11. |
- Axelsson, Anna, et al.
(författare)
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Patient reported long-term side effects from treatment on urinary and sexual function in anal cancer survivors-3-and 6-year results from the Swedish national ANCA study
- 2024
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Ingår i: COLORECTAL DISEASE. - 1462-8910 .- 1463-1318.
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Aim: The standard treatment for anal cancer is chemoradiotherapy. Most patients survive anal cancer but remain living with long-term side effects related to the treatment received. The aim of this study was to assess the occurrence of long-term impairment of urinary and sexual function at 3 and 6 years after diagnosis and to investigate the additive effect from chemotherapy in combined chemoradiotherapy on urinary incontinence, compared to radiotherapy alone. Method: The ANal CAncer study (ANCA) is based on a national Swedish cohort of patients diagnosed with anal cancer between 2011 and 2013. All identified patients within the study were invited to respond to a study-specific questionnaire at 3 and 6 years. Descriptive analyses for the primary endpoint were performed. To investigate a possible additional effect from chemotherapy logistic regression was used. Results: A total of 388 patients were included in the study. At 3 years 264 patients were alive and invited to respond to an anal cancer specific questionnaire. The 3- and 6 year response rates were 195 (74%) and 155 patients (67%), respectively. The patient reported urinary function impairment at 3 years were urgency (63%), incomplete bladder emptying (47%), and incontinence (46%) and there was an absolute increase of the prevalence of urinary dysfunction in about 10% at 6 years. Three years after diagnosis, 77% reported that intercourse was not part of their sex life; this percentage increased at 6 years to 83%. We found no negative effect of chemotherapy in combined chemoradiotherapy versus radiotherapy alone on patient reported urinary incontinence. Conclusion: For anal cancer survivors, urinary function was impaired after 3 years and continued to deteriorate as measured at 6 years after diagnosis. Anal cancer and its treatment negatively affected sexual function for both men and women. This may explain why patients reported that sexual activity and frequency of intercourse was not of importance in their life.
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12. |
- Axelsson, Anna, et al.
(författare)
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Patient reported long-term side effects on bowel function and anal pain in anal cancer survivors-3-and 6-year results from the Swedish national ANCA study
- 2023
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Ingår i: COLORECTAL DISEASE. - 1462-8910 .- 1463-1318.
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- AimThe primary therapeutic option for anal cancer treatment is chemoradiotherapy resulting in 80% survival. The aim of this study was to assess long-term bowel function impairment and anal pain at 3 and 6 years after anal cancer diagnosis, based on a hypothesis of an increase in impairment over time. A secondary aim was to investigate if chemoradiotherapy increased the risk for bowel impairment, compared to radiotherapy alone.MethodThe ANal CAncer study (ANCA) consists of a national Swedish cohort of patients diagnosed with anal cancer between 2011-2013. Patients within the study were invited to respond to a study-specific questionnaire at 3- and 6-years after diagnosis. Descriptive analyses for the primary endpoint and ordinal logistic regressions for secondary endpoint were performed.ResultsA total of 388 patients (84%) were included in the study. At 3 years of follow-up, 264 patients were alive. A total of 195 of these patients (74%) answered a study specific questionnaire, and at 6 years 154 patients (67%). Fifty-seven percent experienced bowel urgency at both 3 and 6 years. There was an increased risk for repeated bowel movement within 1 h (OR 2.44 [95% CI: 1.08-5.61, p = 0.03]) at 3 years in patients who had been treated by chemoradiation compared to radiotherapy alone.ConclusionsImpairment in bowel function and anal pain after anal cancer treatment should be expected and remains after 6 years. This suggests that long-term follow-up may be necessary in some form after customary follow-up. The addition of chemotherapy increases long-term side effects of bowel function.
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13. |
- Axelsson, Anna, et al.
