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Sample records for cancer clinical outcome

  1. Clinical Outcomes of Colorectal Cancer in Kenya | Saidi | Annals of ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Background The incidence of colorectal cancer in Africa is increasing. True data on clinical outcomes of the disease is hampered by follow up challenges. Method Follow up data of 233 patients treated for colorectal cancer between 2005 and 2010 at various Nairobi hospitals were evaluated. The primary outcome was ...

  2. Yoga & Cancer Interventions: A Review of the Clinical Significance of Patient Reported Outcomes for Cancer Survivors

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    S. Nicole Culos-Reed

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available Limited research suggests yoga may be a viable gentle physical activity option with a variety of health-related quality of life, psychosocial and symptom management benefits. The purpose of this review was to determine the clinical significance of patient-reported outcomes from yoga interventions conducted with cancer survivors. A total of 25 published yoga intervention studies for cancer survivors from 2004–2011 had patient-reported outcomes, including quality of life, psychosocial or symptom measures. Thirteen of these studies met the necessary criteria to assess clinical significance. Clinical significance for each of the outcomes of interest was examined based on 1 standard error of the measurement, 0.5 standard deviation, and relative comparative effect sizes and their respective confidence intervals. This review describes in detail these patient-reported outcomes, how they were obtained, their relative clinical significance and implications for both clinical and research settings. Overall, clinically significant changes in patient-reported outcomes suggest that yoga interventions hold promise for improving cancer survivors' well-being. This research overview provides new directions for examining how clinical significance can provide a unique context for describing changes in patient-reported outcomes from yoga interventions. Researchers are encouraged to employ indices of clinical significance in the interpretation and discussion of results from yoga studies.

  3. Nanotechnology Strategies To Advance Outcomes in Clinical Cancer Care.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hartshorn, Christopher M; Bradbury, Michelle S; Lanza, Gregory M; Nel, Andre E; Rao, Jianghong; Wang, Andrew Z; Wiesner, Ulrich B; Yang, Lily; Grodzinski, Piotr

    2018-01-23

    Ongoing research into the application of nanotechnology for cancer treatment and diagnosis has demonstrated its advantages within contemporary oncology as well as its intrinsic limitations. The National Cancer Institute publishes the Cancer Nanotechnology Plan every 5 years since 2005. The most recent iteration helped codify the ongoing basic and translational efforts of the field and displayed its breadth with several evolving areas. From merely a technological perspective, this field has seen tremendous growth and success. However, an incomplete understanding of human cancer biology persists relative to the application of nanoscale materials within contemporary oncology. As such, this review presents several evolving areas in cancer nanotechnology in order to identify key clinical and biological challenges that need to be addressed to improve patient outcomes. From this clinical perspective, a sampling of the nano-enabled solutions attempting to overcome barriers faced by traditional therapeutics and diagnostics in the clinical setting are discussed. Finally, a strategic outlook of the future is discussed to highlight the need for next-generation cancer nanotechnology tools designed to address critical gaps in clinical cancer care.

  4. Body Composition in Relation to Clinical Outcomes in Renal Cell Cancer

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Vrieling, Alina; Kampman, Ellen; Knijnenburg, Nathalja C.; Mulders, Peter F.; Sedelaar, J.P.M.; Baracos, Vickie E.; Kiemeney, Lambertus A.

    2016-01-01

    Context: Several studies suggest that body composition (ie, body proportions of muscle and fat defined by computed tomography) is associated with clinical outcomes of several cancer types, including renal cell cancer (RCC). Objective: To conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis of the evidence

  5. CAsubtype: An R Package to Identify Gene Sets Predictive of Cancer Subtypes and Clinical Outcomes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kong, Hualei; Tong, Pan; Zhao, Xiaodong; Sun, Jielin; Li, Hua

    2018-03-01

    In the past decade, molecular classification of cancer has gained high popularity owing to its high predictive power on clinical outcomes as compared with traditional methods commonly used in clinical practice. In particular, using gene expression profiles, recent studies have successfully identified a number of gene sets for the delineation of cancer subtypes that are associated with distinct prognosis. However, identification of such gene sets remains a laborious task due to the lack of tools with flexibility, integration and ease of use. To reduce the burden, we have developed an R package, CAsubtype, to efficiently identify gene sets predictive of cancer subtypes and clinical outcomes. By integrating more than 13,000 annotated gene sets, CAsubtype provides a comprehensive repertoire of candidates for new cancer subtype identification. For easy data access, CAsubtype further includes the gene expression and clinical data of more than 2000 cancer patients from TCGA. CAsubtype first employs principal component analysis to identify gene sets (from user-provided or package-integrated ones) with robust principal components representing significantly large variation between cancer samples. Based on these principal components, CAsubtype visualizes the sample distribution in low-dimensional space for better understanding of the distinction between samples and classifies samples into subgroups with prevalent clustering algorithms. Finally, CAsubtype performs survival analysis to compare the clinical outcomes between the identified subgroups, assessing their clinical value as potentially novel cancer subtypes. In conclusion, CAsubtype is a flexible and well-integrated tool in the R environment to identify gene sets for cancer subtype identification and clinical outcome prediction. Its simple R commands and comprehensive data sets enable efficient examination of the clinical value of any given gene set, thus facilitating hypothesis generating and testing in biological and

  6. Factors and outcomes of decision making for cancer clinical trial participation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Biedrzycki, Barbara A

    2011-09-01

    To describe factors and outcomes related to the decision-making process regarding participation in a cancer clinical trial. Cross-sectional, descriptive. Urban, academic, National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer center in the mid-Atlantic United States. 197 patients with advanced gastrointestinal cancer. Mailed survey using one investigator-developed instrument, eight instruments used in published research, and a medical record review. disease context, sociodemographics, hope, quality of life, trust in healthcare system, trust in health professional, preference for research decision control, understanding risks, and information. decision to accept or decline research participation and satisfaction with this decision. All of the factors within the Research Decision Making Model together predicted cancer clinical trial participation and satisfaction with this decision. The most frequently preferred decision-making style for research participation was shared (collaborative) (83%). Multiple factors affect decision making for cancer clinical trial participation and satisfaction with this decision. Shared decision making previously was an unrecognized factor and requires further investigation. Enhancing the process of research decision making may facilitate an increase in cancer clinical trial enrollment rates. Oncology nurses have unique opportunities as educators and researchers to support shared decision making by those who prefer this method for deciding whether to accept or decline cancer clinical trial participation.

  7. BAX protein expression and clinical outcome in epithelial ovarian cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tai, Y T; Lee, S; Niloff, E; Weisman, C; Strobel, T; Cannistra, S A

    1998-08-01

    Expression of the pro-apoptotic protein BAX sensitizes ovarian cancer cell lines to paclitaxel in vitro by enhancing the pathway of programmed cell death. The present study was performed to determine the relationship between BAX expression and clinical outcome in 45 patients with newly diagnosed ovarian cancer. BAX protein expression was analyzed by immunohistochemistry, and its relationship with clinical outcome was determined. Assessment of BAX mRNA transcript levels and mutational analysis of the BAX coding region were also performed. BAX protein was expressed at high levels (defined as > or = 50% of tumor cells positive) in tumor tissue from 60% of newly diagnosed patients. All patients whose tumors expressed high levels of BAX achieved a complete response (CR) to first-line chemotherapy that contained paclitaxel plus a platinum analogue, compared with 57% of patients in the low-BAX group (P = .036). After a median follow-up of 1.9 years, the median disease-free survival (DFS) of patients in the high-BAX group has not been reached, compared with a median DFS of 1.1 years for low-BAX expressors (P = .0061). BAX retained independent prognostic significance in multivariate analysis when corrected for stage and histology. BAX mRNA transcripts were easily detected in samples with low BAX protein expression, and no BAX mutations were identified. The correlation between high BAX levels and improved clinical outcome suggests that an intact apoptotic pathway is an important determinant of chemoresponsiveness in ovarian cancer patients who receive paclitaxel.

  8. Nutritional Care of Gastric Cancer Patients with Clinical Outcomes and Complications: A Review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Choi, Wook Jin; Kim, Jeongseon

    2016-04-01

    The incidence and mortality of gastric cancer have been steadily decreased over the past few decades. However, gastric cancer is still one of the leading causes of cancer deaths across many regions of the world, particularly in Asian countries. In previous studies, nutrition has been considered one of significant risk factors in gastric cancer patients. Especially, malnourished patients are at greater risk of adverse clinical outcomes (e.g., longer hospital stay) and higher incidence of complications (e.g., wound/infectious complications) compared to well-nourished patients. Malnutrition is commonly found in advanced gastric cancer patients due to poor absorption of essential nutrients after surgery. Therefore, nutritional support protocols, such as early oral and enternal feeding, have been proposed in many studies, to improve unfavorable clinical outcomes and to reduce complications due to delayed application of oral nutritional support or parental feeding. Also, the supplied with enternal immune-enriched diet had more benefits in improving clinical outcomes and fewer complications compared to a group supplied with control formula. Using nutritional screening tools, such as nutritional risk index (NRI) and nutritional risk screening (NRS 2002), malnourished patients showed higher incidence of complications and lower survival rates than non-malnourished patients. However, a long-term nutritional intervention, such as nutritional counseling, was not effective in the patients. Therefore, early assessment of nutritional status in patients using a proper nutritional screening tool is suggested to prevent malnutrition and adverse health outcomes. Further studies with numerous ethnic groups may provide stronger scientific evidences in association between nutritional care and recovery from surgery in patients with gastric cancer.

  9. Disease Progression/Clinical Outcome Model for Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer in Patients Treated with Eribulin

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Van Hasselt, J. G C; Gupta, A.; Hussein, Z.; Beijnen, J. H.; Schellens, J. H M; Huitema, A. D R

    2015-01-01

    Frameworks that associate cancer dynamic disease progression models with parametric survival models for clinical outcome have recently been proposed to support decision making in early clinical development. Here we developed such a disease progression clinical outcome model for castration-resistant

  10. Integrating patient reported outcomes with clinical cancer registry data: a feasibility study of the electronic Patient-Reported Outcomes From Cancer Survivors (ePOCS) system.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ashley, Laura; Jones, Helen; Thomas, James; Newsham, Alex; Downing, Amy; Morris, Eva; Brown, Julia; Velikova, Galina; Forman, David; Wright, Penny

    2013-10-25

    Routine measurement of Patient Reported Outcomes (PROs) linked with clinical data across the patient pathway is increasingly important for informing future care planning. The innovative electronic Patient-reported Outcomes from Cancer Survivors (ePOCS) system was developed to integrate PROs, collected online at specified post-diagnostic time-points, with clinical and treatment data in cancer registries. This study tested the technical and clinical feasibility of ePOCS by running the system with a sample of potentially curable breast, colorectal, and prostate cancer patients in their first 15 months post diagnosis. Patients completed questionnaires comprising multiple Patient Reported Outcome Measures (PROMs) via ePOCS within 6 months (T1), and at 9 (T2) and 15 (T3) months, post diagnosis. Feasibility outcomes included system informatics performance, patient recruitment, retention, representativeness and questionnaire completion (response rate), patient feedback, and administration burden involved in running the system. ePOCS ran efficiently with few technical problems. Patient participation was 55.21% (636/1152) overall, although varied by approach mode, and was considerably higher among patients approached face-to-face (61.4%, 490/798) than by telephone (48.8%, 21/43) or letter (41.0%, 125/305). Older and less affluent patients were less likely to join (both Pplanning and for targeting service provision.

  11. Nutrition management for head and neck cancer patients improves clinical outcome and survival.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Müller-Richter, Urs; Betz, C; Hartmann, S; Brands, R C

    2017-12-01

    Up to 80% of patients with head and neck cancers are malnourished because of their lifestyle and the risk factors associated with this disease. Unfortunately, nutrition management systems are not implemented in most head and neck cancer clinics. Even worse, many head and neck surgeons as well as hospital management authorities disregard the importance of nutrition management in head and neck cancer patients. In addition, the often extensive resection and reconstruction required for tumors in the upper aerodigestive tract pose special challenges for swallowing and sufficient food intake, placing special demands on nutrition management. This article presents the basics of perioperative metabolism and nutrition management of head and neck cancer patients and makes recommendations for clinical practice. Implementing a nutrition management system in head and neck cancer clinics will improve the clinical outcome and the survival of the patients. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  12. Radiation Therapy Noncompliance and Clinical Outcomes in an Urban Academic Cancer Center

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ohri, Nitin [Department of Radiation Oncology, Montefiore Medical Center, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York (United States); Rapkin, Bruce D. [Department of Epidemiology and Population Health, Montefiore Medical Center, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York (United States); Guha, Chandan; Kalnicki, Shalom [Department of Radiation Oncology, Montefiore Medical Center, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York (United States); Garg, Madhur, E-mail: mgarg@montefiore.org [Department of Radiation Oncology, Montefiore Medical Center, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York (United States)

    2016-06-01

    Purpose: To examine associations between radiation therapy (RT) noncompliance and clinical outcomes. Methods and Materials: We reviewed all patients who completed courses of external beam RT with curative intent in our department from the years 2007 to 2012 for cancers of the head and neck, breast, lung, cervix, uterus, or rectum. Patients who missed 2 or more scheduled RT appointments (excluding planned treatment breaks) were deemed noncompliant. Univariate, multivariable, and propensity-matched analyses were performed to examine associations between RT noncompliance and clinical outcomes. Results: Of 1227 patients, 266 (21.7%) were noncompliant. With median follow-up of 50.9 months, 108 recurrences (8.8%) and 228 deaths (18.6%) occurred. In univariate analyses, RT noncompliance was associated with increased recurrence risk (5-year cumulative incidence 16% vs 7%, P<.001), inferior recurrence-free survival (5-year actuarial rate 63% vs 79%, P<.001), and inferior overall survival (5-year actuarial rate 72% vs 83%, P<.001). In multivariable analyses that were adjusted for disease site and stage, comorbidity score, gender, ethnicity, race, and socioeconomic status (SES), RT noncompliance was associated with inferior recurrence, recurrence-free survival, and overall survival rates. Propensity score–matched models yielded results nearly identical to those seen in univariate analyses. Low SES was associated with RT noncompliance and was associated with inferior clinical outcomes in univariate analyses, but SES was not associated with inferior outcomes in multivariable models. Conclusion: For cancer patients being treated with curative intent, RT noncompliance is associated with inferior clinical outcomes. The magnitudes of these effects demonstrate that RT noncompliance can serve as a behavioral biomarker to identify high-risk patients who require additional interventions. Treatment compliance may mediate the associations that have been observed linking SES and

  13. Comparison of autogeneic and allogeneic natural killer cells immunotherapy on the clinical outcome of recurrent breast cancer

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Liang S

    2017-08-01

    Full Text Available Shuzhen Liang,1,2 Kecheng Xu,1,2 Lizhi Niu,1,2 Xiaohua Wang,1 Yingqing Liang,1 Mingjie Zhang,3 Jibing Chen,1,2 Mao Lin1,2 1Department of Central Laboratory, Fuda Cancer Hospital, Jinan University School of Medicine, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China; 2Fuda Cancer Institute, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China; 3Hank Bioengineering Co., Ltd, Shenzhen, China Abstract: In the present study, we aimed to compare the clinical outcome of autogeneic and allogeneic natural killer (NK cells immunotherapy for the treatment of recurrent breast cancer. Between July 2016 and February 2017, 36 patients who met the enrollment criteria were randomly assigned to two groups: autogeneic NK cells immunotherapy group (group I, n=18 and allogeneic NK cells immunotherapy group (group II, n=18. The clinical efficacy, quality of life, immune function, circulating tumor cell (CTC level, and other related indicators were evaluated. We found that allogeneic NK cells immunotherapy has better clinical efficacy than autogeneic therapy. Moreover, allogeneic NK cells therapy improves the quality of life, reduces the number of CTCs, reduces carcinoembryonic antigen and cancer antigen 15-3 (CA15-3 expression, and significantly enhances immune function. To our knowledge, this is the first clinical trial to compare the clinical outcome of autogeneic and allogeneic NK cells immunotherapy for recurrent breast cancer. Keywords: clinical outcome, autogeneic, allogeneic, natural killer cells, recurrent breast cancer

  14. Nutritional Care of Gastric Cancer Patients with Clinical Outcomes and Complications: A Review

    OpenAIRE

    Choi, Wook Jin; Kim, Jeongseon

    2016-01-01

    The incidence and mortality of gastric cancer have been steadily decreased over the past few decades. However, gastric cancer is still one of the leading causes of cancer deaths across many regions of the world, particularly in Asian countries. In previous studies, nutrition has been considered one of significant risk factors in gastric cancer patients. Especially, malnourished patients are at greater risk of adverse clinical outcomes (e.g., longer hospital stay) and higher incidence of compl...

  15. Analysing data from patient-reported outcome and quality of life endpoints for cancer clinical trials

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Bottomley, Andrew; Pe, Madeline; Sloan, Jeff

    2016-01-01

    Measures of health-related quality of life (HRQOL) and other patient-reported outcomes generate important data in cancer randomised trials to assist in assessing the risks and benefits of cancer therapies and fostering patient-centred cancer care. However, the various ways these measures are anal......Measures of health-related quality of life (HRQOL) and other patient-reported outcomes generate important data in cancer randomised trials to assist in assessing the risks and benefits of cancer therapies and fostering patient-centred cancer care. However, the various ways these measures...... are analysed and interpreted make it difficult to compare results across trials, and hinders the application of research findings to inform publications, product labelling, clinical guidelines, and health policy. To address these problems, the Setting International Standards in Analyzing Patient......-Reported Outcomes and Quality of Life Endpoints Data (SISAQOL) initiative has been established. This consortium, directed by the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC), was convened to provide recommendations on how to standardise the analysis of HRQOL and other patient-reported outcomes...

  16. Impact of early postoperative enteral nutrition on clinical outcomes in patients with gastric cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, B; Liu, H Y; Guo, S H; Sun, P; Gong, F M; Jia, B Q

    2015-06-29

    The impact of early enteral nutrition (EEN) on clinical outcomes of gastric cancer patients was investigated. Three hundred pa-tients undergoing gastric cancer surgery from July 2010 to May 2014 were randomly divided into experimental and control groups (n = 150/group). Experimental group patients received enteral nutrition in water during the early postoperative period. Control group patients received conventional perioperative treatment. Patients' clinical outcomes, post-operative immune function, and nutritional statuses were compared, which revealed that the postoperative fever duration (80.2 ± 6.0 vs 88.1 ± 8.1 h, P 0.05]. At postoperative days 3 and 7, the CD3(+), CD4(+), natural killer cell, albumin, and prealbumin levels and CD4(+)/CD8(+) ra-tio were significantly higher in the experimental group than the control group (all P nutritional status and immune function and promote early recovery of intestinal function in patients with gastric cancer.

  17. Structure, organisation and clinical outcomes in cancer patients of hospital support teams in Spain.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tuca-Rodriguez, Albert; Gómez-Batiste, Xavier; Espinosa-Rojas, Jose; Martínez-Muñoz, Marisa; Codorniu, Nuria; Porta-Sales, Josep

    2012-12-01

    To describe the structure, characteristics of patients and basic clinical outcomes in cancer patients receiving care from palliative care hospital support teams (HSTs) in Spain. A multi-centre observational two phase study. Phase I: A descriptive survey of all HSTs in Spain. Phase II: A quasi-experimental prospective cohort study to describe the clinical outcomes, symptom severity and survival. 60 HSTs in Spain met the inclusion criteria. All HSTs were multidisciplinary with wide experience (mean 6.8 years). HSTs coverage was 21.5% of all cancer deaths in Spain. A total number of 364 advanced cancer patients were included in the cohort study; 76% were classified as moderate or high complexity. Overall, 64% were male subjects and the most frequent primary cancer site was lung (26%). Half of the patients had no detailed information about cancer staging and only 19% knew their short-term prognosis. The mean length of intervention was 6.5 days (mean three visits per patient). Outcomes were: 34% deaths during the admission process; 38% were discharged home; and 28% were transferred to another medium-term-stay specialist unit. The main symptoms were pain (68%), dyspnoea (43%), vomiting (24%), anorexia (72%), asthenia (78%), insomnia (50%), anxiety (45%) and depression (35%). After the HSTs intervention, the symptom severity was significantly reduced (p<0.001) for all symptoms, except for weakness and anorexia. The mean survival from inclusion was 111 days. Palliative intervention of HSTs is characterised by being adjusted to patient needs and short duration. Their care was focused on the preterminal phase of cancer patients of moderate-high complexity.

  18. Radiological characteristics, histological features and clinical outcomes of lung cancer patients with coexistent idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Khan, K A; Kennedy, M P; Moore, E; Crush, L; Prendeville, S; Maher, M M; Burke, L; Henry, M T

    2015-02-01

    Despite advances in diagnosis and management, the outcomes for both lung cancer and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) are still unfavourable. The pathophysiology and outcomes for patients with concomitant lung cancer and IPF remains unclear. A retrospective analysis was performed of all patients presenting with concomitant IPF and lung cancer to our centre over a 3-year period. Patients with connective tissue disease, asbestos exposure, sarcoidosis, previous thoracic radiation, radiological evidence of fibrosis but no histological confirmation of lung cancer, or the use of medications known to cause pulmonary fibrosis were excluded. We describe clinical, radiological and pathological characteristics of this group. We also report the response to standardized lung cancer therapy in this cohort. Of 637 lung cancer patients, 34 were identified with concomitant IPF (5.3 %) and all were smokers. 85 % had non-small cell lung cancer, 41 % were squamous cell cancers. The majority of tumours were located in the lower lobes, peripheral and present in an area of honeycombing. Despite the fact that approximately 2/3rds of the patients had localised or locally advanced lung cancer, the outcome of therapy for lung cancer was extremely poor regardless of tumour stage or severity of IPF. At our centre, 1/20 patients with lung cancer have concomitant IPF. The majority of these tumours are small in size, peripheral in location and squamous cell carcinoma; in an area of honey combing. The outcome for concomitant lung cancer and IPF regardless of stage or therapy is poor.

  19. Outcomes of patients presenting to a dedicated rapid access lung cancer clinic.

    LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

    Dunican, E

    2012-02-01

    We examined the outcomes of the first 500 patients referred to a dedicated Rapid Access Lung Cancer Clinic. A total of 206 patients (41.2%) were diagnosed with a thoracic malignancy; 179 had primary lung cancer and 27 had secondary or other thoracic cancers. Pulmonary nodules requiring ongoing surveillance were found in a further 79 patients (15.8%). Of those patients found to have primary lung cancer, 24 (13.4%) had Small Cell and 145 (81%) had Non Small Cell Lung Cancer. In patients with Non small cell tumours, 26 (21.1%) were stage 1, 14 (11.4%) stage II, 37 (30.1%) stage III and 46 (37.4%) stage IV at diagnosis. For the 129 patients (72%) in whom the thoracic MDT recommended active treatment, primary therapy was surgical resection in 44 (24.6%), combined chemoradiation in 31 patients (17.3%), chemotherapy alone in 39 (21.8%) and radiation in 15 (8.4%).

  20. Impact Exerted by Nutritional Risk Screening on Clinical Outcome of Patients with Esophageal Cancer

    OpenAIRE

    Rui Wang; Hongfei Cai; Yang Li; Caiwen Chen; Youbin Cui

    2018-01-01

    Objective. Preoperative nutritional status of patients is closely associated with their recovery after the surgery. This study aims to ascertain the impact exerted by the nutritional risk screening on clinical outcome of patients with esophageal cancer. Methods. 160 patients with esophageal cancer aged over 60, having got therapy at the First Hospital of Jilin University from Jun 2016 to Feb 2017 were evaluated by adopting the NRS2002. 80 cases of patients got active therapy of nutritional su...

  1. Cancer imaging phenomics toolkit: quantitative imaging analytics for precision diagnostics and predictive modeling of clinical outcome.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Davatzikos, Christos; Rathore, Saima; Bakas, Spyridon; Pati, Sarthak; Bergman, Mark; Kalarot, Ratheesh; Sridharan, Patmaa; Gastounioti, Aimilia; Jahani, Nariman; Cohen, Eric; Akbari, Hamed; Tunc, Birkan; Doshi, Jimit; Parker, Drew; Hsieh, Michael; Sotiras, Aristeidis; Li, Hongming; Ou, Yangming; Doot, Robert K; Bilello, Michel; Fan, Yong; Shinohara, Russell T; Yushkevich, Paul; Verma, Ragini; Kontos, Despina

    2018-01-01

    The growth of multiparametric imaging protocols has paved the way for quantitative imaging phenotypes that predict treatment response and clinical outcome, reflect underlying cancer molecular characteristics and spatiotemporal heterogeneity, and can guide personalized treatment planning. This growth has underlined the need for efficient quantitative analytics to derive high-dimensional imaging signatures of diagnostic and predictive value in this emerging era of integrated precision diagnostics. This paper presents cancer imaging phenomics toolkit (CaPTk), a new and dynamically growing software platform for analysis of radiographic images of cancer, currently focusing on brain, breast, and lung cancer. CaPTk leverages the value of quantitative imaging analytics along with machine learning to derive phenotypic imaging signatures, based on two-level functionality. First, image analysis algorithms are used to extract comprehensive panels of diverse and complementary features, such as multiparametric intensity histogram distributions, texture, shape, kinetics, connectomics, and spatial patterns. At the second level, these quantitative imaging signatures are fed into multivariate machine learning models to produce diagnostic, prognostic, and predictive biomarkers. Results from clinical studies in three areas are shown: (i) computational neuro-oncology of brain gliomas for precision diagnostics, prediction of outcome, and treatment planning; (ii) prediction of treatment response for breast and lung cancer, and (iii) risk assessment for breast cancer.

  2. National Cancer Patient Registry--a patient registry/clinical database to evaluate the health outcomes of patients undergoing treatment for cancers in Malaysia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lim, G C C; Azura, D

    2008-09-01

    Cancer burden in Malaysia is increasing. Although there have been improvements in cancer treatment, these new therapies may potentially cause an exponential increase in the cost of cancer treatment. Therefore, justification for the use of these treatments is mandated. Availability of local data will enable us to evaluate and compare the outcome of our patients. This will help to support our clinical decision making and local policy, improve access to treatment and improve the provision and delivery of oncology services in Malaysia. The National Cancer Patient Registry was proposed as a database for cancer patients who seek treatment in Malaysia. It will be a valuable tool to provide timely and robust data on the actual setting in oncology practice, safety and cost effectiveness of treatment and most importantly the outcome of these patients.

  3. Body Composition in Relation to Clinical Outcomes in Renal Cell Cancer: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vrieling, Alina; Kampman, Ellen; Knijnenburg, Nathalja C; Mulders, Peter F; Sedelaar, J P Michiel; Baracos, Vickie E; Kiemeney, Lambertus A

    2016-12-04

    Several studies suggest that body composition (ie, body proportions of muscle and fat defined by computed tomography) is associated with clinical outcomes of several cancer types, including renal cell cancer (RCC). To conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis of the evidence on body composition in relation to clinical outcomes in RCC. Literature was reviewed through October 2016 using PubMed and Embase. We included studies investigating computed tomography-measured cross-sectional areas of visceral adipose tissue (VAT), perinephric fat, subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT), skeletal muscle index (SMI), and skeletal muscle radiodensity (SMD) in relation to perioperative outcomes, treatment toxicity, and survival in RCC patients. We included 28 studies with a total of 6608 patients. Binary classification of body composition was used in most studies. In metastatic RCC (mRCC) patients treated with antiangiogenic drugs, dose-limiting toxicity was more frequent in patients with low versus high SMI (four studies, risk difference = 16%, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 2-31%, p = 0.03, I 2 = 26%). Low versus high SMI (six studies, hazard ratio = 1.48, 95% CI: 1.08-2.03, p = 0.02, I 2 = 28%) and SMD (four studies, HR = 1.56, 95% CI: 1.20-2.03, p = 0.0008, I 2 = 0%) were associated with an increased risk of overall mortality in mRCC. Low versus high VAT and perinephric fat were not consistently associated with perioperative outcomes and survival. No associations for SAT were found. Low SMI is associated with increased dose-limiting toxicity, and low SMI and SMD are associated with increased overall mortality in mRCC. The association of VAT, perinephric fat, and SAT with clinical outcomes needs further investigation, also in localized RCC. We reviewed studies assessing the association of body composition with clinical outcomes in renal cell cancer. We demonstrated higher risk of dose-limiting toxicity and overall mortality for metastatic renal cell cancer patients with low

  4. The postoperative clinical outcomes and safety of early enteral nutrition in operated gastric cancer patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Bing; Liu, Hong-Yi; Guo, Shao-Hua; Sun, Peng; Gong, Fang-Ming; Jia, Bao-Qing

    2015-01-01

    This study investigated the impact of early enteral nutrition (EEN) on the clinical outcomes of gastric cancer patients after radical gastrectomy. Four hundred gastric cancer patients undergoing radical gastrectomy of any extend with D2 nodal dissection were randomly divided into an experimental and a control group with 200 cases in each group. Patients in the control group received postoperative parenteral nutrition (PN), while patients in the experimental group received postoperative EEN. After treatment, the clinical outcomes, postoperative immune function, and nutritional status of the two groups were evaluated. The postoperative fever time, intestinal function recovery time, anal exhaust time, and the length of hospital stay for patients in the experimental group were significantly shorter than those of the control group. We did not find significant differences in anastomotic leak, postoperative ileus and regurgitation between the two groups. The activities of multiple immune cell types, including CD3⁺, CD4⁺, CD4⁺/CD8⁺, and natural killer (NK) cells, were significantly lower in both groups on postoperative day 1 when compared with the preoperative levels (p0.05). After treatment, levels of CD3⁺, CD4⁺, CD4⁺/CD8⁺, and NK cells in the experimental group patients were 35.6 ± 4.2, 42.2 ± 3.0, 1.7 ± 0.3, and 27.3 ± 5.3%, respectively, on postoperative day 7, which were similar to the preoperative levels. The immune cell levels from the control group patients remained significantly lower when compared with preoperative values; in addition, these values were also significantly lower when compared with the EEN patients (pgastric cancer patients undergoing radical gastrectomy, the clinical outcome, immune function and nutritional status after EEN were significantly improved. These data suggest the widespread use of EEN in clinical practice.

  5. Clinical characteristics and outcomes of older women with breast cancer in Mexico.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cabrera-Galeana, Paula; Soto-Perez-de-Celis, Enrique; Reynoso-Noverón, Nancy; Villarreal-Garza, Cynthia; Arce-Salinas, Claudia; Matus-Santos, Juan; Ramírez-Ugalde, María Teresa; Alvarado-Miranda, Alberto; Meneses-García, Abelardo; Lara-Medina, Fernando; Torres-Dominguez, Juan; Bargalló-Rocha, Enrique; Mohar, Alejandro

    2018-04-21

    Although the epidemiology of breast cancer in older women has been widely described before, little is known about the clinical characteristics and prognosis of older patients living in developing countries. Here, we studied older women with breast cancer treated at a public cancer center in Mexico City, and compared their outcomes with their younger counterparts. We retrospectively analyzed a database of 5488 women treated for breast cancer at a single institution. We compared clinical characteristics, treatment and survival between women aged <65 and ≥65 years of age. Survival analyses were performed for each molecular subtype. 851 women (15.5%) were ≥65 years of age, of which 45% presented with Stages III-IV disease. Compared with their younger counterparts, older women had lower grade disease, a larger proportion of hormone receptor positive tumors, and were less likely to receive both chemotherapy and radiotherapy. At 5 years, no differences in both disease free and overall survival were found between younger and older women in a multivariate model including stage, grade, tumor subtype and treatment received. In contrast with reports from high-income countries, older women with breast cancer in developing nations present with more advanced disease requiring more aggressive treatment. Strategies aimed at earlier detection, improved access to care, and downstaging among older adults are greatly needed in Mexico and in the rest of the developing world. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

  6. Microsatellite Instability Predicts Clinical Outcome in Radiation-Treated Endometrioid Endometrial Cancer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bilbao, Cristina; Lara, Pedro Carlos; Ramirez, Raquel; Henriquez-Hernandez, Luis Alberto; Rodriguez, German; Falcon, Orlando; Leon, Laureano; Perucho, Manuel

    2010-01-01

    Purpose: To elucidate whether microsatellite instability (MSI) predicts clinical outcome in radiation-treated endometrioid endometrial cancer (EEC). Methods and Materials: A consecutive series of 93 patients with EEC treated with extrafascial hysterectomy and postoperative radiotherapy was studied. The median clinical follow-up of patients was 138 months, with a maximum of 232 months. Five quasimonomorphic mononucleotide markers (BAT-25, BAT-26, NR21, NR24, and NR27) were used for MSI classification. Results: Twenty-five patients (22%) were classified as MSI. Both in the whole series and in early stages (I and II), univariate analysis showed a significant association between MSI and poorer 10-year local disease-free survival, disease-free survival, and cancer-specific survival. In multivariate analysis, MSI was excluded from the final regression model in the whole series, but in early stages MSI provided additional significant predictive information independent of traditional prognostic and predictive factors (age, stage, grade, and vascular invasion) for disease-free survival (hazard ratio [HR] 3.25, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.01-10.49; p = 0.048) and cancer-specific survival (HR 4.20, 95% CI 1.23-14.35; p = 0.022) and was marginally significant for local disease-free survival (HR 3.54, 95% CI 0.93-13.46; p = 0.064). Conclusions: These results suggest that MSI may predict radiotherapy response in early-stage EEC.

  7. Quality of Life Outcomes after Primary Treatment for Clinically Localised Prostate Cancer: A Systematic Review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lardas, Michael; Liew, Matthew; van den Bergh, Roderick C; De Santis, Maria; Bellmunt, Joaquim; Van den Broeck, Thomas; Cornford, Philip; Cumberbatch, Marcus G; Fossati, Nicola; Gross, Tobias; Henry, Ann M; Bolla, Michel; Briers, Erik; Joniau, Steven; Lam, Thomas B; Mason, Malcolm D; Mottet, Nicolas; van der Poel, Henk G; Rouvière, Olivier; Schoots, Ivo G; Wiegel, Thomas; Willemse, Peter-Paul M; Yuan, Cathy Yuhong; Bourke, Liam

    2017-12-01

    Current evidence-based management for clinically localised prostate cancer includes active surveillance, surgery, external beam radiotherapy (EBRT) and brachytherapy. The impact of these treatment modalities on quality of life (QoL) is uncertain. To systematically review comparative studies investigating disease-specific QoL outcomes as assessed by validated cancer-specific patient-reported outcome measures with at least 1 yr of follow-up after primary treatment for clinically localised prostate cancer. MEDLINE, EMBASE, AMED, PsycINFO, and Cochrane Library were searched to identify relevant studies. Studies were critically appraised for the risk of bias. A narrative synthesis was undertaken. Of 11486 articles identified, 18 studies were eligible for inclusion, including three randomised controlled trials (RCTs; follow-up range: 60-72 mo) and 15 nonrandomised comparative studies (follow-up range: 12-180 mo) recruiting a total of 13604 patients. Two RCTs recruited small cohorts and only one was judged to have a low risk of bias. The quality of evidence from observational studies was low to moderate. For a follow-up of up to 6 yr, active surveillance was found to have the lowest impact on cancer-specific QoL, surgery had a negative impact on urinary and sexual function when compared with active surveillance and EBRT, and EBRT had a negative impact on bowel function when compared with active surveillance and surgery. Data from one small RCT reported that brachytherapy has a negative impact on urinary function 1 yr post-treatment, but no significant urinary toxicity was reported at 5 yr. This is the first systematic review comparing the impact of different primary treatments on cancer-specific QoL for men with clinically localised prostate cancer, using validated cancer-specific patient-reported outcome measures only. There is robust evidence that choice of primary treatment for localised prostate cancer has distinct impacts on patients' QoL. This should be discussed in

  8. Association of TERT Polymorphisms with Clinical Outcome of Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Patients.

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    Xueying Zhao

    Full Text Available TERT is of great importance in cancer initiation and progression. Many studies have demonstrated the TERT polymorphisms as risk factors for many cancer types, including lung cancer. However, the impacts of TERT variants on cancer progression and treatment efficacy have remained controversial. This study aimed to investigate the association of TERT polymorphisms with clinical outcome of advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC patients receiving first-line platinum-based chemotherapy, including response rate, clinical benefit, progression-free survival (PFS, overall survival (OS, and grade 3 or 4 toxicity. Seven polymorphisms of TERT were assessed, and a total of 1004 inoperable advanced NSCLC patients treated with platinum-based chemotherapy were enrolled. It is exhibited that the variant heterozygote of rs4975605 showed significant association with a low rate of clinical benefit, and displayed a much stronger effect in never-smoking female subset, leading to the clinical benefit rate decreased from 82.9% (C/C genotype to 56.4% (C/A genotype; adjusted OR, 3.58; P=1.40×10(-4. It is also observed that the polymorphism rs2736109 showed significant correlation with PFS (log-rank P=0.023. In age > 58 subgroup, patients carrying the heterozygous genotype had a longer median PFS than those carrying the wild-type genotypes (P=0.002. The results from the current study, for the first time to our knowledge, provide suggestive evidence of an effect of TERT polymorphisms on disease progression variability among Chinese patients with platinum-treated advanced NSCLC.

  9. Issues and Challenges With Integrating Patient-Reported Outcomes in Clinical Trials Supported by the National Cancer Institute–Sponsored Clinical Trials Networks

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bruner, Deborah Watkins; Bryan, Charlene J.; Aaronson, Neil; Blackmore, C. Craig; Brundage, Michael; Cella, David; Ganz, Patricia A.; Gotay, Carolyn; Hinds, Pamela S.; Kornblith, Alice B.; Movsas, Benjamin; Sloan, Jeff; Wenzel, Lari; Whalen, Giles

    2016-01-01

    Purpose The objective of this report is to provide a historical overview of and the issues and challenges inherent in the incorporation of patient-reported outcomes (PROs) into multinational cancer clinical trials in the cancer cooperative groups. Methods An online survey of 12 cancer cooperative groups from the United States, Canada, and Europe was conducted between June and August of 2006. Each of the cooperative groups designated one respondent, who was a member of one of the PRO committees within the cooperative group. Results There was a 100% response rate, and all of the cancer clinical trial cooperative groups reported conducting PRO research. PRO research has been conducted in the cancer cooperative groups for an average of 15 years (range, 6 to 30 years), and all groups had multidisciplinary committees focused on the design of PRO end points and the choice of appropriate PRO measures for cancer clinical trials. The cooperative groups reported that 5% to 50% of cancer treatment trials and an estimated 50% to 75% of cancer control trials contained PRO primary and secondary end points. There was considerable heterogeneity among the cooperative groups with respect to the formal and informal policies and procedures or cooperative group culture towards PROs, investigator training/mentorship, and resource availability for the measurement and conduct of PRO research within the individual cooperatives. Conclusion The challenges faced by the cooperative groups to the incorporation of PROs into cancer clinical trials are varied. Some common opportunities for improvement include the adoption of standardized training/mentorship mechanisms for investigators for the conduct of PRO assessments and data collection and the development of minimal criteria for PRO measure acceptability. A positive cultural shift has occurred in most of the cooperative groups related to the incorporation of PROs in clinical trials; however, financial and other resource barriers remain and need

  10. A systematic review of clinical outcomes for patients diagnosed with skin cancer spinal metastases.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Goodwin, C Rory; Sankey, Eric W; Liu, Ann; Elder, Benjamin D; Kosztowski, Thomas; Lo, Sheng-Fu L; Fisher, Charles G; Clarke, Michelle J; Gokaslan, Ziya L; Sciubba, Daniel M

    2016-05-01

    OBJECT Surgical procedures and/or adjuvant therapies are effective modalities for the treatment of symptomatic spinal metastases. However, clinical results specific to the skin cancer spinal metastasis cohort are generally lacking. The purpose of this study was to systematically review the literature for treatments, clinical outcomes, and survival following the diagnosis of a skin cancer spinal metastasis and evaluate prognostic factors in the context of spinal skin cancer metastases stratified by tumor subtype. METHODS The authors performed a literature review using PubMed, Embase, CINAHL, and Web of Science to identify articles since 1950 that reported survival, clinical outcomes, and/or prognostic factors for the skin cancer patient population with spinal metastases. The methodological quality of reviews was assessed using the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) tool. RESULTS Sixty-five studies met the preset criteria and were included in the analysis. Of these studies, a total of 25, 40, 25, and 12 studies included patients who underwent some form of surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy, or observation alone, respectively. Sixty-three of the 65 included studies were retrospective in nature (Class of Evidence [CoE] IV), and the 2 prospective studies were CoE II. Based on the studies analyzed, the median overall survival for a patient with a spinal metastasis from a primary skin malignancy is 4.0 months; survival by tumor subtype is 12.5 months for patients with basal cell carcinoma (BCC), 4.0 months for those with melanoma, 4.0 months for those with squamous cell carcinoma, 3.0 months for those with pilomatrix carcinoma, and 1.5 months for those with Merkel cell carcinoma (p skin cancer lesion was 3.5% (n = 21/608, range 0.2%-100.0%), and the rate of known spine metastasis recurrence despite treatment for all skin malignancies was 2.8% (n = 17/608, range 0.0%-33.3%). Age greater than 65 years, sacral spinal involvement

  11. Surgical outcome and clinical profile of emergency versus elective cases of colorectal cancer in College of Medical Sciences, Nepal

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    Sujit Kumar

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Background: Patients who undergo emergency colorectal cancer surgery has poor outcome compared to elective surgery, both in terms of morbidity and mortality. Approximately 15 to 30% of colorectal cancers present as an emergency, most often as obstruction or perforation. Objective: To compare surgical outcome and clinical profiles of emergency and elective cases for colorectal cancer. Methods: Retrospective analysis of 34 cases who underwent surgery for colorectal cancer between December 2011 to January 2013was carried out and their surgical outcomes, clinical presentation, demographic profile were analyzed. Results: The total numbers of patients included in this study were 34. Out of which 52.94 %( n=18 were emergency cases and 47.05 %( n=16 were elective. Male female ratio was 3:1 in emergency cases and 2.6:1 in elective cases. Per rectal bleeding (56% and altered bowel habit (31.25% was predominant clinical presentation in elective cases whereas intestinal obstruction (55.55% and peritonitis (22.22% were predominant clinical presentation in emergency cases. In emergency cases most of the tumors were located in left side (77.77% and in elective cases rectum was common site (37.5%. Left hemicolectomy was the commonest surgery performed (72.22% in emergency set up. In elective cases, right hemicolectomy, left hemicolectomy, APR and LAR was done in 31.25%, 31.25%, 25% and 25% cases respectively. In the emergency group 11.11% (n=2 developed enterocutaneous fistula and early mortality within 30 days was observed in 5% (n=1 of emergency cases only. Conclusion: In emergency conditions, colorectal cancer presented with intestinal obstruction where as elective cases presented with per rectal bleeding and altered bowel habits. Compared with the elective patients, the emergency patients had higher rate of morbidity and mortality. Because of higher incidence of colorectal cancer in our institution, in all emergency cases who presents with features of

  12. Development of an International Prostate Cancer Outcomes Registry.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Evans, Sue M; Nag, Nupur; Roder, David; Brooks, Andrew; Millar, Jeremy L; Moretti, Kim L; Pryor, David; Skala, Marketa; McNeil, John J

    2016-04-01

    To establish a Prostate Cancer Outcomes Registry-Australia and New Zealand (PCOR-ANZ) for monitoring outcomes of prostate cancer treatment and care, in a cost-effective manner. Stakeholders were recruited based on their interest, importance in achieving the monitoring and reporting of clinical practice and patient outcomes, and in amalgamation of existing registries. Each participating jurisdiction is responsible for local governance, site recruitment, data collection, and data transfer into the PCOR-ANZ. To establish each local registry, hospitals and clinicians within a jurisdiction were approached to voluntarily contribute to the registry following relevant ethical approval. Patient contact occurs following notification of prostate cancer through a hospital or pathology report, or from a cancer registry. Patient registration is based on an opt-out model. The PCOR-ANZ is a secure web-based registry adhering to ISO 27001 standards. Based on a standardised minimum data set, information on demographics, diagnosis, treatment, outcomes, and patient reported quality of life, are collected. Eight of nine jurisdictions have agreed to contribute to the PCOR-ANZ. Each jurisdiction has commenced implementation of necessary infrastructure to support rapid rollout. PCOR-ANZ has defined a minimum data set for collection, to enable analysis of key quality indicators that will aid in assessing clinical practice and patient focused outcomes. PCOR-ANZ will provide a useful resource of risk-adjusted evidence-based data to clinicians, hospitals, and decision makers on prostate cancer clinical practice. © 2016 The Authors BJU International © 2016 BJU International Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  13. Incidental pulmonary embolism in cancer patients: clinical characteristics and outcome – a comprehensive cancer center experience

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    Abdel-Razeq H

    2011-03-01

    Full Text Available Hikmat N Abdel-Razeq1, Asem H Mansour2, Yousef M Ismael11Department of Internal Medicine, 2Department of Radiology, King Hussein Cancer Center, Amman, JordanBackground and objectives: Cancer patients undergo routine imaging studies much more than others. The widespread use of the recently introduced multi-detector CT scanners has resulted in an increasing number of incidentally diagnosed pulmonary embolism (PE in asymptomatic cancer patients. The significance and clinical outcome of such incidental PE is described.Methods: Both radiology department and hospital databases were searched for all cancer patients with a diagnosis of incidental PE. CT scans were performed using a 64-slice scanner with a 5.0 mm slice thickness.Results: During the study period, 34 patients with incidental PE were identified. The mean age (±SD was 57.7 (±12.4 years. All patients had active cancer, gastric, lung, colorectal, and lymphomas being the most frequent. Most patients had advanced-stage disease at the time of PE diagnosis; 26 (77% patients had stage IV, whereas only 3 patients had stages I or II disease. Twenty-seven (79% patients had their PE while undergoing active treatment with chemotherapy (68% or radiotherapy (12%; none, however, were on hormonal therapy. Most (74% patients had their PE diagnosed without history of recent hospital admission. Except for 5 (15%, all other patients were anticoagulated. With follow-up, 2 patients developed recurrent PE, 2 others had clinical and echocardiographic evidence of pulmonary hypertension, and 9 (26% died suddenly within 30 days of the diagnosis of incidental PE; 2 of these where among the 5 patients who were not anticoagulated.Conclusion: Incidental PE in cancer patients is increasingly encountered. Similar to symptomatic PE, many were diagnosed in patients with advanced stage disease and while undergoing active anti-cancer therapy. A significant percentage of patients had recurrent emboli, pulmonary hypertension

  14. Robotic surgery for rectal cancer: current immediate clinical and oncological outcomes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Araujo, Sergio Eduardo Alonso; Seid, Victor Edmond; Klajner, Sidney

    2014-10-21

    Laparoscopic rectal surgery continues to be a challenging operation associated to a steep learning curve. Robotic surgical systems have dramatically changed minimally invasive surgery. Three-dimensional, magnified and stable view, articulated instruments, and reduction of physiologic tremors leading to superior dexterity and ergonomics. Therefore, robotic platforms could potentially address limitations of laparoscopic rectal surgery. It was aimed at reviewing current literature on short-term clinical and oncological (pathological) outcomes after robotic rectal cancer surgery in comparison with laparoscopic surgery. A systematic review was performed for the period 2002 to 2014. A total of 1776 patients with rectal cancer underwent minimally invasive robotic treatment in 32 studies. After robotic and laparoscopic approach to oncologic rectal surgery, respectively, mean operating time varied from 192-385 min, and from 158-297 min; mean estimated blood loss was between 33 and 283 mL, and between 127 and 300 mL; mean length of stay varied from 4-10 d; and from 6-15 d. Conversion after robotic rectal surgery varied from 0% to 9.4%, and from 0 to 22% after laparoscopy. There was no difference between robotic (0%-41.3%) and laparoscopic (5.5%-29.3%) surgery regarding morbidity and anastomotic complications (respectively, 0%-13.5%, and 0%-11.1%). Regarding immediate oncologic outcomes, respectively among robotic and laparoscopic cases, positive circumferential margins varied from 0% to 7.5%, and from 0% to 8.8%; the mean number of retrieved lymph nodes was between 10 and 20, and between 11 and 21; and the mean distal resection margin was from 0.8 to 4.7 cm, and from 1.9 to 4.5 cm. Robotic rectal cancer surgery is being undertaken by experienced surgeons. However, the quality of the assembled evidence does not support definite conclusions about most studies variables. Robotic rectal cancer surgery is associated to increased costs and operating time. It also seems to be

  15. Clinical features, anti-cancer treatments and outcomes of lung cancer patients with combined pulmonary fibrosis and emphysema.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Minegishi, Yuji; Kokuho, Nariaki; Miura, Yukiko; Matsumoto, Masaru; Miyanaga, Akihiko; Noro, Rintaro; Saito, Yoshinobu; Seike, Masahiro; Kubota, Kaoru; Azuma, Arata; Kida, Kouzui; Gemma, Akihiko

    2014-08-01

    Combined pulmonary fibrosis and emphysema (CPFE) patients may be at significantly increased risk of lung cancer compared with either isolated emphysema or pulmonary fibrosis patients. Acute exacerbation (AE) of interstitial lung disease caused by anticancer treatment is the most common lethal complication in Japanese lung cancer patients. Nevertheless, the clinical significance of CPFE compared with isolated idiopathic interstitial pneumonias (IIPs) in patients with lung cancer is not well understood. A total of 1536 patients with lung cancer at Nippon Medical School Hospital between March 1998 and October 2011 were retrospectively reviewed. Patients with IIPs were categorized into two groups: (i) CPFE; IIP patients with definite emphysema and (ii) non-CPFE; isolated IIP patients without definite emphysema. The clinical features, anti-cancer treatments and outcomes of the CPFE group were compared with those of the non-CPFE group. CPFE and isolated IIPs were identified in 88 (5.7%) and 63 (4.1%) patients respectively, with lung cancer. AE associated with initial treatment occurred in 22 (25.0%) patients in the CPFE group and in 8 (12.7%) patients in the non-CPFE group, irrespective of treatment modality. Median overall survival (OS) of the CPFE group was 23.7 months and that of the non-CPFE group was 20.3 months (P=0.627). Chemotherapy was performed in a total of 83 patients. AE associated with chemotherapy for advanced lung cancer occurred in 6 (13.6%) patients in the CPFE group and 5 (12.8%) patients in the non-CPFE group. Median OS of the CPFE group was 14.9 months and that of the non-CPFE group was 21.6 months (P=0.679). CPFE was not an independent risk factor for AE and was not an independent prognosis factor in lung cancer patients with IIPs. Therefore, great care must be exercised with CPFE as well as IIP patients when performing anticancer treatment for patients with lung cancer. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  16. Outcome of severe infections in afebrile neutropenic cancer patients

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    Strojnik Ksenija

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available In some neutropenic cancer patients fever may be absent despite microbiologically and/or clinically confirmed infection. We hypothesized that afebrile neutropenic cancer patients with severe infections have worse outcome as compared to cancer patients with febrile neutropenia.

  17. Treatment outcome of advanced pancreatic cancer patients who are ineligible for a clinical trial

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    Ueda A

    2013-05-01

    Full Text Available Akira Ueda, Ayumu Hosokawa, Kohei Ogawa, Hiroki Yoshita, Takayuki Ando, Shinya Kajiura, Haruka Fujinami, Kengo Kawai, Jun Nishikawa, Kazuto Tajiri, Masami Minemura, Toshiro SugiyamaDepartment of Gastroenterology and Hematology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toyama, Toyama, JapanObjective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the outcome of patients with advanced pancreatic cancer in clinical practice, and assess whether chemotherapy provided a clinical benefit for patients who did not meet the eligibility criteria of the clinical trial.Methods: We retrospectively analyzed the medical records of 75 patients who received first-line chemotherapy for pancreatic cancer between April 2006 and September 2011. Patients were treated with gemcitabine (GEM alone, S-1 (tegafur, gimeracil, and oteracil potassium alone, or GEM plus S-1. Patients were divided into the clinical trial eligible group (arm eligible or the ineligible group (arm ineligible. We evaluated the efficacy and the safety of the chemotherapy.Results: A total of 23 patients out of 75 (31% belonged to the ineligible group, for the following reasons: 20 patients had poor performance status, eight had massive ascites, one had synchronous malignancy, and one had icterus. The median progression-free survival (PFS was 3.5 months, and the median overall survival (OS was 6.7 months in all patients. In arm eligible, median PFS was 4.5 months, and median OS was 10.5 months. In arm ineligible, median PFS was 1.1 months, and median OS was 2.9 months.Conclusion: The outcome of the patients who did not meet the eligibility criteria was very poor. It is important to select the patients that could benefit from either chemotherapy or optimal supportive care.Keywords: gemcitabine, S-1, clinical practice

  18. Clinical outcome of chemoradiotherapy for T1G3 bladder cancer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Inoue, Masaharu; Ishioka, Jun-ichiro; Fukuda, Hiroshi; Kageyama, Yukio; Saito, Yoshihiro; Higashi, Yotsuo

    2008-01-01

    The aim of this study was to determine the clinical outcome of a bladder-sparing approach using chemoradiotherapy (CRT) for T1G3 bladder cancer. Between May 2000 and August 2007, 11 patients with T1G3 bladder cancer and who were negative for macroscopic residual tumor were treated by CRT after transurethral resection of bladder tumor (TUR-Bt). Pelvic irradiation was given at a dose of 40 Gy in 4 weeks. Intra-arterial administration of cisplatin and systemic administration of methotrexate were carried out in the first and third weeks of radiotherapy. One month after CRT, response was evaluated by restaging TUR-Bt. For persistent tumor after CRT or tumor recurrence, patients received additional treatment. Median follow-up was 21.2 months. Complete response was achieved in 10 of 11 patients (90.9%). Local recurrence for the entire group of 11 patients was 22.1% at both 2 and 5 years. Tumor progression was 0% at 5 years. Disease-specific survival rates were 100% at 5 years. All of survivors retained functioning bladders. Bladder preservation by CRT is a curative treatment option for T1G3 bladder cancer and a reasonable alternative to intravesical treatment or early cystectomy. (author)

  19. The association of financial difficulties with clinical outcomes in cancer patients: secondary analysis of 16 academic prospective clinical trials conducted in Italy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Perrone, F; Jommi, C; Di Maio, M; Gimigliano, A; Gridelli, C; Pignata, S; Ciardiello, F; Nuzzo, F; de Matteis, A; Del Mastro, L; Bryce, J; Daniele, G; Morabito, A; Piccirillo, M C; Rocco, G; Guizzaro, L; Gallo, C

    2016-12-01

    Cancer may cause financial difficulties, but its impact in countries with public health systems is unknown. We evaluated the association of financial difficulties with clinical outcomes of cancer patients enrolled in academic clinical trials performed within the Italian public health system. Data were pooled from 16 prospective multicentre trials in lung, breast or ovarian cancer, using the EORTC quality of life (QOL) C30 questionnaire. Question 28 scores financial difficulties related to disease or treatment in four categories from 'not at all' to 'very much'. We defined financial burden (FB) as any financial difficulty reported at baseline questionnaire, and financial toxicity (FT) as score worsening in a subsequent questionnaire. We investigated (i) the association of FB with clinical outcomes (survival, global QOL response [questions 29/30] and severe toxicity), and (ii) the association of FT with survival. Multivariable analyses were performed using logistic regression models or the Cox model adjusting for trial, gender, age, region and period of enrolment, baseline global QOL and, where appropriate, FB and global QOL response. Results are reported as odds ratio (OR) or hazard ratio (HR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI). At baseline 26% of the 3670 study patients reported FB, significantly correlated with worse baseline global QOL. FB was not associated with risks of death (HR 0.94, 95% CI 0.85-1.04, P = 0.23) and severe toxicity (OR 0.90, 95% CI 0.76-1.06, P = 0.19) but was predictive of a higher chance of worse global QOL response (OR 1.35, 95% CI 1.08-1.70, P = 0.009). During treatment, 2735 (74.5%) patients filled in subsequent questionnaires and 616 (22.5%) developed FT that was significantly associated with an increased risk of death (HR 1.20, 95% CI 1.05-1.37, P = 0.007). Several sensitivity analyses confirmed these findings. Even in a public health system, financial difficulties are associated with relevant cancer patients outcomes like QOL and

  20. Pyruvate dehydrogenase expression is negatively associated with cell stemness and worse clinical outcome in prostate cancers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhong, Yali; Li, Xiaoli; Ji, Yasai; Li, Xiaoran; Li, Yaqing; Yu, Dandan; Yuan, Yuan; Liu, Jian; Li, Huixiang; Zhang, Mingzhi; Ji, Zhenyu; Fan, Dandan; Wen, Jianguo; Goscinski, Mariusz Adam; Yuan, Long; Hao, Bin; Nesland, Jahn M; Suo, Zhenhe

    2017-01-01

    Cells generate adenosine-5′-triphosphate (ATP), the major currency for energy-consuming reactions, through mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) and glycolysis. One of the remarkable features of cancer cells is aerobic glycolysis, also known as the “Warburg Effect”, in which cancer cells rely preferentially on glycolysis instead of mitochondrial OXPHOS as the main energy source even in the presence of high oxygen tension. One of the main players in controlling OXPHOS is the mitochondrial gatekeeperpyruvate dehydrogenase complex (PDHc) and its major subunit is E1α (PDHA1). To further analyze the function of PDHA1 in cancer cells, it was knock out (KO) in the human prostate cancer cell line LnCap and a stable KO cell line was established. We demonstrated that PDHA1 gene KO significantly decreased mitochondrial OXPHOS and promoted anaerobic glycolysis, accompanied with higher stemness phenotype including resistance to chemotherapy, enhanced migration ability and increased expression of cancer stem cell markers. We also examined PDHA1 protein expression in prostate cancer tissues by immunohistochemistry and observed that reduced PDHA1 protein expression in clinical prostate carcinomas was significantly correlated with poor prognosis. Collectively, our results show that negative PDHA1 gene expressionis associated with significantly higher cell stemness in prostate cancer cells and reduced protein expression of this gene is associated with shorter clinical outcome in prostate cancers. PMID:28076853

  1. Correlation of microarray-based breast cancer molecular subtypes and clinical outcomes: implications for treatment optimization

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    Hsu Hui-Chi

    2011-04-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Optimizing treatment through microarray-based molecular subtyping is a promising method to address the problem of heterogeneity in breast cancer; however, current application is restricted to prediction of distant recurrence risk. This study investigated whether breast cancer molecular subtyping according to its global intrinsic biology could be used for treatment customization. Methods Gene expression profiling was conducted on fresh frozen breast cancer tissue collected from 327 patients in conjunction with thoroughly documented clinical data. A method of molecular subtyping based on 783 probe-sets was established and validated. Statistical analysis was performed to correlate molecular subtypes with survival outcome and adjuvant chemotherapy regimens. Heterogeneity of molecular subtypes within groups sharing the same distant recurrence risk predicted by genes of the Oncotype and MammaPrint predictors was studied. Results We identified six molecular subtypes of breast cancer demonstrating distinctive molecular and clinical characteristics. These six subtypes showed similarities and significant differences from the Perou-Sørlie intrinsic types. Subtype I breast cancer was in concordance with chemosensitive basal-like intrinsic type. Adjuvant chemotherapy of lower intensity with CMF yielded survival outcome similar to those of CAF in this subtype. Subtype IV breast cancer was positive for ER with a full-range expression of HER2, responding poorly to CMF; however, this subtype showed excellent survival when treated with CAF. Reduced expression of a gene associated with methotrexate sensitivity in subtype IV was the likely reason for poor response to methotrexate. All subtype V breast cancer was positive for ER and had excellent long-term survival with hormonal therapy alone following surgery and/or radiation therapy. Adjuvant chemotherapy did not provide any survival benefit in early stages of subtype V patients. Subtype V was

  2. Correlation of microarray-based breast cancer molecular subtypes and clinical outcomes: implications for treatment optimization

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kao, Kuo-Jang; Chang, Kai-Ming; Hsu, Hui-Chi; Huang, Andrew T

    2011-01-01

    Optimizing treatment through microarray-based molecular subtyping is a promising method to address the problem of heterogeneity in breast cancer; however, current application is restricted to prediction of distant recurrence risk. This study investigated whether breast cancer molecular subtyping according to its global intrinsic biology could be used for treatment customization. Gene expression profiling was conducted on fresh frozen breast cancer tissue collected from 327 patients in conjunction with thoroughly documented clinical data. A method of molecular subtyping based on 783 probe-sets was established and validated. Statistical analysis was performed to correlate molecular subtypes with survival outcome and adjuvant chemotherapy regimens. Heterogeneity of molecular subtypes within groups sharing the same distant recurrence risk predicted by genes of the Oncotype and MammaPrint predictors was studied. We identified six molecular subtypes of breast cancer demonstrating distinctive molecular and clinical characteristics. These six subtypes showed similarities and significant differences from the Perou-Sørlie intrinsic types. Subtype I breast cancer was in concordance with chemosensitive basal-like intrinsic type. Adjuvant chemotherapy of lower intensity with CMF yielded survival outcome similar to those of CAF in this subtype. Subtype IV breast cancer was positive for ER with a full-range expression of HER2, responding poorly to CMF; however, this subtype showed excellent survival when treated with CAF. Reduced expression of a gene associated with methotrexate sensitivity in subtype IV was the likely reason for poor response to methotrexate. All subtype V breast cancer was positive for ER and had excellent long-term survival with hormonal therapy alone following surgery and/or radiation therapy. Adjuvant chemotherapy did not provide any survival benefit in early stages of subtype V patients. Subtype V was consistent with a unique subset of luminal A intrinsic

  3. Oligometastatic prostate cancer: definitions, clinical outcomes, and treatment considerations

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tosoian, Jeffrey J.; Gorin, Michael A.; Ross, Ashley E.; Pienta, Kenneth J.; Tran, Phuoc T.; Schaeffer, Edward M.

    2018-01-01

    The oligometastatic state has been proposed as an intermediate stage of cancer spread between localized disease and widespread metastases. With improvements in diagnostic modalities such as functional imaging, oligometastatic prostate cancer is being diagnosed with greater frequency than ever before. Furthermore, the paradigm for treatment of advanced prostate cancers is shifting toward a more aggressive approach. Many questions surround the understanding of the process and consequences of oligometastasis, meaning that the contemporary literature offers a wide variety of definitions of oligometastatic prostate cancer. Until genomic data exist to provide a biological component to the definition of oligometastatic disease, a clinical diagnosis made on the basis of up to five extrapelvic lesions is reasonable for use. Retrospective studies suggest that interventions such as radical prostatectomy and local or metastasis-directed radiotherapy can be performed in the metastatic setting with minimal risk of toxic effects. These therapies seem to decrease the need for subsequent palliative interventions, but insufficient data are available to draw reliable conclusions regarding their effect on survival. Thus, a protocol for clinicians to manage the patient presenting with oligometastatic prostate cancer would be a useful clinical tool. PMID:27725639

  4. Technical Performance as a Predictor of Clinical Outcomes in Laparoscopic Gastric Cancer Surgery.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fecso, Andras B; Bhatti, Junaid A; Stotland, Peter K; Quereshy, Fayez A; Grantcharov, Teodor P

    2018-03-23

    The purpose of this study was to evaluate the relationship between technical performance and patient outcomes in laparoscopic gastric cancer surgery. Laparoscopic gastrectomy for cancer is an advanced procedure with high rate of postoperative morbidity and mortality. Many variables including patient, disease, and perioperative management factors have been shown to impact postoperative outcomes; however, the role of surgical performance is insufficiently investigated. A retrospective review was performed for all patients who had undergone laparoscopic gastrectomy for cancer at 3 teaching institutions between 2009 and 2015. Patients with available, unedited video-recording of their procedure were included in the study. Video files were rated for technical performance, using Objective Structured Assessments of Technical Skills (OSATS) and Generic Error Rating Tool instruments. The main outcome variable was major short-term complications. The effect of technical performance on patient outcomes was assessed using logistic regression analysis with backward selection strategy. Sixty-one patients with available video recordings were included in the study. The overall complication rate was 29.5%. The mean Charlson comorbidity index, type of procedure, and the global OSATS score were included in the final predictive model. Lower performance score (OSATS ≤29) remained an independent predictor for major short-term outcomes (odds ratio 6.49), while adjusting for comorbidities and type of procedure. Intraoperative technical performance predicts major short-term outcomes in laparoscopic gastrectomy for cancer. Ongoing assessment and enhancement of surgical skills using modern, evidence-based strategies might improve short-term patient outcomes. Future work should focus on developing and studying the effectiveness of such interventions in laparoscopic gastric cancer surgery.

  5. Gene Expression Profiling to Predict Clinical Outcome of Breast Cancer: reproducing, analyzing and extending the Nature publication by vhVeer et al

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Li R.; Visser, H.M.

    2010-01-01

    Chemotherapy and hormonal therapy as adjuvant systemic therapies to inhibit breast cancer recurrence are not necessary for each patient. In Veer's paper "Gene expression profiling predicts clinical outcome of breast cancer" (Nature 2002, PMID: 11823860), they introduced a method based on DNA

  6. The Impacts of Inclusion in Clinical Trials on Outcomes among Patients with Metastatic Breast Cancer (MBC.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ji Yun Lee

    Full Text Available Metastatic breast cancer (MBC remains a devastating and incurable disease. Over the past decade, the implementation of clinical trials both with and without molecular targeted therapeutics has impacted the daily clinical treatment of patients with MBC. In this study, we determine whether including MBC patients in clinical trials affects clinical outcomes.We retrospectively reviewed data for a total of 863 patients diagnosed with initial or recurrent (after receiving adjuvant systemic treatments following surgery metastatic disease between January 2000 and December 2013. Data were obtained from the breast cancer database of Samsung Medical Center.Among the 806 patients selected for inclusion, 188 (23% had participated in clinical trials. A total of 185 clinical trials were conducted from 2000 to 2014. When compared with earlier periods (n = 10 for 2000-2004, clinical trial enrollment significantly increased over time (n = 103 for 2005-2009, P = 0.024; n = 110 for 2010-2014, P = 0.046. Multivariate analyses revealed that biologic subtype, distant recurrence free interval (DRFI, and clinical trial enrollment were independent predictors of overall survival. Patients who participated in clinical trials showed improved survival, with a hazard ratio of 0.75 (95% CI, 0.59-0.95, which was associated with a 25% reduction in the risk of death. However, subgroup analysis showed that this improved survival benefit was not maintained in patients with triple negative breast cancer (TNBC.Although not conclusive, we could speculate that there were differences in the use of newer agents or regimens over time, and these differences appear to be associated with improved survival.

  7. Radiochemotherapy in Anal Cancer: cCR, clinical outcomes and quality of life using two different treatment schedules.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Di Santo, Sara; Trignani, Marianna; Neri, Matteo; Milano, Angelo; Innocenti, Paolo; Taraborrelli, Maria; Augurio, Antonietta; Vinciguerra, Annamaria; Di Tommaso, Monica; Ursini, Lucia Anna; Di Pilla, Angelo; Di Nicola, Marta; Genovesi, Domenico

    2015-01-01

    Main endpoint was a response rate to therapy; secondary endpoints were disease-free survival, overall survival, acute and late toxicities, specially in terms of anorectal and urinary continence. Radiochemotherapy for anal cancer achieves a good clinical response, locoregional control, anal function preservation. However, oncologic outcomes can differ using radiotherapy plus fluorouracil and mytomicin vs. cisplatin and fluorouracil. Between 2000 and 2012, 27 anal cancer patients receiving radiotherapy combined with two different radiochemotherapy schedules, fluorouracil and mytomicin (group A) and cisplatin plus fluorouracil (group B). The Kaplan-Meier method was also used to estimate local control, overall survival and disease free survival. Statistical significance between curves was evaluated using the Log-rank test. Complete pathological response was found in 85.2% of patients, with higher rates of response in the group A (100% vs. 63.6%, p = 0.039). No significantly difference was found between the two groups for the other endpoints. Low rates of both acute and late toxicities were recorded. Radiotherapy plus fluorouracil and mytomicin provide a better complete pathological response than radiotherapy plus cisplatin and fluorouracil and a greater rate of anal sphincter function preservation. Globally, radiochemotherapy of the anal cancer provides excellent clinical outcomes with a good profile of acute and late toxicity, without difference between the two groups studied.

  8. Analysing data from patient-reported outcome and quality of life endpoints for cancer clinical trials: a start in setting international standards.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bottomley, Andrew; Pe, Madeline; Sloan, Jeff; Basch, Ethan; Bonnetain, Franck; Calvert, Melanie; Campbell, Alicyn; Cleeland, Charles; Cocks, Kim; Collette, Laurence; Dueck, Amylou C; Devlin, Nancy; Flechtner, Hans-Henning; Gotay, Carolyn; Greimel, Eva; Griebsch, Ingolf; Groenvold, Mogens; Hamel, Jean-Francois; King, Madeleine; Kluetz, Paul G; Koller, Michael; Malone, Daniel C; Martinelli, Francesca; Mitchell, Sandra A; Moinpour, Carol M; Musoro, Jammbe; O'Connor, Daniel; Oliver, Kathy; Piault-Louis, Elisabeth; Piccart, Martine; Pimentel, Francisco L; Quinten, Chantal; Reijneveld, Jaap C; Schürmann, Christoph; Smith, Ashley Wilder; Soltys, Katherine M; Taphoorn, Martin J B; Velikova, Galina; Coens, Corneel

    2016-11-01

    Measures of health-related quality of life (HRQOL) and other patient-reported outcomes generate important data in cancer randomised trials to assist in assessing the risks and benefits of cancer therapies and fostering patient-centred cancer care. However, the various ways these measures are analysed and interpreted make it difficult to compare results across trials, and hinders the application of research findings to inform publications, product labelling, clinical guidelines, and health policy. To address these problems, the Setting International Standards in Analyzing Patient-Reported Outcomes and Quality of Life Endpoints Data (SISAQOL) initiative has been established. This consortium, directed by the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC), was convened to provide recommendations on how to standardise the analysis of HRQOL and other patient-reported outcomes data in cancer randomised trials. This Personal View discusses the reasons why this project was initiated, the rationale for the planned work, and the expected benefits to cancer research, patient and provider decision making, care delivery, and policy making. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  9. Chemotherapy-Induced Peripheral Neuropathy in Long-term Survivors of Childhood Cancer: Clinical, Neurophysiological, Functional, and Patient-Reported Outcomes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kandula, Tejaswi; Farrar, Michelle Anne; Cohn, Richard J; Mizrahi, David; Carey, Kate; Johnston, Karen; Kiernan, Matthew C; Krishnan, Arun V; Park, Susanna B

    2018-05-14

    In light of the excellent long-term survival of childhood cancer patients, it is imperative to screen for factors affecting health, function, and quality of life in long-term survivors. To comprehensively assess chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy in childhood cancer survivors to define disease burden and functional effect and to inform screening recommendations. In this cross-sectional observational study, cancer survivors who were treated with chemotherapy for extracranial malignancy before age 17 years were recruited consecutively between April 2015 and December 2016 from a single tertiary hospital-based comprehensive cancer survivorship clinic and compared with healthy age-matched controls. Investigators were blinded to the type of chemotherapy. A total of 169 patients met inclusion criteria, of whom 48 (28.4%) were unable to be contacted or declined participation. Chemotherapy agents known to be toxic to peripheral nerves. The clinical peripheral neurological assessment using the Total Neuropathy Score was compared between recipients of different neurotoxic chemotherapy agents and control participants and was correlated with neurophysiological, functional, and patient-reported outcome measures. Of the 121 childhood cancer survivors included in this study, 65 (53.7%) were male, and the cohort underwent neurotoxicity assessments at a median (range) age of 16 (7-47) years, a median (range) 8.5 (1.5-29) years after treatment completion. Vinca alkaloids and platinum compounds were the main neurotoxic agents. Clinical abnormalities consistent with peripheral neuropathy were common, seen in 54 of 107 participants (50.5%) treated with neurotoxic chemotherapy (mean Total Neuropathy Score increase, 2.1; 95% CI, 1.4-2.9; P neuropathy (mean amplitude reduction, 5.8 μV; 95% CI, 2.8-8.8; P Neuropathy Score. Cisplatin produced long-term neurotoxicity more frequently than vinca alkaloids. Clinical abnormalities attributable to peripheral neuropathy were common in

  10. Clinical outcomes of laparoscopic surgery for transverse and descending colon cancers in a community setting.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Matsuda, Takeru; Fujita, Hirofumi; Kunimoto, Yukihiro; Kimura, Taisei; Hayashi, Tomomi; Maeda, Toshiyuki; Yamakawa, Junichi; Mizumoto, Takuya; Ogino, Kazunori

    2013-08-01

    The feasibility, safety and oncological outcomes of laparoscopic surgery for transverse and descending colon cancers in a community hospital setting were evaluated. Twenty-six patients with transverse or descending colon cancers who underwent laparoscopic surgery at our hospital were included in this retrospective analysis (group A). Their outcomes were compared with those of 71 patients who underwent laparoscopic surgery for colon cancer at other tumor sites (group B). There were no significant differences between the two groups in terms of operative time, estimated blood loss, postoperative hospital stay and morbidity rate. Extended lymphadenectomy was performed more frequently and the number of harvested lymph nodes was significantly higher in group B than in group A. However, no recurrence developed in group A, while recurrence occurred in four patients from group B. The 3-year disease-free survival rates were 100% for group A and 93.5% for group B. The 3-year overall survival rates were 100% for group A and 91.6% for group B. Laparoscopic surgery for transverse and descending colon cancers can be performed safely with oncological validity in a community hospital setting, provided there is careful selection of the patients and adequate lymphadenectomy considering the clinical stage of their disease. © 2013 Japan Society for Endoscopic Surgery, Asia Endosurgery Task Force and Wiley Publishing Asia Pty Ltd.

