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PurposeTaste and smell disturbances in patients affected by cancer are very common, but often under-recognized symptoms. If not addressed properly, they may impact nutritional status, food enjoyment, and quality of life. Treatment tools available for clinicians to manage chemosensory alterations are limited and are often based on personal clinical experiences. The aim of this study was to assess current oncological and palliative care literature through a scoping review, in order to identify available treatments for taste and smell alterations in cancer patients.MethodsMedline, Embase, CINAHL, ProQuest Dissertations and Theses, and Google Scholar were searched from inception until January 2020, with subject headings relevant to the domains of chemosensory alterations, palliative, and cancer care. A total of 10,718 English and French language publications were reviewed, yielding 43 articles on the researched topic.ResultsThe heterogeneity of selected articles led to difficulties in interpretation and analysis of the available evidence. Included publications differed in study design, population sample, anticancer treatments, and measures of assessment for taste and smell disturbances. A broad variety of treatment options were described including zinc and polaprezinc, radio-protectors, vitamins and supplements, anti-xerostomia agents, active swallowing exercises, nutritional interventions, delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol, and photobiomodulation.ConclusionThis scoping review identifies the current state of knowledge regarding chemosensory alterations within supportive cancer care. Despite not reaching firm conclusions, this article offers therapeutic venues to further explore in larger and more methodologically sound studies.

Cycles with progesterone elevation during controlled ovarian stimulation (COS) for IVF/ICSI are commonly managed with a \"freeze-all\" strategy, due to a well-recognized detrimental effect of high progesterone levels on endometrial receptivity. However, also a detrimental effect of elevated progesterone on day-3 embryo quality has recently been found with regards to top quality embryo formation rate. Because blastocyst culture and cryopreservation are largely adopted, we deemed relevant to determine whether this detrimental effect is also seen on blastocyst quality on day 5-6. This issue was investigated through a large two-center retrospective study including 986 GnRH antagonist IVF/ICSI cycles and using top quality blastocyst formation rate as the main outcome. Results showed that on multivariate analysis sperm motility (p<0.01) and progesterone levels at ovulation triggering (p = 0.01) were the only two variables that significantly predicted top quality blastocyst formation rate after adjusting for relevant factors including female age, BMI, basal AMH and total dose of FSH used for COS. More specifically, progesterone levels at induction showed an inverse relation with top quality blastocyst formation (correlation coefficient B = -1.08, 95% CI -1.9 to -0.02) and ROC curve analysis identified P level >1.49 ng/ml as the best cut-off for identification of patients at risk for the absence of top quality blastocysts (AUC 0.55, p<0.01). Our study is the first to investigate the top quality blastocyst formation rate in relation to progesterone levels in IVF/ICSI cycles, showing that increasing progesterone is associated with lower rates of top quality blastocyst. Hence, the advantages of prolonging COS to maximize the number of collected oocytes might eventually be hindered by a decrease in top quality blastocysts available for transfer, if increasing progesterone levels are observed. This observation extends the results of two recent studies focused on day-3 embryos and deserves further research.

There is growing interest on the potential clinical relevance of the endometrial microbiome. However, insufficient attention has been given to the methodology of sampling. To minimize contamination, we advocate the use of the double-lumen catheters commonly employed for the embryo transfer. Endometrial fluid samples obtained from 53 women scheduled for IVF were studied for microbiome characterization. Control samples from the vagina of these same women were concomitantly obtained. Samples were analysed by V3–V4–V6 regions of 16S rRNA gene sequencing with Next Generation Sequencing technique. Endometrial Lactobacillus -dominant cases were uncommon compared to previous evidence, being observed in only 4 (8%) women. Taxonomy markedly differed between the endometrial and vaginal microbiomes composition. The most common bacterial genera coincided in only 4 (8%) women. The comparison between women who did and did not subsequently become pregnant failed to identify any microorganism associated with the success of the procedure. However, the endometrial biodiversity resulted higher among pregnant women. Shannon’s Equitability index in pregnant and non pregnant women was 0.76 [0.57–0.87] and 0.55 [0.51–0.64], respectively (p = 0.002). In conclusion, the use of embryo transfer catheters for testing the endometrial microbiome is promising. The scant concordance with vaginal samples supports the validity of this approach. Moreover, our study highlighted a possible beneficial role of a higher biodiversity on endometrial receptivity.

