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- Amini, Rose-Marie, et al.
(author)
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Treatment outcome in patients younger than 60 years with advanced stages (IIB-IV) of Hodgkin's disease: the Swedish National Health Care Programme experience
- 2000
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In: European Journal of Haematology. - : Wiley. - 0902-4441 .- 1600-0609. ; 65:6, s. 379-389
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- BACKGROUND: Despite improved treatment results achieved in Hodgkin's disease (HD), only about 70% of patients with advanced stages are cured. The primary aim of this study was to evaluate the outcome of advanced stages (IIB-IVB) of HD in younger patients in an unselected population-based group of patients. The patients were recommended individualized treatment with respect to number of chemotherapy (CT) courses and post-CT radiotherapy (RT) based on pretreatment characteristics and tumour response. Secondly, we investigated if variables of prognostic importance could be detected.PATIENTS AND METHODS: Between 1985-92, 307 patients between 17-59 yr of age (median 36) were diagnosed with HD in stages IIB-IVB in 5/6 health care regions in Sweden. Median follow-up time was 7.8 yr (1.3-13). Retrospectively, laboratory parameters were collected.RESULTS: In total, 267 (87%) patients had a complete response (CR). The overall and disease-free 10-yr survivals in the whole cohort were 76% and 67%, respectively. There was no difference in survival between the groups of patients who received 6 or 8 cycles of CT. Survival was not higher for patients in CR after CT when RT was added. For those in PR after CT, additional RT raised the frequencies of CR. A selected group of pathologically staged patients was successfully treated with a short course (2 cycles) of CT + RT. In univariate analyses survival was affected by age, stage IVB, bone-marrow involvement, B-symptoms, S-LDH, S-Alb and reaching CR or not after 2, 4 and 6 cycles of CT. In a multivariate analysis, age and reaching CR after 6 cycles of CT remained statistically significant.CONCLUSIONS: The lack of difference in survival between the groups of patients who received 6 versus 8 cycles of CT indicates a successful selection of patients for the shorter treatment. Reaching a rapid CR significantly affected outcome. Whether some patients need less CT than the generally recommended 8 courses can properly only be evaluated in a randomised study. Additional RT may play a role in successful outcome, particularly if residual tumours are present, but its precise role can also only be defined in prospectively randomised studies. Reaching CR after CT was the most important variable affecting survival besides age.
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- Hjalgrim, Henrik, et al.
(author)
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Non-melanoma skin cancer may be a marker of poor prognosis in patients with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma
- 2000
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In: International Journal of Cancer. - 0020-7136 .- 1097-0215. ; 85:5, s. 639-642
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- According to recent results, patients with non-melanoma skin cancers are at increased risk of developing non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL). The prognostic significance of this association is unknown. Two cohorts of patients with a first diagnosis of non-melanoma skin cancer and a subsequent diagnosis of either NHL (n = 170) or colon cancer (n = 435) were established using national cancer registry data in Denmark. Two other cohorts of patients in whom NHL (n = 600) or colon cancer (n = 1,541) was the patients' first known malignancy served as comparison groups. Mortality rates were compared using Cox's regression analysis. Among patients younger than 80 years at NHL diagnosis, a history of non-melanoma skin cancer was associated with significantly increased mortality [relative risk (RR) = 1.54; 95% confidence interval: 1.19-1.99]. This association was present in both men (RR = 1.38; 1.02-1.86) and women (RR = 2.15; 1.31-3.54) and was similar after both major subtypes of non-melanoma skin cancer. Overall, antedating non-melanoma skin cancer had no prognostic significance for colon cancer patients (RR = 1.00; 0.84-1.18). Whatever the underlying mechanism, our observation has potential clinical implications. If substantiated in other settings, NHL patients with prior non-melanoma skin cancer may constitute a subgroup of lymphoma patients in need of particular therapeutic attention.
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- Jaeger, Ane Bonnerup, et al.
(author)
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Correlates of heterosexual behavior among 23-87 year olds in Denmark and Sweden, 1992-1998
- 2000
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In: Archives of Sexual Behavior. - 0004-0002 .- 1573-2800. ; 29:1, s. 91-106
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Correlates of heterosexual behavior, with a particular focus on early and high sexual activity, anal intercourse, prostitute visits, and HIV test activity, were studied. Telephone interviews were conducted with 852 randomly chosen persons who participated as controls in nationwide case-control studies of anogenital cancers in Denmark and Sweden, 1992-1998. While partner numbers and the practice of anal intercourse increased, age at sexual debut declined by 4-5 years (p < 0.001) and the maturation interval between menarche and first coitus halved (from 7 to 3 years, p < 0.001) between persons born in or before 1920 and those born in or after 1960. Women having high sexual activity were more often tested for HIV than less sexually active women, but men visiting prostitutes and those with prior STDs were not HIV tested more than other men. The increasing practice of anal intercourse, particularly among women with many partners, deserves attention, since this practice may erroneously be considered a safe sexual activity. Along with their partners, men with a history of STDs and those visiting prostitutes should be targeted in future safe sex campaigns, since these men appear to be inadequately HIV tested.
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- Johansson, Birgitta, et al.
(author)
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The role on the general practitioner in cancer care and the effect of an extended information routine
- 2000
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In: Scandinavian Journal of Primary Health Care. - : Informa UK Limited. - 0281-3432 .- 1502-7724. ; 18:3, s. 143-148
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- OBJECTIVE: To describe the role of the General Practitioner (GP) in the care of one specified cancer patient per GP, and to explore the GP's knowledge about that patient's disease and treatments, and what information she/he wanted versus received from the specialist clinic. A further aim was to evaluate the effects of an Extended Information Routine (EIR), including increased information from the specialist clinic to the GP.DESIGN:Semi-structured interviews with GPs about a patient randomised between an extended information routine and standard information from the specialist clinics.SETTINGS:Primary Health Care.SUBJECTS:20 GPs, 10 who received extended information about the specified patient and 10 who did not.MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES:The extent of GPs' contact with the patient, GPs' potential or actual possibilities to support the patient, desired and received information from the specialist clinic.RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: GPs are commonly involved in the care of cancer patients, particularly in the diagnostics of the disease but also during the periods of treatment and follow-up. The information from the specialist clinic to the GP is insufficient in standard care. The extended information routine increased the GPs' knowledge of the disease and treatments, and facilitated their possibilities to determine patients' need for support.
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- Lorin, Stefan, et al.
(author)
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Development of a compact proton scanning system in Uppsala with a moveable second magnet
- 2000
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In: Physics in Medicine and Biology. - : IOP Publishing. - 0031-9155 .- 1361-6560. ; 45, s. 1151-
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- A scanned proton beam yields dose distributions that in most cases are superior to passively scattered proton beams and to other external radiation treatment modalities. The present paper gives a description of the scanning system that has been developed at the Svedberg Laboratory (TSL) in Uppsala. The scanning technique and the technical design are described. The solution with a small pole gap of the magnets and a moveable second magnet results in a very compact scanning head, which can therefore be incorporated in a gantry of relatively limited size. A prototype was constructed that has been used to realize various dose distributions with a scanned beam of 180 MeV protons at TSL.
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