| 1. |
- Eilegård Wallin, Alexandra, 1975-, et al.
(författare)
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Bereaved siblings' perception of participating in research : a nationwide study
- 2013
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Ingår i: Psycho-Oncology. - : John Wiley & Sons. - 1057-9249 .- 1099-1611. ; 22:2, s. 411-416
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- ObjectiveThe objective of the present study is to examine bereaved siblings' perception of research participation.MethodsA Swedish nationwide study on avoidable and modifiable health care‐related factors in paediatric oncology among bereaved siblings who lost a brother or sister to cancer between the years 2000 and 2007 was conducted. Data are presented as proportions, and the differences between groups were statistically tested at the 5% significant level using Fisher's exact test.ResultsOut of 240 eligible siblings, 174 responded (73 %). None of the siblings (0/168) thought their participation would affect them negatively in the long term. However, 13% (21/168) stated it was a negative experience to fill out the questionnaire, whereas 84% (142/169) found it to be a positive experience. Women were more likely to report their participation as positive in a long‐term perspective compared with men (p = 0.018).ConclusionsNone of the bereaved siblings in this Swedish nationwide study anticipated any long‐term negative effect from their research participation. A majority reported it as positive to revisit their needs and experiences throughout their brother or sister's illness and death 2–9 years following the loss. We believe that the stepwise approach used in this study contributed to the high acceptance.
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| 2. |
- Eilertsen, M. E. B., et al.
(författare)
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Impact of Social Support on Bereaved Siblings' Anxiety: A Nationwide Follow-Up
- 2013
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Ingår i: Journal of Pediatric Oncology Nursing. - : SAGE Publications. - 1043-4542 .- 1532-8457. ; 30:6, s. 301-310
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Purpose:To assess adolescent and young adult siblings' perception of social support prior to and following the loss of their brother or sister to cancer, 2 to 9 years earlier, and their anxiety at follow-up. Method: In 2009, 174 (73%) bereaved siblings (12-25 years) participated in a nationwide, long-term follow-up study in Sweden using an anonymous study-specific questionnaire. The Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale was used to measure self-assessed anxiety. Results: Siblings had a higher risk of anxiety if they perceived their need for social support was unsatisfied during their brother or sisters' last month before death, relative risk (RR) = 3.6 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.8-7.3); time after death, RR = 2.9 (95% CI = 1.5-5.6); and at follow-up, RR = 3.8 (95% CI = 2.0-7.2). Furthermore, a higher risk for anxiety was shown for siblings if they did not perceive that their parents and neighbors cared for them after their brother or sisters' death, RR = 2.7 (95% CI = 1.3-5.5), RR = 5.4 (95% CI = 1.3-21.9), respectively. Conclusion: Bereaved siblings had a greater probability to report self-assessed anxiety if they perceived that their need for social support was not satisfied prior to and following death. Information from both nurses and other health care professionals to families about the impact of social support may contribute to lessen the siblings' risk of anxiety.
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| 3. |
- Sveen, Josefin, et al.
(författare)
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They still grieve : a nationwide follow‐up of young adults 2–9 years after losing a sibling to cancer
- 2014
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Ingår i: Psycho-Oncology. - : John Wiley & Sons. - 1057-9249 .- 1099-1611. ; 23:6, s. 658-664
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Objectives: The aims of this study were to assess the prevalence of unresolved grief in bereaved young adult siblings and examine possible contributing factors.Methods: The study was a Swedish population-based study of young adults who had lost a brother or sister to cancer, 2-9 years earlier. Of 240 eligible siblings, 174 (73%) completed a study-specific questionnaire. This study focused on whether the respondents had worked through their grief over the sibling's death and to what extent.Results: A majority (54%) of siblings stated that they had worked through their grief either 'not at all' or 'to some extent' at the time of investigation. In multiple regression analyses with unresolved grief as the dependent variable, 21% of the variance was explained by lack of social support and shorter time since loss.Conclusion: The majority of bereaved young adults had not worked through their grief over the sibling's death. A small group of siblings reported that they had not worked through their grief at all, which may be an indicator of prolonged grief. Lack of social support and more recent loss were associated with not having worked through the grief over the sibling's death. Keywords: bereavement; cancer; grief; oncology; sibling loss; young adult loss.