Purpose Although platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injection has shown controversial results for the treatment of Achilles tendinopathy, it remains the most used biological treatment. Recent findings seem to demonstrate that the stromal vascular fraction (SVF) within adipose tissue may counteract the impaired tendon homeostasis. The aim of this study was to prospectively compare the efficacy of PRP and SVF injection for the treatment of non-insertional Achilles tendinopathy. Methods Fourty-four patients were recruited in the study; 23 of them were assigned to the PRP group whereas 21 to the SVF group, treated unilaterally or bilaterally for a total of 28 tendons per group. All patients (age 18–55 years) were clinically assessed pre-operatively and at 15, 30, 60, 120 and 180 days from treatment, using the VAS pain scale, the VISA-A, the AOFAS Ankle-Hindfoot Score and the SF-36 form. The patients were also evaluated by ultrasound and magnetic resonance before treatment and after 4 (US only) and 6 months. Results Both treatments allowed for a significant improvement with respect to baseline. Comparing the two groups, VAS, AOFAS and VISA-A scored significantly better at 15 and 30 days in the SVF in comparison to PRP group ( p  < 0.05). At the following time points the scores were not significantly different between the two groups. No correlation has been found between clinical and radiological findings. Conclusions Both PRP and SVF were safe, effective treatments for recalcitrant Achilles tendinopathy. The patients treated with SVF obtained faster results, thus suggesting that such a treatment should be taken into consideration for those patients who require an earlier return to daily activities or sport. Level of evidence Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial, Level 1.

Advanced endometriosis is associated with a reduction of IVF success. Surgical damage to the ovarian reserve following the excision of endometriomas has been claimed as a critical factor in the explanation of this detrimental effect. However, it is generally inferred that other mechanisms might also hamper IVF success in affected women. They include diminished responsiveness to ovarian stimulation, altered steroidogenesis, a decline in oocyte quality, reduced fertilization and embryo development, and impaired implantation. To navigate these limitations, we scrutinized available literature for studies specifically designed to address distinct phases of the IVF process. Utmost consideration was given to intra-patient ovarian response comparisons in women with unilateral endometriomas and to studies applying a meticulous matching to control confounders. The following observations have been drawn: 1) endometriosis has a negligible impact on ovarian response. A slight reduction in stimulation response can only be observed for endometriomas larger than 4 cm. Follicular steroidogenesis is unaffected; 2) oocyte quality is not hampered. Fertilization rates are similar, and intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) is not justified. Embryonic development is uncompromised, with no increase in aneuploidy rate; 3) endometrial receptivity is either unaffected or only slightly impacted. In conclusion, our study suggests that, aside from the well-known negative effect on ovarian reserve from excisional endometrioma surgeries, endometriosis does not significantly affect IVF outcomes.

