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- MakaleAçık Erişim2026Immersive Virtual Reality as a Tool to Reduce Anxiety and Distress in Patients With Breast Cancer During Radiotherapy
Aydin, Aydanur; Uslu, Gonca Hanedan; Gursoy, Ayla
Background: – Virtual reality (VR) can be an innovative method to reduce patients’ anxiety and support their psychological health. Objective: – To evaluate the anxiety and distress-reducing effects of using immersive VR (IVR) intervention in breast cancer patients undergoing radiotherapy (RT). Methods: – Sixty breast cancer patients undergoing RT were recruited for the quasi-experimental study. The participants were divided into the intervention group and the control group. Anxiety and distress, the primary outcome measures, were assessed before the first and after the last radiation session using reliable scales. Patients in the intervention group watched a tranquil forest view with birdsong and meditation music during each RT session using IVR goggles. Results: – Both group patients had similar levels of anxiety and distress before the start of RT. After the intervention, the anxiety and distress of the patients in the intervention group decreased significantly compared with the control group. In addition, treatment-related comfort was higher in the intervention group. Overall, the majority of patients in the intervention group expressed a high level of satisfaction with this IVR experience. Conclusion: – Patients who experienced an IVR intervention showed less anxiety and distress, greater comfort, and higher satisfaction. This innovative technique can be used as a practical solution to alleviate anxiety and distress in various healthcare settings. Implications for Practice: – Immersive VR can be used in treatment and care interventions that cause anxiety and distress in oncology patients.
- MakaleYayıncıda açık erişim2025Could Different Doses of Dexmedetomidine Be as Effective as Amifostine Against Radiotherapy-Induced Liver Injury in Rats? Evidence from Mitotic, Apoptotic, Oxidative, and Neurogenic Insights
Beyazal Polat, Hatice; Yilmaz, Hamit; Demir, Kasim; Kilinc, Kagan; Gülhan, Belemir; Rakici, Sema Yilmaz; Tumkaya, Levent
Background/Objectives: Radiotherapy (RT) induces oxidative stress and structural damage in solid tissues, including the liver. This study aimed to investigate the histological and immunohistochemical effects of dexmedetomidine (DEX) and amifostine on their potential protective and regenerative properties against liver injury induced by radiation therapy. Methods: This study consisted of five randomized groups: control, RT, RT-D100, RT-D200, and RT-A (Amifostine). A total of 100 mu g/kg DEX, 200 mu g/kg DEX, and 200 mu g/kg amifostine were administered before radiotherapy as per the experimental design. After RT, liver specimens were analyzed for histological alterations, including periportal and perisinusoidal fibrosis, vacuolization, and pyknotic nuclei. Furthermore, immunohistochemistry investigations were conducted to evaluate apoptosis, mitosis, oxidative stress, and neural regeneration in non-neuronal liver tissue following radiotherapy and subsequent treatment. Results: The control group's liver tissue exhibited standard histological architecture, whereas the RT group displayed severe cellular degeneration, periportal and perisinusoidal fibrosis, cytoplasmic vacuolization, and an increase in pyknotic nuclei. The apoptotic index was markedly reduced in the RT-D100 and RT-D200 groups relative to the RT group. Furthermore, caspase-3 immunoactivity was negligible in the control group, while a significant increase was observed in the RT group. The administration of amifostine significantly increased GAP-43 levels. Conclusions: DEX mitigates RT-induced hepatic injury chiefly through antioxidant and anti-apoptotic pathways, whereas amifostine promotes hepatic regeneration by modulating GAP-43.
