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Symptom Development (symptom + development)
Selected AbstractsStudies on Symptom Development, Phenolic Compounds and Morphological Defence Responses in Wheat Cultivars Differing in Resistance to Fusarium Head BlightJOURNAL OF PHYTOPATHOLOGY, Issue 4-5 2002E. SIRANIDOU Abstracts Development of Fusarium head blight, caused by Fusarium culmorum, was evaluated in seven winter wheat cultivars and one spring wheat cultivar in an outdoor pot experiment. Of the cultivars studied, only the spring wheat cultivar Frontana exhibited resistance against initial infection by the fungus. Significantly higher amounts of free phenolic compounds were found in the glumes, lemmas and paleas of Frontana prior to and at all sampling times after inoculation, in comparison to the winter wheat cultivar Agent. Furthermore, the amount of p -coumaric acid increased significantly in the glumes, lemmas and paleas of the cultivar Frontana 2 days after inoculation compared to that in uninoculated spike tissues. However, the amounts of ferulic acid between inoculated and healthy plant tissues did not differ. Ultrastructural studies indicated more pronounced structural defence responses, such as cell wall appositions, in the infected lemma tissue of the resistant cultivar Frontana compared with the susceptible Agent 3 days after inoculation. Immunogold labelling of lignin revealed no differences in the density of gold particles on the cell walls of healthy lemma tissue in the two cultivars. However, density of particles increased in the infected lemma tissue of the resistant cultivar Frontana on cell walls adjacent to the fungal cells, 3 days after inoculation. The susceptible cultivar Agent showed little or no response to the infection. Phenolic compounds appear to play a role in the resistance of the cultivar Frontana to F. culmorum. [source] A New Report of Fruit Rot of Lemon Caused by Ceratocystis radicicola from IranJOURNAL OF PHYTOPATHOLOGY, Issue 1 2005M. R. Mirzaee Abstract In the year 2000, a fungus was isolated from rotting lemon (Citrus limon) fruit in the Kahnouj region, south-eastern Iran and subsequently identified as Ceratocystis radicicola (anamorph: Chalara sp.). A pathogenicity test was carried out to fulfil Koch's postulates. The pathogen could only enter the ripen lemon fruit and cause the rot disease through the wounds and cracks. The fungus was also pathogenic on fruit of other citrus species as well as date palm (Phoenix dactylifera). Symptom development was slow on fruits on the tree but accelerated after fruit harvest. [source] Resistance to cassava mosaic disease in transgenic cassava expressing antisense RNAs targeting virus replication genesPLANT BIOTECHNOLOGY JOURNAL, Issue 4 2005Peng Zhang Summary African cassava mosaic virus (ACMV) is a major contributor to cassava mosaic disease (CMD), the economically most important and devastating disease of cassava in Africa. We have developed transgenic cassava plants with increased ACMV resistance using improved antisense RNA technology by targeting the viral mRNAs of Rep (AC1), TrAP (AC2) and REn (AC3). Viral DNA replication assays in detached leaves demonstrated that replication of two ACMV isolates was strongly reduced or inhibited in most transgenic lines. After ACMV infection of plants using biolistic inoculation, several lines remained symptomless at lower infection pressure (100 ng viral DNA/plant). Symptom development was reduced and attenuated even at higher DNA doses. Transgenic ACMV-resistant plants had significantly reduced viral DNA accumulation in their infected leaves. Short sense and antisense RNAs specific to AC1 were identified in transgenic lines expressing AC1 antisense RNA, suggesting that the short RNAs mediate interference by post-transcriptional gene silencing. Our results demonstrate that resistance to ACMV infection of cassava can be achieved with high efficacy by expressing antisense RNAs against viral mRNAs encoding essential non-structural proteins, providing a new tool to combat CMD in Africa. [source] Does Left Atrial Size Predict Mortality in Asymptomatic Patients with Severe Aortic Stenosis?ECHOCARDIOGRAPHY, Issue 2 2010Grace Casaclang-Verzosa M.D. Background: We assessed the hypothesis that diastolic function represented by left atrial size determines the rate of development of symptoms and the risk of all-cause mortality in asymptomatic patients with severe aortic stenosis (AS). Methods: From a database of 622 asymptomatic patients with isolated severe AS (velocity by Doppler , 4 m/sec) followed for 5.4 ± 4 years, we reviewed the echocardiograms and evaluated Doppler echocardiographic indices of diastolic function. Prediction of symptom development and mortality by left atrial diameter with and without adjusting for clinical and echocardiographic parameters was