Follow-up study finds prolonged fatigue for those who had chemotherapy for breast cancer

Public release date: 5-Dec-2011
[ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Ferdie De Vega
Ferdinand.DeVega@moffitt.org
813-745-7858
H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute

Chemotherapy-related weight gain may be factor in prolonged fatigue

TAMPA, Fla. In a follow-up study, researchers at Moffitt Cancer Center and colleagues have found that patients who receive chemotherapy for breast cancer might experience prolonged fatigue years after their therapy. The new study, published in the American Cancer Society's current issue of CANCER, is a follow-up to a study on fatigue and chemotherapy and radiotherapy for breast cancer Moffitt researchers published in CANCER in 2007.

"Fatigue is among the most common symptoms reported by women who are treated for breast cancer," said study corresponding author Paul B. Jacobsen, Ph.D., program leader for Health Outcomes and Behavior at Moffitt.

The 2007 study found that immediately following treatment fatigue was greater in women who had received chemotherapy than in patient groups comprised of women who had received both chemotherapy and radiotherapy, radiotherapy alone, or in groups with no cancer history. Six months after treatment, women in the chemotherapy alone group reported more fatigue than the combination therapy group, the radiotherapy group, or the non-cancer group.

"On the basis of our 2007 study and the results of other studies, we hypothesized that fatigue in the group receiving chemotherapy would diminish over a three-year follow-up period, yet possibly remain higher than fatigue levels for women who had received radiation, combination therapy, or those with no history of cancer," explained Jacobsen.

The recently published follow-up study was comprised of 205 patients who had received chemotherapy compared with 193 women in a control group with no history of cancer. The controls were within five years of age of the cancer patients and lived in the same zip codes as their partner cancer patients. The average age for both groups was 55. Fatigue levels were measured at six months and 42 months.

Their new findings, however, contradicted the expectation that patients receiving chemotherapy would, overtime, experience less fatigue and eventually see their fatigue levels diminish to equal the levels of women in the other two groups.

"Contrary to our expectations, fatigue did not diminish over time for patients in the chemotherapy group," said Jacobsen, who studies the behavioral and psychosocial aspects of cancer, cancer treatment, outcomes, and cancer survivorship. "In some cases, fatigue worsened, and that finding is not consistent with prior research."

Among the possible factors influencing the long-term or worsening fatigue included the potential for weight gain, common among patients who receive chemotherapy and who, according to the researchers, rarely return to their pre-treatment weight.

One variable affecting prolonged or worsening fatigue might involve supportive care, suggested the researchers.

"This finding has important implications for patient education and for fatigue monitoring during follow-up," concluded Jacobsen. "Our results should inform patient education efforts when patients receiving chemotherapy are often told that their fatigue will gradually diminish following treatment. Health care providers may want to communicate to their patients who have received chemotherapy that their fatigue may not improve over time and may worsen."

The researchers concluded that patients should be informed about interventions known to be effective against fatigue post-treatment, such as exercise and cognitive behavior therapy.

###

About Moffitt Cancer Center

Follow Moffitt on Facebook: www.facebook.com/MoffittCancerCenter

Follow Moffitt on Twitter: @MoffittNews

Follow Moffitt on YouTube: MoffittNews

Located in Tampa, Florida, Moffitt Cancer Center is an NCI Comprehensive Cancer Center a designation that recognizes Moffitt's excellence in research and contributions to clinical trials, prevention and cancer control. Moffitt currently has 14 affiliates in Florida, one in Georgia, one in Pennsylvania and two in Puerto Rico. Additionally, Moffitt is a member of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network, a prestigious alliance of the country's leading cancer centers, and is listed in U.S. News & World Report as one of "America's Best Hospitals" for cancer. Moffitt marks a very important anniversary in 2011 25 years committed to one mission: to contribute to the prevention and cure of cancer .

Media release by Florida Science Communications

---

[ | E-mail | Share ]

?

AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.