  11. Clinical course and outcome of patients with high-level microsatellite instability cancers in a real-life setting: a retrospective analysis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Halpern N

    2017-03-01

    Full Text Available Naama Halpern,1 Yael Goldberg,2 Luna Kadouri,2 Morasha Duvdevani,2 Tamar Hamburger,2 Tamar Peretz,2 Ayala Hubert2 1Institute of Oncology, The Chaim Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer, Israel; 2Sharett Institute of Oncology, Hadassah Medical Center, Hebrew University, Jerusalem, Israel Background: The prognostic and predictive significance of the high-level microsatellite instability (MSI-H phenotype in various malignancies is unclear. We describe the characteristics, clinical course, and outcomes of patients with MSI-H malignancies treated in a real-life hospital setting.Patients and methods: A retrospective analysis of MSI-H cancer patient files was conducted. We analyzed the genetic data, clinical characteristics, and oncological treatments, including chemotherapy and surgical interventions.Results: Clinical data of 73 MSI-H cancer patients were available. Mean age at diagnosis of first malignancy was 52.3 years. Eight patients (11% had more than four malignancies each. Most patients (76% had colorectal cancer (CRC. Seventeen patients (23% had only extracolonic malignancies. Eighteen women (36% had gynecological malignancy. Nine women (18% had breast cancer. Mean follow-up was 8.5 years. Five-year overall survival and disease-free survival of all MSI-H cancer patients from first malignancy were 86% and 74.6%, respectively. Five-year overall survival rates of stage 2, 3, and 4 MSI-H CRC patients were 89.5%, 58.4%, and 22.9%, respectively.Conclusion: Although the overall prognosis of MSI-H cancer patients is favorable, this advantage may not be maintained in advanced MSI-H CRC patients. Keywords: microsatellite instability, malignancy, treatment, outcome

  12. Pretreatment organ function in patients with advanced head and neck cancer: clinical outcome measures and patients' views

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rasch Coen RN

    2009-11-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Aim of this study is to thoroughly assess pretreatment organ function in advanced head and neck cancer through various clinical outcome measures and patients' views. Methods A comprehensive, multidimensional assessment was used, that included quality of life, swallowing, mouth opening, and weight changes. Fifty-five patients with stage III-IV disease were entered in this study prior to organ preserving (chemoradiation treatment. Results All patients showed pretreatment abnormalities or problems, identified by one or more of the outcome measures. Most frequent problems concerned swallowing, pain, and weight loss. Interestingly, clinical outcome measures and patients' perception did no always concur. E.g. videofluoroscopy identified aspiration and laryngeal penetration in 18% of the patients, whereas only 7 patients (13% perceived this as problematic; only 2 out of 7 patients with objective trismus actually perceived trismus. Conclusion The assessment identified several problems already pre-treatment, in this patient population. A thorough assessment of both clinical measures and patients' views appears to be necessary to gain insight in all (perceived pre-existing functional and quality of life problems.

  13. Surgical and pathological outcomes of laparoscopic surgery for transverse colon cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Y S; Lee, I K; Kang, W K; Cho, H M; Park, J K; Oh, S T; Kim, J G; Kim, Y H

    2008-07-01

    Several multi-institutional prospective randomized trials have demonstrated short-term benefits using laparoscopy. Now the laparoscopic approach is accepted as an alternative to open surgery for colon cancer. However, in prior trials, the transverse colon was excluded. Therefore, it has not been determined whether laparoscopy can be used in the setting of transverse colon cancer. This study evaluated the peri-operative clinical outcomes and oncological quality by pathologic outcomes of laparoscopic surgery for transverse colon cancer. Analysis of the medical records of patients who underwent laparoscopic colorectal resection from August 2004 to November 2007 was made. Computed tomography, barium enema, and colonoscopy were performed to localize the tumor preoperatively. Extended right hemicolectomy, transverse colectomy, and extended left hemicolectomy were performed for transverse colon cancer. Surgical outcomes and pathologic outcomes were compared between transverse colon cancer (TCC) and other site colon cancer (OSCC). Of the 312 colorectal cancer patients, 94 patients underwent laparoscopic surgery for OSCC, and 34 patients underwent laparoscopic surgery for TCC. Patients with TCC were similar to patients with OSCC in age, gender, body mass index, operating time, blood loss, time to pass flatus, start of diet, hospital stay, tumor size, distal resection margin, proximal resection margin, number of lymph nodes, and radial margin. One case in TCC and three cases in OSCC were converted to open surgery. Laparoscopic surgery for transverse colon cancer and OSCC had similar peri-operative clinical and acceptable pathological outcomes.

  14. Incidence, predictive factors, and clinical outcomes of acute kidney injury after gastric surgery for gastric cancer.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Chang Seong Kim

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Postoperative acute kidney injury (AKI, a serious surgical complication, is common after cardiac surgery; however, reports on AKI after noncardiac surgery are limited. We sought to determine the incidence and predictive factors of AKI after gastric surgery for gastric cancer and its effects on the clinical outcomes. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective study of 4718 patients with normal renal function who underwent partial or total gastrectomy for gastric cancer between June 2002 and December 2011. Postoperative AKI was defined by serum creatinine change, as per the Kidney Disease Improving Global Outcomes guideline. RESULTS: Of the 4718 patients, 679 (14.4% developed AKI. Length of hospital stay, intensive care unit admission rates, and in-hospital mortality rate (3.5% versus 0.2% were significantly higher in patients with AKI than in those without. AKI was also associated with requirement of renal replacement therapy. Multivariate analysis revealed that male gender; hypertension; chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; hypoalbuminemia (<4 g/dl; use of diuretics, vasopressors, and contrast agents; and packed red blood cell transfusion were independent predictors for AKI after gastric surgery. Postoperative AKI and vasopressor use entailed a high risk of 3-month mortality after multiple adjustments. CONCLUSIONS: AKI was common after gastric surgery for gastric cancer and associated with adverse outcomes. We identified several factors associated with postoperative AKI; recognition of these predictive factors may help reduce the incidence of AKI after gastric surgery. Furthermore, postoperative AKI in patients with gastric cancer is an important risk factor for short-term mortality.

  15. Feasibility test of a UK-scalable electronic system for regular collection of patient-reported outcome measures and linkage with clinical cancer registry data: The electronic Patient-reported Outcomes from Cancer Survivors (ePOCS system

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Velikova Galina

    2011-10-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Cancer survivors can face significant physical and psychosocial challenges; there is a need to identify and predict which survivors experience what sorts of difficulties. As highlighted in the UK National Cancer Survivorship Initiative, routine post-diagnostic collection of patient reported outcome measures (PROMs is required; to be most informative, PROMs must be linked and analysed with patients' diagnostic and treatment information. We have designed and built a potentially cost-efficient UK-scalable electronic system for collecting PROMs via the internet, at regular post-diagnostic time-points, for linking these data with patients' clinical data in cancer registries, and for electronically managing the associated patient monitoring and communications; the electronic Patient-reported Outcomes from Cancer Survivors (ePOCS system. This study aims to test the feasibility of the ePOCS system, by running it for 2 years in two Yorkshire NHS Trusts, and using the Northern and Yorkshire Cancer Registry and Information Service. Methods/Design Non-metastatic breast, colorectal and prostate cancer patients (largest survivor groups, within 6 months post-diagnosis, will be recruited from hospitals in the Yorkshire Cancer Network. Participants will be asked to complete PROMS, assessing a range of health-related quality-of-life outcomes, at three time-points up to 15 months post-diagnosis, and subsequently to provide opinion on the ePOCS system via a feedback questionnaire. Feasibility will be examined primarily in terms of patient recruitment and retention rates, the representativeness of participating patients, the quantity and quality of collected PROMs data, patients' feedback, the success and reliability of the underpinning informatics, and the system running costs. If sufficient data are generated during system testing, these will be analysed to assess the health-related quality-of-life outcomes reported by patients, and to explore

  16. Korean Clinic Based Outcome Measure Studies

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    Jongbae Park

    2003-02-01

    Full Text Available Background: Evidence based medicine has become main tools for medical practice. However, conducting a highly ranked in the evidence hierarchy pyramid is not easy or feasible at all times and places. There remains a room for descriptive clinical outcome measure studies with admitting the limit of the intepretation. Aims: Presents three Korean clinic based outcome measure studies with a view to encouraging Korean clinicians to conduct similar studies. Methods: Three studies are presented briefly here including 1 Quality of Life of liver cancer patients after 8 Constitutional acupuncture; 2 Developing a Korean version of Measuring yourself Medical Outcome profile (MYMOP; and 3 Survey on 5 Shu points: a pilot In the first study, we have included 4 primary or secondary liver cancer patients collecting their diagnostic X-ray film and clinical data f개m their hospital, and asked them to fill in the European Organization Research and Treatment of Cancer, Quality of Life Questionnaire before the commencement of the treatment. The acupuncture treatment is set up format but not disclosed yet. The translation and developing a Korean version of outcome measures that is Korean clinician friendly has been sought for MYMOP is one of the most appropriate one. The permission was granted, the translation into Korean was done, then back translated into English only based on the Korean translation by the researcher who is bilingual in both languages. The back translation was compared by the original developer of MYMOP and confirmed usable. In order to test the existence of acupoints and meridians through popular forms of Korean acupuncture regimes, we aim at collecting opinions from 101 Korean clinicians that have used those forms. The questions asked include most effective symptoms, 5 Shu points, points those are least likely to use due to either adverse events or the lack of effectiveness, theoretical reasons for the above proposals, proposing outcome measures

  17. Chemoradiation Therapy for Potentially Resectable Gastric Cancer: Clinical Outcomes Among Patients Who Do Not Undergo Planned Surgery

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kim, Michelle M.; Mansfield, Paul F.; Das, Prajnan; Janjan, Nora A.; Badgwell, Brian D.; Phan, Alexandria T.; Delclos, Marc E.; Maru, Dipen; Ajani, Jaffer A.; Crane, Christopher H.; Krishnan, Sunil

    2008-01-01

    Purpose: We retrospectively analyzed treatment outcomes among resectable gastric cancer patients treated preoperatively with chemoradiation therapy (CRT) but rendered ineligible for planned surgery because of clinical deterioration or development of overt metastatic disease. Methods and Materials: Between 1996 and 2004, 39 patients with potentially resectable gastric cancer received preoperative CRT but failed to undergo surgery. At baseline clinical staging, 33 (85%) patients had T3-T4 disease, and 27 (69%) patients had nodal involvement. Most patients received 45 Gy of radiotherapy with concurrent 5-fluorouracil-based chemotherapy. Twenty-one patients underwent induction chemotherapy before CRT. Actuarial times to local control (LC), distant control (DC), and overall survival (OS) were calculated by the Kaplan-Meier method. Results: The cause for surgical ineligibility was development of metastatic disease (28 patients, 72%; predominantly peritoneal, 18 patients), poor performance status (5 patients, 13%), patient/physician preference (4 patients, 10%), and treatment-related death (2 patients, 5%). With a median follow-up of 8 months (range, 1-95 months), actuarial 1-year LC, DC, and OS were 46%, 12%, and 36%, respectively. Median LC and OS were 11.0 and 10.1 months, respectively. Conclusions: Patients with potentially resectable gastric cancer treated with preoperative CRT are found to be ineligible for surgery principally because of peritoneal progression. Patients who are unable to undergo planned surgery have outcomes comparable to that of patients with advanced gastric cancer treated with chemotherapy alone. CRT provides durable LC for the majority of the remaining life of these patients

  18. Clinical outcomes in endometrial cancer care when the standard of care shifts from open surgery to robotics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mok, Zhun Wei; Yong, Eu Leong; Low, Jeffrey Jen Hui; Ng, Joseph Soon Yau

    2012-06-01

    In Singapore, the standard of care for endometrial cancer staging remains laparotomy. Since the introduction of gynecologic robotic surgery, there have been more data comparing robotic surgery to laparoscopy in the management of endometrial cancer. This study reviewed clinical outcomes in endometrial cancer in a program that moved from laparotomy to robotic surgery. A retrospective review was performed on 124 consecutive endometrial cancer patients. Preoperative data and postoperative outcomes of 34 patients undergoing robotic surgical staging were compared with 90 patients who underwent open endometrial cancer staging during the same period and in the year before the introduction of robotics. There were no significant differences in the mean age, body mass index, rates of diabetes, hypertension, previous surgery, parity, medical conditions, size of specimens, histologic type, or stage of cancer between the robotic and the open surgery groups. The first 20 robotic-assisted cases had a mean (SD) operative time of 196 (60) minutes, and the next 14 cases had a mean time of 124 (64) minutes comparable to that for open surgery. The mean number of lymph nodes retrieved during robot-assisted staging was smaller than open laparotomy in the first 20 cases but not significantly different for the subsequent 14 cases. Robot-assisted surgery was associated with lower intraoperative blood loss (110 [24] vs 250 [83] mL, P robot-assisted endometrial cancer staging after a relatively small number of cases.

  19. Clinical outcome of high-dose-rate interstitial brachytherapy in patients with oral cavity cancer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lee, Sung Uk; Cho, Kwan Ho; Moon, Sung Ho; Choi, Sung Weon; Park, Joo Yong; Yun, Tak; Lee, Sang Hyun; Lim, Young Kyung; Jeong, Chi Young

    2014-01-01

    To evaluate the clinical outcome of high-dose-rate (HDR) interstitial brachytherapy (IBT) in patients with oral cavity cancer. Sixteen patients with oral cavity cancer treated with HDR remote-control afterloading brachytherapy using 192Ir between 2001 and 2013 were analyzed retrospectively. Brachytherapy was administered in 11 patients as the primary treatment and in five patients as salvage treatment for recurrence after the initial surgery. In 12 patients, external beam radiotherapy (50-55 Gy/25 fractions) was combined with IBT of 21 Gy/7 fractions. In addition, IBT was administered as the sole treatment in three patients with a total dose of 50 Gy/10 fractions and as postoperative adjuvant treatment in one patient with a total of 35 Gy/7 fractions. The 5-year overall survival of the entire group was 70%. The actuarial local control rate after 3 years was 84%. All five recurrent cases after initial surgery were successfully salvaged using IBT +/- external beam radiotherapy. Two patients developed local recurrence at 3 and 5 months, respectively, after IBT. The acute complications were acceptable (< or =grade 2). Three patients developed major late complications, such as radio-osteonecrosis, in which one patient was treated by conservative therapy and two required surgical intervention. HDR IBT for oral cavity cancer was effective and acceptable in diverse clinical settings, such as in the cases of primary or salvage treatment.

  20. Relationship between patient-reported outcomes and clinical outcomes in metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer: post hoc analysis of COU-AA-301 and COU-AA-302.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cella, D; Traina, S; Li, T; Johnson, K; Ho, K F; Molina, A; Shore, N D

    2018-02-01

    Patient-reported outcomes (PROs) are used to assess benefit-risk in drug development. The relationship between PROs and clinical outcomes is not well understood. We aim to elucidate the relationships between changes in PRO measures and clinical outcomes in metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC). We investigated relationships between changes in self-reported fatigue, pain, functional well-being (FWB), physical well-being (PWB) and prostate cancer-specific symptoms with overall survival (OS) and radiographic progression-free survival (rPFS) after 6 and 12 months of treatment in COU-AA-301 (N = 1195) or COU-AA-302 (N = 1088). Eligible COU-AA-301 patients had progressed after docetaxel and had Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status (ECOG PS) ≤ 2. Eligible COU-AA-302 patients had no prior chemotherapy and ECOG PS 0 or 1. Patients were treated with abiraterone acetate (1000 mg/day) plus prednisone (10 mg/day) or prednisone alone daily. Association between self-reported fatigue, pain and functional status, and OS and/or rPFS, using pooled data regardless of treatment, was assessed. Cox proportional hazard regression modeled time to death or radiographic progression. In COU-AA-301 patients, PRO improvements were associated with longer OS and longer time to radiographic progression versus worsening or stable PROs (P AA-302 patients, worsening PROs were associated with higher likelihood of radiographic progression (P ≤ 0.025) compared with improved or stable PROs. In multivariate models, worsening PWB remained associated with worse rPFS. The 12-month analysis confirmed the 6-month results. PROs are significantly associated with clinically relevant time-to-event efficacy outcomes in clinical trials and may complement and help predict traditional clinical practice methods for monitoring patients for disease progression. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Society for

  1. Outcome of Laparoscopic Versus Open Resection for Transverse Colon Cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zeng, Wei-Gen; Liu, Meng-Jia; Zhou, Zhi-Xiang; Hou, Hui-Rong; Liang, Jian-Wei; Wang, Zheng; Zhang, Xing-Mao; Hu, Jun-Jie

    2015-10-01

    Laparoscopic resection for transverse colon cancer remains controversial. The aim of this study is to investigate the short- and long-term outcomes of laparoscopic surgery for transverse colon cancer. A total of 278 patients with transverse colon cancer from a single institution were included. All patients underwent curative surgery, 156 patients underwent laparoscopic resection (LR), and 122 patients underwent open resection (OR). The short- and long-term results were compared between two groups. Baseline demographic and clinical characteristics were comparable between two groups. Conversions were required in eight (5.1 %) patients. LR group was associated with significantly longer median operating time (180 vs. 140 min; P colon cancer is associated with better short-term outcomes and equivalent long-term oncologic outcomes.

  2. Prostate cancer in Port Harcourt, Nigeria: features and outcome ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Background: To present the clinical features and outcome of management of patients with prostate cancer in Port Harcourt, Nigeria. Methods: A retrospective study of patients with prostate cancer managed in 14 years at the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital. Results: Of 154,594 men above 40 years old who ...

  3. Urothelial cancer of bladder in young versus older adults: clinical and pathological characteristics and outcomes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Telli, Onur; Sarici, Hasmet; Ozgur, Berat Cem; Doluoglu, Omer Gokhan; Sunay, Mehmet Melih; Bozkurt, Selen; Eroglu, Muzaffer

    2014-09-01

    Bladder urothelial carcinoma is rare in young adults and occurs more commonly in older individuals. The aim of this study was to compare the clinical behavior, pathologic characteristics, and prognosis of urothelial carcinoma of urinary bladder in young versus older adults. A retrospective review of our records between 2007 and 2013 identified 56 patients (42 males and 14 females) with transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder who were less than 40 years old. Clinical and pathological parameters of patients who were less than 40 years of age were compared with those of a series of patients older than 40 years of age (the control group) during the same period. A survival analysis was performed using the Kaplan-Meier method and log-rank test, and Cox regression was performed to identify clinical parameters that affected the clinical outcomes. The mean age was 29.21 years (range, 5-40 years) for patients less than 40 years old and 61.66 years (range, 41-75) for those older than 40 years. The mean follow-up was 40.26 months (range, 12-65 months) for young patients and 42.57 months (range, 12-72 months) for the older patients. Young bladder cancer patients had smaller-sized tumors (less than 3 cm), less high-grade cancers, higher papillary urothelial neoplasms of low malignant potential, and low-grade tumors than patients older than 40 years. Multivariate logistic regression analysis predicted tumor recurrence in young patients with high-grade tumors [odds ratio (OR), 1.959; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.235-2.965; p = 0.046] and tumors larger than 3 cm (OR, 1.772; 95% CI, 1.416-1.942; p = 0.032). The 5-year overall survival rate was 100% for young patients and 88.1% for older patients. No difference was observed in the recurrence-free (p = 0.321) and progression-free (p = 0.422) survival rates between the two groups. We concluded that although the clinical stage distribution, natural history, and outcomes of bladder urothelial cancer in young adults are

  4. A randomized controlled trial on the effectiveness of strength training on clinical and muscle cellular outcomes in patients with prostate cancer during androgen deprivation therapy: rationale and design

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Thorsen, Lene; Nilsen, Tormod S; Raastad, Truls; Courneya, Kerry S; Skovlund, Eva; Fosså, Sophie D

    2012-01-01

    Studies indicate that strength training has beneficial effects on clinical health outcomes in prostate cancer patients during androgen deprivation therapy. However, randomized controlled trials are needed to scientifically determine the effectiveness of strength training on the muscle cell level. Furthermore, close examination of the feasibility of a high-load strength training program is warranted. The Physical Exercise and Prostate Cancer (PEPC) trial is designed to determine the effectiveness of strength training on clinical and muscle cellular outcomes in non-metastatic prostate cancer patients after high-dose radiotherapy and during ongoing androgen deprivation therapy. Patients receiving androgen deprivation therapy for 9-36 months combined with external high-dose radiotherapy for locally advanced prostate cancer are randomized to an exercise intervention group that receives a 16 week high-load strength training program or a control group that is encouraged to maintain their habitual activity level. In both arms, androgen deprivation therapy is continued until the end of the intervention period. Clinical outcomes are body composition (lean body mass, bone mineral density and fat mass) measured by Dual-energy X-ray Absorptiometry, serological outcomes, physical functioning (muscle strength and cardio-respiratory fitness) assessed with physical tests and psycho-social functioning (mental health, fatigue and health-related quality of life) assessed by questionnaires. Muscle cellular outcomes are a) muscle fiber size b) regulators of muscle fiber size (number of myonuclei per muscle fiber, number of satellite cells per muscle fiber, number of satellite cells and myonuclei positive for androgen receptors and proteins involved in muscle protein degradation and muscle hypertrophy) and c) regulators of muscle fiber function such as proteins involved in cellular stress and mitochondrial function. Muscle cellular outcomes are measured on muscle cross sections and

  5. The Cervix Cancer Research Network (CCRN: Increasing access to cancer clinical trials in low- and middle-income countries

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gita eSuneja

    2015-02-01

    Full Text Available Introduction: The burden of cervical cancer is large and growing in developing countries, due in large part to limited access to screening services and lack of human papillomavirus (HPV vaccination. In spite of modern advances in diagnostic and therapeutic modalities, outcomes from cervical cancer have not markedly improved in recent years. Novel clinical trials are urgently needed to improve outcomes from cervical cancer worldwide. Methods: The Cervix Cancer Research Network (CCRN, a subsidiary of the Gynecologic Cancer InterGroup (GCIG, is a multi-national, multi-institutional consortium of physicians and scientists focused on improving cervical cancer outcomes worldwide by making cancer clinical trials available in low-, middle-, and high-income countries. Standard operating procedures for participation in CCRN include a pre-qualifying questionnaire to evaluate clinical activities and research infrastructure, followed by a site visit. Once a site is approved, they may choose to participate in one of four currently accruing clinical trials.Results: To date, 13 different CCRN site visits have been performed. Of these 13 sites visited, 10 have been approved as CCRN sites including Tata Memorial Hospital, India; Bangalore, India; Trivandrum, India; Ramathibodi, Thailand; Siriaj, Thailand; Pramongkutklao, Thailand; Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam; Blokhin Russian Cancer Research Center; the Hertzen Moscow Cancer Research Institute; and the Russian Scientific Center of Roentgenoradiology. The four currently accruing clinical trials are TACO, OUTBACK, INTERLACE, and SHAPE.Discussion: The CCRN has successfully enrolled 10 sites in developing countries to participate in four randomized clinical trials. The primary objectives are to provide novel therapeutics to regions with the greatest need and to improve the validity and generalizability of clinical trial results by enrolling a diverse sample of patients.

  6. Lungscape: resected non-small-cell lung cancer outcome by clinical and pathological parameters.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Peters, Solange; Weder, Walter; Dafni, Urania; Kerr, Keith M; Bubendorf, Lukas; Meldgaard, Peter; O'Byrne, Kenneth J; Wrona, Anna; Vansteenkiste, Johan; Felip, Enriqueta; Marchetti, Antonio; Savic, Spasenija; Lu, Shun; Smit, Egbert; Dingemans, Anne-Marie; Blackhall, Fiona H; Baas, Paul; Camps, Carlos; Rosell, Rafael; Stahel, Rolf A

    2014-11-01

    The Lungscape project was designed to address the impact of clinical, pathological, and molecular characteristics on outcome in resected non-small- cell lung cancer (NSCLC). A decentralized biobank with fully annotated tissue samples was established. Selection criteria for participating centers included sufficient number of cases, tissue microarray building capability, and documented ethical approval. Patient selection was based on availability of comprehensive clinical data, radical resection between 2003 and 2009 with adequate follow-up, and adequate quantity and quality of formalin-fixed tissue. Fifteen centers contributed 2449 cases. The 5-year overall survival (OS) was 69.6% and 63.6% for stages IA and IB, 51.6% and 47.7% for stages IIA and IIB, and 29.0% and 13.0% for stages IIIA and IIIB, respectively (p < 0.001). Median and 5-year relapse-free survival (RFS) were 52.8 months and 47.3%, respectively. Distant relapse was recorded for 44.4%, local for 26.0%, and both for 16.9% of patients. Based on multivariate analysis for the OS, RFS, and time to relapse, the factors significantly associated with all of them are performance status and pathological stage. The aim of this report is to present the results from Lungscape, the first large series reporting on NSCLC surgical outcome measured not only by OS but also by RFS and time to relapse and including multivariate analysis by significant clinical and pathological prognostic parameters. As tissue from all patients is preserved locally and is available for detailed molecular investigations, Lungscape provides an excellent basis to evaluate the influence of molecular parameters on the disease outcome after radical resection, besides providing an overview of the molecular landscape of stage I to III NSCLC.

  7. Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy in Breast Cancer: A Clinical Review and Update.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zahoor, Sheikh; Haji, Altaf; Battoo, Azhar; Qurieshi, Mariya; Mir, Wahid; Shah, Mudasir

    2017-09-01

    Sentinel lymph node biopsy has become a standard staging tool in the surgical management of breast cancer. The positive impact of sentinel lymph node biopsy on postoperative negative outcomes in breast cancer patients, without compromising the oncological outcomes, is its major advantage. It has evolved over the last few decades and has proven its utility beyond early breast cancer. Its applicability and efficacy in patients with clinically positive axilla who have had a complete clinical response after neoadjuvant chemotherapy is being aggressively evaluated at present. This article discusses how sentinel lymph node biopsy has evolved and is becoming a useful tool in new clinical scenarios of breast cancer management.

  8. Intra-Tumour Signalling Entropy Determines Clinical Outcome in Breast and Lung Cancer

    Science.gov (United States)

    Banerji, Christopher R. S.; Severini, Simone; Caldas, Carlos; Teschendorff, Andrew E.

    2015-01-01

    The cancer stem cell hypothesis, that a small population of tumour cells are responsible for tumorigenesis and cancer progression, is becoming widely accepted and recent evidence has suggested a prognostic and predictive role for such cells. Intra-tumour heterogeneity, the diversity of the cancer cell population within the tumour of an individual patient, is related to cancer stem cells and is also considered a potential prognostic indicator in oncology. The measurement of cancer stem cell abundance and intra-tumour heterogeneity in a clinically relevant manner however, currently presents a challenge. Here we propose signalling entropy, a measure of signalling pathway promiscuity derived from a sample’s genome-wide gene expression profile, as an estimate of the stemness of a tumour sample. By considering over 500 mixtures of diverse cellular expression profiles, we reveal that signalling entropy also associates with intra-tumour heterogeneity. By analysing 3668 breast cancer and 1692 lung adenocarcinoma samples, we further demonstrate that signalling entropy correlates negatively with survival, outperforming leading clinical gene expression based prognostic tools. Signalling entropy is found to be a general prognostic measure, valid in different breast cancer clinical subgroups, as well as within stage I lung adenocarcinoma. We find that its prognostic power is driven by genes involved in cancer stem cells and treatment resistance. In summary, by approximating both stemness and intra-tumour heterogeneity, signalling entropy provides a powerful prognostic measure across different epithelial cancers. PMID:25793737

  9. Intra-tumour signalling entropy determines clinical outcome in breast and lung cancer.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Christopher R S Banerji

    2015-03-01

    Full Text Available The cancer stem cell hypothesis, that a small population of tumour cells are responsible for tumorigenesis and cancer progression, is becoming widely accepted and recent evidence has suggested a prognostic and predictive role for such cells. Intra-tumour heterogeneity, the diversity of the cancer cell population within the tumour of an individual patient, is related to cancer stem cells and is also considered a potential prognostic indicator in oncology. The measurement of cancer stem cell abundance and intra-tumour heterogeneity in a clinically relevant manner however, currently presents a challenge. Here we propose signalling entropy, a measure of signalling pathway promiscuity derived from a sample's genome-wide gene expression profile, as an estimate of the stemness of a tumour sample. By considering over 500 mixtures of diverse cellular expression profiles, we reveal that signalling entropy also associates with intra-tumour heterogeneity. By analysing 3668 breast cancer and 1692 lung adenocarcinoma samples, we further demonstrate that signalling entropy correlates negatively with survival, outperforming leading clinical gene expression based prognostic tools. Signalling entropy is found to be a general prognostic measure, valid in different breast cancer clinical subgroups, as well as within stage I lung adenocarcinoma. We find that its prognostic power is driven by genes involved in cancer stem cells and treatment resistance. In summary, by approximating both stemness and intra-tumour heterogeneity, signalling entropy provides a powerful prognostic measure across different epithelial cancers.

  10. Clinical Nomogram for Predicting Survival Outcomes in Early Mucinous Breast Cancer.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jianfei Fu

    Full Text Available The features related to the prognosis of patients with mucinous breast cancer (MBC remain controversial. We aimed to explore the prognostic factors of MBC and develop a nomogram for predicting survival outcomes.The Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER database was searched to identify 139611 women with resectable breast cancer from 1990 to 2007. Survival curves were generated using Kaplan-Meier methods. The 5-year and 10-year cancer-specific survival (CSS rates were calculated using the Life-Table method. Based on Cox models, a nomogram was constructed to predict the probabilities of CSS for an individual patient. The competing risk regression model was used to analyse the specific survival of patients with MBC.There were 136569 (97.82% infiltrative ductal cancer (IDC patients and 3042 (2.18% MBC patients. Patients with MBC had less lymph node involvement, a higher frequency of well-differentiated lesions, and more estrogen receptor (ER-positive tumors. Patients with MBC had significantly higher 5 and10-year CSS rates (98.23 and 96.03%, respectively than patients with IDC (91.44 and 85.48%, respectively. Univariate and multivariate analyses showed that MBC was an independent factor for better prognosis. As for patients with MBC, the event of death caused by another disease exceeded the event of death caused by breast cancer. A competing risk regression model further showed that lymph node involvement, poorly differentiated grade and advanced T-classification were independent factors of poor prognosis in patients with MBC. The Nomogram can accurately predict CSS with a high C-index (0.816. Risk scores developed from the nomogram can more accurately predict the prognosis of patients with MBC (C-index = 0.789 than the traditional TNM system (C-index = 0.704, P< 0.001.Patients with MBC have a better prognosis than patients with IDC. Nomograms could help clinicians make more informed decisions in clinical practice. The competing risk

  11. Predictors of Locally Advanced Disease at Presentation and Clinical Outcomes Among Cervical Cancer Patients Admitted at a Tertiary Hospital in Botswana.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nassali, Mercy Nkuba; Tadele, Melese; Nkuba, Robert Michael; Modimowame, Jamieson; Enyeribe, Iwuh; Katse, Edwin

    2018-05-23

    The aim of this study was to determine predictors of locally advanced disease at presentation and clinical outcomes among cervical cancer patients in Botswana to inform interventional strategies. Retrospective review of 149 medical records of new cervical cancer patients was conducted between August 2016 and February 2017 at the Princess Marina Hospital. Data collected included sociodemographics, presenting symptoms, stage of disease, comorbidities, interventions, and clinical outcomes. STATA 12 was used for data analysis. Frequencies were used to describe patient demographics and clinical variables. Bivariate and multivariate binary logistic regression analyses were used to determine association between stage of disease at presentation and patient characteristics. P ≤ 0.05 was considered significant. Mean age was 49.5 years. Nine (89.2%) in 10 patients had locally advanced cervical cancer (stage IB1-IVB). Two thirds (65.1%) were human immunodeficiency virus positive. Previous cervical cancer screening was low at 38.3%. Common symptoms were abnormal vaginal bleeding, low abdominal pain, and malodorous vaginal discharge reported among 75.8%, 66.4%, and 39.6% of cases, respectively. Overall, 32 (21.5%) were declared cured, 52 (34.9%) improved, and 11 (7.4%) opted for home-based care. Hospital deaths were 41 (27.5%). Major causes of death were renal failure (48.7%) and severe anemia (39%). Thirteen (8.7%) were lost to follow-up. Being unmarried (odds ratio [OR], 3.9), lack of cervical cancer screening (OR, 6.68), presentation with vaginal bleeding (OR, 7.69), and low abdominal pain (OR, 4.69) were associated with advanced disease at presentation. Lack of cervical cancer screening, vaginal bleeding, low abdominal pain, and unmarried status were associated with advanced disease at presentation. We recommend scale-up of cervical cancer screening and its integration into routine human immunodeficiency virus care. Capacity building in gynecologic oncology and palliative

  12. Clinical characteristics and outcome of bone-only metastasis in inflammatory and noninflammatory breast cancers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kai, Megumi; Kogawa, Takahiro; Liu, Diane D; Fouad, Tamer M; Kai, Kazuharu; Niikura, Naoki; Hsu, Limin; Willey, Jie S; Theriault, Richard L; Valero, Vicente; Ueno, Naoto T

    2015-02-01

    Inflammatory breast cancer is a rare and aggressive presentation of breast cancer. Bone is a common metastatic site in breast cancer, and bone-only metastatic disease is clinically considered to have a better prognosis than visceral metastasis. However, bone-only metastasis in IBC (bone-only IBC) has not been compared with bone-only metastasis in non-IBC (bone-only non-IBC) in terms of clinical features and outcome. Because of the intrinsically aggressive nature of IBC, we hypothesized that bone-only IBC has a poorer prognosis than does bone-only non-IBC. We retrospectively identified patients with stage III primary diagnosed breast cancer who, between January 1997 and December 2012, had a first recurrence located only in the bone. Among the 197 patients that we defined as a study cohort, 50 patients had IBC and 147 patients had non-IBC. Progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) from the date of recurrence were estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method, and patient characteristic groups were compared using the log-rank test. OS did not differ significantly between the 2 groups (P = .2467), but a shorter PFS was seen in patients with bone-only IBC than in patients with bone-only non-IBC (P = .0357). Among patients with estrogen receptor (ER)-positive disease, a much shorter PFS was seen in bone-only IBC than in bone-only non-IBC (P = .0159). Bone-only IBC has a poorer prognosis than does bone-only non-IBC, particularly in those with ER-positive tumors. We might need to consider more aggressive intervention (e.g., chemotherapy) for IBC patients with ER-positive bone-only metastatic disease. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  13. Short-term outcomes following laparoscopic resection for colon cancer.

    LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

    Kavanagh, Dara O

    2011-03-01

    Laparoscopic resection for colon cancer has been proven to have a similar oncological efficacy compared to open resection. Despite this, it is performed by a minority of colorectal surgeons. The aim of our study was to evaluate the short-term clinical, oncological and survival outcomes in all patients undergoing laparoscopic resection for colon cancer.

  14. Implementing a Childhood Cancer Outcomes Surveillance System Within a Population-Based Cancer Registry

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Oscar Ramirez

    2018-03-01

    Full Text Available Purpose: Approximately 80% of cases of childhood cancer occur in low- and middle-income countries and are associated with high mortality rates. Assessing outcomes is essential for designing effective strategies to improve outcomes equally worldwide. We implemented a real-time surveillance system, VIGICANCER, embedded in a population-based cancer registry (PBCR to assess childhood cancer outcomes. Methods: VIGICANCER was established in 2009 as an integral part of Cali’s PBCR to collect real-time data on outcomes of patients (age < 19 years with a new diagnosis of cancer treated in pediatric oncology units in Cali, Colombia. Baseline and follow-up data (death, relapse, treatment abandonment, second neoplasms were collected from medical records, hospital discharge logs, pathology reports, death certificates, and the National Public Health Insurance database. A quality assurance process was implemented for the system. Results: From 2009 to 2013, data from 1,242 patients were included in VIGICANCER: 32% of patients were younger than 5 years, 55% were male, and 15% were Afro-descendants. International Classification of Childhood Cancer group I diagnoses predominated in all age groups except children younger than 1 year old, in whom CNS tumors predominated. Five-year overall survival for all cancers was 51.7% (95% CI, 47.9% to 55.4% for children (< 15 years, and 39.4% (95% CI, 29.8% to 50.5% for adolescents (15 to 18.9 years. Five-year overall survival for acute lymphoblastic leukemia was 55.6% (95% CI, 48.5% to 62.2%. Conclusion: Our study demonstrates the feasibility of implementing a real-time childhood cancer outcomes surveillance system embedded in a PBCR that can guide interventions to improve clinical outcomes in low- and middle-income countries.

  15. Cytoplasmic localization of alteration/deficiency in activation 3 (ADA3) predicts poor clinical outcome in breast cancer patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mirza, Sameer; Rakha, Emad A; Alshareeda, Alaa; Mohibi, Shakur; Zhao, Xiangshan; Katafiasz, Bryan J; Wang, Jun; Gurumurthy, Channabasavaiah Basavaraju; Bele, Aditya; Ellis, Ian O; Green, Andrew R; Band, Hamid; Band, Vimla

    2013-02-01

    Transcriptional activation by estrogen receptor (ER) is a key step to breast oncogenesis. Given previous findings that ADA3 is a critical component of HAT complexes that regulate ER function and evidence that overexpression of other ER coactivators such as SRC-3 is associated with clinical outcomes in breast cancer, the current study was designed to assess the potential significance of ADA3 expression/localization in human breast cancer patients. In this study, we analyzed ADA3 expression in breast cancer tissue specimens and assessed the correlation of ADA3 staining with cancer progression and patient outcome. Tissue microarrays prepared from large series of breast cancer patients with long-term follow-ups were stained with anti-ADA3 monoclonal antibody using immunohistochemistry. Samples were analyzed for ADA3 expression followed by correlation with various clinicopathological parameters and patients' outcomes. We report that breast cancer specimens show predominant nuclear, cytoplasmic, or mixed nuclear + cytoplasmic ADA3 staining patterns. Predominant nuclear ADA3 staining correlated with ER+ status. While predominant cytoplasmic ADA3 staining negatively correlated with ER+ status, but positively correlated with ErbB2, EGFR, and Ki67. Furthermore, a positive correlation of cytoplasmic ADA3 was observed with higher histological grade, mitotic counts, Nottingham Prognostic Index, and positive vascular invasion. Patients with nuclear ADA3 and ER positivity have better breast cancer specific survival and distant metastasis free survival. Significantly, cytoplasmic expression of ADA3 showed a strong positive association with reduced BCSS and DMFS in ErbB2+/EGFR+ patients. Although in multivariate analyses ADA3 expression was not an independent marker of survival, predominant nuclear ADA3 staining in breast cancer tissues correlates with ER+ expression and together serves as a marker of good prognosis, whereas predominant cytoplasmic ADA3 expression correlates with

  16. Google goes cancer: improving outcome prediction for cancer patients by network-based ranking of marker genes.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Christof Winter

    Full Text Available Predicting the clinical outcome of cancer patients based on the expression of marker genes in their tumors has received increasing interest in the past decade. Accurate predictors of outcome and response to therapy could be used to personalize and thereby improve therapy. However, state of the art methods used so far often found marker genes with limited prediction accuracy, limited reproducibility, and unclear biological relevance. To address this problem, we developed a novel computational approach to identify genes prognostic for outcome that couples gene expression measurements from primary tumor samples with a network of known relationships between the genes. Our approach ranks genes according to their prognostic relevance using both expression and network information in a manner similar to Google's PageRank. We applied this method to gene expression profiles which we obtained from 30 patients with pancreatic cancer, and identified seven candidate marker genes prognostic for outcome. Compared to genes found with state of the art methods, such as Pearson correlation of gene expression with survival time, we improve the prediction accuracy by up to 7%. Accuracies were assessed using support vector machine classifiers and Monte Carlo cross-validation. We then validated the prognostic value of our seven candidate markers using immunohistochemistry on an independent set of 412 pancreatic cancer samples. Notably, signatures derived from our candidate markers were independently predictive of outcome and superior to established clinical prognostic factors such as grade, tumor size, and nodal status. As the amount of genomic data of individual tumors grows rapidly, our algorithm meets the need for powerful computational approaches that are key to exploit these data for personalized cancer therapies in clinical practice.

  17. Surgical and pathological outcomes of laparoscopic surgery for transverse colon cancer

    OpenAIRE

    Lee, Y. S.; Lee, I. K.; Kang, W. K.; Cho, H. M.; Park, J. K.; Oh, S. T.; Kim, J. G.; Kim, Y. H.

    2008-01-01

    Purpose Several multi-institutional prospective randomized trials have demonstrated short-term benefits using laparoscopy. Now the laparoscopic approach is accepted as an alternative to open surgery for colon cancer. However, in prior trials, the transverse colon was excluded. Therefore, it has not been determined whether laparoscopy can be used in the setting of transverse colon cancer. This study evaluated the peri-operative clinical outcomes and oncological quality by pathologic outcomes o...

  18. Clinically Relevant Physical Benefits of Exercise Interventions in Breast Cancer Survivors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kirkham, Amy A; Bland, Kelcey A; Sayyari, Sarah; Campbell, Kristin L; Davis, Margot K

    2016-02-01

    Evidence is currently limited for the effect of exercise on breast cancer clinical outcomes. However, several of the reported physical benefits of exercise, including peak oxygen consumption, functional capacity, muscle strength and lean mass, cardiovascular risk factors, and bone health, have established associations with disability, cardiovascular disease risk, morbidity, and mortality. This review will summarize the clinically relevant physical benefits of exercise interventions in breast cancer survivors and discuss recommendations for achieving these benefits. It will also describe potential differences in intervention delivery that may impact outcomes and, lastly, describe current physical activity guidelines for cancer survivors.

  19. AGXT and ERCC2 polymorphisms are associated with clinical outcome in metastatic colorectal cancer patients treated with 5-FU/oxaliplatin

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kjersem, J B; Thomsen, M.; Guren, T

    2016-01-01

    The objective of the study was to investigate whether specific single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) with influence on drug transport, biotransformation and repair mechanisms are associated with treatment outcome and toxicity in metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC). We genotyped blood samples fro...... as markers of clinical outcome in oxaliplatin-treated mCRC patients. If validated in other studies, they could improve the selection of therapy in mCRC.The Pharmacogenomics Journal advance online publication, 11 August 2015; doi:10.1038/tpj.2015.54....

  20. The association between smoking and breast cancer characteristics and outcome.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Goldvaser, Hadar; Gal, Omer; Rizel, Shulamith; Hendler, Daniel; Neiman, Victoria; Shochat, Tzippy; Sulkes, Aaron; Brenner, Baruch; Yerushalmi, Rinat

    2017-09-06

    Smoking is associated with an increased incidence of hormone receptor positive breast cancer. Data regarding worse breast cancer outcome in smokers are accumulating. Current literature regarding the impact of smoking on breast cancer characteristics is limited. We evaluated the impact of smoking on breast cancer characteristics and outcome. This was a retrospective single center study. All women diagnosed from 4/2005 through 3/2012 and treated in our institute for early, estrogen receptor positive, human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) negative breast cancer, whose tumors were sent for Oncotype DX analysis were included. Medical records were reviewed for demographics, clinico-pathological parameters, treatment and outcome. Data regarding smoking were retrieved according to patients' history at the first visit in the oncology clinic. Patients were grouped and compared according to smoking history (ever smokers vs. never smokers), smoking status (current vs. former and never smokers) and smoking intensity (pack years ≥30 vs. the rest of the cohort). Outcomes were adjusted in multivariate analyses and included age, menopausal status, ethnicity, tumor size, nodal status and grade. A total of 662 women were included. 28.2% had a history of smoking, 16.6% were current smokers and 11.3% were heavy smokers. Smoking had no impact on tumor size, nodal involvement and Oncotype DX recurrence score. Angiolymphatic and perineural invasion rates were higher in current smokers than in the rest of the cohort (10.4% vs. 5.1%, p = 0.045, 8.3% vs. 3.5%, p = 0.031, respectively). Smoking had no other impact on histological characteristics. Five-year disease free survival and overall survival rates were 95.7% and 98.5%, respectively. Smoking had no impact on outcomes. Adjusted disease free survival and overall survival did not influence the results. Smoking had no clinically significant influence on tumor characteristics and outcome among women with estrogen receptor

  1. Clinical characteristics and oncological outcomes of testicular cancer patients registered in 2005 and 2008: the first large-scale study from the Cancer Registration Committee of the Japanese Urological Association.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Miki, Tsuneharu; Kamoi, Kazumi; Fujimoto, Hiroyuki; Kanayama, Hiro-omi; Ohyama, Chikara; Suzuki, Kazuhiro; Nishiyama, Hiroyuki; Eto, Masatoshi; Naito, Seiji; Fukumori, Tomoharu; Kubota, Yoshinobu; Takahashi, Satoru; Mikami, Kazuya; Homma, Yukio

    2014-08-01

    To describe the clinical and pathological characteristics and oncological outcomes of testicular cancer diagnosed in Japan, we report the results of the testicular cancer registration carried out by the Japanese Urological Association. Testicular cancer survey was conducted by the Japanese Urological Association in 2011 to register newly diagnosed testicular cancers in 2005 and 2008. The survey included details such as age, presenting symptoms, physical examination findings, tumor markers, histopathology, clinical stage, initial treatment and clinical outcomes. We analyzed 1121 cases of testicular primary germ cell tumor among 1157 registered patients. The median age was 37.0 years. Seminomas and non-seminomatous germ cell tumors accounted for 61.9% and 38.1%, respectively. Measurements of tumor markers were documented in 98.6% of the patients; however, there was an unsatisfactory uniform measurement of human chorionic gonadotropin, which made it difficult to evaluate the International Germ Cell Consensus Classification in all patients. The 1- and 3-year overall survival rates from the entire cohort were 98.3% and 96.8%, respectively. According to the International Germ Cell Consensus Classification, 3-year overall survival rates in the good, intermediate, and poor prognosis group were 99.1%, 100% and 79.9%, respectively. The present report is the first large-scale study of the characteristics and survival of testicular cancer patients in Japan based on multi-institutional registry data, and showed a good prognosis even in an advanced stage. The improved survival attributed substantially to accurate diagnosis and effective multimodal treatment. © 2014 The Japanese Urological Association.

  2. Molecular Dimensions of Gastric Cancer: Translational and Clinical Perspectives

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yoon Young Choi

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Gastric cancer is a global health burden and has the highest incidence in East Asia. This disease is complex in nature because it arises from multiple interactions of genetic, local environmental, and host factors, resulting in biological heterogeneity. This genetic intricacy converges on molecular characteristics reflecting the pathophysiology, tumor biology, and clinical outcome. Therefore, understanding the molecular characteristics at a genomic level is pivotal to improving the clinical care of patients with gastric cancer. A recent landmark study, The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA project, showed the molecular landscape of gastric cancer through a comprehensive molecular evaluation of 295 primary gastric cancers. The proposed molecular classification divided gastric cancer into four subtypes: Epstein-Barr virus–positive, microsatellite unstable, genomic stable, and chromosomal instability. This information will be taken into account in future clinical trials and will be translated into clinical therapeutic decisions. To fully realize the clinical benefit, many challenges must be overcome. Rapid growth of high-throughput biology and functional validation of molecular targets will further deepen our knowledge of molecular dimensions of this cancer, allowing for personalized precision medicine.

  3. Molecular Dimensions of Gastric Cancer: Translational and Clinical Perspectives.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Choi, Yoon Young; Noh, Sung Hoon; Cheong, Jae-Ho

    2016-01-01

    Gastric cancer is a global health burden and has the highest incidence in East Asia. This disease is complex in nature because it arises from multiple interactions of genetic, local environmental, and host factors, resulting in biological heterogeneity. This genetic intricacy converges on molecular characteristics reflecting the pathophysiology, tumor biology, and clinical outcome. Therefore, understanding the molecular characteristics at a genomic level is pivotal to improving the clinical care of patients with gastric cancer. A recent landmark study, The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) project, showed the molecular landscape of gastric cancer through a comprehensive molecular evaluation of 295 primary gastric cancers. The proposed molecular classification divided gastric cancer into four subtypes: Epstein-Barr virus-positive, microsatellite unstable, genomic stable, and chromosomal instability. This information will be taken into account in future clinical trials and will be translated into clinical therapeutic decisions. To fully realize the clinical benefit, many challenges must be overcome. Rapid growth of high-throughput biology and functional validation of molecular targets will further deepen our knowledge of molecular dimensions of this cancer, allowing for personalized precision medicine.

  4. Associations between deepness of response and clinical outcomes among Japanese patients with metastatic colorectal cancer treated with second-line FOLFIRI plus cetuximab

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Osumi H

    2015-08-01

    Full Text Available Hiroki Osumi, Satoshi Matsusaka, Mitsukuni Suenaga, Eiji Shinozaki, Nobuyuki Mizunuma Department of Gastroenterology, Cancer Institute Hospital, Japanese Foundation for Cancer Research, Tokyo, Japan Background: In the FIRE-3 trial, overall survival (OS was significantly longer in patients treated with FOLFIRI plus cetuximab (C-mab than in those treated with FOLFIRI plus bevacizumab (Bev, but progression-free survival (PFS was not significantly different. This may be associated with the deepness of response (DpR in patients treated with FOLFIRI plus C-mab. We aimed to evaluate the relationship between clinical outcome and DpR in metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC patients treated with second-line FOLFIRI plus C-mab.Methods: A total of 112 patients with histopathologically confirmed mCRC treated with second-line FOLFIRI in combination with C-mab (N=42 or Bev (N=70 were retrospectively enrolled between October 2008 and June 2013. The relationship between DpR and clinical outcome in patients treated with FOLFIRI plus C-mab or Bev was determined.Results: Forty-two patients treated with FOLFIRI plus C-mab had a mean DpR of 6.1% (interquartile range: -13.7%, 20.8% and a minimum DpR of -62.7%. On the other hand, 70 patients treated with FOLFIRI plus Bev had a mean DpR of 0% (interquartile range: -16%, 10% and a minimum DpR of -111%. DpR ≥30% was associated with significantly longer OS and PFS when compared with DpR ≤30% in patients given FOLFIRI plus C-mab. DpR (≥30% was independently associated with prolongation of OS and PFS. In patients treated with FOLFIRI plus C-mab, there was a moderate positive correlation between DpR and clinical outcomes (OS: r=0.51, P<0.001; PFS: r=0.54, P<0.001.Conclusion: FOLFIRI plus C-mab yielded a stronger correlation between DpR and clinical outcomes. These results indicate the potential of DpR as a new measure of efficacy in mCRC patients treated with second-line chemotherapy plus C-mab. Keywords: deepness of

  5. Proton and neutron radiation in cancer treatment: clinical and economic outcomes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fleurette, F.; Charvet-Protat, S.

    1996-01-01

    The French National Agency for Medical Evaluation (ANDEM) was requested to assess the effectiveness of proton and neutron beam therapy in cancer treatment compared to conventional radiotherapy. This task was accomplished by a critical appraisal of the clinical and economic literature. According to the published economic literature and the capital and staffing cost analysis, it appears that the costs of proton therapy are likely to be two or three times greater than those conformal therapy. According to the published clinical literature, proton beam therapy should be proposed as a routine treatment only for uveal melanoma and skull base cancers. Neutron beam therapy should be proposed as a routine treatment for inoperable salivary gland tumors; its use may be also discussed in cases of stage C-D1 prostate cancers and soft tissue sarcomas. Based on the current scientific evidence and given the incidence rate of these tumors, the time and material requirements, the current French proton/neutron beam facilities are able to meet the current demand. FOr other cancers the medical and economic potential of proton therapy is still an open question. (author)

  6. Point-of-care outcome assessment in the cancer clinic: Audit of data quality

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wong, Karen; Huang, Shao Hui; O'Sullivan, Brian; Lockwood, Gina; Dale, Darlene; Michaelson, Terry; Waldron, John; Bayley, Andrew; Cummings, Bernard; Dawson, Laura A.; Kim, John; Liu, Geoffrey; Ringash, Jolie

    2010-01-01

    Background and purpose: To assess the completeness and accuracy of stage and outcome data in the Anthology of Outcomes (AOs), a prospective point-of-care physician-collected electronic data system for patients at Princess Margaret Hospital. Material and methods: A random sample of 10% of the AO cases registered between July 2003 and December 2005 was drawn. An audit was conducted of the AO data compared with chart review and cancer registry. Results: The AO system was applied first to a head and neck (HN) cancer patient cohort. From 1152 HN cases, 120 were audited. TNM stage was recorded in all cases. Discrepancy was found between the AO and primary data sources in 3-13% of cases. Physician review showed a 3% error rate in overall stage recorded in the AO. Sixty-two outcomes in 43 patients were found on chart review. No outcomes were incorrectly recorded in the AO. Nineteen (31%) outcomes in 17 patients were missed in the AO. Conclusions: Our experience has demonstrated the feasibility of real-time outcome recording at point-of-care. New processes needed to improve the completeness of capture of patient outcomes in the AO have more recently been introduced. This successful system has been expanded to other disease sites.

  7. Double-strand break repair and colorectal cancer: gene variants within 3' UTRs and microRNAs binding as modulators of cancer risk and clinical outcome.

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Naccarati, Alessio; Rosa, F.; Vymetálková, Veronika; Barone, E.; Jirásková, Kateřina; Gaetano, C.; Novotný, J.; Levý, M.; Vodičková, Ludmila; Gemignani, F.; Buchler, T.; Landi, S.; Vodička, Pavel; Pardini, B.

    2016-01-01

    Roč. 7, č. 17 (2016), s. 23156-23169 ISSN 1949-2553 R&D Projects: GA MZd(CZ) NV15-26535A; GA ČR(CZ) GAP304/12/1585; GA ČR(CZ) GA15-14789S Institutional support: RVO:68378041 Keywords : 3'UTR polymorphisms * colorectal cancer risk and clinical outcomes * double-strand break repair (DSBR) genes Subject RIV: EB - Genetics ; Molecular Biology Impact factor: 5.168, year: 2016

  8. Utilisation and outcomes of cervical cancer prevention services ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    The proportion of women undergoing cervical cancer screening after HIV diagnosis at primary health clinics, demographic characteristics of women referred for colposcopy at a tertiary centre, and outcomes of therapy for precancerous lesions of the cervix. Results. The proportion of women undergoing at least one Pap ...

  9. FBXW7 mutations in patients with advanced cancers: clinical and molecular characteristics and outcomes with mTOR inhibitors.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Denis L Jardim

    Full Text Available FBXW7 is a tumor suppressor gene responsible for the degradation of several proto-oncogenes. Preclinical data suggest that FBXW7 mutations sensitize cells to mTOR inhibitors. Clinicopathologic characteristics of cancer patients with FBXW7 mutations and their responses to mTOR inhibitors remain unknown.Using multiplex gene panels we evaluated how the FBXW7 mutation affected the cancer phenotype of patients referred to a phase I clinic starting January 2012. Whenever possible patients positive for FBXW7 mutation were treated with regimens containing an mTOR inhibitors and their outcomes were reviewed.FBXW7 mutations were detected in 17 of 418 patients (4.0%. Among tumor types with more than 10 patients tested, FBXW7 mutations occurred in colorectal cancer (7/49; 14.3%, squamous cell cancer of head and neck (2/18; 11.1%, liver (1/13; 7.7%, and ovarian cancers (1/40; 2.5%. No one clinical, pathological or demographic feature was characteristic of the FBXW7-mutated patient population. The mutation occurred in isolation in only 2/17 (12% patients, and KRAS was frequently found as a concomitant mutation, especially in patients with colorectal cancer (6/7; 86%. Ten patients were treated on a protocol containing an mTOR inhibitor, with a median time to treatment failure of 2.8 months (range, 1.3-6.8. One patient with liver cancer (fibrolamellar subtype continues to have a prolonged stable disease for 6.8+ months.In patients with advanced cancers, somatic mutations in FBXW7 usually occur with other simultaneous molecular aberrations, which can contribute to limited therapeutic efficacy of mTOR inhibitors.

  10. Biological characteristics and clinical outcome of triple negative primary breast cancer in older women - comparison with their younger counterparts.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Binafsha M Syed

    Full Text Available Triple negative (ER, PgR and HER2 negative breast cancers (TNBCs are often considered as a poor prognostic phenotype. There is dearth of evidence showing the prevalence and biological behaviour of TNBCs in older women. This study aimed to analyse their biological characteristics in comparison with a well characterised younger series from a single centre with long term clinical follow-up. Over 37 years (1973-2010, 1,758 older (≥70 years women with early operable (<5 cm primary breast cancer were managed in a dedicated clinic and have complete clinical information available. Of these 813 patients underwent primary surgery and 575 had good quality tumour samples available for tissue microarray analysis using indirect immunohistochemistry. A total of 127 patients (22.1% had TNBCs and full biological analysis of 15 biomarkers was performed. The results were compared with those of their younger (<70 years counterparts 342 (18.9% from a previously characterised, consecutive series of primary breast cancer treated in the same unit (1986-1998. The 127 older patients with TNBCs showed lower rates of Ki67 and CK 7/8 positivity and high rates of bcl2 and CK18 positivity when compared with their younger counterparts (p<0.05. There was no significant difference in the long term clinical outcome between the two age groups, despite the fact that 47% of the younger patients had adjuvant chemotherapy, while none in the older cohort received such treatment. EGFR, axillary stage and pathological size showed prognostic significance in older women with TNBCs on univariate analysis. Despite not having received adjuvant chemotherapy, the older series had clinical outcome similar to the younger patients almost half of whom had chemotherapy. This appears to be related to other biomarkers (in addition to ER/PgR/HER2 eg Ki67, bcl2 and cytokeratins which have different expression patterns influencing prognosis.

  11. Clinical photoacoustic imaging of cancer

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Valluru, Keerthi S.; Willmann, Juergen K. [Dept. of Radiology, Molecular Imaging Program at Stanford, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford (United States)

    2016-08-15

    Photoacoustic imaging is a hybrid technique that shines laser light on tissue and measures optically induced ultrasound signal. There is growing interest in the clinical community over this new technique and its possible clinical applications. One of the most prominent features of photoacoustic imaging is its ability to characterize tissue, leveraging differences in the optical absorption of underlying tissue components such as hemoglobin, lipids, melanin, collagen and water among many others. In this review, the state-of-the-art photoacoustic imaging techniques and some of the key outcomes pertaining to different cancer applications in the clinic are presented.

  12. Synuclein gamma predicts poor clinical outcome in colon cancer with normal levels of carcinoembryonic antigen

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Xing Xiaofang

    2010-07-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Synuclein gamma (SNCG, initially identified as a breast cancer specific gene, is aberrantly expressed in many different malignant tumors but rarely expressed in matched nonneoplastic adjacent tissues. In this study, we investigated the prognostic potential of SNCG in colon cancer particularly in the patients with normal carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA levels. Methods SNCG levels were assessed immunohistochemically in cancer tissues from 229 colon adenocarcinoma patients with a mean follow-up of 44 months. Correlations between SNCG levels and clinicopathologic features, preoperative serum CEA level, and clinical outcome were analyzed statistically using SPSS. Results SNCG levels in colon adenocarcinoma were closely associated with intravascular embolus and tumor recurrence but independent of preoperative serum CEA levels. SNCG expression was an independent prognostic factor of a shorter disease-free survival (DFS and overall survival (OS (P P = 0.001, P = 0.001, 0.002 for 97 patients with normal preoperative serum CEA level. Conclusions Our results suggest for the first time that SNCG is a new independent predicator for poor prognosis in patients with colon adenocarcinoma, including those with normal CEA levels. Combination of CEA with SNCG improves prognostic evaluation for patients with colon adenocarcinoma.

  13. Cyclophilin B Expression Is Associated with In Vitro Radioresistance and Clinical Outcome after Radiotherapy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Paul D. Williams

    2011-12-01

    Full Text Available The tools for predicting clinical outcome after radiotherapy are not yet optimal. To improve on this, we applied the COXEN informatics approach to in vitro radiation sensitivity data of transcriptionally profiled human cells and gene expression data from untreated head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC and bladder tumors to generate a multigene predictive model that is independent of histologic findings and reports on tumor radiosensitivity. The predictive ability of this 41-gene model was evaluated in patients with HNSCC and was found to stratify clinical outcome after radiotherapy. In contrast, this model was not useful in stratifying similar patients not treated with radiation. This led us to hypothesize that expression of some of the 41 genes contributes to tumor radioresistance and clinical recurrence. Hence, we evaluated the expression the 41 genes as a function of in vitro radioresistance in the NCI-60 cancer cell line panel and found cyclophilin B (PPIB, a peptidylprolyl isomerase and target of cyclosporine A (CsA, had the strongest direct correlation. Functional inhibition of PPIB by small interfering RNA depletion or CsA treatment leads to radiosensitization in cancer cells and reduced cellular DNA repair. Immunohistochemical evaluation of PPIB expression in patients with HNSCC was found to be associated with outcome after radiotherapy. This work demonstrates that a novel 41-gene expression model of radiation sensitivity developed in bladder cancer cell lines and human skin fibroblasts predicts clinical outcome after radiotherapy in head and neck cancer patients and identifies PPIB as a potential target for clinical radiosensitization.

  14. Outcome of severe infections in afebrile neutropenic cancer patients

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mahkovic-Hergouth, Ksenija; Novakovic, Barbara Jezersek; Seruga, Bostjan

    2016-01-01

    Abstract Background In some neutropenic cancer patients fever may be absent despite microbiologically and/or clinically confirmed infection. We hypothesized that afebrile neutropenic cancer patients with severe infections have worse outcome as compared to cancer patients with febrile neutropenia. Patients and methods We retrospectively analyzed all adult cancer patients with chemotherapy-induced neutropenia and severe infection, who were admitted to the Intensive Care Unit at our cancer center between 2000 and 2011. The outcome of interest was 30-day in-hospital mortality rate. Association between the febrile status and in-hospital mortality rate was evaluated by the Fisher’s exact test. Results We identified 69 episodes of severe neutropenic infections in 65 cancer patients. Among these, 9 (13%) episodes were afebrile. Patients with afebrile neutropenic infection presented with hypotension, severe fatigue with inappetence, shaking chills, altered mental state or cough and all of them eventually deteriorated to severe sepsis or septic shock. Overall 30-day in-hospital mortality rate was 55.1%. Patients with afebrile neutropenic infection had a trend for a higher 30-day in-hospital mortality rate as compared to patients with febrile neutropenic infection (78% vs. 52%, p = 0.17). Conclusions Afebrile cancer patients with chemotherapy-induced neutropenia and severe infections might have worse outcome as compared to cancer patients with febrile neutropenia. Patients should be informed that severe neutropenic infection without fever can occasionally occur during cancer treatment with chemotherapy. PMID:27904453

  15. De novo sequencing of circulating miRNAs identifies novel markers predicting clinical outcome of locally advanced breast cancer

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Wu Xiwei

    2012-03-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background MicroRNAs (miRNAs have been recently detected in the circulation of cancer patients, where they are associated with clinical parameters. Discovery profiling of circulating small RNAs has not been reported in breast cancer (BC, and was carried out in this study to identify blood-based small RNA markers of BC clinical outcome. Methods The pre-treatment sera of 42 stage II-III locally advanced and inflammatory BC patients who received neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NCT followed by surgical tumor resection were analyzed for marker identification by deep sequencing all circulating small RNAs. An independent validation cohort of 26 stage II-III BC patients was used to assess the power of identified miRNA markers. Results More than 800 miRNA species were detected in the circulation, and observed patterns showed association with histopathological profiles of BC. Groups of circulating miRNAs differentially associated with ER/PR/HER2 status and inflammatory BC were identified. The relative levels of selected miRNAs measured by PCR showed consistency with their abundance determined by deep sequencing. Two circulating miRNAs, miR-375 and miR-122, exhibited strong correlations with clinical outcomes, including NCT response and relapse with metastatic disease. In the validation cohort, higher levels of circulating miR-122 specifically predicted metastatic recurrence in stage II-III BC patients. Conclusions Our study indicates that certain miRNAs can serve as potential blood-based biomarkers for NCT response, and that miR-122 prevalence in the circulation predicts BC metastasis in early-stage patients. These results may allow optimized chemotherapy treatments and preventive anti-metastasis interventions in future clinical applications.

  16. CLINICAL OUTCOME OF INTERSPHINCTERIC RESECTION FOR ULTRA-LOW RECTAL CANCER

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Valentin L. Ignatov

    2012-03-01

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Laparoscopic surgery has been reported to be one of the approaches for total mesorectal excision (TME in rectal cancer surgery. Intersphincteric resection (ISR has been reported as a promising method for sphincter-preserving operation in selected patients with very low rectal cancer. METHODS: We try to underline the important surgical issues surrounding the management of patients with low rectal cancer indicated to laparoscopic intersphincteric resection (ISR. From January 2007 till now, 35 patients with very low rectal cancer underwent laparoscopic TME with ISR. We report and analyze the results from them RESULTS: Conversion to open surgery was necessary in one (3% patient. The median operation time was 293 min and median estimated blood loss was 40 ml. The pelvic plexus was completely preserved in 32 patients. There was no mortality. Postoperative complications occurred in three (9% patients. The median length of postoperative hospital stay was 11 days. Macroscopic complete mesorectal excision was achieved in all cases. Complete resection (R0 was achieved in 21 (91% patients.CONCLUSIONS: Laparoscopic TME with ISR is technically feasible and a safe alternative to laparotomy with favorable short-term postoperative outcomes. The literature research made by us found that the laparoscopic approach can be underwent in most patients with low rectal cancer in which laparoscopic ISR represents a feasible alternative to conventional open surgery.

  17. Molecular Biomarkers in the Clinical Management of Prostate Cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Udager, Aaron M; Tomlins, Scott A

    2018-01-08

    Prostate cancer, one of the most common noncutaneous malignancies in men, is a heterogeneous disease with variable clinical outcome. Although the majority of patients harbor indolent tumors that are essentially cured by local therapy, subsets of patients present with aggressive disease or recur/progress after primary treatment. With this in mind, modern clinical approaches to prostate cancer emphasize the need to reduce overdiagnosis and overtreatment via personalized medicine. Advances in our understanding of prostate cancer pathogenesis, coupled with recent technologic innovations, have facilitated the development and validation of numerous molecular biomarkers, representing a range of macromolecules assayed from a variety of patient sample types, to help guide the clinical management of prostate cancer, including early detection, diagnosis, prognostication, and targeted therapeutic selection. Herein, we review the current state of the art regarding prostate cancer molecular biomarkers, emphasizing those with demonstrated utility in clinical practice. Copyright © 2018 Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press; all rights reserved.

  18. Clinical outcomes in patients treated with radiotherapy after surgery for cervical cancer

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Yang, Kyung Mi; Park, Won; Huh, Seung Jae; Bae, Duk Soo; Kim, Byoung Gie; Lee, Jeong Won [Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

    2017-03-15

    The purpose of this study was to analyze clinical outcomes from cervical cancer and stratify patients into risk groups for prognostic factors for early-stage disease. We retrospectively reviewed patients with stage IB or IIA cervical cancer treated with adjuvant radiotherapy (RT) or concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) following primary surgery at Samsung Medical Center from 2001 to 2011. Adjuvant RT was added for patients with intermediate-risk factors, and adjuvant CCRT was performed on high-risk patients after surgery. We reviewed 247 patients—149 in the high-risk group and 98 in intermediate-risk group. The median follow-up was 62 months. Loco-regional failure (LRF) alone occurred in 7 patients (2.8%), distant metastasis alone in 37 patients (15.0%) and LRF with DM in 4 patients (1.6%). The 5-year disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) rates for both groups were 79.7% and 87.6%, respectively. In the high-risk group, the 5-year DFS and OS probabilities were 72.5% and 81.9%, respectively. Histologic type, pathologic tumor size, and the number of pelvic lymph node (PLN) metastasis were significant prognostic factors for DFS and OS. We suggest a scoring system (0–3) using these prognostic factors to predict poor prognosis in high-risk patients. Using this system, patients with higher scores have higher recurrence and lower survival rates. In the high-risk cervical-cancer group who received primary surgery and adjuvant CCRT, non-squamous type, large tumor size and the number of PLN metastasis were significant prognostic factors, and the number of these factors was associated with survival rates.

  19. Low-molecular-weight cyclin E: the missing link between biology and clinical outcome

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Akli, Said; Keyomarsi, Khandan

    2004-01-01

    Cyclin E, a key mediator of transition during the G 1 /S cellular division phase, is deregulated in a wide variety of human cancers. Our group recently reported that overexpression and generation of low-molecular-weight (LMW) isoforms of cyclin E were associated with poor clinical outcome among breast cancer patients. However, the link between LMW cyclin E biology in mediating a tumorigenic phenotype and clinical outcome is unknown. To address this gap in knowledge, we assessed the role of LMW isoforms in breast cancer cells; we found that these forms of cyclin E induced genomic instability and resistance to p21, p27, and antiestrogens in breast cancer. These findings suggest that high levels of LMW isoforms of cyclin E not only can predict failure to endocrine therapy but also are true prognostic indicators because of their influence on cell proliferation and genetic instability

  20. Clinical and Outcome Research in oncology The need for integration

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Apolone Giovanni

    2003-04-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Cancer is one of the main healthcare problems in Europe. Although significant progress has recently been made, long-term survival is still disappointing for most common solid tumours. The explosion of information has strengthened the need to create and sustain coordinated interaction between technology, biology, clinical research, clinical practice and health policy. A simple process based on automatic and passive translation from bench to clinical research and eventually to the bed side is usually assumed but cannot be taken for granted. A critical role might be played by Outcome Research (OR, defined as the discipline that describes, interprets, and predicts the impact of various influences, especially interventions, on final endpoints (from survival to satisfaction with care that matter to decision makers (from patients to society at large, with special emphasis on the use of patient-reported outcomes (PRO. Recently, under pressure from several parts of society, the FDA, recognizing the need for faster drug approval, has modified existing regulations and created new rules to allow anti-cancer drugs to be approved more quickly and, in certain but quite common circumstances, single arm trials and surrogate endpoints to be used as measures of clinical benefit. In this context, the faster approval process may lead to drugs being marketed without there being a complete picture of how effective or safe they are. The FDA move to speed up drug approval, together with the use of not fully validated surrogate endpoints, give OR the unique opportunity to help understand the value of drugs that have received accelerated approval. Despite this opportunity, OR has yet to demonstrate its role in this specific setting and provide proof of the validity, reliability and added value of its primary endpoint measures when evaluated in a broader context. The implementation of lines of OR in the development and evaluation of anti-cancer drugs hinges upon

  1. Predictive Factors and Treatment Outcomes of Tuberculous Pleural Effusion in Patients With Cancer and Pleural Effusion.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Jaehee; Lee, Yong Dae; Lim, Jae Kwang; Lee, Deok Heon; Yoo, Seung Soo; Lee, Shin Yup; Cha, Seung Ick; Park, Jae Yong; Kim, Chang Ho

    2017-08-01

    Patients with cancer are at an increased risk of tuberculosis. As pleural effusion has great clinical significance in patients with cancer, the differential diagnosis between tuberculous pleural effusion (TPE) and malignant pleural effusion (MPE) is important. However, the predictive factors and treatment outcomes of TPE in patients with cancer have rarely been studied. Confirmed TPE cases identified at cancer diagnosis and during anticancer management from 2008-2015 were retrospectively investigated. Patients in the study included coexisting TPE and cancer (n = 20), MPE (n = 40) and TPE without cancer (n = 40). Control groups were patients with MPE, and patients with TPE without cancer. Clinical, laboratory and pleural fluid characteristics were compared among groups. Treatment outcomes were compared between patients with TPE with and without cancer. In the final analysis, serum C-reactive protein (S-CRP) ≥3.0mg/dL and pleural fluid adenosine deaminase (ADA) ≥40U/L were independent predictors for identifying TPE in patients with cancer having pleural effusion. The combination of S-CRP with pleural fluid ADA using an "or" rule achieved a sensitivity of 100%, whereas both parameters combined in an "and" rule had a specificity of 98%. Treatment outcomes were not different between the TPE groups with and without cancer. S-CRP and pleural fluid ADA levels may be helpful for predicting TPE in patients with cancer with pleural effusion. The combination of these biomarkers provides better information for distinguishing between TPE and MPE in these patients. Treatment outcomes of TPE in patients with cancer are comparable to those in patients without cancer. Copyright © 2017 Southern Society for Clinical Investigation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  2. Gender and Bladder Cancer: A Collaborative Review of Etiology, Biology, and Outcomes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dobruch, Jakub; Daneshmand, Siamak; Fisch, Margit; Lotan, Yair; Noon, Aidan P; Resnick, Matthew J; Shariat, Shahrokh F; Zlotta, Alexandre R; Boorjian, Stephen A

    2016-02-01

    The incidence of bladder cancer is three to four times greater in men than in women. However, women are diagnosed with more advanced disease at presentation and have less favorable outcomes after treatment. To review the literature on potential biologic mechanisms underlying differential gender risk for bladder cancer, and evidence regarding gender disparities in bladder cancer presentation, management, and outcomes. A literature search of English-language publications that included an analysis of the association of gender with bladder cancer was performed using Pubmed. Ninety-seven articles were selected for analysis with the consensus of all authors. It has been shown that the gender difference in bladder cancer incidence is independent of differences in exposure risk, including smoking status. Potential molecular mechanisms include disparate metabolism of carcinogens by hepatic enzymes between men and women, resulting in differential exposure of the urothelium to carcinogens. In addition, the activity of the sex steroid hormone pathway may play a role in bladder cancer development, with demonstration that both androgens and estrogens have biologic effects in bladder cancer in vitro and in vivo. Importantly, gender differences exist in the timeliness and completeness of hematuria evaluation, with women experiencing a significantly greater delay in urologic referral and undergoing guideline-concordant imaging less frequently. Correspondingly, women have more advanced tumors at the time of bladder cancer diagnosis. Interestingly, higher cancer-specific mortality has been noted among women even after adjusting for tumor stage and treatment modality. Numerous potential biologic and epidemiologic factors probably underlie the gender differences observed for bladder cancer incidence, stage at diagnosis, and outcomes. Continued evaluation to define clinical applications for manipulation of the sex steroid pathway and to improve the standardization of hematuria

  3. Thyroid Lobectomy Is Associated with Excellent Clinical Outcomes in Properly Selected Differentiated Thyroid Cancer Patients with Primary Tumors Greater Than 1 cm

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vaisman, Fernanda; Momesso, Denise; Bulzico, Daniel A.; Pessoa, Cencita H. C. N.; da Cruz, Manuel Domingos Gonçalves; Dias, Fernando; Corbo, Rossana; Vaisman, Mario; Tuttle, R. Michael

    2013-01-01

    Background and Objective. An individualized risk-based approach to the treatment of thyroid cancer is being extensively discussed in the recent literature. However, controversies about the ideal surgical approach remain an important issue with regard to the impact on prognosis and follow-up strategies. This study was designed to describe clinical outcomes in a cohort of low and intermediate risk thyroid cancer patients treated with thyroid lobectomy. Methods. Retrospective review of 70 patients who underwent lobectomy. Results. After a median follow-up of 11 years, 5 patients (5/70, 7.1%) recurred and 5 had a completion for benign lesions, while 60 patients (86%) continued to be observed without evidence for disease recurrence. Suspicious ultrasound findings were significantly more common in patients that had structural disease recurrence (100% versus 4.3%, P < 0.001). Furthermore, a rising suppressed Tg value over time was also associated with structural disease recurrence (80% versus 21.5%, P = 0.01). After additional therapy, 99% of the patients had no evidence of disease. Conclusions. Properly selected thyroid cancer patients can be treated with lobectomy with excellent clinical outcomes. PMID:24455413

  4. Thyroid Lobectomy Is Associated with Excellent Clinical Outcomes in Properly Selected Differentiated Thyroid Cancer Patients with Primary Tumors Greater Than 1 cm

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Fernanda Vaisman

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Background and Objective. An individualized risk-based approach to the treatment of thyroid cancer is being extensively discussed in the recent literature. However, controversies about the ideal surgical approach remain an important issue with regard to the impact on prognosis and follow-up strategies. This study was designed to describe clinical outcomes in a cohort of low and intermediate risk thyroid cancer patients treated with thyroid lobectomy. Methods. Retrospective review of 70 patients who underwent lobectomy. Results. After a median follow-up of 11 years, 5 patients (5/70, 7.1% recurred and 5 had a completion for benign lesions, while 60 patients (86% continued to be observed without evidence for disease recurrence. Suspicious ultrasound findings were significantly more common in patients that had structural disease recurrence (100% versus 4.3%, P<0.001. Furthermore, a rising suppressed Tg value over time was also associated with structural disease recurrence (80% versus 21.5%, P=0.01. After additional therapy, 99% of the patients had no evidence of disease. Conclusions. Properly selected thyroid cancer patients can be treated with lobectomy with excellent clinical outcomes.