performed using Cox proportional-hazards regression analysis. Results: The age was 71 ± 11 years and 317 (62%) patients were males. The aortic valve mean gradient was 46 ± 11 mmHg, and the Doppler-derived aortic valve area was 0.9 ± 0.2 cm2. During follow-up, symptoms developed in 233 (45%), valve surgery was performed in 290 (57%) and 138 (27%) died. Left atrial enlargement was significantly correlated with symptom development (P < 0.05) but the association diminished after adjusting for aortic valve area and peak velocity (P = 0.2). However, atrial diameter predicted death independent of age and gender (P = 0.007), comorbid conditions (P = 0.03), and AS severity and Doppler parameters of diastolic function (P = 0.002). Conclusion: Diastolic function, represented as left atrial diameter, is related to mortality in asymptomatic patients with severe AS. (ECHOCARDIOGRAPHY 2010;27:105-109) [source] Root recovery rates for Phytophthora cinnamomi and rate of symptom development from root rot on Abies fraseri trees over 7 yearsFOREST PATHOLOGY, Issue 1 2009G. J. Griffin Summary Phytophthora root rot on Abies fraseri trees was monitored from 2001 to 2007 within the disease front of a 12-year-old Virginia plantation where trees had been dying of the disease since 1994. After a slow increase in early foliage symptom development from July 2001 to September 2002, the frequency of A. fraseri trees with early symptoms accelerated for about 15 months. While the slow increase occurred during a 18.7% lower than normal rainfall period and the acceleration occurred during a 31.2% higher than normal rainfall period, the percentage of trees with early symptoms continued to increase during the mid-winter months (December,February) when the estimated mean minimum daily soil temperature (25 cm depth) was unfavourable (<10°C) to Phytophthora cinnamomi pathogenic activity. The time required for trees to progress from early foliage symptoms to completely dead foliage, from November 2000 to October 2007, was highly variable, ranging from 4 to 35 months. Root recovery rates for P. cinnamomi, assayed on a selective medium, were 6.4 times greater for symptomatic foliage trees than for asymptomatic foliage trees in this deep, silt-loam soil. Following an atypical cold period in February 2007, when the mean minimum daily soil temperature was 0.8°C, symptomatic roots yielded only a low level of germinable propagules of P. cinnamomi. Further, during an atypical midsummer in 2007 (June,August), when the soil water potential was at or below ,9 bars for 68 of 92 days, symptomatic roots yielded no germinable propagules of P. cinnamomi. Addition of thiophanate-methyl to the selective medium aided P. cinnamomi isolation by inhibiting many undesired pythiaceous colonies growing from symptomatic roots. [source] Elicitation of Ethylene by Verticillium albo-atrum Phytotoxins in PotatoJOURNAL OF PHYTOPATHOLOGY, Issue 3 2005B. Mansoori Abstract Petioles from a susceptible cultivar (Désirče) of Solanum tuberosum treated with a low-molecular mass toxin, separated from culture fluid of Verticillium albo-atrum, produced greater quantities of ethylene than did petioles of a tolerant cultivar (Home Guard). Pretreatment of leaflets from cv. Désirče with silver thiosulphite, which inhibits perception of ethylene, prevented the chlorosis and necrosis normally associated with exposure to the toxin. Similarly, application of aminoethoxyvinylglycine (AVG) an inhibitor of aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC) synthase, to petioles of cv. Désirče reduced toxin-induced ethylene synthesis and symptom development. The data indicate that, in part, Verticillium -toxin acts through induction of ethylene biosynthesis in the host tissues, and different responses of susceptible and tolerant potato cultivars to V. albo-atrum are the result of differential production of ethylene. [source] Phymatotrichum (cotton) root rot caused by Phymatotrichopsis omnivora: retrospects and prospectsMOLECULAR PLANT PATHOLOGY, Issue 3 2010SRINIVASA RAO UPPALAPATI SUMMARY Phymatotrichum (cotton or Texas) root rot is caused by the soil-borne fungus Phymatotrichopsis omnivora (Duggar) Hennebert. The broad host range of the fungus includes numerous crop plants, such as alfalfa and cotton. Together with an overview of existing knowledge, this review is aimed at discussing the recent molecular and genomic approaches that have been undertaken to better understand the disease development at the molecular level with the ultimate goal of developing resistant germplasm. Taxonomy:Phymatotrichopsis omnivora (Duggar) Hennebert [synonym Phymatotrichum omnivorum (Shear) Duggar] is an asexual fungus with no known sexual stage. Mitosporic botryoblastospores occasionally form on epigeous spore mats in nature, but perform no known function and do not contribute to the