No abstract

Most German survivors of cancer during adolescence participate in school and vocational life without major difficulties. Problems particularly arise for survivors with neuropsychological sequelae. Further research should investigate whether these results can be attributed to the German support system for pediatric cancer patients or to sample effects.

Severe blunt chest trauma remains an important injury with high morbidity and mortality. However, the associated immunological alterations are poorly understood. Existing big animal models require large-scale settings, are often too expensive, and research products for immunological studies are limited. In this study we aimed to establish a new model of blunt, isolated and bilateral chest trauma in mice and to characterize its effects on physiological and inflammatory variables. Male C3H/HeN mice (n = 9-10/group) were anesthetized and a femoral artery was catheterized. The animals were subjected to trauma or sham procedure and monitored for 180 min. Blunt chest trauma was induced by a blast wave focused on the thorax. Trauma intensity was optimized by varying the exposure distance. Blood pressure, heart rate, respiratory rate, arterial blood gases and plasma cytokine levels were measured. Macroscopic and microscopic examinations were performed. In addition, outcome was evaluated in a 10-day survival study. Chest trauma caused a drop (P < 0.05) in blood pressure and heart rate, which partly recovered. Blood gases revealed hypoxemia and hypercarbia (P < 0.05) 180 min after trauma. There was marked damage to the lungs but none to abdominal organs. Histologically, the characteristic signs of a bilateral lung contusion with alveolar and intrabronchial hemorrhage were found. Plasma interleukin-6 and tumor necrosis factor alpha were considerably increased after 180 min. Blunt chest trauma resulted in an early mortality of 10% without subsequent death. On the basis of these findings, this novel mouse model of blunt chest trauma appears suitable for detailed studies on immunological effects of lung contusion.

Objectives: The study investigates psychosexual and family outcomes among German longterm survivors of adolescent cancer.Methods: Survivors of cancer during adolescence (n 5 820; age at onset of disease: M 5 15.8 years, SD 5 0.9, age at follow-up: M 5 30.4, SD 5 6.0 years) completed questionnaires on their family life and their psychosexual and autonomy development. Outcomes were compared to an age-matched sample (German Socio-Economic Panel, G-SOEP, n 5 820, age: M 5 30.4, SD 5 6.7 years) from the general population and to a control group of adults without cancer (n 5 1027, age: M 5 31.5, SD 5 7.0 years).Results: Compared to controls of the same sex, female survivors had achieved fewer developmental milestones in their psychosexual development such as having their first boyfriend, or reached these milestones later, and reported a significantly stronger desire for children. Male survivors were more likely to live with their parents when compared to same sex controls. Equivalent proportions of survivors and persons in the G-SOEP were living in a longterm relationship; however, survivors were less likely to have ever married or had children. At first marriage and at the birth of their first child, survivors were significantly older compared to the G-SOEP. About 14.5% of survivors reported cancer-related infertility.Conclusions: Survivors of adolescent cancer experience some social late effects of the disease in adulthood, such as a delayed social development as well as substantial differences in their family life and living conditions compared to healthy peers.

Taken together, the findings point out that there is a lack of intervention research in psycho-oncology with adolescents. So far, there is only limited evidence for the effectiveness of psychosocial interventions to improve coping with cancer-associated problems in adolescent patients. Future research needs to be done in this population. In order to establish more conclusive results, larger samples and interventions particularly designed for adolescent patients ought to be studied.