  5. Evidence-based review of three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy for localized prostate cancer: An ASTRO outcomes initiative

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Morris, David E.; Emami, Bahman; Mauch, Peter M.; Konski, Andre A.; Tao, May L.; Ng, Andrea K.; Klein, Eric A.; Mohideen, Najeeb; Hurwitz, Mark D.; Fraas, Bendick A.; Roach, Mack; Gore, Elizabeth M.; Tepper, Joel E.

    2005-01-01

    Purpose: To perform a systematic review of the evidence to determine the efficacy and effectiveness of three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy (3D-CRT) for localized prostate cancer; provide a clear presentation of the key clinical outcome questions related to the use of 3D-CRT in the treatment of localized prostate cancer that may be answered by a formal literature review; and provide concise information on whether 3D-CRT improves the clinical outcomes in the treatment of localized prostate cancer compared with conventional RT. Methods and Materials: We performed a systematic review of the literature through a structured process developed by the American Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology's Outcomes Committee that involved the creation of a multidisciplinary task force, development of clinical outcome questions, a formal literature review and data abstraction, data review, and outside peer review. Results: Seven key clinical questions were identified. The results and task force conclusions of the literature review for each question are reported. Conclusion: The technological goals of reducing morbidity with 3D-CRT have been achieved. Randomized trials and follow-up of completed trials remain necessary to address these clinical outcomes specifically with regard to patient subsets and the use of hormonal therapy

  6. Accrual to Cancer Clinical Trials

    LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

    Kelly, C

    2016-07-01

    Accrual to cancer clinical trials (CCT) is imperative to safeguard continued improvement in cancer outcomes. A retrospective chart review was performed of patients (n=140) starting a new anti-cancer agent in a north Dublin cancer centre. This review was performed over a four-month period, beginning in November 2015. Only 29% (n=41) had a CCT option. The overall accrual rate to CCT was 5% (n=7), which is comparable to internationally reported figures. The main reasons for failure to recruit to CCT included the lack of a CCT option for cancer type (n=30, 23%), stage (n=25, 19%), and line of treatment (n=23, 17%). Over the last decade, the rate of accrual to CCTs has in fact doubled and the number of trials open to recruitment has tripled. Ongoing governmental and philanthropic support is necessary to continue this trend to further expand CCT patient options with a target accrual rate of 10%.

  7. Association Between Preoperative Nutritional Status and Postoperative Outcome in Head and Neck Cancer Patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Leung, John S L; Seto, Alfred; Li, George K H

    2017-04-01

    Head and neck cancer patients treated with surgery often experience significant postoperative morbidities. Administering preoperative nutritional intervention may improve surgical outcomes, but there is currently a paucity of data reviewing the association between preoperative nutritional status and postoperative outcome. It is therefore of importance to investigate this association among head and neck cancer patients. To assess the association between preoperative nutritional status and postoperative outcome in head and neck cancer patients treated with surgery, a retrospective study of 70 head and neck cancer patients who were surgically treated between 2013 and 2014 in a tertiary referral head and neck surgery center in Hong Kong was conducted. Clinical data regarding preoperative nutritional status and postoperative outcome were retrieved from a computer record system. Logistic and linear regressions were used to analyze the appropriate parameters. A higher preoperative albumin level was associated with lower rates of postoperative complications and better wound healing (P cancer patients, preoperative intervention strategies that boost albumin levels could be considered for improving surgical outcome.

  8. Integrated genomic analyses identify KDM1A's role in cell proliferation via modulating E2F signaling activity and associate with poor clinical outcome in oral cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Narayanan, Sathiya Pandi; Singh, Smriti; Gupta, Amit; Yadav, Sandhya; Singh, Shree Ram; Shukla, Sanjeev

    2015-10-28

    The histone demethylase KDM1A specifically demethylates lysine residues and its deregulation has been implicated in the initiation and progression of various cancers. However, KDM1A's molecular role and its pathological consequences, and prognostic significance in oral cancer remain less understood. In the present study, we sought to investigate the expression of KDM1A and its downstream role in oral cancer pathogenesis. By comparing mRNA expression profiles, we identified an elevated KDM1A expression in oral tumors when compared to normal oral tissues. In silico pathway prediction identified the association between KDM1A and E2F1 signaling in oral cancer. Pathway scanning, functional annotation analysis and In vitro assays showed the KDM1A's involvement in oral cancer cell proliferation and the cell cycle. Moreover, real time PCR and luciferase assays confirmed KDM1A's role in regulation of E2F1 signaling activity in oral cancer. Elevated KDM1A expression is associated with poor clinical outcome in oral cancer. Our data indicate that deregulated KDM1A expression is positively associated with proliferative phenotype of oral cancer and confers poor clinical outcome. These cumulative data suggest that KDM1A might be a potential diagnostic and therapeutic target for oral cancer. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  9. Clinical Outcomes With Dose-Escalated Adaptive Radiation Therapy for Urinary Bladder Cancer: A Prospective Study

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Murthy, Vedang, E-mail: vmurthy@actrec.gov.in [Department of Radiation Oncology, Tata Memorial Centre, Parel, Mumbai (India); Masodkar, Renuka; Kalyani, Nikhil; Mahantshetty, Umesh [Department of Radiation Oncology, Tata Memorial Centre, Parel, Mumbai (India); Bakshi, Ganesh; Prakash, Gagan [Department of Surgical Oncology, Tata Memorial Centre, Parel, Mumbai (India); Joshi, Amit; Prabhash, Kumar [Department of Medical Oncology, Tata Memorial Centre, Parel, Mumbai (India); Ghonge, Sujata; Shrivastava, Shyamkishore [Department of Radiation Oncology, Tata Memorial Centre, Parel, Mumbai (India)

    2016-01-01

    Purpose: The purpose of this study was to assess feasibility, clinical outcomes, and toxicity in patients with bladder cancer treated with adaptive, image guided radiation therapy (IGRT) for bladder preservation as a part of trimodality treatment. The role of dose escalation was also studied. Methods and Materials: Forty-four patients with localized bladder cancer were enrolled in a prospective study. They underwent maximal safe resection of bladder tumor and concurrent platinum-based chemotherapy. Patients with large tumors were offered induction chemotherapy. Radiation therapy planning was done using either 3 (n=34) or 6 (n=10) concentrically grown planning target volumes (PTV). Patients received 64 Gy in 32 fractions to the whole bladder and 55 Gy to the pelvic nodes and, if appropriate, a simultaneous integrated boost to the tumor bed to 68 Gy (equivalent dose for 2-Gy fractions assuming α/β of 10 [EQD2]{sub 10} = 68.7 Gy). Daily megavoltage (MV) imaging helped to choose the most appropriate PTV encompassing bladder for the particular day (using plan-of-the-day approach). Results: Most patients (88%) had T2 disease. Sixteen patients (36%) received neoadjuvant chemotherapy. A majority of the patients (73%) received prophylactic nodal irradiation, whereas 55% of the patients received escalated dose to the tumor bed. With a median follow-up of 30 months, the 3-year locoregional control (LRC), disease-free survival, and overall survival (OS) were 78%, 66%, and 67%, respectively. The bladder preservation rate was 83%. LRC (87% vs 68%, respectively, P=.748) and OS (74% vs 60%, respectively, P=.36) rates were better in patients receiving dose escalation. Instances of acute and late Radiation Therapy Oncology Group (RTOG) grade 3 genitourinary toxicity was seen in 5 (11%) and 2 (4%) patients, respectively. There was no acute or late RTOG grade 3 or higher gastrointestinal toxicity. Conclusions: Adaptive IGRT using plan-of-the-day approach for bladder

  10. Clinical Outcomes With Dose-Escalated Adaptive Radiation Therapy for Urinary Bladder Cancer: A Prospective Study

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Murthy, Vedang; Masodkar, Renuka; Kalyani, Nikhil; Mahantshetty, Umesh; Bakshi, Ganesh; Prakash, Gagan; Joshi, Amit; Prabhash, Kumar; Ghonge, Sujata; Shrivastava, Shyamkishore

    2016-01-01

    Purpose: The purpose of this study was to assess feasibility, clinical outcomes, and toxicity in patients with bladder cancer treated with adaptive, image guided radiation therapy (IGRT) for bladder preservation as a part of trimodality treatment. The role of dose escalation was also studied. Methods and Materials: Forty-four patients with localized bladder cancer were enrolled in a prospective study. They underwent maximal safe resection of bladder tumor and concurrent platinum-based chemotherapy. Patients with large tumors were offered induction chemotherapy. Radiation therapy planning was done using either 3 (n=34) or 6 (n=10) concentrically grown planning target volumes (PTV). Patients received 64 Gy in 32 fractions to the whole bladder and 55 Gy to the pelvic nodes and, if appropriate, a simultaneous integrated boost to the tumor bed to 68 Gy (equivalent dose for 2-Gy fractions assuming α/β of 10 [EQD2] 10  = 68.7 Gy). Daily megavoltage (MV) imaging helped to choose the most appropriate PTV encompassing bladder for the particular day (using plan-of-the-day approach). Results: Most patients (88%) had T2 disease. Sixteen patients (36%) received neoadjuvant chemotherapy. A majority of the patients (73%) received prophylactic nodal irradiation, whereas 55% of the patients received escalated dose to the tumor bed. With a median follow-up of 30 months, the 3-year locoregional control (LRC), disease-free survival, and overall survival (OS) were 78%, 66%, and 67%, respectively. The bladder preservation rate was 83%. LRC (87% vs 68%, respectively, P=.748) and OS (74% vs 60%, respectively, P=.36) rates were better in patients receiving dose escalation. Instances of acute and late Radiation Therapy Oncology Group (RTOG) grade 3 genitourinary toxicity was seen in 5 (11%) and 2 (4%) patients, respectively. There was no acute or late RTOG grade 3 or higher gastrointestinal toxicity. Conclusions: Adaptive IGRT using plan-of-the-day approach for bladder preservation

  11. Improving outcomes in lung cancer: the value of the multidisciplinary health care team

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Denton E

    2016-03-01

    Full Text Available Eve Denton,1 Matthew Conron2 1Allergy, Immunology and Respiratory Department, Alfred Hospital, 2Department of Respiratory and Sleep Medicine, St Vincent's Hospital, Melbourne, VIC, Australia Abstract: Lung cancer is a major worldwide health burden, with high disease-related morbidity and mortality. Unlike other major cancers, there has been little improvement in lung cancer outcomes over the past few decades, and survival remains disturbingly low. Multidisciplinary care is the cornerstone of lung cancer treatment in the developed world, despite a relative lack of evidence that this model of care improves outcomes. In this article, the available literature concerning the impact of multidisciplinary care on key measures of lung cancer outcomes is reviewed. This includes the limited observational data supporting improved survival with multidisciplinary care. The impact of multidisciplinary care on other benchmark measures of quality lung cancer treatment is also examined, including staging accuracy, access to diagnostic investigations, improvements in clinical decision making, better utilization of radiotherapy and palliative care services, and improved quality of life for patients. Health service research suggests that multidisciplinary care improves care coordination, leading to a better patient experience, and reduces variation in care, a problem in lung cancer management that has been identified worldwide. Furthermore, evidence suggests that the multidisciplinary model of care overcomes barriers to treatment, promotes standardized treatment through adherence to guidelines, and allows audit of clinical services and for these reasons is more likely to provide quality care for lung cancer patients. While there is strengthening evidence suggesting that the multidisciplinary model of care contributes to improvements in lung cancer outcomes, more quality studies are needed. Keywords: lung cancer, multidisciplinary care, mortality, tumor board

  12. Medical assessment of adverse health outcomes in long-term survivors of childhood cancer

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Geenen, Maud M.; Cardous-Ubbink, Mathilde C.; Kremer, Leontien C. M.; van den Bos, Cor; van der Pal, Helena J. H.; Heinen, Richard C.; Jaspers, Monique W. M.; Koning, Caro C. E.; Oldenburger, Foppe; Langeveld, Nelia E.; Hart, Augustinus A. M.; Bakker, Piet J. M.; Caron, Huib N.; van Leeuwen, Flora E.

    2007-01-01

    CONTEXT: Improved survival of children with cancer has been accompanied by multiple treatment-related complications. However, most studies in survivors of childhood cancer focused on only 1 late effect. OBJECTIVE: To assess the total burden of adverse health outcomes (clinical or subclinical

  13. Rectal cancer surgery: volume-outcome analysis.

    LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

    Nugent, Emmeline

    2010-12-01

    There is strong evidence supporting the importance of the volume-outcome relationship with respect to lung and pancreatic cancers. This relationship for rectal cancer surgery however remains unclear. We review the currently available literature to assess the evidence base for volume outcome in relation to rectal cancer surgery.

  14. Rothmund-Thomson Syndrome: Insights from New Patients on the Genetic Variability Underpinning Clinical Presentation and Cancer Outcome

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Elisa A. Colombo

    2018-04-01

    Full Text Available Biallelic mutations in RECQL4 gene, a caretaker of the genome, cause Rothmund-Thomson type-II syndrome (RTS-II and confer increased cancer risk if they damage the helicase domain. We describe five families exemplifying clinical and allelic heterogeneity of RTS-II, and report the effect of pathogenic RECQL4 variants by in silico predictions and transcripts analyses. Complete phenotype of patients #39 and #42 whose affected siblings developed osteosarcoma correlates with their c.[1048_1049del], c.[1878+32_1878+55del] and c.[1568G>C;1573delT], c.[3021_3022del] variants which damage the helicase domain. Literature survey highlights enrichment of these variants affecting the helicase domain in patients with cancer outcome raising the issue of strict oncological surveillance. Conversely, patients #29 and #19 have a mild phenotype and carry, respectively, the unreported homozygous c.3265G>T and c.3054A>G variants, both sparing the helicase domain. Finally, despite matching several criteria for RTS clinical diagnosis, patient #38 is heterozygous for c.2412_2414del; no pathogenic CNVs out of those evidenced by high-resolution CGH-array, emerged as contributors to her phenotype.

  15. Prostate Cancer: Prognostic factors, markers of outcome and design of clinical trials

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    L.A.J. Collette (Lau)

    2006-01-01

    textabstractPhase III clinical trials to assess the clinical benefit of new treatment options often require large patient numbers and long follow-up, in particular in diseases with a long natural history, such as prostate cancer. In this thesis, we argue that in order to improve the efficiency of

  16. Bayesian Nonparametric Estimation of Targeted Agent Effects on Biomarker Change to Predict Clinical Outcome

    Science.gov (United States)

    Graziani, Rebecca; Guindani, Michele; Thall, Peter F.

    2015-01-01

    Summary The effect of a targeted agent on a cancer patient's clinical outcome putatively is mediated through the agent's effect on one or more early biological events. This is motivated by pre-clinical experiments with cells or animals that identify such events, represented by binary or quantitative biomarkers. When evaluating targeted agents in humans, central questions are whether the distribution of a targeted biomarker changes following treatment, the nature and magnitude of this change, and whether it is associated with clinical outcome. Major difficulties in estimating these effects are that a biomarker's distribution may be complex, vary substantially between patients, and have complicated relationships with clinical outcomes. We present a probabilistically coherent framework for modeling and estimation in this setting, including a hierarchical Bayesian nonparametric mixture model for biomarkers that we use to define a functional profile of pre-versus-post treatment biomarker distribution change. The functional is similar to the receiver operating characteristic used in diagnostic testing. The hierarchical model yields clusters of individual patient biomarker profile functionals, and we use the profile as a covariate in a regression model for clinical outcome. The methodology is illustrated by analysis of a dataset from a clinical trial in prostate cancer using imatinib to target platelet-derived growth factor, with the clinical aim to improve progression-free survival time. PMID:25319212

  17. Economic and quality-of-life outcomes in head and neck cancer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Harrison, Louis B.

    1996-01-01

    Head and neck cancer offers a special and unique challenge to physicians and patients. Treatment of cancers in this part of the body, especially surgical resection, can cause profound changes in quality-of-life. The patient's ability to work, earn a living, articulate speech, communicate, have social interaction, and live a normal life, can be affected in a major way. Therefore, physicians and patients must look beyond the obvious oncologic outcomes of locoregional control, distant metastasis free survival, and overall survival. These outcomes must be assessed along with detailed, quality-of-life and economic outcomes, in order to properly manage patients. It is also mandatory that patients have a clear understanding of all their treatment options, and the implications of these options on cancer control and quality-of-life. This panel will focus on the available methods to assess quality-of-life and economic outcomes in head and neck cancer management. It will also highlight areas where new oncologic strategies are utilized which emphasize organ and function preservation. This latter area is an important aspect of modern clinical research and practice. In particular, management of cancers of the tongue, larynx, and hypopharynx offer special opportunities. Resection of these organs can produce debilitating functional outcomes. New multidisciplinary approaches to treat patients while avoiding primary resection have been developed. The oncologic and quality-of-life/economic outcomes will be assessed for these organ preserving strategies

  18. Cancer Center Clinic and Research Team Perceptions of Identity and Interactions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Reimer, Torsten; Lee, Simon J Craddock; Garcia, Sandra; Gill, Mary; Duncan, Tobi; Williams, Erin L; Gerber, David E

    2017-12-01

    Conduct of cancer clinical trials requires coordination and cooperation among research and clinic teams. Diffusion of and confusion about responsibility may occur if team members' perceptions of roles and objectives do not align. These factors are critical to the success of cancer centers but are poorly studied. We developed a survey adapting components of the Adapted Team Climate Inventory, Measure of Team Identification, and Measure of In-Group Bias. Surveys were administered to research and clinic staff at a National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer center. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, t tests, and analyses of variance. Responses were received from 105 staff (clinic, n = 55; research, n = 50; 61% response rate). Compared with clinic staff, research staff identified more strongly with their own group ( P teams, we also identified key differences, including perceptions of goal clarity and sharing, understanding and alignment with cancer center goals, and importance of outcomes. Future studies should examine how variation in perceptions and group dynamics between clinic and research teams may impact function and processes of cancer care.

  19. Prevalence and impact of extended-spectrum β-lactamase production on clinical outcomes in cancer patients with Enterobacter species bacteremia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Sun Jong; Park, Ki-Ho; Chung, Jin-Won; Sung, Heungsup; Choi, Seong-Ho; Choi, Sang-Ho

    2014-09-01

    We examined the prevalence of extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL) production and the impact of ESBL on clinical outcomes in cancer patients with Enterobacter spp. bacteremia. Using prospective cohort data on Enterobacter bacteremia obtained between January 2005 and November 2008 from a tertiary care center, the prevalence and clinical impact of ESBL production were evaluated. Two-hundred and three episodes of Enterobacter spp. bacteremia were identified. Thirty-one blood isolates (15.3%, 31/203) scored positive by the double-disk synergy test. Among 17 isolates in which ESBL genes were detected by polymerase chain reaction and sequencing, CTX-M (n = 12), SHV-12 (n = 11), and TEM (n = 4) were the most prevalent ESBL types. Prior usage of antimicrobial agents (77.4% vs. 54.0%, p = 0.02) and inappropriate empirical antimicrobial therapy (22.6% vs. 3.0%, p Enterobacter bacteremia. Although inappropriate empirical therapy was more common in the ESBL-positive group, ESBL production was not associated with poorer outcomes.

  20. Clinical outcomes in patients with node-negative breast cancer treated based on the recurrence score results: evidence from a large prospectively designed registry.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stemmer, Salomon M; Steiner, Mariana; Rizel, Shulamith; Soussan-Gutman, Lior; Ben-Baruch, Noa; Bareket-Samish, Avital; Geffen, David B; Nisenbaum, Bella; Isaacs, Kevin; Fried, Georgeta; Rosengarten, Ora; Uziely, Beatrice; Svedman, Christer; McCullough, Debbie; Maddala, Tara; Klang, Shmuel H; Zidan, Jamal; Ryvo, Larisa; Kaufman, Bella; Evron, Ella; Karminsky, Natalya; Goldberg, Hadassah; Shak, Steven; Liebermann, Nicky

    2017-01-01

    The 21-gene Recurrence Score® (RS) assay is a validated prognostic/predictive tool in ER + early-stage breast cancer. However, clinical outcome data from prospective studies in RS ≥ 11 patients are lacking, as are relevant real-life clinical practice data. In this retrospective analysis of a prospectively designed registry, we evaluated treatments/clinical outcomes in patients undergoing RS-testing through Clalit Health Services. The analysis included N0 ER + HER2-negative breast cancer patients who were RS-tested from 1/2006 through 12/2010. Medical records were reviewed to verify treatments/recurrences/survival. The cohort included 1801 patients (median follow-up, 6.2 years). Median age was 60 years, 50.4% were grade 2 and 81.1% had invasive ductal carcinoma; 48.9% had RS < 18, 40.7% RS 18-30, and 10.4% RS ≥ 31, with chemotherapy use of 1.4, 23.7, and 87.2%, respectively. The 5-year Kaplan-Meier estimates for distant recurrence were 0.8, 3.0, and 8.6%, for patients with RS < 18, RS 18-30 and RS ≥ 31, respectively; the corresponding 5-year Kaplan-Meier estimates for breast cancer death were 0.0, 0.9, and 6.2%. Chemotherapy-untreated patients with RS < 11 ( n  = 304) and 11-25 ( n  = 1037) (TAILORx categorizatio n ) had 5-year Kaplan-Meier estimates for distant recurrence risk/breast cancer death of 1.0%/0.0% and 1.3%/0.4%, respectively. Our results extend those of the prospective TAILORx trial: the 5-year Kaplan-Meier estimates for distant recurrence and breast cancer death rate for the RS < 18 patients were very low supporting the use of endocrine therapy alone. Furthermore, in chemotherapy-untreated patients with RS 11-25 (where TAILORx patients were randomized to chemoendocrine or endocrine therapy alone), 5-year distant recurrence rates were also very low, suggesting that chemotherapy would not have conferred clinically meaningful benefit.

  1. TIAM1 variants improve clinical outcome in neuroblastoma.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sanmartín, Elena; Yáñez, Yania; Fornés-Ferrer, Victoria; Zugaza, José L; Cañete, Adela; Castel, Victoria; Font de Mora, Jaime

    2017-07-11

    Identification of tumor driver mutations is crucial for improving clinical outcome using a personalized approach to the treatment of cancer. Neuroblastoma is a tumor of the peripheral sympathetic nervous system for which only a few driver alterations have been described including MYCN amplification and ALK mutations. We assessed 106 primary neuroblastoma tumors by next generation sequencing using a customized amplicon-based gene panel. Our results reveal that genetic variants in TIAM1 gene associate with better clinical outcome, suggesting a role for these TIAM1 variants in preventing progression of this disease. The detected variants are located within the different domains of TIAM1 that signal to the upstream regulator RAS and downstream effector molecules MYC and RAC, which are all implicated in neuroblastoma etiology and progression. Clinical outcome was improved in tumors where a TIAM1 variant was present concomitantly with either ALK mutation or MYCN amplification. Given the function of these signaling molecules in cell survival, proliferation, differentiation and neurite outgrowth, our data suggest that the TIAM1-mediated network is essential to neuroblastoma and thus, inhibiting TIAM1 reflects a rational strategy for improving therapy efficacy in neuroblastoma.

  2. Recommendations for Obesity Clinical Trials in Cancer Survivors: American Society of Clinical Oncology Statement.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ligibel, Jennifer A; Alfano, Catherine M; Hershman, Dawn; Ballard, Rachel M; Bruinooge, Suanna S; Courneya, Kerry S; Daniels, Elvan C; Demark-Wahnefried, Wendy; Frank, Elizabeth S; Goodwin, Pamela J; Irwin, Melinda L; Levit, Laura A; McCaskill-Stevens, Worta; Minasian, Lori M; O'Rourke, Mark A; Pierce, John P; Stein, Kevin D; Thomson, Cynthia A; Hudis, Clifford A

    2015-11-20

    Observational evidence has established a relationship between obesity and cancer risk and outcomes. Interventional studies have demonstrated the feasibility and benefits of lifestyle change after cancer diagnosis, and guidelines recommend weight management and regular physical activity in cancer survivors; however, lifestyle interventions are not a routine part of cancer care. The ASCO Research Summit on Advancing Obesity Clinical Trials in Cancer Survivors sought to identify the knowledge gaps that clinical trials addressing energy balance factors in cancer survivors have not answered and to develop a roadmap for the design and implementation of studies with the potential to generate data that could lead to the evidence-based incorporation of weight management and physical activity programs into standard oncology practice. Recommendations highlight the need for large-scale trials evaluating the impact of energy balance interventions on cancer outcomes, as well as the concurrent conduct of studies focused on dissemination and implementation of interventions in diverse populations of cancer survivors, including answering critical questions about the degree of benefit in key subgroups of survivors. Other considerations include the importance of incorporating economic metrics into energy balance intervention trials, the need to establish intermediate biomarkers, and the importance of integrating traditional and nontraditional funding sources. Establishing lifestyle change after cancer diagnosis as a routine part of cancer care will require a multipronged effort to overcome barriers related to study development, funding, and stakeholder engagement. Given the prevalence of obesity and inactivity in cancer survivors in the United States and elsewhere, energy balance interventions hold the potential to reduce cancer morbidity and mortality in millions of patients, and it is essential that we move forward in determining their role in cancer care with the same care and

  3. Human papillomavirus and p53 expression in cancer of unknown primary in the head and neck region in relation to clinical outcome

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sivars, Lars; Näsman, Anders; Tertipis, Nikolaos; Vlastos, Andrea; Ramqvist, Torbjörn; Dalianis, Tina; Munck-Wikland, Eva; Nordemar, Sushma

    2014-01-01

    Patients with cancer of unknown primary (CUP) in the head neck region are generally treated with neck dissection followed by radiotherapy at times combined with chemotherapy, a treatment associated with considerable side effects. Some of these tumors may originate as human papillomavirus (HPV)-positive oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC), with better clinical outcome than head neck squamous cell cancer (HNSCC) in general, and could potentially do well with less treatment. Here, we therefore investigated whether HPV status and p53-expression correlated to clinical outcome in patients with CUP in the head neck region. Fifty metastases were analyzed for presence of HPV DNA, and expression of p16 INK4A and p53 and the data were correlated to clinical outcome. Patients with HPV DNA-positive (HPV DNA+ ) metastases had significantly better 5-year overall survival (OS) compared to those with HPV DNA− metastases (80.0% vs. 36.7%, respectively; P = 0.004), with a similar tendency for disease-free survival (DFS). These survival rates showed excellent concordance with those of HPV DNA+ and HPV DNA− OSCC in Sweden during the same time period, strengthening the hypothesis that HPV DNA+ head and neck CUP may originate from HPV DNA+ OSCC. In addition, having absent/intermediary-low as compared to high expression of p53 correlated to a better prognosis with a 69% as compared to 14% 5-year OS, respectively (P < 0.001), and for DFS the tendency was analogous. In conclusion, both HPV status and p53 expression are valuable prognostic factors in patients with CUP in the head and neck region and should be further explored for clinical use

  4. Clinical perspectives of cancer stem cell research in radiation oncology

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bütof, Rebecca; Baumann, Michael; Dubrovska, Anna

    2013-01-01

    Radiotherapy has a proven potential to eradicate cancer stem cells which is reflected by its curative potential in many cancer types. Considerable progress has been made in identification and biological characterisation of cancer stem cells during the past years. Recent biological findings indicate significant inter- and intratumoural and functional heterogeneity of cancer stem cells and lead to more complex models which have potential implications for radiobiology and radiotherapy. Clinical evidence is emerging that biomarkers of cancer stem cells may be prognostic for the outcome of radiotherapy in some tumour entities. Perspectives of cancer stem cell based research for radiotherapy reviewed here include their radioresistance compared to the mass of non-cancer stem cells which form the bulk of all tumour cells, implications for image- and non-image based predictive bio-assays of the outcome of radiotherapy and a combination of novel systemic treatments with radiotherapy

  5. Evaluating Adaptation of a Cancer Clinical Trial Decision Aid for Rural Cancer Patients: A Mixed-Methods Approach.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pathak, Swati; George, Nerissa; Monti, Denise; Robinson, Kathy; Politi, Mary C

    2018-06-03

    Rural-residing cancer patients often do not participate in clinical trials. Many patients misunderstand cancer clinical trials and their rights as participant. The purpose of this study is to modify a previously developed cancer clinical trials decision aid (DA), incorporating the unique needs of rural populations, and test its impact on knowledge and decision outcomes. The study was conducted in two phases. Phase I recruited 15 rural-residing cancer survivors in a qualitative usability study. Participants navigated the original DA and provided feedback regarding usability and implementation in rural settings. Phase II recruited 31 newly diagnosed rural-residing cancer patients. Patients completed a survey before and after using the revised DA, R-CHOICES. Primary outcomes included decisional conflict, decision self-efficacy, knowledge, communication self-efficacy, and attitudes towards and willingness to consider joining a trial. In phase I, the DA was viewed positively by rural-residing cancer survivors. Participants provided important feedback about factors rural-residing patients consider when thinking about trial participation. In phase II, after using R-CHOICES, participants had higher certainty about their choice (mean post-test = 3.10 vs. pre-test = 2.67; P = 0.025) and higher trial knowledge (mean percentage correct at post-test = 73.58 vs. pre-test = 57.77; P decision self-efficacy, communication self-efficacy, and attitudes towards or willingness to join trials. The R-CHOICES improved rural-residing patients' knowledge of cancer clinical trials and reduced conflict about making a trial decision. More research is needed on ways to further support decisions about trial participation among this population.

  6. Clinical, virologic, and immunologic outcomes in lymphoma survivors and in cancer-free, HIV-1-infected patients: a matched cohort study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Spagnuolo, Vincenzo; Travi, Giovanna; Galli, Laura; Cossarini, Francesca; Guffanti, Monica; Gianotti, Nicola; Salpietro, Stefania; Lazzarin, Adriano; Castagna, Antonella

    2013-08-01

    The objective of this study was to compare immunologic, virologic, and clinical outcomes between living human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected individuals who had a diagnosis of lymphoma versus outcomes in a control group of cancer-free, HIV-infected patients. In this matched cohort study, patients in the case group were survivors of incident lymphomas that occurred between 1997 and June 2010. Controls were living, cancer-free, HIV-infected patients who were matched to cases at a 4:1 ratio by age, sex, nadir CD4 cell count, and year of HIV diagnosis. The date of lymphoma diagnosis served as the baseline in cases and in the corresponding controls. In total, 62 patients (cases) who had lymphoma (20 with Hodgkin disease [HD] and 42 with non-Hodgkin lymphoma [NHL]) were compared with 211 controls. The overall median follow-up was 4.8 years (interquartile range, 2.0-7.9 years). The CD4 cell count at baseline was 278 cells/mm³ (interquartile range, 122-419 cells/mm³) in cases versus 421 cells/mm³ (interquartile range, 222-574 cells/mm³) in controls (P = .003). At the last available visit, the CD4 cell count was 412 cells/mm³ (range, 269-694 cells/mm³) in cases versus 518 cells/mm³ (interquartile range, 350-661 cells/mm³) in controls (P = .087). The proportion of patients who achieved virologic success increased from 30% at baseline to 74% at the last available visit in cases (P = .008) and from 51% to 81% in controls (P = .0286). Patients with HD reached higher CD4 cell counts at their last visit than patients with NHL (589 cells/mm³ [range, 400-841 cells/mm³] vs 332 cells/mm³ [interquartile range, 220-530 cells/mm³], respectively; P = .003). Virologic success was similar between patients with HD and patients with NHL at the last visit. Forty cases (65%) and 76 controls (36%) experienced at least 1 clinical event after baseline (P < .0001); cases were associated with a shorter time to occurrence of the first clinical event compared with controls (P

  7. Clinical outcome of stage III non-small-cell lung cancer patients after definitive radiotherapy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nakamura, Tatsuya; Fuwa, Nobukazu; Kodaira, Takeshi; Tachibana, Hiroyuki; Tomoda, Takuya; Nakahara, Rie; Inokuchi, Haruo

    2008-01-01

    Primarily combined radiotherapy and chemotherapy are used to treat unresectable non-small-cell lung cancer; however, the results are not satisfactory. In this study treatment results were retrospectively analyzed and the prognostic factors related to survival were identified. From March 1999 to January 2004, 102 patients with stage IIIA/IIIB non-small-cell lung cancer received definitive radiotherapy with or without chemotherapy. Radiotherapy involved a daily dose of 1.8-2.0 Gy five times a week; 60 Gy was set as the total dose. Maximal chemotherapy was given to patients with normal kidney, liver, and bone marrow functions. The 5-year overall survival rate was 22.2%; the median survival was 18 months. The median follow-up of surviving patients was 53 months. The complete or partial response rate was 85%. At the time of the last follow-up, 21 patients were alive and 81 patients had died, including 5 patients who had died due to radiation pneumonitis. There were significant differences in survival and in the fatal radiation pneumonitis rate between patients with superior lobe lesions and those with middle or inferior lobe lesions. Patients whose primary tumor is located in the superior lobe appear to have a better clinical outcome.

  8. Locally Advanced Rectal Cancer Patients Receiving Radio-Chemotherapy: A Novel Clinical-Pathologic Score Correlates With Global Outcome

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Berardi, Rossana; Mantello, Giovanna; Scartozzi, Mario; Del Prete, Stefano; Luppi, Gabriele; Martinelli, Roberto; Fumagalli, Marco; Grillo-Ruggieri, Filippo; Bearzi, Italo; Mandolesi, Alessandra; Marmorale, Cristina; Cascinu, Stefano

    2009-01-01

    Purpose: To determine the importance of downstaging of locally advanced rectal cancer after neoadjuvant treatment. Methods and Materials: The study included all consecutive patients with locally advanced rectal cancer who underwent neoadjuvant treatment (chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy) in different Italian centers from June 1996 to December 2003. A novel score was used, calculated as the sum of numbers obtained by giving a negative or positive point, respectively, to each degree of increase or decrease in clinical to pathologic T and N status. Results: A total of 317 patients were eligible for analysis. Neoadjuvant treatments performed were as follows: radiotherapy alone in 75 of 317 patients (23.7%), radiotherapy plus chemotherapy in 242 of 317 patients (76.3%). Worse disease-free survival was observed in patients with a lower score (Score 1 = -3 to +3 vs. Score 2 = +4 to +7; p = 0.04). Conclusions: Our results suggest that a novel score, calculated from preoperative and pathologic tumor and lymph node status, could represent an important parameter to predict outcome in patients receiving neoadjuvant treatment for rectal cancer. The score could be useful to select patients for adjuvant chemotherapy after neoadjuvant treatment and surgery.

  9. Clinical Characteristics and Outcomes of Lung Cancer Patients 
with EGFR Mutations in Exons 19 and 21

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Renwang LIU

    2014-11-01

    Full Text Available Background and objective Studies on the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR signaling pathways and the therapeutic effects of EGFR-tyrosine kinase inhibitors (EGFR-TKIs have recently proven that targeted therapy has a major role in the treatment of lung cancer. However, the therapeutic effects of EGFR-TKIs on lung cancers with different EGFR mutation subtypes remain unclear. And if there is a significant difference in the effects of EGFR-TKIs, the mechanisms for the difference remain unclear. The aim of this study was to investigate the clinical importance of EGFR mutations in exons 19 and 21 of lung cancer patients and to compare the outcomes of these patients. Methods The study recruited 113 patients who had non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC with EGFR mutations. EGFR mutations were detected for 47 patients using Real-time PCR or DNA sequencinag. The mutations of the remaining patients were determined using xTag-EGFR liquid chip technology. All stages I-III patients underwent radical resection followed by 4 cycles of postoperative chemotherapy. Patients with pleural metastases underwent pleural biopsy, pleurodesis, and chemotherapy only. Patients with distant metastases underwent biopsy and chemotherapy only. Collected clinical data were analyzed using SPSS 19.0 software. Results EGFR exon mutations 19 and 21 were found in 56 and 57 patients, respectively. The mean age of patients with exon 19 mutations was lower than the age of the patients with exon 21 mutations (57.02±11.31 years vs 62.25±7.76 years, respectively; P0.05 between the patients with exon 19 and 21 mutations; and survival analysis of 91 (80.5% patients with complete clinical data found no differences in overall survival. Stratification analysis found out that patients with exon 19 mutations had longer overall survival associated with age>61 years, male gender, ever smoking, and stage IV disease; although the differences were not significant. Conclusion Compared to the lung

  10. The impact of mindfulness-based interventions on symptom burden, positive psychological outcomes, and biomarkers in cancer patients

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rouleau CR

    2015-06-01

    Full Text Available Codie R Rouleau,1 Sheila N Garland,2 Linda E Carlson3 1Department of Psychology, Faculty of Arts, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada; 2Department of Family Medicine and Community Health, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA; 3Department of Oncology, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada Abstract: Research on the use of mindfulness-based stress reduction and related mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs in cancer care has proliferated over the past decade. MBIs have aimed to facilitate physical and emotional adjustment to life with cancer through the cultivation and practice of mindfulness (ie, purposeful, nonjudgmental, moment-to-moment awareness. This descriptive review highlights three categories of outcomes that have been evaluated in MBI research with cancer patients – namely, symptom reduction, positive psychological growth, and biological outcomes. We also examine the clinical relevance of each targeted outcome, while describing recently published original studies to highlight novel applications of MBIs tailored to individuals with cancer. Accumulating evidence suggests that participation in a MBI contributes to reductions in psychological distress, sleep disturbance, and fatigue, and promotes personal growth in areas such as quality of life and spirituality. MBIs may also influence markers of immune function, hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis regulation, and autonomic nervous system activity, though it remains unclear whether these biological changes translate to clinically important health benefits. We conclude by discussing methodological limitations of the extant literature, and implications of matching MBIs to the needs and preferences of cancer patients. Overall, the growing popularity of MBIs in cancer care must be balanced against scientific evidence for their impact on specific clinical outcomes. Keywords: mindfulness-based intervention

  11. Clinical outcomes of endoscopic submucosal dissection for early gastric cancer in remnant stomach or gastric tube.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nishide, N; Ono, H; Kakushima, N; Takizawa, K; Tanaka, M; Matsubayashi, H; Yamaguchi, Y

    2012-06-01

    Little information exists regarding the optimal treatment of early gastric cancer (EGC) in a remnant stomach or gastric tube. The aim of this study was to assess the feasibility and clinical outcomes of endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) for EGC in a remnant stomach and gastric tube. Between September 2002 and December 2009, ESD was performed in 62 lesions in 59 patients with EGC in a remnant stomach (48 lesions) or gastric tube (14 lesions). Clinicopathological data were retrieved retrospectively to assess the en bloc resection rate, complications, and outcomes. Treatment results were assessed according to the indications for endoscopic resection, and were compared with those of ESD performed in a whole stomach during the same study period. The en bloc resection rates for lesions within the standard and expanded indication were 100 % and 93 %, respectively. Postoperative bleeding occurred in five patients (8 %). The perforation rate was significantly higher (18 %, 11 /62) than that of ESD in a whole stomach (5 %, 69 /1479). Among the perforation cases, eight lesions involved the anastomotic site or stump line, and ulcerative changes were observed in five lesions. The 3-year overall survival rate was 85 %, with eight deaths due to other causes and no deaths from gastric cancer. A high en bloc resection rate was achieved by ESD for EGC in a remnant stomach or gastric tube; however, this procedure is still technically demanding due to the high complication rate of perforation. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

  12. DNA Mismatch Repair Deficiency in Rectal Cancer: Benchmarking Its Impact on Prognosis, Neoadjuvant Response Prediction, and Clinical Cancer Genetics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    de Rosa, Nicole; Rodriguez-Bigas, Miguel A; Chang, George J; Veerapong, Jula; Borras, Ester; Krishnan, Sunil; Bednarski, Brian; Messick, Craig A; Skibber, John M; Feig, Barry W; Lynch, Patrick M; Vilar, Eduardo; You, Y Nancy

    2016-09-01

    DNA mismatch repair deficiency (dMMR) hallmarks consensus molecular subtype 1 of colorectal cancer. It is being routinely tested, but little is known about dMMR rectal cancers. The efficacy of novel treatment strategies cannot be established without benchmarking the outcomes of dMMR rectal cancer with current therapy. We aimed to delineate the impact of dMMR on prognosis, the predicted response to fluoropyrimidine-based neoadjuvant therapy, and implications of germline alterations in the MMR genes in rectal cancer. Between 1992 and 2012, 62 patients with dMMR rectal cancers underwent multimodality therapy. Oncologic treatment and outcomes as well as clinical genetics work-up were examined. Overall and rectal cancer-specific survival were calculated by the Kaplan-Meier method. The median age at diagnosis was 41 years. MMR deficiency was most commonly due to alterations in MSH2 (53%) or MSH6 (23%). After a median follow-up of 6.8 years, the 5-year rectal cancer-specific survival was 100% for stage I and II, 85.1% for stage III, and 60.0% for stage IV disease. Fluoropyrimidine-based neoadjuvant chemoradiation was associated with a complete pathologic response rate of 27.6%. The extent of surgical resection was influenced by synchronous colonic disease at presentation, tumor height, clinical stage, and pelvic radiation. An informed decision for a limited resection focusing on proctectomy did not compromise overall survival. Five of the 11 (45.5%) deaths during follow-up were due to extracolorectal malignancies. dMMR rectal cancer had excellent prognosis and pathologic response with current multimodality therapy including an individualized surgical treatment plan. Identification of a dMMR rectal cancer should trigger germline testing, followed by lifelong surveillance for both colorectal and extracolorectal malignancies. We herein provide genotype-specific outcome benchmarks for comparison with novel interventions. © 2016 by American Society of Clinical Oncology.

  13. Prognostic breast cancer signature identified from 3D culture model accurately predicts clinical outcome across independent datasets

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    Martin, Katherine J.; Patrick, Denis R.; Bissell, Mina J.; Fournier, Marcia V.

    2008-10-20

    One of the major tenets in breast cancer research is that early detection is vital for patient survival by increasing treatment options. To that end, we have previously used a novel unsupervised approach to identify a set of genes whose expression predicts prognosis of breast cancer patients. The predictive genes were selected in a well-defined three dimensional (3D) cell culture model of non-malignant human mammary epithelial cell morphogenesis as down-regulated during breast epithelial cell acinar formation and cell cycle arrest. Here we examine the ability of this gene signature (3D-signature) to predict prognosis in three independent breast cancer microarray datasets having 295, 286, and 118 samples, respectively. Our results show that the 3D-signature accurately predicts prognosis in three unrelated patient datasets. At 10 years, the probability of positive outcome was 52, 51, and 47 percent in the group with a poor-prognosis signature and 91, 75, and 71 percent in the group with a good-prognosis signature for the three datasets, respectively (Kaplan-Meier survival analysis, p<0.05). Hazard ratios for poor outcome were 5.5 (95% CI 3.0 to 12.2, p<0.0001), 2.4 (95% CI 1.6 to 3.6, p<0.0001) and 1.9 (95% CI 1.1 to 3.2, p = 0.016) and remained significant for the two larger datasets when corrected for estrogen receptor (ER) status. Hence the 3D-signature accurately predicts breast cancer outcome in both ER-positive and ER-negative tumors, though individual genes differed in their prognostic ability in the two subtypes. Genes that were prognostic in ER+ patients are AURKA, CEP55, RRM2, EPHA2, FGFBP1, and VRK1, while genes prognostic in ER patients include ACTB, FOXM1 and SERPINE2 (Kaplan-Meier p<0.05). Multivariable Cox regression analysis in the largest dataset showed that the 3D-signature was a strong independent factor in predicting breast cancer outcome. The 3D-signature accurately predicts breast cancer outcome across multiple datasets and holds prognostic

  14. [Clinical trials of laparoscopic gastric cancer surgery in South Korea: review and prospect].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhu, Chunchao; Zhao, Gang; Cao, Hui

    2018-02-25

    Laparoscopic technology is gradually accepted in gastric cancer surgery, whose efficacy has been demonstrated by some clinical researches. Randomized controlled trials (RCT) are considered as the most important evidence to prove clinical outcomes of laparoscopic surgery for gastric cancer. Korean gastric surgeons have made great contributions to RCT in laparoscopic gastric cancer surgery. KLASS (Korean Laparoscopic Gastrointestinal Surgery Study Group) is one of the most important forerunner and global leader of clinical trials of gastric cancer treatment. KLASS series clinical trials are attracting global attention because of the significant value of surgical treatment for gastric cancer. The RCTs in Korea involve in many aspects of laparoscopic gastrectomy for gastric cancer, including laparoscopy application in early gastric cancer (KLASS-01, KLASS-03 and KLASS-07), advanced gastric cancer (KLASS-02 and KLASS-06), function-preserving gastrectomy (KLASS-04,KLASS-05) and sentinel node navigation surgery (SENORITA trial). In order to share some informations of these RCTs, we review and prospect some important clinical trials of laparoscopic gastric cancer surgery in Korea. With the experience of Korean gastric surgeons, we can make more progress in our own clinical trials of laparoscopic gastric cancer surgery.

  15. Stereotactic body radiotherapy for low-risk prostate cancer: five-year outcomes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    King Christopher R

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Purpose Hypofractionated, stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT is an emerging treatment approach for prostate cancer. We present the outcomes for low-risk prostate cancer patients with a median follow-up of 5 years after SBRT. Method and Materials Between Dec. 2003 and Dec. 2005, a pooled cohort of 41 consecutive patients from Stanford, CA and Naples, FL received SBRT with CyberKnife for clinically localized, low-risk prostate cancer. Prescribed dose was 35-36.25 Gy in five fractions. No patient received hormone therapy. Kaplan-Meier biochemical progression-free survival (defined using the Phoenix method and RTOG toxicity outcomes were assessed. Results At a median follow-up of 5 years, the biochemical progression-free survival was 93% (95% CI = 84.7% to 100%. Acute side effects resolved within 1-3 months of treatment completion. There were no grade 4 toxicities. No late grade 3 rectal toxicity occurred, and only one late grade 3 genitourinary toxicity occurred following repeated urologic instrumentation. Conclusion Five-year results of SBRT for localized prostate cancer demonstrate the efficacy and safety of shorter courses of high dose per fraction radiation delivered with SBRT technique. Ongoing clinical trials are underway to further explore this treatment approach.

  16. Laparoscopic colectomy for transverse colon cancer: comparative analysis of short- and long-term outcomes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sheng, Weizheng; Zhang, Bo; Chen, Weifeng; Gu, Dayong; Gao, Weidong

    2015-01-01

    This study evaluated the short- and long-term outcomes of laparoscopic colectomy compared with open colectomy for patients with transverse colon cancer by matched-pair analysis. This study enrolled 59 patients who underwent laparoscopic colectomy and compared them with 59 matched patients who underwent open colectomy for transverse colon cancer. The following parameters were matched: clinical stage and type of resection. Both short- and long-term outcomes of laparoscopic colectomy were compared with those of open colectomy. No difference was observed between the two groups in terms of age, gender, ASA score, comorbidity, clinical stage and operative procedures. Regarding short-term outcomes, blood loss, time to first flatus, time to liquid diet and postoperative stay were significantly shorter in the laparoscopy group than in the open group, while operation time was significantly longer in the laparoscopy group than in the open group. Postoperative complication was similar between the two groups. With respect to long-term outcomes, the two groups did not differ significantly in terms of 5-year overall and disease-free survival. In summary, laparoscopic colectomy is a safe and feasible option for selected patients with transverse colon cancer. The short- and long-term outcomes of laparoscopic colectomy are considered to be acceptable.

  17. Polymorphisms and plasma levels of IL-27: impact on genetic susceptibility and clinical outcome of bladder cancer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhou, Bin; Zhang, Peng; Tang, Tielong; Liao, Hong; Zhang, Kui; Pu, Yan; Chen, Peng; Song, Yaping; Zhang, Lin

    2015-01-01

    Interleukin-27 (IL-27) has been recognized as a pleiotropic cytokine with both pro- and anti-inflammatory properties. Few studies have investigated polymorphisms and serum/plasma levels of IL-27 in diseases including cancers. This study has analyzed the associations of IL-27 gene polymorphisms, as well as plasma levels of IL-27, with susceptibility to bladder cancer and clinical outcome. Three hundred and thirty-two patients (nonmuscle-invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC)/muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC): 176/156) included in a 60-month follow-up program and 499 controls were enrolled. Two single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), rs153109 and rs17855750, were genotyped by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) -restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) method. Plasma concentration of IL-27 was determined by ELISA in 124 patients (NMIBC/MIBC: 50/74) and 151 controls. Significantly increased risk for bladder cancer was associated with AG/GG genotypes of rs153109 (P = 0.029). No GG genotype of rs17855750 was observed in controls, while 4 patients were found to be GG homozygotes, suggesting GG genotype may be associated with bladder cancer risk (P = 0.006). For bladder cancer patients, SNP rs17855750 was also associated with increased risk for MIBC. For MIBC patients, but not NMIBC, TG/GG genotypes of rs17855750 turned out to be a protective factor for overall survival (P = 0.035). Significantly reduced plasma levels of IL-27 were observed in both NMIBC and MIBC patients compared with controls (P < 0.0001). Our data suggest that polymorphisms and reduced plasma levels of IL-27 may predict the susceptibility to bladder cancer, and rs17855750 may be a useful marker to distinguish patients with high risk of death

  18. Analyzing clinical outcomes in laparoscopic right vs. left colectomy in colon cancer patients using the NSQIP database.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nfonsam, Valentine; Aziz, Hassan; Pandit, Viraj; Khalil, Mazhar; Jandova, Jana; Joseph, Bellal

    2016-01-01

    Optimization of surgical outcomes after colectomy continues to be actively studied, but most studies group right-sided and left-sided colectomies together. The aim of our study was to determine whether the complication rate differs between right-sided and left-sided colectomies for cancer. We identified patients who underwent laparoscopic colectomy for colon cancer between 2005 and 2010 in the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database and stratified cases by right and left side. The two groups were matched using propensity score matching for demographics, previous abdominal surgery, pre-operative chemotherapy and radiotherapy, and preoperative laboratory data. Outcome measures were: 30-day mortality and morbidity. We identified 2512 patients who underwent elective laparoscopic colectomy for right-sided or left-sided colon cancer. The two groups were similar in demographics, and pre-operative characteristics. There was no difference in overall morbidity (15% vs. 17.7%; p value cancer. Further research on outcomes after colectomy should incorporate right vs. left side colon resection as a potential pre-operative risk factor.

  19. Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy for Prostate Cancer: What is the Appropriate Patient-Reported Outcome for Clinical Trial Design?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jennifer Ai-Lian Woo

    2015-03-01

    Full Text Available Purpose: Stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT is increasingly utilized as primary treatment for clinically localized prostate cancer. Consensus regarding the appropriate patient-reported outcome (PRO endpoints for clinical trials for early stage prostate cancer RT is lacking. To aid in trial design, this study presents PROs over 36 months following SBRT for clinically localized prostate cancer. Methods: 174 hormone-naïve patients were treated with 35-36.25 Gy SBRT in 5 fractions. Patients completed the EPIC-26 questionnaire at baseline and all follow-ups; the proportion of patients developing a clinically significant decline in each EPIC domain was determined. The minimally important difference (MID was defined as a change of one-half SD from the baseline. Per RTOG 0938, we examined the percentage of patients who reported decline in EPIC urinary summary score of >2 points and EPIC bowel summary score of >5 points from baseline to one year. Results: 174 patients received SBRT with minimum follow-up of 36 months. The proportion of patients reporting a clinically significant decline in EPIC urinary/bowel scores was 34%/30%, 40%/32.2%, and 32.8%/21.5% at 6, 12, and 36 months. The percentage of patients reporting decline in the EPIC urinary summary score of >2 points was 43.2%, 51.6% and 41.8% at 6, 12, and 36 months. The percentage of patients reporting decline in EPIC bowel domain summary score of >5 points was 29.6% 29% and 22.4% at 6, 12, and 36 months. Conclusion: Our treatment protocol meets the RTOG 0938 criteria for advancing to a Phase III trial compared to conventionally fractionated RT. Between 12-36 months, the proportion of patients reporting decrease in both EPIC urinary and bowel scores declined, suggesting late improvement in these domains. Further investigation is needed to elucidate 1 which domains bear the greatest influence on post-treatment QOL, and 2 at what time point PRO endpoint(s should be assessed.

  20. Adverse Clinical Outcome Associated With Mutations That Typify African American Colorectal Cancers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Zhenghe; Li, Li; Guda, Kishore; Chen, Zhengyi; Barnholtz-Sloan, Jill; Park, Young Soo; Markowitz, Sanford D; Willis, Joseph

    2016-12-01

    African Americans have the highest incidence and mortality from colorectal cancer (CRC) of any US racial group. We recently described a panel of 15 genes that are statistically significantly more likely to be mutated in CRCs from African Americans than in Caucasians (AA-CRC genes). The current study investigated the outcomes associated with these mutations in African American CRCs (AA-CRCs). In a cohort of 66 patients with stage I-III CRCs, eight of 27 CRCs with AA-CRC gene mutations (Mut+) developed metastatic disease vs only four of 39 mutation-negative (Mut-) cases (P = .03, Cox regression model with two-sided Wald test). Moreover, among stage III cases (n = 33), Mut+ cancers were nearly three times more likely to relapse as Mut- cases (7 of 15 Mut+ vs 3 of 18 Mut-; P = .03, Cox regression model with two-sided Wald test). AA-CRC mutations may thus define a high-risk subset of CRCs that contributes to the overall disparity in CRC outcomes observed in African Americans. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  1. Clinical presentation and in-hospital death in acute pulmonary embolism: does cancer matter?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Casazza, Franco; Becattini, Cecilia; Rulli, Eliana; Pacchetti, Ilaria; Floriani, Irene; Biancardi, Marco; Scardovi, Angela Beatrice; Enea, Iolanda; Bongarzoni, Amedeo; Pignataro, Luigi; Agnelli, Giancarlo

    2016-09-01

    Cancer is one of the most common risk factors for acute pulmonary embolism (PE), but only few studies report on the short-term outcome of patients with PE and a history of cancer. The aim of the study was to assess whether a cancer diagnosis affects the clinical presentation and short-term outcome in patients hospitalized for PE who were included in the Italian Pulmonary Embolism Registry. All-cause and PE-related in-hospital deaths were also analyzed. Out of 1702 patients, 451 (26.5 %) of patients had a diagnosis of cancer: cancer was known at presentation in 365, or diagnosed during the hospital stay for PE in 86 (19 % of cancer patients). Patients with and without cancer were similar concerning clinical status at presentation. Patients with cancer less commonly received thrombolytic therapy, and more often had an inferior vena cava filter inserted. Major or intracranial bleeding was not different between groups. In-hospital all-cause death occurred in 8.4 and 5.9 % of patients with and without cancer, respectively. At multivariate analysis, cancer (OR 2.24, 95 % CI 1.27-3.98; P = 0.006) was an independent predictor of in-hospital death. Clinical instability, PE recurrence, age ≥75 years, recent bed rest ≥3 days, but not cancer, were independent predictors of in-hospital death due to PE. Cancer seems a weaker predictor of all-cause in-hospital death compared to other factors; the mere presence of cancer, without other risk factors, leads to a probability of early death of 2 %. In patients with acute PE, cancer increases the probability of in-hospital all-cause death, but does not seem to affect the clinical presentation or the risk of in-hospital PE-related death.

  2. SNPs in the coding region of the metastasis-inducing gene MACC1 and clinical outcome in colorectal cancer

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Schmid Felicitas

    2012-07-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Colorectal cancer is one of the main cancers in the Western world. About 90% of the deaths arise from formation of distant metastasis. The expression of the newly identified gene metastasis associated in colon cancer 1 (MACC1 is a prognostic indicator for colon cancer metastasis. Here, we analyzed for the first time the impact of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs in the coding region of MACC1 for clinical outcome of colorectal cancer patients. Additionally, we screened met proto-oncogene (Met, the transcriptional target gene of MACC1, for mutations. Methods We sequenced the coding exons of MACC1 in 154 colorectal tumors (stages I, II and III and the crucial exons of Met in 60 colorectal tumors (stages I, II and III. We analyzed the association of MACC1 polymorphisms with clinical data, including metachronous metastasis, UICC stages, tumor invasion, lymph node metastasis and patients’ survival (n = 154, stages I, II and III. Furthermore, we performed biological assays in order to evaluate the functional impact of MACC1 SNPs on the motility of colorectal cancer cells. Results We genotyped three MACC1 SNPs in the coding region. Thirteen % of the tumors had the genotype cg (rs4721888, L31V, 48% a ct genotype (rs975263, S515L and 84% a gc or cc genotype (rs3735615, R804T. We found no association of these SNPs with clinicopathological parameters or with patients’ survival, when analyzing the entire patients’ cohort. An increased risk for a shorter metastasis-free survival of patients with a ct genotype (rs975263 was observed in younger colon cancer patients with stage I or II (P = 0.041, n = 18. In cell culture, MACC1 SNPs did not affect MACC1-induced cell motility and proliferation. Conclusion In summary, the identification of coding MACC1 SNPs in primary colorectal tumors does not improve the prediction for metastasis formation or for patients’ survival compared to MACC1 expression analysis alone. The ct genotype (rs

  3. Pretreatment clinical findings predict outcome for patients receiving preoperative radiation for rectal cancer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Myerson, Robert J.; Singh, Anurag; Birnbaum, Elisa H.; Fry, Robert D.; Fleshman, James W.; Kodner, Ira J.; Lockett, Mary Ann; Picus, Joel; Walz, Bruce J.; Read, Thomas E.

    2001-01-01

    adverse clinical factors were present: 0 for none, 1 for one or two, 2 for three or four. This sorted outcome highly significantly (p≤0.002, Tarone Ware), with 5-year LC/FFR of 98%/85% (score 0), 90%/72% (score 1), and 74%/58% (score 2). The scoring system sorts the data for both subgroups of surgeons; however, there are substantial differences in LC on the basis of the surgeon's experience. For colorectal specialists (251 cases), the 5-year LC is 100%, 94%, and 78% for scores of 0, 1, and 2, respectively (p=0.004). For the more mixed group of nonspecialist surgeons (133 cases), LC is 98%, 80%, and 65% for scores of 0, 1, and 2 (p=0.008). In multivariate analysis, the clinical score and surgeon's background retained independent predictive value, even when pathologic stage was included. Conclusions: For many patients with rectal cancer, adjuvant treatment can be administered in a well-tolerated sequential fashion--moderate doses of preoperative radiation followed by surgery followed by postoperative chemotherapy to address the risk of occult metastatic disease. A clinical scoring system has been presented here that would suggest that the local control is excellent for lesions with a score of 0 or (if the surgeon is experienced) 1, and therefore sequential treatment could be considered. Cases with a clinical score of 2 should be strongly considered for protocols evaluating more aggressive preoperative treatment, such as combined modality preoperative treatment

  4. Evaluation of the in vitro Chemosensitivity and Correlation with Clinical Outcomes in Lung Cancer using the ATP-TCA.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Zhiyao; Zhang, Shichao; Ma, Sheng; Li, Chang; Xu, Chun; Shen, Yinfang; Zhao, Jun; Miao, Liyan

    2018-01-01

    Multiple drug resistance (MDR) to chemotherapeutic agents often leads to a failure to respond to chemotherapy. We utilized an in vitro chemosensitivity test to identify sensitive and effective chemotherapeutic drugs and further elucidated the correlation between the in vivo chemosensitivity and clinical outcomes. Here, we evaluated the in vitro chemosensitivity and MDR of 120 lung cancer patients to eight singledrug chemotherapies and of 291 lung cancer patients to seven chemotherapy regimens using an ATP-based tumor chemosensitivity assay (ATP-TCA). Additionally, the chemosensitivity profiles of lung adenocarcinoma patients (284 cases) and lung squamous cell carcinoma patients (90 cases) to these single-drug and chemotherapy regimens were compared. Furthermore, the correlations between the chemosensitivity and clinical outcomes were investigated in 16 stage III squamous cell carcinoma patients. PTX (51.7%), TXT (43.3%), GEM (12.5%), PTX+DDP (62.5%), TXT+L-OHP (54.3%) and VP-16+DDP (16.2%) had the highest in vitro chemosensitivity rates. Approximately 31.7% of patients developed resistance to all eight single-drug chemotherapies, and 25.8% of patients displayed resistance to all seven chemotherapy regimens. In addition, lung squamous cell carcinoma was significantly more sensitive to GEM and MTA+DDP than lung adenocarcinoma (P<0.05). Further analysis showed that patients with higher drug sensitivity tended to have longer disease-free survival (18 months vs. 8.5 months) than patients displaying drug resistance (P<0.05). These results suggest that the implementation of in vitro drug susceptibility testing before chemotherapy can effectively prevent the occurrence of primary drug resistance and inappropriate drug treatment. Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.org.

  5. Mutational analysis and clinical correlation of metastatic colorectal cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Russo, Andrea L; Borger, Darrell R; Szymonifka, Jackie; Ryan, David P; Wo, Jennifer Y; Blaszkowsky, Lawrence S; Kwak, Eunice L; Allen, Jill N; Wadlow, Raymond C; Zhu, Andrew X; Murphy, Janet E; Faris, Jason E; Dias-Santagata, Dora; Haigis, Kevin M; Ellisen, Leif W; Iafrate, Anthony J; Hong, Theodore S

    2014-05-15

    Early identification of mutations may guide patients with metastatic colorectal cancer toward targeted therapies that may be life prolonging. The authors assessed tumor genotype correlations with clinical characteristics to determine whether mutational profiling can account for clinical similarities, differences, and outcomes. Under Institutional Review Board approval, 222 patients with metastatic colon adenocarcinoma (n = 158) and rectal adenocarcinoma (n = 64) who underwent clinical tumor genotyping were reviewed. Multiplexed tumor genotyping screened for >150 mutations across 15 commonly mutated cancer genes. The chi-square test was used to assess genotype frequency by tumor site and additional clinical characteristics. Cox multivariate analysis was used to assess the impact of genotype on overall survival. Broad-based tumor genotyping revealed clinical and anatomic differences that could be linked to gene mutations. NRAS mutations were associated with rectal cancer versus colon cancer (12.5% vs 0.6%; P colon cancer (13% vs 3%; P = .024) and older age (15.8% vs 4.6%; P = .006). TP53 mutations were associated with rectal cancer (30% vs 18%; P = .048), younger age (14% vs 28.7%; P = .007), and men (26.4% vs 14%; P = .03). Lung metastases were associated with PIK3CA mutations (23% vs 8.7%; P = .004). Only mutations in BRAF were independently associated with decreased overall survival (hazard ratio, 2.4; 95% confidence interval, 1.09-5.27; P = .029). The current study suggests that underlying molecular profiles can differ between colon and rectal cancers. Further investigation is warranted to assess whether the differences identified are important in determining the optimal treatment course for these patients. © 2014 American Cancer Society.

  6. Clinical Outcomes of Computed Tomography–Based Volumetric Brachytherapy Planning for Cervical Cancer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Simpson, Daniel R.; Scanderbeg, Daniel J.; Carmona, Ruben; McMurtrie, Riley M.; Einck, John; Mell, Loren K.; McHale, Michael T.; Saenz, Cheryl C.; Plaxe, Steven C.; Harrison, Terry; Mundt, Arno J.; Yashar, Catheryn M.

    2015-01-01

    Purpose/Objectives: A report of clinical outcomes of a computed tomography (CT)-based image guided brachytherapy (IGBT) technique for treatment of cervical cancer. Methods and Materials: Seventy-six women with International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics stage IB to IVA cervical carcinoma diagnosed between 2007 and 2014 were treated with definitive external beam radiation therapy (EBRT) with or without concurrent chemotherapy followed by high-dose-rate (HDR) IGBT. All patients underwent planning CT simulation at each implantation. A high-risk clinical target volume (HRCTV) encompassing any visible tumor and the entire cervix was contoured on the simulation CT. When available, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was performed at implantation to assist with tumor delineation. The prescription dose was prescribed to the HRCTV. Results: The median follow-up time was 17 months. Thirteen patients (17%) had an MRI done before brachytherapy, and 16 patients (21%) were treated without MRI guidance. The mean EBRT/IGBT sum 2-Gy equivalent dose (EQD2) delivered to the 90% volume of the HRCTV was 86.3 Gy. The mean maximum EQD2s delivered to 2 cm 3 of the rectum, sigmoid, and bladder were 67.5 Gy, 66.2 Gy, and 75.3 Gy, respectively. The 2-year cumulative incidences of local, locoregional, and distant failure were 5.8% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.4%-14.8%), 15.1% (95% CI: 5.4%-29.4%), and 24.3% (95% CI: 12.1%-38.9%), respectively. The 2-year overall and disease-free survival rates were 75% (95% CI, 61%-91%) and 73% (95% CI, 60%-90%), respectively. Twenty-nine patients (38%) experienced grade ≥2 acute toxicity, with 5 cases of acute grade 3 toxicity and no grade ≥4 toxicities. One patient experienced grade 3 gastrointestinal toxicity. No other late grade ≥3 events were observed. Conclusions: This is the largest report to date of CT/MRI-based IGBT for the treatment of cervical cancer. The results are promising, with excellent local control and acceptable

  7. Clinical Outcomes of Computed Tomography–Based Volumetric Brachytherapy Planning for Cervical Cancer

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Simpson, Daniel R., E-mail: drsimpson@ucsd.edu [Department of Radiation Medicine and Applied Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California (United States); Scanderbeg, Daniel J.; Carmona, Ruben; McMurtrie, Riley M.; Einck, John; Mell, Loren K. [Department of Radiation Medicine and Applied Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California (United States); McHale, Michael T.; Saenz, Cheryl C.; Plaxe, Steven C.; Harrison, Terry [Department of Gynecologic Oncology, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California (United States); Mundt, Arno J.; Yashar, Catheryn M. [Department of Radiation Medicine and Applied Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California (United States)

    2015-09-01

    Purpose/Objectives: A report of clinical outcomes of a computed tomography (CT)-based image guided brachytherapy (IGBT) technique for treatment of cervical cancer. Methods and Materials: Seventy-six women with International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics stage IB to IVA cervical carcinoma diagnosed between 2007 and 2014 were treated with definitive external beam radiation therapy (EBRT) with or without concurrent chemotherapy followed by high-dose-rate (HDR) IGBT. All patients underwent planning CT simulation at each implantation. A high-risk clinical target volume (HRCTV) encompassing any visible tumor and the entire cervix was contoured on the simulation CT. When available, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was performed at implantation to assist with tumor delineation. The prescription dose was prescribed to the HRCTV. Results: The median follow-up time was 17 months. Thirteen patients (17%) had an MRI done before brachytherapy, and 16 patients (21%) were treated without MRI guidance. The mean EBRT/IGBT sum 2-Gy equivalent dose (EQD2) delivered to the 90% volume of the HRCTV was 86.3 Gy. The mean maximum EQD2s delivered to 2 cm{sup 3} of the rectum, sigmoid, and bladder were 67.5 Gy, 66.2 Gy, and 75.3 Gy, respectively. The 2-year cumulative incidences of local, locoregional, and distant failure were 5.8% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.4%-14.8%), 15.1% (95% CI: 5.4%-29.4%), and 24.3% (95% CI: 12.1%-38.9%), respectively. The 2-year overall and disease-free survival rates were 75% (95% CI, 61%-91%) and 73% (95% CI, 60%-90%), respectively. Twenty-nine patients (38%) experienced grade ≥2 acute toxicity, with 5 cases of acute grade 3 toxicity and no grade ≥4 toxicities. One patient experienced grade 3 gastrointestinal toxicity. No other late grade ≥3 events were observed. Conclusions: This is the largest report to date of CT/MRI-based IGBT for the treatment of cervical cancer. The results are promising, with excellent local control and acceptable

  8. Preclinical and Clinical Effects of Mistletoe against Breast Cancer

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mohsen Marvibaigi

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Breast cancer is among the most frequent types of cancer in women worldwide. Current conventional treatment options are accompanied by side effects. Mistletoe is amongst the important herbal medicines traditionally used as complementary remedies. An increasing number of studies have reported anticancer activity of mistletoe extracts on breast cancer cells and animal models. Some recent evidence suggests that cytotoxic activity of mistletoe may be mediated through different mechanisms. These findings provide a good base for clinical trials. Various studies on mistletoe therapy for breast cancer patients revealed similar findings concerning possible benefits on survival time, health-related quality of life (HRQoL, remission rate, and alleviating adverse reactions to conventional therapy. This review provides an overview of the recent findings on preclinical experiments and clinical trials of mistletoe for its cytotoxic and antitumor activity and its effect on HRQoL in breast cancer patients. Moreover, studies investigating molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying antitumor activity of mistletoe are discussed in this paper. The analyzed trials provided evidence that there might be a combination of pharmacological and motivational aspects mediated by the mistletoe extract application which may contribute to the clinical benefit and positive outcome such as improved HRQoL and self-regulation in breast cancer patients.

  9. Outcomes in Lung Cancer: 9-Year Experience From a Tertiary Cancer Center in India

    OpenAIRE

    Aditya Navile Murali; Venkatraman Radhakrishnan; Trivadi S. Ganesan; Rejiv Rajendranath; Prasanth Ganesan; Ganesarajah Selvaluxmy; Rajaraman Swaminathan; Shirley Sundersingh; Arvind Krishnamurthy; Tenali Gnana Sagar

    2017-01-01

    Purpose: Lung cancer is the most common cause of cancer mortality in the world. There are limited studies on survival outcomes of lung cancer in developing countries such as India. This study analyzed the outcomes of patients with lung cancer who underwent treatment at Cancer Institute (WIA), Chennai, India, between 2006 and 2015 to determine survival outcomes and identify prognostic factors. Patients and Methods: In all, 678 patients with lung cancer underwent treatment. Median age was 58 ye...

  10. Clinical outcomes of laparoscopic surgery for advanced transverse and descending colon cancer: a single-center experience.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yamamoto, Masashi; Okuda, Junji; Tanaka, Keitaro; Kondo, Keisaku; Tanigawa, Nobuhiko; Uchiyama, Kazuhisa

    2012-06-01

    The role of laparoscopic surgery in management of transverse and descending colon cancer remains controversial. The aim of the present study is to investigate the short-term and oncologic long-term outcomes associated with laparoscopic surgery for transverse and descending colon cancer. This cohort study analyzed 245 patients (stage II disease, n = 70; stage III disease, n = 63) who underwent resection of transverse and descending colon cancers, including 200 laparoscopic surgeries (LAC) and 45 conventional open surgeries (OC) from December 1996 to December 2010. Short-term and oncologic long-term outcomes were recorded. The operative time was longer in the LAC group than in the OC group. However, intraoperative blood loss was significantly lower and postoperative recovery time was significantly shorter in the LAC group than in the OC group. The 5-year overall and disease-free survival rates for patients with stage II were 84.9% and 84.9% in the OC group and 93.7% and 90.0% in the LAC group, respectively. The 5-year overall and disease-free survival rates for patients with stage III disease were 63.4% and 54.6% in the OC group and 66.7% and 56.9% in the LAC group, respectively. Use of laparoscopic surgery resulted in acceptable short-term and oncologic outcomes in patients with advanced transverse and descending colon cancer.