Public release date: 5-Dec-2011
[ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Ferdie De Vega
Ferdinand.DeVega@moffitt.org
813-745-7858
H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute

Chemotherapy-related weight gain may be factor in prolonged fatigue

TAMPA, Fla. In a follow-up study, researchers at Moffitt Cancer Center and colleagues have found that patients who receive chemotherapy for breast cancer might experience prolonged fatigue years after their therapy. The new study, published in the American Cancer Society's current issue of CANCER, is a follow-up to a study on fatigue and chemotherapy and radiotherapy for breast cancer Moffitt researchers published in CANCER in 2007.

"Fatigue is among the most common symptoms reported by women who are treated for breast cancer," said study corresponding author Paul B. Jacobsen, Ph.D., program leader for Health Outcomes and Behavior at Moffitt.

The 2007 study found that immediately following treatment fatigue was greater in women who had received chemotherapy than in patient groups comprised of women who had received both chemotherapy and radiotherapy, radiotherapy alone, or in groups with no cancer history. Six months after treatment, women in the chemotherapy alone group reported more fatigue than the combination therapy group, the radiotherapy group, or the non-cancer group.

"On the basis of our 2007 study and the results of other studies, we hypothesized that fatigue in the group receiving chemotherapy would diminish over a three-year follow-up period, yet possibly remain higher than fatigue levels for women who had received radiation, combination therapy, or those with no history of cancer," explained Jacobsen.

The recently published follow-up study was comprised of 205 patients who had received chemotherapy compared with 193 women in a control group with no history of cancer. The controls were within five years of age of the cancer patients and lived in the same zip codes as their partner cancer patients. The average age for both groups was 55. Fatigue levels were measured at six months and 42 months.

Their new findings, however, contradicted the expectation that patients receiving chemotherapy would, overtime, experience less fatigue and eventually see their fatigue levels diminish to equal the levels of women in the other two groups.

"Contrary to our expectations, fatigue did not diminish over time for patients in the chemotherapy group," said Jacobsen, who studies the behavioral and psychosocial aspects of cancer, cancer treatment, outcomes, and cancer survivorship. "In some cases, fatigue worsened, and that finding is not consistent with prior research."

Among the possible factors influencing the long-term or worsening fatigue included the potential for weight gain, common among patients who receive chemotherapy and who, according to the researchers, rarely return to their pre-treatment weight.

One variable affecting prolonged or worsening fatigue might involve supportive care, suggested the researchers.

"This finding has important implications for patient education and for fatigue monitoring during follow-up," concluded Jacobsen. "Our results should inform patient education efforts when patients receiving chemotherapy are often told that their fatigue will gradually diminish following treatment. Health care providers may want to communicate to their patients who have received chemotherapy that their fatigue may not improve over time and may worsen."

The researchers concluded that patients should be informed about interventions known to be effective against fatigue post-treatment, such as exercise and cognitive behavior therapy.

###

About Moffitt Cancer Center

Follow Moffitt on Facebook: www.facebook.com/MoffittCancerCenter

Follow Moffitt on Twitter: @MoffittNews

Follow Moffitt on YouTube: MoffittNews

Located in Tampa, Florida, Moffitt Cancer Center is an NCI Comprehensive Cancer Center a designation that recognizes Moffitt's excellence in research and contributions to clinical trials, prevention and cancer control. Moffitt currently has 14 affiliates in Florida, one in Georgia, one in Pennsylvania and two in Puerto Rico. Additionally, Moffitt is a member of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network, a prestigious alliance of the country's leading cancer centers, and is listed in U.S. News & World Report as one of "America's Best Hospitals" for cancer. Moffitt marks a very important anniversary in 2011 25 years committed to one mission: to contribute to the prevention and cure of cancer .

Media release by Florida Science Communications

---

[ | E-mail | Share ]

?

AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.

