Positive Health Online | Research - CARLSON and COLLEAGUES

Research: CARLSON and COLLEAGUES

Abstract

CARLSON and COLLEAGUES, 1. Department of Oncology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada; Alberta Health Services, Calgary, Alberta, Canada; Southern Alberta Cancer Research Institute, Health Research Innovation Centre, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada conducted a randomized controlled trial to compare the effects of mindfulness-based cancer recovery (MBCR) and supportive-expressive group therapy (SET) with a minimal intervention control condition (a 1-day stress management seminar) on telomere length (TL) in distressed breast cancer survivors.

Background

Group psychosocial interventions including mindfulness-based cancer recovery (MBCR) and supportive-expressive group therapy (SET) can help breast cancer survivors decrease distress and influence cortisol levels. Although telomere length (TL) has been associated with breast cancer prognosis, the impact of these two interventions on TL has not been studied to date.

Methodology

The objective of the current study was to compare the effects of MBCR and SET with a minimal intervention control condition (a 1-day stress management seminar) on TL in distressed breast cancer survivors in a randomized controlled trial. MBCR focused on training in mindfulness meditation and gentle Hatha yoga whereas SET focused on emotional expression and group support. The primary outcome measure was relative TL, the telomere/single-copy gene ratio, assessed before and after each intervention. Secondary outcomes were self-reported mood and stress symptoms.

Results

Eighty-eight distressed breast cancer survivors with a diagnosis of stage I to III cancer (using the American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) TNM staging system) who had completed treatment at least 3 months prior participated. Using analyses of covariance on a per-protocol sample, there were no differences noted between the MBCR and SET groups with regard to the telomere/single-copy gene ratio, but a trend effect was observed between the combined intervention group and controls (F [1,84], 3.82; P = .054; η(2) = .043); TL in the intervention group was maintained whereas it was found to decrease for control participants. There were no associations noted between changes in TL and changes in mood or stress scores over time.

Conclusion

Psychosocial interventions providing stress reduction and emotional support resulted in trends toward TL maintenance in distressed breast cancer survivors, compared with decreases in usual care. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT00390169.

References

Carlson LE1, Beattie TL, Giese-Davis J, Faris P, Tamagawa R, Fick LJ, Degelman ES, Speca M. Mindfulness-based cancer recovery and supportive-expressive therapy maintain telomere length relative to controls in distressed breast cancer survivors. Cancer. 121(3): 476-84. doi: 10.1002/cncr.29063. Epub 3 Nov 2014. 1 Feb 2015.

REJI and COLLEAGUES, 1. Department of Biotechnology, Karunya University, Coimbatore-641 114, Tamil Nadu, India; 2. Department of Biotechnology, Karunya University, Karunya Nagar, Coimbatore - 641 114. Tamil Nadu, India investigated the anti-metastasis activity of free All Trans Retinoic Acid (ATRA) and liposome entrapped ATRA in lung and liver cancer using an experimental mice model.

BACKGROUND: The high mortality rate of lung cancer is highly associated with faster metastasis spread. All Trans Retinoic Acid (ATRA), being the first choice drug for leukemia therapy is now under intense study for its therapeutic efficiency in other solid cancers. This study was aimed to investigate the anti-metastasis activity of free ATRA and liposome entrapped ATRA (5:4:1) in the experimental C57BL/6 mice model developed by the injection of B16F10 cell line into the tail vein.

METHODOLOGY: The ATRA drug was given via i.p for 21 days. The visual lung and liver metastatic tumour nodules were noted. Various biochemical markers of cancer metastasis in the serum as well as tissues were also analyzed after sacrifice.

RESULTS: Tumour nodules have significantly decreased in ATRA treatment groups (32.83 ± 1.83 for free ATRA, 23 ± 2.36 for DSPC Lipo-ATRA) when compared with metastasis control (63.16 ± 2.9) in the lungs. Among the treatment groups, the DSPC lipo-ATRA treated group showed a significant tumour growth inhibition (63.6%) than that of in the free ATRA treated groups (48%). Similar anti-metastatic effect was observed in liver also. Furthermore lipo-ATRA has shown a significant change in the levels of biochemical cancer markers analyzed in this study.

CONCLUSIONS: Our results concluded that the liposome encapsulated ATRA has an enhanced anti-metastasis potency than the free ATRA during B16F10 metastatic cell line implantation.

Reji RM1, Siddikuzzaman1, V M BG2. ATRA Entrapped in DSPC Liposome Enhances Anti-metastasis Effect on Lung and Liver During B16F10 Cell Line Metastasis in C57BL6 Mice. Anticancer Agents Med Chem.;17(6):875-884. doi: 10.2174/1871520616666160927103458. 2017.

Carlson LE1, Beattie TL, Giese-Davis J, Faris P, Tamagawa R, Fick LJ, Degelman ES, Speca M. Mindfulness-based cancer recovery and supportive-expressive therapy maintain telomere length relative to controls in distressed breast cancer survivors. Cancer. 121(3): 476-84. doi: 10.1002/cncr.29063. Epub 3 Nov 2014. 1 Feb 2015.

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