  11. Core Outcomes for Colorectal Cancer Surgery: A Consensus Study.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Angus G K McNair

    2016-08-01

    Full Text Available Colorectal cancer (CRC is a major cause of worldwide morbidity and mortality. Surgical treatment is common, and there is a great need to improve the delivery of such care. The gold standard for evaluating surgery is within well-designed randomized controlled trials (RCTs; however, the impact of RCTs is diminished by a lack of coordinated outcome measurement and reporting. A solution to these issues is to develop an agreed standard "core" set of outcomes to be measured in all trials to facilitate cross-study comparisons, meta-analysis, and minimize outcome reporting bias. This study defines a core outcome set for CRC surgery.The scope of this COS includes clinical effectiveness trials of surgical interventions for colorectal cancer. Excluded were nonsurgical oncological interventions. Potential outcomes of importance to patients and professionals were identified through systematic literature reviews and patient interviews. All outcomes were transcribed verbatim and categorized into domains by two independent researchers. This informed a questionnaire survey that asked stakeholders (patients and professionals from United Kingdom CRC centers to rate the importance of each domain. Respondents were resurveyed following group feedback (Delphi methods. Outcomes rated as less important were discarded after each survey round according to predefined criteria, and remaining outcomes were considered at three consensus meetings; two involving international professionals and a separate one with patients. A modified nominal group technique was used to gain the final consensus. Data sources identified 1,216 outcomes of CRC surgery that informed a 91 domain questionnaire. First round questionnaires were returned from 63 out of 81 (78% centers, including 90 professionals, and 97 out of 267 (35% patients. Second round response rates were high for all stakeholders (>80%. Analysis of responses lead to 45 and 23 outcome domains being retained after the first and

  12. Association of pretreatment neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio and outcome in emergency colorectal cancer care.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Palin, R P; Devine, A T; Hicks, G; Burke, D

    2018-04-01

    Introduction The association between the neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and outcome in elective colorectal cancer surgery is well established; the relationship between NLR and the emergency colorectal cancer patient is, as yet, unexplored. This paper evaluates the predictive quality of the NLR for outcome in the emergency colorectal cancer patient. Materials and Methods A total of 187 consecutive patients who underwent emergency surgery for colorectal cancer were included in the study. NLR was calculated from the haematological tests done on admission. Receiver operating characteristic analyses were used to determine the most suitable cut-off for NLR. Outcomes were assessed by mortality at 30 and 90 days using stepwise Cox proportional hazards regression. Results An NLR cut-off of 5 was found to have the highest sensitivity and specificity. At 30 days, age and time from admission to surgery were associated with increased mortality; a high NLR was associated with an increased risk of mortality in univariate but not multivariate analysis. At 90 days, age, NLR, time from admission to surgery and nodal status were all significantly associated with increased mortality on multivariate analysis. Conclusions Pre-operative NLR is a cheap, easily performed and useful clinical tool to aid prediction of outcome in the emergency colorectal cancer patient.

  13. No clinical utility of KRAS variant rs61764370 for ovarian or breast cancer

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hollestelle, Antoinette; van der Baan, Frederieke H.; Berchuck, Andrew; Johnatty, Sharon E.; Aben, Katja K.; Agnarsson, Bjarni A.; Aittomäki, Kristiina; Alducci, Elisa; Andrulis, Irene L.; Anton-Culver, Hoda; Antonenkova, Natalia N.; Antoniou, Antonis C.; Apicella, Carmel; Arndt, Volker; Arnold, Norbert; Arun, Banu K.; Arver, Brita; Ashworth, Alan; Baglietto, Laura; Balleine, Rosemary; Bandera, Elisa V.; Barrowdale, Daniel; Bean, Yukie T.; Beckmann, Lars; Beckmann, Matthias W.; Benitez, Javier; Berger, Andreas; Berger, Raanan; Beuselinck, Benoit; Bisogna, Maria; Bjorge, Line; Blomqvist, Carl; Bogdanova, Natalia V.; Bojesen, Anders; Bojesen, Stig E.; Bolla, Manjeet K.; Bonanni, Bernardo; Brand, Judith S.; Brauch, Hiltrud; Brenner, Hermann; Brinton, Louise; Brooks-Wilson, Angela; Bruinsma, Fiona; Brunet, Joan; Brüning, Thomas; Budzilowska, Agnieszka; Bunker, Clareann H.; Burwinkel, Barbara; Butzow, Ralf; Buys, Saundra S.; Caligo, Maria A.; Campbell, Ian; Carter, Jonathan; Chang-Claude, Jenny; Chanock, Stephen J.; Claes, Kathleen B.M.; Collée, J. Margriet; Cook, Linda S.; Couch, Fergus J.; Cox, Angela; Cramer, Daniel; Cross, Simon S.; Cunningham, Julie M.; Cybulski, Cezary; Czene, Kamila; Damiola, Francesca; Dansonka-Mieszkowska, Agnieszka; Darabi, Hatef; de la Hoya, Miguel; deFazio, Anna; Dennis, Joseph; Devilee, Peter; Dicks, Ed M.; Diez, Orland; Doherty, Jennifer A.; Domchek, Susan M.; Dorfling, Cecilia M.; Dörk, Thilo; Santos Silva, Isabel Dos; du Bois, Andreas; Dumont, Martine; Dunning, Alison M.; Duran, Mercedes; Easton, Douglas F.; Eccles, Diana; Edwards, Robert P.; Ehrencrona, Hans; Ejlertsen, Bent; Ekici, Arif B.; Ellis, Steve D.; Engel, Christoph; Eriksson, Mikael; Fasching, Peter A.; Feliubadalo, Lidia; Figueroa, Jonine; Flesch-Janys, Dieter; Fletcher, Olivia; Fontaine, Annette; Fortuzzi, Stefano; Fostira, Florentia; Fridley, Brooke L.; Friebel, Tara; Friedman, Eitan; Friel, Grace; Frost, Debra; Garber, Judy; García-Closas, Montserrat; Gayther, Simon A.; Gentry-Maharaj, Aleksandra; Gerdes, Anne-Marie; Giles, Graham G.; Glasspool, Rosalind; Glendon, Gord; Godwin, Andrew K.; Goodman, Marc T.; Gore, Martin; Greene, Mark H.; Grip, Mervi; Gronwald, Jacek; Kaulich, Daphne Gschwantler; Guénel, Pascal; Guzman, Starr R.; Haeberle, Lothar; Haiman, Christopher A.; Hall, Per; Halverson, Sandra L.; Hamann, Ute; Hansen, Thomas V.O.; Harter, Philipp; Hartikainen, Jaana M.; Healey, Sue; Hein, Alexander; Heitz, Florian; Henderson, Brian E.; Herzog, Josef; Hildebrandt, Michelle A. T.; Høgdall, Claus K.; Høgdall, Estrid; Hogervorst, Frans B.L.; Hopper, John L.; Humphreys, Keith; Huzarski, Tomasz; Imyanitov, Evgeny N.; Isaacs, Claudine; Jakubowska, Anna; Janavicius, Ramunas; Jaworska, Katarzyna; Jensen, Allan; Jensen, Uffe Birk; Johnson, Nichola; Jukkola-Vuorinen, Arja; Kabisch, Maria; Karlan, Beth Y.; Kataja, Vesa; Kauff, Noah; Kelemen, Linda E.; Kerin, Michael J.; Kiemeney, Lambertus A.; Kjaer, Susanne K.; Knight, Julia A.; Knol-Bout, Jacoba P.; Konstantopoulou, Irene; Kosma, Veli-Matti; Krakstad, Camilla; Kristensen, Vessela; Kuchenbaecker, Karoline B.; Kupryjanczyk, Jolanta; Laitman, Yael; Lambrechts, Diether; Lambrechts, Sandrina; Larson, Melissa C.; Lasa, Aadriana; Laurent-Puig, Pierre; Lazaro, Conxi; Le, Nhu D.; Le Marchand, Loic; Leminen, Arto; Lester, Jenny; Levine, Douglas A.; Li, Jingmei; Liang, Dong; Lindblom, Annika; Lindor, Noralane; Lissowska, Jolanta; Long, Jirong; Lu, Karen H.; Lubinski, Jan; Lundvall, Lene; Lurie, Galina; Mai, Phuong L.; Mannermaa, Arto; Margolin, Sara; Mariette, Frederique; Marme, Frederik; Martens, John W.M.; Massuger, Leon F.A.G.; Maugard, Christine; Mazoyer, Sylvie; McGuffog, Lesley; McGuire, Valerie; McLean, Catriona; McNeish, Iain; Meindl, Alfons; Menegaux, Florence; Menéndez, Primitiva; Menkiszak, Janusz; Menon, Usha; Mensenkamp, Arjen R.; Miller, Nicola; Milne, Roger L.; Modugno, Francesmary; Montagna, Marco; Moysich, Kirsten B.; Müller, Heiko; Mulligan, Anna Marie; Muranen, Taru A.; Narod, Steven A.; Nathanson, Katherine L.; Ness, Roberta B.; Neuhausen, Susan L.; Nevanlinna, Heli; Neven, Patrick; Nielsen, Finn C.; Nielsen, Sune F.; Nordestgaard, Børge G.; Nussbaum, Robert L.; Odunsi, Kunle; Offit, Kenneth; Olah, Edith; Olopade, Olufunmilayo I.; Olson, Janet E.; Olson, Sara H.; Oosterwijk, Jan C.; Orlow, Irene; Orr, Nick; Orsulic, Sandra; Osorio, Ana; Ottini, Laura; Paul, James; Pearce, Celeste L.; Pedersen, Inge Sokilde; Peissel, Bernard; Pejovic, Tanja; Pelttari, Liisa M.; Perkins, Jo; Permuth-Wey, Jenny; Peterlongo, Paolo; Peto, Julian; Phelan, Catherine M.; Phillips, Kelly-Anne; Piedmonte, Marion; Pike, Malcolm C.; Platte, Radka; Plisiecka-Halasa, Joanna; Poole, Elizabeth M.; Poppe, Bruce; Pylkäs, Katri; Radice, Paolo; Ramus, Susan J.; Rebbeck, Timothy R.; Reed, Malcolm W.R.; Rennert, Gad; Risch, Harvey A.; Robson, Mark; Rodriguez, Gustavo C.; Romero, Atocha; Rossing, Mary Anne; Rothstein, Joseph H.; Rudolph, Anja; Runnebaum, Ingo; Salani, Ritu; Salvesen, Helga B.; Sawyer, Elinor J.; Schildkraut, Joellen M.; Schmidt, Marjanka K.; Schmutzler, Rita K.; Schneeweiss, Andreas; Schoemaker, Minouk J.; Schrauder, Michael G.; Schumacher, Fredrick; Schwaab, Ira; Scuvera, Giulietta; Sellers, Thomas A.; Severi, Gianluca; Seynaeve, Caroline M.; Shah, Mitul; Shrubsole, Martha; Siddiqui, Nadeem; Sieh, Weiva; Simard, Jacques; Singer, Christian F.; Sinilnikova, Olga M.; Smeets, Dominiek; Sohn, Christof; Soller, Maria; Song, Honglin; Soucy, Penny; Southey, Melissa C.; Stegmaier, Christa; Stoppa-Lyonnet, Dominique; Sucheston, Lara; Swerdlow, Anthony; Tangen, Ingvild L.; Tea, Muy-Kheng; Teixeira, Manuel R.; Terry, Kathryn L.; Terry, Mary Beth; Thomassen, Madas; Thompson, Pamela J.; Tihomirova, Laima; Tischkowitz, Marc; Toland, Amanda Ewart; Tollenaar, Rob A.E.M.; Tomlinson, Ian; Torres, Diana; Truong, Thérèse; Tsimiklis, Helen; Tung, Nadine; Tworoger, Shelley S.; Tyrer, Jonathan P.; Vachon, Celine M.; Van 't Veer, Laura J.; van Altena, Anne M.; Van Asperen, C.J.; van den Berg, David; van den Ouweland, Ans M.W.; van Doorn, Helena C.; Van Nieuwenhuysen, Els; van Rensburg, Elizabeth J.; Vergote, Ignace; Verhoef, Senno; Vierkant, Robert A.; Vijai, Joseph; Vitonis, Allison F.; von Wachenfeldt, Anna; Walsh, Christine; Wang, Qin; Wang-Gohrke, Shan; Wappenschmidt, Barbara; Weischer, Maren; Weitzel, Jeffrey N.; Weltens, Caroline; Wentzensen, Nicolas; Whittemore, Alice S.; Wilkens, Lynne R.; Winqvist, Robert; Wu, Anna H.; Wu, Xifeng; Yang, Hannah P.; Zaffaroni, Daniela; Zamora, M. Pilar; Zheng, Wei; Ziogas, Argyrios; Chenevix-Trench, Georgia; Pharoah, Paul D.P.; Rookus, Matti A.; Hooning, Maartje J.; Goode, Ellen L.

    2015-01-01

    Objective Clinical genetic testing is commercially available for rs61764370, an inherited variant residing in a KRAS 3′ UTR microRNA binding site, based on suggested associations with increased ovarian and breast cancer risk as well as with survival time. However, prior studies, emphasizing particular subgroups, were relatively small. Therefore, we comprehensively evaluated ovarian and breast cancer risks as well as clinical outcome associated with rs61764370. Methods Centralized genotyping and analysis were performed for 140,012 women enrolled in the Ovarian Cancer Association Consortium (15,357 ovarian cancer patients; 30,816 controls), the Breast Cancer Association Consortium (33,530 breast cancer patients; 37,640 controls), and the Consortium of Modifiers of BRCA1 and BRCA2 (14,765 BRCA1 and 7904 BRCA2 mutation carriers). Results We found no association with risk of ovarian cancer (OR= 0.99, 95% CI 0.94–1.04,p = 0.74) or breast cancer (OR = 0.98, 95% CI 0.94–1.01, p = 0.19) and results were consistent among mutation carriers (BRCA1, ovarian cancer HR = 1.09, 95% CI 0.97–1.23, p = 0.14, breast cancer HR = 1.04, 95% CI 0.97–1.12, p = 0.27; BRCA2, ovarian cancer HR = 0.89, 95% CI 0.71–1.13, p = 0.34, breast cancer HR = 1.06, 95% CI 0.94–1.19, p = 0.35). Null results were also obtained for associations with overall survival following ovarian cancer (HR = 0.94, 95% CI 0.83–1.07, p = 0.38), breast cancer (HR = 0.96, 95% CI 0.87–1.06, p = 0.38), and all other previously-reported associations. Conclusions rs61764370 is not associated with risk of ovarian or breast cancer nor with clinical outcome for patients with these cancers. Therefore, genotyping this variant has no clinical utility related to the prediction or management of these cancers. PMID:25940428

  14. No clinical utility of KRAS variant rs61764370 for ovarian or breast cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hollestelle, Antoinette; van der Baan, Frederieke H; Berchuck, Andrew; Johnatty, Sharon E; Aben, Katja K; Agnarsson, Bjarni A; Aittomäki, Kristiina; Alducci, Elisa; Andrulis, Irene L; Anton-Culver, Hoda; Antonenkova, Natalia N; Antoniou, Antonis C; Apicella, Carmel; Arndt, Volker; Arnold, Norbert; Arun, Banu K; Arver, Brita; Ashworth, Alan; Baglietto, Laura; Balleine, Rosemary; Bandera, Elisa V; Barrowdale, Daniel; Bean, Yukie T; Beckmann, Lars; Beckmann, Matthias W; Benitez, Javier; Berger, Andreas; Berger, Raanan; Beuselinck, Benoit; Bisogna, Maria; Bjorge, Line; Blomqvist, Carl; Bogdanova, Natalia V; Bojesen, Anders; Bojesen, Stig E; Bolla, Manjeet K; Bonanni, Bernardo; Brand, Judith S; Brauch, Hiltrud; Brenner, Hermann; Brinton, Louise; Brooks-Wilson, Angela; Bruinsma, Fiona; Brunet, Joan; Brüning, Thomas; Budzilowska, Agnieszka; Bunker, Clareann H; Burwinkel, Barbara; Butzow, Ralf; Buys, Saundra S; Caligo, Maria A; Campbell, Ian; Carter, Jonathan; Chang-Claude, Jenny; Chanock, Stephen J; Claes, Kathleen B M; Collée, J Margriet; Cook, Linda S; Couch, Fergus J; Cox, Angela; Cramer, Daniel; Cross, Simon S; Cunningham, Julie M; Cybulski, Cezary; Czene, Kamila; Damiola, Francesca; Dansonka-Mieszkowska, Agnieszka; Darabi, Hatef; de la Hoya, Miguel; deFazio, Anna; Dennis, Joseph; Devilee, Peter; Dicks, Ed M; Diez, Orland; Doherty, Jennifer A; Domchek, Susan M; Dorfling, Cecilia M; Dörk, Thilo; Silva, Isabel Dos Santos; du Bois, Andreas; Dumont, Martine; Dunning, Alison M; Duran, Mercedes; Easton, Douglas F; Eccles, Diana; Edwards, Robert P; Ehrencrona, Hans; Ejlertsen, Bent; Ekici, Arif B; Ellis, Steve D; Engel, Christoph; Eriksson, Mikael; Fasching, Peter A; Feliubadalo, Lidia; Figueroa, Jonine; Flesch-Janys, Dieter; Fletcher, Olivia; Fontaine, Annette; Fortuzzi, Stefano; Fostira, Florentia; Fridley, Brooke L; Friebel, Tara; Friedman, Eitan; Friel, Grace; Frost, Debra; Garber, Judy; García-Closas, Montserrat; Gayther, Simon A; Gentry-Maharaj, Aleksandra; Gerdes, Anne-Marie; Giles, Graham G; Glasspool, Rosalind; Glendon, Gord; Godwin, Andrew K; Goodman, Marc T; Gore, Martin; Greene, Mark H; Grip, Mervi; Gronwald, Jacek; Gschwantler Kaulich, Daphne; Guénel, Pascal; Guzman, Starr R; Haeberle, Lothar; Haiman, Christopher A; Hall, Per; Halverson, Sandra L; Hamann, Ute; Hansen, Thomas V O; Harter, Philipp; Hartikainen, Jaana M; Healey, Sue; Hein, Alexander; Heitz, Florian; Henderson, Brian E; Herzog, Josef; T Hildebrandt, Michelle A; Høgdall, Claus K; Høgdall, Estrid; Hogervorst, Frans B L; Hopper, John L; Humphreys, Keith; Huzarski, Tomasz; Imyanitov, Evgeny N; Isaacs, Claudine; Jakubowska, Anna; Janavicius, Ramunas; Jaworska, Katarzyna; Jensen, Allan; Jensen, Uffe Birk; Johnson, Nichola; Jukkola-Vuorinen, Arja; Kabisch, Maria; Karlan, Beth Y; Kataja, Vesa; Kauff, Noah; Kelemen, Linda E; Kerin, Michael J; Kiemeney, Lambertus A; Kjaer, Susanne K; Knight, Julia A; Knol-Bout, Jacoba P; Konstantopoulou, Irene; Kosma, Veli-Matti; Krakstad, Camilla; Kristensen, Vessela; Kuchenbaecker, Karoline B; Kupryjanczyk, Jolanta; Laitman, Yael; Lambrechts, Diether; Lambrechts, Sandrina; Larson, Melissa C; Lasa, Adriana; Laurent-Puig, Pierre; Lazaro, Conxi; Le, Nhu D; Le Marchand, Loic; Leminen, Arto; Lester, Jenny; Levine, Douglas A; Li, Jingmei; Liang, Dong; Lindblom, Annika; Lindor, Noralane; Lissowska, Jolanta; Long, Jirong; Lu, Karen H; Lubinski, Jan; Lundvall, Lene; Lurie, Galina; Mai, Phuong L; Mannermaa, Arto; Margolin, Sara; Mariette, Frederique; Marme, Frederik; Martens, John W M; Massuger, Leon F A G; Maugard, Christine; Mazoyer, Sylvie; McGuffog, Lesley; McGuire, Valerie; McLean, Catriona; McNeish, Iain; Meindl, Alfons; Menegaux, Florence; Menéndez, Primitiva; Menkiszak, Janusz; Menon, Usha; Mensenkamp, Arjen R; Miller, Nicola; Milne, Roger L; Modugno, Francesmary; Montagna, Marco; Moysich, Kirsten B; Müller, Heiko; Mulligan, Anna Marie; Muranen, Taru A; Narod, Steven A; Nathanson, Katherine L; Ness, Roberta B; Neuhausen, Susan L; Nevanlinna, Heli; Neven, Patrick; Nielsen, Finn C; Nielsen, Sune F; Nordestgaard, Børge G; Nussbaum, Robert L; Odunsi, Kunle; Offit, Kenneth; Olah, Edith; Olopade, Olufunmilayo I; Olson, Janet E; Olson, Sara H; Oosterwijk, Jan C; Orlow, Irene; Orr, Nick; Orsulic, Sandra; Osorio, Ana; Ottini, Laura; Paul, James; Pearce, Celeste L; Pedersen, Inge Sokilde; Peissel, Bernard; Pejovic, Tanja; Pelttari, Liisa M; Perkins, Jo; Permuth-Wey, Jenny; Peterlongo, Paolo; Peto, Julian; Phelan, Catherine M; Phillips, Kelly-Anne; Piedmonte, Marion; Pike, Malcolm C; Platte, Radka; Plisiecka-Halasa, Joanna; Poole, Elizabeth M; Poppe, Bruce; Pylkäs, Katri; Radice, Paolo; Ramus, Susan J; Rebbeck, Timothy R; Reed, Malcolm W R; Rennert, Gad; Risch, Harvey A; Robson, Mark; Rodriguez, Gustavo C; Romero, Atocha; Rossing, Mary Anne; Rothstein, Joseph H; Rudolph, Anja; Runnebaum, Ingo; Salani, Ritu; Salvesen, Helga B; Sawyer, Elinor J; Schildkraut, Joellen M; Schmidt, Marjanka K; Schmutzler, Rita K; Schneeweiss, Andreas; Schoemaker, Minouk J; Schrauder, Michael G; Schumacher, Fredrick; Schwaab, Ira; Scuvera, Giulietta; Sellers, Thomas A; Severi, Gianluca; Seynaeve, Caroline M; Shah, Mitul; Shrubsole, Martha; Siddiqui, Nadeem; Sieh, Weiva; Simard, Jacques; Singer, Christian F; Sinilnikova, Olga M; Smeets, Dominiek; Sohn, Christof; Soller, Maria; Song, Honglin; Soucy, Penny; Southey, Melissa C; Stegmaier, Christa; Stoppa-Lyonnet, Dominique; Sucheston, Lara; Swerdlow, Anthony; Tangen, Ingvild L; Tea, Muy-Kheng; Teixeira, Manuel R; Terry, Kathryn L; Terry, Mary Beth; Thomassen, Mads; Thompson, Pamela J; Tihomirova, Laima; Tischkowitz, Marc; Toland, Amanda Ewart; Tollenaar, Rob A E M; Tomlinson, Ian; Torres, Diana; Truong, Thérèse; Tsimiklis, Helen; Tung, Nadine; Tworoger, Shelley S; Tyrer, Jonathan P; Vachon, Celine M; Van 't Veer, Laura J; van Altena, Anne M; Van Asperen, C J; van den Berg, David; van den Ouweland, Ans M W; van Doorn, Helena C; Van Nieuwenhuysen, Els; van Rensburg, Elizabeth J; Vergote, Ignace; Verhoef, Senno; Vierkant, Robert A; Vijai, Joseph; Vitonis, Allison F; von Wachenfeldt, Anna; Walsh, Christine; Wang, Qin; Wang-Gohrke, Shan; Wappenschmidt, Barbara; Weischer, Maren; Weitzel, Jeffrey N; Weltens, Caroline; Wentzensen, Nicolas; Whittemore, Alice S; Wilkens, Lynne R; Winqvist, Robert; Wu, Anna H; Wu, Xifeng; Yang, Hannah P; Zaffaroni, Daniela; Pilar Zamora, M; Zheng, Wei; Ziogas, Argyrios; Chenevix-Trench, Georgia; Pharoah, Paul D P; Rookus, Matti A; Hooning, Maartje J; Goode, Ellen L

    2016-05-01

    Clinical genetic testing is commercially available for rs61764370, an inherited variant residing in a KRAS 3' UTR microRNA binding site, based on suggested associations with increased ovarian and breast cancer risk as well as with survival time. However, prior studies, emphasizing particular subgroups, were relatively small. Therefore, we comprehensively evaluated ovarian and breast cancer risks as well as clinical outcome associated with rs61764370. Centralized genotyping and analysis were performed for 140,012 women enrolled in the Ovarian Cancer Association Consortium (15,357 ovarian cancer patients; 30,816 controls), the Breast Cancer Association Consortium (33,530 breast cancer patients; 37,640 controls), and the Consortium of Modifiers of BRCA1 and BRCA2 (14,765 BRCA1 and 7904 BRCA2 mutation carriers). We found no association with risk of ovarian cancer (OR=0.99, 95% CI 0.94-1.04, p=0.74) or breast cancer (OR=0.98, 95% CI 0.94-1.01, p=0.19) and results were consistent among mutation carriers (BRCA1, ovarian cancer HR=1.09, 95% CI 0.97-1.23, p=0.14, breast cancer HR=1.04, 95% CI 0.97-1.12, p=0.27; BRCA2, ovarian cancer HR=0.89, 95% CI 0.71-1.13, p=0.34, breast cancer HR=1.06, 95% CI 0.94-1.19, p=0.35). Null results were also obtained for associations with overall survival following ovarian cancer (HR=0.94, 95% CI 0.83-1.07, p=0.38), breast cancer (HR=0.96, 95% CI 0.87-1.06, p=0.38), and all other previously-reported associations. rs61764370 is not associated with risk of ovarian or breast cancer nor with clinical outcome for patients with these cancers. Therefore, genotyping this variant has no clinical utility related to the prediction or management of these cancers. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  15. South African Breast Cancer and HIV Outcomes Study: Methods and Baseline Assessment

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Herbert Cubasch

    2017-04-01

    Full Text Available Purpose: In low- and middle-income, HIV-endemic regions of sub-Saharan Africa, morbidity and mortality from the common epithelial cancers of the developed world are rising. Even among HIV-infected individuals, access to antiretroviral therapy has enhanced life expectancy, shifting the distribution of cancer diagnoses toward non–AIDS-defining malignancies, including breast cancer. Building on our prior research, we recently initiated the South African Breast Cancer and HIV Outcomes study. Methods: We will recruit a cohort of 3,000 women newly diagnosed with breast cancer at hospitals in high (average, 20% HIV prevalence areas, in Johannesburg, Durban, Pietermaritzburg, and Empangeni. At baseline, we will collect information on demographic, behavioral, clinical, and other factors related to access to health care. Every 3 months in year 1 and every 6 months thereafter, we will collect interview and chart data on treatment, symptoms, cancer progression, comorbidities, and other factors. We will compare survival rates of HIV-infected and uninfected women with newly diagnosed breast cancer and their likelihood of receiving suboptimal anticancer therapy. We will identify determinants of suboptimal therapy and context-specific modifiable factors that future interventions can target to improve outcomes. We will explore molecular mechanisms underlying potentially aggressive breast cancer in both HIV-infected and uninfected patients, as well as the roles of pathogens, states of immune activation, and inflammation in disease progression. Conclusion: Our goals are to contribute to development of evidence-based guidelines for the management of breast cancer in HIV-positive women and to improve outcomes for all patients with breast cancer in resource-constrained settings.

  16. Clinical Characteristics of Patients with Sporadic Colorectal Cancer and Primary Cancers of Other Organs

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jung-Yu Kan

    2006-11-01

    Full Text Available Most cancer patients often neglect the possibility of secondary cancer. Colorectal cancer (CRC is the third leading cause of cancer death in Taiwan. It is important to be aware of the clinical characteristics of double cancer in CRC patients for early diagnosis and treatment. We retrospectively analyzed 1,031 CRC patients who underwent surgical treatment at the Department of Surgery of Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital between January 1998 and December 2004. Among these patients, CRC was accompanied by cancer of other organs in 17 patients (1.65%, either synchronously or metachronously. Therefore, we describe our experience regarding the location of CRC, the clinical symptoms and signs of these patients, the TNM stage, histology, phase, association with other malignancies, interval between cancers and clinical outcomes. Of the 17 patients in whom CRC was accompanied by primary cancer of other organs, there were four synchronous and 13 metachronous multiple cancer patients. Our patient group comprised six men and 11 women with ages ranging from 47 to 88 years (median age, 66 years. The most common location of CRC was the sigmoid colon. Six gastric cancers (35.2% and six breast cancers (35.2% were associated with primary CRC. The remaining six second primary cancers were one lung cancer, one thyroid cancer, one cervical cancer, one ovarian cancer, one skin cancer, and one urinary bladder cancer. Of the 13 metachronous multiple cancer patients, eight patients developed subsequent CRC after primary cancers of other organs, whereas two patients developed a subsequent second primary cancer after CRC. The intervals between the development of metachronous multiple cancers ranged from 2 to 19 years. In this retrospective analysis, breast and gastric cancer patients were at increased risk of developing subsequent secondary CRC. Careful attention should always be paid to the possibility of secondary CRC in treating these cancer patients. Cancer

  17. The Role and Clinical Relevance of Disseminated Tumor Cells in Breast Cancer

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Malgorzata Banys

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Tumor cell dissemination is a common phenomenon observed in most cancers of epithelial origin. One-third of breast cancer patients present with disseminated tumor cells (DTCs in bone marrow at time of diagnosis; these patients, as well as patients with persistent DTCs, have significantly worse clinical outcome than DTC-negative patients. Since DTC phenotype may differ from the primary tumor with regard to ER and HER2 status, reevaluation of predictive markers on DTCs may optimize treatment choices. In the present review, we report on the clinical relevance of DTC detection in breast cancer.

  18. Clinical Cancer Advances 2018: Annual Report on Progress Against Cancer From the American Society of Clinical Oncology.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Heymach, John; Krilov, Lada; Alberg, Anthony; Baxter, Nancy; Chang, Susan Marina; Corcoran, Ryan; Dale, William; DeMichele, Angela; Magid Diefenbach, Catherine S; Dreicer, Robert; Epstein, Andrew S; Gillison, Maura L; Graham, David L; Jones, Joshua; Ko, Andrew H; Lopez, Ana Maria; Maki, Robert G; Rodriguez-Galindo, Carlos; Schilsky, Richard L; Sznol, Mario; Westin, Shannon Neville; Burstein, Harold

    2018-04-01

    research investment to accelerate the discovery of the next generation of cancer treatments. Another major trend in this year's report is progress in precision medicine approaches to treat cancer. Although precision medicine offers promise to people with cancer and their families, that promise is only as good as our ability to make these treatments available to all patients. My presidential theme, "Delivering Discoveries: Expanding the Reach of Precision Medicine," focuses on tackling this formidable challenge so that new targeted therapies are accessible to anyone who faces a cancer diagnosis. By improving access to high-quality care, harnessing big data on patient outcomes from across the globe, and pursuing innovative clinical trials, I am optimistic that we will speed the delivery of these most promising treatments to more patients. Sincerely, Bruce E. Johnson, FASCO ASCO President, 2017 to 2018.

  19. Impact Exerted by Nutritional Risk Screening on Clinical Outcome of Patients with Esophageal Cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Rui; Cai, Hongfei; Li, Yang; Chen, Caiwen; Cui, Youbin

    2018-01-01

    Preoperative nutritional status of patients is closely associated with their recovery after the surgery. This study aims to ascertain the impact exerted by the nutritional risk screening on clinical outcome of patients with esophageal cancer. 160 patients with esophageal cancer aged over 60, having got therapy at the First Hospital of Jilin University from Jun 2016 to Feb 2017 were evaluated by adopting the NRS2002. 80 cases of patients got active therapy of nutritional support, and the other patients not supported nutritionally were selected as the control group. The comparison was drawn between two groups in serum albumin, serum immunoglobulin, postoperative complications, hospitalization, and hospitalization expenses. For all the patients, in 3 and 7 days after the surgery, the serum albumin in the nutritionally supported group outstripped that in group without nutritional support ( P nutritional risk. For the patients in the risk of nutrition, the IgA in the nutritionally supported group outstripped that of group without nutritional support ( P group without nutritional support in 1 and 3 days before the surgery ( P nutrition, the average hospitalization of nutritionally supported group was shorter ( P group without nutritional support. And for the patients in no risk, the hospitalization expenses of supported group surmounted those of group without nutritional support ( P 0.05). For the patients in the risk of nutrition, preoperative nutritional support can facilitate the nutritional status and immunization-relative result after surgery, which shall also decrease the average hospitalization and hospitalization cost.

  20. Clinical outcomes of image guided radiation therapy (IGRT) with gold fiducial vaginal cuff markers for high-risk endometrial cancer

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Monroe, Alan T.; Peddada, Anuj V. [Dept. of Radiation Oncology, Penrose Cancer Center, Colorado Springs (United States); Pikaart, Dirk [Dept. of Gynecologic Oncology, Penrose Cancer Center, Colorado Springs (United States)

    2013-06-15

    Objective. To report two year clinical outcomes of image guided radiation therapy (IGRT) to the vaginal cuff and pelvic lymph nodes in a series of high-risk endometrial cancer patients. Methods . Twenty-six consecutive high-risk endometrial cancer patients requiring adjuvant radiation to the vaginal cuff and regional lymph nodes were treated with vaginal cuff fiducial-based IGRT. Seventeen (65%) received sequential chemotherapy, most commonly with a sandwich technique. Brachytherapy followed external radiation in 11 patients to a median dose of 18 Gy in 3 fractions. The median external beam dose delivered was 47.5 Gy in 25 fractions. Results. All 656 fractions were successfully imaged and treated. The median overall translational shift required for correction was 9.1 mm (standard deviation, 5.2 mm) relative to clinical set-up with skin tattoos. Shifts of 1 cm, 1.5 cm, and 2 cm or greater were performed in 43%, 14%, and 4% of patients, respectively. Acute grade 2 gastrointestinal (GI) toxicity occurred in eight patients (30%) and grade 3 toxicity occurred in one. At two years, there have been no local or regional failures and actuarial overall survival is 95%. Conclusion. Daily image guidance for high-risk endometrial cancer results in a low incidence of acute GI/genitourinary (GU) toxicity with uncompromised tumor control at two years. Vaginal cuff translations can be substantial and may possibly result in underdosing if not properly considered.

  1. Clinical outcomes of image guided radiation therapy (IGRT) with gold fiducial vaginal cuff markers for high-risk endometrial cancer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Monroe, Alan T.; Peddada, Anuj V.; Pikaart, Dirk

    2013-01-01

    Objective. To report two year clinical outcomes of image guided radiation therapy (IGRT) to the vaginal cuff and pelvic lymph nodes in a series of high-risk endometrial cancer patients. Methods . Twenty-six consecutive high-risk endometrial cancer patients requiring adjuvant radiation to the vaginal cuff and regional lymph nodes were treated with vaginal cuff fiducial-based IGRT. Seventeen (65%) received sequential chemotherapy, most commonly with a sandwich technique. Brachytherapy followed external radiation in 11 patients to a median dose of 18 Gy in 3 fractions. The median external beam dose delivered was 47.5 Gy in 25 fractions. Results. All 656 fractions were successfully imaged and treated. The median overall translational shift required for correction was 9.1 mm (standard deviation, 5.2 mm) relative to clinical set-up with skin tattoos. Shifts of 1 cm, 1.5 cm, and 2 cm or greater were performed in 43%, 14%, and 4% of patients, respectively. Acute grade 2 gastrointestinal (GI) toxicity occurred in eight patients (30%) and grade 3 toxicity occurred in one. At two years, there have been no local or regional failures and actuarial overall survival is 95%. Conclusion. Daily image guidance for high-risk endometrial cancer results in a low incidence of acute GI/genitourinary (GU) toxicity with uncompromised tumor control at two years. Vaginal cuff translations can be substantial and may possibly result in underdosing if not properly considered

  2. Evaluating the effect of clinical care pathways on quality of cancer care: analysis of breast, colon and rectal cancer pathways.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bao, Han; Yang, Fengjuan; Su, Shaofei; Wang, Xinyu; Zhang, Meiqi; Xiao, Yaming; Jiang, Hao; Wang, Jiaying; Liu, Meina

    2016-05-01

    Substantial gaps exist between clinical practice and evidence-based cancer care, potentially leading to adverse clinical outcomes and decreased quality of life for cancer patients. This study aimed to evaluate the usefulness of clinical pathways as a tool for improving quality of cancer care, using breast, colon, and rectal cancer pathways as demonstrations. Newly diagnosed patients with invasive breast, colon, and rectal cancer were enrolled as pre-pathway groups, while patients with the same diagnoses treated according to clinical pathways were recruited for post-pathway groups. Compliance with preoperative core biopsy or fine-needle aspiration, utilization of sentinel lymph node biopsy, and proportion of patients whose tumor hormone receptor status was stated in pathology report were significantly increased after implementation of clinical pathway for breast cancer. For colon cancer, compliance with two care processes was significantly improved: surgical resection with anastomosis and resection of at least 12 lymph nodes. Regarding rectal cancer, there was a significant increase in compliance with preoperative evaluation of depth of tumor invasion, total mesorectal excision treatment of middle- or low-position rectal cancer, and proportion of patients who had undergone rectal cancer surgery whose pathology report included margin status. Moreover, total length of hospital stay was decreased remarkably for all three cancer types, and postoperative complications remained unchanged following implementation of the clinical pathways. Clinical pathways can improve compliance with standard care by implementing evidence-based quality indicators in daily practice, which could serve as a useful tool for narrowing the gap between clinical practice and evidence-based care.

  3. Durable usage of patient-reported outcome measures in clinical practice to monitor health-related quality of life in head and neck cancer patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Duman-Lubberding, S; van Uden-Kraan, C F; Jansen, F; Witte, B I; Eerenstein, S E J; van Weert, S; de Bree, R; Leemans, C R; Verdonck-de Leeuw, I M

    2017-12-01

    To investigate the long-term follow-up (5 years) of implementing patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) in clinical practice to monitor health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in head and neck cancer (HNC) patients. A mixed method design was used. The usage rate of OncoQuest (a touch screen computer system to monitor HRQOL) and the subsequent nurse consultation was calculated among HNC patients who visited the outpatient clinic for regular follow-up, as well as differences between ever users and never users (sociodemographic and clinical characteristics). The content of the nurse consultation was investigated. Reasons for not using (barriers) or using (facilitators) OncoQuest and the nurse consultation were explored from the perspective of HNC patients, and of head and neck surgeons. Usage rate of OncoQuest was 67% and of the nurse consultation 79%. Usage of OncoQuest was significantly related to tumor subsite and tumor stage. Topics most frequently (>40%) discussed during the nurse consultation were global quality of life (97%), head and neck cancer related symptoms (82%), other physical symptoms such as pain (61%), and psychological problems such as anxiety (44%). Several barriers and facilitators to implement PROMs in clinical practice were reported by both patients and head and neck surgeons. Usage of PROMs in clinical practice and a nurse consultation is durable, even 5 years after the introduction. This study contributes to better insight into long-term follow-up of implementation, thereby guiding future research and projects that aim to implement PROMs in clinical practice to monitor HRQOL among (head and neck) cancer patients.

  4. Clinical Outcomes of Colorectal Cancer in Kenya

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    treatment and follow up were included. Patient ... and recurrence and the associated patient and disease ... The incidence of colorectal cancer (CRC) in the devel- ... therapy, disease stage and curative intent (table 3). ... through genetic and family analyses (4,6). ... Polite BN, Dignam JJ: A colorectal cancer model of health.

  5. Evolution of Clinical Proteomics and its Role in Medicine | Office of Cancer Clinical Proteomics Research

    Science.gov (United States)

    NCI's Office of Cancer Clinical Proteomics Research authored a review of the current state of clinical proteomics in the peer-reviewed Journal of Proteome Research. The review highlights outcomes from the CPTC program and also provides a thorough overview of the different technologies that have pushed the field forward. Additionally, the review provides a vision for moving the field forward through linking advances in genomic and proteomic analysis to develop new, molecularly targeted interventions.

  6. An Integrated TCGA Pan-Cancer Clinical Data Resource to Drive High-Quality Survival Outcome Analytics

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Liu, Jianfang; Lichtenberg, Tara M.; Hoadley, Katherine A.; Poisson, Laila M.; Lazar, Alexander J.; Cherniack, Andrew D.; Kovatich, Albert J.; Benz, Christopher; Levine, Douglas A.; Lee, Adrian V.; Omberg, Larsson; Wolf, Denise M.; Shriver, Craig D.; Thorsson, Vesteinn; Caesar-Johnson, Samantha J.; Demchok, John A.; Felau, Ina; Kasapi, Melpomeni; Ferguson, Martin L.; Hutter, Carolyn M.; Sofia, Heidi J.; Tarnuzzer, Roy; Wang, Zhining; Yang, Liming; Zenklusen, Jean C.; Zhang, Jiashan (Julia); Chudamani, Sudha; Liu, Jia; Lolla, Laxmi; Naresh, Rashi; Pihl, Todd; Sun, Qiang; Wan, Yunhu; Wu, Ye; Cho, Juok; DeFreitas, Timothy; Frazer, Scott; Gehlenborg, Nils; Getz, Gad; Heiman, David I.; Kim, Jaegil; Lawrence, Michael S.; Lin, Pei; Meier, Sam; Noble, Michael S.; Saksena, Gordon; Voet, Doug; Zhang, Hailei; Bernard, Brady; Chambwe, Nyasha; Dhankani, Varsha; Knijnenburg, Theo; Kramer, Roger; Leinonen, Kalle; Liu, Yuexin; Miller, Michael; Reynolds, Sheila; Shmulevich, Ilya; Thorsson, Vesteinn; Zhang, Wei; Akbani, Rehan; Broom, Bradley M.; Hegde, Apurva M.; Ju, Zhenlin; Kanchi, Rupa S.; Korkut, Anil; Li, Jun; Liang, Han; Ling, Shiyun; Liu, Wenbin; Lu, Yiling; Mills, Gordon B.; Ng, Kwok Shing; Rao, Arvind; Ryan, Michael; Wang, Jing; Weinstein, John N.; Zhang, Jiexin; Abeshouse, Adam; Armenia, Joshua; Chakravarty, Debyani; Chatila, Walid K.; de Bruijn, Ino; Gao, Jianjiong; Gross, Benjamin E.; Heins, Zachary J.; Kundra, Ritika; La, Konnor; Ladanyi, Marc; Luna, Augustin; Nissan, Moriah G.; Ochoa, Angelica; Phillips, Sarah M.; Reznik, Ed; Sanchez-Vega, Francisco; Sander, Chris; Schultz, Nikolaus; Sheridan, Robert; Sumer, S. Onur; Sun, Yichao; Taylor, Barry S.; Wang, Jioajiao; Zhang, Hongxin; Anur, Pavana; Peto, Myron; Spellman, Paul; Benz, Christopher; Stuart, Joshua M.; Wong, Christopher K.; Yau, Christina; Hayes, D. Neil; Parker, Joel S.; Wilkerson, Matthew D.; Ally, Adrian; Balasundaram, Miruna; Bowlby, Reanne; Brooks, Denise; Carlsen, Rebecca; Chuah, Eric; Dhalla, Noreen; Holt, Robert; Jones, Steven J.M.; Kasaian, Katayoon; Lee, Darlene; Ma, Yussanne; Marra, Marco A.; Mayo, Michael; Moore, Richard A.; Mungall, Andrew J.; Mungall, Karen; Robertson, A. Gordon; Sadeghi, Sara; Schein, Jacqueline E.; Sipahimalani, Payal; Tam, Angela; Thiessen, Nina; Tse, Kane; Wong, Tina; Berger, Ashton C.; Beroukhim, Rameen; Cherniack, Andrew D.; Cibulskis, Carrie; Gabriel, Stacey B.; Gao, Galen F.; Ha, Gavin; Meyerson, Matthew; Schumacher, Steven E.; Shih, Juliann; Kucherlapati, Melanie H.; Kucherlapati, Raju S.; Baylin, Stephen; Cope, Leslie; Danilova, Ludmila; Bootwalla, Moiz S.; Lai, Phillip H.; Maglinte, Dennis T.; Van Den Berg, David J.; Weisenberger, Daniel J.; Auman, J. Todd; Balu, Saianand; Bodenheimer, Tom; Fan, Cheng; Hoadley, Katherine A.; Hoyle, Alan P.; Jefferys, Stuart R.; Jones, Corbin D.; Meng, Shaowu; Mieczkowski, Piotr A.; Mose, Lisle E.; Perou, Amy H.; Perou, Charles M.; Roach, Jeffrey; Shi, Yan; Simons, Janae V.; Skelly, Tara; Soloway, Matthew G.; Tan, Donghui; Veluvolu, Umadevi; Fan, Huihui; Hinoue, Toshinori; Laird, Peter W.; Shen, Hui; Zhou, Wanding; Bellair, Michelle; Chang, Kyle; Covington, Kyle; Creighton, Chad J.; Dinh, Huyen; Doddapaneni, Harsha Vardhan; Donehower, Lawrence A.; Drummond, Jennifer; Gibbs, Richard A.; Glenn, Robert; Hale, Walker; Han, Yi; Hu, Jianhong; Korchina, Viktoriya; Lee, Sandra; Lewis, Lora; Li, Wei; Liu, Xiuping; Morgan, Margaret; Morton, Donna; Muzny, Donna; Santibanez, Jireh; Sheth, Margi; Shinbro, Eve; Wang, Linghua; Wang, Min; Wheeler, David A.; Xi, Liu; Zhao, Fengmei; Hess, Julian; Appelbaum, Elizabeth L.; Bailey, Matthew; Cordes, Matthew G.; Ding, Li; Fronick, Catrina C.; Fulton, Lucinda A.; Fulton, Robert S.; Kandoth, Cyriac; Mardis, Elaine R.; McLellan, Michael D.; Miller, Christopher A.; Schmidt, Heather K.; Wilson, Richard K.; Crain, Daniel; Curley, Erin; Gardner, Johanna; Lau, Kevin; Mallery, David; Morris, Scott; Paulauskis, Joseph; Penny, Robert; Shelton, Candace; Shelton, Troy; Sherman, Mark; Thompson, Eric; Yena, Peggy; Bowen, Jay; Gastier-Foster, Julie M.; Gerken, Mark; Leraas, Kristen M.; Lichtenberg, Tara M.; Ramirez, Nilsa C.; Wise, Lisa; Zmuda, Erik; Corcoran, Niall; Costello, Tony; Hovens, Christopher; Carvalho, Andre L.; de Carvalho, Ana C.; Fregnani, José H.; Longatto-Filho, Adhemar; Reis, Rui M.; Scapulatempo-Neto, Cristovam; Silveira, Henrique C.S.; Vidal, Daniel O.; Burnette, Andrew; Eschbacher, Jennifer; Hermes, Beth; Noss, Ardene; Singh, Rosy; Anderson, Matthew L.; Castro, Patricia D.; Ittmann, Michael; Huntsman, David; Kohl, Bernard; Le, Xuan; Thorp, Richard; Andry, Chris; Duffy, Elizabeth R.; Lyadov, Vladimir; Paklina, Oxana; Setdikova, Galiya; Shabunin, Alexey; Tavobilov, Mikhail; McPherson, Christopher; Warnick, Ronald; Berkowitz, Ross; Cramer, Daniel; Feltmate, Colleen; Horowitz, Neil; Kibel, Adam; Muto, Michael; Raut, Chandrajit P.; Malykh, Andrei; Barnholtz-Sloan, Jill S.; Barrett, Wendi; Devine, Karen; Fulop, Jordonna; Ostrom, Quinn T.; Shimmel, Kristen; Wolinsky, Yingli; Sloan, Andrew E.; De Rose, Agostino; Giuliante, Felice; Goodman, Marc; Karlan, Beth Y.; Hagedorn, Curt H.; Eckman, John; Harr, Jodi; Myers, Jerome; Tucker, Kelinda; Zach, Leigh Anne; Deyarmin, Brenda; Hu, Hai; Kvecher, Leonid; Larson, Caroline; Mural, Richard J.; Somiari, Stella; Vicha, Ales; Zelinka, Tomas; Bennett, Joseph; Iacocca, Mary; Rabeno, Brenda; Swanson, Patricia; Latour, Mathieu; Lacombe, Louis; Têtu, Bernard; Bergeron, Alain; McGraw, Mary; Staugaitis, Susan M.; Chabot, John; Hibshoosh, Hanina; Sepulveda, Antonia; Su, Tao; Wang, Timothy; Potapova, Olga; Voronina, Olga; Desjardins, Laurence; Mariani, Odette; Roman-Roman, Sergio; Sastre, Xavier; Stern, Marc Henri; Cheng, Feixiong; Signoretti, Sabina; Berchuck, Andrew; Bigner, Darell; Lipp, Eric; Marks, Jeffrey; McCall, Shannon; McLendon, Roger; Secord, Angeles; Sharp, Alexis; Behera, Madhusmita; Brat, Daniel J.; Chen, Amy; Delman, Keith; Force, Seth; Khuri, Fadlo; Magliocca, Kelly; Maithel, Shishir; Olson, Jeffrey J.; Owonikoko, Taofeek; Pickens, Alan; Ramalingam, Suresh; Shin, Dong M.; Sica, Gabriel; Van Meir, Erwin G.; Zhang, Hongzheng; Eijckenboom, Wil; Gillis, Ad; Korpershoek, Esther; Looijenga, Leendert; Oosterhuis, Wolter; Stoop, Hans; van Kessel, Kim E.; Zwarthoff, Ellen C.; Calatozzolo, Chiara; Cuppini, Lucia; Cuzzubbo, Stefania; DiMeco, Francesco; Finocchiaro, Gaetano; Mattei, Luca; Perin, Alessandro; Pollo, Bianca; Chen, Chu; Houck, John; Lohavanichbutr, Pawadee; Hartmann, Arndt; Stoehr, Christine; Stoehr, Robert; Taubert, Helge; Wach, Sven; Wullich, Bernd; Kycler, Witold; Murawa, Dawid; Wiznerowicz, Maciej; Chung, Ki; Edenfield, W. Jeffrey; Martin, Julie; Baudin, Eric; Bubley, Glenn; Bueno, Raphael; De Rienzo, Assunta; Richards, William G.; Kalkanis, Steven; Mikkelsen, Tom; Noushmehr, Houtan; Scarpace, Lisa; Girard, Nicolas; Aymerich, Marta; Campo, Elias; Giné, Eva; Guillermo, Armando López; Van Bang, Nguyen; Hanh, Phan Thi; Phu, Bui Duc; Tang, Yufang; Colman, Howard; Evason, Kimberley; Dottino, Peter R.; Martignetti, John A.; Gabra, Hani; Juhl, Hartmut; Akeredolu, Teniola; Stepa, Serghei; Hoon, Dave; Ahn, Keunsoo; Kang, Koo Jeong; Beuschlein, Felix; Breggia, Anne; Birrer, Michael; Bell, Debra; Borad, Mitesh; Bryce, Alan H.; Castle, Erik; Chandan, Vishal; Cheville, John; Copland, John A.; Farnell, Michael; Flotte, Thomas; Giama, Nasra; Ho, Thai; Kendrick, Michael; Kocher, Jean Pierre; Kopp, Karla; Moser, Catherine; Nagorney, David; O'Brien, Daniel; O'Neill, Brian Patrick; Patel, Tushar; Petersen, Gloria; Que, Florencia; Rivera, Michael; Roberts, Lewis; Smallridge, Robert; Smyrk, Thomas; Stanton, Melissa; Thompson, R. Houston; Torbenson, Michael; Yang, Ju Dong; Zhang, Lizhi; Brimo, Fadi; Ajani, Jaffer A.; Angulo Gonzalez, Ana Maria; Behrens, Carmen; Bondaruk, Jolanta; Broaddus, Russell; Czerniak, Bogdan; Esmaeli, Bita; Fujimoto, Junya; Gershenwald, Jeffrey; Guo, Charles; Lazar, Alexander J.; Logothetis, Christopher; Meric-Bernstam, Funda; Moran, Cesar; Ramondetta, Lois; Rice, David; Sood, Anil; Tamboli, Pheroze; Thompson, Timothy; Troncoso, Patricia; Tsao, Anne; Wistuba, Ignacio; Carter, Candace; Haydu, Lauren; Hersey, Peter; Jakrot, Valerie; Kakavand, Hojabr; Kefford, Richard; Lee, Kenneth; Long, Georgina; Mann, Graham; Quinn, Michael; Saw, Robyn; Scolyer, Richard; Shannon, Kerwin; Spillane, Andrew; Stretch, Jonathan; Synott, Maria; Thompson, John; Wilmott, James; Al-Ahmadie, Hikmat; Chan, Timothy A.; Ghossein, Ronald; Gopalan, Anuradha; Levine, Douglas A.; Reuter, Victor; Singer, Samuel; Singh, Bhuvanesh; Tien, Nguyen Viet; Broudy, Thomas; Mirsaidi, Cyrus; Nair, Praveen; Drwiega, Paul; Miller, Judy; Smith, Jennifer; Zaren, Howard; Park, Joong Won; Hung, Nguyen Phi; Kebebew, Electron; Linehan, W. Marston; Metwalli, Adam R.; Pacak, Karel; Pinto, Peter A.; Schiffman, Mark; Schmidt, Laura S.; Vocke, Cathy D.; Wentzensen, Nicolas; Worrell, Robert; Yang, Hannah; Moncrieff, Marc; Goparaju, Chandra; Melamed, Jonathan; Pass, Harvey; Botnariuc, Natalia; Caraman, Irina; Cernat, Mircea; Chemencedji, Inga; Clipca, Adrian; Doruc, Serghei; Gorincioi, Ghenadie; Mura, Sergiu; Pirtac, Maria; Stancul, Irina; Tcaciuc, Diana; Albert, Monique; Alexopoulou, Iakovina; Arnaout, Angel; Bartlett, John; Engel, Jay; Gilbert, Sebastien; Parfitt, Jeremy; Sekhon, Harman; Thomas, George; Rassl, Doris M.; Rintoul, Robert C.; Bifulco, Carlo; Tamakawa, Raina; Urba, Walter; Hayward, Nicholas; Timmers, Henri; Antenucci, Anna; Facciolo, Francesco; Grazi, Gianluca; Marino, Mirella; Merola, Roberta; de Krijger, Ronald; Gimenez-Roqueplo, Anne Paule; Piché, Alain; Chevalier, Simone; McKercher, Ginette; Birsoy, Kivanc; Barnett, Gene; Brewer, Cathy; Farver, Carol; Naska, Theresa; Pennell, Nathan A.; Raymond, Daniel; Schilero, Cathy; Smolenski, Kathy; Williams, Felicia; Morrison, Carl; Borgia, Jeffrey A.; Liptay, Michael J.; Pool, Mark; Seder, Christopher W.; Junker, Kerstin; Omberg, Larsson; Dinkin, Mikhail; Manikhas, George; Alvaro, Domenico; Bragazzi, Maria Consiglia; Cardinale, Vincenzo; Carpino, Guido; Gaudio, Eugenio; Chesla, David; Cottingham, Sandra; Dubina, Michael; Moiseenko, Fedor; Dhanasekaran, Renumathy; Becker, Karl Friedrich; Janssen, Klaus Peter; Slotta-Huspenina, Julia; Abdel-Rahman, Mohamed H.; Aziz, Dina; Bell, Sue; Cebulla, Colleen M.; Davis, Amy; Duell, Rebecca; Elder, J. Bradley; Hilty, Joe; Kumar, Bahavna; Lang, James; Lehman, Norman L.; Mandt, Randy; Nguyen, Phuong; Pilarski, Robert; Rai, Karan; Schoenfield, Lynn; Senecal, Kelly; Wakely, Paul; Hansen, Paul; Lechan, Ronald; Powers, James; Tischler, Arthur; Grizzle, William E.; Sexton, Katherine C.; Kastl, Alison; Henderson, Joel; Porten, Sima; Waldmann, Jens; Fassnacht, Martin; Asa, Sylvia L.; Schadendorf, Dirk; Couce, Marta; Graefen, Markus; Huland, Hartwig; Sauter, Guido; Schlomm, Thorsten; Simon, Ronald; Tennstedt, Pierre; Olabode, Oluwole; Nelson, Mark; Bathe, Oliver; Carroll, Peter R.; Chan, June M.; Disaia, Philip; Glenn, Pat; Kelley, Robin K.; Landen, Charles N.; Phillips, Joanna; Prados, Michael; Simko, Jeffry; Smith-McCune, Karen; VandenBerg, Scott; Roggin, Kevin; Fehrenbach, Ashley; Kendler, Ady; Sifri, Suzanne; Steele, Ruth; Jimeno, Antonio; Carey, Francis; Forgie, Ian; Mannelli, Massimo; Carney, Michael; Hernandez, Brenda; Campos, Benito; Herold-Mende, Christel; Jungk, Christin; Unterberg, Andreas; von Deimling, Andreas; Bossler, Aaron; Galbraith, Joseph; Jacobus, Laura; Knudson, Michael; Knutson, Tina; Ma, Deqin; Milhem, Mohammed; Sigmund, Rita; Godwin, Andrew K.; Madan, Rashna; Rosenthal, Howard G.; Adebamowo, Clement; Adebamowo, Sally N.; Boussioutas, Alex; Beer, David; Giordano, Thomas; Mes-Masson, Anne Marie; Saad, Fred; Bocklage, Therese; Landrum, Lisa; Mannel, Robert; Moore, Kathleen; Moxley, Katherine; Postier, Russel; Walker, Joan; Zuna, Rosemary; Feldman, Michael; Valdivieso, Federico; Dhir, Rajiv; Luketich, James; Mora Pinero, Edna M.; Quintero-Aguilo, Mario; Carlotti, Carlos Gilberto; Dos Santos, Jose Sebastião; Kemp, Rafael; Sankarankuty, Ajith; Tirapelli, Daniela; Catto, James; Agnew, Kathy; Swisher, Elizabeth; Creaney, Jenette; Robinson, Bruce; Shelley, Carl Simon; Godwin, Eryn M.; Kendall, Sara; Shipman, Cassaundra; Bradford, Carol; Carey, Thomas; Haddad, Andrea; Moyer, Jeffey; Peterson, Lisa; Prince, Mark; Rozek, Laura; Wolf, Gregory; Bowman, Rayleen; Fong, Kwun M.; Yang, Ian; Korst, Robert; Rathmell, W. Kimryn; Fantacone-Campbell, J. Leigh; Hooke, Jeffrey A.; Kovatich, Albert J.; Shriver, Craig D.; DiPersio, John; Drake, Bettina; Govindan, Ramaswamy; Heath, Sharon; Ley, Timothy; Van Tine, Brian; Westervelt, Peter; Rubin, Mark A.; Lee, Jung Il; Aredes, Natália D.; Mariamidze, Armaz; Hu, Hai

    2018-01-01

    For a decade, The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) program collected clinicopathologic annotation data along with multi-platform molecular profiles of more than 11,000 human tumors across 33 different cancer types. TCGA clinical data contain key features representing the democratized nature of the data

  7. Statin use and kidney cancer outcomes: A propensity score analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nayan, Madhur; Finelli, Antonio; Jewett, Michael A S; Juurlink, David N; Austin, Peter C; Kulkarni, Girish S; Hamilton, Robert J

    2016-11-01

    Studies evaluating the association between statin use and survival outcomes in renal cell carcinoma have demonstrated conflicting results. Our objective was to evaluate this association in a large clinical cohort by using propensity score methods to reduce confounding from measured covariates. We performed a retrospective review of 893 patients undergoing nephrectomy for unilateral, M0 renal cell carcinoma between 2000 and 2014 at a tertiary academic center. Inverse probability of treatment weights were derived from a propensity score model based on clinical, surgical, and pathological characteristics. We used Cox proportional hazard models to evaluate the association between statin use and disease-free survival, cancer-specific survival, and overall survival in the sample weighted by the inverse probability of treatment weights. A secondary analysis was performed matching statin users 1:1 to statin nonusers on the propensity score. Of the 893 patients, 259 (29%) were on statins at the time of surgery. Median follow-up was 47 months (interquartile range: 20-80). Statin use was not significantly associated with disease-free survival (hazard ratio [HR] = 1.09, 95% CI: 0.65-1.81), cancer-specific survival (HR = 0.90, 95% CI: 0.40-2.01), or overall survival (HR = 0.89, 95% CI: 0.55-1.44). Similar results were observed when using propensity score matching. The present study found no significant association between statin use and kidney cancer outcomes. Population-based studies are needed to further evaluate the role of statins in kidney cancer therapy. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  8. Clinical Management and Burden of Prostate Cancer: A Markov Monte Carlo Model

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sanyal, Chiranjeev; Aprikian, Armen; Cury, Fabio; Chevalier, Simone; Dragomir, Alice

    2014-01-01

    Background Prostate cancer (PCa) is the most common non-skin cancer among men in developed countries. Several novel treatments have been adopted by healthcare systems to manage PCa. Most of the observational studies and randomized trials on PCa have concurrently evaluated fewer treatments over short follow-up. Further, preceding decision analytic models on PCa management have not evaluated various contemporary management options. Therefore, a contemporary decision analytic model was necessary to address limitations to the literature by synthesizing the evidence on novel treatments thereby forecasting short and long-term clinical outcomes. Objectives To develop and validate a Markov Monte Carlo model for the contemporary clinical management of PCa, and to assess the clinical burden of the disease from diagnosis to end-of-life. Methods A Markov Monte Carlo model was developed to simulate the management of PCa in men 65 years and older from diagnosis to end-of-life. Health states modeled were: risk at diagnosis, active surveillance, active treatment, PCa recurrence, PCa recurrence free, metastatic castrate resistant prostate cancer, overall and PCa death. Treatment trajectories were based on state transition probabilities derived from the literature. Validation and sensitivity analyses assessed the accuracy and robustness of model predicted outcomes. Results Validation indicated model predicted rates were comparable to observed rates in the published literature. The simulated distribution of clinical outcomes for the base case was consistent with sensitivity analyses. Predicted rate of clinical outcomes and mortality varied across risk groups. Life expectancy and health adjusted life expectancy predicted for the simulated cohort was 20.9 years (95%CI 20.5–21.3) and 18.2 years (95% CI 17.9–18.5), respectively. Conclusion Study findings indicated contemporary management strategies improved survival and quality of life in patients with PCa. This model could be used

  9. Clinical features and outcomes of delayed perforation after endoscopic submucosal dissection for early gastric cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hanaoka, N; Uedo, N; Ishihara, R; Higashino, K; Takeuchi, Y; Inoue, T; Chatani, R; Hanafusa, M; Tsujii, Y; Kanzaki, H; Kawada, N; Iishi, H; Tatsuta, M; Tomita, Y; Miyashiro, I; Yano, M

    2010-12-01

    Perforation is a major complication of endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) for early gastric cancer (EGC). However, there have been no reports on delayed perforation after ESD for EGC. We aimed to elucidate the incidence and outcomes of delayed perforation after ESD. Clinical courses in 1159 consecutive patients with 1329 EGCs who underwent ESD were investigated. Delayed perforation occurred in six patients (0.45 %). All these patients had complete en bloc resection without intraoperative perforation during ESD. Five of six perforations were located in the upper third of the stomach, while one lesion was found in the middle third. Symptoms of peritoneal irritation with rebound tenderness presented within 24 h after ESD in all cases. One patient did not require surgery because the symptoms were localized, and recovered with conservative antibiotic therapy by nasogastric tube placement. The remaining five patients required emergency surgery. There was no mortality in this case series. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

  10. Clinical outcomes of patients with clear cell and endometrioid ovarian cancer arising from endometriosis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Paik, E Sun; Kim, Tae Joong; Choi, Chel Hun; Kim, Byoung Gie; Bae, Duk Soo; Lee, Jeong Won

    2018-03-01

    The aim of this investigation is to compare outcomes of patients according to the presence of cancer arising from endometriosis in ovarian clear cell carcinoma (CCC) and endometrioid carcinoma (EC). This study retrospectively investigated 224 CCC and EC patients treated in Samsung Medical Center from 2001 to 2015 to identify cancer arising from endometriosis according to Sampson and Scott criteria. Propensity score matching was performed to compare patients arising from endometriosis to patients without endometriosis (ratio 1:1) according to stage, age, lymph node metastasis (LNM), cancer antigen (CA)-125 level, and residual status after debulking surgery. Forty-five cases arising from endometriosis were compared with 179 cases without endometriosis. CCC and EC arising from endometriosis tended to present with early age (mean, 45.2 vs. 49.2 years; p=0.003), early-stage (stages I and II, 92.7% vs. 62.3%; p<0.001), lower CA-125 level (mean, 307.1 vs. 556.7; p=0.041), higher percentages of no gross residual disease after surgery (87.8% vs.56.8%; p=0.001), and higher percentages of negative LNM (82.9% vs. 59.0%; p=0.008) compared to cases without endometriosis. Kaplan-Meier curves for progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) showed better outcomes for groups with cancer arising from endometriosis (p=0.014 for PFS; and p=0.010 for OS). However, the association with endometriosis was not significant in multivariate analysis. Also, after propensity score matching, survival differences between the 2 groups were not significant. CCC and EC arising from endometriosis are diagnosed at an earlier age and stage. However, cancer arising from endometriosis was not a significant prognostic factor. Copyright © 2018. Asian Society of Gynecologic Oncology, Korean Society of Gynecologic Oncology

  11. The Development of a Minority Recruitment Plan for Cancer Clinical Trials.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Trevino, Monica; Padalecki, Susan; Karnad, Anand; Parra, Alberto; Weitman, Steve; Nashawati, Melissa; Pollock, Brad H; Ramirez, Amelie; Thompson, Ian M

    2013-09-01

    Cancer does not occur in all ethnic and racial groups at similar rates. In addition, responses to treatment also vary in certain ethnic and racial groups. For Hispanics, the overall cancer incidence is generally lower yet for some specific tumor types, the incidence rates are higher compared to other populations. Although disparities are recognized for treatment outcomes and prevention methodologies for Hispanics and other minority populations, specific recruiting and reporting of minorities remains a challenge. In order to circumvent this problem, the Cancer Therapy and Research Center (CTRC) has developed a new minority recruitment plan for all cancer related clinical trials at this Institute. The overall goal of this initiative is to increase the accrual of minorities in cancer clinical trials by implementing several key interventions. The Cancer Therapy & Research Center (CTRC) at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio established the Clinical Trials Accrual Task Force to develop and monitor interventions designed to increase accrual to cancer clinical trials, specifically the accrual of minorities with a focus on the Hispanic population that makes up 68% of the CTRC's catchment area. A Minority Accrual Plan (MAP) was implemented in March 2013 as part of the process for initiating and conducting cancer-related clinical trials at the CTRC. The Minority Accrual Plan focuses on Hispanic enrollment due to the characteristics of the South Texas population served by the CTRC but could be easily adapted to other populations. The CTRC has designed a process to prospectively address the challenge of deliberately enrolling minority subjects and accurately accounting for the results by implementing a Minority Accrual Plan for every cancer-related clinical trial at CTRC.

  12. Use of routinely available clinical, nutritional, and functional criteria to classify cachexia in advanced cancer patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vigano, Antonio A L; Morais, José A; Ciutto, Lorella; Rosenthall, Leonard; di Tomasso, Jonathan; Khan, Sarah; Olders, Henry; Borod, Manuel; Kilgour, Robert D

    2017-10-01

    Cachexia is a highly prevalent syndrome in cancer and chronic diseases. However, due to the heterogeneous features of cancer cachexia, its identification and classification challenge clinical practitioners. To determine the clinical relevance of a cancer cachexia classification system in advanced cancer patients. Beginning with the four-stage classification system proposed for cachexia [non-cachexia (NCa), pre-cachexia (PCa), cachexia (Ca) and refractory cachexia (RCa)], we assigned patients to these cachexia stages according to five classification criteria available in clinical practice: 1) biochemistry (high C-reactive protein or leukocytes, or hypoalbuminemia, or anemia), 2) food intake (normal/decreased), weight loss: 3) moderate (≤5%) or 4) significant (>5%/past six months) and 5) performance status (Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group Performance Status ≥ 3). We then determined if symptom severity, body composition changes, functional levels, hospitalizations and survival rates varied significantly across cachexia stages. Two-hundred and ninety-seven advanced cancer patients with primary gastrointestinal and lung tumors were included. Patients were classified into Ca (36%), PCa and RCa (21%, respectively) and NCa (15%). Significant (p cachexia stages for most of the outcome measures (symptoms, body composition, handgrip strength, emergency room visits and length of hospital stays) according to cachexia severity. Survival also differed between cachexia stages (except between PCa and Ca). Five clinical criteria can be used to stage cancer cachexia patients and predict important clinical, nutritional and functional outcomes. The lack of statistical difference between PCa and Ca in almost all clinical outcomes examined suggests either that the PCa group includes patients already affected by early cachexia or that more precise criteria are needed to differentiate PCa from Ca patients. More studies are required to validate these findings. Copyright © 2016

  13. Clinical practice guidelines in breast cancer

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tyagi, N. Kumar; Dhesy-Thind, S.

    2018-01-01

    Background A number of clinical practice guidelines (cpgs) concerning breast cancer (bca) screening and management are available. Here, we review the strengths and weaknesses of cpgs from various professional organizations and consensus groups with respect to their methodologic quality, recommendations, and implementability. Methods Guidelines from four groups were reviewed with respect to two clinical scenarios: adjuvant ovarian function suppression (ofs) in premenopausal women with early-stage estrogen receptor–positive bca, and use of sentinel lymph node biopsy (slnb) after neoadjuvant chemotherapy (nac) for locally advanced bca. Guidelines from the American Society of Clinical Oncology (asco); Cancer Care Ontario’s Program in Evidence Based Care (cco’s pebc); the U.S. National Comprehensive Cancer Network (nccn); and the St. Gallen International Breast Cancer Consensus Conference were reviewed by two independent assessors. Guideline methodology and applicability were evaluated using the agree ii tool. Results The quality of the cpgs was greatest for the guidelines developed by asco and cco’s pebc. The nccn and St. Gallen guidelines were found to have lower scores for methodologic rigour. All guidelines scored poorly for applicability. The recommendations for ofs were similar in three guidelines. Recommendations by the various organizations for the use of slnb after nac were contradictory. Conclusions Our review demonstrated that cpgs can be heterogeneous in methodologic quality. Low-quality cpg implementation strategies contribute to low uptake of, and adherence to, bca cpgs. Further research examining the barriers to recommendations—such as intrinsic guideline characteristics and the needs of end users—is required. The use of bca cpgs can improve the knowledge-to-practice gap and patient outcomes.

  14. Obesity Paradox in Lung Cancer Prognosis: Evolving Biological Insights and Clinical Implications.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Xueli; Liu, Yamin; Shao, Hua; Zheng, Xiao

    2017-10-01

    The survival rate of lung cancer remains low despite the progress of surgery and chemotherapy. With the increasing comorbidity of obesity in patients with lung cancer, new challenges are emerging in the management of this patient population. A key issue of interest is the prognostic effect of obesity on surgical and chemotherapeutic outcomes in patients with lung cancer, which is fueled by the growing observation of survival benefits in overweight or obese patients. This unexpected inverse relationship between obesity and lung cancer mortality, called the obesity paradox, remains poorly understood. The evolving insights into the heterogeneity of obesity phenotypes and associated biological connections with lung cancer progression in recent years may help explain some of the seemingly paradoxical relationship, and well-designed clinical studies looking at the causal role of obesity-associated molecules are expected. Here, we examine potential biological mechanisms behind the protective effects of obesity in lung cancer. We highlight the need to clarify the clinical implications of this relationship toward an updated intervention strategy in the clinical care of patients with lung cancer and obesity. Copyright © 2017 International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  15. Gastrointestinal ostomies and sexual outcomes: a comparison of colorectal cancer patients by ostomy status.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Reese, J B; Finan, P H; Haythornthwaite, J A; Kadan, M; Regan, K R; Herman, J M; Efron, J; Diaz, L A; Azad, N S

    2014-02-01

    Research examining effects of ostomy use on sexual outcomes is limited. Patients with colorectal cancer were compared on sexual outcomes and body image based on ostomy status (never, past, and current ostomy). Differences in depression were also examined. Patients were prospectively recruited during clinic visits and by tumor registry mailings. Patients with colorectal cancer (N = 141; 18 past ostomy; 25 current ostomy; and 98 no ostomy history) completed surveys assessing sexual outcomes (medical impact on sexual function, Female Sexual Function Index, International Index of Erectile Function), body image distress (Body Image Scale), and depressive symptoms (Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale-Short Form). Clinical information was obtained through patient validated self-report measures and medical records. Most participants reported sexual function in the dysfunctional range using established cut-off scores. In analyses adjusting for demographic and medical covariates and depression, significant group differences were found for ostomy status on impact on sexual function (p ostomy groups reported worse impact on sexual function than those who never had an ostomy (p ostomy group reported worse body image distress than those who never had an ostomy (p ostomies as part of their treatment. Clinical information and support should be offered.

  16. Clinical Outcome among Nasopharyngeal Cancer Patients in a Multi-Ethnic Society in Singapore.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Han Wen Mak

    Full Text Available Nasopharyngeal cancer (NPC is endemic among Chinese populations in Southeast Asia. However, the outcomes of non-Chinese NPC patients in Singapore are not well reported.To determine if non-Chinese NPC patients have a different prognosis and examine the clinical outcomes of NPC patients in a multi-ethnic society.Retrospective chart review of 558 NPC patients treated at a single academic tertiary hospital from 2002 to 2012. Survival and recurrence rates were analysed and predictive factors identified using the Kaplan-Meier method and Cox regression model.Our cohort comprised 409 males (73.3% and 149 females (26.7% with a median age of 52 years. There were 476 Chinese (85.3%, 57 Malays (10.2%, and 25 of other ethnic groups (4.5%. Non-Chinese patients were more likely to be associated with advanced nodal disease at initial presentation (p = 0.049, compared with the Chinese. However, there were no statistical differences in their overall survival (OS or disease specific survival (DSS (p = 0.934 and p = 0.857 respectively. The 3-year and 5-year cohort OS and DSS rates were 79.3%, 70.7%, and 83.2%, 77.4% respectively. Advanced age (p<0.001, N2 disease (p = 0.036, N3 disease (p<0.001, and metastatic disease (p<0.001 at presentation were independently associated with poor overall survival. N2 disease (p = 0.032, N3 disease (p<0.001 and metastatic disease (p<0.001 were also independently associated with poor DSS. No predictive factors were associated with loco-regional recurrence after definitive treatment. Advanced age (p = 0.044, N2 disease (p = 0.033 and N3 disease (p<0.001 were independently associated with distant relapse.In a multi-ethnic society in Singapore, non-Chinese are more likely to present with advanced nodal disease. This however did not translate into poorer survival outcomes. Older patients with N2 or N3 disease are associated with a higher risk of distant relapse and poor overall survival.