(författare)
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Patient-reported QoL in anal cancer survivors 3 and 6 years after treatment-results from the Swedish national ANCA study
- 2022
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Ingår i: Supportive Care in Cancer. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 0941-4355 .- 1433-7339. ; 30:5, s. 4169-4178
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Purpose The impact of anal cancer treatment for the patients is best evaluated by the patients themselves. The purpose of this study was to investigate quality of life (QoL) in patients with anal cancer at 3 and 6 years after treatment. Methods A Swedish national cross-sectional prospective cohort study with patients diagnosed with anal cancer between 2011 and 2013. Patients were invited to respond to a QoL questionnaire at 3 and 6 years, with focus on bowel, urinary and sexual function, social and mental function, co-morbidity, lifestyle, daily activities, personal characteristics, and perceived QoL. It also contained questions on the severity of the symptoms regarding occurrence, frequency, and duration and the level of "bother" experienced related to functional symptoms. QoL and prevalence of bother with urinary, sexual, bowel dysfunction, and anal pain were described. The prevalence of impaired QoL was compared with a healthy reference population. The association between QoL and experiencing bother was quantified by regression models. Results From an original cohort of 464 patients with anal cancer, 264 (57%) were alive and contacted at 3 years and 230 (50%) at 6 years. One hundred ninety-five (74%) patients responded to the 3-year and 152 (66%) to the 6-year questionnaire. Sixty percent reported low QoL at both 3 and 6 years. Impaired QoL was more prevalent among patients with major bother due to bowel dysfunction (at 3 years RR 1.42, 95% CI (1.06-1.9) p-value 0.020, at 6 years RR 1.52, 95% CI (1.03-2.24) p-value 0.034) and urinary dysfunction (at 6 years RR 1.44, 95% CI (1.08-1.91) p-value 0.013). There was a tendency to a positive relationship between the number of bodily functions causing bother and risk for impaired QoL. Conclusion Patients treated for anal cancer reported bother regarding several bodily functions as well as poor QoL both at 3 and 6 years without much improvement. Bother was also associated with low QoL indicating that function-related bother should be addressed.
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14. |
- Barut, Oya, et al.
(författare)
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Calcifications in the neck region of patients with carotid artery stenosis : a computed tomography angiography study of topographic anatomy
- 2020
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Ingår i: Oral surgery, oral medicine, oral pathology and oral radiology. - : Elsevier. - 2212-4403 .- 2212-4411. ; 129:5, s. 523-530
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Objectives: The aim of this study was to map the vertical locations of calcified carotid plaques (CCPs), osseous anatomic structures, and calcified soft tissues in the area of the carotid artery, determine to what extent CCPs are superimposed on the cervical spine in coronal images, and analyze the differences between men and women.Study Design: Computed tomography angiography (CTA) scans of 79 patients were studied. CCPs were discovered in 152 of the total 158 neck sides. Evaluations were performed by using sagittal and coronal reformatted CTA images with maximum intensity projection.Results: Most of the calcified anatomic structures studied, including the carotid bifurcation, were found in close relationship to the level of the third and fourth cervical vertebrae. In the coronal view, all or most of the areas of the CCPs were superimposed on the cervical spine in 22 of 44 (50%) neck sides with CCP in women and in 37 of 108 (34.2%) in men (P = .070).Conclusions: The carotid bifurcation is in close proximity to various calcified anatomic structures. This should be taken into account when diagnosing CCPs in panoramic radiographs. In the coronal view, CCPs and the cervical spine are often superimposed; thus, coronal images are not recommended for confirmation of putative carotid calcifications diagnosed on the basis of panoramic radiographs.
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15. |
- Berggren, Vanja, 1972-, et al.
(författare)
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An explorative study of Sudanese midwives' motives, perceptions and experiences of re-infibulation after birth
- 2004
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Ingår i: Midwifery. - 0266-6138 .- 1532-3099. ; 20:4, s. 299-311
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- OBJECTIVE: to explore Sudanese midwives' motives for and perceptions and experiences of re-infibulation after birth and to elucidate its context and determinants. DESIGN: triangulation of methods, using observational techniques and open-ended interviews. SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: two government hospitals in Khartoum/Omdurman, Sudan, for the observations and in-depth interviews with 17 midwives. FINDINGS: midwives are among the major stakeholders in the performance of primary female genital cutting (FGC) as well as re-infibulation. Focusing on re-infibulation after birth, midwives were trying to satisfy differing, and sometimes contradictory, perspectives. The practice of re-infibulation (El Adel) represented a considerable source of income for the midwives. The midwives integrated the practice of re-infibulation into a greater whole of doing well for the woman, through an endeavour to increase her value by helping her to maintain her marriage as well as striving for beautification and completion. They were also trying to meet socio-cultural requests, dealing with pressure from the family while balancing on the edge of the law. KEY CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: the findings confirm that midwives are important stakeholders in perpetuating re-infibulation, and indicate that the motives are more complex than being only economic. The constant balancing between demands from others puts the midwives in a difficult position. Midwives' potential role to influence views in the preventative work against FGC and re-infibulation should be acknowledged in further abolition efforts.
