The author discusses 3 variables that assess different aspects of social relationships—social support, social integration, and negative interaction. The author argues that all 3 are associated with health outcomes, that these variables each influence health through different mechanisms, and that associations between these variables and health are not spurious findings attributable to our personalities. This argument suggests a broader view of how to intervene in social networks to improve health. This includes facilitating both social integration and social support by creating and nurturing both close (strong) and peripheral (weak) ties within natural social networks and reducing opportunities for negative social interaction. Finally, the author emphasizes the necessity to understand more about who benefits most and least from socialconnectedness interventions.

/pdf/social-relationships-and-health-3l9d7bp4y3.pdf

Social relationships and health.

https://cdr.lib.unc.edu/downloads/nz8061892

Personalizing the treatment of women with early breast cancer: highlights of the St Gallen International Expert Consensus on the Primary Therapy of Early Breast Cancer 2013

Internal validation of predictive models: efficiency of some procedures for logistic regression analysis.

NCCN Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology (NCCN Guidelines

Insulin and insulin-like growth factors (IGFs) are well known as key regulators of energy metabolism and growth. There is now considerable evidence that these hormones and the signal transduction networks they regulate have important roles in neoplasia. Epidermiological, clinical and laboratory research methods are being used to investigate novel cancer prevention and treatment strategies related to insulin and IGF signalling. Pharmacological strategies under study include the use of novel receptor-specific antibodies, receptor kinase inhibitors and AMP-activated protein kinase activators such as metformin. There is evidence that insulin and IGF signalling may also be relevant to dietary and lifestyle factors that influence cancer risk and cancer prognosis. Recent results are encouraging and have justified the expansion of many translational research programmes.

Insulin and insulin-like growth factor signalling in neoplasia

Purpose: Diet has been postulated to influence breast cancer prognosis; however, existing evidence is weak and inconsistent. Previous studies have sought evidence of a linear relationship between diet and breast cancer outcomes. Because of a U-shaped association of body mass index (BMI) with survival in breast cancer, we hypothesized that a nonlinear association also existed for dietary variables. Patients and Methods: Four hundred seventy-seven women with surgically resected T1 to T3, N0/1, M0 breast cancer completed the Block Food Frequency Questionnaire 9.3 ± 4.6 weeks (mean ± standard deviation) after diagnosis, reporting intake over the preceding 12 months. Data on tumor-related factors, treatment, and outcomes were obtained prospectively from medical records. A series of Cox models was performed, modeling the association of dietary factors with breast cancer survival linearly and quadratically, adjusting for total energy intake, tumor- and treatment-related variables, and BMI. Results: Significant n...

Diet and Breast Cancer: Evidence That Extremes in Diet Are Associated With Poor Survival

Barone BB, Yeh HC, Snyder CF, Peairs KS, Stein KB, Derr RL, Wolff AC, Brancati FL. Long-term all-cause mortality in cancer patients with preexisting diabetes mellitus: a systematic review and meta-analysis. JAMA 2008 300(23):2754-64. PMID: 19088353

We apply a battery of modern, adaptive non-linear learning methods to a large real database of cardiac patient data. We use each method to predict 30 day mortality from a large number of potential risk factors, and we compare their performances. We find that none of the methods could outperform a relatively simple logistic regression model previously developed for this problem.

/pdf/a-comparison-of-statistical-learning-methods-on-the-gusto-2raurblmox.pdf

A comparison of statistical learning methods on the GUSTO database

Purpose Leptin, an adipocyte-derived cytokine that is elevated in obesity, has been associated with carcinogenesis, tumor migration and invasion, enhancement of angiogenesis, and increased aromatase activity. It has been suggested that leptin may mediate adverse prognostic effects of obesity in breast cancer. Patients and Methods Four hundred seventy-one women with surgically resected T1-3, N0-1, M0 breast cancer were studied. Leptin was assayed in stored fasting blood specimens obtained before adjuvant therapy. Women were followed prospectively for distant disease-free survival (DDFS) and overall survival (OS). Results Patients ranged from 26 to 74 years of age, and staging was as follows: T1 = 262, T2 = 151, T3 = 23, TX = 35, N0 = 323, and N1 = 148. Estrogen receptor was positive in 286 patients, and progesterone receptor was positive in 259 patients. One hundred forty-five patients received adjuvant chemotherapy, 146 received adjuvant tamoxifen, 46 received both, and 134 received neither. Mean leptin w...

Is leptin a mediator of adverse prognostic effects of obesity in breast cancer

A prospective observational study assessed the effectiveness of adjuvant nabilone (Cesamet) therapy in managing pain and symptoms experienced by advanced cancer patients. The primary outcomes were the differences between treated and untreated patients at 30 days' follow-up, in Edmonton Symptom Assessment System (ESAS) pain scores, and in total morphine-sulfate-equivalent (MSE) use after adjusting for baseline discrepancies using the propensity-score method. Secondary outcomes included other ESAS parameters and frequency of other drug use. Data from 112 patients (47 treated, 65 untreated) met criteria for analyses.The propensity-adjusted pain scores and total MSE use in nabilone-treated patients were significantly lower than were those found in untreated patients (both P < 0.0001). Other ESAS parameters that improved significantly in patients receiving nabilone were nausea (P < 0.0001), anxiety (P = 0.0284) and overall distress (total ESAS score; P = 0.0208). The nabilone group showed borderline improvement in appetite (P = 0.0516). When compared with those not taking nabilone, patients using this cannabinoid had a lower rate of starting nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory agents, tricyclic antidepressants, gabapentin, dexamethasone, metoclopramide, and ondansetron and a greater tendency to discontinue these drugs.

Marguerite Ennis

Papers

Diet and Breast Cancer: Evidence That Extremes in Diet Are Associated With Poor Survival

Barone BB, Yeh HC, Snyder CF, Peairs KS, Stein KB, Derr RL, Wolff AC, Brancati FL. Long-term all-cause mortality in cancer patients with preexisting diabetes mellitus: a systematic review and meta-analysis. JAMA 2008 300(23):2754-64. PMID: 19088353

A comparison of statistical learning methods on the GUSTO database

Is leptin a mediator of adverse prognostic effects of obesity in breast cancer

Adjunctive nabilone in cancer pain and symptom management: a prospective observational study using propensity scoring.