disease cycle. The fungus has been affiliated erroneously with the polypore basidiomycete Sistotrema brinkmannii (Bres.) J. Erikss. Recent phylogenetic studies have placed this fungus in the ascomycete order Pezizales. Host range and disease symptoms: The fungus infects most dicotyledonous field crops, causing significant losses to cotton, alfalfa, grape, fruit and nut trees and ornamental shrubs in the south-western USA, northern Mexico and possibly parts of central Asia. However, this fungus does not cause disease in monocotyledonous plants. Symptoms include an expanding tissue collapse (rot) of infected taproots. In above-ground tissues, the root rot results in vascular discoloration of the stem and rapid wilting of the leaves without abscission, and eventually the death of the plant. Characteristic mycelial strands of the pathogen are typically present on the root's surface, aiding diagnosis. Pathogenicity: Confocal imaging of P. omnivora interactions with Medicago truncatula roots revealed that infecting hyphae do not form any specialized structures for penetration and mainly colonize cortical cells and eventually form a mycelial mantle covering the root's surfaces. Cell wall-degrading enzymes have been implicated in penetration and symptom development. Global gene expression profiling of infected M. truncatula revealed roles for jasmonic acid, ethylene and the flavonoid pathway during disease development. Phymatotrichopsis omnivora apparently evades induced host defences and may suppress the host's phytochemical defences at later stages of infection to favour pathogenesis. Disease control: No consistently effective control measures are known. The long-lived sclerotia and facultative saprotrophism of P. omnivora make crop rotation ineffective. Chemical fumigation methods are not cost-effective for most crops. Interestingly, no genetic resistance has been reported in any of the susceptible crop species. [source] Extensin over-expression in Arabidopsis limits pathogen invasivenessMOLECULAR PLANT PATHOLOGY, Issue 6 2006GUO WEI SUMMARY The function of the cell wall protein extensin has been the subject of much speculation since it was first isolated over 40 years ago. In order to investigate the role of extensins in plant defence, we used the gain-of-function strategy to generate transgenic Arabidopsis plants over-expressing the EXT1 extensin gene. These were infected with the virulent bacterial pathogen Pseudomonas syringae DC3000 and symptom development was monitored. Lesions on the transgenics were on average five-fold smaller than those on the wild-type, did not increase in area over the time period of infection, accumulated a small bacterial load and showed very little chlorosis outside the lesion boundary. By contrast, lesions on the wild-type were large, spread to over 50% of the leaf area, continued to increase in size over the time course of the infection, accumulated a bacterial load 100-fold higher than that found in the transgenics, and showed a large chlorotic area outside the lesion boundary. SEM of lesions showed no evidence of bacteria at the lesion boundary in the extensin-over-expressing transgenics, whereas bacteria were always seen at the lesion boundary on the wild-type. Analysis of transgenics carrying an EXT1,GUS promoter,reporter fusion showed expression of GUS in a ring around the boundary of the lesion. Basal defences and signal transduction pathways involved in plant defence were not perturbed in the transgenics, as shown by the analysis of the expression of PR1 and PDF1.2 genes. These results show that extensin over-expression limits pathogen invasiveness. [source] Physiology and molecular aspects of Verticillium wilt diseases caused by V. dahliae and V. albo-atrumMOLECULAR PLANT PATHOLOGY, Issue 2 2006EMILIE F. FRADIN SUMMARY Introduction:,Verticillium spp. are soil-borne plant pathogens responsible for Verticillium wilt diseases in temperate and subtropical regions; collectively they affect over 200 hosts, including many economically important crops. There are currently no fungicides available to cure plants once they are infected. Taxonomy:, Kingdom: Fungi, phylum: Ascomycota, subphylum, Pezizomycotina, class: Sordariomycetes, order: Phyllachorales, genus: Verticillium. Host range and disease symptoms:, Over 200 mainly dicotyledonous species including herbaceous annuals, perennials and woody species are host to Verticillium diseases. As Verticillium symptoms can vary between hosts, there are no unique symptoms that belong to all plants infected by this fungus. Disease symptoms may comprise wilting, chlorosis, stunting, necrosis and vein clearing. Brown vascular discoloration may be observed in stem tissue cross-sections. Pathogenicity:,Verticillium spp. have been reported to produce cell-wall-degrading enzymes and phytotoxins that all have been implicated