Activity

From the individual viewpoint, active aging refers to the ability of older persons, depending on their goals, functional capacity and opportunities, to engage in desired activities. This study investigated the role of health literacy in active aging among persons differing in their number of chronic conditions. Data were collected from 948 individuals, 57% women, aged 75, 80 and 85 in 2017-2018 in the city of Jyväskylä in Central Finland. Health literacy was assessed with the 16-question version of the European Health Literacy Survey (HLS-EU-Q16), active aging with the University of Jyväskylä Active Aging Scale (UJACAS) and self-reported physician-diagnosed chronic conditions. Both health literacy (r = 0.40) and number of chronic conditions (r = -0.21) correlated with the active aging score. Linear regression models revealed that health literacy was a stronger predictor than chronic conditions of active aging (β 0.18, p less then 0.001 vs. β -0.06, p = 0.030) and that its predictive value remained statistically significant after adjustment for cognitive capacity, number of depressive symptoms, physical performance and length of education. Higher health literacy can enable older persons, including those with multiple chronic conditions, to maintain higher levels of active aging. As more people are projected to live with chronic conditions to older ages, health literacy may help them to cope with illnesses and functional limitations and lead a fulfilling life. These cross-sectional findings lay a foundation for future prospective and experimental studies on health literacy and active aging.Given the high concentration of COVID-19 cases in long-term care (LTC) facilities in the United States, individuals working in these facilities are at heightened risk of SARS-CoV-2 exposure. Using data from the nationally-representative 2017 and 2018 National Health Interview Surveys on adults who reported working in LTC facilities, this study examines the extent to which LTC workers are also at increased risk or potentially at increased risk for severe illness from COVID-19 including hospitalization, intubation, or death. We used the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s list of conditions placing individuals in these risk categories to the extent possible. We also examined the sociodemographic characteristics of LTC workers by occupation and COVID-19 illness severity risk status. One percent (552 out of 52,159) of the weighted NHIS sample worked in LTC facilities. Workers in LTC facilities were disproportionately Black, female, and low income. Half of LTC workers (50%) were at increased risk of severe illness from COVID-19 and another 19.6% were potentially at increased risk. There were few significant differences in demographic characteristics between risk groups, though those at increased risk had lower educational attainment and recent trouble affording prescription medications. Despite the high degree of vulnerability of both LTC residents and workers to severe illness from COVID-19, many LTC facilities still have inadequate supplies of personal protective equipment and COVID-19 tests. Given that state budget deficits due to the COVID-19 pandemic limit the potential for state actions, enhanced federal efforts are needed to protect LTC residents and staff from COVID-19.

Randomized studies have shown low compliance to adjuvant chemotherapy in rectal cancer patients receiving preoperative chemotherapy and external beam radiation (CT/EBRT) with total mesorectal excision. We hypothesize that giving neoadjuvant CT before local treatment would improve CT compliance.

Between 2010-2017, 180 patients were randomized (21) to either Arm A (AA) with FOLFOX x6 cycles prior to high dose rate brachytherapy (HDRBT) and surgery plus adjuvant FOLFOX x6 cycles, or Arm B (AB), with neoadjuvant HDRBT with surgery and adjuvant FOLFOX x12 cycles. The primary endpoint was CT compliance to ≥85% of full-dose CT for the first six cycles. Secondary endpoints were ypT0N0, five-year disease free survival (DFS), local control and overall survival (OS).

Patients were randomized to either AA (n=120, median age (MA) 62years) or AB (n=60, MA 63years). 175/180 patients completed HDRBT as planned (97.2%). In AA, two patients expired during CT; three patients post-randomization received short course EBRT because of progression under CT (n=2, AA) or personal preference (n=1, AB). ypT0N0 was 31% in AA and 28% in AB (p=0.7). GW3965 in vitro CT Compliance was 80% in AA and 53% in AB (p=0.0002). Acute G3/G4 toxicity was 35.8% in AA and 27.6% in AB (p=0.23). With a median follow-up of 48.5months (IQR 33-72), the five-year DFS was 72.3% with AA and 68.3% with AB (p=0.74), the five-year OS 83.8% for AA and 82.2% for AB (p=0.53), and the five-year local recurrence was 6.3% for AA and 5.8% for AB (p=0.71).

We confirmed improved compliance to neoadjuvant CT in this study. Although there is no statistical difference in ypT0N0 rate, local recurrence, and DFS between the two arms, a trend towards favourable oncological outcomes is observed.

We confirmed improved compliance to neoadjuvant CT in this study. Although there is no statistical difference in ypT0N0 rate, local recurrence, and DFS between the two arms, a trend towards favourable oncological outcomes is observed.The publisher regrets that this article has been temporarily removed. A replacement will appear as soon as possible in which the reason for the removal of the article will be specified, or the article will be reinstated. The full Elsevier Policy on Article Withdrawal can be found at https//www.elsevier.com/about/our-business/policies/article-withdrawal.

This study aimed to compare erlotinib (E) and etoposide/cisplatin (EP) with concurrent radiation therapy (RT) for patients with stage IIIA/B unresectable advanced non-small cell lung cancer with activating epidermal growth factor receptor mutation (EGFRm+).

This was a multicenter, randomized, open-label, phase 2 trial conducted across 19 institutions in China (December 2012 to January 2016). Enrolled patients were randomized (11) to E + RT (oral erlotinib 150 mg/d for 2 years or until disease progression or intolerable toxicity and RT 200 cGy/d, 5 d/wk for 6 weeks from the first day of erlotinib) or EP + RT (etoposide 50 mg/m

intravenously on days 1-5 and 29-33; cisplatin 50 mg/m

intravenously on days 1, 8, 29 and 36; and RT as for E + RT). The primary endpoint was progression-free survival (PFS). Secondary endpoints included objective response rate and safety.

Two hundred fifty-two patients were screened, and 20 patients with EGFRm+ in each group received the allocated E + RT or EP + RT treatment. Patient characteristics were well balanced between groups.