncology ◽

10.1200/jco.2012.30.15_suppl.e11033 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 30 (15_suppl) ◽

pp. e11033-e11033

Author(s):

Sebnem Yaman ◽

Sercan Aksoy ◽

Mehmet Ali Nahit Sendur ◽

Zafer Arik ◽

Nuriye Ozdemir ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Breast Cancer ◽

Overall Survival ◽

Cancer Patients ◽

Disease Free Survival ◽

Underlying Mechanism ◽

Breast Cancer Patients ◽

Clinicopathologic Characteristics ◽

Free Survival ◽

Patients With Cancer ◽

Disease Free

e11033 Background: Several studies suggest that total breastfeeding time reduces breast cancer risk although the underlying mechanism is unclear. However the total breast feeding is not well studied as a prognostic factor in patients with cancer. We aimed to investigate the possible prognostic role of total breastfeeding time (TBT) in breast cancer patients both on relation with tumor characteristics and also on prognosis. Methods: We retrospectively evaluated 1673 breast cancer patients who followed up between 2004 and 2010 in our clinic. The total breastfeeding time was obtained by summing the breastfeeding time for each child. The total breastfeeding time was categorized as: 1-The total breastfeeding time between 0-12 months; 2-Total breastfeeding time more than 12 months. Results: The median total breastfeeding time of this population was 12 months. 1011(60.4%) of these have total breastfeeding time between 0-12 months and 662 (%39.6) of them have total breastfeeding time more than 12 months. T, N, M stages were similar in both groups. Total breastfeeding time was not correlated with any of clinical parameters including lymphovascular invasion, extracapsulary invasion, estrogen receptor, progesterone receptor, HER2 2 status, perineural invasion. There was a positive correlation found between total breastfeeding time and BMI (r=1.24; P<0.001).TBT (≥12 months) has poor disease free survival (DSF) time (116 vs. 75 months; p=0.002) and 3-years overall survival rate (98% vs 95.2%; p=0.049). Conclusions: In our study; total breastfeeding time was not found to be correlated with any of the clinico-pathological parameters. However, disease free survival and overall survival were statistically shorter in patients whose total breastfeeding time was more than 12 months.

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The Effect of Therapeutic Touch on Pain and Fatigue of Cancer Patients Undergoing Chemotherapy

Evidence-based Complementary and Alternative Medicine ◽

10.1093/ecam/nen006 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 7 (3) ◽

pp. 375-381 ◽

Cited By ~ 45

Author(s):

Nahid Aghabati ◽

Eesa Mohammadi ◽

Zahra Pour Esmaiel

Keyword(s):

Usual Care ◽

Cancer Patients ◽

Usual Care Group ◽

Therapeutic Touch ◽

Cancer Center ◽

Care Group ◽

Pharmacological Interventions ◽

Patients With Cancer ◽

Before And After ◽

And Control

Despite major advances in pain management, cancer pain is managed poorly in 80% of the patients with cancer. Due to deleterious side effects of pharmacology therapy in these people, there is an urgent need for clinical trials of non-pharmacological interventions. To examine the effect of therapeutic touch (TT) on the pain and fatigue of the cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy, a randomized and three-groups experimental study—experimental (TT), placebo (placebo TT), and control (usual care)—was carried out. Ninety patients undergoing chemotherapy, exhibiting pain and fatigue of cancer, were randomized into one of the three groups in the Cancer Center of Imam Khomeini Hospital in Tehran, Iran. Pain and fatigue were measured and recorded by participants before and after the intervention for 5 days (once a day). The intervention consisted of 30 min TT given once a day for 5 days between 10:00 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. The Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) of pain and the Rhoten Fatigue Scale (RFS) were completed for 5 days before and after the intervention by the subjects. The TT (significant) was more effective in decreasing pain and fatigue of the cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy than the usual care group, while the placebo group indicated a decreasing trend in pain and fatigue scores compared with the usual care group.

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