  17. A novel representation of inter-site tumour heterogeneity from pre-treatment computed tomography textures classifies ovarian cancers by clinical outcome

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Vargas, Hebert Alberto; Micco, Maura; Lakhman, Yulia; Meier, Andreas A.; Sosa, Ramon; Hricak, Hedvig; Sala, Evis [Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, Department of Radiology, New York, NY (United States); Veeraraghavan, Harini; Deasy, Joseph [Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, Department of Medical Physics, New York, NY (United States); Nougaret, Stephanie [Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, Department of Radiology, New York, NY (United States); Service de Radiologie, Institut Regional du Cancer de Montpellier, Montpellier (France); INSERM, U1194, Institut de Recherche en Cancerologie de Montpellier (IRCM), Montpellier (France); Soslow, Robert A.; Weigelt, Britta [Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, Department of Pathology, New York, NY (United States); Levine, Douglas A. [Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, Department of Surgery, New York, NY (United States); Aghajanian, Carol; Snyder, Alexandra [Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, Department of Medicine, New York, NY (United States)

    2017-09-15

    To evaluate the associations between clinical outcomes and radiomics-derived inter-site spatial heterogeneity metrics across multiple metastatic lesions on CT in patients with high-grade serous ovarian cancer (HGSOC). IRB-approved retrospective study of 38 HGSOC patients. All sites of suspected HGSOC involvement on preoperative CT were manually segmented. Gray-level correlation matrix-based textures were computed from each tumour site, and grouped into five clusters using a Gaussian Mixture Model. Pairwise inter-site similarities were computed, generating an inter-site similarity matrix (ISM). Inter-site texture heterogeneity metrics were computed from the ISM and compared to clinical outcomes. Of the 12 inter-site texture heterogeneity metrics evaluated, those capturing the differences in texture similarities across sites were associated with shorter overall survival (inter-site similarity entropy, similarity level cluster shade, and inter-site similarity level cluster prominence; p ≤ 0.05) and incomplete surgical resection (similarity level cluster shade, inter-site similarity level cluster prominence and inter-site cluster variance; p ≤ 0.05). Neither the total number of disease sites per patient nor the overall tumour volume per patient was associated with overall survival. Amplification of 19q12 involving cyclin E1 gene (CCNE1) predominantly occurred in patients with more heterogeneous inter-site textures. Quantitative metrics non-invasively capturing spatial inter-site heterogeneity may predict outcomes in patients with HGSOC. (orig.)

  18. Review of the Interaction Between Body Composition and Clinical Outcomes in Metastatic Renal Cell Cancer Treated With Targeted Therapies

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Steven M Yip

    2016-03-01

    Full Text Available Treatment of metastatic renal cell cancer (mRCC currently focuses on inhibition of the vascular endothelial growth factor pathway and the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR pathway. Obesity confers a higher risk of RCC. However, the influence of obesity on clinical outcomes in mRCC in the era of targeted therapy is less clear. This review focuses on the impact of body composition on targeted therapy outcomes in mRCC. The International Metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma Database Consortium database has the largest series of patients evaluating the impact of body mass index (BMI on outcomes in mRCC patients treated with targeted therapy. Overall survival was significantly improved in overweight patients (BMI ≥ 25 kg/m2, and this observation was externally validated in patients who participated in Pfizer trials. In contrast, sarcopenia is consistently associated with increased toxicity to inhibitors of angiogenesis and mTOR. Strengthening patients with mRCC and sarcopenia, through a structured exercise program and dietary intervention, may improve outcomes in mRCC treated with targeted therapies. At the same time, the paradox of obesity being a risk factor for RCC while offering a better overall survival in response to targeted therapy needs to be further evaluated.

  19. Inherited Variants in Wnt Pathway Genes Influence Outcomes of Prostate Cancer Patients Receiving Androgen Deprivation Therapy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jiun-Hung Geng

    2016-11-01

    Full Text Available Aberrant Wnt signaling has been associated with many types of cancer. However, the association of inherited Wnt pathway variants with clinical outcomes in prostate cancer patients receiving androgen deprivation therapy (ADT has not been determined. Here, we comprehensively studied the contribution of common single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs in Wnt pathway genes to the clinical outcomes of 465 advanced prostate cancer patients treated with ADT. Two SNPs, adenomatous polyposis coli (APC rs2707765 and rs497844, were significantly (p ≤ 0.009 and q ≤ 0.043 associated with both prostate cancer progression and all-cause mortality, even after multivariate analyses and multiple testing correction. Patients with a greater number of favorable alleles had a longer time to disease progression and better overall survival during ADT (p for trend ≤ 0.003. Additional, cDNA array and in silico analyses of prostate cancer tissue suggested that rs2707765 affects APC expression, which in turn is correlated with tumor aggressiveness and patient prognosis. This study identifies the influence of inherited variants in the Wnt pathway on the efficacy of ADT and highlights a preclinical rationale for using APC as a prognostic marker in advanced prostate cancer.

  20. Expression level of novel tumor suppressor gene FATS is associated with the outcome of node positive breast cancer

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    ZHANG Jun; GU Lin; ZHAO Lu-jun; ZHANG Xi-feng; QIU Li; LI Zheng

    2011-01-01

    Background Recently, we reported the identification of a previously uncharacterized and evolutionarily conserved gene, fragile-site associated tumor suppressor (FATS), at a frequently deleted region in irradiation (IR)-induced tumors.However, the role of FATS in breast cancer development and its clinical significance has not been defined. The aim of this study was to determine the role of FA7S in breast cancer development and to evaluate its clinical significance in breast cancer.Methods The expression level of FATS mRNA was determined in 106 breast carcinomas and 23 paired normal breast tissues using quantitative real time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). The relationship between FATS expression and clinicopathological parameters were also analyzed.Results The mRNA level of FATS was down-regulated in breast cancer compared with paired normal tissues. Low expression of FATS was correlated with high nuclear grade. There was a tendency to a favorable outcome for patients with high expression of FATS (P=0.346). However, low expression of FATS was associated with poor outcome of breast cancer patients with node positive (P=0.011). Furthermore, the mRNA level of FATS showed an independent value in predicting the outcome of breast cancer patients with positive lymph nodes.Conclusion FATS is involved in the carcinogenesis and development of breast cancer and could be a potential biomarker and prognostic factor for breast cancer therapy.

  1. Prognostic outcomes in advanced breast cancer: the metastasis-free interval is important.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shen, Tiansheng; Gao, Cheng; Zhang, Kui; Siegal, Gene P; Wei, Shi

    2017-12-01

    Metastatic breast cancer is a heterogeneous disease with a diverse clinical course. There have been limited studies regarding prognostic outcomes in patients with de novo metastatic breast cancer versus those with metastatic recurrence, with controversial observations. In this study, we sought to examine the difference in survival outcomes among patients with advanced breast cancer stratified based on metastasis-free interval (MFI) and to further explore the role of systemic therapy in these patient groups. Of 569 consecutive patients with stage IV breast cancer between 1998 and 2013, 201 had de novo metastatic disease (metastasis at diagnosis) and 368 developed metastatic recurrence, including 168 with an MFI≤24 months and 200 with an MFI>24 months. In the 492 patients who received systemic therapy, de novo metastasis was an independent favorable prognostic factor for overall survival after metastasis when compared with metastatic recurrence irrespective of MFI. Compared with the patients with metastatic recurrence with an MFI≤24 months, those with an MFI>24 months had a superior survival outcome, although it did not reach statistical significance by multivariate analysis. In contrast, de novo metastatic breast cancer was associated with a worse prognosis when compared with recurring metastasis in the patients who did not receive systemic treatment. These findings provide more insight into the natural history of advanced breast cancer, thus necessitating further investigation into the molecular mechanism of drug resistance. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  2. Predicting Adverse Health Outcomes in Long-Term Survivors of a Childhood Cancer

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Chaya S. Moskowitz

    2014-07-01

    Full Text Available More than 80% of children and young adults diagnosed with invasive cancer will survive five or more years beyond their cancer diagnosis. This population has an increased risk for serious illness- and treatment-related morbidity and premature mortality. A number of these adverse health outcomes, such as cardiovascular disease and some second primary neoplasms, either have modifiable risk factors or can be successfully treated if detected early. Absolute risk models that project a personalized risk of developing a health outcome can be useful in patient counseling, in designing intervention studies, in forming prevention strategies, and in deciding upon surveillance programs. Here, we review existing absolute risk prediction models that are directly applicable to survivors of a childhood cancer, discuss the concepts and interpretation of absolute risk models, and examine ways in which these models can be used applied in clinical practice and public health.

  3. Imaging characteristics associated with clinical outcomes in posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Schweitzer, Andrew D.; Nemade, Ajay [Weill Cornell Medicine, Department of Radiology, New York, NY (United States); Parikh, Neal S.; Navi, Babak B. [Weill Cornell Medicine, Department of Neurology, New York, NY (United States); Weill Cornell Medicine, Clinical and Translational Neuroscience Unit, Feil Family Brain and Mind Research Institute, New York, NY (United States); Askin, Gulce [Weill Cornell Medicine, Department of Healthcare Policy and Research, Division of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, New York, NY (United States); Lyo, John; Karimi, Sasan; Knobel, Anna; Young, Robert J. [Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, Department of Radiology, New York, NY (United States); Gupta, Ajay [Weill Cornell Medicine, Department of Radiology, New York, NY (United States); Weill Cornell Medicine, Clinical and Translational Neuroscience Unit, Feil Family Brain and Mind Research Institute, New York, NY (United States)

    2017-04-15

    Posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome (PRES) is a disorder of cerebrovascular autoregulation that can result in brain edema, hemorrhage, and infarction. We sought to investigate whether certain imaging characteristics in PRES are associated with clinically significant patient outcomes. We retrospectively reviewed all cases of PRES occurring between 2008 and 2014 at two major academic medical centers. Demographic, clinical, and radiographic data were collected. We analyzed imaging studies for vasogenic edema, hemorrhage, and diffusion restriction. We performed univariate analysis and stepwise logistic regression to assess the association between our radiologic findings of interest and clinical outcomes as defined by hospital discharge disposition and modified Rankin scale (mRS) at time of discharge. We identified 99 cases of PRES in 96 patients. The median age was 55 years (IQR 30-65) and 74% were women. In 99 cases, 60% of patients had active cancer, 19% had history of bone marrow or organ transplantation, 14% had autoimmune disease, and 8% were peripartum. Imaging at clinical presentation showed extensive vasogenic edema in 39%, hemorrhage in 36%, hemorrhage with mass effect in 7%, and restricted diffusion in 16%. In our final logistic regression models, the presence of extensive vasogenic edema, hemorrhage with mass effect, or diffusion restriction was associated with worse clinical outcome as defined by both discharge disposition (OR = 4.3; 95% CI: 1.4-36.3; p = 0.047) and mRS (OR = 3.6; 95% CI: 1.2-10.7; p = 0.019). Extensive vasogenic edema, hemorrhage, and restricted diffusion on initial imaging in PRES are associated with worse clinical outcomes. (orig.)

  4. Imaging characteristics associated with clinical outcomes in posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Schweitzer, Andrew D.; Nemade, Ajay; Parikh, Neal S.; Navi, Babak B.; Askin, Gulce; Lyo, John; Karimi, Sasan; Knobel, Anna; Young, Robert J.; Gupta, Ajay

    2017-01-01

    Posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome (PRES) is a disorder of cerebrovascular autoregulation that can result in brain edema, hemorrhage, and infarction. We sought to investigate whether certain imaging characteristics in PRES are associated with clinically significant patient outcomes. We retrospectively reviewed all cases of PRES occurring between 2008 and 2014 at two major academic medical centers. Demographic, clinical, and radiographic data were collected. We analyzed imaging studies for vasogenic edema, hemorrhage, and diffusion restriction. We performed univariate analysis and stepwise logistic regression to assess the association between our radiologic findings of interest and clinical outcomes as defined by hospital discharge disposition and modified Rankin scale (mRS) at time of discharge. We identified 99 cases of PRES in 96 patients. The median age was 55 years (IQR 30-65) and 74% were women. In 99 cases, 60% of patients had active cancer, 19% had history of bone marrow or organ transplantation, 14% had autoimmune disease, and 8% were peripartum. Imaging at clinical presentation showed extensive vasogenic edema in 39%, hemorrhage in 36%, hemorrhage with mass effect in 7%, and restricted diffusion in 16%. In our final logistic regression models, the presence of extensive vasogenic edema, hemorrhage with mass effect, or diffusion restriction was associated with worse clinical outcome as defined by both discharge disposition (OR = 4.3; 95% CI: 1.4-36.3; p = 0.047) and mRS (OR = 3.6; 95% CI: 1.2-10.7; p = 0.019). Extensive vasogenic edema, hemorrhage, and restricted diffusion on initial imaging in PRES are associated with worse clinical outcomes. (orig.)

  5. Clinical outcomes and nadir prostate-specific antigen (PSA) according to initial PSA levels in primary androgen deprivation therapy for metastatic prostate cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kitagawa, Yasuhide; Ueno, Satoru; Izumi, Kouji; Kadono, Yoshifumi; Mizokami, Atsushi; Hinotsu, Shiro; Akaza, Hideyuki; Namiki, Mikio

    2016-03-01

    To investigate the clinical outcomes of metastatic prostate cancer patients and the relationship between nadir prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels and different types of primary androgen deprivation therapy (PADT). This study utilized data from the Japan Study Group of Prostate Cancer registry, which is a large, multicenter, population-based database. A total of 2982 patients treated with PADT were enrolled. Kaplan-Meier analysis was used to compare progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) in patients treated using combined androgen blockade (CAB) and non-CAB therapies. The relationships between nadir PSA levels and PADT type according to initial serum PSA levels were also investigated. Among the 2982 enrolled patients, 2101 (70.5 %) were treated with CAB. Although CAB-treated patients had worse clinical characteristics, their probability of PFS and OS was higher compared with those treated with a non-CAB therapy. These results were due to a survival benefit with CAB in patients with an initial PSA level of 500-1000 ng/mL. Nadir PSA levels were significantly lower in CAB patients than in non-CAB patients with comparable initial serum PSA levels. A small survival benefit for CAB in metastatic prostate cancer was demonstrated in a Japanese large-scale prospective cohort study. The clinical significance of nadir PSA levels following PADT was evident, but the predictive impact of PSA nadir on OS was different between CAB and non-CAB therapy.

  6. Hypofractionated intensity-modulated arc therapy for lymph node metastasized prostate cancer: Early late toxicity and 3-year clinical outcome

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fonteyne, Valérie; Lumen, Nicolaas; Ost, Piet; Van Praet, Charles; Vandecasteele, Katrien; De Gersem Ir, Werner; Villeirs, Geert; De Neve, Wilfried; Decaestecker, Karel; De Meerleer, Gert

    2013-01-01

    Background and purpose: For patients with N1 prostate cancer (PCa) aggressive local therapies can be advocated. We evaluated clinical outcome, gastro-intestinal (GI) and genito-urinary (GU) toxicity after intensity modulated arc radiotherapy (IMAT) + androgen deprivation (AD) for N1 PCa. Material and methods: Eighty patients with T1-4N1M0 PCa were treated with IMAT and 2–3 years of AD. A median dose of 69.3 Gy (normalized isoeffective dose at 2 Gy per fraction: 80 Gy [α/β = 3]) was prescribed in 25 fractions to the prostate. The pelvic lymph nodes received a minimal dose of 45 Gy. A simultaneous integrated boost to 72 Gy and 65 Gy was delivered to the intraprostatic lesion and/or pathologically enlarged lymph nodes, respectively. GI and GU toxicity was scored using the RTOG/RILIT and RTOG-SOMA/LENT-CTC toxicity scoring system respectively. Three-year actuarial risk of grade 2 and 3/4 GI–GU toxicity and biochemical and clinical relapse free survival (bRFS and cRFS) were calculated with Kaplan–Meier statistics. Results: Median follow-up was 36 months. Three-year actuarial risk for late grade 3 and 2 GI toxicity is 8% and 20%, respectively. Three-year actuarial risk for late grade 3–4 and 2 GU toxicity was 6% and 34%, respectively. Actuarial 3-year bRFS and cRFS was 81% and 89%, respectively. Actuarial 3-year bRFS and cRFS was, respectively 26% and 32% lower for patients with cN1 disease when compared to patients with cN0 disease. Conclusion: IMAT for N1 PCa offers good clinical outcome with moderate toxicity. Patients with cN1 disease have poorer outcome

  7. Novel molecular subtypes of serous and endometrioid ovarian cancer linked to clinical outcome.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tothill, Richard W; Tinker, Anna V; George, Joshy; Brown, Robert; Fox, Stephen B; Lade, Stephen; Johnson, Daryl S; Trivett, Melanie K; Etemadmoghadam, Dariush; Locandro, Bianca; Traficante, Nadia; Fereday, Sian; Hung, Jillian A; Chiew, Yoke-Eng; Haviv, Izhak; Gertig, Dorota; DeFazio, Anna; Bowtell, David D L

    2008-08-15

    The study aim to identify novel molecular subtypes of ovarian cancer by gene expression profiling with linkage to clinical and pathologic features. Microarray gene expression profiling was done on 285 serous and endometrioid tumors of the ovary, peritoneum, and fallopian tube. K-means clustering was applied to identify robust molecular subtypes. Statistical analysis identified differentially expressed genes, pathways, and gene ontologies. Laser capture microdissection, pathology review, and immunohistochemistry validated the array-based findings. Patient survival within k-means groups was evaluated using Cox proportional hazards models. Class prediction validated k-means groups in an independent dataset. A semisupervised survival analysis of the array data was used to compare against unsupervised clustering results. Optimal clustering of array data identified six molecular subtypes. Two subtypes represented predominantly serous low malignant potential and low-grade endometrioid subtypes, respectively. The remaining four subtypes represented higher grade and advanced stage cancers of serous and endometrioid morphology. A novel subtype of high-grade serous cancers reflected a mesenchymal cell type, characterized by overexpression of N-cadherin and P-cadherin and low expression of differentiation markers, including CA125 and MUC1. A poor prognosis subtype was defined by a reactive stroma gene expression signature, correlating with extensive desmoplasia in such samples. A similar poor prognosis signature could be found using a semisupervised analysis. Each subtype displayed distinct levels and patterns of immune cell infiltration. Class prediction identified similar subtypes in an independent ovarian dataset with similar prognostic trends. Gene expression profiling identified molecular subtypes of ovarian cancer of biological and clinical importance.

  8. KRAS Mutation Status and Clinical Outcome of Preoperative Chemoradiation With Cetuximab in Locally Advanced Rectal Cancer: A Pooled Analysis of 2 Phase II Trials

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kim, Sun Young; Shim, Eun Kyung [Center for Colorectal Cancer, Research Institute and Hospital, National Cancer Center, Goyang (Korea, Republic of); Yeo, Hyun Yang [Division of Translational and Clinical Research I, Research Institute and Hospital, National Cancer Center, Goyang (Korea, Republic of); Baek, Ji Yeon [Center for Colorectal Cancer, Research Institute and Hospital, National Cancer Center, Goyang (Korea, Republic of); Hong, Yong Sang [Department of Oncology, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Kim, Dae Yong [Center for Colorectal Cancer, Research Institute and Hospital, National Cancer Center, Goyang (Korea, Republic of); Division of Translational and Clinical Research I, Research Institute and Hospital, National Cancer Center, Goyang (Korea, Republic of); Kim, Tae Won [Department of Oncology, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Kim, Jee Hyun [Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seongnam (Korea, Republic of); Im, Seock-Ah [Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Jung, Kyung Hae [Department of Oncology, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Chang, Hee Jin, E-mail: heejincmd@yahoo.com [Center for Colorectal Cancer, Research Institute and Hospital, National Cancer Center, Goyang (Korea, Republic of); Division of Translational and Clinical Research I, Research Institute and Hospital, National Cancer Center, Goyang (Korea, Republic of)

    2013-01-01

    Purpose: Cetuximab-containing chemotherapy is known to be effective for KRAS wild-type metastatic colorectal cancer; however, it is not clear whether cetuximab-based preoperative chemoradiation confers an additional benefit compared with chemoradiation without cetuximab in patients with locally advanced rectal cancer. Methods and Materials: We analyzed EGFR, KRAS, BRAF, and PIK3CA mutation status with direct sequencing and epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and Phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN) expression status with immunohistochemistry in tumor samples of 82 patients with locally advanced rectal cancer who were enrolled in the IRIX trial (preoperative chemoradiation with irinotecan and capecitabine; n=44) or the ERBIRIX trial (preoperative chemoradiation with irinotecan and capecitabine plus cetuximab; n=38). Both trials were similarly designed except for the administration of cetuximab; radiation therapy was administered at a dose of 50.4 Gy/28 fractions and irinotecan and capecitabine were given at doses of 40 mg/m{sup 2} weekly and 1650 mg/m{sup 2}/day, respectively, for 5 days per week. In the ERBIRIX trial, cetuximab was additionally given with a loading dose of 400 mg/m{sup 2} on 1 week before radiation, and 250 mg/m{sup 2} weekly thereafter. Results: Baseline characteristics before chemoradiation were similar between the 2 trial cohorts. A KRAS mutation in codon 12, 13, and 61 was noted in 15 (34%) patients in the IRIX cohort and 5 (13%) in the ERBIRIX cohort (P=.028). Among 62 KRAS wild-type cancer patients, major pathologic response rate, disease-free survival and pathologic stage did not differ significantly between the 2 cohorts. No mutations were detected in BRAF exon 11 and 15, PIK3CA exon 9 and 20, or EGFR exon 18-24 in any of the 82 patients, and PTEN and EGFR expression were not predictive of clinical outcome. Conclusions: In patients with KRAS wild-type locally advanced rectal cancer, the addition of cetuximab to the chemoradiation with

  9. KRAS Mutation Status and Clinical Outcome of Preoperative Chemoradiation With Cetuximab in Locally Advanced Rectal Cancer: A Pooled Analysis of 2 Phase II Trials

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kim, Sun Young; Shim, Eun Kyung; Yeo, Hyun Yang; Baek, Ji Yeon; Hong, Yong Sang; Kim, Dae Yong; Kim, Tae Won; Kim, Jee Hyun; Im, Seock-Ah; Jung, Kyung Hae; Chang, Hee Jin

    2013-01-01

    Purpose: Cetuximab-containing chemotherapy is known to be effective for KRAS wild-type metastatic colorectal cancer; however, it is not clear whether cetuximab-based preoperative chemoradiation confers an additional benefit compared with chemoradiation without cetuximab in patients with locally advanced rectal cancer. Methods and Materials: We analyzed EGFR, KRAS, BRAF, and PIK3CA mutation status with direct sequencing and epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and Phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN) expression status with immunohistochemistry in tumor samples of 82 patients with locally advanced rectal cancer who were enrolled in the IRIX trial (preoperative chemoradiation with irinotecan and capecitabine; n=44) or the ERBIRIX trial (preoperative chemoradiation with irinotecan and capecitabine plus cetuximab; n=38). Both trials were similarly designed except for the administration of cetuximab; radiation therapy was administered at a dose of 50.4 Gy/28 fractions and irinotecan and capecitabine were given at doses of 40 mg/m 2 weekly and 1650 mg/m 2 /day, respectively, for 5 days per week. In the ERBIRIX trial, cetuximab was additionally given with a loading dose of 400 mg/m 2 on 1 week before radiation, and 250 mg/m 2 weekly thereafter. Results: Baseline characteristics before chemoradiation were similar between the 2 trial cohorts. A KRAS mutation in codon 12, 13, and 61 was noted in 15 (34%) patients in the IRIX cohort and 5 (13%) in the ERBIRIX cohort (P=.028). Among 62 KRAS wild-type cancer patients, major pathologic response rate, disease-free survival and pathologic stage did not differ significantly between the 2 cohorts. No mutations were detected in BRAF exon 11 and 15, PIK3CA exon 9 and 20, or EGFR exon 18-24 in any of the 82 patients, and PTEN and EGFR expression were not predictive of clinical outcome. Conclusions: In patients with KRAS wild-type locally advanced rectal cancer, the addition of cetuximab to the chemoradiation with irinotecan plus

  10. Identification of a robust gene signature that predicts breast cancer outcome in independent data sets

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Korkola, James E; Waldman, Frederic M; Blaveri, Ekaterina; DeVries, Sandy; Moore, Dan H II; Hwang, E Shelley; Chen, Yunn-Yi; Estep, Anne LH; Chew, Karen L; Jensen, Ronald H

    2007-01-01

    Breast cancer is a heterogeneous disease, presenting with a wide range of histologic, clinical, and genetic features. Microarray technology has shown promise in predicting outcome in these patients. We profiled 162 breast tumors using expression microarrays to stratify tumors based on gene expression. A subset of 55 tumors with extensive follow-up was used to identify gene sets that predicted outcome. The predictive gene set was further tested in previously published data sets. We used different statistical methods to identify three gene sets associated with disease free survival. A fourth gene set, consisting of 21 genes in common to all three sets, also had the ability to predict patient outcome. To validate the predictive utility of this derived gene set, it was tested in two published data sets from other groups. This gene set resulted in significant separation of patients on the basis of survival in these data sets, correctly predicting outcome in 62–65% of patients. By comparing outcome prediction within subgroups based on ER status, grade, and nodal status, we found that our gene set was most effective in predicting outcome in ER positive and node negative tumors. This robust gene selection with extensive validation has identified a predictive gene set that may have clinical utility for outcome prediction in breast cancer patients

  11. Network information improves cancer outcome prediction.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Roy, Janine; Winter, Christof; Isik, Zerrin; Schroeder, Michael

    2014-07-01

    Disease progression in cancer can vary substantially between patients. Yet, patients often receive the same treatment. Recently, there has been much work on predicting disease progression and patient outcome variables from gene expression in order to personalize treatment options. Despite first diagnostic kits in the market, there are open problems such as the choice of random gene signatures or noisy expression data. One approach to deal with these two problems employs protein-protein interaction networks and ranks genes using the random surfer model of Google's PageRank algorithm. In this work, we created a benchmark dataset collection comprising 25 cancer outcome prediction datasets from literature and systematically evaluated the use of networks and a PageRank derivative, NetRank, for signature identification. We show that the NetRank performs significantly better than classical methods such as fold change or t-test. Despite an order of magnitude difference in network size, a regulatory and protein-protein interaction network perform equally well. Experimental evaluation on cancer outcome prediction in all of the 25 underlying datasets suggests that the network-based methodology identifies highly overlapping signatures over all cancer types, in contrast to classical methods that fail to identify highly common gene sets across the same cancer types. Integration of network information into gene expression analysis allows the identification of more reliable and accurate biomarkers and provides a deeper understanding of processes occurring in cancer development and progression. © The Author 2012. Published by Oxford University Press. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  12. Clinical outcomes research in gynecologic oncology.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Melamed, Alexander; Rauh-Hain, J Alejandro; Schorge, John O

    2017-09-01

    Clinical outcomes research seeks to understand the real-world manifestations of clinical care. In particular, outcomes research seeks to reveal the effects of pharmaceutical, procedural, and structural aspects of healthcare on patient outcomes, including mortality, disease control, toxicity, cost, and quality of life. Although outcomes research can utilize interventional study designs, insightful use of observational data is a defining feature of this field. Many questions in gynecologic oncology are not amenable to investigation in randomized clinical trials due to cost, feasibility, or ethical concerns. When a randomized trial is not practical or has not yet been conducted, well-designed observational studies have the potential to provide the best available evidence about the effects of clinical care. Such studies may use surveys, medical records, disease registries, and a variety of administrative data sources. Even when a randomized trial has been conducted, observational studies can be used to estimate the real-world effect of an intervention, which may differ from the results obtained in the controlled setting of a clinical trial. This article reviews the goals, methodologies, data sources, and limitations of clinical outcomes research, with a focus on gynecologic oncology. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Inc.

  13. The clinical implications of immunogenomics in colorectal cancer: A path for precision medicine.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Riley, Jenny M; Cross, Ashley W; Paulos, Chrystal M; Rubinstein, Mark P; Wrangle, John; Camp, E Ramsay

    2018-04-15

    Colorectal cancer (CRC) remains the third most common malignancy and the second-leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States. Large multi-omic databases, such as The Cancer Genome Atlas and the International Colorectal Cancer Subtyping Consortium, have identified distinct molecular subtypes related to anatomy. The identification of genomic alterations in CRC is now critical because of the recent success and US Food and Drug Administration approval of pembrolizumab and nivolumab for microsatellite-instable tumors. In parallel, landmark studies have established the prognostic significance of the CRC tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte and the clinical impact of the tumor immune microenvironment. As a result, there is a growing appreciation for immunogenomics, the interconnected relation between tumor genomics and the immune microenvironment. The clinical implications of CRC immunogenomics continue to expand, and it will likely serve as a guide for next-generation immunotherapy strategies for improving outcomes for this disease. Cancer 2018;124:1650-9. © 2018 American Cancer Society. © 2018 American Cancer Society.

  14. Improvements in 5-year outcomes of stage II/III rectal cancer relative to colon cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Renouf, Daniel J; Woods, Ryan; Speers, Caroline; Hay, John; Phang, P Terry; Fitzgerald, Catherine; Kennecke, Hagen

    2013-12-01

    Stage for stage, rectal cancer has historically been associated with inferior survival compared with colon cancer. Randomized trials of rectal cancer have generally demonstrated improvements in locoregional relapse but not survival. We compared therapy and outcomes of colon versus rectal cancer in 2 time cohorts to determine if relative improvements have occurred. Patients with resected stage II/III colorectal cancer referred to the British Columbia Cancer Agency in 1989/1990 and 2001/2002 were identified. The higher of clinical or pathologic stage was used for patients receiving preoperative chemoradiation. Disease-specific survival (DSS) and overall survival (OS) were compared for rectal and colon cancer between the 2 cohorts. Kaplan-Meier method was used for survival analysis. A total of 1427 patients were included, with 375 from 1989/1990 and 1052 from 2001/2002. Between 1989/1990 and 2001/2002 there were significant increases in the use of perioperative chemotherapy for both rectal and colon cancer (Prectal cancer. DSS significantly improved for rectal (Pcolon cancer (P=0.069). Five-year OS was significantly inferior for rectal versus colon cancer in 1989/1990 (46.1% vs. 57.2%, P=0.023) and was similar to that of colon cancer in 2001/2002 (63.7% vs. 66.2%, P=0.454). Advances in locoregional and systemic therapy significantly improved survival among patients with rectal cancer. DSS and OS are now similar between colon and rectal cancer for both stage II and III disease.

  15. Ovarian cancer clinical trial endpoints: Society of Gynecologic Oncology white paper

    Science.gov (United States)

    Herzog, Thomas J.; Armstrong, Deborah K.; Brady, Mark F.; Coleman, Robert L.; Einstein, Mark H.; Monk, Bradley J.; Mannel, Robert S.; Thigpen, J. Tate; Umpierre, Sharee A.; Villella, Jeannine A.; Alvarez, Ronald D.

    2015-01-01

    Objective To explore the value of multiple clinical endpoints in the unique setting of ovarian cancer. Methods A clinical trial workgroup was established by the Society of Gynecologic Oncology to develop a consensus statement via multiple conference calls, meetings and white paper drafts. Results Clinical trial endpoints have profound effects on late phase clinical trial design, result interpretation, drug development, and regulatory approval of therapeutics. Selection of the optimal clinical trial endpoint is particularly provocative in ovarian cancer where long overall survival (OS) is observed. The lack of new regulatory approvals and the lack of harmony between regulatory bodies globally for ovarian cancer therapeutics are of concern. The advantages and disadvantages of the numerous endpoints available are herein discussed within the unique context of ovarian cancer where both crossover and post-progression therapies potentially uncouple surrogacy between progression-free survival (PFS) and OS, the two most widely supported and utilized endpoints. The roles of patient reported outcomes (PRO) and health related quality of life (HRQoL) are discussed, but even these widely supported parameters are affected by the unique characteristics of ovarian cancer where a significant percentage of patients may be asymptomatic. Original data regarding the endpoint preferences of ovarian cancer advocates is presented. Conclusions Endpoint selection in ovarian cancer clinical trials should reflect the impact on disease burden and unique characteristics of the treatment cohort while reflecting true patient benefit. Both OS and PFS have led to regulatory approvals and are clinically important. OS remains the most objective and accepted endpoint because it is least vulnerable to bias; however, the feasibility of OS in ovarian cancer is compromised by the requirement for large trial size, prolonged time-line for final analysis, and potential for unintended loss of treatment effect

  16. Ovarian cancer clinical trial endpoints: Society of Gynecologic Oncology white paper.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Herzog, Thomas J; Armstrong, Deborah K; Brady, Mark F; Coleman, Robert L; Einstein, Mark H; Monk, Bradley J; Mannel, Robert S; Thigpen, J Tate; Umpierre, Sharee A; Villella, Jeannine A; Alvarez, Ronald D

    2014-01-01

    To explore the value of multiple clinical endpoints in the unique setting of ovarian cancer. A clinical trial workgroup was established by the Society of Gynecologic Oncology to develop a consensus statement via multiple conference calls, meetings and white paper drafts. Clinical trial endpoints have profound effects on late phase clinical trial design, result interpretation, drug development, and regulatory approval of therapeutics. Selection of the optimal clinical trial endpoint is particularly provocative in ovarian cancer where long overall survival (OS) is observed. The lack of new regulatory approvals and the lack of harmony between regulatory bodies globally for ovarian cancer therapeutics are of concern. The advantages and disadvantages of the numerous endpoints available are herein discussed within the unique context of ovarian cancer where both crossover and post-progression therapies potentially uncouple surrogacy between progression-free survival (PFS) and OS, the two most widely supported and utilized endpoints. The roles of patient reported outcomes (PRO) and health related quality of life (HRQoL) are discussed, but even these widely supported parameters are affected by the unique characteristics of ovarian cancer where a significant percentage of patients may be asymptomatic. Original data regarding the endpoint preferences of ovarian cancer advocates is presented. Endpoint selection in ovarian cancer clinical trials should reflect the impact on disease burden and unique characteristics of the treatment cohort while reflecting true patient benefit. Both OS and PFS have led to regulatory approvals and are clinically important. OS remains the most objective and accepted endpoint because it is least vulnerable to bias; however, the feasibility of OS in ovarian cancer is compromised by the requirement for large trial size, prolonged time-line for final analysis, and potential for unintended loss of treatment effect from active post-progression therapies

  17. Five-Year Outcomes from 3 Prospective Trials of Image-Guided Proton Therapy for Prostate Cancer

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Mendenhall, Nancy P., E-mail: menden@shands.ufl.edu [University of Florida Proton Therapy Institute, Jacksonville, Florida (United States); Hoppe, Bradford S.; Nichols, Romaine C.; Mendenhall, William M.; Morris, Christopher G.; Li, Zuofeng; Su, Zhong [University of Florida Proton Therapy Institute, Jacksonville, Florida (United States); Williams, Christopher R.; Costa, Joseph [Division of Urology, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Jacksonville, Florida (United States); Henderson, Randal H. [University of Florida Proton Therapy Institute, Jacksonville, Florida (United States)

    2014-03-01

    Purpose: To report 5-year clinical outcomes of 3 prospective trials of image-guided proton therapy for prostate cancer. Methods and Materials: A total of 211 prostate cancer patients (89 low-risk, 82 intermediate-risk, and 40 high-risk) were treated in institutional review board-approved trials of 78 cobalt gray equivalent (CGE) in 39 fractions for low-risk disease, 78 to 82 CGE for intermediate-risk disease, and 78 CGE with concomitant docetaxel therapy followed by androgen deprivation therapy for high-risk disease. Toxicities were graded according to Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE), version 3.0. Median follow-up was 5.2 years. Results: Five-year rates of biochemical and clinical freedom from disease progression were 99%, 99%, and 76% in low-, intermediate-, and high-risk patients, respectively. Actuarial 5-year rates of late CTCAE, version 3.0 (or version 4.0) grade 3 gastrointestinal and urologic toxicity were 1.0% (0.5%) and 5.4% (1.0%), respectively. Median pretreatment scores and International Prostate Symptom Scores at >4 years posttreatment were 8 and 7, 6 and 6, and 9 and 8, respectively, among the low-, intermediate-, and high-risk patients. There were no significant changes between median pretreatment summary scores and Expanded Prostate Cancer Index Composite scores at >4 years for bowel, urinary irritative and/or obstructive, and urinary continence. Conclusions: Five-year clinical outcomes with image-guided proton therapy included extremely high efficacy, minimal physician-assessed toxicity, and excellent patient-reported outcomes. Further follow-up and a larger patient experience are necessary to confirm these favorable outcomes.

  18. Five-Year Outcomes from 3 Prospective Trials of Image-Guided Proton Therapy for Prostate Cancer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mendenhall, Nancy P.; Hoppe, Bradford S.; Nichols, Romaine C.; Mendenhall, William M.; Morris, Christopher G.; Li, Zuofeng; Su, Zhong; Williams, Christopher R.; Costa, Joseph; Henderson, Randal H.

    2014-01-01

    Purpose: To report 5-year clinical outcomes of 3 prospective trials of image-guided proton therapy for prostate cancer. Methods and Materials: A total of 211 prostate cancer patients (89 low-risk, 82 intermediate-risk, and 40 high-risk) were treated in institutional review board-approved trials of 78 cobalt gray equivalent (CGE) in 39 fractions for low-risk disease, 78 to 82 CGE for intermediate-risk disease, and 78 CGE with concomitant docetaxel therapy followed by androgen deprivation therapy for high-risk disease. Toxicities were graded according to Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE), version 3.0. Median follow-up was 5.2 years. Results: Five-year rates of biochemical and clinical freedom from disease progression were 99%, 99%, and 76% in low-, intermediate-, and high-risk patients, respectively. Actuarial 5-year rates of late CTCAE, version 3.0 (or version 4.0) grade 3 gastrointestinal and urologic toxicity were 1.0% (0.5%) and 5.4% (1.0%), respectively. Median pretreatment scores and International Prostate Symptom Scores at >4 years posttreatment were 8 and 7, 6 and 6, and 9 and 8, respectively, among the low-, intermediate-, and high-risk patients. There were no significant changes between median pretreatment summary scores and Expanded Prostate Cancer Index Composite scores at >4 years for bowel, urinary irritative and/or obstructive, and urinary continence. Conclusions: Five-year clinical outcomes with image-guided proton therapy included extremely high efficacy, minimal physician-assessed toxicity, and excellent patient-reported outcomes. Further follow-up and a larger patient experience are necessary to confirm these favorable outcomes

  19. Danish Translation and Linguistic Validation of the U.S. National Cancer Institute's Patient-Reported Outcomes version of the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (PRO-CTCAE)

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Bæksted, Christina; Nissen, Aase; Pappot, Helle

    2016-01-01

    CONTEXT: The Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE) is the basis for standardized clinician-based grading and reporting of adverse events in cancer clinical trials. The U.S. National Cancer Institute has developed the Patient-Reported Outcomes version of the CTCAE (PRO-CTCAE) to i......CONTEXT: The Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE) is the basis for standardized clinician-based grading and reporting of adverse events in cancer clinical trials. The U.S. National Cancer Institute has developed the Patient-Reported Outcomes version of the CTCAE (PRO...

  20. Breast Cancer: Treatment, Outcomes, and Cost-Effectiveness

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    McClellan, Mark

    2000-01-01

    ...) use Medicare data, linked SEER cancer registry data, and claims data from large firms to analyze trends in diagnosis rates and staging, treatment, expenditures, and outcomes for Americans with breast cancer; and (3...

  1. Diffusion weighted imaging of female pelvic cancers: Concepts and clinical applications

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Punwani, Shonit

    2011-01-01

    Early applications of diffusion weighted magnetic resonance imaging (DWI) were limited to neuroimaging, concentrating either on stroke or brain tumours. With recent advances in MRI hardware and software DWI is now increasingly being investigated for cancer assessment throughout the body. Clinical applications of DWI relating to female pelvic cancers have largely concentrated on detection, localisation and staging of disease. More recently investigators have started to evaluate the ability of DWI for determining tumour histology and even predicting the outcome of chemoradiation treatment. This article reviews the physical concepts of MR diffusion weighting, illustrates the biophysical basis of diffusion contrast and reports the clinical applications of DWI for cervical, endometrial, ovarian, rectal and bladder tumours.

  2. Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis and lung cancer: a clinical and pathogenesis update.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Antoniou, Katerina M; Tomassetti, Sara; Tsitoura, Eliza; Vancheri, Carlo

    2015-11-01

    About one out of 10 patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) develop lung cancer. This review provides an epidemiology and clinical update of the association of these two lethal diseases. In addition, we focus on the emerging overlapping epigenetic mechanisms in both diseases. In a vast majority of cases, lung cancer is diagnosed during the clinical and radiological follow-up for the fibrosis. The risk of development of lung cancer in IPF is higher for older male smokers and there is a significantly higher prevalence of lung cancer in the combined IPF and emphysema syndrome compared with fibrosis only. The association of two lethal diseases, such as IPF and lung cancer, carries a very poor outcome and the correct treatment strategy, particularly for advanced forms of lung cancer, is still unclear. The two novel drugs approved for IPF, pirfenidone and nintedanib, open a new scenario in which treated patients with fibrosis will live longer, and possibly have a lower incidence of lung cancer. However, prospective studies are urgently needed to definitively clarify the role of lung cancer treatment in the management of IPF patients. Furthermore, common epigenetic alterations may represent a promising target for therapeutic approaches in the near future.

  3. Clinical Outcome Assessments: Conceptual Foundation-Report of the ISPOR Clinical Outcomes Assessment - Emerging Good Practices for Outcomes Research Task Force.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Walton, Marc K; Powers, John H; Hobart, Jeremy; Patrick, Donald; Marquis, Patrick; Vamvakas, Spiros; Isaac, Maria; Molsen, Elizabeth; Cano, Stefan; Burke, Laurie B

    2015-09-01

    An outcome assessment, the patient assessment used in an endpoint, is the measuring instrument that provides a rating or score (categorical or continuous) that is intended to represent some aspect of the patient's health status. Outcome assessments are used to define efficacy endpoints when developing a therapy for a disease or condition. Most efficacy endpoints are based on specified clinical assessments of patients. When clinical assessments are used as clinical trial outcomes, they are called clinical outcome assessments (COAs). COAs include any assessment that may be influenced by human choices, judgment, or motivation. COAs must be well-defined and possess adequate measurement properties to demonstrate (directly or indirectly) the benefits of a treatment. In contrast, a biomarker assessment is one that is subject to little, if any, patient motivational or rater judgmental influence. This is the first of two reports by the ISPOR Clinical Outcomes Assessment - Emerging Good Practices for Outcomes Research Task Force. This report provides foundational definitions important for an understanding of COA measurement principles. The foundation provided in this report includes what it means to demonstrate a beneficial effect, how assessments of patients relate to the objective of showing a treatment's benefit, and how these assessments are used in clinical trial endpoints. In addition, this report describes intrinsic attributes of patient assessments and clinical trial factors that can affect the properties of the measurements. These factors should be considered when developing or refining assessments. These considerations will aid investigators designing trials in their choice of using an existing assessment or developing a new outcome assessment. Although the focus of this report is on the development of a new COA to define endpoints in a clinical trial, these principles may be applied more generally. A critical element in appraising or developing a COA is to

  4. Clinical applications of textural analysis in non-small cell lung cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Phillips, Iain; Ajaz, Mazhar; Ezhil, Veni; Prakash, Vineet; Alobaidli, Sheaka; McQuaid, Sarah J; South, Christopher; Scuffham, James; Nisbet, Andrew; Evans, Philip

    2018-01-01

    Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer mortality worldwide. Treatment pathways include regular cross-sectional imaging, generating large data sets which present intriguing possibilities for exploitation beyond standard visual interpretation. This additional data mining has been termed "radiomics" and includes semantic and agnostic approaches. Textural analysis (TA) is an example of the latter, and uses a range of mathematically derived features to describe an image or region of an image. Often TA is used to describe a suspected or known tumour. TA is an attractive tool as large existing image sets can be submitted to diverse techniques for data processing, presentation, interpretation and hypothesis testing with annotated clinical outcomes. There is a growing anthology of published data using different TA techniques to differentiate between benign and malignant lung nodules, differentiate tissue subtypes of lung cancer, prognosticate and predict outcome and treatment response, as well as predict treatment side effects and potentially aid radiotherapy planning. The aim of this systematic review is to summarize the current published data and understand the potential future role of TA in managing lung cancer.

  5. Clinical Cancer Genetics and Prevention

    Science.gov (United States)

    Olufunmilayo F. Olopade MD, FACP, Professor of Medicine and Human Genetics and Director of the Cancer Risk Clinic Department of Medicine, BSD Section of Hematology/Oncology University of Chicago, presented "Clinical Cancer Genetics and Prevention".

  6. Outcomes of In-Hospital Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation Among Patients With Cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zafar, Waleed; Ghafoor, Irum; Jamshed, Arif; Gul, Sabika; Hafeez, Haroon

    2017-04-01

    To review all episodes where an emergency code was called in a cancer-specialized hospital in Pakistan and to assess survival to discharge among patients who received a cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). We reviewed demographic and clinical data related to all "code blue" calls over 3 years. Multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to test the association of clinical characteristics with the primary outcome of survival to discharge. A total of 646 code blue calls were included in the analysis. The CPR was performed in 388 (60%) of these calls. For every 20 episodes of CPR among patients with cancer of all ages, only 1 resulted in a patient's survival to discharge, even though in 52.2% episodes there was a return of spontaneous circulation. No association was found between the type of rhythm at initiation of CPR and likelihood of survival to discharge. The proportion of patients with advanced cancer surviving to discharge after in-hospital CPR in a low-income country was in line with the reported international experience. Most patients with cancer who received in-hospital CPR did not survive to discharge and did not appear to benefit from resuscitation. Advance directives by patients with cancer limiting aggressive interventions at end of life and proper documentation of these directives will help in provision of care that is humane and consonant with patients' wishes for a dignified death. Patients' early appreciation of the limited benefits of CPR in advanced cancer is likely to help them formulate such advance directives.

  7. Dosimetric Comparison and Potential for Improved Clinical Outcomes of Paediatric CNS Patients Treated with Protons or IMRT

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Armoogum, Kris S., E-mail: kris.armoogum@nhs.net [Department of Radiotherapy Physics, Royal Derby Hospital, Derby Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Uttoxeter Road, Derby DE22 3NE (United Kingdom); Thorp, Nicola [The Clatterbridge Cancer Centre NHS Foundation Trust, Clatterbridge Road, Bebington, Wirral CH63 4JY (United Kingdom)

    2015-04-28

    Background: We compare clinical outcomes of paediatric patients with CNS tumours treated with protons or IMRT. CNS tumours form the second most common group of cancers in children. Radiotherapy plays a major role in the treatment of many of these patients but also contributes to late side effects in long term survivors. Radiation dose inevitably deposited in healthy tissues outside the clinical target has been linked to detrimental late effects such as neurocognitive, behavioural and vascular effects in addition to endocrine abnormalities and second tumours. Methods: A literature search was performed using keywords: protons, IMRT, CNS and paediatric. Of 189 papers retrieved, 10 were deemed relevant based on title and abstract screening. All papers directly compared outcomes from protons with photons, five papers included medulloblastoma, four papers each included craniopharyngioma and low grade gliomas and three papers included ependymoma. Results: This review found that while proton beam therapy offered similar clinical target coverage, there was a demonstrable reduction in integral dose to normal structures. Conclusions: This in turn suggests the potential for superior long term outcomes for paediatric patients with CNS tumours both in terms of radiogenic second cancers and out-of-field adverse effects.

  8. Dosimetric Comparison and Potential for Improved Clinical Outcomes of Paediatric CNS Patients Treated with Protons or IMRT

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kris S. Armoogum

    2015-04-01

    Full Text Available Background: We compare clinical outcomes of paediatric patients with CNS tumours treated with protons or IMRT. CNS tumours form the second most common group of cancers in children. Radiotherapy plays a major role in the treatment of many of these patients but also contributes to late side effects in long term survivors. Radiation dose inevitably deposited in healthy tissues outside the clinical target has been linked to detrimental late effects such as neurocognitive, behavioural and vascular effects in addition to endocrine abnormalities and second tumours. Methods: A literature search was performed using keywords: protons, IMRT, CNS and paediatric. Of 189 papers retrieved, 10 were deemed relevant based on title and abstract screening. All papers directly compared outcomes from protons with photons, five papers included medulloblastoma, four papers each included craniopharyngioma and low grade gliomas and three papers included ependymoma. Results: This review found that while proton beam therapy offered similar clinical target coverage, there was a demonstrable reduction in integral dose to normal structures. Conclusions: This in turn suggests the potential for superior long term outcomes for paediatric patients with CNS tumours both in terms of radiogenic second cancers and out-of-field adverse effects.

  9. Clinically relevant determinants of body composition, function and nutritional status as mortality predictors in lung cancer patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kovarik, Miroslav; Hronek, Miloslav; Zadak, Zdenek

    2014-04-01

    Lung cancer belongs to the type of tumors with a relatively high frequency of malnutrition, sarcopenia and cachexia, severe metabolic syndromes related to impairment of physical function and quality of life, resistance to therapy and short survival. Inexpensive and accessible methods of evaluating changes in body composition, physical function and nutrition status are for this reason of great importance for clinical practice to enable the early identification, monitoring, preventing and treatment of these nutritional deficiencies. This could lead to improved outcomes in the quality of life, physical performance and survival of patients with lung cancer. The aim of this article is to summarize the recent knowledge for the use of such methods, their predictability for patient outcomes and an association with other clinically relevant parameters, specifically with lung cancer patients, because such an article collectively describing their practical application in clinical practice is lacking. The interest of this article is in the use of anthropometry, handgrip dynamometry, bioelectrical impedance analysis derived phase angle and nutritional screening questionnaires in lung cancer patients. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  10. Is there a sex effect in colon cancer? Disease characteristics, management, and outcomes in routine clinical practice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Quirt, J S; Nanji, S; Wei, X; Flemming, J A; Booth, C M

    2017-02-01

    The incidence of colon cancer varies by sex. Whether women and men show differences in extent of disease, treatment, and outcomes is not well described. We used a large population-based cohort to evaluate sex differences in colon cancer. Using the Ontario Cancer Registry, all cases of colon cancer treated with surgery in Ontario during 2002-2008 were identified. Electronic records of treatment identified use of surgery and adjuvant chemotherapy. Pathology reports for a random 25% sample of all cases were obtained, and disease characteristics, treatment, and outcomes in women and men were compared. A Cox proportional hazards model was used to identify factors associated with overall (os) and cancer-specific survival (css). The study population included 7249 patients who underwent resection of colon cancer; 49% ( n = 3556) were women. Stage of disease and histologic grade did not vary by sex. Compared with men, women were more likely to have right-sided disease (55% vs. 44%, p ≤ 0.001). Surgical procedure and lymph node yield did not differ by sex. Adjuvant chemotherapy was delivered to 18% of patients with stage ii and 64% of patients with stage iii disease; when adjusted for patient- and disease-related factors, use of adjuvant chemotherapy was similar for women and men [relative risk: 0.99; 95% confidence interval (ci): 0.94 to 1.03]. Adjusted analyses demonstrated that os [hazard ratio (hr): 0.80; 95% ci: 0.75 to 0.86] and css (hr: 0.82; 95% ci: 0.76 to 0.90) were superior for women compared with men. Long-term survival after colon cancer is significantly better for women than for men, which is not explained by any substantial differences in extent of disease or treatment delivered.

  11. Outcomes and cost comparisons after introducing a robotics program for endometrial cancer surgery.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lau, Susie; Vaknin, Zvi; Ramana-Kumar, Agnihotram V; Halliday, Darron; Franco, Eduardo L; Gotlieb, Walter H

    2012-04-01

    To evaluate the effect of introducing a robotic program on cost and patient outcome. This was a prospective evaluation of clinical outcome and cost after introducing a robotics program for the treatment of endometrial cancer and a retrospective comparison to the entire historical cohort. Consecutive patients with endometrial cancer who underwent robotic surgery (n=143) were compared with all consecutive patients who underwent surgery (n=160) before robotics. The rate of minimally invasive surgery increased from 17% performed by laparoscopy to 98% performed by robotics in 2 years. The patient characteristics were comparable in both eras, except for a higher body mass index in the robotics era (median 29.8 compared with 27.6; Probotics had longer operating times (233 compared with 206 minutes), but fewer adverse events (13% compared with 42%; Probotics compared with the historical group (Can$7,644 compared with Can$10,368 [Canadian dollars]; Psurgery, the short-term recurrence rate appeared lower in the robotics group compared with the historic cohort (11 recurrences compared with 19 recurrences; Probotics for endometrial cancer surgery increased the proportion of patients benefitting from minimally invasive surgery, improved short-term outcomes, and resulted in lower hospital costs. II.

  12. Physical Activity, Biomarkers, and Disease Outcomes in Cancer Survivors: A Systematic Review

    Science.gov (United States)

    Friedenreich, Christine M.; Courneya, Kerry S.; Siddiqi, Sameer M.; McTiernan, Anne; Alfano, Catherine M.

    2012-01-01

    Background Cancer survivors often seek information about how lifestyle factors, such as physical activity, may influence their prognosis. We systematically reviewed studies that examined relationships between physical activity and mortality (cancer-specific and all-cause) and/or cancer biomarkers. Methods We identified 45 articles published from January 1950 to August 2011 through MEDLINE database searches that were related to physical activity, cancer survival, and biomarkers potentially relevant to cancer survival. We used the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Statement to guide this review. Study characteristics, mortality outcomes, and biomarker-relevant and subgroup results were abstracted for each article that met the inclusion criteria (ie, research articles that included participants with a cancer diagnosis, mortality outcomes, and an assessment of physical activity). Results There was consistent evidence from 27 observational studies that physical activity is associated with reduced all-cause, breast cancer–specific, and colon cancer–specific mortality. There is currently insufficient evidence regarding the association between physical activity and mortality for survivors of other cancers. Randomized controlled trials of exercise that included biomarker endpoints suggest that exercise may result in beneficial changes in the circulating level of insulin, insulin-related pathways, inflammation, and, possibly, immunity; however, the evidence is still preliminary. Conclusions Future research directions identified include the need for more observational studies on additional types of cancer with larger sample sizes; the need to examine whether the association between physical activity and mortality varies by tumor, clinical, or risk factor characteristics; and the need for research on the biological mechanisms involved in the association between physical activity and survival after a cancer diagnosis. Future randomized

  13. Impact of Transfusion on Cancer Growth and Outcome

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hadi A. Goubran

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available For many years, transfusion of allogeneic red blood cells, platelet concentrates, and plasma units has been part of the standard therapeutic arsenal used along the surgical and nonsurgical treatment of patients with malignancies. Although the benefits of these blood products are not a matter of debate in specific pathological conditions associated with life-threatening low blood cell counts or bleeding, increasing clinical evidence is nevertheless suggesting that deliberate transfusion of these blood components may actually lead to negative clinical outcomes by affecting patient's immune defense, stimulating tumor growth, tethering, and dissemination. Rigorous preclinical and clinical studies are needed to dimension the clinical relevance, benefits, and risks of transfusion of blood components in cancer patients and understand the amplitude of problems. There is also a need to consider validating preparation methods of blood components for so far ignored biological markers, such as microparticles and biological response modifiers. Meanwhile, blood component transfusions should be regarded as a personalized medicine, taking into careful consideration the status and specificities of the patient, rather than as a routine hospital procedure.

  14. Detecting Lung and Colorectal Cancer Recurrence Using Structured Clinical/Administrative Data to Enable Outcomes Research and Population Health Management.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hassett, Michael J; Uno, Hajime; Cronin, Angel M; Carroll, Nikki M; Hornbrook, Mark C; Ritzwoller, Debra

    2017-12-01

    Recurrent cancer is common, costly, and lethal, yet we know little about it in community-based populations. Electronic health records and tumor registries contain vast amounts of data regarding community-based patients, but usually lack recurrence status. Existing algorithms that use structured data to detect recurrence have limitations. We developed algorithms to detect the presence and timing of recurrence after definitive therapy for stages I-III lung and colorectal cancer using 2 data sources that contain a widely available type of structured data (claims or electronic health record encounters) linked to gold-standard recurrence status: Medicare claims linked to the Cancer Care Outcomes Research and Surveillance study, and the Cancer Research Network Virtual Data Warehouse linked to registry data. Twelve potential indicators of recurrence were used to develop separate models for each cancer in each data source. Detection models maximized area under the ROC curve (AUC); timing models minimized average absolute error. Algorithms were compared by cancer type/data source, and contrasted with an existing binary detection rule. Detection model AUCs (>0.92) exceeded existing prediction rules. Timing models yielded absolute prediction errors that were small relative to follow-up time (differences by cancer type and dataset challenged efforts to create 1 common algorithm for all scenarios. Valid and reliable detection of recurrence using big data is feasible. These tools will enable extensive, novel research on quality, effectiveness, and outcomes for lung and colorectal cancer patients and those who develop recurrence.

  15. Quality of life outcomes in patients with breast cancer

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Theofilou Paraskevi

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available Health-related quality of life is now considered an important endpoint in cancer clinical trials. It has been shown that assessing quality of life in cancer patients could contribute to improved treatment and could even serve as a prognostic factor along with medical parameters. This paper presents a review of quality of life outcomes in patients with breast cancer according to previous descriptive findings. This is a bibliographic review of the literature covering publications that appeared in English language biomedical journals between 1987 and 2008. The search strategy included a combination of the key words quality of life and breast cancer in the titles of published articles. The major findings are summarized and presented under different headings: evaluation of health-related quality of life i at the time of diagnosis, ii during treatment, and iii after the completion of treatment. Breast cancer patients receiving chemotherapy might experience several side-effects and symptoms that have a negative effect on their quality of life. Also adjuvant hormonal therapies were found to have a similar negative impact on quality of life. Psychological distress-anxiety and depression were found to be common among breast cancer patients. Symptoms-pain, fatigue, and insomnia were among the most common symptoms reported. There was quite an extensive body of literature on quality of life in breast cancer patients. These papers have made a considerable contribution to improving breast cancer care.

  16. Leverage of an Existing Cervical Cancer Prevention Service Platform to Initiate Breast Cancer Control Services in Zambia: Experiences and Early Outcomes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Leeya F. Pinder

    2017-09-01

    Full Text Available Purpose: In 2005, the Cervical Cancer Prevention Program in Zambia (CCPPZ was implemented and has since provided cervical cancer screen-and-treat services to more than 500,000 women. By leveraging the successes and experiences of the CCPPZ, we intended to build capacity for the early detection and surgical treatment of breast cancer. Methods: Our initiative sought to build capacity for breast cancer care through the (1 formation of a breast cancer advocacy alliance to raise awareness, (2 creation of resource-appropriate breast cancer care training curricula for mid- and high-level providers, and (3 implementation of early detection and treatment capacity within two major health care facilities. Results: Six months after the completion of the initiative, the following outcomes were documented: Breast health education and clinical breast examination (CBE services were successfully integrated into the service platforms of four CCPPZ clinics. Two new breast diagnostic centers were opened, which provided access to breast ultrasound, ultrasound-guided core needle biopsy, and needle aspiration. Breast health education and CBE were provided to 1,955 clients, 167 of whom were evaluated at the two diagnostic centers; 55 of those evaluated underwent core-needle biopsy, of which 17 were diagnosed with invasive cancer. Newly trained surgeons performed six sentinel lymph node mappings, eight sentinel lymph node dissections, and 10 breast conservation surgeries (lumpectomies. Conclusion: This initiative successfully established clinical services in Zambia that are critical for the early detection and surgical management of breast cancer.

  17. Outcomes sensitive to nursing service quality in ambulatory cancer chemotherapy: Systematic scoping review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Griffiths, Peter; Richardson, Alison; Blackwell, Rebecca

    2012-07-01

    There is long standing interest in identifying patient outcomes that are sensitive to nursing care and an increasing number of systems that include outcomes in order to demonstrate or monitor the quality of nursing care. We undertook scoping reviews of the literature in order to identify patient outcomes sensitive to the quality of nursing services in ambulatory cancer chemotherapy settings to guide the development of an outcomes-based quality measurement system. A 2-stage scoping review to identify potential outcome areas which were subsequently assessed for their sensitivity to nursing was carried out. Data sources included the Cochrane Library, Medline, Embase, the British Nursing Index, Google and Google scholar. We identified a broad range of outcomes potentially sensitive to nursing. Individual trials support many nursing interventions but we found relatively little clear evidence of effect on outcomes derived from systematic reviews and no evidence associating characteristics of nursing services with outcomes. The purpose of identifying a set of outcomes as specifically nurse-sensitive for quality measurement is to give clear responsibility and create an expectation of strong clinical leadership by nurses in terms of monitoring and acting on results. It is important to select those outcomes that nurses have most impact upon. Patient experience, nausea, vomiting, mucositis and safe medication administration were outcome areas most likely to yield sensitive measures of nursing service quality in ambulatory cancer chemotherapy. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  18. Quantitative and clinical description of postural instability in women with breast cancer treated with taxane chemotherapy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wampler, Meredith A; Topp, Kimberly S; Miaskowski, Christine; Byl, Nancy N; Rugo, Hope S; Hamel, Kate

    2007-08-01

    To describe the postural control of women who received taxane chemotherapy for treatment of breast cancer using quantitative and clinically feasible measures. Prospective descriptive study. University-based comprehensive cancer center. Twenty women who completed taxane treatment for breast cancer and 20 healthy controls participated in this study. Not applicable. Two quantitative measures of postural control were used, Sensory Organization Test (SOT) and center of pressure (COP) velocities. Two clinically feasible measures of postural control were used, the Fullerton Advanced Balance Scale (FABS) and Timed Up & Go (TUG) test. Compared with healthy controls, women with breast cancer had poorer postural control on all of the outcome measures. FABS and TUG scores correlated moderately with SOT and COP scores. After taxane chemotherapy, women with breast cancer show significantly increased postural instability compared with matched controls. Clinically feasible measures of postural control correlated with quantitative tests. These results suggest that these clinical measures may be useful to screen patients to determine who may benefit from rehabilitation.

  19. Patient-reported outcomes and socioeconomic status as predictors of clinical outcomes following hematopoietic stem cell transplantation: A study from the BMT CTN 0902 trial

    Science.gov (United States)

    Knight, Jennifer M; Syrjala, Karen L; Majhail, Navneet S; Martens, Michael; Le-Rademacher, Jennifer; Logan, Brent R; Lee, Stephanie J; Jacobsen, Paul B; Wood, William A; Jim, Heather SL; Wingard, John R; Horowitz, Mary M; Abidi, Muneer H; Fei, Mingwei; Rawls, Laura; Rizzo, J Douglas

    2016-01-01

    This secondary analysis of a large, multi-center Blood and Marrow Transplant Clinical Trials Network (BMT CTN) randomized trial assessed whether patient-reported outcomes (PROs) and socioeconomic status (SES) before hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HCT) are associated with each other and predictive of clinical outcomes including time to hematopoietic recovery, acute graft-versus-host disease, hospitalization days, and overall survival (OS) among 646 allogeneic and autologous HCT recipients. Pre-transplant Cancer and Treatment Distress (CTXD), Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), and mental and physical component scores (MCS and PCS) of the SF-36 were correlated with each other and with SES variables. PROs and SES variables were further evaluated as predictors of clinical outcomes, with the PSQI and CTXD evaluated as OS predictors (pincome was related to worse physical functioning (p=.005) and increased distress (p=.008); lack of employment pre-transplant was associated with worse physical functioning (p<.01); unmarried status was associated with worse sleep (p=.003). In this large heterogeneous cohort of HCT recipients, while PROs and SES variables were correlated at baseline, they were not associated with any clinical outcomes. Future research should focus on HCT recipients at greater psychosocial disadvantage. PMID:27565521

  20. Clinical outcomes in clinical trials of anti-HIV treatment

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Reekie, J; Mocroft, A; J, Neaton

    2007-01-01

    Since the introduction of combination antiretroviral therapy, there has been a decrease in both AIDS-defining illnesses and deaths. This decrease meant that performing clinical trials with clinical outcomes in HIV infection became more time consuming and hence costly. Improved understanding...... the infection, so when treatment is started it is currently a lifelong commitment. Is it reasonable then that guidelines are based almost completely on short-term randomized trials and observational studies of surrogate markers, or is there still a need for trials with clinical outcomes?...

  1. The 29.5 kb APOBEC3B Deletion Polymorphism Is Not Associated with Clinical Outcome of Breast Cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Jingjing; Sieuwerts, Anieta M; Look, Maxime P; van der Vlugt-Daane, Michelle; Meijer-van Gelder, Marion E; Foekens, John A; Hollestelle, Antoinette; Martens, John W M

    2016-01-01

    Increased APOBEC3B mRNA levels are associated with a hypermutator phenotype and poor prognosis in ER-positive breast cancer patients. In addition, a 29.5 kb deletion polymorphism of APOBEC3B, resulting in an APOBEC3A-B hybrid transcript, has been associated with an increased breast cancer risk and the hypermutator phenotype. Here we evaluated whether the APOBEC3B deletion polymorphism also associates with clinical outcome of breast cancer. Copy number analysis was performed by quantitative PCR (qPCR) in primary tumors of 1,756 Dutch breast cancer patients. The APOBEC3B deletion was found in 187 patients of whom 16 carried a two-copy deletion and 171 carried a one-copy deletion. The prognostic value of the APOBEC3B deletion for the natural course of the disease was evaluated among 1,076 lymph-node negative (LNN) patients who did not receive adjuvant systemic treatment. No association was found between APOBEC3B copy number values and the length of metastasis-free survival (MFS; hazard ratio (HR) = 1.00, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.90-1.11, P = 0.96). Subgroup analysis by ER status also did not reveal an association between APOBEC3B copy number values and the length of MFS. The predictive value of the APOBEC3B deletion was assessed among 329 ER-positive breast cancer patients who received tamoxifen as the first-line therapy for recurrent disease and 226 breast cancer patients who received first-line chemotherapy for recurrent disease. No association between APOBEC3B copy number values and the overall response rate (ORR) to either tamoxifen (odds ratio (OR) = 0.88, 95% CI = 0.69-1.13, P = 0.31) or chemotherapy (OR = 0.97, 95% CI = 0.71-1.33, P = 0.87) was found. Thus, in contrast to APOBEC3B mRNA levels, the APOBEC3B deletion polymorphism has neither a prognostic nor a predictive value for breast cancer patients. Although a correlation exists between APOBEC3B copy number and mRNA expression, it is relatively weak. This suggests that other mechanisms exist that may

  2. Building prognostic models for breast cancer patients using clinical variables and hundreds of gene expression signatures

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Liu Yufeng

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Multiple breast cancer gene expression profiles have been developed that appear to provide similar abilities to predict outcome and may outperform clinical-pathologic criteria; however, the extent to which seemingly disparate profiles provide additive prognostic information is not known, nor do we know whether prognostic profiles perform equally across clinically defined breast cancer subtypes. We evaluated whether combining the prognostic powers of standard breast cancer clinical variables with a large set of gene expression signatures could improve on our ability to predict patient outcomes. Methods Using clinical-pathological variables and a collection of 323 gene expression "modules", including 115 previously published signatures, we build multivariate Cox proportional hazards models using a dataset of 550 node-negative systemically untreated breast cancer patients. Models predictive of pathological complete response (pCR to neoadjuvant chemotherapy were also built using this approach. Results We identified statistically significant prognostic models for relapse-free survival (RFS at 7 years for the entire population, and for the subgroups of patients with ER-positive, or Luminal tumors. Furthermore, we found that combined models that included both clinical and genomic parameters improved prognostication compared with models with either clinical or genomic variables alone. Finally, we were able to build statistically significant combined models for pathological complete response (pCR predictions for the entire population. Conclusions Integration of gene expression signatures and clinical-pathological factors is an improved method over either variable type alone. Highly prognostic models could be created when using all patients, and for the subset of patients with lymph node-negative and ER-positive breast cancers. Other variables beyond gene expression and clinical-pathological variables, like gene mutation status or DNA

  3. Androgen receptor profiling predicts prostate cancer outcome

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    S. Stelloo (Suzan); E. Nevedomskaya (Ekaterina); H.G. van der Poel (Henk G.); J. de Jong (Jeroen); G.J.H.L. Leenders (Geert); G.W. Jenster (Guido); L. Wessels (Lodewyk); A.M. Bergman (Andries); W. Zwart (Wilbert)

    2015-01-01

    textabstractProstate cancer is the second most prevalent malignancy in men. Biomarkers for outcome prediction are urgently needed, so that high-risk patients could be monitored more closely postoperatively. To identify prognostic markers and to determine causal players in prostate cancer

  4. Impact of ethnicity on the outcome of men with metastatic, hormone-sensitive prostate cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bernard, Brandon; Muralidhar, Vinayak; Chen, Yu-Hui; Sridhar, Srikala S; Mitchell, Edith P; Pettaway, Curtis A; Carducci, Michael A; Nguyen, Paul L; Sweeney, Christopher J

    2017-05-01

    Prostate cancer (PCa) outcomes are impacted by socioeconomic and biologic factors. Ethnicity plays a role in the former, but little is known about the responsiveness of metastatic PCa to androgen-deprivation therapy (ADT) among races. The Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) registry was used to identify men who were diagnosed with distant, de novo, metastatic PCa from 2004 to 2012. Patterns of presentation, overall survival (OS), and PCa-specific mortality (PCSM) were determined for each race. E3805 clinical trial data also were retrospectively reviewed to assess outcomes of ADT and ADT plus docetaxel by race. Of all PCa diagnoses in SEER, distant, de novo, metastatic disease was diagnosed in 4.2% of non-Hispanic whites, 5.8% of Hispanic whites, 5.7% of blacks, 5.5% of Asians/Pacific Islanders, and 8.8% of American Indians/Alaska Natives (P blacks, respectively. Few Asians participated in the E3805 trial. Asian men have superior median OS and PCSM for distant, de novo, metastatic PCa than men of other race. Non-Hispanic whites and blacks who receive treatment with ADT or chemohormonal therapy have comparable outcomes. Cancer 2017;123:1536-1544. © 2017 American Cancer Society. © 2017 American Cancer Society.

  5. Clinical outcome and cosmetic results of conservative surgery plus radiation therapy in early stage breast cancer patients

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jin Yening; Wang Yajie; Zhang Xiaoqing; Meng Yan; Li Rongqing; Shi Junyi

    2005-01-01

    Objective: To evaluate the clinical outcome and cosmetic results in early stage breast cancer patients treated with conservative surgery plus radiation therapy. Methods: From May 1995 to December 2002, 109 such patients were so treated. The post-operative radiotherapy consisted of whole-breast 6 MV linear accelerator irradiation with two tangential half-fields to a total dose of 45-52 Gy (mean 48.6 Gy), followed by a boost irradiation to the tumor bed. Among them, 79 patients received 10-12 Gy (DB) boost by interstitial implantation brachytherapy ( 192 Ir HDR, Nucletron), with single plane implantation for T1 and double plane implantation for T2 tumor. Thirty patients received 15 Gy boost by electron beam. Adjuvant/concurrent chemotherapy (CMF or CEF) and hormonotherapy were also used according to the patients' clinical characteristics. The cosmetic results were scored by both the doctor and the patients. Results: The overall actuarial 5-year survival was 93.8%, with local recurrence of 6.5%. No radiation-induced ulcer was observed in the breast except for acute inflammation at skin pinholes in 5 patients treated by interstitial implant brachytherapy. Among the 75 patients who had had breast examination, cosmetic result scored as good by patient and doctor were 81% and 87%, respectively. The good rate assessed by doctor in brachytherapy boost group and electron beam boost group were 81.2% (39/48) and 85.2% (23/27), There was no significant difference between these two boost techniques (P>0.05). Conclusions: Tumor bed boost irradiation by either brachytherapy or electron beam technique can provide satisfactory local control in early breast cancer treated with conservative surgery plus radiotherapy without increasing the side effects. There is no significant difference in cosmetic result between these two boost techniques. (authors)

  6. Proteomic-coupled-network analysis of T877A-androgen receptor interactomes can predict clinical prostate cancer outcomes between White (non-Hispanic and African-American groups.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Naif Zaman

    Full Text Available The androgen receptor (AR remains an important contributor to the neoplastic evolution of prostate cancer (CaP. CaP progression is linked to several somatic AR mutational changes that endow upon the AR dramatic gain-of-function properties. One of the most common somatic mutations identified is Thr877-to-Ala (T877A, located in the ligand-binding domain, that results in a receptor capable of promiscuous binding and activation by a variety of steroid hormones and ligands including estrogens, progestins, glucocorticoids, and several anti-androgens. In an attempt to further define somatic mutated AR gain-of-function properties, as a consequence of its promiscuous ligand binding, we undertook a proteomic/network analysis approach to characterize the protein interactome of the mutant T877A-AR in LNCaP cells under eight different ligand-specific treatments (dihydrotestosterone, mibolerone, R1881, testosterone, estradiol, progesterone, dexamethasone, and cyproterone acetate. In extending the analysis of our multi-ligand complexes of the mutant T877A-AR we observed significant enrichment of specific complexes between normal and primary prostatic tumors, which were furthermore correlated with known clinical outcomes. Further analysis of certain mutant T877A-AR complexes showed specific population preferences distinguishing primary prostatic disease between white (non-Hispanic vs. African-American males. Moreover, these cancer-related AR-protein complexes demonstrated predictive survival outcomes specific to CaP, and not for breast, lung, lymphoma or medulloblastoma cancers. Our study, by coupling data generated by our proteomics to network analysis of clinical samples, has helped to define real and novel biological pathways in complicated gain-of-function AR complex systems.