Source: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2011-12/hlmc-fsf120511.php

in living color enews enews mona simpson mona simpson grady sizemore grady sizemore

Violent wind storm leaves path of destruction

Palm fronds line a street in the Los Feliz section of Los Angeles on Thursday, Dec. 1, 2011 after high winds flipped over trees and trucks and knocked out power to more than 300,000 California customers early Thursday before moving inland, where schools in a Utah town closed because of 100 mph wind gusts. (AP Photo/Alicia Chang)

Palm fronds line a street in the Los Feliz section of Los Angeles on Thursday, Dec. 1, 2011 after high winds flipped over trees and trucks and knocked out power to more than 300,000 California customers early Thursday before moving inland, where schools in a Utah town closed because of 100 mph wind gusts. (AP Photo/Alicia Chang)

This NOAA satellite image taken Wednesday, November 30, 2011 at 1:00 PM EST shows variable cloud cover over the West. Areas of light snow showers and high winds form in southeastern Idaho and Utah, ahead of cold front extending from the Northern Rockies through northern California. A variety of Wind Advisories and High Win Watches and Warnings remain in effect for parts of California through western Utah. Meanwhile, light to moderate snow showers with periods of heavy snowfall and windy weather conditions occur from Montana through the Northern Plains, ahead of a Canadian cold front dropping down from southern Canada. Winter Storm Warnings and Winter Weather Advisories are in effect for these regions through the evening. Snow accumulations for today are expected to range from 6 to 12 inches above 5,000 feet and 3 to 6 inches at lower elevations in the Northern Rockies. Snow Accumulations in the Northern Plains will range from 1 to 3 inches in the southwest and between 3 and 5 inches in the northwest. (AP Photo/Weather Underground)

A significant wind event will continue across California and the Great Basin, while snow will persist from the central Plains to central Great Basin. A cold front will trigger more snow showers to the Upper Midwest and Great Lakes.

Kindergarteners from a Jewish Community Center in Salt Lake City, Utah, take a quick field trip to the front of the JCC to check out the large pine that was knocked over by strong winds on Thursday, Dec. 1, 2011. High winds ripping through Utah have overturned several semi-trucks, knocked out power to more than 50,000 customers and prompted school closures. (AP Photo/ The Salt Lake Tribune, Francisco Kjolseth)

Neighbors help remove a tree that toppled onto the house of Don and Louise Lochhead in Bountiful, Utah, Thursday, Dec. 1, 2011. High winds ripping through Utah have overturned several semi-trucks, knocked out power to more than 50,000 customers and prompted school closures. (AP Photo/ The Salt Lake Tribune, Rick Egan)

PASADENA, Calif. (AP) ? Several overturned semis on a Utah highway. Hundreds of thousands without power in California. A wind gust reaching 123-mph in Colorado.

The powerful winds that tore across Western states Thursday created a path destruction that closed schools, left neighborhoods with a snarl of downed trees and power lines, and prompted some communities to declare emergencies.

The storms, described as a once-in-a-decade event, were the result of a dramatic difference in pressure between a strong, high-pressure system and a cold, low-pressure system, meteorologists said. This funnels strong winds down mountain canyons and slopes.

The system brought high wind warnings and advisories for California, Utah, Nevada, Wyoming, Arizona and New Mexico. The blustery weather is expected to eventually hit Oklahoma, Missouri and Indiana.

The violent winds eased but strong gusts still blew through the region Thursday night, at times reaching 60 mph in some California mountains. Forecasters said the winds would continue to diminish through Friday.

The winds were fanning fires in northern California.

The Sacramento Bee reported that as of Thursday evening, seven fires had burned more than 130 acres in El Dorado County. Five fires had also burned more than 250 acres in Tuolumne and Calaveras counties.

In Southern California, the storm knocked out electricity to more than 350,000 utility customers. By early Friday, 270,000 of them were still without power.

Gusts, which reached 80 mph, were blamed for toppling semitrailers and causing trees to fall on homes, apartment complexes and cars.

A state of emergency was declared in Los Angeles County, where schools in a dozen communities were closed.

In some neighborhoods, concrete light poles cracked in half. Darkened traffic signals and fallen palm tree fronds and branches snarled traffic. At a Shell station, the roof collapsed into a heap of twisted metal.

In heavily damaged Pasadena, schools and libraries closed and a local emergency, the first since 2004, was declared. Officials said 40 people were evacuated from an apartment building after a tree smashed part of the roof.

Pasadena is known for its historic homes and wide oak-lined streets that are frequently depicted in films.

Many residents Thursday blamed the city for protecting its old trees from over-trimming to such an extent that they have now become a public safety hazard.

