ONS Connect - November 2008 - (Page 8)

JUSTIN [By Deborah McBride, RN, MSN, CPON ®, Contributing Editor] Stomach bug Treatment may Work for Cancer E radicating a common bacterium in people with stomach cancer can reduce the risk that the cancer will recur, new research suggests. Helicobacter pylori, a common cause of stomach ulcers, also has been linked to stomach cancer. In a study of 550 people who had stomach cancer surgery, half received an H. pylori eradication regimen and the others received standard care. The patients were followed over three years to see how many would develop recurrences. The researchers found that 24 in the untreated group and 9 in the treated group developed new lesions. After controlling for location and type of tumor, sex, age, and other factors, the researchers concluded that eradication of H. pylori reduced the risk for recurrence by about 65%. Fukase, K., Kato, M., Kikuchi, S., Inoue, K., Uemura, N., Okamoto, S., et al. (2008). Effect of eradication of Helicobacter pylori on incidence of metachronous gastric carcinoma after endoscopic resection of early gastric cancer: An open-label, randomized controlled trial. Lancet, 372(9636), 392–397. Loving Partners Are more Likely to Perform Skin Exams C ships with their partners as below average were the least likely to perform routine skin examinations. The researchers suggest that dermatologists discuss the quality of patients’ relationship with a spouse or partner to see if the partner is able to offer adequate help with skin self-examinations. If that isn’t possible, patients with melanoma would need more frequent checks by a dermatologist. According to the researchers, deaths from melanoma could be lowered by as much as 60% if the general public performed monthly skin self-examinations. Robinson, J.K., Stapleton, J., & Turrisi, R. (2008). Relationship and partner moderator variables increases self-efficacy of performing skin selfexamination. Journal of American Academy of Dermatology, 58(5), 755–762. ouples with close, supportive relationships who are able to overcome self-consciousness and perform regular, thorough skin checks on each other increase their chances of finding a new melanoma, according to a new study. In the study, 130 melanoma survivors learned how to do skin examinations either alone or with their partners. Couples with close bonds were almost three times more likely to perform the skin examinations than those who didn’t have strong bonds. Patients who reported the quality of their relationNovember 2008 Anal Cancer Incidence Is Increasing in HIv-Infected Patients nal cancer is more common among HIV-infected patients than in the general population. The incidence of most HIV-associated opportunistic conditions has decreased markedly A since the introduction of combination antiretroviral therapy (ART) in 1996. The researchers theorized that if HIVrelated immunosuppression were the main cause of anal cancer, the tumor incidence would have fallen after the introduction of ART. A recent study of 86,322 HIV-infected patients who were part of a national cohort in France identified 132 cases of anal cancer. Ninety-four percent of cases were in men; 71% were in men who had sex with men and, at the time of cancer diagnosis, 78% of patients had been receiving ART for a median duration of 37 months. The incidence of anal cancer was higher from 1999–2004 than from 1992–1996 (hazard ratio, 2.5%; 95% confidence ratio, 1.2–5.3). According to the researchers, the increasing anal cancer incidence since the introduction of effective ART may reflect the fact that HIV-positive patients are living longer with human papillomavirus infection, which has been linked to anal and cervical cancers and is more common in HIV-positive patients than in the general population. An alternative explanation is that because of the increase in 8 ONS CONNECT

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ONS Connect - November 2008 Contents Editor's Note Just In Lean on Me You Tell Us A Year in the Life-- Month Eleven Put Evidence Into Practice to Manage Caregiver Strain and Burden Web Connect Capitol Connection Caregiver Care New Technique Monitors Patients with NSCLC Calendar of Events Working for You Staying on Top

ONS Connect - November 2008

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