Purpose The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of obesity on patient outcome, procedure failure rate and osteoarthritis (OA) progression in the tibiofemoral compartments in a series of isolated patellofemoral arthroplasty (PFA) performed with a third-generation implant. Methods The study population was patients who had undergone third-generation PFA at a specialized orthopedic center between 2007 and 2017. Patients were categorized by body-mass index (BMI) as obese (O, BMI > 30 kg/m 2 ) or nonobese (NO, BMI < 30 kg/m 2 ). Preoperative and postoperative clinical and functional assessment included knee range of motion, Knee Society Score (KSS), University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) Activity Score, Tegner Activity Level Scale, and visual analogue scale (VAS) for pain. Preoperative and postoperative radiographs were evaluated for progression of tibiofemoral compartment OA, changes in patellar height and in knee coronal alignment. Multiple logistic regression models were used to assess the effect of BMI on outcomes together with other covariates. Results A total of 120 PFAs with a mean follow-up of 6.9 ± 2.5 years were included: 25 in the O group and 95 in the NO group. Significant improvement was noted in in knee range of motion ( P  < 0.001), clinical and functional KSS ( P  < 0.001), UCLA Activity Score ( P  < 0.001), Tegner score ( P  < 0.001) and VAS pain ( P  < 0.001) without inter-groups differences. Worsening of the medial Kellgren–Lawrence (KL) grade (but not the lateral KL grade) was more frequent in the O than the NO group during the follow-up period ( P  = 0.014). Failure occurred in 4.2% of NO and in 20% of O group patients; the difference was solely due to failure because of OA progression in the tibiofemoral compartment (16% in the O group). There were no between group differences in the failure rate for any cause other than OA progression (4.2% in the NO group, 4.0% in the O group). Conclusions An equal improvement in function after PFA was noted in both obese and nonobese patients; however, the high failure rate due to OA progression in the medial tibiofemoral compartment warrants caution when considering PFA in obese patients.

Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) remains a clinical challenge for up to 80% of breast cancer survivors. In an open-label study, participants underwent three interventions: standard care (duloxetine) for 1 month (Phase 1), oral cannabidiol (CBD) for 2 months (Phase 2), and CBD plus multi-modal exercise (MME) for another 2 months (Phase 3). Clinical outcomes and gut microbiota composition were assessed at baseline and after each phase. We present the case of a 52-year-old female with a history of triple-negative breast cancer in remission for over five years presenting with CIPN. She showed decreased monocyte counts, c-reactive protein, and systemic inflammatory index after each phase. Duloxetine provided moderate benefits and intolerable side effects (hyperhidrosis). She experienced the best improvement and least side effects with the combined (CBD plus MME) phase. Noteworthy were clinically meaningful improvements in CIPN symptoms, quality of life (QoL), and perceived physical function, as well as improvements in pain, mobility, hand/finger dexterity, and upper and lower body strength. CBD and MME altered gut microbiota, showing enrichment of genera that produce short-chain fatty acids. CBD and MME may improve CIPN symptoms, QoL, and physical function through anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective effects in cancer survivors suffering from long-standing CIPN.

T cells play a critical role in cancer control, but a range of potent immunosuppressive mechanisms can be upregulated in the tumor microenvironment (TME) to abrogate their activity. While various immunotherapies (IMTs) aiming at re-invigorating the T-cell-mediated anti-tumor response, such as immune checkpoint blockade (ICB), and the adoptive cell transfer (ACT) of natural or gene-engineered expanded tumor-specific T cells, have led to unprecedented clinical responses, only a small proportion of cancer patients benefit from these treatments. Important research efforts are thus underway to identify biomarkers of response, as well as to develop personalized combinatorial approaches that can target other inhibitory mechanisms at play in the TME. In recent years, adenosinergic signaling has emerged as a powerful immuno-metabolic checkpoint in tumors. Like several other barriers in the TME, such as the PD-1/PDL-1 axis, CTLA-4, and indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase (IDO-1), adenosine plays important physiologic roles, but has been co-opted by tumors to promote their growth and impair immunity. Several agents counteracting the adenosine axis have been developed, and pre-clinical studies have demonstrated important anti-tumor activity, alone and in combination with other IMTs including ICB and ACT. Here we review the regulation of adenosine levels and mechanisms by which it promotes tumor growth and broadly suppresses protective immunity, with extra focus on the attenuation of T cell function. Finally, we present an overview of promising pre-clinical and clinical approaches being explored for blocking the adenosine axis for enhanced control of solid tumors.