Vince Mehrabian, the general manager at A&B Motor Cars, estimated eight Lexus, Cadillac and other luxury cars had been destroyed by fallen limbs. He said he'd been asking the city for four years to trim the trees more.

On a street around the corner, almost every tree was either cracked in half or missing limbs.

Elsewhere, Daphne Bell, a 30-year Pasadena resident, said she was kept awake by howling wind. "This is the worst, the absolute worst. There were times it sounded like a freight train was roaring down my driveway," she said.

Similar stories of downed trees and power lines echoed across the West, where winds in some areas ripped storefront awnings, filled gutters with debris and forced school closures.

In Utah, about 50,000 customers lost power along the state's 120-mile Wasatch Front as high winds took down power lines, but service was restored to more than half of them by Thursday night.

On Interstate 15, strong gusts blew more than 10 semi-trucks onto their sides, prompting authorities to temporarily close the highway to trucks. Commuter train travel was also interrupted after debris covered the tracks.

Schools closed in Centerville, where a 102-mph gust was reported. Mail delivery and trash pickup were canceled.

Davis County issued a disaster declaration to request state assistance, citing more than $3.5 million in estimated damage to infrastructure.

The Red Cross opened three centers to provide food and aid to people affected by the storm, and opened one overnight shelter in Ogden.

In Nevada, weather officials warned that blowing dust was creating visibility problems on a highway between Reno and Las Vegas.

In Steamboat Springs, Colo., the roof of a four-story condominium complex was blown off and about 100 trees were knocked over, some landing on homes. A ski area shut down its lifts after a gust of 123 mph.

Even some weather experts were surprised by the wind's force.

"It's one of the strongest events that I can remember," said Brian Edwards, a meteorologist with Accuweather. "It's rather rare."

___

Associated Press writers John Rogers and Alicia Chang in Los Angeles, Jennifer Dobner in Salt Lake City, and Oskar Garcia in Las Vegas contributed to this report.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/386c25518f464186bf7a2ac026580ce7/Article_2011-12-02-Western%20Winds/id-ef5b33dd12134003bb56b9658b697471

weta rudolph the red nosed reindeer rudolph the red nosed reindeer adam carolla desean jackson rick neuheisel rick neuheisel

Former Wisconsin governor Thompson launches Senate run (reuters)

Share With Friends: | | Politics - Top Stories Stories, RSS Feeds and Widgets via Feedzilla.

Source: http://news.feedzilla.com/en_us/stories/politics/top-stories/168868673?client_source=feed&format=rss

the addams family blue bloods temple grandin texas rangers marie osmond st louis cardinals josh hamilton

Lions' Suh crashes car in Portland; not injured

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) ? Police in Oregon say Detroit Lions defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh crashed his car into a tree in downtown Portland, but was not injured.

Police say Suh was not impaired and was cooperative with officers following the accident at about 1:15 a.m. Saturday. Suh lost control of the 1970 Chevrolet Coupe he was driving, which then hit a curb, light pole, drinking fountain and tree. His vehicle was towed from the scene.

Suh had two passengers in the vehicle. They were not injured.

Suh is a graduate of Portland's Grant High School. He was the NFL's 2010 defensive rookie of the year. On Tuesday, the league suspended him for two games for stomping the arm of Packers guard Evan Dietrich-Smith.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/347875155d53465d95cec892aeb06419/Article_2011-12-03-FBN-Suh-Car-Crash-/id-7e6582d685384b2b85c0799f601dcefb

there will be blood there will be blood role models how to cook a turkey ucla basketball walmart black friday sales walmart black friday sales

'Scrooge' teachers union cancels Christmas in classroom with work to rule

By Craig Mackenzie

Last updated at 4:36 PM on 3rd December 2011

A 'work to rule' by hundreds of thousands of teachers could mean the cancellation of school nativity plays this Christmas, it emerged today.

The ban on festive cheer was ordered by the NASUWT union, which claims to be the largest classroom union in the country.

It wants teachers to protect their 'work-life balance' by refusing to work outside normal hours or do any extra tasks - like putting up decorations.

