Begell House Inc.
Neuropathological Diseases
NPD
2160-2468
2
1
2013
Quality of Life and Spirituality in Psycho-Oncology
1-13
10.1615/NeuropatholDiseases.v2.i1.10
Eleonora D.
Capovilla
Psycho-oncology Service, IOV (Istituto Oncologico Veneto), Via Gattamelata 64, Padova, 35128, Italy
Samantha
Serpentini
Psycho-oncology Service, IOV (Istituto Oncologico Veneto), Via Gattamelata 64, Padova, 35128; Palliative Care Unit, Az. ULSS 3, Via Cereria 14/B, Bassano del Grappa, 36061, Italy
I.
Guglieri
Psycho-oncology Service, IOV (Istituto Oncologico Veneto), Via Gattamelata 64, Padova, 35128, Italy
E.
Cason
Psycho-oncology Service, IOV (Istituto Oncologico Veneto), Via Gattamelata 64, Padova, 35128, Italy
R.
Servello
Psycho-oncology Service, IOV (Istituto Oncologico Veneto), Via Gattamelata 64, Padova, 35128, Italy
psycho-oncology
psychosocial approach
quality of life
spirituality
transpersonal psychology
mindfulness
Toward the end of the 1970s, the increased possibility of curing cancer influenced such disciplines as oncology, psychology, psychiatry as well as social and nursing care. Growing attention was given to psychological aspects and
issues related to quality of life, survival, and rehabilitation. Consequently, the psychosocial
approach to cancer has acquired an important role in its ability both to promote psychological health throughout the course of the disease and to improve the adjustment process in cancer patients. The aim of this article is to reconsider psychosocial approach in psycho-oncology, starting from the multidimensional definition of quality of life to the most recent data regarding the spiritual dimension as it is expressed in transpersonal psychology and in mindfulness interventions.
Analysis of Marital Distress Before and After Laboratory Narrative Medicine, in Couples with a Spouse Receiving Chemotherapy. DS12 Study
15-20
10.1615/NeuropatholDiseases.v2.i1.20
Maria Luisa
Barzelloni
University Hospital Salerno Center of Diagnosis and Treatment of Oncology P.O. G. da Procida Street S. Calenda 162, 84126 Salerno, Italy
Anna
Mogavero
University Hospital Salerno Center of Diagnosis and Treatment of Oncology P.O. G. da Procida Street S. Calenda 162, 84126 Salerno, Italy
Maria
De Filippo
University Hospital Salerno Center of Diagnosis and Treatment of Oncology P.O. G. da Procida Street S. Calenda 162, 84126 Salerno, Italy
Maria
Citera
University Hospital Salerno Center of Diagnosis and Treatment of Oncology P.O. G. da Procida Street S. Calenda 162, 84126 Salerno, Italy
Pietro
Deluca
University Hospital Salerno Center of Diagnosis and Treatment of Oncology P.O. G. da Procida Street S. Calenda 162, 84126 Salerno, Italy
Pietro
Carnicelli
University Hospital Salerno Center of Diagnosis and Treatment of Oncology P.O. G. da Procida Street S. Calenda 162, 84126 Salerno, Italy
Francesca
Vecchione
University Hospital Salerno Center of Diagnosis and Treatment of Oncology P.O. G. da Procida Street S. Calenda 162, 84126 Salerno, Italy
Antonella
Spezia
University Hospital Salerno Center of Diagnosis and Treatment of Oncology P.O. G. da Procida Street S. Calenda 162, 84126 Salerno, Italy
Rosanna
Izzo
University Hospital Salerno Center of Diagnosis and Treatment of Oncology P.O. G. da Procida Street S. Calenda 162, 84126 Salerno, Italy
Valeria
Crivaro
Health department Hospital "dei Colli" Monaldi- Cotugno CTO Naples, Italy
Distress
narrative medicine
psycho-oncology
The objective of the DS12 study was to assess how a stressful event such as the diagnosis of cancer can affect the spousal relationship. The study used the Distress Thermometer (DT) and the Psychological Distress Inventory (PDI); our results show that narrative medicine for the couple can contribute to stress reduction.