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16. |
- Bergkvist, Karin, et al.
(författare)
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General health, symptom occurrence, and self-efficacy in adult survivors after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation : a cross-sectional comparison between hospital care and home care
- 2015
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Ingår i: Supportive Care in Cancer. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 0941-4355 .- 1433-7339. ; 23:5, s. 1273-83
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- PURPOSE: Earlier studies have shown that home care during the neutropenic phase after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) is medically safe, with positive outcomes. However, there have been few results on long-term outcomes after home care. The aims of this study were to compare general health, symptom occurrence, and self-efficacy in adult survivors who received either home care or hospital care during the early neutropenic phase after allo-HSCT and to investigate whether demographic or medical variables were associated with general health or symptom occurrence in this patient population.METHODS: In a cross-sectional survey, 117 patients (hospital care: n = 78; home care: n = 39) rated their general health (SF-36), symptom occurrence (SFID-SCT, HADS), and self-efficacy (GSE) at a median of 5 (1-11) years post-HSCT.RESULTS: No differences were found regarding general health, symptom occurrence, or self-efficacy between groups. The majority of patients in both hospital care (77 %) and home care (78 %) rated their general health as "good" with a median of 14 (0-36) current symptoms. Symptoms of fatigue and sexual problems were among the most common. Poor general health was associated with acute graft-versus-host disease (GVHD), low self-efficacy, and cord blood stem cells. A high symptom occurrence was associated with female gender, acute GVHD, and low self-efficacy.CONCLUSIONS: No long-term differences in general health and symptom occurrence were observed between home care and hospital care. Thus, home care is an alternative treatment method for patients who for various reasons prefer this treatment option. We therefore encourage other centers to offer home care to patients.
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17. |
- Bill-Axelson, Anna, et al.
(författare)
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Long-term Distress After Radical Prostatectomy Versus Watchful Waiting in Prostate Cancer : A Longitudinal Study from the Scandinavian Prostate Cancer Group-4 Randomized Clinical Trial
- 2013
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Ingår i: European Urology. - : Elsevier BV. - 0302-2838 .- 1873-7560. ; 64:6, s. 920-928
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- BACKGROUND:Studies enumerating the dynamics of physical and emotional symptoms following prostate cancer (PCa) treatment are needed to guide therapeutic strategy. Yet, overcoming patient selection forces is a formidable challenge for observational studies comparing treatment groups.OBJECTIVE:To compare patterns of symptom burden and distress in men with localized PCa randomized to radical prostatectomy (RP) or watchful waiting (WW) and followed up longitudinally.DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS:The three largest, Swedish, randomization centers for the Scandinavian Prostate Cancer Group-4 trial conducted a longitudinal study to assess symptoms and distress from several psychological and physical domains by mailed questionnaire every 6 mo for 2 yr and then yearly through 8 yr of follow-up.INTERVENTION:RP compared with WW.OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS AND STATISTICAL ANALYSIS:A questionnaire was mailed at baseline and then repeatedly during follow-up with questions concerning physical and mental symptoms. Each analysis of quality of life was based on a dichotomization of the outcome (yes vs no) studied in a binomial response, generalized linear mixed model.RESULTS AND LIMITATIONS:Of 347 randomized men, 272 completed at least five questionnaires during an 8-yr follow-up period. Almost all men reported that PCa negatively influenced daily activities and relationships. Health-related distress, worry, feeling low, and insomnia were consistently reported by approximately 30-40% in both groups. Men in the RP group consistently reported more leakage, impaired erection and libido, and fewer obstructive voiding symptoms. For men in the WW group, distress related to erectile symptoms increased gradually over time. Symptom burden and distress at baseline was predictive of long-term outlook.CONCLUSIONS:Cancer negatively influenced daily activities among almost all men in both treatment groups; health-related distress was common. Trade-offs exist between physiologic symptoms, highlighting the importance of tailored treatment decision-making. Men who are likely to experience profound long-term distress can be identified early in disease management.
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18. |
- Björk, Anna-Bell, et al.
