Objectives To describe the prevalence and factors of psychological distress (PD) among parents of children with advanced cancer. Design Cohort study embedded within a randomized clinical trial (Pediatric Quality of Life and Evaluation of Symptoms Technology [PediQUEST] study). Setting Multicenter study conducted at three children’s hospitals (Boston Children’s Hospital, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Seattle Children’s Hospital). Participants Parents of children with advanced (progressive, recurrent, or refractory) cancer Outcome Measure Parental PD, as measured by the Kessler-6 (K6) general psychological distress scale. Results 86 of 104 parents completed the Survey about Caring for Children with Cancer (SCCC, 83% participation); 81 parents had complete K6 data. Over 50% of parents reported high PD and 16% met criteria for serious PD (compared to US prevalence of 2–3%). Parent perceptions of prognosis, goals of therapy, child symptoms/suffering, and financial hardship were associated with PD. In multivariate analyses, average parent K6 scores were higher among parents who believed their child was suffering highly and who reported great economic hardship. Conversely, PD was significantly lower among parents whose prognostic understanding was aligned with concrete goals of care. Conclusions Parenting a child with advanced cancer is strongly associated with high to severe levels of PD. Interventions aimed at aligning prognostic understanding with concrete care goals, and easing child suffering and financial hardship may mitigate parental PD.

The mechanisms of retinoid activity in tumors remain largely unknown. Here we establish that retinoids cause extensive apoptosis of medulloblastoma cells. In a xenograft model, retinoids largely abrogated tumor growth. Using receptor-specific retinoid agonists, we defined a subset of mRNAs that were induced by all active retinoids in retinoid-sensitive cell lines. We also identified bone morphogenetic protein-2 (BMP-2) as a candidate mediator of retinoid activity. BMP-2 protein induced medulloblastoma cell apoptosis, whereas the BMP-2 antagonist noggin blocked both retinoid and BMP-2-induced apoptosis. BMP-2 also induced p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), which is necessary for BMP-2- and retinoid-induced apoptosis. Retinoid-resistant medulloblastoma cells underwent apoptosis when treated with BMP-2 or when cultured with retinoid-sensitive medulloblastoma cells. Retinoid-induced expression of BMP-2 is thus necessary and sufficient for apoptosis of retinoid-responsive cells, and expression of BMP-2 by retinoid-sensitive cells is sufficient to induce apoptosis in surrounding retinoid-resistant cells.

In rats with streptozotocin (STZ) induced diabetes the effect of (watersoluble) thiamine nitrate and of (lipidsoluble) benfotiamine on peripheral nerve function (motor nerve conduction velocity) as well as on the formation of advanced glycation end-products in peripheral nerve tissue was studied. In one group of animals drug administration was started immediately after diabetes induction (prevention study) and in another group two months after diabetes induction (treatment study). Motor nerve conduction velocity (NCV) dropped by 10.5% in diabetic animals, carboxymethyl-lysine (CML) rose to a 3.5fold concentration, deoxyglucosone (3DG)-type AGE formation was increased 5.1fold compared with controls. After three months preventive administration of both vitamin B(1) preparations NCV had increased substantially compared with results in diabetic controls. It was nearly normal after six months with benfotiamine, while the administration of thiamine nitrate resulted in no further amelioration. NCV was nearly normalized after six months of benfotiamine application but not with thiamine. Furthermore, benfotiamine induced a major inhibition of neural imidazole-type AGE formation and completely prevented diabetes induced glycoxidation products (CML). Treatment with thiamine did not significantly affect AGE or cmL levels. Unlike treatment with water-soluble thiamine nitrate timely administration of liposoluble prodrug benfotiamine was effective in the prevention of functional damage and of AGE and cmL formation in nerves of diabetic rats.