  7. Prognostic value of response to external radiation in stage IIIB cancer cervix in predicting clinical outcomes: A retrospective analysis of 556 patients from India

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Saibishkumar, Elantholi P.; Patel, Firuza D.; Sharma, Suresh C.; Karunanidhi, Gunaseelan; Ghoshal, Sushmita; Kumar, Vinay; Kapoor, Rakesh

    2006-01-01

    Background and purpose: To evaluate the prognostic significance of response to external beam radiation (EBRT) in predicting the clinical outcomes in stage IIIB cancer cervix and to find out factors affecting response to EBRT. Patients and methods: This retrospective study included 556 patients of cancer cervix stage IIIB treated between 1996 and 2001 with EBRT (46 Gy/23fx/4.5 weeks) followed by intracavitary radiotherapy (ICRT). At the end of EBRT, response to EBRT was grouped as 'no gross residual tumor'(NRT) or 'gross residual tumor'(GRT). Results: Follow up ranged from 2 to 93 months with a median of 36 months. Median dose to point A was 81 Gy. At the end of EBRT, 393 patients (70.7%) attained NRT response. NRT responders had significantly better 5 year pelvic control, disease free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) than those who had a GRT response (75.6 vs. 54.6%; 60.6 vs. 31.9% and 62.6 vs. 33.7%, respectively; all P values <0.0001). Apart from response to EBRT, overall treatment time also has emerged as an independent factor to affect all clinical outcomes in multivariate analysis but age had significant impact on pelvic control only. Age was the only factor, which significantly influenced the response to EBRT in univariate as well as multivariate analysis (P=<0.001, OR=1.973, 95% C.I. 1.357-2.868). Patients with age more than 50 years had more NRT response (77%) than patients with age less than 50 years (63.8%). Conclusions: Patients who attain NRT response to EBRT will have an impressive long term pelvic control, DFS and OS in stage IIIB cancer cervix. Older patients (≥50 years) attain significantly higher NRT rates than younger patients

  8. Clinical Features and Outcomes of 666 Cases with Therapy-Related Myelodysplastic Syndrome (t-MDS).

    Science.gov (United States)

    El-Fattah, Mohamed Abd

    2018-01-01

    Therapy-related myelodysplastic syndrome (t-MDS) is a serious complication of chemoradiotherapy for primary diseases. This cohort was aimed to determine the clinical features and outcomes of t-MDS in comparison with de novo MDS. I retrieved data of 666 cases with t-MDS, and 29,703 cases with de novo MDS diagnosed between 2001 and 2012 from the database of U.S. National Cancer Institute. Survival curves were estimated, and Cox proportional hazards model was constructed. Compared with patients with de novo MDS, patients with t-MDS tended to be young (median age; 65 vs. 76 years, p  MDS than de novo MDS (17.2 months and 22% vs. 31 months and 32%, respectively, p  MDS cases, with a median follow-up of 16 months (range 1-143 months), 521 cases (78.2%) had died. Of which, 78 (15%) cases had died from acute myeloid leukemia, and 66 (12.7%) cases had died from solid cancers. Of the total 66 cases died from solid cancers; 19 cases (28.8%) died from cancer of lung/bronchus, 11 cases (16.7%) breast cancers, and 10 cases (15.2%) ovarian cancer. In a multivariate analysis adjusted for clinical features, calendar period and radiotherapy, the hazard of mortality was significantly low in de novo MDS compared with t-MDS (hazard ratio 0.59; p  MDS is a distinct entity of MDS in terms of clinical characteristics and prognosis.

  9. Outcomes in Lung Cancer: 9-Year Experience From a Tertiary Cancer Center in India

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Aditya Navile Murali

    2017-10-01

    Full Text Available Purpose: Lung cancer is the most common cause of cancer mortality in the world. There are limited studies on survival outcomes of lung cancer in developing countries such as India. This study analyzed the outcomes of patients with lung cancer who underwent treatment at Cancer Institute (WIA, Chennai, India, between 2006 and 2015 to determine survival outcomes and identify prognostic factors. Patients and Methods: In all, 678 patients with lung cancer underwent treatment. Median age was 58 years, and 91% of patients had non–small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC. Testing for epidermal growth factor receptor mutation was performed in 132 of 347 patients and 61 (46% were positive. Results: Median progression-free survival was 6.9 months and overall survival (OS was 7.6 months for patients with NSCLC. Median progression-free survival was 6 months and OS was 7.2 months for patients with small-cell lung cancer. On multivariable analysis, the factors found to be significantly associated with inferior OS in NSCLC included nonadenocarcinoma histology, performance status more than 2, and stage. In small-cell lung cancer, younger age and earlier stage at presentation showed significantly better survival. Conclusion: Our study highlights the challenges faced in treating lung cancer in India. Although median survival in advanced-stage lung cancer is still poor, strategies such as personalized medicine and use of second-line and maintenance chemotherapy may significantly improve the survival in patients with advanced-stage lung cancer in developing countries.

  10. Outcomes in Lung Cancer: 9-Year Experience From a Tertiary Cancer Center in India

    Science.gov (United States)

    Murali, Aditya Navile; Ganesan, Trivadi S.; Rajendranath, Rejiv; Ganesan, Prasanth; Selvaluxmy, Ganesarajah; Swaminathan, Rajaraman; Sundersingh, Shirley; Krishnamurthy, Arvind; Sagar, Tenali Gnana

    2017-01-01

    Purpose Lung cancer is the most common cause of cancer mortality in the world. There are limited studies on survival outcomes of lung cancer in developing countries such as India. This study analyzed the outcomes of patients with lung cancer who underwent treatment at Cancer Institute (WIA), Chennai, India, between 2006 and 2015 to determine survival outcomes and identify prognostic factors. Patients and Methods In all, 678 patients with lung cancer underwent treatment. Median age was 58 years, and 91% of patients had non–small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Testing for epidermal growth factor receptor mutation was performed in 132 of 347 patients and 61 (46%) were positive. Results Median progression-free survival was 6.9 months and overall survival (OS) was 7.6 months for patients with NSCLC. Median progression-free survival was 6 months and OS was 7.2 months for patients with small-cell lung cancer. On multivariable analysis, the factors found to be significantly associated with inferior OS in NSCLC included nonadenocarcinoma histology, performance status more than 2, and stage. In small-cell lung cancer, younger age and earlier stage at presentation showed significantly better survival. Conclusion Our study highlights the challenges faced in treating lung cancer in India. Although median survival in advanced-stage lung cancer is still poor, strategies such as personalized medicine and use of second-line and maintenance chemotherapy may significantly improve the survival in patients with advanced-stage lung cancer in developing countries. PMID:29094084

  11. Subjective and objective outcomes in randomized clinical trials

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Moustgaard, Helene; Bello, Segun; Miller, Franklin G

    2014-01-01

    explicitly defined the terms. CONCLUSION: The terms "subjective" and "objective" are ambiguous when used to describe outcomes in randomized clinical trials. We suggest that the terms should be defined explicitly when used in connection with the assessment of risk of bias in a clinical trial......OBJECTIVES: The degree of bias in randomized clinical trials varies depending on whether the outcome is subjective or objective. Assessment of the risk of bias in a clinical trial will therefore often involve categorization of the type of outcome. Our primary aim was to examine how the concepts...... "subjective outcome" and "objective outcome" are defined in methodological publications and clinical trial reports. To put this examination into perspective, we also provide an overview of how outcomes are classified more broadly. STUDY DESIGN AND SETTING: A systematic review of methodological publications...

  12. Hashimoto's thyroiditis predicts outcome in intrathyroidal papillary thyroid cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Marotta, Vincenzo; Sciammarella, Concetta; Chiofalo, Maria Grazia; Gambardella, Claudio; Bellevicine, Claudio; Grasso, Marica; Conzo, Giovanni; Docimo, Giovanni; Botti, Gerardo; Losito, Simona; Troncone, Giancarlo; De Palma, Maurizio; Giacomelli, Laura; Pezzullo, Luciano; Colao, Annamaria; Faggiano, Antongiulio

    2017-09-01

    Hashimoto's thyroiditis (HT) seems to have favourable prognostic impact on papillary thyroid cancer (PTC), but data were obtained analysing all disease stages. Given that HT-related microenvironment involves solely the thyroid, we aimed to assess the relationship between HT, as detected through pathological assessment, and outcome in intrathyroidal PTC. This was a multicentre, retrospective, observational study including 301 PTC with no evidence of extrathyroidal disease. Primary study endpoint was the rate of clinical remission. Auxiliary endpoint was recurrence-free survival (RFS). HT was detected in 42.5% of the cohort and was associated to female gender, smaller tumour size, lower rate of aggressive PTC variants and less frequent post-surgery radio-iodine administration. HT showed relationship with significantly higher rate of clinical remission ( P  < 0.001, OR 4, 95% CI 1.78-8.94). PTCs with concomitant HT had significantly longer RFS, as compared with non-HT tumours ( P  = 0.004). After adjustment for other parameters affecting disease outcome at univariate analysis (age at diagnosis, histology, tumour size and multifocality), prognostic effect of HT remained significant ( P  = 0.006, OR 3.28, 95% CI 1.39-7.72). To verify whether HT could optimise the identification of PTCs with unfavourable outcome, we assessed the accuracy of 'non-HT status' as negative prognostic marker, demonstrating poor capability of identifying patients not maintaining clinical remission until final follow-up (probability of no clinical remission in PTCs without HT: 21.05%, 95% CI 15.20-27.93). In conclusion, our data show that HT represents an independent prognostic parameter in intrathyroidal PTC, but cannot improve prognostic specificity. © 2017 Society for Endocrinology.

  13. MO-AB-BRA-10: Cancer Therapy Outcome Prediction Based On Dempster-Shafer Theory and PET Imaging

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lian, C [Sorbonne University, University of Technology of Compiegne, CNRS, UMR 7253 Heudiasyc, 60205 Compiegne (France); University of Rouen, QuantIF - EA 4108 LITIS, 76000 Rouen (France); Li, H; Chen, H; Robinson, C. [Washington University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, MO (United States); Denoeux, T [Sorbonne University, University of Technology of Compiegne, CNRS, UMR 7253 Heudiasyc, 60205 Compiegne (France); Vera, P [Centre Henri-Becquerel, 76038 Rouen (France); University of Rouen, QuantIF - EA 4108 LITIS, 76000 Rouen (France); Ruan, S [University of Rouen, QuantIF - EA 4108 LITIS, 76000 Rouen (France)

    2015-06-15

    Purpose: In cancer therapy, utilizing FDG-18 PET image-based features for accurate outcome prediction is challenging because of 1) limited discriminative information within a small number of PET image sets, and 2) fluctuant feature characteristics caused by the inferior spatial resolution and system noise of PET imaging. In this study, we proposed a new Dempster-Shafer theory (DST) based approach, evidential low-dimensional transformation with feature selection (ELT-FS), to accurately predict cancer therapy outcome with both PET imaging features and clinical characteristics. Methods: First, a specific loss function with sparse penalty was developed to learn an adaptive low-rank distance metric for representing the dissimilarity between different patients’ feature vectors. By minimizing this loss function, a linear low-dimensional transformation of input features was achieved. Also, imprecise features were excluded simultaneously by applying a l2,1-norm regularization of the learnt dissimilarity metric in the loss function. Finally, the learnt dissimilarity metric was applied in an evidential K-nearest-neighbor (EK- NN) classifier to predict treatment outcome. Results: Twenty-five patients with stage II–III non-small-cell lung cancer and thirty-six patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinomas treated with chemo-radiotherapy were collected. For the two groups of patients, 52 and 29 features, respectively, were utilized. The leave-one-out cross-validation (LOOCV) protocol was used for evaluation. Compared to three existing linear transformation methods (PCA, LDA, NCA), the proposed ELT-FS leads to higher prediction accuracy for the training and testing sets both for lung-cancer patients (100+/−0.0, 88.0+/−33.17) and for esophageal-cancer patients (97.46+/−1.64, 83.33+/−37.8). The ELT-FS also provides superior class separation in both test data sets. Conclusion: A novel DST- based approach has been proposed to predict cancer treatment outcome using PET

  14. Psychological outcomes and health beliefs in adolescent and young adult survivors of childhood cancer and controls.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kazak, Anne E; Derosa, Branlyn Werba; Schwartz, Lisa A; Hobbie, Wendy; Carlson, Claire; Ittenbach, Richard F; Mao, Jun J; Ginsberg, Jill P

    2010-04-20

    PURPOSE The purpose of this study was to compare adolescent and young adult (AYA) pediatric cancer survivors and peers without a history of serious illness on psychological distress, health-related quality of life (HRQOL), health beliefs; examine age at diagnosis and cancer treatment intensity on these outcomes; and examine relationships between number of health problems and the outcomes. PATIENTS AND METHODS AYA cancer survivors (n = 167) and controls (n = 170), recruited during visits to a cancer survivorship clinic and primary care, completed self-report questionnaires of distress, health problems, and health beliefs. For survivors, providers rated treatment intensity and health problems. Results There were no statistically significant differences between survivors and controls in psychological distress or HRQOL. Cancer survivors had less positive health beliefs. Survivors diagnosed as adolescents had significantly greater psychological distress and fewer positive health beliefs than those diagnosed earlier. Survivors with the highest level of treatment intensity had greater anxiety and fewer positive health beliefs than those with less intense treatments. Provider report of current health problems related to survivors' beliefs and mental HRQOL only, whereas patient report of health problems correlated significantly with most psychosocial outcomes and beliefs. CONCLUSION AYA cancer survivors did not differ from peers in psychological adjustment but did endorse less adaptive health beliefs. Survivors diagnosed during adolescence and who had more intensive cancer treatments evidenced poorer psychosocial outcomes. Beliefs about health may be identified and targeted for intervention to improve quality of life, particularly when patient perceptions of current health problems are considered.

  15. Genome-wide Analysis Identifies Novel Loci Associated with Ovarian Cancer Outcomes

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Johnatty, Sharon E; Tyrer, Jonathan P; Kar, Siddhartha

    2015-01-01

    PURPOSE: Chemotherapy resistance remains a major challenge in the treatment of ovarian cancer. We hypothesize that germline polymorphisms might be associated with clinical outcome. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: We analyzed approximately 2.8 million genotyped and imputed SNPs from the iCOGS experiment...... for progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) in 2,901 European epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) patients who underwent first-line treatment of cytoreductive surgery and chemotherapy regardless of regimen, and in a subset of 1,098 patients treated with ≥ 4 cycles of paclitaxel and carboplatin...... at standard doses. We evaluated the top SNPs in 4,434 EOC patients, including patients from The Cancer Genome Atlas. In addition, we conducted pathway analysis of all intragenic SNPs and tested their association with PFS and OS using gene set enrichment analysis. RESULTS: Five SNPs were significantly...

  16. Five-year biochemical outcome following permanent interstitial brachytherapy for clinical T1-T3 prostate cancer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Merrick, Gregory S.; Butler, Wayne M.; Galbreath, Robert W.; Lief, Jonathan H.

    2001-01-01

    Purpose: To evaluate 5-year biochemical disease-free outcome for men with clinical T1b-T3a NxM0 1977 American Joint Committee on Cancer (1997 AJCC) adenocarcinoma of the prostate gland who underwent transperineal ultrasound-guided permanent prostate brachytherapy. Methods and Materials: Four hundred twenty-five patients underwent transperineal ultrasound-guided prostate brachytherapy using either 103 Pd or 125 I, for clinical T1b-T3a NxM0 (1997 AJCC) adenocarcinoma of the prostate gland, from April 1995 to October 1999. No patient underwent pathologic lymph-node staging. One hundred ninety patients were implanted with either 103 Pd or 125 I monotherapy; 235 patients received moderate-dose external beam radiation therapy (EBRT), followed by a prostate brachytherapy boost; 163 patients received neoadjuvant hormonal manipulation, in conjunction with either 103 Pd or 125 I monotherapy (77 patients) or in conjunction with moderate-dose EBRT and a prostate brachytherapy boost (86 patients). The median patient age was 68.0 years (range, 48.2-81.3 years). The median follow-up was 31 months (range, 11-69 months). Follow-up was calculated from the day of implantation. No patient was lost to follow-up. Biochemical disease-free survival was defined by the American Society of Therapeutic Radiation and Oncology (ASTRO) consensus definition. Results: For the entire cohort, the 5-year actuarial biochemical no evidence of disease (bNED) survival rate was 94%. For patients with low-, intermediate-, and high-risk disease, the 5-year biochemical disease-free rates were 97.1%, 97.5%, and 84.4%, respectively. For hormone-naive patients, 95.7%, 96.4%, and 79.9% of patients with low-, intermediate-, and high-risk disease were free of biochemical failure. Clinical and treatment parameters predictive of biochemical outcome included: clinical stage, pretreatment prostate-specific antigen (PSA), Gleason score, risk group, age > 65 years, and neoadjuvant hormonal therapy. Isotope choice was

  17. Infiltrating lobular carcinoma of the breast: tumor characteristics and clinical outcome

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Arpino, Grazia; Bardou, Valerie J; Clark, Gary M; Elledge, Richard M

    2004-01-01

    Invasive lobular carcinoma (ILC) comprises approximately 10% of breast cancers and appears to have a distinct biology. Because it is less common than infiltrating ductal carcinoma (IDC), few data have been reported that address the biologic features of ILC in the context of their clinical outcome. In the present study we undertook an extensive comparison of ILC and IDC using a large database to provide a more complete and reliable assessment of their biologic phenotypes and clinical behaviors. The clinical and biological features of 4140 patients with ILC were compared with those of 45,169 patients with IDC (not otherwise specified). The median follow-up period was 87 months. In comparison with IDC, ILC was significantly more likely to occur in older patients, to be larger in size, to be estrogen and progesterone receptor positive, to have lower S-phase fraction, to be diploid, and to be HER-2, p53, and epidermal growth factor receptor negative. It was more common for ILC than for IDC to metastasize to the gastrointestinal tract and ovary. The incidence of contralateral breast cancer was higher for ILC patients than for IDC patients (20.9% versus 11.2%; P < 0.0001). Breast preservation was modestly less frequent in ILC patients than in IDC patients. The 5-year disease-free survival was 85.7% for ILC and 83.5% for IDC (P = 0.13). The 5-year overall survival was 85.6% for ILC and 84.1% for IDC (P = 0.64). Despite the fact that the biologic phenotype of ILC is quite favorable, these patients do not have better clinical outcomes than do patients with IDC. At present, management decisions should be based on individual patient and tumor biologic characteristics, and not on lobular histology

  18. Significance of Co-expression of Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor and Ki67 on Clinical Outcome in Patients With Anal Cancer Treated With Chemoradiotherapy: An Analysis of NRG Oncology RTOG 9811.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Doll, Corinne M; Moughan, Jennifer; Klimowicz, Alexander; Ho, Clement K; Kornaga, Elizabeth N; Lees-Miller, Susan P; Ajani, Jaffer A; Crane, Christopher H; Kachnic, Lisa A; Okawara, Gordon S; Berk, Lawrence B; Roof, Kevin S; Becker, Mark J; Grisell, David L; Ellis, Robert J; Sperduto, Paul W; Marsa, Gerald W; Guha, Chandan; Magliocco, Anthony M

    2017-03-01

    To measure co-expression of EGFR and Ki67 proteins in pretreatment tumor biopsies of anal cancer patients enrolled on NRG Oncology RTOG 9811, a phase III trial comparing 5-fluorouracil/mitomycin-C/radiation therapy (Arm A) versus 5-fluorouracil/cisplatin/radiation therapy (Arm B), and to correlate expression with clinical outcome. EGFR and Ki67 co-expression was measured after constructing a tissue microarray using fluorescence immunohistochemistry and automated quantitative image analysis. The Ki67 score within EGFR high versus low areas (Ki67ratio in EGFR high:low ) in each tumor core was analyzed at the median, quartiles, and as a continuous variable. Associations between the tumor markers and clinical endpoints (overall and disease-free survival, locoregional and colostomy failure, and distant metastases) were explored. A total of 282 pretreatment tumors were analyzed from NRG Oncology RTOG 9811. Of evaluated specimens, 183 (65%, n=89, Arm A; n=94, Arm B) were eligible and analyzable. There were no significant differences in baseline characteristics or outcomes between analyzable and unanalyzable patient cases. Median follow-up was 6.0 years. On multivariate analysis, after adjusting for gender, patients with Ki67ratio in EGFR high:low  ≥median had worse overall survival (hazard ratio 2.41, 95% confidence interval 1.38-4.19, P=.0019). After adjusting for N stage and largest tumor dimension, patients with Ki67ratio in EGFR high:low  ≥ median had a higher risk of a disease-free failure (hazard ratio 1.85, 95% confidence interval 1.18-2.92, P=.0078). Technical validation with an independent anal cancer patient cohort was performed and shows a very similar biomarker score distribution. High Ki67ratio in EGFR high:low is associated with worse clinical outcome in this subset of patients with anal cancer treated with chemoradiation on NRG Oncology RTOG 9811. Evaluation within a clinical trial will be required to determine whether patients with these tumor

  19. Clinical Outcome of Patients with Complete Pathological Response to Neoadjuvant Chemoradiotherapy for Locally Advanced Rectal Cancers: The Indian Scenario

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Snita Sinukumar

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Introduction. Neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy and total mesorectal excision are considered the standard treatment for locally advanced rectal cancer. Various studies have reported pathological downstaging and a complete pathological response rate of 15%–27% following neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy which has translated into improved survival. We endeavour to determine the clinical outcome of patients attaining a complete pathological tumor response following neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy in the Indian setting where most of our patient population is younger and presents with aggressive tumor biology. Materials and Methods. Clinicopathological and treatment details were recorded for 64 patients achieving pathological complete response from 2010 to 2013. Disease-free survival (DFS, overall survival (OS, and locoregional and systemic recurrence rates were evaluated for these patients. Results. After a median follow-up of 30.5 months (range 11–59 months, the 3-year overall survival (OS was 94.6% and the 3-year disease-free survival (DFS was 88.5%. The locoregional and systemic recurrence rates were 4.7% and 3.1%, respectively. Conclusion. In the Indian subcontinent, despite younger patients with aggressive tumor biology, outcome in complete responders is good.

  20. Clinical Outcomes Used in Clinical Pharmacy Intervention Studies in Secondary Care

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lene Juel Kjeldsen

    2017-05-01

    Full Text Available The objective was to investigate type, frequency and result of clinical outcomes used in studies to assess the effect of clinical pharmacy interventions in inpatient care. The literature search using Pubmed.gov was performed for the period up to 2013 using the search phrases: “Intervention(s” and “pharmacist(s” and “controlled” and “outcome(s” or “effect(s”. Primary research studies in English of controlled, clinical pharmacy intervention studies, including outcome evaluation, were selected. Titles, abstracts and full-text papers were assessed individually by two reviewers, and inclusion was determined by consensus. In total, 37 publications were included in the review. The publications presented similar intervention elements but differed in study design. A large variety of outcome measures (135 had been used to evaluate the effect of the interventions; most frequently clinical measures/assessments by physician and health care service use. No apparent pattern was established among primary outcome measures with significant effect in favour of the intervention, but positive effect was most frequently related to studies that included power calculations and sufficient inclusion of patients (73% vs. 25%. This review emphasizes the importance of considering the relevance of outcomes selected to assess clinical pharmacy interventions and the importance of conducting a proper power calculation.

  1. Association between poor clinical prognosis and sleep duration among breast cancer patients

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Thalyta Cristina Mansano-Schlosser

    Full Text Available ABSTRACT Objective: to investigate the association between clinical progression and the quality and duration of sleep in women with breast cancer. Method: longitudinal study, with 114 participants, conducted in a hospital in Brazil. The instruments used were: questionnaire for sociodemographic and clinical characterization, Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index; Beck Depression Inventory and Herth Hope Scale. Data were analyzed through descriptive statistics and survival analyses (outcome: poor clinical progression, using the Kaplan-Meier curve, Log-rank test and Cox proportional model. Results: a higher probability of poor clinical progression was verified in women with sleep durations of less than six hours or nine hours and over (p=.0173. Conclusion: the results suggest the importance of further studies that seek to verify whether the quantitative management of sleep disorders would have an impact on the progression of breast cancer. Women should be encouraged to report sleep problems to nurses.

  2. Decreased expression of RNA interference machinery, Dicer and Drosha, is associated with poor outcome in ovarian cancer patients

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Merritt, William M.; Lin, Yvonne G.; Han, Liz Y.; Kamat, Aparna A.; Spannuth, Whitney A.; Schmandt, Rosemarie; Urbauer, Diana; Pennacchio, Len A.; Cheng, Jan-Fang; Zeidan, Alexandra; Wang, Hua; Mueller, Peter; Lenburg, Marc E.; Gray, Joe W.; Mok, Samuel; Birrer, Michael J.; Lopez-Berestein, Gabriel; Coleman, Robert L.; Bar-Eli, Menashe; Sood, Anil K.

    2008-05-06

    The clinical and functional significance of RNA interference (RNAi) machinery, Dicer and Drosha, in ovarian cancer is not known and was examined. Dicer and Drosha expression was measured in ovarian cancer cell lines (n=8) and invasive epithelial ovarian cancer specimens (n=111) and correlated with clinical outcome. Validation was performed with previously published cohorts of ovarian, breast, and lung cancer patients. Anti-Galectin-3 siRNA and shRNA transfections were used for in vitro functional studies. Dicer and Drosha mRNA and protein levels were decreased in 37% to 63% of ovarian cancer cell lines and in 60% and 51% of human ovarian cancer specimens, respectively. Low Dicer was significantly associated with advanced tumor stage (p=0.007), and low Drosha with suboptimal surgical cytoreduction (p=0.02). Tumors with both high Dicer and Drosha were associated with increased median patient survival (>11 years vs. 2.66 years for other groups; p<0.001). In multivariate analysis, high Dicer (HR=0.48; p=0.02), high-grade histology (HR=2.46; p=0.03), and poor chemoresponse (HR=3.95; p<0.001) were identified as independent predictors of disease-specific survival. Findings of poor clinical outcome with low Dicer expression were validated in separate cohorts of cancer patients. Galectin-3 silencing with siRNA transfection was superior to shRNA in cell lines with low Dicer (78-95% vs. 4-8% compared to non-targeting sequences), and similar in cell lines with high Dicer. Our findings demonstrate the clinical and functional impact of RNAi machinery alterations in ovarian carcinoma and support the use of siRNA constructs that do not require endogenous Dicer and Drosha for therapeutic applications.

  3. Thyroid cancer outcomes in Filipino patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kus, Lukas H; Shah, Manish; Eski, Spiro; Walfish, Paul G; Freeman, Jeremy L

    2010-02-01

    To compare the outcomes of patients having thyroid cancer among Filipinos vs non-Filipinos. Retrospective medical record review. High-volume tertiary referral center in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. A total of 499 patients with thyroid cancer (36 Filipino and 463 non-Filipino) treated at Mount Sinai Hospital from January 1, 1984, to August 31, 2003, with a minimum 5-year follow-up period and a minimum 1.0-cm tumor size. Patients were identified from a thyroid cancer database. Data on patient, tumor, and treatment factors were collected along with outcomes. The presence of thyroid cancer recurrence, the rate of death from disease, and the time to recurrence. The 2 groups were similar for sex, age, history of head and neck radiation exposure, family history of thyroid cancer, follow-up time, tumor size, tumor pathologic findings, presence of tumor multifocality, stage of primary disease, type of thyroid surgery, use of postoperative radioactive iodine therapy, and use of external beam radiation therapy. Filipino patients experienced a thyroid cancer recurrence rate of 25% compared with 9.5% for non-Filipino patients (odds ratio, 3.20; 95% confidence interval, 1.23-7.49; P = .004). On multivariate analysis, the increased risk of thyroid cancer recurrence persisted for Filipino patients (odds ratio, 6.99; 95% confidence interval, 2.31-21.07; P Filipino patients and non-Filipino patients regarding the rate of death from disease (5.6% vs 1.9%) and the time to recurrence (52.6 vs 53.1 months). Filipino patients have a significantly higher risk of thyroid cancer recurrence compared with non-Filipino patients. However, no significant difference was noted in the time to recurrence or the rate of death from disease. These findings justify a more aggressive initial management and follow-up regimen for Filipino patients with thyroid cancer.

  4. Clinical outcomes in clinical trials of anti-HIV treatment

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Reekie, J; Mocroft, A; J, Neaton

    2007-01-01

    Since the introduction of combination antiretroviral therapy, there has been a decrease in both AIDS-defining illnesses and deaths. This decrease meant that performing clinical trials with clinical outcomes in HIV infection became more time consuming and hence costly. Improved understanding...... and knowledge of HIV led to short-term trials using surrogate outcomes such as viral load and CD4 count. This established a faster drug approval process that complimented the rapid need to evaluate and provide access to drugs based on short-term trials. However, no treatment has yet been found that eradicates...... the infection, so when treatment is started it is currently a lifelong commitment. Is it reasonable then that guidelines are based almost completely on short-term randomized trials and observational studies of surrogate markers, or is there still a need for trials with clinical outcomes?...

  5. Guide to clinical PET in oncology: Improving clinical management of cancer patients

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    2008-10-01

    Positron emission tomography (PET) has an approximately 50 year-history. It was developed as a tool of medical science to quantitatively measure metabolic rates of bio-substances in vivo and in particular the number of receptors in neuroscience. Until the late 1990s PET was, in most cases, research oriented activity. In 2001, positron emission tomography/X ray computed tomography (PET/CT) hybrid imaging system became commercially available. An era of clinical PET then emerged, in which PET images were utilized for clinical practice in the treatment and diagnosis of cancer patients. PET imaging could recognize areas of abnormal metabolic behaviour of cancers in vivo, and the addition of CT imaging underlines the site of malignancy. More accurate and precise interpretation of cancer lesions can therefore be performed by PET/CT imaging than PET or CT imaging alone. Clinical PET, in particular with fluorine-18-fluorodeoxyglucose ( 18 F-FDG), has already proven itself to have considerable value in oncology. The indications include malignant lymphoma and melanoma, head and neck cancers, oesophageal cancer, breast cancer, lung cancer and colorectal cancer, and it is still being expanded. The roles of clinical PET could be for 1) preoperative staging of cancers, 2) differentiation between residual tumour and scarring, 3) demonstration of suspected recurrences, 4) monitoring response to therapy, 5) prognosis and 6) radiotherapy treatment planning. Clinical PET can be used to illustrate exactly which treatment should be applied for a cancer patient as well as where surgeons should operate and where radiation oncologists should target radiation therapy. An almost exponential rise in the introduction of clinical PET, as well as the installation of PET/CT has been seen throughout the world. Clinical PET is currently viewed as the most powerful diagnostic tool in its field. This IAEA-TECDOC presents an overview of clinical PET for cancer patients and a relevant source of

  6. Primary tumor location predicts poor clinical outcome with cetuximab in RAS wild-type metastatic colorectal cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Dalyong; Kim, Sun Young; Lee, Ji Sung; Hong, Yong Sang; Kim, Jeong Eun; Kim, Kyu-Pyo; Kim, Jihun; Jang, Se Jin; Yoon, Young-Kwang; Kim, Tae Won

    2017-11-23

    In metastatic colorectal cancer, the location of the primary tumor has been suggested to have biological significance. In this study, we investigated whether primary tumor location affects cetuximab efficacy in patients with RAS wild-type metastatic colorectal cancer. Genotyping by the SequenomMassARRAY technology platform (OncoMap) targeting KRAS, NRAS, PIK3CA, and BRAF was performed in tumors from 307 patients who had been given cetuximab as salvage treatment. Tumors with mutated RAS (KRAS or NRAS; n = 127) and those with multiple primary location (n = 10) were excluded. Right colon cancer was defined as a tumor located in the proximal part to splenic flexure. A total of 170 patients were included in the study (right versus left, 23 and 147, respectively). Patients with right colon cancer showed more mutated BRAF (39.1% vs. 5.4%), mutated PIK3CA (13% vs. 1.4%), poorly differentiated tumor (17.4% vs. 3.4%), and peritoneal involvement (26.1% vs. 8.8%) than those with left colon and rectal cancer. Right colon cancer showed poorer progression-free survival (2.0 vs.5.0 months, P = 0.002) and overall survival (4.1 months and 13.0 months, P < 0.001) than the left colon and rectal cancer. By multivariable analysis, BRAF mutation, right colon primary, poorly differentiated histology, and peritoneal involvement were associated with risk of death. In RAS wild-type colon cancer treated with cetuximab as salvage treatment, right colon primary was associated with poorer survival outcomes than left colon and rectal cancer.

  7. Molecular Characterization and Clinical Relevance of Metabolic Expression Subtypes in Human Cancers

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Xinxin Peng

    2018-04-01

    Full Text Available Summary: Metabolic reprogramming provides critical information for clinical oncology. Using molecular data of 9,125 patient samples from The Cancer Genome Atlas, we identified tumor subtypes in 33 cancer types based on mRNA expression patterns of seven major metabolic processes and assessed their clinical relevance. Our metabolic expression subtypes correlated extensively with clinical outcome: subtypes with upregulated carbohydrate, nucleotide, and vitamin/cofactor metabolism most consistently correlated with worse prognosis, whereas subtypes with upregulated lipid metabolism showed the opposite. Metabolic subtypes correlated with diverse somatic drivers but exhibited effects convergent on cancer hallmark pathways and were modulated by highly recurrent master regulators across cancer types. As a proof-of-concept example, we demonstrated that knockdown of SNAI1 or RUNX1—master regulators of carbohydrate metabolic subtypes—modulates metabolic activity and drug sensitivity. Our study provides a system-level view of metabolic heterogeneity within and across cancer types and identifies pathway cross-talk, suggesting related prognostic, therapeutic, and predictive utility. : Peng et al. analyze a cohort of 9,125 TCGA samples across 33 cancer types to characterize tumor subtypes based on the expression of seven metabolic pathways. They find metabolic expression subtypes are associated with patient survivals and suggest the therapeutic and predictive relevance of subtype-related master regulators. Keywords: The Cancer Genome Atlas, tumor subtypes, prognostic markers, somatic drivers, master regulator, therapeutic targets, drug sensitivity, carbohydrate metabolism

  8. Clinical aspects of forecasting results of treatments of patients with rectum cancer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kas'yanova, T.S.; Rusinovich, V.M.; Mirilenko, L.V.; Kizina, L.I.

    1990-01-01

    To predict the outcome of surgical treatment of patients with rectum cancer and the efficiency of the radiation component of multimodality treatment, some clinical aspects, having the prognostic meaning, are proposed. It is established that the prognostically significant signs for rectum cancer are: the disease stage, the status of the regional lymphatic system, the invasion degree and tumor growth form, tumor differentiation degree, its propagation over the circle, the availability or absence of ileus symptoms, the anamnesis period and some hemogram characters. 8 refs.; 1 tab

  9. Outcome of triple negative breast cancer: comparison of sporadic and BRCA1-associated cancers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tung, Nadine; Gaughan, Elizabeth; Hacker, Michele R; Lee, Larissa J; Alexander, Brian; Poles, Emily; Schnitt, Stuart J; Garber, Judy E

    2014-07-01

    The majority of breast cancers developing in BRCA1 mutation carriers are triple negative breast cancers (TNBC), an aggressive subtype that accounts for 15-20 % of sporadic breast cancer. We compare the clinical outcome and sites of relapse of TNBC in BRCA1 mutation carriers and non-carriers who received adjuvant chemotherapy. Women with stage I-III TNBC who had BRCA1 testing within 36 months of diagnosis and received adjuvant chemotherapy were identified from clinical databases at two academic institutions. Sites of relapse, freedom from distant metastasis (FFDM), and breast cancer-specific survival (BCSS) were determined. RCA1 carriers (n = 89) were significantly younger at diagnosis (P < 0.0001) than non-carriers (n = 175). FFDM at 5 years was 80.5 % for carriers and 76.9 % for non-carriers; with median follow-up of 55 months, hazard ratio (HR) was 0.90, P = 0.71. Sites of recurrence, including brain, did not differ significantly. BCSS at 5 years was 88.1 % for carriers and 81.4 % for non-carriers; HR 0.60; P = 0.15 at 55 months follow-up. BRCA1 carriers who underwent oophorectomy had a significantly lower rate of death from TNBC, with an adjusted HR of 0.30 (95 % CI 0.10-0.94). Adjusting for age, oophorectomy, and prophylactic mastectomy, BRCA1 mutation status was not an independent predictor of survival (HR 2.1; P = 0.13). BRCA1 mutation carriers with TNBC had similar survival rates and sites of recurrence to non-carriers after treatment with conventional chemotherapy. Carriers who underwent oophorectomy had a significantly lower rate of breast cancer-related death; this finding should be studied further in all women with TNBC.

  10. Colorectal Cancer: Late Presentation and Outcome of Treatment ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Background: Colorectal cancer remains a major health problem especially in developed countries where it ranks as the third most common cause of cancer in both men and women. Though incidence of colorectal cancer is low in Nigeria and other developing countries, outcome of treatment remains poor due largely to late ...

  11. Health-related quality of life outcome for oral cancer survivors after surgery and postoperative radiotherapy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fang, Fu-Min; Chien, Chih-Yen; Wang, Chong-Jong; Tsai, Wen-Ling; Chiu, Herng-Chia

    2004-01-01

    Health-related quality of life (HRQL) data are becoming an important supplement to information pertaining to treatment outcome for cancer patients. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the HRQL outcome for oral cancer survivors after surgery plus postoperative radiotherapy (RT) and to investigate the variables associated with their HRQL. Sixty-six oral cancer patients with cancer-free survival after surgery plus postoperative RT of >2 years were enrolled. The Short Form-36 (SF-36) questionnaire in the Taiwan Chinese version was self-reported by all participants at the clinics. The linear regression model was used to analyze the socio-demographic and medical-related variables correlated with the physical component summary (PCS) and mental component summary (MCS) in SF-36. The mean scores of the eight functional domains in the SF-36 were markedly lower for oral cancer survivors compared with the Taiwanese and US norms. Those with older age, lower annual family income, more advanced cancer stage and flap reconstruction had significantly worse PCS, and those with lower annual family income, unemployment and more advanced cancer stage reported significantly worse MCS. This model accounts for 63% of variance in PCS, and 51% in MCS. These results provided patient-reported evidence that oral cancer survivors lived with a worse HRQL compared with the general Taiwanese population. Socio-economic factors and cancer stage were important factors correlated with their HRQL. (authors)

  12. Application of molecular biology of differentiated thyroid cancer for clinical prognostication.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Marotta, Vincenzo; Sciammarella, Concetta; Colao, Annamaria; Faggiano, Antongiulio

    2016-11-01

    Although cancer outcome results from the interplay between genetics and environment, researchers are making a great effort for applying molecular biology in the prognostication of differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC). Nevertheless, role of molecular characterisation in the prognostic setting of DTC is still nebulous. Among the most common and well-characterised genetic alterations related to DTC, including mutations of BRAF and RAS and RET rearrangements, BRAF V600E is the only mutation showing unequivocal association with clinical outcome. Unfortunately, its accuracy is strongly limited by low specificity. Recently, the introduction of next-generation sequencing techniques led to the identification of TERT promoter and TP53 mutations in DTC. These genetic abnormalities may identify a small subgroup of tumours with highly aggressive behaviour, thus improving specificity of molecular prognostication. Although knowledge of prognostic significance of TP53 mutations is still anecdotal, mutations of the TERT promoter have showed clear association with clinical outcome. Nevertheless, this genetic marker needs to be analysed according to a multigenetic model, as its prognostic effect becomes negligible when present in isolation. Given that any genetic alteration has demonstrated, taken alone, enough specificity, the co-occurrence of driving mutations is emerging as an independent genetic signature of aggressiveness, with possible future application in clinical practice. DTC prognostication may be empowered in the near future by non-tissue molecular prognosticators, including circulating BRAF V600E and miRNAs. Although promising, use of these markers needs to be refined by the technical sight, and the actual prognostic value is still yet to be validated. © 2016 Society for Endocrinology.

  13. Skin cancer of the head and neck with clinical perineural invasion

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    McCord, Mark W.; Mendenhall, William M.; Parsons, James T.; Amdur, Robert J.; Stringer, Scott P.; Cassisi, Nicholas J.; Million, Rodney R.

    2000-01-01

    Purpose: To review treatment and outcomes in 62 patients with clinical and/or gross evidence of perineural invasion from skin cancer of the head and neck. Methods and Materials: Sixty-two patients received radiotherapy at the University of Florida as part or all of their treatment between January 1965 and April 1995. All patients had clinical signs and symptoms of perineural involvement and/or documentation of tumor extending to grossly involve nerve(s). Twenty-one patients underwent therapy for previously untreated lesions, including 12 who received radiotherapy alone and nine who had surgery with postoperative radiotherapy. Forty-one patients underwent therapy for recurrent lesions, including 18 treated with radiotherapy alone and 23 who received preoperative or postoperative radiotherapy. Results: Factors on multivariate analysis that predicted local control included patient age, previously untreated vs. recurrent lesions, presence of clinical symptoms, and extent of radiotherapy fields. Recurrence patterns were predominantly local; 26 of 31 patients (84%) who developed local recurrence after treatment had recurrent cancer limited to the primary site. Conclusions: Many patients with skin cancer and symptomatic perineural invasion have disease that is incompletely resectable. Approximately half these patients will be cured with aggressive irradiation alone or combined with surgery. Age, prior treatment, and clinical symptoms influence the likelihood of cure

  14. Impact of Visceral Obesity and Sarcopenia on Short-Term Outcomes After Colorectal Cancer Surgery.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Wei-Zhe; Chen, Xiao-Dong; Ma, Liang-Liang; Zhang, Feng-Min; Lin, Ji; Zhuang, Cheng-Le; Yu, Zhen; Chen, Xiao-Lei; Chen, Xiao-Xi

    2018-06-01

    With the increased prevalence of obesity and sarcopenia, those patients with both visceral obesity and sarcopenia were at higher risk of adverse outcomes. The aim of this study was to ascertain the combined impact of visceral obesity and sarcopenia on short-term outcomes in patients undergoing colorectal cancer surgery. We conducted a prospective study from July 2014 to February 2017. Patients' demographic, clinical characteristics, physical performance, and postoperative short-term outcomes were collected. Patients were classified into four groups according to the presence of sarcopenia or visceral obesity. Clinical variables were compared. Univariate and multivariate analyses evaluating the risk factors for postoperative complications were performed. A total of 376 patients were included; 50.8 and 24.5% of the patients were identified as having "visceral obesity" and "sarcopenia," respectively. Patients with sarcopenia and visceral obesity had the highest incidence of total, surgical, and medical complications. Patients with sarcopenia or/and visceral obesity all had longer hospital stays and higher hospitalization costs. Age ≥ 65 years, visceral obesity, and sarcopenia were independent risk factors for total complications. Rectal cancer and visceral obesity were independent risk factors for surgical complications. Age ≥ 65 years and sarcopenia were independent risk factors for medical complications. Laparoscopy-assisted operation was a protective factor for total and medical complications. Patients with both visceral obesity and sarcopenia had a higher complication rate after colorectal cancer surgery. Age ≥ 65 years, visceral obesity, and sarcopenia were independent risk factors for total complications. Laparoscopy-assisted operation was a protective factor.

  15. A Federated Network for Translational Cancer Research Using Clinical Data and Biospecimens.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jacobson, Rebecca S; Becich, Michael J; Bollag, Roni J; Chavan, Girish; Corrigan, Julia; Dhir, Rajiv; Feldman, Michael D; Gaudioso, Carmelo; Legowski, Elizabeth; Maihle, Nita J; Mitchell, Kevin; Murphy, Monica; Sakthivel, Mayurapriyan; Tseytlin, Eugene; Weaver, JoEllen

    2015-12-15

    Advances in cancer research and personalized medicine will require significant new bridging infrastructures, including more robust biorepositories that link human tissue to clinical phenotypes and outcomes. In order to meet that challenge, four cancer centers formed the Text Information Extraction System (TIES) Cancer Research Network, a federated network that facilitates data and biospecimen sharing among member institutions. Member sites can access pathology data that are de-identified and processed with the TIES natural language processing system, which creates a repository of rich phenotype data linked to clinical biospecimens. TIES incorporates multiple security and privacy best practices that, combined with legal agreements, network policies, and procedures, enable regulatory compliance. The TIES Cancer Research Network now provides integrated access to investigators at all member institutions, where multiple investigator-driven pilot projects are underway. Examples of federated search across the network illustrate the potential impact on translational research, particularly for studies involving rare cancers, rare phenotypes, and specific biologic behaviors. The network satisfies several key desiderata including local control of data and credentialing, inclusion of rich phenotype information, and applicability to diverse research objectives. The TIES Cancer Research Network presents a model for a national data and biospecimen network. ©2015 American Association for Cancer Research.

  16. Neoadjuvant Chemoradiation Therapy Using Concurrent S-1 and Irinotecan in Rectal Cancer: Impact on Long-Term Clinical Outcomes and Prognostic Factors

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Nakamura, Takatoshi; Yamashita, Keishi; Sato, Takeo; Ema, Akira; Naito, Masanori; Watanabe, Masahiko, E-mail: midoris@med.kitasato-u.ac.jp

    2014-07-01

    Purpose: To assess the long-term outcomes of patients with rectal cancer who received neoadjuvant chemoradiation therapy (NCRT) with concurrent S-1 and irinotecan (S-1/irinotecan) therapy. Methods and Materials: The study group consisted of 115 patients with clinical stage T3 or T4 rectal cancer. Patients received pelvic radiation therapy (45 Gy) plus concurrent oral S-1/irinotecan. The median follow-up was 60 months. Results: Grade 3 adverse effects occurred in 7 patients (6%), and the completion rate of NCRT was 87%. All 115 patients (100%) were able to undergo R0 surgical resection. Twenty-eight patients (24%) had a pathological complete response (ypCR). At 60 months, the local recurrence-free survival was 93%, disease-free survival (DFS) was 79%, and overall survival (OS) was 80%. On multivariate analysis with a proportional hazards model, ypN2 was the only independent prognostic factor for DFS (P=.0019) and OS (P=.0064) in the study group as a whole. Multivariate analysis was additionally performed for the subgroup of 106 patients with ypN0/1 disease, who had a DFS rate of 85.3%. Both ypT (P=.0065) and tumor location (P=.003) were independent predictors of DFS. A combination of these factors was very strongly related to high risk of recurrence (P<.0001), which occurred most commonly in the lung. Conclusions: NCRT with concurrent S-1/irinotecan produced high response rates and excellent long-term survival, with acceptable adverse effects in patients with rectal cancer. ypN2 is a strong predictor of dismal outcomes, and a combination of ypT and tumor location can identify high-risk patients among those with ypN0/1 disease.

  17. Utilization of Patient-Reported Outcomes to Guide Symptom Management during Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy for Clinically Localized Prostate Cancer

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Malika Danner

    2017-10-01

    Full Text Available IntroductionUtilization of patient-reported outcomes (PROs to guide symptom management during radiation therapy is increasing. This study focuses on the use of the Expanded Prostate Cancer Index Composite for Clinical Practice (EPIC-CP as a tool to assess urinary and bowel bother during stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT and its utility in guiding medical management.MethodsBetween September 2015 and January 2017, 107 patients with clinically localized prostate cancer were treated with 35–36.25 Gy via SBRT in five fractions. PROs were assessed using EPIC-CP 1 h prior to the first fraction and after each subsequent fraction. Symptom management medications were prescribed based on the physician clinical judgment or if patients reported a moderate to big problem. Clinical significance was assessed using a minimally important difference of 1/2 SD from baseline score.ResultsA median baseline EPIC-CP urinary symptom score of 1.5 significantly increased to 3.7 on the day of the final treatment (p < 0.0001. Prior to treatment, 9.3% of men felt that their overall urinary function was a moderate to big problem that increased to 28% by the end of the fifth treatment. A median baseline EPIC-CP bowel symptom score of 0.3 significantly increased to 1.4 on the day of the final treatment (p < 0.0001. Prior to treatment, 1.9% of men felt that their overall bowel function was a moderate to big problem that increased to 3.7% by the end of the fifth treatment. The percentage of patients requiring an increased dose of alpha-antagonist increased to 47% by the end of treatment, and an additional 28% of patients required a short steroid taper to manage moderate to big urinary problems. Similarly, the percentage of patients requiring antidiarrheals reached 12% by the fifth treatment.ConclusionDuring the course of SBRT, an increasing percentage of patients experienced clinically significant symptoms many of which required medical management

  18. External Beam Radiotherapy for Clinically Localized Hormone-Refractory Prostate Cancer: Clinical Significance of Nadir Prostate-Specific Antigen Value Within 12 Months

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ogawa, Kazuhiko; Nakamura, Katsumasa; Sasaki, Tomonari; Onishi, Hiroshi; Koizumi, Masahiko; Shioyama, Yoshiyuki; Araya, Masayuki; Mukumoto, Nobutaka M.S.; Mitsumori, Michihide; Teshima, Teruki

    2009-01-01

    Purpose: To analyze retrospectively the results of external beam radiotherapy for clinically localized hormone-refractory prostate cancer and investigate the clinical significance of nadir prostate-specific antigen (PSA) value within 12 months (nPSA12) as an early estimate of clinical outcomes after radiotherapy. Methods and Materials: Eighty-four patients with localized hormone-refractory prostate cancer treated with external beam radiotherapy were retrospectively reviewed. The total radiation doses ranged from 30 to 76 Gy (median, 66 Gy), and the median follow-up period for all 84 patients was 26.9 months (range, 2.7-77.3 months). Results: The 3-year actuarial overall survival, progression-free survival (PFS), and local control rates in all 84 patients after radiotherapy were 67%, 61%, and 93%, respectively. Although distant metastases and/or regional lymph node metastases developed in 34 patients (40%) after radiotherapy, local progression was observed in only 5 patients (6%). Of all 84 patients, the median nPSA12 in patients with clinical failure and in patients without clinical failure was 3.1 ng/mL and 0.5 ng/mL, respectively. When dividing patients according to low (<0.5 ng/mL) and high (≥0.5 ng/mL) nPSA12 levels, the 3-year PFS rate in patients with low nPSA12 and in those with high nPSA12 was 96% and 44%, respectively (p < 0.0001). In univariate analysis, nPSA12 and pretreatment PSA value had a significant impact on PFS, and in multivariate analysis nPSA12 alone was an independent prognostic factor for PFS after radiotherapy. Conclusions: External beam radiotherapy had an excellent local control rate for clinically localized hormone-refractory prostate cancer, and nPSA12 was predictive of clinical outcomes after radiotherapy.

  19. Workload and surgeon's specialty for outcome after colorectal cancer surgery

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Archampong, David; Borowski, David; Wille-Jørgensen, Peer

    2012-01-01

    A large body of research has focused on investigating the effects of healthcare provider volume and specialization on patient outcomes including outcomes of colorectal cancer surgery. However there is conflicting evidence about the role of such healthcare provider characteristics in the management...... of colorectal cancer....

  20. American Society of Clinical Oncology position statement on obesity and cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ligibel, Jennifer A; Alfano, Catherine M; Courneya, Kerry S; Demark-Wahnefried, Wendy; Burger, Robert A; Chlebowski, Rowan T; Fabian, Carol J; Gucalp, Ayca; Hershman, Dawn L; Hudson, Melissa M; Jones, Lee W; Kakarala, Madhuri; Ness, Kirsten K; Merrill, Janette K; Wollins, Dana S; Hudis, Clifford A

    2014-11-01

    Rates of obesity have increased significantly over the last three decades in the United States and globally. In addition to contributing to heart disease and diabetes, obesity is a major unrecognized risk factor for cancer. Obesity is associated with worsened prognosis after cancer diagnosis and also negatively affects the delivery of systemic therapy, contributes to morbidity of cancer treatment, and may raise the risk of second malignancies and comorbidities. Research shows that the time after a cancer diagnosis can serve as a teachable moment to motivate individuals to adopt risk-reducing behaviors. For this reason, the oncology care team--the providers with whom a patient has the closest relationships in the critical period after a cancer diagnosis--is in a unique position to help patients lose weight and make other healthy lifestyle changes. The American Society of Clinical Oncology is committed to reducing the impact of obesity on cancer and has established a multipronged initiative to accomplish this goal by 1) increasing education and awareness of the evidence linking obesity and cancer; 2) providing tools and resources to help oncology providers address obesity with their patients; 3) building and fostering a robust research agenda to better understand the pathophysiology of energy balance alterations, evaluate the impact of behavior change on cancer outcomes, and determine the best methods to help cancer survivors make effective and useful changes in lifestyle behaviors; and 4) advocating for policy and systems change to address societal factors contributing to obesity and improve access to weight management services for patients with cancer. © 2014 by American Society of Clinical Oncology.

  1. Racial and ethnic variations in one-year clinical and patient-reported outcomes following breast reconstruction.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Berlin, Nicholas L; Momoh, Adeyiza O; Qi, Ji; Hamill, Jennifer B; Kim, Hyungjin M; Pusic, Andrea L; Wilkins, Edwin G

    2017-08-01

    Existing studies evaluating racial and ethnic disparities focus on describing differences in procedure type and the proportion of women who undergo reconstruction following mastectomy. This study seeks to examine racial and ethnic variations in clinical and patient-reported outcomes (PROs) following breast reconstruction. The Mastectomy Reconstruction Outcomes Consortium is an 11 center, prospective cohort study collecting clinical and PROs following autologous and implant-based breast reconstruction. Mixed-effects regression models, weighted to adjust for non-response, were performed to evaluate outcomes at one-year postoperatively. The cohort included 2703 women who underwent breast reconstruction. In multivariable models, Hispanic or Latina patients were less likely to experience any complications and major complications. Black or African-American women reported greater improvements in psychosocial and sexual well-being. Despite differences in pertinent clinical and socioeconomic variables, racial and ethnic minorities experienced equivalent or better outcomes. These findings provide reassurance in the context of numerous racial and ethnic health disparities and build upon our understanding of the delivery of surgical care to women with or at risk for developing breast cancer. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  2. Five year colorectal cancer outcomes in a large negative CT colonography screening cohort

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kim, David H.; Pooler, B.D.; Pickhardt, Perry J. [University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Department of Radiology, Madison, WI (United States); Weiss, Jennifer M. [University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Section of Gastroenterology, Department of Internal Medicine, Madison, WI (United States)

    2012-07-15

    To assess the 5-year incidence of clinically presenting colorectal cancers following a negative CT colonography (CTC) screening examination, as few patient outcome data regarding a negative CTC screening result exist. Negative CTC screening patients (n = 1,050) in the University of Wisconsin Health system over a 14-month period were included. An electronic medical record (EMR) review was undertaken, encompassing provider, colonoscopy, imaging and histopathology reports. Incident colorectal cancers and other important GI tumours were recorded. Of the 1,050 cohort (mean [{+-}SD] age 56.9 {+-} 7.4 years), 39 (3.7%) patients were excluded owing to lack of follow-up within our system beyond the initial screening CTC. The remaining 1,011 patients were followed for an average of 4.73 {+-} 1.15 years. One incident colorectal adenocarcinoma represented a crude cancer incidence of 0.2 cancers per 1,000 patient years. EMR revealed 14 additional patients with clinically important GI tumours including: advanced adenomas (n = 11), appendiceal goblet cell carcinoid (n = 1), appendiceal mucinous adenoma (n = 1) and metastatic ileocolonic carcinoid (n = 1). All positive patients including the incident carcinoma are alive at the time of review. Clinically presenting colorectal adenocarcinoma is rare in the 5 years following negative screening CTC, suggesting that current strategies, including non-reporting of diminutive lesions, are appropriate. (orig.)

  3. Five year colorectal cancer outcomes in a large negative CT colonography screening cohort

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kim, David H.; Pooler, B.D.; Pickhardt, Perry J.; Weiss, Jennifer M.

    2012-01-01

    To assess the 5-year incidence of clinically presenting colorectal cancers following a negative CT colonography (CTC) screening examination, as few patient outcome data regarding a negative CTC screening result exist. Negative CTC screening patients (n = 1,050) in the University of Wisconsin Health system over a 14-month period were included. An electronic medical record (EMR) review was undertaken, encompassing provider, colonoscopy, imaging and histopathology reports. Incident colorectal cancers and other important GI tumours were recorded. Of the 1,050 cohort (mean [±SD] age 56.9 ± 7.4 years), 39 (3.7%) patients were excluded owing to lack of follow-up within our system beyond the initial screening CTC. The remaining 1,011 patients were followed for an average of 4.73 ± 1.15 years. One incident colorectal adenocarcinoma represented a crude cancer incidence of 0.2 cancers per 1,000 patient years. EMR revealed 14 additional patients with clinically important GI tumours including: advanced adenomas (n = 11), appendiceal goblet cell carcinoid (n = 1), appendiceal mucinous adenoma (n = 1) and metastatic ileocolonic carcinoid (n = 1). All positive patients including the incident carcinoma are alive at the time of review. Clinically presenting colorectal adenocarcinoma is rare in the 5 years following negative screening CTC, suggesting that current strategies, including non-reporting of diminutive lesions, are appropriate. (orig.)

  4. Treatment outcomes of definitive chemoradiotherapy for patients with hypopharyngeal cancer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nakahara, Rie; Kodaira, Takeshi; Furutani, Kazuhisa

    2012-01-01

    We analyzed the efficacy of definitive chemoradiotherapy (CRT) for patients with hypopharyngeal cancer (HPC). Subjects comprised 97 patients who were treated with definitive CRT from 1990 to 2006. Sixty-one patients (62.9%) with resectable disease who aimed to preserve the larynx received induction chemotherapy (ICT), whereas 36 patients (37.1%) with resectable disease who refused an operation or who had unresectable disease received primary alternating CRT or concurrent CRT (non-ICT). The median dose to the primary lesion was 66 Gy. The median follow-up time was 77 months. The 5-year rates of overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS), local control (LC), and laryngeal preservation were 68.7%, 57.5%, 79.1%, and 70.3%, respectively. The T-stage was a significant prognostic factor in terms of OS, PFS and LC in both univariate and multivariate analyses. The 5-year rates of PFS were 45.4% for the ICT group and 81.9% for the non-ICT group. The difference between these groups was significant with univariate analysis (P=0.006). Acute toxicity of Grade 3 to 4 was observed in 34 patients (35.1%). Grade 3 dysphagia occurred in 20 patients (20.6%). Twenty-nine (29.8%) of 44 patients with second primary cancer had esophageal cancer. Seventeen of 29 patients had manageable superficial esophageal cancer. The clinical efficacy of definitive CRT for HPC is thought to be promising in terms of not only organ preservation but also disease control. Second primary cancer may have a clinical impact on the outcome for HPC patients, and special care should be taken when screening at follow-up. (author)

  5. Cancer Outcomes in Low-Income Elders

    Data.gov (United States)

    U.S. Department of Health & Human Services — Cancer Outcomes in Low-Income Elders, Is There An Advantage to Being on Medicaid Because of reduced financial barriers, dual Medicare-Medicaid enrollment of...

  6. Comorbidity Assessment Using Charlson Comorbidity Index and Simplified Comorbidity Score and Its Association With Clinical Outcomes During First-Line Chemotherapy for Lung Cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Singh, Navneet; Singh, Potsangbam Sarat; Aggarwal, Ashutosh N; Behera, Digambar

    2016-05-01

    Limited data is available on comorbidity assessment in patients with lung cancer. The present prospective study assessed the prevalence and association of the Charlson comorbidity index (CCI) and simplified comorbidity score (SCS) with clinical outcomes in patients with newly diagnosed lung cancer undergoing chemotherapy. All patients received histology-guided platinum doublets. The outcomes assessed were overall survival (OS), radiologic responses using Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors and toxicity using the Common Toxicity Criteria, version 3.0. The groups analyzed were SCS ≤ 9 (n = 173) and > 9 (n = 65) and CCI = 0 (n = 88), 1 (n = 97), and ≥ 2 (n = 53). Correlations of the CCI and SCS were assessed using Spearman's (rho) method. Hazard ratios (HRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated for the factors affecting OS using Cox proportional hazard (CPH) modeling. Most patients had advanced disease (stage IIIB in 33.6%, stage IV in 42.4%). The median SCS was 7 (interquartile range, 7-11), and the median CCI was 1 (interquartile range, 0-1). The correlation between the CCI and SCS was moderate (rho = 0.474; P  9 group (vs. SCS ≤ 9) had a significantly older mean age, patients aged ≥ 70 years, men, smokers, and squamous cell histologic type. The mean age in the CCI groups was 55.2 years for a CCI of 0, 59.6 years for a CCI of 1, and 60.3 years for a CCI of 2, with a statistically significant difference (P = .002). The radiologic responses and toxicity profiles were similar between the SCS and CCI groups. The median OS was 287 days (95% CI, 232-342 days) and did not differ between the SCS and CCI groups. On multivariate CPH analyses, worse OS was independently associated with stage IV disease (adjusted HR, 2.0; 95% CI, 1.4-2.7) and poor performance status (Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group score ≥ 2; adjusted HR, 1.8; 95% CI, 1.1-2.8) but not with comorbidity, histologic type, or age. The SCS and CCI scores correlated

  7. Outcome of small cell lung cancer (SCLC) patients with brain metastases in a routine clinical setting

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lekic, Mirko; Kovac, Viljem; Triller, Nadja; Knez, Lea; Sadikov, Aleksander; Cufer, Tanja

    2012-01-01

    Small cell lung cancer (SCLC) represents approximately 13 to 18% of all lung cancers. It is the most aggressive among lung cancers, mostly presented at an advanced stage, with median survival rates of 10 to12 months in patients treated with standard chemotherapy and radiotherapy. In approximately 15-20% of patients brain metastases are present already at the time of primary diagnosis; however, it is unclear how much it influences the outcome of disease according the other metastatic localisation. The objective of this analysis was to evaluate the median survival of SCLC patients treated by specific therapy (chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy) with regard to the presence or absence of brain metastases at the time of diagnosis. All SCLC patients have been treated in a routine clinical practice and followed up at the University Clinic Golnik in Slovenia. In the retrospective study the medical files from 2002 to 2007 were review. All patients with cytological or histological confirmed disease and eligible for specific oncological treatment were included in the study. They have been treated according to the guidelines valid at the time. Chemotherapy and regular followed-up were carried out at the University Clinic Golnik and radiotherapy at the Institute of Oncology Ljubljana. We found 251 patients eligible for the study. The median age of them was 65 years, majority were male (67%), smokers or ex-smokers (98%), with performance status 0 to 1 (83%). At the time of diagnosis no metastases were found in 64 patients (25.5%) and metastases outside the brain were presented in 153 (61.0%). Brain metastases, confirmed by a CT scan, were present in 34 patients (13.5%), most of them had also metastases at other localisations. All patients received chemotherapy and all patients with confirmed brain metastases received whole brain irradiation (WBRT). The radiotherapy with radical dose at primary tumour was delivered to 27 patients with limited disease and they got 4–6 cycles of

  8. Effects of Clinical Pilates Exercises on Patients Developing Lymphedema after Breast Cancer Treatment: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Şener, Hülya Özlem; Malkoç, Mehtap; Ergin, Gülbin; Karadibak, Didem; Yavuzşen, Tuğba

    2017-01-01

    The aim of the present study was to compare the effects of clinical Pilates exercises with those of the standard lymphedema exercises on lymphedema developing after breast cancer treatment. The study comprised 60 female patients with a mean age of 53.2±7.7 years who developed lymphedema after having breast cancer treatment. The patients were randomized into two groups: the clinical Pilates exercise group (n=30), and the control group (n=30). Before, and at the 8th week of treatment, the following parameters were measured: the severity of lymphedema, limb circumferences, body image using the Social Appearance Anxiety Scale, quality of life with the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) quality of life questionnaire (QLQ-BR23), and upper extremity function using the Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand (DASH) outcome measure. Both groups performed one-hour exercises three days a week for 8 weeks. After treatment, the symptoms recovered significantly in both groups. Reductions in the severity of lymphedema, improvements in the social appearance anxiety scale scores, quality of life scores, and upper extremity functions scores in the clinical Pilates exercise group were greater than those in the control group. Clinical Pilates exercises were determined to be more effective on the symptoms of patients with lymphedema than were standard lymphedema exercises. Clinical Pilates exercises could be considered a safe model and would contribute to treatment programs.

  9. Evidence of clinical utility: an unmet need in molecular diagnostics for patients with cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Parkinson, David R; McCormack, Robert T; Keating, Susan M; Gutman, Steven I; Hamilton, Stanley R; Mansfield, Elizabeth A; Piper, Margaret A; Deverka, Patricia; Frueh, Felix W; Jessup, J Milburn; McShane, Lisa M; Tunis, Sean R; Sigman, Caroline C; Kelloff, Gary J

    2014-03-15

    This article defines and describes best practices for the academic and business community to generate evidence of clinical utility for cancer molecular diagnostic assays. Beyond analytical and clinical validation, successful demonstration of clinical utility involves developing sufficient evidence to demonstrate that a diagnostic test results in an improvement in patient outcomes. This discussion is complementary to theoretical frameworks described in previously published guidance and literature reports by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Institute of Medicine, and Center for Medical Technology Policy, among others. These reports are comprehensive and specifically clarify appropriate clinical use, adoption, and payer reimbursement for assay manufacturers, as well as Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments-certified laboratories, including those that develop assays (laboratory developed tests). Practical criteria and steps for establishing clinical utility are crucial to subsequent decisions for reimbursement without which high-performing molecular diagnostics will have limited availability to patients with cancer and fail to translate scientific advances into high-quality and cost-effective cancer care. See all articles in this CCR Focus section, "The Precision Medicine Conundrum: Approaches to Companion Diagnostic Co-development." ©2014 AACR.

  10. Determinants of satisfaction with cosmetic outcome in breast cancer survivors: A cross-sectional study.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Peh Joo Ho

    Full Text Available Little research has been done into cosmetic outcomes in non-Western breast cancer populations. We aimed to study the prevalence and determinants of dissatisfaction with cosmetic outcome after breast cancer surgery of Asian breast cancer survivors, and its association with patient-reported anxiety, depression, and quality of life. In a hospital-based cross-sectional study, 384 breast cancer survivors of at least 12 months after diagnosis completed questionnaires on satisfaction with cosmetic appearance, quality of life (EORTC-QLQ-C30 and anxiety and depression (HADS. Cumulative logit models were used to examine the adjusted association between dissatisfaction with cosmetic appearance and demographic and clinical characteristics. Kruskal-Wallis test was used to test for associations between dissatisfaction with cosmetic appearance and patient-reported outcomes. Overall, 20% of women reported to be (very dissatisfied with cosmetic appearance. Survivors of Chinese ethnicity were more likely dissatisfied with cosmetic appearance compared to Malay survivors (22% and 14% respectively, adjusted OR = 2.4, 95%CI: 1.4-3.9. Women with DCIS (adjusted OR = 2.2, 95%CI: 1.3-3.7 or advanced stage disease (adjusted OR = 2.2, 95%CI: 1.2-3.9 had a higher risk of being dissatisfied with their cosmetic appearance. Women treated with mastectomy were at a higher risk of dissatisfaction with cosmetic appearance (adjusted OR = 1.7, 95%CI: 1.1-2.5. Dissatisfaction with cosmetic appearance was associated with increased depression scores. In this South-East Asian population, one in five breast cancer patients were (very dissatisfied with the cosmetic outcome of treatment. Chinese women, women with larger tumors and women treated with mastectomy were most likely to report dissatisfaction with cosmetic appearance.

  11. The relationship between waiting time for radiotherapy and clinical outcomes: A systematic review of the literature

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chen Zheng; King, Will; Pearcey, Robert; Kerba, Marc; Mackillop, William J.

    2008-01-01

    Purpose: To synthesize the direct clinical evidence relating waiting times (WTs) for radiotherapy (RT) to the outcomes of RT. Methods and materials: We did a systematic review of the literature between 1975 and 2005 to identify clinical studies describing the relationship between WTs and outcomes of RT. Only high quality (HQ) studies that had adequately controlled for confounding factors were included in the primary analysis. WTs that had originally been reported as a categorical variable were converted to a continuous variable based on the distribution of WTs in each category. Meta-analyses were done using a fixed-effect model. Results: The systematic review identified 44 relevant studies. Meta-analyses of 20 HQ studies of local control demonstrated a significant increase in the risk of local failure with increasing WT, RR localrecurrence/month = 1.14, 95% Confidence Intervals (CI): 1.09-1.21. For post-operative RT for breast cancer; RR localrecurrence/month = 1.11, 95%CI: 1.04-1.19. For post-operative RT for head and neck cancer, RR localrecurrenc/month = 1.28, 95%CI: 1.08-1.52. For definitive RT for head and neck cancer, RR localrecurrence/month = 1.15, 95%CI: 1.02-1.29. There was little evidence of any association between WTs and the risk of distant metastasis. Meta-analyses of the 6 HQ studies of breast cancer showed RR metastasis/month = 1.04, 95%CI: 0.98-1.09. Meta-analyses of 4 HQ studies of breast cancer showed no significant decrease in survival with increasing WT, RR death/month = 1.06, 95%CI: 0.97-1.16, but there was a marginally significant decrease in survival in 4 HQ studies of head and neck cancer, RR death/month = 1.16, 95%CI: 1.02-1.32. Conclusions: The risk of local recurrence increases with increasing WTs for RT. The increase in local recurrence rate may translate into decreased survival in some clinical situations. WTs for RT should be as short as reasonably achievable

  12. Statistical approaches for evaluating body composition markers in clinical cancer research.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bayar, Mohamed Amine; Antoun, Sami; Lanoy, Emilie

    2017-04-01

    The term 'morphomics' stands for the markers of body composition in muscle and adipose tissues. in recent years, as part of clinical cancer research, several associations between morphomics and outcome or toxicity were found in different treatment settings leading to a growing interest. we aim to review statistical approaches used to evaluate these markers and suggest practical statistical recommendations. Area covered: We identified statistical methods used recently to take into account properties of morphomics measurements. We also reviewed adjustment methods on major confounding factors such as gender and approaches to model morphomic data, especially mixed models for repeated measures. Finally, we focused on methods for determining a cut-off for a morphomic marker that could be used in clinical practice and how to assess its robustness. Expert commentary: From our review, we proposed 13 key points to strengthen analyses and reporting of clinical research assessing associations between morphomics and outcome or toxicity.

  13. Helicobacter pylori iceA, clinical outcomes, and correlation with cagA: a meta-analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shiota, Seiji; Watada, Masahide; Matsunari, Osamu; Iwatani, Shun; Suzuki, Rumiko; Yamaoka, Yoshio

    2012-01-01

    Although the iceA (induced by contact with epithelium) allelic types of Helicobacter pylori have been reported to be associated with peptic ulcer, the importance of iceA on clinical outcomes based on subsequent studies is controversial. The aim of this study was to estimate the magnitude of the risk for clinical outcomes associated with iceA. A literature search was performed using the PubMed and EMBASE databases for articles published through April 2011. Published case-control studies examining the relationship between iceA and clinical outcomes (gastritis, peptic ulcer, including gastric ulcer and duodenal ulcer, and gastric cancer) were included. Fifty studies with a total of 5,357 patients were identified in the search. Infection with iceA1-positive H. pylori increased the overall risk for peptic ulcer by 1.26-fold (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.09-1.45). However, the test for heterogeneity was significant among these studies. Sensitivity analysis showed that the presence of iceA1 was significantly associated with peptic ulcer (odds ratio [OR] = 1.25, 95% CI = 1.08-1.44). The presence of iceA2 was inversely associated with peptic ulcer (OR = 0.76, 95% CI = 0.65-0.89). The presence of iceA was not associated with gastric cancer. Most studies examined the cagA status; however, only 15 studies examined the correlation and only 2 showed a positive correlation between the presence of cagA and iceA1. Our meta-analysis confirmed the importance of the presence of iceA for peptic ulcer, although the significance was marginal.

  14. Assessment of sarcopenia and changes in body composition after neoadjuvant chemotherapy and associations with clinical outcomes in oesophageal cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yip, Connie; Goh, Vicky; Davies, Andrew; Gossage, James; Mitchell-Hay, Rosalind; Hynes, Orla; Maisey, Nick; Ross, Paul; Gaya, Andrew; Landau, David B; Cook, Gary J; Griffin, Nyree; Mason, Robert

    2014-05-01

    Sarcopenia and changes in body composition following neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) may affect clinical outcome. We assessed the associations between CT body composition changes following NAC and outcomes in oesophageal cancer. A total of 35 patients who received NAC followed by oesophagectomy, and underwent CT assessment pre- and post-NAC were included. Fat mass (FM), fat-free mass (FFM), subcutaneous fat to muscle ratio (FMR) and visceral to subcutaneous adipose tissue ratio (VA/SA) were derived from CT. Changes in FM, FFM, FMR, VA/SA and sarcopenia were correlated to chemotherapy dose reductions, postoperative complications, length of hospital stay (LOS), circumferential resection margin (CRM), pathological chemotherapy response, disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS). Nine (26 %) patients were sarcopenic before NAC and this increased to 15 (43 %) after NAC. Average weight loss was 3.7 % ± 6.4 (SD) in comparison to FM index (-1.2 ± 4.2), FFM index (-4.6 ± 6.8), FMR (-1.2 ± 24.3) and VA/SA (-62.3 ± 12.7). Changes in FM index (p = 0.022), FMR (p = 0.028), VA/SA (p = 0.024) and weight (p = 0.007) were significant univariable factors for CRM status. There was no significant association between changes in body composition and survival. Loss of FM, differential loss of VA/SA and skeletal muscle were associated with risk of CRM positivity. • Changes in CT body composition occur after neoadjuvant chemotherapy in oesophageal cancer. • Sarcopenia was more prevalent after neoadjuvant chemotherapy. • Fat mass, fat-free mass and weight decreased after neoadjuvant chemotherapy. • Changes in body composition were associated with CRM positivity. • Changes in body composition did not affect perioperative complications and survival.

  15. B3GNT3 Expression Is a Novel Marker Correlated with Pelvic Lymph Node Metastasis and Poor Clinical Outcome in Early-Stage Cervical Cancer

    Science.gov (United States)

    Niu, Chunhao; Song, Libing; Zhang, Yanna

    2015-01-01

    Background The β1,3-N-acetylglucosaminyltransferase-3 gene (B3GNT3) encodes a member of the B3GNT family that functions as the backbone structure of dimeric sialyl-Lewis A and is involved in L-selectin ligand biosynthesis, lymphocyte homing and lymphocyte trafficking. B3GNT3 has been implicated as an important element in the development of certain cancers. However, the characteristics of B3GNT3 in the development and progression of cancer remain largely unknown. Thus, our study aimed to investigate the expression pattern and the prognostic value of B3GNT3 in patients with early-stage cervical cancer. Methods The mRNA and protein levels of B3GNT3 expression were examined in eight cervical cancer cell lines and ten paired cervical cancer tumors, using real-time PCR and western blotting, respectively. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) was used to analyze B3GNT3 protein expression in paraffin-embedded tissues from 196 early-stage cervical cancer patients. Statistical analyses were applied to evaluate the association between B3GNT3 expression scores and clinical parameters, as well as patient survival. Results B3GNT3 expression was significantly upregulated in cervical cancer cell lines and lesions compared with normal cells and adjacent noncancerous cervical tissues. In the 196 cases of tested early-stage cervical cancer samples, the B3GNT3 protein level was positively correlated with high risk TYPES of human papillomavirus (HPV) infection (P = 0.026), FIGO stage (P cervical cancer patients. Conclusions Our study demonstrated that elevated B3GNT3 expression is associated with pelvic lymph node metastasis and poor outcome in early-stage cervical cancer patients. B3GNT3 may be a novel prognostic marker and therapeutic target for the treatment of cervical cancer. PMID:26709519

  16. MiR-34b is associated with clinical outcome in triple-negative breast cancer patients

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Svoboda Marek

    2012-03-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Breast cancer is the most common malignancy with the highest incidence rates among women worldwide. Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC represents the major phenotype of basal-like molecular subtype of breast cancer, characterized by higher incidence in young women and a very poor prognosis. MicroRNAs (miRNAs are small non-coding RNAs playing significant role in the pathogenesis of many cancers including breast cancer. Therefore, miRNAs are also potential prognostic and/or predictive biomarkers in triple-negative breast cancer patients. Methods Thirty-nine TNBC patients with available formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE tissues were enrolled in the study. MiR-34a, miR-34b, and miR-34c were analyzed using qRT-PCR and correlated to clinico-pathological features of TNBC patients. Results Expression levels of miR-34b significantly correlate with disease free survival (DFS (p = 0.0020, log-rank test and overall survival (OS (p = 0.0008, log-rank test of TNBC patients. No other significant associations between miR-34a, miR-34b, and miR-34c with available clinical pathological data were observed. Conclusions MiR-34b expression negatively correlates with disease free survival and overall survival in TNBC patients. Thus, miR-34b may present a new promising prognostic biomarker in TNBC patients, but independent validations are necessary.

