PubMed Health⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

C Manfredi

Publications and source records attributed to C Manfredi.

113 records · Page 7Linked to original sources

Social support in smoking cessation among black women in Chicago public housing.

To accomplish significant reductions in smoking by the year 2000, special populations with relatively low rates of smoking cessation must be reached and helped to quit smoking. These populations are most often groups in which traditional approaches to smoking cessation have not been successful. Focus groups were conducted with black women who were residents of Chicago public housing developments. The purposes were to assess factors related to smoking and the women's willingness to participate in cessation programs. The findings reveal several barriers to smoking cessation. These barriers are linked to the difficult daily existence and environment of these women and to a lack of social support that would help them to achieve smoking cessation. The barriers include (a) managing their lives in highly stressful environments, (b) major isolation within these environments, (c) smoking as a pleasure attainable with very limited financial resources, (d) perceived minimal health risks of smoking, (e) commonality of smoking in their communities, (f) scarcity of information about the process of cessation available to them, and (g) belief that all they need is the determination to quit on their own. The women emphasized that smoking cessation would be more relevant to them if part of broader social support efforts geared to improve their lives. The public health system may need to consider such strategies to engage this group of women.

Black or African American↗

[Phase II study of docetaxel in patients with advanced stage soft tissue sarcoma].

PURPOSE: To evaluate the activity and toxicity of docetaxel (TXT) as second line therapy in advanced soft-tissue sarcoma. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Adult patients (pts) with histologically proven locally advanced or metastatic soft tissue sarcoma, were treated with TXT at a dose of 100 mg/m2 in a 1-hour i.v. infusion every 21 days and steroid premedication with oral prednisone 50 mg twice a day for five days starting 24 hours prior to TXT. RESULTS: From November 1995 to May 1997, 19 pretreated pts entered the trial. Characteristics of the pts: males/females 11/8, median age 58 years (30-74), median WHO performance status 1 (0-2); histotypes: leiomyosarcoma 6 pts, malignant fibrous histiocytoma 6 pts, fibrosarcoma 2 pts, others 5 pts. No objective responses were seen. The disease remained stable in 8 pts (42%). Median time to progression was 3.5 months (range, 2-8), median survival 6 months (range, 2-20). The treatment was well-tolerated: the main side effect was hematological toxicity with G3/4 leukopenia and neutropenia in 58% of the pts; G3 anemia and thrombocytopenia occurred only in 1 case. Other toxicities were alopecia that was universal, G3 emesis in 1 pt, G3 diarrhea in 2 pts, G3 stomatitis in 1 pt. Mild fluid retention was recorded only in 2 pts. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study do not suggest the use of TXT at this dosage and schedule in advanced soft tissue sarcoma.

Adult↗