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| 4. |
- Ayoub, Maria, 1990-, et al.
(författare)
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The Family Talk Intervention in Pediatric Oncology : Potential Effects Reported by Parents
- 2024
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Ingår i: Children. - : MDPI. - 2227-9067. ; 11:1
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: Childhood cancer impacts the family system and has psychosocial consequences for all family members. For the parents, the ill child, and the siblings to be able to adjust to this challenging situation, the whole family needs access to psychosocial support. However, only a few such family interventions in pediatric oncology have been evaluated. The aim of this study was to explore the potential effects of a family-centered intervention, the Family Talk Intervention (FTI), in pediatric oncology from the parents' perspectives. Methods: A concurrent mixed methods design was used for this study. Data were derived from a pilot study of 26 families recruited from one pediatric oncology center in Sweden. This study focused on questionnaire and interview data from 52 parents. Results: After participation in FTI, the parents felt more satisfied with the conversations within the family about the illness. FTI also contributed to strengthened family togetherness, including more open communication and improved family relations, as described by the parents. Parents further expressed that they felt more empowered in their parenting role following FTI. Conclusions: The findings regarding FTI's ability to improve family communication and family relations, thus strengthening family togetherness in families with childhood cancer, are promising. This provides motivation for a large-scale study of FTIs in pediatric oncology.
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| 5. |
- Cedervall, Jessica, et al.
(författare)
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Pharmacological targeting of peptidylarginine deiminase 4 prevents cancer-associated kidney injury in mice.
- 2017
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Ingår i: Oncoimmunology. - : Taylor & Francis. - 2162-4011 .- 2162-402X. ; 6:8
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Renal insufficiency is a frequent cancer-associated problem affecting more than half of all cancer patients at the time of diagnosis. To minimize nephrotoxic effects the dosage of anticancer drugs are reduced in these patients, leading to sub-optimal treatment efficacy. Despite the severity of this cancer-associated pathology, the molecular mechanisms, as well as therapeutic options, are still largely lacking. We here show that formation of intravascular tumor-induced neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) is a cause of kidney injury in tumor-bearing mice. Analysis of clinical biomarkers for kidney function revealed impaired creatinine clearance and elevated total protein levels in urine from tumor-bearing mice. Electron microscopy analysis of the kidneys from mice with cancer showed reversible pathological signs such as mesangial hypercellularity, while permanent damage such as fibrosis or necrosis was not observed. Removal of NETs by treatment with DNase I, or pharmacological inhibition of the enzyme peptidylarginine deiminase 4 (PAD4), was sufficient to restore renal function in mice with cancer. Tumor-induced systemic inflammation and impaired perfusion of peripheral vessels could be reverted by the PAD4 inhibitor. In conclusion, the current study identifies NETosis as a previously unknown cause of cancer-associated renal dysfunction and describes a novel promising approach to prevent renal failure in individuals with cancer.
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| 6. |
- Broberg, Olof, et al.
(författare)
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Circulating leptin is associated with adverse vascular changes in young adult survivors of childhood cancer
- 2024
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Ingår i: Cardiology in the Young. - 1047-9511 .- 1467-1107.