  17. Caveolin-1 expression level in cancer associated fibroblasts predicts outcome in gastric cancer.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Xianda Zhao

    Full Text Available AIMS: Altered expression of epithelial or stromal caveolin-1 (Cav-1 is observed in various types of human cancers. However, the clinical significance of Cav-1 expression in gastric cancer (GC remains largely unknown. The present study aims to explore the clinicopathological significance and prognostic value of both tumor cells and cancer associated fibroblasts (CAFs Cav-1 in GC. METHODS AND RESULTS: Quantum dots immunofluorescence histochemistry was performed to examine the expression of Cav-1 in 20 cases of gastritis without intestinal metaplasia (IM, 20 cases of gastritis with IM and 286 cases of GC. Positive rates of epithelial Cav-1 in gastritis without IM, gastritis with IM and GC showed a decreasing trend (P = 0.012. Low expression of Cav-1 in CAFs but not in tumor cells was an independent predictor of poor prognosis in GC patients (P = 0.034 and 0.005 respectively in disease free survival and overall survival. Cav-1 level in tumor cells and CAFs showed no significant correlation with classic clinicopathological features. CONCLUSIONS: Loss of epithelial Cav-1 may promote malignant progression and low CAFs Cav-1 level herald worse outcome of GC patient, suggesting CAFs Cav-1 may be a candidate therapeutic target and a useful prognostic marker of GC.

  18. Systematic review of outcomes after intersphincteric resection for low rectal cancer.

    LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

    Martin, S T

    2012-05-01

    For a select group of patients proctectomy with intersphincteric resection (ISR) for low rectal cancer may be a viable alternative to abdominoperineal resection, with good oncological outcomes while preserving sphincter function. The purpose of this systematic review was to evaluate the current evidence regarding oncological outcomes, morbidity and mortality, and functional outcomes after ISR for low rectal cancer.

  19. Opioid growth factor improves clinical benefit and survival in patients with advanced pancreatic cancer

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jill P Smith

    2010-03-01

    Full Text Available Jill P Smith1, Sandra I Bingaman1, David T Mauger2, Harold H Harvey1, Laurence M Demers3, Ian S Zagon41Departments of Medicine, 2Public Health Sciences, 3Pathology, and 4Neurosciences and Anatomy, Pennsylvania State University, College of Medicine, Hershey Medical Center, Hershey, PA, USABackground: Advanced pancreatic cancer carries the poorest prognosis of all gastrointestinal malignancies. Once the tumor has spread beyond the margins of the pancreas, chemotherapy is the major treatment modality offered to patients; however, chemotherapy does not significantly improve survival.Objective: Opioid growth factor (OGF; [Met5]-enkephalin is a natural peptide that has been shown to inhibit growth of pancreatic cancer in cell culture and in nude mice. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of OGF biotherapy on subjects with advanced pancreatic cancer who failed chemotherapy.Methods: In a prospective phase II open-labeled clinical trial, 24 subjects who failed standard chemotherapy for advanced pancreatic cancer were treated weekly with OGF 250 μg/kg intravenously. Outcomes measured included clinical benefit, tumor response by radiographic imaging, quality of life, and survival.Results: Clinical benefit response was experienced by 53% of OGF-treated patients compared to historical controls of 23.8% and 4.8% for gemcitabine and 5-fluorouracil (5-FU, respectively. Of the subjects surviving more than eight weeks, 62% showed either a decrease or stabilization in tumor size by computed tomography. The median survival time for OGF-treated patients was three times that of untreated patients (65.5 versus 21 days, p < 0.001. No adverse effects on hematologic or chemistry parameters were noted, and quality of life surveys suggested improvement with OGF. Limitations: Measurements other than survival were not allowed in control patients, and clinical benefit comparisons were made to historical controls.Conclusion: OGF biotherapy improves the

  20. Clinical and biochemical outcomes of men undergoing radical prostatectomy or radiation therapy for localized prostate cancer

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Schreiber, David; Weiss, Jeffrey P.; Safdieh, Joseph; Weiner, Joseph; Rotman, Marvin; Schwartz, David [Veterans Affairs, New York Harbor Healthcare System, Brooklyn (United States); Rineer, Justin [University of Florida Health Cancer Center at Orlando Health, Orlando (United States)

    2015-03-15

    We analyzed outcomes of patients with prostate cancer undergoing either radical retropubic prostatectomy (RRP) +/- salvage radiation or definitive radiation therapy (RT) +/- androgen deprivation. From 2003-2010 there were 251 patients who underwent RRP and 469 patients who received RT (> or =7,560 cGy) for prostate cancer. Kaplan-Meier analysis was performed with the log-rank test to compare biochemical control (bCR), distant metastatic-free survival (DMPFS), and prostate cancer-specific survival (PCSS) between the two groups. The median follow-up was 70 months and 61.3% of the men were African American. For low risk disease the 6-year bCR were 90.3% for RT and 85.6% for RRP (p = 0.23) and the 6-year post-salvage bCR were 90.3% vs. 90.9%, respectively (p = 0.84). For intermediate risk disease the 6-year bCR were 82.6% for RT and 59.7% for RRP (p < 0.001) and 82.6% vs. 74.0%, respectively, after including those salvaged with RT (p = 0.06). For high risk disease, the 6-year bCR were 67.4% for RT and 41.3% for RRP (p < 0.001) and after including those salvaged with RT was 67.4% vs. 43.1%, respectively (p < 0.001). However, there were no significant differences between the two groups in regards to DMPFS or PCSS. Treatment approaches utilizing RRP +/- salvage radiation or RT +/- androgen deprivation yielded equivalent DMPFS and PCSS outcomes. Biochemical control rates, using their respective definitions, appeared equivalent or better in those who received treatment with RT.

  1. Clinical and biochemical outcomes of men undergoing radical prostatectomy or radiation therapy for localized prostate cancer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Schreiber, David; Weiss, Jeffrey P.; Safdieh, Joseph; Weiner, Joseph; Rotman, Marvin; Schwartz, David; Rineer, Justin

    2015-01-01

    We analyzed outcomes of patients with prostate cancer undergoing either radical retropubic prostatectomy (RRP) +/- salvage radiation or definitive radiation therapy (RT) +/- androgen deprivation. From 2003-2010 there were 251 patients who underwent RRP and 469 patients who received RT (> or =7,560 cGy) for prostate cancer. Kaplan-Meier analysis was performed with the log-rank test to compare biochemical control (bCR), distant metastatic-free survival (DMPFS), and prostate cancer-specific survival (PCSS) between the two groups. The median follow-up was 70 months and 61.3% of the men were African American. For low risk disease the 6-year bCR were 90.3% for RT and 85.6% for RRP (p = 0.23) and the 6-year post-salvage bCR were 90.3% vs. 90.9%, respectively (p = 0.84). For intermediate risk disease the 6-year bCR were 82.6% for RT and 59.7% for RRP (p < 0.001) and 82.6% vs. 74.0%, respectively, after including those salvaged with RT (p = 0.06). For high risk disease, the 6-year bCR were 67.4% for RT and 41.3% for RRP (p < 0.001) and after including those salvaged with RT was 67.4% vs. 43.1%, respectively (p < 0.001). However, there were no significant differences between the two groups in regards to DMPFS or PCSS. Treatment approaches utilizing RRP +/- salvage radiation or RT +/- androgen deprivation yielded equivalent DMPFS and PCSS outcomes. Biochemical control rates, using their respective definitions, appeared equivalent or better in those who received treatment with RT.

  2. Clinical effectiveness of decongestive treatments on excess arm volume and patient-centered outcomes in women with early breast cancer-related arm lymphedema: a systematic review

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jeffs, Eunice; Ream, Emma; Taylor, Cath; Bick, Debra

    2018-01-01

    ABSTRACT Objective: To identify the effect of decongestive lymphedema treatment on excess arm volume or patient-centered outcomes in women presenting within either 12 months or a mean nine months of developing arm lymphedema following breast cancer treatment. Introduction: Lymphedema is a common consequence of breast cancer treatment requiring life-long treatment to reduce symptoms and prevent complications. Currently, evidence to inform the optimal decongestive lymphedema treatment package is lacking. Inclusion criteria: The review included studies on women who received lymphedema treatment within either 12 months or a mean of nine months of developing unilateral breast cancer-related arm lymphedema. The intervention was any decongestive lymphedema treatment delivered with the purpose of reducing arm lymphedema, compared to another form of lymphedema treatment (whether self or practitioner-administered), placebo or no treatment. The clinical outcome was excess arm volume; patient-centered outcomes were health-related quality of life, arm heaviness, arm function, patient-perceived benefit and satisfaction with treatment. Experimental study designs were eligible, including randomized and non-randomized controlled trials, quasi-experimental, prospective and retrospective before and after studies were considered. Methods: A three-step search strategy was utilized to find published and unpublished studies. The search identified studies published from the inception of each database to July 6, 2016. Reference lists were scanned to identify further eligible studies. Studies were critically appraised using appropriate standardized critical appraisal instruments from the Joanna Briggs Institute. Details describing each study and treatment results regarding outcomes of interest were extracted from papers included in the review using appropriate standardized data extraction tools from the Joanna Briggs Institute. Due to heterogeneity in included studies, results for similar

  3. The Role of the Insulin/IGF System in Cancer: Lessons Learned from Clinical Trials and the Energy Balance-Cancer Link

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bowers, Laura W.; Rossi, Emily L.; O’Flanagan, Ciara H.; deGraffenried, Linda A.; Hursting, Stephen D.

    2015-01-01

    Numerous epidemiological and pre-clinical studies have demonstrated that the insulin/insulin-like growth factor (IGF) system plays a key role in the development and progression of several types of cancer. Insulin/IGF signaling, in cooperation with chronic low-grade inflammation, is also an important contributor to the cancer-promoting effects of obesity. However, clinical trials for drugs targeting different components of this system have produced largely disappointing results, possibly due to the lack of predictive biomarker use and problems with the design of combination therapy regimens. With careful attention to the identification of likely patient responders and optimal drug combinations, the outcome of future trials may be improved. Given that insulin/IGF signaling is known to contribute to obesity-associated cancer, further investigation regarding the efficacy of drugs targeting this system and its downstream effectors in the obese patient population is warranted. PMID:26029167

  4. A phase I study of combination vaccine treatment of five therapeutic epitope-peptides for metastatic colorectal cancer; safety, immunological response, and clinical outcome.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hazama, Shoichi; Nakamura, Yusuke; Takenouchi, Hiroko; Suzuki, Nobuaki; Tsunedomi, Ryouichi; Inoue, Yuka; Tokuhisa, Yoshihiro; Iizuka, Norio; Yoshino, Shigefumi; Takeda, Kazuyoshi; Shinozaki, Hirokazu; Kamiya, Akira; Furukawa, Hiroyuki; Oka, Masaaki

    2014-03-10

    To evaluate the safety of combination vaccine treatment of multiple peptides, phase I clinical trial was conducted for patients with advanced colorectal cancer using five novel HLA-A*2402-restricted peptides, three peptides derived from oncoantigens, ring finger protein 43 (RNF43), 34 kDa-translocase of the outer mitochondrial membrane (TOMM34), and insulin-like growth factor-II mRNA binding protein 3 (KOC1), and the remaining two from angiogenesis factors, vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 1 (VEGFR1) and VEGFR2. Eighteen HLA- A*2402-positive colorectal cancer patients who had failed to standard therapy were enrolled in this study. 0.5 mg, 1.0 mg or 3.0 mg each of the peptides was mixed with incomplete Freund's adjuvant and then subcutaneously injected at five separated sites once a week. We also examined possible effect of a single site injection of "the cocktail of 5 peptides" on the immunological responses. ELISPOT assay was performed before and after vaccinations in the schedule of every 4 weeks. The vaccine treatment using multiple peptides was well tolerated without any severe treatment-associated systemic adverse events. Dose-dependent induction of peptide-specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes was observed. The single injection of "peptides cocktail" did not diminish the immunological responses. Regarding the clinical outcome, one patient achieved complete response and 6 patients revealed stable disease for 4 to 7 months. The median overall survival time (MST) was 13.5 months. Patients, in which we detected induction of cytotoxic T lymphocytes specific to 3 or more peptides, revealed significantly better prognosis (MST; 27.8 months) than those with poorer immune responses (MST; 3.7 months) (p = 0.032). Our cancer vaccine treatment using multiple peptides is a promising approach for advanced colorectal cancer with the minimum risk of systemic adverse reactions. UMIN-CTR number UMIN000004948.

  5. Lung cancer in connective tissue disease-associated interstitial lung disease: clinical features and impact on outcomes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Watanabe, Satoshi; Saeki, Keigo; Waseda, Yuko; Murata, Akari; Takato, Hazuki; Ichikawa, Yukari; Yasui, Masahide; Kimura, Hideharu; Hamaguchi, Yasuhito; Matsushita, Takashi; Yamada, Kazunori; Kawano, Mitsuhiro; Furuichi, Kengo; Wada, Takashi; Kasahara, Kazuo

    2018-02-01

    Lung cancer (LC) adversely impacts survival in patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. However, little is known about LC in patients with connective tissue disease-associated interstitial lung disease (CTD-ILD). The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of and risk factors for LC in CTD-ILD, and the clinical characteristics and survival of CTD-ILD patients with LC. We conducted a single-center, retrospective review of patients with CTD-ILD from 2003 to 2016. Patients with pathologically diagnosed LC were identified. The prevalence, risk factors, and clinical features of LC and the impact of LC on CTD-ILD patient outcomes were observed. Of 266 patients with CTD-ILD, 24 (9.0%) had LC. CTD-ILD with LC was more likely in patients who were older, male, and smokers; had rheumatoid arthritis, a usual interstitial pneumonia pattern, emphysema on chest computed tomography scan, and lower diffusing capacity of the lung carbon monoxide (DLco)% predicted; and were not receiving immunosuppressive therapy. Multivariate analysis indicated that the presence of emphysema [odds ratio (OR), 8.473; 95% confidence interval (CI), 2.241-32.033] and nonuse of immunosuppressive therapy (OR, 8.111; 95% CI, 2.457-26.775) were independent risk factors for LC. CTD-ILD patients with LC had significantly worse survival than patients without LC (10-year survival rate: 28.5% vs. 81.8%, P<0.001). LC is associated with the presence of emphysema and nonuse of immunosuppressive therapy, and contributes to increased mortality in patients with CTD-ILD.

  6. Mapping clinical outcomes expectations to treatment decisions: an application to vestibular schwannoma management.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cheung, Steven W; Aranda, Derick; Driscoll, Colin L W; Parsa, Andrew T

    2010-02-01

    Complex medical decision making obligates tradeoff assessments among treatment outcomes expectations, but an accessible tool to perform the necessary analysis is conspicuously absent. We aimed to demonstrate methodology and feasibility of adapting conjoint analysis for mapping clinical outcomes expectations to treatment decisions in vestibular schwannoma (VS) management. Prospective. Tertiary medical center and US-based otologists/neurotologists. Treatment preference profiles among VS stakeholders-61 younger and 74 older prospective patients, 61 observation patients, and 60 surgeons-were assessed for the synthetic VS case scenario of a 10-mm tumor in association with useful hearing and normal facial function. Treatment attribute utility. Conjoint analysis attribute levels were set in accordance to the results of a meta-analysis. Forty-five case series were disaggregated to formulate microsurgery facial nerve and hearing preservation outcomes expectations models. Attribute utilities were computed and mapped to the realistic treatment choices of translabyrinthine craniotomy, middle fossa craniotomy, and gamma knife radiosurgery. Among the treatment attributes of likelihoods of causing deafness, temporary facial weakness for 2 months, and incurable cancer within 20 years, and recovery time, permanent deafness was less important to tumor surgeons, and temporary facial weakness was more important to tumor surgeons and observation patients (Wilcoxon rank-sum, p knife radiosurgery. Mapping clinical outcomes expectations to treatment decisions for a synthetic clinical scenario revealed inhomogeneous drivers of choice selection among study cohorts. Medical decision engines that analyze personal preferences of outcomes expectations for VS and many other diseases may be developed to promote shared decision making among health care stakeholders and transparency in the informed consent process.

  7. Korean Clinic Based Outcome Measure Studies

    OpenAIRE

    Jongbae Park

    2003-01-01

    Background: Evidence based medicine has become main tools for medical practice. However, conducting a highly ranked in the evidence hierarchy pyramid is not easy or feasible at all times and places. There remains a room for descriptive clinical outcome measure studies with admitting the limit of the intepretation. Aims: Presents three Korean clinic based outcome measure studies with a view to encouraging Korean clinicians to conduct similar studies. Methods: Three studies are presented...

  8. Preoperative cancer cachexia and short-term outcomes following surgery.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mason, Meredith C; Garcia, Jose M; Sansgiry, Shubhada; Walder, Annette; Berger, David H; Anaya, Daniel A

    2016-10-01

    Cancer cachexia is an important measure of physiologic reserve associated with worse survival and represents an actionable factor for the cancer population. However, the incidence of cachexia in surgical cancer patients and its impact on postoperative outcomes are currently unknown. A prospective cohort study enrolling patients having elective cancer surgery (2012-2014) at a Veterans Affairs tertiary referral center. Preoperative cancer cachexia (weight loss ≥5% over 6-mo period before surgery) was the predictor of interest. The primary outcome was 60-d postoperative complications (VA Surgical Quality Improvement Program). Patients were grouped by body mass index (BMI) category (cachexia and BMI was tested for the primary outcome. Multivariate logistic regression was used to examine the association between preoperative cachexia and postoperative complications. Of 253 patients, 16.6% had preoperative cachexia, and 51.8% developed ≥ 1 postoperative complications. Complications were more common in cachectic patients (64.3% versus 49.3%, P = 0.07). This association varied by BMI category, and interaction analysis was significant for those with normal or underweight BMI (BMI cachexia was associated with higher odds of postoperative complications (odds ratios, 5.08 [95% confidence intervals, 1.18-21.88]; P = 0.029). Additional predictors of complications included major surgery (3.19 [1.24-8.21], P = 0.01), ostomy (4.43 [1.68-11.72], P = 0.003), and poor baseline performance status (2.31 [1.05-5.08], P = 0.03). Cancer cachexia is common in surgical patients, and is an important predictor of postoperative complications, though its effect varies by BMI. As a modifiable predictor of worse outcomes, future studies should examine the role of cachexia treatment before cancer surgery. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  9. Rhabdomyosarcoma treatment and outcome at a multidisciplinary pediatric cancer center in Lebanon.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Salman, Maysaa; Tamim, Hani; Medlej, Fouad; El-Ariss, Tarek; Saad, Fatima; Boulos, Fouad; Eid, Toufic; Muwakkit, Samar; Khoury, Nabil; Abboud, Miguel; Saab, Raya

    2012-05-01

    Rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) is the most common soft tissue sarcoma in children. Outcome of patients treated on standard protocols, in a multidisciplinary cancer center setting outside of clinical trials, is not well reported. We reviewed characteristics and outcome of 23 pediatric patients treated at a single, multidisciplinary cancer center in Lebanon, between April 2002 and December 2010. Median follow-up was 41 months. The most commonly affected primary site was the head and neck (48%, n = 11). Nineteen tumors (82.6%) were of embryonal histology. Tumor size was ≥5 cm in eight (34.8%) patients. Sixteen patients (69.6%) had localized disease, and one (4.4%) had metastatic disease. Fifteen (65.2%) had Group III tumors. All patients received chemotherapy, for a duration ranging 21-51 weeks. Upfront surgical resection was performed in 10 patients (43.5%). Eighteen patients (78.3%) received radiation therapy. The 5-year overall and disease-free survival rates were 83% and 64%, respectively. Relapse correlated with absence of surgery. Treatment of childhood RMS in a multidisciplinary cancer center in Lebanon results in similar survival to that in developed countries when similar protocols are applied. There was a higher incidence of local relapse, but those were salvageable with further therapy and surgical local control.

  10. Redefining Perineural Invasion: Integration of Biology With Clinical Outcome.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schmitd, Ligia B; Beesley, Lauren J; Russo, Nickole; Bellile, Emily L; Inglehart, Ronald C; Liu, Min; Romanowicz, Genevieve; Wolf, Gregory T; Taylor, Jeremy M G; D'Silva, Nisha J

    2018-05-22

    A diagnosis of perineural invasion (PNI), defined as cancer within or surrounding at least 33% of the nerve, leads to selection of aggressive treatment in squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). Recent mechanistic studies show that cancer and nerves interact prior to physical contact. The purpose of this study was to explore cancer-nerve interactions relative to clinical outcome. Biopsy specimens from 71 patients with oral cavity SCC were stained with hematoxylin and eosin and immunohistochemical (IHC; cytokeratin, S100, GAP43, Tuj1) stains. Using current criteria, PNI detection was increased with IHC. Overall survival (OS) tended to be poor for patients with PNI (P = .098). OS was significantly lower for patients with minimum tumor-nerve distance smaller than 5 μm (P = .011). The estimated relative death rate decreased as the nerve-tumor distance increased; there was a gradual drop off in death rate from distance equal to zero that stabilized around 500 μm. In PNI-negative patients, nerve diameter was significantly related to OS (HR 2.88, 95%CI[1.11,7.49]). Among PNI-negative nerves, larger nerve-tumor distance and smaller nerve diameter were significantly related to better OS, even when adjusting for T-stage and age (HR 0.82, 95% CI[0.72,0.92]; HR 1.27, 95% CI[1.00,1.62], respectively). GAP43, a marker for neuronal outgrowth, stained less than Tuj1 in nerves at greater distances from tumor (OR 0.76, 95% CI[0.73,0.79]); more GAP43 staining was associated with PNI. Findings from a small group of patients suggest that nerve parameters other than presence of PNI can influence outcome and that current criteria of PNI need to be re-evaluated to integrate recent biological discoveries. Copyright © 2018 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  11. Orbital invasion routes of non-melanoma skin cancers and survival outcomes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dundar, Yusuf; Cannon, Richard; Wiggins, Richard; Monroe, Marcus M; Buchmann, Luke O; Hunt, Jason P

    2018-02-21

    Overall non-melanoma head and neck skin cancer has a good prognosis; however, rarely patients have an aggressive variant which results in orbital invasion via perineural spread or direct extension. Despite these consequences, there are limited published studies defining this clinical entity. The main objectives of the current study are to describe orbital invasion patterns of non-melanoma head and neck skin cancers and their impact on survival. Retrospective case series from a tertiary-care, academic institution performed between 2004 and 2014. Demographic and tumour characteristics are reported as well as patterns of orbital invasion, types of treatments received, and survival outcomes. There were 17 consecutive patients with non-melanoma skin cancer and orbital invasion who met inclusion criteria. Average age at orbital invasion diagnosis was 70.8 years old. 76% were male. Mean follow-up time was 28.5 months. Of these patients, 71% had squamous cell carcinoma and 29% had basal cell carcinoma. Brow (41%) was the most common primary sub-site followed by cheek (23%) and temple (12%). 76% of patients had a history of prior treatment. The lateral orbital wall (41%) was the most common site of invasion, followed by the medial orbital wall (29%) and antero-superior invasion (23%). Age, histology, and location of orbital invasion were associated with disease-specific and overall survival. Orbital invasion for non-melanoma head and neck skin cancers creates a treatment dilemma and the patterns of invasion are described. In addition, the location of orbital invasion is associated with survival outcomes.

  12. Deregulated expression of connective tissue growth factor (CTGF/CCN2) is linked to poor outcome in human cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wells, Julia E; Howlett, Meegan; Cole, Catherine H; Kees, Ursula R

    2015-08-01

    Connective tissue growth factor (CTGF/CCN2) has long been associated with human cancers. The role it plays in these neoplasms is diverse and tumour specific. Recurring patterns in clinical outcome, histological desmoplasia and mechanisms of action have been found. When CTGF is overexpressed compared to low-expressing normal tissue or is underexpressed compared to high-expressing normal tissue, the functional outcome favours tumour survival and disease progression. CTGF acts by altering proliferation, drug resistance, angiogenesis, adhesion and migration contributing to metastasis. The pattern of CTGF expression and tumour response helps to clarify the role of this matricellular protein across a multitude of human cancers. © 2014 UICC.

  13. Stereotactic radiotherapy with real-time tumor tracking for non-small cell lung cancer: Clinical outcome

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Voort van Zyp, Noelle C. van der; Prevost, Jean-Briac; Hoogeman, Mischa S.; Praag, John; Holt, Bronno van der; Levendag, Peter C.; Klaveren, Robertus J. van; Pattynama, Peter; Nuyttens, Joost J.

    2009-01-01

    Purpose: To report the clinical outcome of treatment using real-time tumor tracking for 70 patients with inoperable stage I non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Materials and methods: Seventy inoperable patients with peripherally located early-stage NSCLC were treated with 45 or 60 Gy in three fractions using CyberKnife. Pathology was available in 51% of patients. Thirty-nine patients had a T1-tumor and 31 had a T2-tumor. Markers were placed using the vascular, percutaneous intra-, or extra-pulmonary approach, depending on the risk of pneumothorax. Results: The actuarial 2-year local control rate for patients treated with 60 Gy was 96%, compared to 78% for patients treated with a total dose of 45 Gy (p = 0.197). All local recurrences (n = 4) occurred in patients with T2-tumors. Overall survival for the whole group at two years was 62% and the cause specific survival was 85%. The median follow-up was 15 months. Grade 3 toxicity occurred in two patients (3%) after marker placement. Treatment-related late grade 3 toxicity occurred in 7 patients (10%). No grade ≥4 toxicity occurred. Conclusion: Excellent local control of 96% at 1- and 2-years was achieved using 60 Gy in three fractions for NSCLC patients treated with the real-time tumor tracking. Toxicity was low.

  14. Changing clinical presentation of angiosarcomas after breast cancer: from late tumors in edematous arms to earlier tumors on the thoracic wall

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Styring, Emelie; Fernebro, Josefin; Jönsson, Per-Ebbe

    2010-01-01

    Angiosarcoma is a rare complication of breast cancer treatment. In order to define predictors, clinical presentation, and outcome, we characterized a population-based 50-year cohort of angiosarcomas after breast cancer. Clinical data were collected from all females with previous breast cancer who...... 7.3 years. The clinical presentations were heterogeneous and included hematoma-like lesions, multiple bluish-reddish nodules, and asymptomatic lumps. The overall 5-year survival was 16%. In this population-based cohort, the early angiosarcomas developed in edematous arms after radical mastectomies......, whereas more recent cases occurred after a shorter time period in the irradiated fields following breast conserving surgery. We conclude that the clinical presentation of angiosarcomas has changed, parallel with altered treatment principles for breast cancer....

  15. High SRPX2 protein expression predicts unfavorable clinical outcome in patients with prostate cancer

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Meng; Li, Xiaoli; Fan, Zhirui; Zhao, Jing; Liu, Shuzheng; Zhang, Mingzhi; Li, Huixiang; Goscinski, Mariusz Adam; Fan, Huijie; Suo, Zhenhe

    2018-01-01

    Background Sushi repeat-containing protein X-linked 2 (SRPX2) is overexpressed in a variety of different tumor tissues and correlated with poor prognosis in patients. Little research focuses on the role of SRPX2 expression in prostate cancer (PCa), and the clinicopathological significance of the protein expression in this tumor is relatively unknown. However, our previous transcriptome data from those cancer stem-like cells indicated the role of SRPX2 in PCa. Materials and methods In this study, RT-PCR and Western blotting were firstly used to examine the SRPX2 expression in three PCa cell lines including LNCaP, DU145, and PC3, and then SRPX2 protein expression was immunohistochemically investigated and statistically analyzed in a series of 106 paraffin-embedded PCa tissue specimens. Results Significantly lower levels of SRPX2 expression were verified in the LNCaP cells, compared with the expression in the aggressive DU145 and PC3 cells, in both mRNA and protein levels. Immunohistochemically, there were variable SRPX2 protein expressions in the clinical samples. Moreover, high levels of SRPX2 expression in the PCa tissues were significantly associated with Gleason score (P=0.008), lymph node metastasis (P=0.009), and distant metastasis (P=0.021). Furthermore, higher levels of SRPX2 expression in the PCa tissues were significantly associated with shorter overall survival (OS) (P<0.001). Conclusion Our results demonstrate that SRPX2 is highly expressed in aggressive PCa cells in vitro, and its protein expression in PCa is significantly associated with malignant clinical features and shorter OS, strongly indicating its prognostic value in prostate cancers. PMID:29881288

  16. When fear of cancer recurrence becomes a clinical issue: a qualitative analysis of features associated with clinical fear of cancer recurrence.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mutsaers, Brittany; Jones, Georden; Rutkowski, Nicole; Tomei, Christina; Séguin Leclair, Caroline; Petricone-Westwood, Danielle; Simard, Sébastien; Lebel, Sophie

    2016-10-01

    Fear of cancer recurrence (FCR) is a common experience for cancer survivors. However, it remains unclear what characteristics differentiate non-clinical from clinical levels of FCR. The goal of this study was to investigate the potential hallmarks of clinical FCR. A convenience sample of 40 participants (n = 19 female) was drawn from another study (Lebel et al. in Qual Life Res 25:311-321. doi: 10.1007/s11136-015-1088-2 , 2016). The semi-structured interview for fear of cancer recurrence (Simard and Savard in J Cancer Surviv 9:481-491. doi: 10.1007/s11764-015-0424-4 , 2015) was used to identify participants with non-clinical and clinical FCR and qualitative analysis of these interviews was performed. Individuals with clinical FCR reported the following features: death-related thoughts, feeling alone, belief that the cancer would return, experiencing intolerance of uncertainty, having cancer-related thoughts and imagery that were difficult to control, daily and recurrent, lasted 30 minutes or more, increased over time, caused distress and impacted their daily life. Triggers of FCR and coping strategies did not appear to be features of clinical FCR as they were reported by participants with a range of FCR scores. While features of clinical FCR found in this analysis such as intrusive thoughts, distress and impact on functioning confirmed previous FCR research, other features spontaneously emerged from the interviews including "death-related thoughts," "feeling alone," and "belief that the cancer will return." The participants' descriptions of cancer-specific fear and worry suggest that FCR is a distinct phenomenon related to cancer survivorship, despite similarities with psychological disorders (e.g., Anxiety Disorders). Future research investigating the construct of FCR, and the distinguishing features of clinical FCR across a range of cancer types and gender is required.

  17. Psychosocial outcomes and counselee satisfaction following genetic counseling for hereditary breast and ovarian cancer: A patient-reported outcome study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Oberguggenberger, Anne; Sztankay, Monika; Morscher, Raphael Johannes; Sperner-Unterweger, Barbara; Weber, Ingrid; Hubalek, Michael; Kemmler, Georg; Zschocke, Johannes; Martini, Caroline; Egle, Daniel; Dünser, Martina; Gamper, Eva; Meraner, Verena

    2016-10-01

    We investigated the psychosocial consequences of genetic counseling and testing (GCT) for hereditary breast and ovarian cancer (HBOC) at follow-up in a "real-life" sample of counselees at an Austrian tertiary care center. The study cohort included counselees who had undergone genetic counseling for HBOC and completed a follow-up self-report questionnaire battery on psychosocial outcomes (quality of life, psychological distress, satisfaction with counseling and decisions). For comparison of distress, we recruited a reference sample of breast cancer survivors (BCS; n=665) who had not requested GCT in the same setting. Overall, counselees did not exhibit increased levels of anxiety and depression when compared to BCS. No specific follow-up deleterious psychosocial consequences were detected among the former group. Of the 137 counselees, 22.6% and 9.8% experienced clinically relevant levels of anxiety and depression, respectively, at an average follow-up time of 1.8years. However, both anxiety and depression significantly decreased with time and were alike between counselees with and without cancer diagnosis. Follow-up cancer worry seems to be significantly higher among counselees who had not undergone genetic testing or were undecided about it than among counselees who had been tested. Our results strongly support GCT as part of routine care for patients with HBOC. The risk factors of increased distress in specific subgroups of counselees, such as recent cancer diagnosis or uncertainty about testing, warrant further exploration and specific attention in clinical routines. Particularly, the psychological needs of undecided counselees warrant ongoing attention and potential follow-ups. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  18. Extramammary Paget disease: review of patients seen in a non-melanoma skin cancer clinic.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pang, J; Assaad, D; Breen, D; Fialkov, J; Antonyshyn, O; Balogh, J; Tsao, M; Kamra, J; Czarnota, G; Barnes, E A

    2010-10-01

    Extramammary Paget disease (EMPD) is a rare skin disease commonly found in the anogenital region. In this study, we aimed to identify EMPD patients seen in the non-melanoma skin cancer clinic at Odette Cancer Centre and to describe the treatments delivered and outcomes achieved. From 2000 to 2009, 14 patients were seen. Initial treatment recommendations included imiquimod and surgical excision, although half the patients required more than one treatment modality, highlighting the difficulty of achieving complete eradication of this disease.

  19. The relationship between baseline nutritional status with subsequent parenteral nutrition and clinical outcomes in cancer patients undergoing hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vashi, Pankaj G; Gupta, Digant; Lammersfeld, Carolyn A; Braun, Donald P; Popiel, Brenten; Misra, Subhasis; Brown, Komen C

    2013-08-14

    The combination of cytoreductive surgery (CRS) and hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) is a promising treatment option for selected patients with peritoneal carcinomatosis. This retrospective study investigated the relationship between baseline nutritional assessment with subsequent parenteral nutritional (PN) and clinical outcomes in cancer patients undergoing CRS and HIPEC. A consecutive series of 60 patients undergoing CRS and HIPEC at our institution between January 2009 and May 2011. Subjective Global Assessment (SGA) was used to assess nutritional status. Patients were classified preoperatively as: well nourished (SGA-A), mildly-moderately malnourished (SGA-B), and severely malnourished (SGA-C). For PN, patients were divided into 2 groups: those who received PN (PN+) and those who did not receive PN (PN-). The primary outcomes of interest were length of stay (LOS), postoperative complications, ECOG performance status (PS) and survival. LOS was calculated as the number of days in the hospital post surgery. Performance status was measured on a scale of 0-4. Survival was calculated from the date of first visit to the date of death/last contact. Of 60 patients, 19 were males and 41 females. The mean age at presentation was 50.3 years. The most common cancer types were colorectal (n = 24) and gynecologic (n = 19) with the majority of patients (n = 47) treated previously before coming to our institution. 33 patients were SGA-A, 22 SGA-B and 5 SGA-C prior to surgery. Of a total of 60 patients, 31 received PN. Mean LOS for the entire cohort was 16.2 days (SD = 9.8). Mean LOS for preoperative SGA-A, SGA-B and SGA-C were 15.0, 15.2 and 27.8 days respectively (ANOVA p = 0.02). Overall incidence of complications was 26.7% (16/60). Complications were recorded in 9 of 33 (27.3%) preoperative SGA-A patients and 7 of 27 (25.9%) SGA-B + C patients (p = 0.91). The median overall survival was 17.5 months (95% CI = 13.0 to 22

  20. Outcomes of colon resection in patients with metastatic colon cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Moghadamyeghaneh, Zhobin; Hanna, Mark H; Hwang, Grace; Mills, Steven; Pigazzi, Alessio; Stamos, Michael J; Carmichael, Joseph C

    2016-08-01

    Patients with advanced colorectal cancer have a high incidence of postoperative complications. We sought to identify outcomes of patients who underwent resection for colon cancer by cancer stage. The National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database was used to evaluate all patients who underwent colon resection with a diagnosis of colon cancer from 2012 to 2014. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to investigate patient outcomes by cancer stage. A total of 7,786 colon cancer patients who underwent colon resection were identified. Of these, 10.8% had metastasis at the time of operation. Patients with metastatic disease had significantly increased risks of perioperative morbidity (adjusted odds ratio [AOR]: 1.44, P = .01) and mortality (AOR: 3.72, P = .01). Patients with metastatic disease were significantly younger (AOR: .99, P colon cancer have metastatic disease. Postoperative morbidity and mortality are significantly higher than in patients with localized disease. Published by Elsevier Inc.

  1. Clinical outcomes and survival surrogacy studies of prostate-specific antigen declines following enzalutamide in men with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer previously treated with docetaxel.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Armstrong, Andrew J; Saad, Fred; Phung, De; Dmuchowski, Carl; Shore, Neal D; Fizazi, Karim; Hirmand, Mohammad; Forer, David; Scher, Howard I; Bono, Johann De

    2017-06-15

    In the AFFIRM trial, enzalutamide significantly increased overall survival (OS) for men with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) after chemotherapy versus placebo and significantly decreased prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels. The goal of this post hoc analysis was to associate levels of PSA decline from baseline after enzalutamide with clinical outcomes in the postchemotherapy mCRPC setting. Men in the AFFIRM trial (n = 1199) were grouped by maximal PSA decline in the first 90 days of treatment. Kaplan-Meier estimates evaluated the association of defined PSA changes from baseline with OS, progression-free survival (PFS), radiographic PFS (rPFS), and pain response. Each PSA decline category was assessed for OS surrogacy using Prentice criteria, proportion of treatment effect explained (PTE), and proportion of variation explained. Men treated with enzalutamide had improved OS (hazard ratio, 0.63; P 19.0; P .20). PSA declines of any, ≥30%, and ≥50% following enzalutamide were associated with greater clinical and pain response and improvements in PFS and OS. Surrogacy of PSA decline for OS was not fully established, possibly due to lack of PSA declines with placebo, and discordant results between PSA and imaging responses over time, and because some declines were not durable due to rapid resistance development. However, a lack of PSA decline by 90 days following enzalutamide treatment was a poor prognosis indicator in this setting. Conclusions from sensitivity analyses of maximal PSA decline from baseline over the entire treatment period are consistent with PSA declines restricted to the first 90 days. Cancer 2017;123:2303-2311. © 2017 American Cancer Society. © 2017 The Authors. Cancer published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of American Cancer Society.

  2. The Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program, Medicaid, and breast cancer outcomes among Ohio's underserved women.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Koroukian, Siran M; Bakaki, Paul M; Htoo, Phyo Than; Han, Xiaozhen; Schluchter, Mark; Owusu, Cynthia; Cooper, Gregory S; Rose, Johnie; Flocke, Susan A

    2017-08-15

    As an organized screening program, the national Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program (BCCEDP) was launched in the early 1990s to improve breast cancer outcomes among underserved women. To analyze the impact of the BCCEDP on breast cancer outcomes in Ohio, this study compared cancer stages and mortality across BCCEDP participants, Medicaid beneficiaries, and "all others." This study linked data across the Ohio Cancer Incidence Surveillance System, Medicaid, the BCCEDP database, death certificates, and the US Census and identified 26,426 women aged 40 to 64 years who had been diagnosed with incident invasive breast cancer during the years 2002-2008 (deaths through 2010). The study groups were as follows: BCCEDP participants (1-time or repeat users), Medicaid beneficiaries (women enrolled in Medicaid before their cancer diagnosis [Medicaid/prediagnosis] or around the time of their cancer diagnosis [Medicaid/peridiagnosis]), and all others (women identified as neither BCCEDP participants nor Medicaid beneficiaries). The outcomes included advanced-stage cancer at diagnosis and mortality. A multivariable logistic and survival analysis was conducted to examine the independent association between the BCCEDP and Medicaid status and the outcomes. The percentage of women presenting with advanced-stage disease was highest among women in the Medicaid/peridiagnosis group (63.4%) and lowest among BCCEDP repeat users (38.6%). With adjustments for potential confounders and even in comparison with Medicaid/prediagnosis beneficiaries, those in the Medicaid/peridiagnosis group were twice as likely to be diagnosed with advanced-stage disease (adjusted odds ratio, 2.20; 95% confidence interval, 1.83-2.66). Medicaid/peridiagnosis women are at particularly high risk to be diagnosed with advanced-stage disease. Efforts to reduce breast cancer disparities must target this group of women before they present to Medicaid. Cancer 2017;123:3097-106. © 2017 American Cancer Society

  3. Lung cancer care trajectory at a Canadian centre: an evaluation of how wait times affect clinical outcomes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kasymjanova, G; Small, D; Cohen, V; Jagoe, R T; Batist, G; Sateren, W; Ernst, P; Pepe, C; Sakr, L; Agulnik, J

    2017-10-01

    Lung cancer continues to be one of the most common cancers in Canada, with approximately 28,400 new cases diagnosed each year. Although timely care can contribute substantially to quality of life for patients, it remains unclear whether it also improves patient outcomes. In this work, we used a set of quality indicators that aim to describe the quality of care in lung cancer patients. We assessed adherence with existing guidelines for timeliness of lung cancer care and concordance with existing standards of treatment, and we examined the association between timeliness of care and lung cancer survival. Patients with lung cancer diagnosed between 2010 and 2015 were identified from the Pulmonary Division Lung Cancer Registry at our centre. We demonstrated that the interdisciplinary pulmonary oncology service successfully treated most of its patients within the recommended wait times. However, there is still work to be done to decrease variation in wait time. Our results demonstrate a significant association between wait time and survival, supporting the need for clinicians to optimize the patient care trajectory. It would be helpful for Canadian clinicians treating patients with lung cancer to have wait time guidelines for all treatment modalities, together with standard definitions for all time intervals. Any reductions in wait times should be balanced against the need for thorough investigation before initiating treatment. We believe that our unique model of care leads to an acceleration of diagnostic steps. Avoiding any delay associated with referral to a medical oncologist for treatment could be an acceptable strategy with respect to reducing wait time.

  4. Proton therapy of cancer: Potential clinical advantages and cost-effectiveness

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lundkvist, Jonas; Ekman, Mattias; Rehn Ericsson, Suzanne; Glimelius, Bengt; Akademiska sjukhuset, Uppsala

    2005-01-01

    Proton therapy may offer potential clinical advantages compared with conventional radiation therapy for many cancer patients. Due to the large investment costs for building a proton therapy facility, however, the treatment cost with proton radiation is higher than with conventional radiation. It is therefore important to evaluate whether the medical benefits of proton therapy are large enough to motivate the higher costs. We assessed the cost-effectiveness of proton therapy in the treatment of four different cancers: left-sided breast cancer, prostate cancer, head and neck cancer, and childhood medulloblastoma. A Markov cohort simulation model was created for each cancer type and used to simulate the life of patients treated with radiation. Cost and quality adjusted life years (QALYs) were used as primary outcome measures. The results indicated that proton therapy was cost-effective if appropriate risk groups were chosen. The average cost per QALY gained for the four types of cancer assessed was about Euro 10,130. If the value of a QALY was set to Euro 55,000, the total yearly net benefit of treating 925 cancer patients with the four types of cancer was about Euro 20.8 million. Investment in a proton facility may thus be cost-effective. The results must be interpreted with caution, since there is a lack of data, and consequently large uncertainties in the assumptions used

  5. Clinical survey of prostate cancer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Takada, Tsuyoshi; Hatano, Koji; Satoh, Mototaka; Tsujimoto, Yuichi; Honda, Masahito; Matsumiya, Kiyomi; Fujioka, Hideki

    2007-01-01

    Treatment trends and outcomes for prostate cancer in our hospital were reported. A total of 482 patients with prostate cancer treated in our hospital between January, 1990 and December, 2004. The age distribution was from 51 to 99 years-old, with the mean age of 72.9 years-old at onset. The number of prostate cancer patients, especially asymptomatic patients with prostatic specific antigen (PSA) elevation, have increased recently. As for the clinical stage, 92 cases (19.1%), 238 cases (49.4%), 48 cases (10.0%) and 104 cases (21.6%) were stage A, B, C and D, respectively. 425 cases (88.2%) received some form of endocrine therapy. Retropubic prostatectomy or external beam radiation therapy was performed in 77 and 57 cases, respectively all cases. The cause-specific 5-year survival rate of the 482 cases was 79.7%, comprising 100% for stage A1, 96.8% for stage A2, 89.4% for stage B, 79.9% for stage C and 42.9% for stage D. The cause-specific 5-year survival was significantly better in the latter patients (1997-2004) than the former patients (1990-1996) in stage C (p=0.0226), D (p=0.0448). In stage C patients, the retropubic prostatectomy (with endocrine therapy) group, increased in the latter period and showed longer cause-specific 5-year survival than the endocrine therapy group (p=0.0027). In stage D2 patients, chemo-endocrine therapy with etoposide (VP-16), adriamycin (ADM) and cisplatin (CDDP) refractory and cause-specific 5-year survival was longer than endocrine therapy alone (p=0.0467, P=0.0381). Our results suggest that retropubic prostatectomy with endocrine therapy and chemo-endocrine therapy are useful for stage C and D prostate cancer patients, respectively. (author)

  6. Cancer clinical trials

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Scheurlen, A.; Kay, R.; Baum, M.

    1988-01-01

    This book contains the proceedings on Cancer clinical trials: A critical appraisal. Topics covered include: Scientific fundamentals; Heterogeneous treatment effects; On combining information: Historical controls, overviews, and comprehensive cohort studies; and assessment of quality of life

  7. Real-world usage and clinical outcomes of alectinib among post-crizotinib progression anaplastic lymphoma kinase positive non-small-cell lung cancer patients in the USA

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    DiBonaventura MD

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available Marco D DiBonaventura,1 William Wong,2 Bijal Shah-Manek,3,4 Mathias Schulz2 1Ipsos Healthcare, Global Evidence, Value & Access, New York, NY, 2Genentech, US Medical Affairs, San Francisco, CA, 3Ipsos Healthcare, Global Evidence, Value & Access, San Francisco, CA, 4College of Pharmacy, Touro University California, CA, USA Background: Alectinib is an approved treatment for anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK-positive patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer. Despite positive supporting clinical data, there is a lack of real-world information on the usage and patient outcomes of those treated with alectinib post-crizotinib progression. Methods: Participating oncologists (N=95 in the USA were recruited from an online physician panel to participate in a retrospective patient chart review. Physicians randomly selected eligible patients (ie, patients who progressed on crizotinib as their first ALK inhibitor and were treated with alectinib as their second ALK inhibitor, collected demographics and clinical history from their medical charts, and entered the data into an online data collection form. Results: A total of N=207 patient charts were included (age: 60.1±10.4 years; 53.6% male. The patients in our sample were older (median age of 60 vs 53 years, were more likely to be current smokers (12% vs 1%, had better performance status (45% vs 33% had an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group [ECOG] of 0, and were less likely to have an adenocarcinoma histology (83% vs 96% relative to published clinical trials. The objective response rate was higher than in clinical trials (67.1% vs 51.3%, respectively as was the disease control rate (89.9% vs 78.8%, respectively, though it varied by race/ethnicity, ECOG, and prior treatment history. Discontinuation (0.0% and dose reductions (3.4% due to adverse events were uncommon in alectinib.Conclusion: Patients using alectinib post-crizotinib in clinical practice are older, more racially/ethnically and histologically

  8. T cell subpopulations in lymph nodes may not be predictive of patient outcome in colorectal cancer

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yoon Han-Seung

    2011-08-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background The immune response has been proposed to be an important factor in determining patient outcome in colorectal cancer (CRC. Previous studies have concentrated on characterizing T cell populations in the primary tumour where T cells with regulatory effect (Foxp3+ Tregs have been identified as both enhancing and diminishing anti-tumour immune responses. No previous studies have characterized the T cell response in the regional lymph nodes in CRC. Methods Immunohistochemistry was used to analyse CD4, CD8 or Foxp3+ T cell populations in the regional lymph nodes of patients with stage II CRC (n = 31, with (n = 13 or without (n = 18 cancer recurrence after 5 years of follow up, to determine if the priming environment for anti-tumour immunity was associated with clinical outcome. Results The proportions of CD4, CD8 or Foxp3+ cells in the lymph nodes varied widely between and within patients, and there was no association between T cell populations and cancer recurrence or other clinicopathological characteristics. Conclusions These data indicate that frequency of these T cell subsets in lymph nodes may not be a useful tool for predicting patient outcome.

  9. Comparison of clinical outcomes between luminal invasive ductal carcinoma and luminal invasive lobular carcinoma.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Adachi, Yayoi; Ishiguro, Junko; Kotani, Haruru; Hisada, Tomoka; Ichikawa, Mari; Gondo, Naomi; Yoshimura, Akiyo; Kondo, Naoto; Hattori, Masaya; Sawaki, Masataka; Fujita, Takashi; Kikumori, Toyone; Yatabe, Yasushi; Kodera, Yasuhiro; Iwata, Hiroji

    2016-03-25

    The pathological and clinical features of invasive lobular carcinoma (ILC) differ from those of invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC). Several studies have indicated that patients with ILC have a better prognosis than those with ductal carcinoma. However, no previous study has considered the molecular subtypes and histological subtypes of ILC. We compared prognosis between IDC and classical, luminal type ILC and developed prognostic factors for early breast cancer patients with classical luminal ILC. Four thousand one hundred ten breast cancer patients were treated at the Aichi Cancer Center Hospital from 2003 to 2012. We identified 1,661 cases with luminal IDC and 105 cases with luminal classical ILC. We examined baseline characteristics, clinical outcomes, and prognostic factors of luminal ILC. The prognosis of luminal ILC was significantly worse than that of luminal IDC. The rates of 5-year disease free survival (DFS) were 91.9% and 88.4% for patients with luminal IDC and luminal ILC, respectively (P = 0.008). The rates of 5-year overall survival (OS) were 97.6% and 93.1% for patients with luminal IDC and luminal ILC respectively (P = 0.030). Although we analyzed prognosis according to stratification by tumor size, luminal ILC tended to have worse DFS than luminal IDC in the large tumor group. In addition, although our analysis was performed according to matching lymph node status, luminal ILC had a significantly worse DFS and OS than luminal IDC in node-positive patients. Survival curves showed that the prognosis for ILC became worse than IDC over time. Multivariate analysis showed that ILC was an important factor related to higher risk of recurrence of luminal type breast cancer, even when tumor size, lymph node status and histological grade were considered. Luminal ILC had worse outcomes than luminal IDC. Consequently, different treatment approaches should be used for luminal ILC than for luminal IDC.

  10. Impact of robotics on the outcome of elderly patients with endometrial cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lavoue, Vincent; Zeng, Xing; Lau, Susie; Press, Joshua Z; Abitbol, Jeremie; Gotlieb, Raphael; How, Jeffrey; Wang, Yifan; Gotlieb, Walter H

    2014-06-01

    To evaluate the impact of introducing a robotics program on clinical outcome of elderly patients with endometrial cancer. Evaluation and comparison of peri-operative morbidity and disease-free interval in 163 consecutive elderly patients (≥70years) with endometrial cancer undergoing staging procedure with traditional open surgery compared to robotic surgery. All consecutive patients ≥70years of age with endometrial cancer who underwent robotic surgery (n=113) were compared with all consecutive patients ≥70years of age (n=50) before the introduction of a robotic program in December 2007. Baseline patient characteristics were similar in both eras. Patients undergoing robotic surgery had longer mean operating times (244 compared with 217minutes, p=0.009) but fewer minor adverse events (17% compared with 60%, probotics cohort had less estimated mean blood loss (75 vs 334mL, probotics program for the treatment of endometrial cancer in the elderly has significant benefits, including lower minor complication rate, less operative blood loss and shorter hospitalization without compromising 2-year disease-free survival. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  11. Impact of splenectomy on surgical outcome in patients with cancer of the distal esophagus and gastro-esophageal junction

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Pultrum, B. B.; van Bastelaar, J.; Schreurs, Liesbeth; van Dullemen, H. M.; Groen, H.; Nijsten, M. W. N.; van Dam, G. M.; Plukker, J. T. H. M.

    We aim to determine the effect of splenectomy on clinical outcome in patients with cancer of the distal esophagus and gastro-esophageal junction (GEJ) after a curative intended resection. From January 1991 to July 2004, 210 patients underwent a potentially curative gastroesophageal resection with an

  12. Long-term oncological outcomes of a phase II trial of neoadjuvant chemohormonal therapy followed by radical prostatectomy for patients with clinically localised, high-risk prostate cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Silberstein, Jonathan L; Poon, Stephen A; Sjoberg, Daniel D; Maschino, Alexandra C; Vickers, Andrew J; Bernie, Aaron; Konety, Badrinath R; Kelly, W Kevin; Eastham, James A

    2015-07-01

    To determine long-term oncological outcomes of radical prostatectomy (RP) after neoadjuvant chemohormonal therapy (CHT) for clinically localised, high-risk prostate cancer. In this phase II multicentre trial of patients with high-risk prostate cancer (PSA level >20 ng/mL, Gleason ≥8, or clinical stage ≥T3), androgen-deprivation therapy (goserelin acetate depot) and paclitaxel, carboplatin and estramustine were administered before RP. We report the long-term oncological outcomes of these patients and compared them to a contemporary cohort who met oncological inclusion criteria but received RP only. In all, 34 patients were enrolled and followed for a median of 13.1 years. Within 10 years most patients had biochemical recurrence (BCR-free probability 22%; 95% confidence interval [CI] 10-37%). However, the probability of disease-specific survival at 10 years was 84% (95% CI 66-93%) and overall survival was 78% (95% CI 60-89%). The CHT group had higher-risk features than the comparison group (123 patients), with an almost doubled risk of calculated preoperative 5-year BCR (69% vs 36%, P < 0.01). After adjusting for these imbalances the CHT group had trends toward improvement in BCR (hazard ratio [HR] 0.76, 95% CI 0.43-1.34; P = 0.3) and metastasis-free survival (HR 0.55, 95% CI 0.24-1.29; P = 0.2) although these were not statistically significant. Neoadjuvant CHT followed by RP was associated with lower rates of BCR and metastasis compared with the RP-only group; however, these results were not statistically significant. Because this treatment strategy has known harms and unproven benefit, this strategy should only be instituted in the setting of a clinical trial. © 2014 The Authors BJU International © 2014 BJU International Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  13. Clinical Significance of the Prognostic Nutritional Index for Predicting Short- and Long-Term Surgical Outcomes After Gastrectomy: A Retrospective Analysis of 7781 Gastric Cancer Patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Jee Youn; Kim, Hyoung-Il; Kim, You-Na; Hong, Jung Hwa; Alshomimi, Saeed; An, Ji Yeong; Cheong, Jae-Ho; Hyung, Woo Jin; Noh, Sung Hoon; Kim, Choong-Bai

    2016-05-01

    To evaluate the predictive and prognostic significance of the prognostic nutritional index (PNI) in a large cohort of gastric cancer patients who underwent gastrectomy.Assessing a patient's immune and nutritional status, PNI has been reported as a predictive marker for surgical outcomes in various types of cancer.We retrospectively reviewed data from a prospectively maintained database of 7781 gastric cancer patients who underwent gastrectomy from January 2001 to December 2010 at a single center. From this data, we analyzed clinicopathologic characteristics, PNI, and short- and long-term surgical outcomes for each patient. We used the PNI value for the 10th percentile (46.70) of the study cohort as a cut-off for dividing patients into low and high PNI groups.Regarding short-term outcomes, multivariate analysis showed a low PNI (odds ratio [OR] = 1.505, 95% CI = 1.212-1.869, P cancer recurrence.

  14. Assessment of sarcopenia and changes in body composition after neoadjuvant chemotherapy and associations with clinical outcomes in oesophageal cancer

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Yip, Connie [King' s College London, Division of Imaging Sciences and Biomedical Engineering, London (United Kingdom); National Cancer Centre, Department of Radiation Oncology, Singapore (Singapore); Imaging 2, Level 1, Lambeth Wing, St Thomas' Hospital, London (United Kingdom); Goh, Vicky [King' s College London, Division of Imaging Sciences and Biomedical Engineering, London (United Kingdom); Department of Radiology, Guy' s and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust, London (United Kingdom); Davies, Andrew; Gossage, James; Mason, Robert [Guy' s and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust, Department of Upper Gastrointestinal and General Surgery, London (United Kingdom); Mitchell-Hay, Rosalind; Griffin, Nyree [Department of Radiology, Guy' s and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust, London (United Kingdom); Hynes, Orla [Department of Dietetics, Guy' s and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust, London (United Kingdom); Maisey, Nick; Ross, Paul; Gaya, Andrew [Department of Oncology, Guy' s and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust, London (United Kingdom); Landau, David B. [King' s College London, Division of Imaging Sciences and Biomedical Engineering, London (United Kingdom); Department of Oncology, Guy' s and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust, London (United Kingdom); Cook, Gary J. [King' s College London, Division of Imaging Sciences and Biomedical Engineering, London (United Kingdom)

    2014-05-15

    Sarcopenia and changes in body composition following neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) may affect clinical outcome. We assessed the associations between CT body composition changes following NAC and outcomes in oesophageal cancer. A total of 35 patients who received NAC followed by oesophagectomy, and underwent CT assessment pre- and post-NAC were included. Fat mass (FM), fat-free mass (FFM), subcutaneous fat to muscle ratio (FMR) and visceral to subcutaneous adipose tissue ratio (VA/SA) were derived from CT. Changes in FM, FFM, FMR, VA/SA and sarcopenia were correlated to chemotherapy dose reductions, postoperative complications, length of hospital stay (LOS), circumferential resection margin (CRM), pathological chemotherapy response, disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS). Nine (26 %) patients were sarcopenic before NAC and this increased to 15 (43 %) after NAC. Average weight loss was 3.7 % ± 6.4 (SD) in comparison to FM index (-1.2 ± 4.2), FFM index (-4.6 ± 6.8), FMR (-1.2 ± 24.3) and VA/SA (-62.3 ± 12.7). Changes in FM index (p = 0.022), FMR (p = 0.028), VA/SA (p = 0.024) and weight (p = 0.007) were significant univariable factors for CRM status. There was no significant association between changes in body composition and survival. Loss of FM, differential loss of VA/SA and skeletal muscle were associated with risk of CRM positivity. (orig.)

  15. Assessment of sarcopenia and changes in body composition after neoadjuvant chemotherapy and associations with clinical outcomes in oesophageal cancer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yip, Connie; Goh, Vicky; Davies, Andrew; Gossage, James; Mason, Robert; Mitchell-Hay, Rosalind; Griffin, Nyree; Hynes, Orla; Maisey, Nick; Ross, Paul; Gaya, Andrew; Landau, David B.; Cook, Gary J.

    2014-01-01

    Sarcopenia and changes in body composition following neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) may affect clinical outcome. We assessed the associations between CT body composition changes following NAC and outcomes in oesophageal cancer. A total of 35 patients who received NAC followed by oesophagectomy, and underwent CT assessment pre- and post-NAC were included. Fat mass (FM), fat-free mass (FFM), subcutaneous fat to muscle ratio (FMR) and visceral to subcutaneous adipose tissue ratio (VA/SA) were derived from CT. Changes in FM, FFM, FMR, VA/SA and sarcopenia were correlated to chemotherapy dose reductions, postoperative complications, length of hospital stay (LOS), circumferential resection margin (CRM), pathological chemotherapy response, disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS). Nine (26 %) patients were sarcopenic before NAC and this increased to 15 (43 %) after NAC. Average weight loss was 3.7 % ± 6.4 (SD) in comparison to FM index (-1.2 ± 4.2), FFM index (-4.6 ± 6.8), FMR (-1.2 ± 24.3) and VA/SA (-62.3 ± 12.7). Changes in FM index (p = 0.022), FMR (p = 0.028), VA/SA (p = 0.024) and weight (p = 0.007) were significant univariable factors for CRM status. There was no significant association between changes in body composition and survival. Loss of FM, differential loss of VA/SA and skeletal muscle were associated with risk of CRM positivity. (orig.)

  16. Cancer clinical trials in persons with HIV infection.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Little, Richard F

    2017-01-01

    The era of modern HIV therapeutics is well underway. The cancer and infectious disease epidemiology of HIV disease has markedly altered as populations are availed to the benefits of antiretroviral therapy (ARV). The types of cancers occurring among those with HIV infection has broadened but the case burden in absolute numbers is very low relative to the background population. There are fewer incident cases of the AIDS-defining cancers (aggressive B-cell lymphomas, Kaposi's sarcoma, and cervical cancer). There is an increased risk for certain non-AIDS-defining cancers, but these occur somewhat sporadically relative to clinical trial enrollment. The changing epidemiology of cancer in HIV poses challenges as well as opportunities for participation of persons with HIV in cancer therapy clinical trials. There are excellent examples of cancer trials that inform cancer therapy for patients with HIV infection. Examples include those from HIV-specific trials and from trials mainly focused on the background population that included patients with HIV infection. Interpretation of clinical trials to guide therapy for those with HIV infection and cancer largely depends on data that does not include HIV-infected patients. The ability to extend clinical trial findings to populations not included in clinical trials remains problematic for a variety of populations, including those with HIV or AIDS. Careful prioritization of studies designed to bridge this gap is needed. However, there are published studies that serve as excellent examples bridging these gaps and the portfolio of cancer therapy trials underway will inform HIV and cancer better than at any time in the past.

  17. 'Trial Exegesis': Methods for Synthesizing Clinical and Patient Reported Outcome (PRO Data in Trials to Inform Clinical Practice. A Systematic Review.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Angus G K McNair

    Full Text Available The CONSORT extension for patient reported outcomes (PROs aims to improve reporting, but guidance on the optimal integration with clinical data is lacking. This study examines in detail the reporting of PROs and clinical data from randomized controlled trials (RCTs in gastro-intestinal cancer to inform design and reporting of combined PRO and clinical data from trials to improve the 'take home' message for clinicians to use in practice.The case study was undertaken in gastro-intestinal cancer trials. Well-conducted RCTs reporting PROs with validated instruments were identified and categorized into those combining PRO and clinical data in a single paper, or those separating data into linked primary and supplemental papers. Qualitative methods were developed to examine reporting of the critical interpretation of the trial results (trial exegesis in the papers in relation of the PRO and clinical outcomes and applied to each publication category. Results were used to inform recommendations for practice.From 1917 screened abstracts, 49 high quality RCTs were identified reported in 36 combined and 15 linked primary and supplemental papers. In-depth analysis of manuscript text identified three categories for understanding trial exegesis: where authors reported a "detailed", "general", or absent PRO rationale and integrated interpretation of clinical and PRO results. A total of 11 (30% and 6 (16% combined papers reported "detailed" PRO rationale and integrated interpretation of results although only 2 (14% and 1 (7% primary papers achieved the same standard respectively. Supplemental papers provide better information with 11 (73% and 3 (20% achieving "detailed" rationale and integrated interpretation of results. Supplemental papers, however, were published a median of 20 months after the primary RCT data in lower impact factor journals (median 16.8 versus 5.2.It is recommended that single papers, with detailed PRO rationale and integrated PRO and

  18. Clinical outcomes of prostate cancer patients in Yokosuka City, Japan: A comparative study between cases detected by prostate-specific antigen-based screening in Yokosuka and those detected by other means.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sakai, Naoki; Taguri, Masataka; Kobayashi, Kazuki; Noguchi, Sumio; Ikeda, Shigeru; Koh, Hideshige; Satomi, Yoshiaki; Furuhata, Akihiko

    2015-08-01

    To investigate whether prostate-specific antigen-based screening reduced the prostate cancer mortality rate in Yokosuka, Japan. We carried out a cohort study, in which we compared clinical outcomes between patients detected by prostate-specific antigen-based screening (S group n = 524) versus those detected by other means (NS group n = 1044). Clinical and pathological factors were evaluated using Cox regression analyses and the Kaplan-Meier method. A total of 1.5% (8/524) of patients in the S group and 6.7% (70/1044) of those in the NS group died from prostate cancer during follow up. A total of 8.0% (42/524) of patients in the S group and 11.4% (119/1044) in the NS group died from other causes. The 10-year cancer specific survival rates of the S and NS groups were 97% and 86%, respectively (P prostate-specific antigen 100 ng/mL or more was significantly lower in the S group than the NS group: 7.8% and 23.0%, respectively (P specific survival (hazard ratio 4.808, 95% confidence interval 1.044-22.14, P = 0.044). Prostate-specific antigen-based population screening in Yokosuka City might help to reduce the prostate cancer mortality rate. © 2015 The Japanese Urological Association.

  19. Electronic cigarette use among cancer patients: Characteristics of e-cigarette users and their smoking cessation outcomes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Borderud, Sarah P.; Li, Yuelin; Burkhalter, Jack; Sheffer, Christine E.; Ostroff, Jamie S.

    2017-01-01

    Background Given that continued smoking after a cancer diagnosis increases the risk for adverse health outcomes, cancer patients are strongly advised to quit. Despite a current lack of evidence regarding their safety and effectiveness as a cessation tool, electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) are becoming increasingly popular. In order to guide oncologists’ communication with their patients about e-cigarette use, this paper provides the first published clinical data about e-cigarette use and cessation outcomes among cancer patients. Methods Participants (n=1074) included smokers (cancer patients) who recently enrolled in a tobacco treatment program at a comprehensive cancer center. Standard demographic, tobacco use history and follow-up cessation outcomes were assessed. Results A threefold increase in e-cigarette use was observed from 2012 to 2013 (10.6% vs. 38.5%). E-cigarette users were more nicotine dependent than non-users, had more prior quit attempts, and were more likely to be diagnosed with thoracic and head or neck cancers. Using a complete case analysis, e-cigarette users were as likely to be smoking at follow-up as non-users, (OR: 1.0; 95%CI 0.5–1.7). Using an intention to treat analysis, e-cigarette users were twice as likely to be smoking at follow-up as non-users, (OR: 2.0; 95%CI 1.2–3.3). Conclusions The high rate of e-cigarette use observed is consistent with recent papers highlighting increased e-cigarette use in the general population. Our longitudinal findings raise doubt about the utility of e-cigarettes for facilitating smoking cessation among cancer patients. Further research is needed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of e-cigarettes as a cessation treatment for cancer patients. PMID:25252116

  20. The Clinical and Economic Benefits of Co-Testing Versus Primary HPV Testing for Cervical Cancer Screening: A Modeling Analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Felix, Juan C; Lacey, Michael J; Miller, Jeffrey D; Lenhart, Gregory M; Spitzer, Mark; Kulkarni, Rucha

    2016-06-01

    Consensus United States cervical cancer screening guidelines recommend use of combination Pap plus human papillomavirus (HPV) testing for women aged 30 to 65 years. An HPV test was approved by the Food and Drug Administration in 2014 for primary cervical cancer screening in women age 25 years and older. Here, we present the results of clinical-economic comparisons of Pap plus HPV mRNA testing including genotyping for HPV 16/18 (co-testing) versus DNA-based primary HPV testing with HPV 16/18 genotyping and reflex cytology (HPV primary) for cervical cancer screening. A health state transition (Markov) model with 1-year cycling was developed using epidemiologic, clinical, and economic data from healthcare databases and published literature. A hypothetical cohort of one million women receiving triennial cervical cancer screening was simulated from ages 30 to 70 years. Screening strategies compared HPV primary to co-testing. Outcomes included total and incremental differences in costs, invasive cervical cancer (ICC) cases, ICC deaths, number of colposcopies, and quality-adjusted life years for cost-effectiveness calculations. Comprehensive sensitivity analyses were performed. In a simulation cohort of one million 30-year-old women modeled up to age 70 years, the model predicted that screening with HPV primary testing instead of co-testing could lead to as many as 2,141 more ICC cases and 2,041 more ICC deaths. In the simulation, co-testing demonstrated a greater number of lifetime quality-adjusted life years (22,334) and yielded $39.0 million in savings compared with HPV primary, thereby conferring greater effectiveness at lower cost. Model results demonstrate that co-testing has the potential to provide improved clinical and economic outcomes when compared with HPV primary. While actual cost and outcome data are evaluated, these findings are relevant to U.S. healthcare payers and women's health policy advocates seeking cost-effective cervical cancer screening

  1. Clinical outcomes from an innovative protocol using serial ultrasound imaging and a single MR image to guide brachytherapy for locally advanced cervix cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    van Dyk, Sylvia; Narayan, Kailash; Bernshaw, David; Kondalsamy-Chennakesavan, Srinivas; Khaw, Pearly; Lin, Ming Yin; Schneider, Michal

    The aim of this study was to report clinical outcomes in a series of patients who underwent serial ultrasound and a single MRI to plan and verify intracavitary brachytherapy. Data for patients who were referred for curative intent radiotherapy for International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) Stage 1-1V cervix cancer between January 2007 and March 2012 were analyzed. All patients received external beam radiotherapy with concurrent chemotherapy and sequential high-dose rate brachytherapy. Brachytherapy was planned and verified using serial ultrasound imaging and a single MRI. Data from 191 patients were available for analyses. The median (range) followup time was 5.08 (0.25-8.25) years. Five-year local control, failure-free survival, cancer-specific survival, and overall survival were 86%, 57.3%, 70% and 63%, respectively. Mean (standard deviation) combined external beam radiotherapy and brachytherapy target doses, equivalent to doses in 2 Gy fractions were 80.4 Gy10 (3.89), median (range) 80 (49-96) Gy10. Grade 3 or greater gastrointestinal, genitourinary, or vaginal late toxicity occurred in 3%, 1.6%, and 2% of patients, respectively. Survival, patterns of failure, and late complication rates were similar to published series of MRI/CT-based brachytherapy practices. This large study demonstrates that favorable treatment outcomes can be obtained using a pragmatic and innovative combination of ultrasound and MR imaging. Crown Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  2. Metachronous Lung Cancer: Clinical Characteristics and Effects of Surgical Treatment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rzechonek, Adam; Błasiak, Piotr; Muszczyńska-Bernhard, Beata; Pawełczyk, Konrad; Pniewski, Grzegorz; Ornat, Maciej; Grzegrzółka, Jędrzej; Brzecka, Anna

    2018-01-01

    The occurrence of a second lung tumor after surgical removal of lung cancer usually indicates a lung cancer metastasis, but sometimes a new lesion proves to be a new primary lung cancer, i.e., metachronous lung cancer. The goal of the present study was to conduct a clinical evaluation of patients with metachronous lung cancer and lung cancer metastasis, and to compare the early and distant outcomes of surgical treatment in both cancer types. There were 26 age-matched patients with lung cancer metastases and 23 patients with metachronous lung cancers, who underwent a second lung cancer resection. We evaluated the histological type of a resected cancer, the extent of thoracosurgery, the frequency of early postoperative complications, and the probability of 5-year survival after the second operation. The findings were that metachronous lung cancer was adenocarcinoma in 52% of patients, with a different histopathological pattern from that of the primary lung cancer in 74% of patients. In both cancer groups, mechanical resections were the most common surgery type (76% of all cases), with anatomical resections such as segmentectomy, lobectomy, or pneumectomy being much rarer conducted. The incidence of early postoperative complications in metachronous lung cancer and lung cancer metastasis (30% vs. 31%, respectively) and the probability of 5-year survival after resection of either cancer tumor (60.7% vs. 50.9%, respectively) were comparable. In conclusion, patients undergoing primary lung cancer surgery require a long-term follow-up due to the risk of metastatic or metachronous lung cancer. The likelihood of metachronous lung cancer and pulmonary lung cancer metastases, the incidence of postoperative complications, and the probability of 5-year survival after resection of metachronous lung cancer or lung cancer metastasis are similar.

  3. Nano medicine in Action: An Overview of Cancer Nano medicine on the Market and in Clinical Trials

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wang, R.; Billone, P.S.; Mullett, W.M.

    2013-01-01

    Nano medicine, defined as the application of nano technology in the medical field, has the potential to significantly change the course of diagnostics and treatment of life-threatening diseases, such as cancer. In comparison with traditional cancer diagnostics and therapy, cancer nano medicine provides sensitive cancer detection and/or enhances treatment efficacy with significantly minimized adverse effects associated with standard therapeutics. Cancer nano medicine has been increasingly applied in areas including nano drug delivery systems, nano pharmaceuticals, and nano analytical contrast reagents in laboratory and animal model research. In recent years, the successful introduction of several novel nano medicine products into clinical trials and even onto the commercial market has shown successful outcomes of fundamental research into clinics. This paper is intended to examine several nano medicines for cancer therapeutics and/or diagnostics-related applications, to analyze the trend of nano medicine development, future opportunities, and challenges of this fast-growing area.

  4. Radiological and clinical evaluation of colorectal cancer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shin, O. J.; Chin, S. Y.; Lee, K. S.; Park, S. S.