Nativity play: Union action by teachers in the classroom could stop the festive school tasks

The industrial action which began on Thursday, will see staff working six-and-a-half-hour days, no cover for absent colleagues and no non-teaching jobs carried out.

Chris Keates, the general secretary of NASUWT, has defended the guidance to more than 220,000 members who are expected to take part in the campaign.

She said: 'All teachers and head teachers are entitled to a satisfactory work-life balance. Teachers are entitled to enjoy time away from work.'

Miss Keates insisted staff would be free to volunteer to run nativity plays if they wanted to.

But Priti Patel, the Conservative MP for Witham, Essex, told the Daily Telegraph the union?s action was 'appalling' at a time when there are current negotiations between ministers and unions over pension reforms.

And Nick Gibb, the schools minister,said the action 'could mean huge disruption to school plays, sports and everything else schools do to enrich their pupils? lives'.

?

Source: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2069527/Scrooge-teachers-union-cancels-Christmas-classroom-work-rule.html?ITO=1490

gilbert arenas das racist das racist ginger white conrad murray sentencing conrad murray sentencing sopa

Court: Appointment of S.Africa prosecutor improper (AP)

JOHANNESBURG ? A top appeals court has ruled South Africa's president acted improperly when he appointed the national prosecutor in a case that has been central to a debate about corruption at high levels of government and political meddling in the fight against crime.

"The president will study the judgment, obtain legal advice and thereafter decide on what course to take," President Jacob Zuma's office said in a terse statement hours after the Supreme Court of Appeals issued its ruling Thursday.

The main opposition party, the Democratic Alliance, went to court to challenge lawyer Menzi Simelane's appointment as director of public prosecutions, saying he was unfit for the job and that Zuma, who has faced corruption charges, appointed him because he needed an ally in the prosecutor's office.

"This judgment is a victory for our constitutional democracy," the Democratic Alliance said in a statement.

Zuma can appeal. The Democratic Alliance is calling on him to instead fire Simelane and "appoint somebody who will enjoy the respect and confidence of the legal profession, the judiciary and the people of South Africa."

Just two weeks before the 2009 elections, prosecutors, acknowledging the case had been tainted by political meddling, dropped corruption charges against Zuma. Zuma went on to lead his African National Congress to victory and become president. He appointed Simelane soon after taking office.

A previous national prosecutor, Vusi Pikoli, was pushed out after he pursued corruption charges against the national police chief and Zuma. Pikoli had headed a special crime-busting unit known as the Scorpions that the ANC-dominated parliament dismantled.

Zuma has maintained he was innocent of accusations he sought bribes to thwart an investigation into wrongdoing by a French arms company involved in a massive weapons deal in the late 1990s. The accusations were linked to an international scandal in which tens of millions of dollars allegedly were paid in bribes to secure contracts in the multibillion-dollar arms deal soon after democracy came to South Africa in 1994.

Prosecutors said their case against the man who is now president was solid ? his financial adviser was convicted of soliciting bribes for Zuma from arms dealers. But prosecutors also said key colleagues had abused their powers in pursuing the case by trying to time an announcement of charges against Zuma in a failed attempt to undermine his bid to become party president.

Zuma this year announced that an independent panel of judges with sweeping powers will investigate the arms deal scandal.

Zuma has been accused of acting slowly to confront corruption in his government. After months of calls to act, in October he suspended his national police chief and fired a Cabinet minister after the two were caught up in a scandal over leasing a police headquarters building. Zuma also fired another minister who an independent investigator said used taxpayer money to visit a girlfriend imprisoned in Switzerland.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/africa/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111202/ap_on_re_af/af_south_africa_top_prosecutor

baked alaska battlefield 3 release battlefield 3 release battle field 3 battle field 3 dana wilkey dana wilkey

Y.M.C.A. ?Healthy Living Standards? for Children

[unable to retrieve full-text content]The Y.M.C.A., one of the nation?s largest child-care providers, will offer fruits, vegetables and water for snacks, increase exercise time and limit video games.

Source: http://feeds.nytimes.com/click.phdo?i=6de582d0126eef2c305652a115bc6a6f

ios 5 update joojoo joseph addai joseph addai michael jackson autopsy michael jackson autopsy liberace