- MakaleAçık Erişim2025A Dose-Dependent Study Examining Dexmedetomidine's Possible Effects Against Oxidative, Fibrotic, and Apoptotic Damage Induced by Radiation Exposure in Spleen Tissue
Beyazal Polat, Hatice; Yilmaz, Hamit; Kilinc, Kagan; Gülhan, Belemir; Yilmaz Rakici, Sema; Tümkaya, Levent
Objective: This study aimed to investigate the potential splenic tissue damage induced by radiotherapy (RT) and the potential protective effect of different doses of dexmedetomidine on this damage at the histopathological, immunohistochemical, and biochemical levels. Materials and Methods: In our study, Sprague Dawley rats were randomly divided into four groups: Control, Radiotherapy (RT; 8 Gy), RT + Dexmedetomidine 100 mu g/kg (RT-D100), and RT + Dexmedetomidine 200 mu g/kg (RT-D200). A single dose of 8 Gy radiotherapy was administered to each RT group. Spleen tissues were examined histologically with hematoxylin-eosin and immunohistochemically with anti-Caspase-3, anti-TGF-beta 1, and anti-TGF-beta 3 using light microscopy. TBARS and total thiol levels were also analyzed to assess oxidative stress and antioxidant capacity. Results: Histopathological results showed a significant decrease in white pulp diameter, decreased cellular density, and increased congestion in the red pulp in the RT group. Significant fibrosis, sinusoidal dilatation, vacuolization, and amyloid deposition were detected in the white pulp in the RT group. Regarding anti-caspase-3 immunoreactivity, strong positivity increased in the red pulp in the RT group, while a significant increase was observed in the white pulp in both the RT-D100 and RT groups. While the proportion of TGF-beta 1 immunopositive cells did not change significantly in the RT group, they increased significantly in both dexmedetomidine groups (especially RT-D200). TGF-beta 3 expression increased significantly only in the RT-D100 group. In biochemical analyses, TBARS levels increased significantly in the RT-D100 group. Total thiol levels decreased in the RT group and increased in the dexmedetomidine-treated groups. Conclusions: While RT caused histopathological damage and increased oxidative stress in spleen tissue, dexmedetomidine reduced this damage in a dose-dependent manner. The different immunohistochemical profiles of TGF-beta 1 and TGF-beta 3 suggest that these cytokines may have different functions in the spleen. 100 mu g/kg dexmedetomidine stimulates a regenerative response through TGF-beta 3, while 200 mu g/kg dexmedetomidine may provide immune regulation and antioxidative defense through TGF-beta 1.
- MakaleAçık Erişim2024Changes in acute and late toxicity and patient-reported health-related quality of life following radiotherapy in women with breast cancer: A 1-year longitudinal study
Uslu, Gonca Hanedan; Aydin, Aydanur; Gürsoy, Ayla
Objective: The objective of this study was to investigate the frequency of acute and late toxicities, as well as changes in the quality of life (QOL) for breast cancer patients following radiotherapy (RT). Materials and Methods: A total of 108 breast cancer women were recruited for this prospective study. Data were collected at various intervals; prior to, and 1, 3, 6 months, and 1 year after radiation therapy. The primary outcomes were toxicity radiation therapy oncology group/European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) criteria. Our secondary outcome was QOL, measured using EORTC QLQ-C30 and Edmonton Symptom Assessment Scale. We employed Friedman's two-way analysis to evaluate the changes in QOL over the course of 1 year. Results: The early toxicities that are most commonly experienced include pharyngeal, skin, and mucous membrane toxicity. Late toxicities frequently involve skin and submucosal toxicity. To measure patient functionality, all functional subscale scores except for the patient's emotional state increased over time compared to pre-RT. Symptoms of the patients, which were included in the QOL symptom scale, decreased during the follow-up period, except for fatigue; however, changes in pain, insomnia, and loss of appetite did not significantly change. We identified the analogous symptom profiles in Edmonton. Although patients' overall health scores declined in the 1 st and 3 rd months after radiotherapy (RT), they rebounded at 6 and 12 months. Conclusion: For breast cancer patients, RT did not adversely affect functional capacity or exacerbate symptoms, but persistent fatigue did increase during the observation period. Health-care professionals ought to devise strategies to assist patients with skin toxicity and fatigue.