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- INTRODUCTION: Proteomics may help discover novel biomarkers and underlying mechanisms for cardiovascular disease. This could be useful for childhood cancer survivors as they show an increased risk of cardiovascular disease. The aim of this study was to investigate circulating cardiovascular proteins in young adult survivors of childhood cancer and their relationship to previously reported subclinical cardiovascular disease.METHODS: Ninety-two cardiovascular proteins were measured in 57 childhood cancer survivors and in 52 controls. For proteins that were significantly different between childhood cancer survivors and controls, we performed correlations between protein levels and measures of peripheral arterial stiffness (carotid distensibility and stiffness index, and augmentation index) and endothelial dysfunction (reactive hyperemia index).RESULTS: Leptin was significantly higher in childhood cancer survivors compared to controls (normalized protein expression units: childhood cancer survivors 6.4 (1.5) versus 5.1 (1.7), p < 0.0000001) after taking multiple tests into account. Kidney injury molecule-1, MER proto-oncogene tyrosine kinase, selectin P ligand, decorin, alpha-1-microglobulin/bikunin precursor protein, and pentraxin 3 showed a trend towards group differences (p < 0.05). Among childhood cancer survivors, leptin was associated with anthracycline treatment after adjustment for age, sex, and body mass index (p < 0.0001). Higher leptin correlated with lower carotid distensibility after adjustment for age, sex, body mass index, and treatments with radiotherapy and anthracyclines (p = 0.005).CONCLUSION: This proteomics approach identified that leptin is higher in young asymptomatic adult survivors of childhood cancer than in healthy controls and is associated with adverse vascular changes. This could indicate a role for leptin in driving the cardiovascular disease burden in this population.
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| 7. |
- Walladbegi, Java, et al.
(författare)
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Innovative intraoral cooling device better tolerated and equally effective as ice cooling.
- 2017
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Ingår i: Cancer Chemotherapy and Pharmacology. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 0344-5704 .- 1432-0843. ; 80:5, s. 965-972
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- PURPOSE: Most of the patients who receive myeloablative therapy prior to stem cell transplantation develop oral mucositis (OM). This adverse reaction manifests as oral mucosal erythema and ulcerations and may require high doses of morphine for pain alleviation. OM may also interfere with food intake and result in weight loss, a need for parenteral nutrition, and impaired quality of life. To date, there have been very few studies of evidence-based interventions for the prevention of OM. Cryotherapy, using ice chips, has been shown to reduce in an efficient manner the severity and extent of OM, although clinical applications are still limited due to several shortcomings, such as adverse tooth sensations, problems with infectious organisms in the water, nausea, and uneven cooling of the oral mucosa. The present proof-of-concept study was conducted to compare the tolerability, temperature reduction, and cooling distribution profiles of an intra-oral cooling device and ice chips in healthy volunteers who did not receive myeloablative treatment, and therefore, did not experience the symptoms of OM.METHODS: Twenty healthy volunteers used the cooling device and ice chips for a maximum of 60 min each, using a cross-over design. The baseline and final temperatures were measured at eight intra-oral locations using an infra-red thermographic camera. The thermographic images were analysed using two digital software packages. A questionnaire was used to assess the tolerability levels of the two interventions.RESULTS: The intra-oral cooling device was significantly better tolerated than the ice-chips (p = 0.0118). The two interventions were equally effective regarding temperature reduction and cooling distribution.CONCLUSIONS: The intra-oral cooling device shows superior tolerability in healthy volunteers. Furthermore, this study shows that temperature reduction and cooling distribution are achieved equally well using either method.
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| 8. |
- Hermansson, Ruth S., et al.
(författare)
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Elderly women's experiences of self-sampling for HPV testing.
- 2020
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Ingår i: BMC Cancer. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1471-2407. ; 20:1
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- BACKGROUND: Self-sampling for HPV testing, as an alternative to the conventional speculum based sampling, is highly acceptable to women of screening ages. The aim of this study was to describe older women's (60 to 75 years) experiences of self-sampling.METHODS: In Sweden a descriptive study with quantitative and qualitative methods was designed to collect data from a survey of women who participated in self-sampling for HPV testing. Individual interviews were done with women who tested positive in the first self-sampling, and were either negative in their second HPV test or were positive in their second HPV test, but without precancerous lesions or cancer.RESULTS: Of 893 eligible women, 868 (97.2%) answered the survey. Among the surveyed women, 49.2% reported it was very easy to perform self-sampling, 46.8% answered it was easy and 2.0% answered it was not easy. A majority (58.9%) answered that they prefer self-sampling, 16.5% that they prefer sample collection by a healthcare provider, 23.7% did not have any preference and 0.9% did not answer the question. In the interviews, 13 of 16 invited women participated. Most of them reported that they prefer self-sampling because it was easy to perform, less embarrassing and less time consuming than a visit to a clinic. The majority of women reported that they were not worried when informed about having an HPV positive test. Overall, participating women with better knowledge about the significance of an HPV infection were more worried about having a positive HPV test.CONCLUSION: Cervical cancer remains a highly preventable disease through screening and early treatment. Our results indicated that vaginal self-sampling for HPV testing was a well-accepted method for cervical cancer prevention in this group of older women.TRIAL REGISTRATION: https://www.researchweb.org/is/en/fouckfuu/project/272587. Registered 24 June 2019-retrospectively registered. www.researchweb.org.