in symptom development. Nevertheless, evidence for a crucial role of toxins in pathogenicity is inconsistent and therefore not generally accepted. Microsclerotia and melanized mycelium play an important role in the disease cycle as they are a major inoculum source and are the primary long-term survival structures. Resistance:, Different defence responses in the prevascular and the vascular stage of Verticillium wilt diseases determine resistance. Although resistance physiology is well established, the molecular processes underlying this physiology remain largely unknown. Resistance against Verticillium largely depends on the isolation of the fungus in contained parts of the xylem tissues followed by subsequent elimination of the fungus. Although genetic resistance has been described in several plant species, only one resistance locus against Verticillium has been cloned to date. Useful website:,http://cbr-rbc.nrc-cnrc.gc.ca/services/cogeme/ [source] Layers of defense responses to Leptosphaeria maculans below the RLM1 - and camalexin-dependent resistancesNEW PHYTOLOGIST, Issue 2 2009Mattias Persson Summary ,,Plants have evolved different defense components to counteract pathogen attacks. The resistance locus resistance to Leptosphaeria maculans 1 (RLM1) is a key factor for Arabidopsis thaliana resistance to L. maculans. The present work aimed to reveal downstream defense responses regulated by RLM1. ,,Quantitative assessment of fungal colonization in the host was carried out using quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) and GUS expression analyses, to further characterize RLM1 resistance and the role of salicylic acid (SA), jasmonic acid (JA), and ethylene (ET) in disease development. Additional assessments of A. thaliana mutants were performed to expand our understanding of this pathosystem. ,,Resistance responses such as lignification and the formation of vascular plugs were found to occur in an RLM1 -dependent manner, in contrast to the RLM1 -independent increase in reactive oxygen species at the stomata and hydathodes. Analyses of mutants defective in hormone signaling in the camalexin-free rlm1Lerpad3 background revealed a significant influence of JA and ET on symptom development and pathogen colonization. ,,The overall results indicate that the defense responses of primary importance induced by RLM1 are all associated with physical barriers, and that responses of secondary importance involve complex cross-talk among SA, JA and ET. Our observations further suggest that ET positively affects fungal colonization. [source] Citrus abscission and Arabidopsis plant decline in response to 5-chloro-3-methyl-4-nitro-1H -pyrazole are mediated by lipid signallingPLANT CELL & ENVIRONMENT, Issue 11 2005FERNANDO ALFEREZ ABSTRACT The compound 5-chloro-3-methyl-4-nitro-1H -pyrazole (CMNP) is a pyrazole-derivative that induces abscission selectively in mature citrus (Citrus sinensis) fruit when applied to the canopy and has herbicidal activity on plants when applied to roots. Despite the favourable efficacy of this compound, the mode of action remains unknown. To gain information about the mode of action of CMNP, the effect of application to mature citrus fruit and Arabidopsis thaliana roots was explored. Peel contact was essential for mature fruit abscission in citrus, whereas root drenching was essential for symptom development and plant decline in Arabidopsis. CMNP was identified as an uncoupler in isolated soybean (Glycine max) mitochondria and pea (Pisum sativum) chloroplasts and an inhibitor of alcohol dehydrogenase in citrus peel, but not an inhibitor of protoporphyrinogen IX oxidase. CMNP treatment reduced ATP content in citrus peel and Arabidopsis leaves. Phospholipase A2 (PLA2) and lipoxygenase (LOX) activities, and lipid hydroperoxide (LPO) levels increased in flavedo of citrus fruit peel and leaves of Arabidopsis plants treated with CMNP. An inhibitor of PLA2 activity, aristolochic acid (AT), reduced CMNP-induced increases in PLA2 and LOX activities and LPO levels in citrus flavedo and Arabidopsis leaves and greatly reduced abscission in citrus and delayed symptoms of plant decline in Arabidopsis. However, AT treatment failed to halt the reduction in ATP content. Reduction in ATP content preceded the increase in PLA2 and LOX activities, LPO content and the biological response. The results indicate a link between lipid signalling, abscission in citrus and herbicidal damage in Arabidopsis. [source] Characterization of Ascochyta isolates and susceptibility of pea cultivars to the ascochyta disease complex in AlbertaPLANT PATHOLOGY, Issue 5 2000H. Wang The relative virulence of 109 Ascochyta isolates collected from pea fields in Alberta from 1996 to 1998 were evaluated on 10-day-old seedlings by the excised leaf-assay technique. Twenty-eight isolates were avirulent, while