ObjectivesTo evaluate the safety and effectiveness of medical cannabis (MC) in reducing pain and concurrent medications in patients with cancer.MethodsThis study analysed data collected from patients with cancer who were part of the Quebec Cannabis Registry. Brief Pain Inventory (BPI), revised Edmonton Symptom Assessment System (ESAS-r) questionnaires, total medication burden (TMB) and morphine equivalent daily dose (MEDD) recorded at 3-month, 6-month, 9-month and 12-month follow-ups were compared with baseline values. Adverse events were also documented at each follow-up visit.ResultsThis study included 358 patients with cancer. Thirteen out of 15 adverse events reported in 11 patients were not serious; 2 serious events (pneumonia and cardiovascular event) were considered unlikely related to MC. Statistically significant decreases were observed at 3-month, 6-month and 9-month follow-up for BPI worst pain (5.5±0.7 baseline, 3.6±0.7, 3.6±0.7, 3.6±0.8; p<0.01), average pain (4.1±0.6 baseline, 2.4±0.6, 2.3±0.6, 2.7±0.7; p<0.01), overall pain severity (3.7±0.5 baseline, 2.3±0.6, 2.3±0.6, 2.4±0.6; p<0.01) and pain interference (4.3±0.6 baseline, 2.4±0.6, 2.2±0.6, 2.4±0.7, p<0.01). ESAS-r pain scores decreased significantly at 3-month, 6-month and 9-month follow-up (3.7±0.6 baseline, 2.5±0.6, 2.2±0.6, 2.0±0.7, p<0.01). THC:CBD balanced strains were associated with better pain relief as compared with THC-dominant and CBD-dominant strains. Decreases in TMB were observed at all follow-ups. Decreases in MEDD were observed at the first three follow-ups.ConclusionsReal-world data from this large, prospective, multicentre registry indicate that MC is a safe and effective complementary treatment for pain relief in patients with cancer. Our findings should be confirmed through randomised placebo-controlled trials.

Background Endometriosis affects women of reproductive age. Increasing attention is being given to the characterization of comorbidities in endometriosis to enhance clinical phenotyping. Among these comorbidities, migraine has been reported to be significantly more common in individuals with endometriosis compared to the general population. However, the true epidemiological burden remains uncertain, and no conclusive evidence links specific subtypes of endometriosis to migraine. Main body Seven electronic databases were searched from inception until July 22nd, 2024, using combinations of relevant keywords. PROSPERO Registration CRD42023449492. Two independent reviewers screened the records according to inclusion/exclusion criteria and abstracted data. The risk of bias assessment was undertaken using the ROBINS-E tool. Random effects models were implemented to calculate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for the association between endometriosis and migraine. Fourteen studies were included in the qualitative synthesis, and 13 in the meta-analysis, accounting for a total of 331,655 individuals (32,489 with endometriosis vs. 299,166 controls). There was a serious risk of bias in the majority of the included studies, with 50% being at very high risk of bias. The risk of migraine was higher in individuals with endometriosis compared to those without (OR 2.25, 95%CI = 1.85–2.72; n  = 13 studies; I 2  = 81%). This association remained significant in the sensitivity analyses: (i) when excluding studies at very high or high risk of bias (OR 2.64; 95%CI = 1.62–4.31; n  = 4 studies; I 2  = 77%), (ii) when including only risk estimates adjusted for clinically relevant confounders (OR 2.35; 95%CI = 1.77–3.13; n  = 6 studies; I 2  = 88%), and (iii) when including only risk estimates adjusted for hormonal therapy (OR 1.95; 95%CI = 1.42–2.66; n  = 3; I 2  = 92%). Endometriosis was significantly associated with migraine without aura (OR 2.64, 95%CI 1.89–3.69; n  = 3 studies; I 2  = 0%), but not migraine with aura (OR 3.47, 95%CI = 0.53–22.89; n  = 3, I 2  = 73%). Conclusion This meta-analysis highlights the high prevalence of migraine in patients with endometriosis. However, due to observed high heterogeneity and risk of bias, caution is advised when interpreting and applying these findings in clinical practice. Future research should address these issues by limiting variations in diagnostic criteria, stratifying study populations, accounting for key confounders, and investigating potential underlying pathophysiological mechanisms to enhance understanding of the endometriosis-migraine relationship.