(författare)
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Women's Experiences of Internet-Based or Postal Treatment for Stress Urinary Incontinence
- 2014
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Ingår i: Qualitative Health Research. - : SAGE Publications. - 1049-7323 .- 1552-7557. ; 24:4, s. 484-493
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Stress urinary incontinence is common and sometimes embarrassing. New, simple, and easily accessible treatments are needed. We telephone interviewed 21 women who participated in a randomized controlled study comparing two treatment programs based on instructions for pelvic floor muscle training. One program was Internet-based and included email support by a urotherapist; the other was sent by post. There was no face-to-face contact in either program. Our main aim was to explore the women's experiences of the Internet-based treatment. Grounded theory analysis revealed three categories: hidden but present, at a distance but close, and by myself but not alone. These were incorporated in a core category: acknowledged but not exposed. The leakage was often a well-hidden secret, but the study treatments lowered the barrier for seeking care. In the Internet group, a supportive patient-provider relationship developed despite the lack of face-to-face contact. Internet-based treatment programs can increase access to care and empower women.
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19. |
- Björnsson, Sven, et al.
(författare)
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Total nucleated cell differential for blood and bone marrow using a single tube in a five-color flow cytometer.
- 2008
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Ingår i: Cytometry Part B - Clinical Cytometry. - : Wiley. - 1552-4949 .- 1552-4957. ; 74B, s. 91-103
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- BACKGROUND:: Flow cytometry allows the use of several antibodies in addition to light scatter, and most flow cytometers will provide at least seven measurements on each cell passing through the laser beam. A skilled microscopist will classify at least 14 cell classes in bone marrow or blood. Our goal was to use the seven parameters available in our flow cytometer to provide a reliable differential count using only one tube. METHODS:: Peripheral blood samples were analyzed on the Beckman Coulter LH750 cell counter, and the flagging and messages from the cell counter were used to select normal or pathological samples. Samples without flags (N = 50), with >2% erythroblasts (N = 80), or with "Blast" or "Verify diff" flags (N = 54) were investigated. We used a lyse-no-wash method to ensure minimal loss of fragile cells with live gating on DRAQ5-positive cells to acquire only nucleated cells. The FL-1 to FL-4 channels were used for the antibodies CD36-FITC, CD203-PE, CD138-PE, CD45-ECD, CD16-Pcy5, and CD56-Pcy5. FL-5 was used for the DNA-stain DRAQ5. RESULTS:: Using live gate acquisition on DRAQ5, we were able to classify total nucleated cells into 10 classes. We were unable to identify megakaryocytes, but platelets could be studied by rerunning the sample after dilution and gating on DRAQ5-negative CD36-posive events. Validation against digitized microscopy and cell counter showed linear correlations within each cell class with correlation coefficients that seem reasonable for cellular classification. The lowest correlation was found for basophil granulocytes. Flow cytometry detected twice as many immature neutrophils compared to microscopy. CONCLUSIONS:: We have designed a one-tube immunophenotyping panel for classification of total nucleated cells and platelets in blood or bone marrow. The seven parameters available in one single tube in our cytometer seem to be enough for reliable differential count even in difficult pathological samples. The analytical imprecision of the flow cytometer differential was much lower than that obtained with microscopy or cell counter differentials. (c) 2007 Clinical Cytometry Society.
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20. |
- Bohgard, Mats, et al.
(författare)
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Nu krävs satsning på forskning för ett hållbart arbetsliv
- 2021
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Ingår i: Dagens Medicin. - 1104-7488.
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Tidskriftsartikel (populärvet., debatt m.m.)abstract
- Debatt: Vi vill att forskningsråden skapar tvärvetenskapliga regionala forskningscentrum för arbetslivsforskning, som är internationellt konkurrenskraftiga och ger nationellt och regionalt kunskapsstöd. Dessa centrum ska ge kunskaper för både befintliga och framtida utmaningar. Stora vinster kan fås om forskning om folkhälsa och yttre miljö samordnas i centrumen. Arbetslivet är grunden för hälsa, välstånd och ett välfungerande samhälle. För att säkra att framtidens arbetsliv bidrar till hälsa och välstånd behövs både kunskap om hur det ska utformas och en uthållig infrastruktur för forskning. Tyvärr saknas detta. Gammal kunskap faller i glömska.
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