the others produced lesions of various sizes on pea leaves. DNA samples from 86 isolates were amplified by the RAPD technique using PCR with single primers. One dominant genotype of Ascochyta pisi was identified throughout Alberta, but variations in virulence were not clearly differentiated by the RAPD technique. Five Ascochyta isolates, four virulent and one avirulent, were used to assess the susceptibility of 20 field pea cultivars available in Alberta, including 13 yellow types and seven green types. Based on symptom development, the yellow-type cultivars Swing, Eiffel and Delta, and the green-type cultivar Orb, were the most susceptible. Of yellow-type cultivars, Voyageur, Carneval and Montana were most resistant to Ascochyta infection. [source] Psychosocial factors and shoulder symptom development among workersAMERICAN JOURNAL OF INDUSTRIAL MEDICINE, Issue 1 2009Caroline K. Smith MPH Abstract Background Shoulder injuries are a common cause of pain and discomfort. Many work-related factors have been associated with the onset of shoulder symptoms. The psychosocial concepts in the demand,control model have been studied in association with musculoskeletal symptoms but with heterogeneous findings. The purpose of this study was to assess the relationship between the psychosocial concepts of the demand,control model and the incidence of shoulder symptoms in a working population. Methods After following 424 subjects for approximately 1 year, 85 incident cases were identified from self-reported data. Cox proportional hazards modeling was used to assess the associations between shoulder symptoms and demand,control model quadrants. Results Cases were more likely to be female and report other upper extremity symptoms at baseline (P,<,0.05). From the hazard models, being in either a passive or high strain job quadrant was associated with the incidence of shoulder symptoms. Hazard ratios were 2.17, 95% CI 1.02,4.66 and 2.19, 95% CI 1.08,4.42, respectively. Conclusions Using self-reporting to determine demand,control quadrants was successful in identifying subjects at risk of developing work-related shoulder symptoms. Research is needed to determine if this relationship holds with clinically diagnosed shoulder and other upper extremity musculoskeletal disorders. This may be part of a simple tool for assessing risk of developing these UEMSDs. Am. J. Ind. Med. 52:57,68, 2009. © 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Overexpression of yeast spermidine synthase impacts ripening, senescence and decay symptoms in tomatoTHE PLANT JOURNAL, Issue 5 2010Savithri Nambeesan Summary Polyamines (PAs) are ubiquitous, polycationic biogenic amines that are implicated in many biological processes, including plant growth and development, but their precise roles remain to be determined. Most of the previous studies have involved three biogenic amines: putrescine (Put), spermidine (Spd) and spermine (Spm), and their derivatives. We have expressed a yeast spermidine synthase (ySpdSyn) gene under constitutive (CaMV35S) and fruit-ripening specific (E8) promoters in Solanum lycopersicum (tomato), and determined alterations in tomato vegetative and fruit physiology in transformed lines compared with the control. Constitutive expression of ySpdSyn enhanced intracellular levels of Spd in the leaf, and transiently during fruit development, whereas E8 - ySpdSyn expression led to Spd accumulation early and transiently during fruit ripening. The ySpdSyn transgenic fruits had a longer shelf life, reduced shriveling and delayed decay symptom development in comparison with the wild-type (WT) fruits. An increase in shelf life of ySpdSyn transgenic fruits was not facilitated by changes in the rate of water loss or ethylene evolution. Additionally, the expression of several cell wall and membrane degradation-related genes in ySpdSyn transgenic fruits was not correlated with an extension of shelf life, indicating that the Spd-mediated increase in fruit shelf life is independent of the above factors. Crop maturity, indicated by the percentage of ripening fruits on the vine, was delayed in a CaMV35S - ySpdSyn genotype, with fruits accumulating higher levels of the antioxidant lycopene. Notably, whole-plant senescence in the transgenic plants was also delayed compared with WT plants. Together, these results provide evidence for a role of PAs, particularly Spd, in increasing fruit shelf life, probably by reducing post-harvest senescence and decay. [source] Plant virus infection-induced persistent host gene downregulation in systemically infected leavesTHE PLANT JOURNAL, Issue 2 2008Zoltán Havelda Summary Understanding of virus infection-induced alterations in host plant gene expression and metabolism leading to the development of virus disease symptoms is both scientifically and economically important. Here, we