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| 9. |
- Eilegård Wallin, Alexandra, 1975-, et al.
(författare)
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Insufficient communication and anxiety in cancer-bereaved siblings : a nationwide long-term follow-up
- 2016
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Ingår i: Palliative & Supportive Care. - 1478-9515 .- 1478-9523. ; October, s. 488-494
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Objective: The purpose of this study was to examine siblings’ long-term psychological health in relation to their perception of communication with their family, friends, and healthcare professionals during a brother or sister's last month of life.Method: A nationwide questionnaire study was conducted during 2009 in Sweden of individuals who had lost a brother or sister to cancer within the previous two to nine years. Of the 240 siblings contacted, 174 (73%), participated. The Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) was employed to assess psychological health (anxiety). The data are presented as proportions (%) and relative risks (RR) with a 95% confidence interval (CI 95%).Results: Siblings who were not satisfied with the amount they talked about their feelings with others during their brother or sister's last month of life were more likely to report anxiety (15/58, 26%) than those who were satisfied (13/115, 11%; RR = 2.3(1.2–4.5)). The same was true for those who had been unable to talk to their family after bereavement (RR = 2.5(1.3–4.8)). Avoiding healthcare professionals for fear of being in their way increased siblings’ risk of reporting anxiety at follow-up (RR = 2.2(1.1–4.6)), especially avoidance in the hospital setting (RR = 6.7(2.5–18.2)). No such differences were seen when the ill brother or sister was cared for at home.Significance of results: Long-term anxiety in bereaved siblings might be due to insufficient communication. Avoiding healthcare professionals, especially when the brother or sister is cared for at the hospital, may also increase the risk of anxiety.
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| 10. |
- Eilegård Wallin, Alexandra, 1975-, et al.
(författare)
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Psychological health in siblings who lost a brother or sister to cancer 2 to 9 years earlier
- 2013
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Ingår i: Psycho-Oncology. - : Wiley-Blackwell. - 1057-9249 .- 1099-1611. ; 22:3, s. 683-691
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- BACKGROUND: The objective of this study was to assess long-term psychological distress in siblings who lost a brother or sister to cancer 2 to 9 years earlier, as compared with a control group of non-bereaved siblings from the general population.METHODS: During 2009, we conducted a nationwide follow-up study in Sweden by using an anonymous study-specific questionnaire. Siblings who had lost a brother or sister to cancer between the years 2000 and 2007 and also a control group of non-bereaved siblings from the general population were invited to participate. The Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) was used to measure psychological distress, and to test for differences in the ordinal outcome responses between the groups, we used Wilcoxon-Mann-Whitney rank-sum test.RESULTS: Among the bereaved siblings, 174/240 (73%) participated and 219/293 (75%) among the non-bereaved. Self-assessed low self-esteem (p = 0.002), difficulties falling asleep (p = 0.005), and low level of personal maturity (p = 0.007) at follow-up were more prevalent among bereaved siblings. However, anxiety (p = 0.298) and depression (p = 0.946), according to HADS, were similar.CONCLUSION: Bereaved siblings are at increased risk of low self-esteem, low level of personal maturity and difficulties falling asleep as compared with non-bereaved peers. Yet, the bereaved were not more likely to report anxiety or depression.
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