Rectal Cancer: What Patients Face and Express During Their Care Experience
21-30
10.1615/NeuropatholDiseases.v2.i1.30
Silvia
Flora
Department of Radiation Oncology and Diagnostic Imaging, National Cancer Institute CRO-Aviano, Italy
Paola
Zotti
Psychological Oncology Unit, National Cancer Institute CRO-Aviano, Italy
Antonino
De Paoli
Department of Radiation Oncology and Diagnostic Imaging, National Cancer Institute CRO-Aviano, Italy
rectal cancer
quality of life
multi-modal treatment
In Western countries, colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most common type of cancer in terms of incidence and mortality, after breast cancer in women and lung cancer in men. Rectal cancer (RC) comprises 30−40% of CRC
cases. After the introduction of multimodal treatment and the development of the surgical techniques, long-term survival is improving. Considering the importance
of the functional and anatomical complexities related to RC, the goal of treatment comprises long-term functional outcomes and monitoring of distress and quality of
life (QoL) of patients. Like other cancers, symptoms at diagnosis, toxicity of treatments, and impact of surgery are different for each patient. This article describes
what patients face and express during their treatment programs and what defines the care pathway that best supports their disease-related experience. Patients
showed interest and appreciation for the administration of QoL questionnaires, and they reported feeling reassured by being followed by a complete and coordinated
team. This efficient therapeutic alliance may result in less psychological distress for these patients.
Depression and Cancer: A Role for 5-HTTLPR and SSRI Antidepressant Drugs?
31-38
10.1615/NeuropatholDiseases.v2.i1.40
Tullio
Giraldi
Department of Life Sciences, University of Trieste, I-34100 Trieste, Italy
Giulia
Schillani
Department of Life Sciences, University of Trieste, Italy
depression; stress; mental adaptation to cancer; serotonin transporter polymorphism; 5-HTTLPR; antidepressant drugs; SSRI
Before tumor diagnosis, stressful life events experienced by women with breast cancer are associated with the later development of depressive conditions; 5-HTTLPR does not play any significant role. After tumor diagnosis, mental
adaptation to cancer is characterized in women with early breast cancer by anxious preoccupation which spontaneously decreases at follow-up; the reduction is significant
only in the carriers of the "l/l" 5-HTTLPR genotype. Antidepressants act on depression and mental adaptation to the disease, and the response is genotype dependent.
5-HTTLPR has therefore a role in psycho-oncology, permitting the identification of patients with greater need of support (carriers of "s/s" genotype), and in the case of drug treatment allowing the personalized choice of the drug (benzodiazepines for treating anxiety, or non-SSRI ADs for treating depression in "s/s" patients). Altogether, these data are in agreement with the more recent non-oncological reviews, showing a real, though small, effect of 5-HTTLPR on environmental adversity and
the action of SSRI antidepressants.
Mental Adaptation to Mammary Cancer and VNTR Genetic Polymorphism of MAO-A
39-45
10.1615/NeuropatholDiseases.v2.i1.50
Giulia
Schillani
Department of Life Sciences, University of Trieste, Italy
Masa
Jovic
Department of Life Sciences, University of Trieste, Italy
Tullio
Giraldi
Department of Life Sciences, University of Trieste, I-34100 Trieste, Italy
Early breast cancer
mental adaptation to cancer
anxious preoccupation
genetic polymorphism
monoamine oxidase-A
In women with early breast cancer, the carriers of the genetic polymorphism variants of serotonin transporter (5-HTTLPR) conferring low functional activity displayed high anxious preoccupation as mental adaptation to cancer (MAC) at follow-up. Therefore, we examined the role of the genetic polymorphism VNTR of monoamine oxidase-A (MAO-A) in the same
patients.
Mental adaptation to cancer was assessed using Mini-MAC scales at recruitment and at followup
after 3 months. VNTR polymorphism of MAO-A was determined from blood or oral mucosa samples using conventional laboratory procedures.
Women with the low-functionality activity MAO-A variant displayed significantly less anxious preoccupation at follow-up, as compared to the highly functional ones. No statistically significant
effects of VNTR genotype and time were observed for the other subscales of Mini-MAC.
The genotyping of women with early breast cancer for MAO-A VNTR, in addition and together to that for 5-HTTLPR, may allow the identification of the subjects that are likely to display a reduced reduction of their initial anxious preoccupation at follow-up. Interventions may be thus
be aimed at the subjects in greater need of support. In the case of drug therapy, these results may allow the choice of the drug with the most appropriate mechanism of action and pharmacogenetic properties.