show that viruses belonging to various RNA virus families are able to induce efficient host gene mRNA downregulation (shut-off) in systemically infected leaves. We demonstrate that the host gene mRNA shut-off overlaps spatially with virus-occupied sectors, indicating the direct role of virus accumulation in this phenomenon. The establishment of shut-off was not directly connected to active viral replication or the RNA-silencing machinery. Importantly, the induced shut-off phenomenon persisted for several weeks, resulting in severe deficiency of mRNA for important housekeeping genes in the infected plants. Interestingly, we found that some other RNA viruses do not induce or only slightly induce the shut-off phenomenon for the same set of genes, implicating genetic determination in this process. Nuclear run-on experiments suggest that plant viruses, similarly to animal viruses, mediate suppression of host mRNA synthesis in the nucleus. By investigating various host,virus interactions, we revealed a correlation between the intensity of the shut-off phenomenon and the severity of disease symptoms. Our data suggest that efficient and persistent downregulation of host genes may be an important component of symptom development in certain host,virus interactions. [source] Efficacy of triazoles and strobilurins in controlling black spot disease of roses caused by Diplocarpon rosaeANNALS OF APPLIED BIOLOGY, Issue 2 2009E.W. Gachomo Abstract Black spot disease is an important disease of roses with worldwide occurrence. It is caused by Diplocarpon rosae, an ascomycetous fungus and its control relies on fungicides. The effects of strobilurins and triazoles on D. rosae development within the host and on disease symptoms have not been well studied. Strobilurins completely inhibited germination of conidia when applied protectively 1 week before inoculation or on the same day with the inoculum. They were, however, not effective in eradicating the disease when applied after the fungus was established in the host. Triazoles reduced the germination rate of the conidia when applied protectively and they inhibited disease symptom development when applied after the fungus was established in the host but before symptom expression. Application of triazoles after symptom development suppressed further development of the disease, but in the case of treatment with myclobutanil yellowing and defoliation still occurred. Post-infection application of triazoles led to the apparent breakdown of subcuticular mycelia, intercellular mycelia, and hyphae in the epidermal cells, while the effects of strobilurins were limited to the subcuticular mycelia. Triazoles were more effective than strobilurins because they are more systemic. [source] Patient-reported acute gastrointestinal symptoms during concurrent chemoradiation treatment for rectal cancer,CANCER, Issue 8 2010Ronald C. Chen MD Abstract BACKGROUND: Although it is known that standard 5-fluorouracil,based chemoradiation therapy for rectal cancer causes significant acute gastrointestinal (GI) toxicity, research on patient-reported outcomes (PROs) is limited. The authors undertook the current study to assess the feasibility of incorporating PRO measurement into routine clinical practice and to describe the trajectory of symptom development during treatment. METHODS: Seventy-seven consecutive patients who were treated between 2006 and 2008 were eligible. Patients completed the 7-item Bowel Problems Scale immediately before weekly physician visits. RESULTS: The questionnaire completion rate was 95%. Individual GI symptoms had different trajectories of development. By Week 5, approximately 40% of all patients developed clinically meaningful pain, bowel urgency, or tenesmus that was not present during Week 1; 30% developed diarrhea, abdominal cramping, and passing mucus. However, overall symptom burden was moderate. Seventy-five percent of patients who presented with rectal bleeding at Week 1 improved by Week 3 of treatment. Within each physician-assessed grade of diarrhea, patient experience varied widely. For example, of the 50 patients who developed grade 2 diarrhea on the Radiation Therapy Oncology Group Acute Morbidity Scale, the numbers of patients reporting only occasional symptoms versus those reporting frequent or very frequent symptoms were similar. CONCLUSIONS: PROs provided information on patient symptoms during chemoradiation treatment for rectal cancer that was not captured otherwise, and it was feasible to incorporate PROs into routine clinical practice. The current results may be used by physicians to counsel their patients before treatment initiation and to provide a benchmark against which trials that use new therapies may be compared. Cancer 2010; 116:1879,86. © 2010 American Cancer Society. [source] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||