    1982-01-01

    One hundred thirty two cases of the pathologically proven colorectal cancer at Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute Hospital in the period from January 1973 to June 1980 were analyzed radiologically and clinically. The results were as follows: 1. The colorectal cancer was prevalent in rectosigmoid area and in the fourth to seventh decade of life. 2. The clinical pictures were classified into two groups. The one was rectosigmoid cancer with bowel habit changes. The other was one with no specific symptoms or signs. The clinical pictures of the right colon cancer were rather indirected, chronic and systemic than those of the left one. 3. The roentgenological findings were classified into two groups. The one was rectum and left colon cancer with symmetrical annular narrowing and the other showed trumpet-like proximal dilatation. 4. The most frequent complication was intestinal obstruction. 5. The majority of colorectal cancer was adenocarcinoma. The squamous cell carcinoma and atypical cell carcinoma were most prevalent in rectum, but malignantly lymphoma often occurred in right colon. The rarest colorectal cancer was atypical cell carcinoma in rectum

  5. Procedural difficulty differences according to tumor location do not compromise the clinical outcome of laparoscopic complete mesocolic excision for colon cancer: a retrospective analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Min Ki; Lee, In Kyu; Kye, Bong-Hyeon; Kim, Jun-Gi

    2017-09-08

    Laparoscopic colectomy procedures and their corresponding difficulty levels may vary depending on the tumor location within the colon, and a laparoscopic complete mesocolic excision (CME) with central vascular ligation (CVL) would require more proficiency than a conventional laparoscopic colectomy. We aimed to report our laparoscopic CME with CVL data and to investigate the clinical outcome differences of laparoscopic CME with CVL by various tumor sub-site locations. Prospectively collected clinical data of consecutive patients who received laparoscopic colectomy for primary colon cancer between April 1995 and December 2010 from single surgeon were retrospectively reviewed. All of the included surgery was performed on the basis of CME with CVL principle with no-touch isolation technique. Data were analyzed and compared among three groups; patients who received right or extended right hemicolectomy (group A, n = 142), transverse colectomy or left or extended left hemicolectomy (group B, n = 59), and sigmoidectomy or anterior resection (group C, n = 210). Female patients were more common in group A (53.5% vs. 37.3% vs. 39.5%, p = 0.020). Other baseline characteristics were comparable. Operative time was shorter in group C than the other groups (309.0 ± 74.7 vs. 324.3 ± 89.1 vs. 280.1 ± 93.1 min, p = 0.000). There was no significant difference among groups in perioperative complication and patient recovery. Five-year overall survival, disease-free survival and local recurrence rate showed no difference for a median follow up period of 73 (1-120) months. In conclusion, laparoscopic tumor-specific CME and CVL for colon cancer can be performed with comparable short- and long-term outcomes regardless of tumor sub-site location except for the operative time.

  6. NK cell-based cancer immunotherapy: from basic biology to clinical application.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Yang; Yin, Jie; Li, Ting; Huang, Shan; Yan, Han; Leavenworth, JianMei; Wang, Xi

    2015-12-01

    Natural killer (NK) cells, which recognize and kill target cells independent of antigen specificity and major histocompatibility complex (MHC) matching, play pivotal roles in immune defence against tumors. However, tumor cells often acquire the ability to escape NK cell-mediated immune surveillance. Thus, understanding mechanisms underlying regulation of NK cell phenotype and function within the tumor environment is instrumental for designing new approaches to improve the current cell-based immunotherapy. In this review, we elaborate the main biological features and molecular mechanisms of NK cells that pertain to regulation of NK cell-mediated anti-tumor activity. We further overview current clinical approaches regarding NK cell-based cancer therapy, including cytokine infusion, adoptive transfer of autologous or allogeneic NK cells, applications of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-expressing NK cells and adoptive transfer of memory-like NK cells. With these promising clinical outcomes and fuller understanding the basic questions raised in this review, we foresee that NK cell-based approaches may hold great potential for future cancer immunotherapy.

  7. Long-Term Outcome for Clinically Localized Prostate Cancer Treated With Permanent Interstitial Brachytherapy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Taira, Al V.; Merrick, Gregory S.; Butler, Wayne M.; Galbreath, Robert W.; Lief, Jonathan; Adamovich, Edward; Wallner, Kent E.

    2011-01-01

    Purpose: To present the largest series of prostate cancer brachytherapy patients treated with modern brachytherapy techniques and postimplant day 0 dosimetric evaluation. Methods and Materials: Between April 1995 and July 2006, 1,656 consecutive patients were treated with permanent interstitial brachytherapy. Risk group stratification was carried out according to the Mt. Sinai guidelines. Median follow-up was 7.0 years. The median day 0 minimum dose covering at least 90% of the target volume was 118.8% of the prescription dose. Cause of death was determined for each deceased patient. Multiple clinical, treatment, and dosimetric parameters were evaluated for impact on the evaluated survival parameters. Results: At 12 years, biochemical progression-free survival (bPFS), cause-specific survival (CSS), and overall survival (OS) for the entire cohort was 95.6%, 98.2%, and 72.6%, respectively. For low-, intermediate-, and high-risk patients, bPFS was 98.6%, 96.5%, and 90.5%; CSS was 99.8%, 99.3%, and 95.2%; and OS was 77.5%, 71.1%, and 69.2%, respectively. For biochemically controlled patients, the median posttreatment prostate-specific antigen (PSA) concentration was 0.02 ng/ml. bPFS was most closely related to percent positive biopsy specimens and risk group, while Gleason score was the strongest predictor of CSS. OS was best predicted by patient age, hypertension, diabetes, and tobacco use. At 12 years, biochemical failure and cause-specific mortality were 1.8% and 0.2%, 5.1% and 2.1%, and 10.4% and 7.1% for Gleason scores 5 to 6 and 7 and ≥8, respectively. Conclusions: Excellent long-term outcomes are achievable with high-quality brachytherapy for low-, intermediate-, and high-risk patients. These results compare favorably to alternative treatment modalities including radical prostatectomy.

  8. Impact of Thin-Section Computed Tomography-Determined Combined Pulmonary Fibrosis and Emphysema on Outcomes Among Patients With Resected Lung Cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hashimoto, Naozumi; Iwano, Shingo; Kawaguchi, Koji; Fukui, Takayuki; Fukumoto, Koichi; Nakamura, Shota; Mori, Shunsuke; Sakamoto, Koji; Wakai, Kenji; Yokoi, Kohei; Hasegawa, Yoshinori

    2016-08-01

    There is only limited information on the clinical impact of combined pulmonary fibrosis and emphysema (CPFE) on postoperative and survival outcomes among patients with resected lung cancer. In a retrospective analysis, data were reviewed from 685 patients with resected lung cancer between 2006 and 2011. The clinical impact of thin-section computed tomography (TSCT)-determined emphysema, fibrosis, and CPFE on postoperative and survival outcomes was evaluated. The emphysema group comprised 32.4% of the study population, the fibrosis group 2.8%, and the CPFE group 8.3%. The CPFE group had a more advanced pathologic stage and higher prevalence of squamous cell carcinoma as compared with the normal group without emphysema or fibrosis findings on TSCT. The incidence of postoperative complications was significantly higher in the CPFE group. Overall, the 30-day mortality in the CPFE group was 5.3%. Cancer recurrence at pathologic stage I and death due to either cancer or other causes were significantly higher in the CPFE group. Survival curves indicated that a finding of CPFE was associated with worse overall survival for patients with any stage disease. Multivariate analysis suggested that pathologic stage and CPFE were independent factors associated with worse overall survival. The adjusted hazard ratio of overall survival for the CPFE group versus the normal group was 2.990 (95% confidence interval: 1.801 to 4.962). Among patients with resected lung cancer, the presence of TSCT-determined CPFE might predict worse postoperative and survival outcomes. Copyright © 2016 The Society of Thoracic Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  9. Impact of diabetes on oncologic outcome of colorectal cancer patients: colon vs. rectal cancer.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Justin Y Jeon

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: To evaluate the impact of diabetes on outcomes in colorectal cancer patients and to examine whether this association varies by the location of tumor (colon vs. rectum. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This study includes 4,131 stage I-III colorectal cancer patients, treated between 1995 and 2007 (12.5% diabetic, 53% colon, 47% rectal in South Korea. Cox proportional hazards modeling was used to determine the prognostic influence of DM on survival endpoints. RESULTS: Colorectal cancer patients with DM had significantly worse disease-free survival (DFS [hazard ratio (HR 1.17, 95% confidence interval (CI: 1.00-1.37] compared with patients without DM. When considering colon and rectal cancer independently, DM was significantly associated with worse overall survival (OS (HR: 1.46, 95% CI: 1.11-1.92, DFS (HR: 1.45, 95% CI: 1.15-1.84 and recurrence-free survival (RFS (HR: 1.32, 95% CI: 0.98-1.76 in colon cancer patients. No association for OS, DFS or RFS was observed in rectal cancer patients. There was significant interaction of location of tumor (colon vs. rectal cancer with DM on OS (P = 0.009 and DFS (P = 0.007. CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests that DM negatively impacts survival outcomes of patients with colon cancer but not rectal cancer.

  10. Clinical features and treatment outcome of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients with uncommon or complex epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutations

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fassan, Matteo; Indraccolo, Stefano; Calabrese, Fiorella; Favaretto, Adolfo; Bonanno, Laura; Polo, Valentina; Zago, Giulia; Lunardi, Francesca; Attili, Ilaria; Pavan, Alberto; Rugge, Massimo; Guarneri, Valentina; Conte, PierFranco; Pasello, Giulia

    2017-01-01

    Introduction Tyrosine-kinase inhibitors (TKIs) represent the best treatment for advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with common exon 19 deletion or exon 21 epidermal growth factor receptor mutation (EGFRm). This is an observational study investigating epidemiology, clinical features and treatment outcome of NSCLC cases harbouring rare/complex EGFRm. Results Among 764 non-squamous NSCLC cases with known EGFRm status, 26(3.4%) harboured rare/complex EGFRm. Patients receiving first-line TKIs (N = 17) achieved median Progression Free Survival (PFS) and Overall Survival (OS) of 53 (IC 95%, 2–105) and 84 (CI 95%, 27–141) weeks respectively, without significant covariate impact. Response Rate and Disease Control Rate (DCR) were 47% and 65%, respectively. Uncommon exon 19 mutations achieved longer OS and PFS and higher DCR compared with exon 18 and 20 mutations. No additional gene mutation was discovered by MassARRAY analysis. TKIs were globally well tolerated. Materials and methods A retrospective review of advanced non-squamous NSCLC harbouring rare/complex EGFRm referred to our Center between 2010 and 2015 was performed. Additional molecular pathways disregulation was explored in selected cases, through MassARRAY analysis. Conclusions Peculiar clinical features and lower TKIs sensitivity of uncommon/complex compared with common EGFRm were shown. Exon 19 EGFRm achieved the best TKIs treatment outcome, while the optimal treatment of exon 18 and 20 mutations should be further clarified. PMID:28427238

  11. Application of objective clinical human reliability analysis (OCHRA) in assessment of technical performance in laparoscopic rectal cancer surgery.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Foster, J D; Miskovic, D; Allison, A S; Conti, J A; Ockrim, J; Cooper, E J; Hanna, G B; Francis, N K

    2016-06-01

    Laparoscopic rectal resection is technically challenging, with outcomes dependent upon technical performance. No robust objective assessment tool exists for laparoscopic rectal resection surgery. This study aimed to investigate the application of the objective clinical human reliability analysis (OCHRA) technique for assessing technical performance of laparoscopic rectal surgery and explore the validity and reliability of this technique. Laparoscopic rectal cancer resection operations were described in the format of a hierarchical task analysis. Potential technical errors were defined. The OCHRA technique was used to identify technical errors enacted in videos of twenty consecutive laparoscopic rectal cancer resection operations from a single site. The procedural task, spatial location, and circumstances of all identified errors were logged. Clinical validity was assessed through correlation with clinical outcomes; reliability was assessed by test-retest. A total of 335 execution errors identified, with a median 15 per operation. More errors were observed during pelvic tasks compared with abdominal tasks (p technical performance of laparoscopic rectal surgery.

  12. An assessment of Prostate Cancer Research International: Active Surveillance (PRIAS) criteria for active surveillance of clinically low-risk prostate cancer patients

    Science.gov (United States)

    da Silva, Vitor; Cagiannos, Ilias; Lavallée, Luke T.; Mallick, Ranjeeta; Witiuk, Kelsey; Cnossen, Sonya; Eastham, James A.; Fergusson, Dean A.; Morash, Chris; Breau, Rodney H.

    2017-01-01

    Introduction Active surveillance is a strategy to delay or prevent treatment of indolent prostate cancer. The Prostate Cancer Research International: Active Surveillance (PRIAS) criteria were developed to select patients for prostate cancer active surveillance. The objective of this study was to compare pathological findings from PRIAS-eligible and PRIAS-ineligible clinically low-risk prostate cancer patients. Methods A D’Amico low-risk cohort of 1512 radical prostatectomy patients treated at The Ottawa Hospital or Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Centre between January 1995 and December 2007 was reviewed. Pathological outcomes (pT3 tumours, Gleason sum ≥7, lymph node metastases, or a composite) and clinical outcomes (prostate-specific antigen [PSA] recurrence, secondary cancer treatments, and death) were compared between PRIAS-eligible and PRIAS-ineligible cohorts. Results The PRIAS-eligible cohort (n=945) was less likely to have Gleason score ≥7 (odds ratio [OR] 0.61; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.49–0.75), pT3 (OR 0.41; 95% CI 0.31–0.55), nodal metastases (OR 0.37; 95% CI 0.10–1.31), or any adverse feature (OR 0.56; 95% CI 0.45–0.69) compared to the PRIAS-ineligible cohort. The probability of any adverse pathology in the PRIAS-eligible cohort was 41% vs. 56% in the PRIAS-ineligible cohort. At median follow-up of 3.7 years, 72 (4.8%) patients had a PSA recurrence, 24 (1.6%) received pelvic radiation, and 13 (0.9%) received androgen deprivation. No difference was detected for recurrence-free and overall survival between groups (recurrence hazard ratio [HR] 0.71; 95% CI 0.46–1.09 and survival HR 0.72; 95% CI 0.36–1.47). Conclusions Low-risk prostate cancer patients who met PRIAS eligibility criteria are less likely to have higher-risk cancer compared to those who did not meet at least one of these criteria. PMID:28798822

  13. Breast cancer risk factors and outcome: a global perspective

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Bhoo Pathy, N.

    2011-01-01

    The burden of breast cancer had been increasing in Asia. However, little is known regarding the presentation, management and outcome of breast cancer among multi-ethnic Asian women. Asian ethnicities, lifestyles, health beliefs, and even life expectancies are substantially different from those of

  14. Clinical characteristics and outcomes for patients with an initial emergency presentation of malignancy: a 15 month audit of patient level data.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Savage, Philip; Sharkey, Rachel; Kua, Teresa; Papanastasopoulos, Panagiotis; McDonald-Burrows, Zoe; Hassan, Shazalia; Probst, Fay; Sanders, Ali; Millington, Hugh

    2015-02-01

    To investigate the demographics, diagnoses and outcomes for new adult cancer patients with an initial presentation via the A&E or acute oncology teams. Patients with initial emergency presentation of malignancy have been documented to have poorer treatment outcomes and shorter survival. Patient level data on this subject is relatively limited with regard to the demographics, diagnoses and the clinical factors that may underlie late presentations. A 15 month audit of the patients presenting with a new diagnosis of malignancy was performed in 2011-2012. Data on demographics, diagnosis and outcome were assembled and analysed. The clinical data on emergency presentations were compared to reference information on the incidence and median age at presentation for each malignancy within the standard population. During the study a total of 178 new cancer patients presented via the A and E service. The most frequent diagnoses were lung cancer with 21% of cases and CNS and colorectal cancer each with 9% of cases. There was a higher incidence of emergency new presentations of lung cancer, CNS tumours, ovarian, pancreatic and testicular cancer than in the standard population, whilst breast cancer, bladder cancer and prostate cancer patients were under-represented. The median age at diagnosis was 74 and for a number of malignancies including CNS tumours, breast cancer, colorectal cancer and head and neck cancer the emergency cases presented at significantly greater ages than in the standard population. Overall 27% of patients were unfit or unsuitable for a diagnostic biopsy, this group had only a 3 month median survival compared to 14 months for those suitable for biopsy and treatment. Despite a wide range of initiatives, the emergency and late diagnosis of patients with metastatic cancer remains a significant challenge with many patients too advanced and unwell at presentation for active treatment. These patients tend to be older and have malignancies that present with either

  15. Electronic cigarette use among patients with cancer: characteristics of electronic cigarette users and their smoking cessation outcomes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Borderud, Sarah P; Li, Yuelin; Burkhalter, Jack E; Sheffer, Christine E; Ostroff, Jamie S

    2014-11-15

    Given that continued smoking after a cancer diagnosis increases the risk of adverse health outcomes, patients with cancer are strongly advised to quit. Despite a current lack of evidence regarding their safety and effectiveness as a cessation tool, electronic cigarettes (E-cigarettes) are becoming increasingly popular. To guide oncologists' communication with their patients about E-cigarette use, this article provides what to the authors' knowledge is the first published clinical data regarding E-cigarette use and cessation outcomes among patients with cancer. A total of 1074 participants included smokers (patients with cancer) who recently enrolled in a tobacco treatment program at a comprehensive cancer center. Standard demographic, tobacco use history, and follow-up cessation outcomes were assessed. A 3-fold increase in E-cigarette use was observed from 2012 to 2013 (10.6% vs 38.5%). E-cigarette users were more nicotine dependent than nonusers, had more prior quit attempts, and were more likely to be diagnosed with thoracic and head or neck cancers. Using a complete case analysis, E-cigarette users were as likely to be smoking at the time of follow-up as nonusers (odds ratio, 1.0; 95% confidence interval, 0.5-1.7). Using an intention-to-treat analysis, E-cigarette users were twice as likely to be smoking at the time of follow-up as nonusers (odds ratio, 2.0; 95% confidence interval, 1.2-3.3). The high rate of E-cigarette use observed is consistent with recent articles highlighting increased E-cigarette use in the general population. The current longitudinal findings raise doubts concerning the usefulness of E-cigarettes for facilitating smoking cessation among patients with cancer. Further research is needed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of E-cigarettes as a cessation treatment for patients with cancer. © 2014 American Cancer Society.

  16. An analysis of clinical and treatment related prognostic factors on outcome using biochemical control as an end-point in patients with prostate cancer treated with external beam irradiation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Horwitz, Eric M.; Vicini, Frank A.; Ziaja, Ellen L.; Dmuchowski, Carl F.; Stromberg, Jannifer S.; Gustafson, Gary S.; Martinez, Alvaro A.

    1997-01-01

    Purpose: We reviewed our institution's experience in treating patients with clinically localized prostate cancer with external beam irradiation (RT) to determine if previously analyzed clinical and treatment related prognostic factors affected outcome when biochemical control was used as an end-point to evaluate results. Materials and methods: Between 1 January 1987 and 31 December 1991, 470 patients with clinically localized prostate cancer were treated with external beam RT using localized prostate fields at William Beaumont Hospital. Biochemical control was defined as PSA nadir ≤1.5 ng/ml within 1 year of treatment. After achieving nadir, if two consecutive increases of PSA were noted, the patient was scored a failure at the time of the first increase. Prognostic factors, including the total number of days in treatment, the method of diagnosis, a history of any pretreatment transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP) and the type of boost were analyzed. Results: Median follow-up was 48 months. No statistically significant difference in rates of biochemical control were noted for treatment time, overall time (date of biopsy to completion of RT), history of any pretreatment TURP, history of diagnosis by TURP, or boost techniques. Patients diagnosed by TURP had a significant improvement in the overall rate of biochemical control (P < 0.03) compared to transrectal/transperineal biopsy. The 5-year actuarial rates were 58 versus 39%, respectively. This improvement was not evident when pretreatment PSA, T stage, or Gleason score were controlled for. On multivariate analysis, no variable was associated with outcome. When analysis was limited to a more favorable group of patients (T1/T2 tumors, pretreatment PSA ≤20 ng/ml and Gleason score <7), none of these variables were significantly predictive of biochemical control when controlling for pretreatment PSA, T stage and Gleason score. Conclusions: No significant effect of treatment time, overall time, pretreatment

  17. Pretreatment Modified Glasgow Prognostic Score Predicts Clinical Outcomes After Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy for Early-Stage Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kishi, Takahiro; Matsuo, Yukinori, E-mail: ymatsuo@kuhp.kyoto-u.ac.jp; Ueki, Nami; Iizuka, Yusuke; Nakamura, Akira; Sakanaka, Katsuyuki; Mizowaki, Takashi; Hiraoka, Masahiro

    2015-07-01

    Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate the prognostic significance of the modified Glasgow Prognostic Score (mGPS) in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) who received stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT). Methods and Materials: Data from 165 patients who underwent SBRT for stage I NSCLC with histologic confirmation from January 1999 to September 2010 were collected retrospectively. Factors, including age, performance status, histology, Charlson comorbidity index, mGPS, and recursive partitioning analysis (RPA) class based on sex and T stage, were evaluated with regard to overall survival (OS) using the Cox proportional hazards model. The impact of the mGPS on cause of death and failure patterns was also analyzed. Results: The 3-year OS was 57.9%, with a median follow-up time of 3.5 years. A higher mGPS correlated significantly with poor OS (P<.001). The 3-year OS of lower mGPS patients was 66.4%, whereas that of higher mGPS patients was 44.5%. On multivariate analysis, mGPS and RPA class were significant factors for OS. A higher mGPS correlated significantly with lung cancer death (P=.019) and distant metastasis (P=.013). Conclusions: The mGPS was a significant predictor of clinical outcomes for SBRT in NSCLC patients.

  18. Favorable response to doxorubicin combination chemotherapy does not yield good clinical outcome in patients with metastatic breast cancer with triple-negative phenotype

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yi, Seong Yoon; Cho, Eun Yoon; La Choi, Yoon; Park, Yeon Hee; Im, Young-Hyuck; Ahn, Jin Seok; Uhm, Ji Eun; Lim, Do Hyoung; Ji, Sang Hoon; Jun, Hyun Jung; Kim, Kyoung Ha; Chang, Myung Hee; Park, Min Jae

    2010-01-01

    We analyzed the responses to first line treatment and clinical outcomes of metastatic breast cancer patients treated with palliative doxorubicin/cyclophosphamide (AC) according to molecular cancer subtype. A retrospective analysis was performed for 110 metastatic breast cancer patients selected on the basis of palliative AC treatment and the availability of immunohistochemical data for estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR), and human epidermal growth factor receptor-2 (HER-2/neu) status. Of the 110 patients analyzed, 71 (64.5%) were hormone receptor positive (HR+), 14 (12.7%) were HER2+, and 25 (22.7%) were triple negative (TN). There were no differences in age, stage at diagnosis, total number of cycles of palliative chemotherapy, incidence of visceral metastasis, and metastatic sites with the exception of liver among breast cancer subtypes. The overall response rates to AC were 55.9% for the HR+ subgroup, 42.9% for the HER2+ subgroup, and 56.5% for the TN subgroup. The progression-free survival (PFS) in patients with HER2+ and TN were significantly shorter than in the HR+ (median PFS, 9.1 vs 8.1 vs 11.5 months, respectively; p = 0.0002). The overall survival (OS) was 25.4 months in the TN subgroup and 27.3 months in HER2+ subgroup. The median OS for these two groups was significantly shorter than for patients in the HR+ subgroup (median, 38.5 months; 95% CI, 30.1-46.9 months; p < 0.0001). The response to palliative AC chemotherapy did not differ among breast cancer subtypes. Despite chemosensitivity for palliative AC, the TN subtype has a shorter overall survival than non-TN subtypes. Innovative treatment strategies should be developed to slow the course of disease

  19. Favorable response to doxorubicin combination chemotherapy does not yield good clinical outcome in patients with metastatic breast cancer with triple-negative phenotype

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    La Choi Yoon

    2010-10-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background We analyzed the responses to first line treatment and clinical outcomes of metastatic breast cancer patients treated with palliative doxorubicin/cyclophosphamide (AC according to molecular cancer subtype. Methods A retrospective analysis was performed for 110 metastatic breast cancer patients selected on the basis of palliative AC treatment and the availability of immunohistochemical data for estrogen receptor (ER, progesterone receptor (PR, and human epidermal growth factor receptor-2 (HER-2/neu status. Results Of the 110 patients analyzed, 71 (64.5% were hormone receptor positive (HR+, 14 (12.7% were HER2+, and 25 (22.7% were triple negative (TN. There were no differences in age, stage at diagnosis, total number of cycles of palliative chemotherapy, incidence of visceral metastasis, and metastatic sites with the exception of liver among breast cancer subtypes. The overall response rates to AC were 55.9% for the HR+ subgroup, 42.9% for the HER2+ subgroup, and 56.5% for the TN subgroup. The progression-free survival (PFS in patients with HER2+ and TN were significantly shorter than in the HR+ (median PFS, 9.1 vs 8.1 vs 11.5 months, respectively; p = 0.0002. The overall survival (OS was 25.4 months in the TN subgroup and 27.3 months in HER2+ subgroup. The median OS for these two groups was significantly shorter than for patients in the HR+ subgroup (median, 38.5 months; 95% CI, 30.1-46.9 months; p Conclusions The response to palliative AC chemotherapy did not differ among breast cancer subtypes. Despite chemosensitivity for palliative AC, the TN subtype has a shorter overall survival than non-TN subtypes. Innovative treatment strategies should be developed to slow the course of disease.

  20. Intra-Gene DNA Methylation Variability Is a Clinically Independent Prognostic Marker in Women's Cancers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bartlett, Thomas E; Jones, Allison; Goode, Ellen L; Fridley, Brooke L; Cunningham, Julie M; Berns, Els M J J; Wik, Elisabeth; Salvesen, Helga B; Davidson, Ben; Trope, Claes G; Lambrechts, Sandrina; Vergote, Ignace; Widschwendter, Martin

    2015-01-01

    We introduce a novel per-gene measure of intra-gene DNA methylation variability (IGV) based on the Illumina Infinium HumanMethylation450 platform, which is prognostic independently of well-known predictors of clinical outcome. Using IGV, we derive a robust gene-panel prognostic signature for ovarian cancer (OC, n = 221), which validates in two independent data sets from Mayo Clinic (n = 198) and TCGA (n = 358), with significance of p = 0.004 in both sets. The OC prognostic signature gene-panel is comprised of four gene groups, which represent distinct biological processes. We show the IGV measurements of these gene groups are most likely a reflection of a mixture of intra-tumour heterogeneity and transcription factor (TF) binding/activity. IGV can be used to predict clinical outcome in patients individually, providing a surrogate read-out of hard-to-measure disease processes.

  1. Imaging tests in staging and surveillance of non-metastatic breast cancer: changes in routine clinical practice and cost implications.

    Science.gov (United States)

    De Placido, S; De Angelis, C; Giuliano, M; Pizzi, C; Ruocco, R; Perrone, V; Bruzzese, D; Tommasielli, G; De Laurentiis, M; Cammarota, S; Arpino, G; Arpino, G

    2017-03-14

    Although guidelines do not recommend computerised tomography (CT), positron emission tomography (PET) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for the staging or follow-up of asymptomatic patients with non-metastatic breast cancer, they are often requested in routine clinical practice. The aim of this study was to determine the staging and follow-up patterns, and relative costs in a large population of breast cancer patients living and treated in a Southern Italian region. We analysed the clinical computerised information recorded by 567 primary-care physicians assisting about 650 000 inhabitants in the Campania region. Patients with non-metastatic breast cancer were identified and divided into calendar years from 2001 to 2010. The number of diagnostic tests prescribed per 100 patients (N/Pts) and the mean cost per patient was determined 3 months before diagnosis and up to 1 year after diagnosis. Costs are expressed in constant 2011 euros. We identified 4680 newly diagnosed cases of asymptomatic non-metastatic breast cancer. N/Pts increased significantly (Ptests'), and costs was unchanged. However, the number of CT, PET scans and MRI ('new tests')prescriptions almost quadrupled and the mean cost per patient related to these procedures significantly increased from [euro ]357 in 2001 to [euro ]830 in 2010 (Ptest prescriptions and relative costs significantly and steadily increased throughout the study period. At present there is no evidence that the delivery of new tests to asymptomatic patients improves breast cancer outcome. Well-designed clinical trials are urgently needed to shed light on the impact of these tests on clinical outcome and overall survival.

  2. The role of p53 in radiation therapy outcomes for favorable-to-intermediate-risk prostate cancer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ritter, Mark A.; Gilchrist, Kennedy W.; Voytovich, Marta; Chappell, Richard J.; Verhoven, Bret M.

    2002-01-01

    Purpose: Some prostate cancers may have molecular alterations that render them less responsive to radiation therapy; identification of these alterations before treatment might allow improved treatment optimization. This study investigated whether p53, a potential molecular determinant, could predict long-term radiation therapy outcome in a restricted group of relatively favorable-risk prostate cancer patients treated uniformly with irradiation alone. Methods and Materials: This study included 53 patients previously treated with radiotherapy for favorable-to-intermediate-risk prostate cancer. These patients were selected for relatively low pretreatment PSAs (≤21 ng/mL) and Gleason scores (≤7) to decrease the likelihood of nonlocalized disease, because disease localization was necessary to examine the efficacy of localized radiation therapy. The status of p53 was immunohistochemically assessed in paraffin-embedded pretreatment biopsy specimens, along with appropriate controls. This marker was selected based upon a usable mutation prevalence in early-stage prostate cancer and its potential linkage with radiation response via cell cycle, DNA repair, and cell death pathways. Correlation between p53 mutation and clinical outcome was analyzed in univariate and multivariate fashion and included conventional prognosticators, such as stage, grade, and PSA. Freedom from biochemical failure was determined using American Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology criteria. Limitations of prior studies were potentially avoided by requiring adequate posttreatment follow-up (median follow-up in nonfailing patients of 5.1 years), as well as pretreatment PSA and Gleason scores that suggested localized disease, and uniformity of treatment. Results: The total group of 53 favorable-to-intermediate-risk patients demonstrated an actuarial biochemical failure rate of 35% at 5 years. Forty percent of all specimens had a greater than 10% labeling index for p53 mutation, and

  3. Measuring financial toxicity as a clinically relevant patient-reported outcome: The validation of the COmprehensive Score for financial Toxicity (COST).

    Science.gov (United States)

    de Souza, Jonas A; Yap, Bonnie J; Wroblewski, Kristen; Blinder, Victoria; Araújo, Fabiana S; Hlubocky, Fay J; Nicholas, Lauren H; O'Connor, Jeremy M; Brockstein, Bruce; Ratain, Mark J; Daugherty, Christopher K; Cella, David

    2017-02-01

    Cancer and its treatment lead to increased financial distress for patients. To the authors' knowledge, to date, no standardized patient-reported outcome measure has been validated to assess this distress. Patients with AJCC Stage IV solid tumors receiving chemotherapy for at least 2 months were recruited. Financial toxicity was measured by the COmprehensive Score for financial Toxicity (COST) measure. The authors collected data regarding patient characteristics, clinical trial participation, health care use, willingness to discuss costs, psychological distress (Brief Profile of Mood States [POMS]), and health-related quality of life (HRQOL) as measured by the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy: General (FACT-G) and the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) QOL questionnaires. Test-retest reliability, internal consistency, and validity of the COST measure were assessed using standard-scale construction techniques. Associations between the resulting factors and other variables were assessed using multivariable analyses. A total of 375 patients with advanced cancer were approached, 233 of whom (62.1%) agreed to participate. The COST measure demonstrated high internal consistency and test-retest reliability. Factor analyses revealed a coherent, single, latent variable (financial toxicity). COST values were found to be correlated with income (correlation coefficient [r] = 0.28; Pfinancial toxicity were race (P = .04), employment status (Pcosts was not found to be associated with the degree of financial distress (P = .49). The COST measure demonstrated reliability and validity in measuring financial toxicity. Its correlation with HRQOL indicates that financial toxicity is a clinically relevant patient-centered outcome. Cancer 2017;123:476-484. © 2016 American Cancer Society. © 2016 The Authors. Cancer published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of American Cancer Society.

  4. CC genotype of anti-apoptotic gene BCL-2 (-938 C/A) is an independent prognostic marker of unfavorable clinical outcome in patients with non-small-cell lung cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Javid, J; Mir, R; Mirza, M; Imtiyaz, A; Prasant, Y; Mariyam, Z; Julka, P K; Mohan, A; Lone, M; Ray, P C; Saxena, A

    2015-04-01

    B cell lymphoma 2 (BCL-2) gene is a well-known regulator of apoptosis and a key element in cancer development and progression. A regulatory (-938C>A, rs2279115) single-nucleotide polymorphism in the inhibitory P2 BCL-2 gene promoter generates significantly different BCL-2 promoter activities and has been associated with different clinical outcomes in various malignancies. The aim of the present study was to analyze the possible influence of the (-938C>A) SNP on the risk and survival of Indian patients suffering from NSCLC. A hospital-based case-control study of 155 age- and sex-matched patients diagnosed with NSCLC and 155 cancer-free controls was conducted and genotyped by performing PIRA-PCR to elucidate the putative association between clinical outcome and genotypes of BCL-2 (-938C>A, rs2279115). The association of the polymorphism with the survival of NSCLC patients was analyzed by Kaplan-Meier curves. In Indian NSCLC, patients increased risk of developing NSCLC was found to be associated with BCL-2 (-938) CC genotype, [OR 3.68 (1.92-6.79), RR 1.87 (1.35-2.57) and RD 31.03 (16.79-45.27) p 0.00006 for CC and OR 2.08 (1.18-3.66), RR 1.36 (1.08-1.71) and RD 17.74 (4.68-30.81) p 0.01 for AC genotype]. Patients homozygous for C allele exhibited a significant poor overall survival compared with patients displaying AC + CC or AC or AA genotype [median survival (months) 8 vs. 11 vs. 14 vs. 35.5 (p A) polymorphism. Genetic polymorphism in the inhibitory P2 promoter region of anti-apoptotic BCL-2 genes contributes to the risk of developing non-small-cell lung cancer in Indian population. BCL-2 (-938CC) genotype was an independent adverse prognostic factor for patients with NSCLC.

  5. Clinical presentation of thyroid cancer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Samuel, A.M.; Shah, D.H.

    1999-01-01

    The clinical manifestation of thyroid cancer (TC) as seen at the Nuclear Medicine Department, where the patients investigated prior to diagnosis of disease are clinically suspected to harbor malignancy and mostly referred for scintigraphic investigations are presented

  6. Bilateral breast cancer : mammographic and clinical findings

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kim, Eun Kyung; Oh, Ki Keun; Jun, Hwang Yoon; Lee, Byung Chan; Lee, Kyong Sik; Lee, Yong Hee

    1997-01-01

    To evaluate the mammographic and clinical features of bilateral breast cancer. We retrospectively reviewed clinical records(n=23) and mammograms (n=15) of 23 patients with bilateral breast cancer. Patients' age, location of the tumor and pathologic staging were determined from clinical records. Mammographic features were classified as spiculated mass, nonspiculated mass, mass with microcalcification, microcalcification only, asymmetric density, and normal. Of the 23 cases of bilateral breast cancer, 8(34.8%) were synchronous and 15(65.2%) were metachronous. Age at diagnosis of cancer in the first breast was between 27 and 59(mean 43) years ; there was no statistically significant difference in mean age between patients with synchronous and metachronous cancer. The mean interval between the diagnosis of each lesion of the metachronous pairs was 9.1 years. In 11 of 23 cases(48%), tumors were locaated in the same quadrant, and in the other 12 cases(52%), they were in different quadrant. At mammography, five of 15 metachronous cancers(33%) were similar in appearance and 10 pairs(67%) were different. In 4 of 23 cases(17%), cancer in the first breast was at stage 0 and stage 1, and in 13 of 23(57%), cancer in the second breast was at this same stage. In bilateral breast cancer, the two breasts frequently show different mammographic features. Cancer of the second breast was at an early stage; this suggest that regular examination and mammography are important and can allow early detection of contralateral breast cancer

  7. Peculiarities of clinical course of children skin cancer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zikiryakhodjaev, D.Z.; Sanginov, D.R.

    2001-01-01

    In this chapter of book authors investigated the peculiarities of clinical course of children skin cancer. They noted that comprehensive studying of peculiarities of clinical course of children skin cancer proved that they depend not only from age, but from morphologic structure, previous skin illness which was cause of skin cancer

  8. Stromal expression of heat-shock protein 27 is associated with worse clinical outcome in patients with colorectal cancer lung metastases.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Thomas Schweiger

    Full Text Available Pulmonary metastases are common in patients with primary colorectal cancer (CRC. Heat-shock protein 27 (Hsp27 is upregulated in activated fibroblasts during wound healing and systemically elevated in various diseases. Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs are also thought to play a role as prognostic and predictive markers in various malignancies including CRC. Surprisingly, the expression of Hsp27 has never been assessed in CAFs. Therefore we aimed to investigate the expression level of Hsp27 in CAFs and its clinical implications in patients with CRC lung metastases.FFPE tissue samples from 51 pulmonary metastases (PMs and 33 paired primary tumors were evaluated for alpha-SMA, CD31, Hsp27 and vimentin expression by immunohistochemistry and correlated with clinicopathological variables. 25 liver metastases served as control group. Moreover, serum samples (n=10 before and after pulmonary metastasectomy were assessed for circulating phospho-Hsp27 and total Hsp27 by ELISA.Stromal expression of Hsp27 was observed in all PM and showed strong correlation with alpha-SMA (P<0.001 and vimentin (P<0.001. Strong stromal Hsp27 was associated with higher microvessel density in primary CRC and PM. Moreover, high stromal Hsp27 and αSMA expression were associated with decreased recurrence-free survival after pulmonary metastasectomy (P=0.018 and P=0.008, respectively and overall survival (P=0.031 and P=0.017, respectively. Serum levels of phospho- and total Hsp27 dropped after metastasectomy to levels comparable to healthy controls.Herein we describe for the first time that Hsp27 is highly expressed in tumor stroma of CRC. Stromal α-SMA and Hsp27 expressions correlate with the clinical outcome after pulmonary metastasectomy. Moreover, serum Hsp27 might pose a future marker for metastatic disease in CRC.

  9. Clinical Trials Management | Division of Cancer Prevention

    Science.gov (United States)

    Information for researchers about developing, reporting, and managing NCI-funded cancer prevention clinical trials. Protocol Information Office The central clearinghouse for clinical trials management within the Division of Cancer Prevention.Read more about the Protocol Information Office. | Information for researchers about developing, reporting, and managing NCI-funded

  10. Maximizing outcomes in genitourinary cancers across the treatment continuum.

    LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

    Fitzpatrick, John M

    2011-04-01

    Key controversies concerning the management of genitourinary cancers across the treatment continua were discussed at the second annual Interactive Genitourinary Cancer Conference (IGUCC) held in February 2010 in Athens, Greece. Prostate cancer is the most common form of cancer among western men and prevention strategies are needed. Trials evaluating 5α-reductase inhibitors have reported beneficial and clinically meaningful results, but uptake remains low for primary prostate cancer prevention. Prostate cancer detection programmes are also important as curative treatments for advanced disease are unavailable. Two large landmark randomized controlled trials reported conflicting results concerning screening efficacy and uncovered high levels of over-diagnosis and potential over-treatment. Tailored management strategies after diagnosis are important and predictive markers that distinguish between aggressive and indolent tumours are needed. The majority of newly diagnosed cases of prostate cancer are clinically localized. Active surveillance of favourable risk patients may be beneficial in the intermediate term, while an integrated approach of multi-modality therapy in patients with adverse features is recommended. The benefits of new technologies such as high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) and robotic prostatectomy have not been established in prospective randomized trials vs current standards of care. A multidisciplinary approach is essential to evolving the management of advanced prostate cancer into a chronic disease paradigm. Docetaxel plus prednisone is the standard first-line chemotherapy for patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC), but the optimal timing of chemotherapy initiation has not been addressed in randomized clinical trials. Retrospective analyses suggest that asymptomatic patients with adverse prognostic factors for survival may also benefit from receiving chemotherapy. Bladder cancer is a common malignancy and the

  11. Influence of yoga on postoperative outcomes and wound healing in early operable breast cancer patients undergoing surgery.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rao, Raghavendra M; Nagendra, H R; Raghuram, Nagarathna; Vinay, C; Chandrashekara, S; Gopinath, K S; Srinath, B S

    2008-01-01

    Pre- and postoperative distress in breast cancer patients can cause complications and delay recovery from surgery. The aim of our study was to evaluate the effects of yoga intervention on postoperative outcomes and wound healing in early operable breast cancer patients undergoing surgery. Ninety-eight recently diagnosed stage II and III breast cancer patients were recruited in a randomized controlled trial comparing the effects of a yoga program with supportive therapy and exercise rehabilitation on postoperative outcomes and wound healing following surgery. Subjects were assessed at the baseline prior to surgery and four weeks later. Sociodemographic, clinical and investigative notes were ascertained in the beginning of the study. Blood samples were collected for estimation of plasma cytokines-soluble Interleukin (IL)-2 receptor (IL-2R), tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha and interferon (IFN)-gamma. Postoperative outcomes such as the duration of hospital stay and drain retention, time of suture removal and postoperative complications were ascertained. We used independent samples t test and nonparametric Mann Whitney U tests to compare groups for postoperative outcomes and plasma cytokines. Regression analysis was done to determine predictors for postoperative outcomes. Sixty-nine patients contributed data to the current analysis (yoga: n = 33, control: n = 36). The results suggest a significant decrease in the duration of hospital stay (P = 0.003), days of drain retention (P = 0.001) and days for suture removal (P = 0.03) in the yoga group as compared to the controls. There was also a significant decrease in plasma TNF alpha levels following surgery in the yoga group (P < 0.001), as compared to the controls. Regression analysis on postoperative outcomes showed that the yoga intervention affected the duration of drain retention and hospital stay as well as TNF alpha levels. The results suggest possible benefits of yoga in reducing postoperative complications in

  12. Need for global partnership in cancer care: perceptions of cancer care researchers attending the 2010 australia and Asia pacific clinical oncology research development workshop.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lyerly, H Kim; Abernethy, Amy P; Stockler, Martin R; Koczwara, Bogda; Aziz, Zeba; Nair, Reena; Seymour, Lesley

    2011-09-01

    To understand the diversity of issues and the breadth of growing clinical care, professional education, and clinical research needs of developing countries, not typically represented in Western or European surveys of cancer care and research. A cross-sectional survey was conducted of the attendees at the 2010 Australia and Asia Pacific Clinical Oncology Research Development workshop (Queensland, Australia) about the most important health care questions facing the participant's home countries, especially concerning cancer. Early-career oncologists and advanced oncology trainees from a region of the world containing significant low- and middle-income countries reported that cancer is an emerging health priority as a result of aging of the population, the impact of diet and lifestyle, and environmental pollution. There was concern about the capacity of health care workers and treatment facilities to provide cancer care and access to the latest cancer therapies and technologies. Although improving health care delivery was seen as a critical local agenda priority, focusing on improved cancer research activities in this select population was seen as the best way that others outside the country could improve outcomes for all. The burden of cancer will increase dramatically over the next 20 years, particularly in countries with developing and middle-income economies. Cancer research globally faces significant barriers, many of which are magnified in the developing country setting. Overcoming these barriers will require partnerships sensitive and responsive to both local and global needs.

  13. Prostate cancer outcome in Burkina Faso

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yameogo Clotaire

    2011-09-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Introduction African-American black men race is one of non-modifiable risk factors confirmed for prostate cancer. Many studies have been done in USA among African- American population to evaluate prostate cancer disparities. Compared to the USA very few data are available for prostate cancer in Sub-Saharan African countries. The objective of this study was to describe incident prostate cancer (PC diagnosis characteristics in Burkina Faso (West Africa. Methods We performed a prospective non randomized patient’s cohort study of new prostate cancer cases diagnosed by histological analysis of transrectal prostate biopsies in Burkina Faso. Study participants included 166 patients recruited at the urology division of the university hospital of Ouagadougou. Age of the patients, clinical symptoms, digital rectal examination (DRE result, serum prostate-specific antigen (PSA level, histological characteristics and TNM classification were taking in account in this study. Results 166 transrectal prostate biopsies (TRPB were performed based on high PSA level or abnormal DRE. The prostate cancer rate on those TRPB was 63, 8 % (n=106. The mean age of the patients was 71, 5 years (52 to 86. Urinary retention was the first clinical patterns of reference in our institution (55, 7 %, n = 59. Most patients, 56, 6 % (n = 60 had a serum PSA level over than 100 ng/ml. All the patients had adenocarcinoma on histological study of prostate biopsy cores. The majority of cases (54, 7 % n = 58 had Gleason score equal or higher than 7. Conclusion Prostate cancer is diagnosed at later stages in our country. Very high serum PSA level and poorly differentiated tumors are the two major characteristics of PC at the time of diagnosis.

  14. Mucinous Histology Signifies Poor Oncologic Outcome in Young Patients With Colorectal Cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Soliman, Basem G; Karagkounis, Georgios; Church, James M; Plesec, Thomas; Kalady, Matthew F

    2018-05-01

    The incidence of colorectal cancer in the young (under age 40) is increasing, and this population has worse oncologic outcomes. Mucinous histology is a potential prognostic factor in colorectal cancer, but has not been evaluated specifically in young patients. The objective of the study was to determine factors associated with poor outcome in young patients with colorectal cancer (≤40 years) and to determine relationships between mucinous histology and oncologic outcomes in this population. This is a retrospective study. Patients from a single-institution tertiary care center were studied. A total of 224 patients with colorectal cancer under 40 years of age diagnosed between 1990 and 2010 were included (mean age, 34.7 years; 51.3% female). 34 patients (15.2%) had mucinous histology. There were no interventions. Oncologic outcomes were analyzed according to the presence of mucinous histology. The mucinous and nonmucin colorectal cancer study populations were statistically similar in age, sex, tumor location, pathological stage, differentiation, and adjuvant chemotherapy use. Five-year disease-free survival was 29.1% versus 71.3% (p colorectal cancers recurred earlier at a median time of 36.4 months versus 94.2 months for nonmucin colorectal cancers (p colorectal cancer. This is associated with early and high recurrence rates, despite use of standard neoadjuvant and adjuvant regimens. Physicians need to be aware of this association and potentially explore novel treatment options. See Video Abstract at http://links.lww.com/DCR/A575.

  15. Area-level variations in cancer care and outcomes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Keating, Nancy L; Landrum, Mary Beth; Lamont, Elizabeth B; Bozeman, Samuel R; McNeil, Barbara J

    2012-05-01

    : Substantial regional variations in health-care spending exist across the United States; yet, care and outcomes are not better in higher-spending areas. Most studies have focused on care in fee-for-service Medicare; whether spillover effects exist in settings without financial incentives for more care is unknown. : We studied care for cancer patients in fee-for-service Medicare and the Veterans Health Administration (VA) to understand whether processes and outcomes of care vary with area-level Medicare spending. : An observational study using logistic regression to assess care by area-level measures of Medicare spending. : Patients with lung, colorectal, or prostate cancers diagnosed during 2001-2004 in Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) areas or the VA. The SEER cohort included fee-for-service Medicare patients aged older than 65 years. : Recommended and preference-sensitive cancer care and mortality. : In fee-for-service Medicare, higher-spending areas had higher rates of recommended care (curative surgery and adjuvant chemotherapy for early-stage non-small-cell lung cancer and chemotherapy for stage III colon cancer) and preference-sensitive care (chemotherapy for stage IV lung and colon cancer and primary treatment of local/regional prostate cancer) and had lower lung cancer mortality. In the VA, we observed minimal variation in care by area-level Medicare spending. : Our findings suggest that intensity of care for Medicare beneficiaries is not driving variations in VA care, despite some overlap in physician networks. Although the Dartmouth Atlas work has been of unprecedented importance in demonstrating variations in Medicare spending, new measures may be needed to better understand variations in other populations.

  16. The role of Human papillomavirus in head and neck cancer and the impact on radiotherapy outcome

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lassen, Pernille

    2010-01-01

    The profound influence of Human papillomavirus (HPV) on the epidemiological pattern and clinical course of head and neck cancer (HNSCC) has led to a change in the traditional understanding of this disease entity. Separate therapeutic strategies based on tumour HPV status are under consideration and in this light provision of knowledge concerning the influence of tumour HPV on the radiation response in HNSCC appears highly relevant. This review provides a summary of the current understanding of the role of HPV in head and neck cancer with specific focus on the viral impact on radiotherapy outcome of HNSCC.

  17. Molecular Subtypes and Clinical Outcomes of Breast Cancer

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    2010-01-04

    Jan 4, 2010 ... Some early work has started in earnest at both the. AKUH(N) and Kijabe Hospitals to try and stratify our breast cancer patients to those mentioned subtypes to help in both diagnosis and treatment. The limiting fac- tors are small numbers of patients expense to undertake the tests and lack of both internal ...

  18. Imaging body composition in cancer patients: visceral obesity, sarcopenia and sarcopenic obesity may impact on clinical outcome

    OpenAIRE

    Yip, Connie; Dinkel, Charlotte; Mahajan, Abhishek; Siddique, Musib; Cook, Gary J. R.; Goh, Vicky

    2015-01-01

    Abstract In recent years, there has been increasing interest in the influence of body composition on oncological patient outcomes. Visceral obesity, sarcopenia and sarcopenic obesity have been identified as adverse factors in cancer patients. Imaging quantification of body composition such as lean muscle mass and fat distribution is a potentially valuable tool. This review describes the following imaging techniques that may be used to assess body composition: dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry ...

  19. Cosmetic Outcome and Seroma Formation After Breast-Conserving Surgery With Intraoperative Radiation Therapy Boost for Early Breast Cancer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Senthi, Sashendra; Link, Emma; Chua, Boon H.

    2012-01-01

    Purpose: To evaluate cosmetic outcome and its association with breast wound seroma after breast-conserving surgery (BCS) with targeted intraoperative radiation therapy (tIORT) boost for early breast cancer. Methods and Materials: An analysis of a single-arm prospective study of 55 patients with early breast cancer treated with BCS and tIORT boost followed by conventional whole breast radiation therapy (WBRT) between August 2003 and January 2006 was performed. A seroma was defined as a fluid collection at the primary tumor resection site identified clinically or radiologically. Cosmetic assessments using the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer rating system were performed at baseline before BCS and 30 months after WBRT was completed. Results: Twenty-eight patients (51%) developed a seroma, with 18 patients (33%) requiring at least 1 aspiration. Tumor location was significantly associated with seroma formation (P=.001). Ten of 11 patients with an upper inner quadrant tumor developed a seroma. Excellent or good overall cosmetic outcome at 30 months was observed in 34 patients (62%, 95% confidence interval 53%-80%). Seroma formation was not associated with the overall cosmetic result (P=.54). Conclusion: BCS with tIORT boost followed by WBRT was associated with an acceptable cosmetic outcome. Seroma formation was not significantly associated with an adverse cosmetic outcome.

  20. Clinical value of FDG-PET in the follow up of post-operative patients with endometrial cancer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Saga, Tsuneo; Higashi, Tatsuya; Ishimori, Takayoshi

    2003-01-01

    The clinical usefulness of FDG-PET in the follow up of post-operative patients with endometrial cancer was retrospectively evaluated. Twenty-one post-operative patients with endometrial cancer received 30 FDG-PET examinations to evaluate recurrence or response to treatment. The findings of FDG-PET were compared with their serum levels of tumor markers, CT and/or MRI findings, and the final outcome. Results of FDG-PET were also correlated with the clinical course of each patient. In detecting recurrent lesions and evaluating treatment responses, FDG-PET, with the help in anatomic information by CT/MRI, showed better diagnostic ability (sensitivity 100.0%, specificity 88.2%, accuracy 93.3%) compared with combined conventional imaging (sensitivity 84.6%, specificity 85.7%, accuracy 85.0%) and tumor markers (sensitivity 100.0%, specificity 70.6%, accuracy 83.3%). FDG-PET had no false-negative results, suggesting the possibility of its use as the first-line examination in a patient's follow-up. FDG-PET could detect unknown lesions in 4 cases, and, as reported for other malignancies, FDG-PET affected the patient management in one-third of the cases. Furthermore, the results of FDG-PET correlated well with the clinical outcome of the patients, with patients with negative PET results tending to show disease-free courses. These results suggest that, despite the limited number of patients studied, FDG-PET was accurate in detecting recurrence and evaluating therapeutic response, and could afford important information in the management of post-operative patients with endometrial cancer. FDG-PET also appeared to have a possibility to predict the outcome of each patient. (author)

  1. What is the value of the routine use of patient-reported outcome measures toward improvement of patient outcomes, processes of care, and health service outcomes in cancer care? A systematic review of controlled trials.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kotronoulas, Grigorios; Kearney, Nora; Maguire, Roma; Harrow, Alison; Di Domenico, David; Croy, Suzanne; MacGillivray, Stephen

    2014-05-10

    The systematic use of patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) has been advocated as an effective way to standardize cancer practice. Yet, the question of whether PROMs can lead to actual improvements in the quality of patient care remains under debate. This review examined whether inclusion of PROM in routine clinical practice is associated with improvements in patient outcomes, processes of care, and health service outcomes during active anticancer treatment. A systematic review of five electronic databases (Medline, EMBASE, CINAHL [Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature], PsycINFO, and Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection [PBSC]) was conducted from database inception to May 2012 to locate randomized and nonrandomized controlled trials of patients receiving active anticancer treatment or supportive care irrespective of type of cancer. Based on prespecified eligibility criteria, we included 26 articles that reported on 24 unique controlled trials. Wide variability in the design and use of interventions delivered, outcomes evaluated, and cancer- and modality-specific context was apparent. Health service outcomes were only scarcely included as end points. Overall, the number of statistically significant findings were limited and PROMs' intervention effect sizes were predominantly small-to-moderate. The routine use of PROMs increases the frequency of discussion of patient outcomes during consultations. In some studies, PROMs are associated with improved symptom control, increased supportive care measures, and patient satisfaction. Additional effort is required to ensure patient adherence, as well as additional support to clinicians who will respond to patient concerns and issues, with clear system guidelines in place to guide their responses. More research is required to support PROM cost-benefit in terms of patient safety, clinician burden, and health services usage.

  2. miR-345 in metastatic colorectal cancer: a non-invasive biomarker for clinical outcome in non-KRAS mutant patients treated with 3rd line cetuximab and irinotecan

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Schou, Jakob V; Rossi, Simona; Jensen, Benny V

    2014-01-01

    for overall survival (OS) in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) treated with cetuximab and irinotecan. METHODS: From 138 patients with mCRC in 3rd line therapy with cetuximab and irinotecan in a prospective phase II study, 738 pretreatment miRNAs were isolated and profiled from whole blood...... to treatment with cetuximab and irinotecan. CONCLUSION: We identified miR-345 in whole blood as a potential biomarker for clinical outcome. MiR-345 was a single prognostic biomarker for both OS and PFS in all patients and also in the non-KRAS mutant population....

  3. Outcome of cervix uteri cancer patients: Clinical treatment results and toxicity profile in a retrospective study from Saudi Arabia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    El Sayed, Mohamed E; Bahadur, Yasir A; Hassouna, Ashraf H; Fawzy, Ehab E; Nasr, Azza M; Sadiq, Bakr B; Dada, Reyad; Sait, Khalid H; Anfinan, Nisrin M

    2017-10-01

    This study evaluated the survival outcome, pattern of failure and prognostic factors in cervix uteri cancer patients. We reviewed the data of 60 patients with stages IB-IVA cancer who were treated between January 2004 and December 2010. Most patients (n = 50; 83%) had squamous cell carcinoma. Stage IIB was the most common presentation (n = 41; 68%). Forty-seven patients (78%) received Cisplatin concurrent with radiotherapy (CRT). The 2- and 4-year overall survival (OS) was 82% and 79%, respectively. Prolongation of the overall treatment time (OAT) for greater than 56 days, advanced stage and pretreatment hemoglobin (Hb) levels (cervix uteri cancer patients and the prognostic factors are comparable to those of previous reports. Orthogonal brachytherapy planning and vaginal infiltration negatively predicted relapse. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.

  4. The frequencies and clinical implications of mutations in 33 kinase-related genes in locally advanced rectal cancer: a pilot study.

    LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

    Abdul-Jalil, Khairun I

    2014-08-01

    Locally advanced rectal cancer (LARC: T3\\/4 and\\/or node-positive) is treated with preoperative\\/neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (CRT), but responses are not uniform. The phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K), MAP kinase (MAPK), and related pathways are implicated in rectal cancer tumorigenesis. Here, we investigated the association between genetic mutations in these pathways and LARC clinical outcomes.

  5. Role of cooperative groups and funding source in clinical trials supporting guidelines for systemic therapy of breast cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tibau, Ariadna; Anguera, Geòrgia; Andrés-Pretel, Fernando; Templeton, Arnoud J; Seruga, Bostjan; Barnadas, Agustí; Amir, Eitan; Ocana, Alberto

    2018-03-13

    Clinical research is conducted by academia, cooperative groups (CGs) or pharmaceutical industry. Here, we evaluate the role of CGs and funding sources in the development of guidelines for breast cancer therapies. We identified 94 studies. CGs were involved in 28 (30%) studies while industry either partially or fully sponsored 64 (68%) studies. The number of industry funded studies increased over time (from 0% in 1976 to 100% in 2014; p for trend = 0.048). Only 10 (11%) government or academic studies were identified. Studies conducted by GCs included a greater number of subjects (median 448 vs. 284; p = 0.015), were more common in the neo/adjuvant setting ( p funding was associated with higher likelihood of positive outcomes favoring the sponsored experimental arm ( p = 0.013) but this relationship was not seen for CG-sponsored trials ( p = 0.53). ASCO, ESMO, and NCCN guidelines were searched to identify systemic anti-cancer therapies for early-stage and metastatic breast cancer. Trial characteristics and outcomes were collected. We identified sponsors and/or the funding source(s) and determined whether CGs, industry, or government or academic institutions were involved. Chi-square tests were used for comparison between studies. Industry funding is present in the majority of studies providing the basis for which recommendations about treatment of breast cancer are made. Industry funding, but not CG-based funding, was associated with higher likelihood of positive outcomes in clinical studies supporting guidelines for systemic therapy.

  6. Using Quality Improvement Methods and Time-Driven Activity-Based Costing to Improve Value-Based Cancer Care Delivery at a Cancer Genetics Clinic.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tan, Ryan Y C; Met-Domestici, Marie; Zhou, Ke; Guzman, Alexis B; Lim, Soon Thye; Soo, Khee Chee; Feeley, Thomas W; Ngeow, Joanne

    2016-03-01

    To meet increasing demand for cancer genetic testing and improve value-based cancer care delivery, National Cancer Centre Singapore restructured the Cancer Genetics Service in 2014. Care delivery processes were redesigned. We sought to improve access by increasing the clinic capacity of the Cancer Genetics Service by 100% within 1 year without increasing direct personnel costs. Process mapping and plan-do-study-act (PDSA) cycles were used in a quality improvement project for the Cancer Genetics Service clinic. The impact of interventions was evaluated by tracking the weekly number of patient consultations and access times for appointments between April 2014 and May 2015. The cost impact of implemented process changes was calculated using the time-driven activity-based costing method. Our study completed two PDSA cycles. An important outcome was achieved after the first cycle: The inclusion of a genetic counselor increased clinic capacity by 350%. The number of patients seen per week increased from two in April 2014 (range, zero to four patients) to seven in November 2014 (range, four to 10 patients). Our second PDSA cycle showed that manual preappointment reminder calls reduced the variation in the nonattendance rate and contributed to a further increase in patients seen per week to 10 in May 2015 (range, seven to 13 patients). There was a concomitant decrease in costs of the patient care cycle by 18% after both PDSA cycles. This study shows how quality improvement methods can be combined with time-driven activity-based costing to increase value. In this paper, we demonstrate how we improved access while reducing costs of care delivery. Copyright © 2016 by American Society of Clinical Oncology.

  7. Benchmarking Outpatient Rehabilitation Clinics Using Functional Status Outcomes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gozalo, Pedro L; Resnik, Linda J; Silver, Benjamin

    2016-04-01

    To utilize functional status (FS) outcomes to benchmark outpatient therapy clinics. Outpatient therapy data from clinics using Focus on Therapeutic Outcomes (FOTO) assessments. Retrospective analysis of 538 clinics, involving 2,040 therapists and 90,392 patients admitted July 2006-June 2008. FS at discharge was modeled using hierarchical regression methods with patients nested within therapists within clinics. Separate models were estimated for all patients, for those with lumbar, and for those with shoulder impairments. All models risk-adjusted for intake FS, age, gender, onset, surgery count, functional comorbidity index, fear-avoidance level, and payer type. Inverse probability weighting adjusted for censoring. Functional status was captured using computer adaptive testing at intake and at discharge. Clinic and therapist effects explained 11.6 percent of variation in FS. Clinics ranked in the lowest quartile had significantly different outcomes than those in the highest quartile (p < .01). Clinics ranked similarly in lumbar and shoulder impairments (correlation = 0.54), but some clinics ranked in the highest quintile for one condition and in the lowest for the other. Benchmarking models based on validated FS measures clearly separated high-quality from low-quality clinics, and they could be used to inform value-based-payment policies. © Health Research and Educational Trust.

  8. Sex-Divergent Clinical Outcomes and Precision Medicine: An Important New Role for Institutional Review Boards and Research Ethics Committees

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ignacio Segarra

    2017-07-01

    Full Text Available The efforts toward individualized medicine have constantly increased in an attempt to improve treatment options. These efforts have led to the development of small molecules which target specific molecular pathways involved in cancer progression. We have reviewed preclinical studies of sunitinib that incorporate sex as a covariate to explore possible sex-based differences in pharmacokinetics and drug–drug interactions (DDI to attempt a relationship with published clinical outputs. We observed that covariate sex is lacking in most clinical outcome reports and suggest a series of ethic-based proposals to improve research activities and identify relevant different sex outcomes. We propose a deeper integration of preclinical, clinical, and translational research addressing statistical and clinical significance jointly; to embed specific sex-divergent endpoints to evaluate possible gender differences objectively during all stages of research; to pay greater attention to sex-divergent outcomes in polypharmacy scenarios, DDI and bioequivalence studies; the clear reporting of preclinical and clinical findings regarding sex-divergent outcomes; as well as to encourage the active role of scientists and the pharmaceutical industry to foster a new scientific culture through their research programs, practice, and participation in editorial boards and Institutional Ethics Review Boards (IRBs and Research Ethics Committees (RECs. We establish the IRB/REC as the centerpiece for the implementation of these proposals. We suggest the expansion of its competence to follow up clinical trials to ensure that sex differences are addressed and recognized; to engage in data monitoring committees to improve clinical research cooperation and ethically address those potential clinical outcome differences between male and female patients to analyze their social and clinical implications in research and healthcare policies.

  9. Comparison of Long-Term Outcomes of Postmastectomy Radiotherapy between Breast Cancer Patients with and without Immediate Flap Reconstruction.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hsin-Hua Lee

    Full Text Available To compare the long-term clinical outcomes of postmastectomy radiotherapy (PMRT between breast cancer patients with and without immediate transverse rectus abdominis myocutaneous (TRAM flap reconstruction.The study included 492 patients with stage II or III breast cancer who underwent modified radical mastectomy (MRM and chemotherapy followed by PMRT between 1997 and 2011. Cox regression model and Kaplan-Meier curves were calculated, and the log-rank test was used to evaluate the differences between overall and disease-free survival rates in the 2 groups.Among 492 patients, 213 patients had immediate TRAM flap reconstruction. The mean follow-up was 7.2 years (range, 11-191 months. The 5-year and 10-year disease free survival rates were 81% and 76% for the TRAM flap group and 78% and 73% for the non-flap group. The 5-year and 10-year overall survival rates were 89% and 73% for the TRAM flap group and 83% and 74% for the non-flap group.There exists no statistically significant difference in the rates of local recurrence, distant metastasis, disease-free and overall survival when comparing immediate TRAM flap reconstruction with no reconstruction. Our results suggest that immediate TRAM flap reconstruction does not compromise long term clinical outcomes in breast cancer patients requiring PMRT.

  10. Clinical outcome of radical prostatectomy for stage C prostate cancer. Comparison with other treatment modalities

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Maeda, Osamu; Meguro, Norio; Saiki, Shigeru; Kinouchi, Toshiaki; Kuroda, Masao; Usami, Michiyuki; Kotake, Toshihiko

    1997-01-01

    Of the 69 patients with clinical stage C prostate cancer under 75 years old and with good performance status between 1986 and 1995, 29 underwent radical prostatectomy combined with endocrine therapy, 21 underwent radiation therapy combined with endocrine therapy and remaining 19 patients were treated by endocrine therapy alone. The median follow-up was 44 months (range 4 to 122). Radical prostatectomy resulted in progression-free rates of 79% and 61% at 5 and 10 years, respectively. Progression-free rates were lower in patients with lymph node metastasis or positive surgical margins. In patients with clinical stage T3a-c and well or moderately differentiated tumor, radical prostatectomy resulted in a progression-free rate of 100% at 5 years. However, in patients with clinical stage T4a or poorly differentiated tumor, radiation therapy resulted in a better progression-free rate than radical prostatectomy. These findings suggest that patients with clinical stage T3a-c and well or moderately differentiated tumor will benefit from radical prostatectomy combined with endocrine therapy and that radiation therapy will be effective for advanced diseases. (author)

  11. Impact of a cancer clinical trials web site on discussions about trial participation: a cluster randomized trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dear, R F; Barratt, A L; Askie, L M; Butow, P N; McGeechan, K; Crossing, S; Currow, D C; Tattersall, M H N

    2012-07-01

    Cancer patients want access to reliable information about currently recruiting clinical trials. Oncologists and their patients were randomly assigned to access a consumer-friendly cancer clinical trials web site [Australian Cancer Trials (ACT), www.australiancancertrials.gov.au] or to usual care in a cluster randomized controlled trial. The primary outcome, measured from audio recordings of oncologist-patient consultations, was the proportion of patients with whom participation in any clinical trial was discussed. Analysis was by intention-to-treat accounting for clustering and stratification. Thirty medical oncologists and 493 patients were recruited. Overall, 46% of consultations in the intervention group compared with 34% in the control group contained a discussion about clinical trials (P=0.08). The mean consultation length in both groups was 29 min (P=0.69). The proportion consenting to a trial was 10% in both groups (P=0.65). Patients' knowledge about randomized trials was lower in the intervention than the control group (mean score 3.0 versus 3.3, P=0.03) but decisional conflict scores were similar (mean score 42 versus 43, P=0.83). Good communication between patients and physicians is essential. Within this context, a web site such as Australian Cancer Trials may be an important tool to encourage discussion about clinical trial participation.

  12. Intra-Gene DNA Methylation Variability Is a Clinically Independent Prognostic Marker in Women's Cancers.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Thomas E Bartlett

    Full Text Available We introduce a novel per-gene measure of intra-gene DNA methylation variability (IGV based on the Illumina Infinium HumanMethylation450 platform, which is prognostic independently of well-known predictors of clinical outcome. Using IGV, we derive a robust gene-panel prognostic signature for ovarian cancer (OC, n = 221, which validates in two independent data sets from Mayo Clinic (n = 198 and TCGA (n = 358, with significance of p = 0.004 in both sets. The OC prognostic signature gene-panel is comprised of four gene groups, which represent distinct biological processes. We show the IGV measurements of these gene groups are most likely a reflection of a mixture of intra-tumour heterogeneity and transcription factor (TF binding/activity. IGV can be used to predict clinical outcome in patients individually, providing a surrogate read-out of hard-to-measure disease processes.

  13. P53 overexpression and outcome of radiation therapy in head and neck cancers

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kim, In Ah; Choi, Ihl Bhong; Kang, Ki Mun; Jang, Ji Young; Kim, Kyung Mi; Park, Kyung Shin; Kim, Young Shin; Kang, Chang Suk; Cho, Seung Ho; Kim, Hyung Tae

    1999-01-01

    Experimental studies have implicated the wild type p53 in cellular response to radiation. Whether altered p53 function can lead to changes in clinical radiocurability remains an area of ongoing study. This study was performed to investigate whether any correlation between change of p53 and outcome of curative radiation therapy in patients with head and neck cancers. Immunohistochemical analysis with a mouse monoclonal antibody (D0-7) specific for human p53 was used to detect to overexpression of protein in formalin fixed, paraffin-embedded tumor sample from 55 head and neck cancer patients treated with curative radiation therapy (median dose of 7020 cGy) from February 1988 to March 1996 at St. Mary's Hospital. Overexpression of p53 was correlated with locoregional control and survival using Kaplan-Meier method. A Cox regression multivariate analysis was performed that included all clinical variables and status of p53 expression. Thirty-seven (67.2%) patients showed overexpression of p53 by immunohistochemical staining in their tumor. One hundred percent of oral cavity, 76% of laryngeal, 66.7% of oropharyngeal, 66.7% of hypopharyngeal cancer showed p53 overexpression (p=0.05). The status of p53 had significant relationship with stage of disease (p=0.03) and history of smoking (p=0.001). The overexpression of p53 was not predictive of response rate to radiation therapy. The locoregional control was not significantly affected by p53 status. Overexpression of p53 didn't have any prognostic implication for disease free survival and overall survival. Primary site and stage of disease were significant prognostic factors for survival. The p53 overexpression as detected by immunohistochemical staining had significant correlation with stage, primary site of disease and smoking habit of patients. The p53 overexpression didn't have any predictive value for outcome of curative radiation therapy in a group of head and neck cancers

  14. P53 overexpression and outcome of radiation therapy in head and neck cancers

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kim, In Ah; Choi, Ihl Bhong; Kang, Ki Mun; Jang, Ji Young; Kim, Kyung Mi; Park, Kyung Shin; Kim, Young Shin; Kang, Chang Suk; Cho, Seung Ho; Kim, Hyung Tae [College of Medicine, The Catholic Univ., Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

    1999-03-01

    Experimental studies have implicated the wild type p53 in cellular response to radiation. Whether altered p53 function can lead to changes in clinical radiocurability remains an area of ongoing study. This study was performed to investigate whether any correlation between change of p53 and outcome of curative radiation therapy in patients with head and neck cancers. Immunohistochemical analysis with a mouse monoclonal antibody (D0-7) specific for human p53 was used to detect to overexpression of protein in formalin fixed, paraffin-embedded tumor sample from 55 head and neck cancer patients treated with curative radiation therapy (median dose of 7020 cGy) from February 1988 to March 1996 at St. Mary's Hospital. Overexpression of p53 was correlated with locoregional control and survival using Kaplan-Meier method. A Cox regression multivariate analysis was performed that included all clinical variables and status of p53 expression. Thirty-seven (67.2%) patients showed overexpression of p53 by immunohistochemical staining in their tumor. One hundred percent of oral cavity, 76% of laryngeal, 66.7% of oropharyngeal, 66.7% of hypopharyngeal cancer showed p53 overexpression (p=0.05). The status of p53 had significant relationship with stage of disease (p=0.03) and history of smoking (p=0.001). The overexpression of p53 was not predictive of response rate to radiation therapy. The locoregional control was not significantly affected by p53 status. Overexpression of p53 didn't have any prognostic implication for disease free survival and overall survival. Primary site and stage of disease were significant prognostic factors for survival. The p53 overexpression as detected by immunohistochemical staining had significant correlation with stage, primary site of disease and smoking habit of patients. The p53 overexpression didn't have any predictive value for outcome of curative radiation therapy in a group of head and neck cancers.

  15. American Cancer Society/American Society of Clinical Oncology Breast Cancer Survivorship Care Guideline.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Runowicz, Carolyn D; Leach, Corinne R; Henry, N Lynn; Henry, Karen S; Mackey, Heather T; Cowens-Alvarado, Rebecca L; Cannady, Rachel S; Pratt-Chapman, Mandi L; Edge, Stephen B; Jacobs, Linda A; Hurria, Arti; Marks, Lawrence B; LaMonte, Samuel J; Warner, Ellen; Lyman, Gary H; Ganz, Patricia A

    2016-02-20

    The purpose of the American Cancer Society/American Society of Clinical Oncology Breast Cancer Survivorship Care Guideline is to provide recommendations to assist primary care and other clinicians in the care of female adult survivors of breast cancer. A systematic review of the literature was conducted using PubMed through April 2015. A multidisciplinary expert workgroup with expertise in primary care, gynecology, surgical oncology, medical oncology, radiation oncology, and nursing was formed and tasked with drafting the Breast Cancer Survivorship Care Guideline. A total of 1,073 articles met inclusion criteria; and, after full text review, 237 were included as the evidence base. Patients should undergo regular surveillance for breast cancer recurrence, including evaluation with a cancer-related history and physical examination, and should be screened for new primary breast cancer. Data do not support performing routine laboratory tests or imaging tests in asymptomatic patients to evaluate for breast cancer recurrence. Primary care clinicians should counsel patients about the importance of maintaining a healthy lifestyle, monitor for post-treatment symptoms that can adversely affect quality of life, and monitor for adherence to endocrine therapy. Recommendations provided in this guideline are based on current evidence in the literature and expert consensus opinion. Most of the evidence is not sufficient to warrant a strong evidence-based recommendation. Recommendations on surveillance for breast cancer recurrence, screening for second primary cancers, assessment and management of physical and psychosocial long-term and late effects of breast cancer and its treatment, health promotion, and care coordination/practice implications are made.This guideline was developed through a collaboration between the American Cancer Society and the American Society of Clinical Oncology and has been published jointly by invitation and consent in both CA: A Cancer Journal for

  16. Integrative Analysis of Complex Cancer Genomics and Clinical Profiles Using the cBioPortal

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gao, Jianjiong; Aksoy, Bülent Arman; Dogrusoz, Ugur; Dresdner, Gideon; Gross, Benjamin; Sumer, S. Onur; Sun, Yichao; Jacobsen, Anders; Sinha, Rileen; Larsson, Erik; Cerami, Ethan; Sander, Chris; Schultz, Nikolaus

    2014-01-01

    The cBioPortal for Cancer Genomics (http://cbioportal.org) provides a Web resource for exploring, visualizing, and analyzing multidimensional cancer genomics data. The portal reduces molecular profiling data from cancer tissues and cell lines into readily understandable genetic, epigenetic, gene expression, and proteomic events. The query interface combined with customized data storage enables researchers to interactively explore genetic alterations across samples, genes, and pathways and, when available in the underlying data, to link these to clinical outcomes. The portal provides graphical summaries of gene-level data from multiple platforms, network visualization and analysis, survival analysis, patient-centric queries, and software programmatic access. The intuitive Web interface of the portal makes complex cancer genomics profiles accessible to researchers and clinicians without requiring bioinformatics expertise, thus facilitating biological discoveries. Here, we provide a practical guide to the analysis and visualization features of the cBioPortal for Cancer Genomics. PMID:23550210

  17. Optimized outcome prediction in breast cancer by combining the 70-gene signature with clinical risk prediction algorithms

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Drukker, C.A.; Nijenhuis, M.V.; Bueno de Mesquita, J.M.; Retel, V.P.; Retel, Valesca; van Harten, Willem H.; van Tinteren, H.; Wesseling, J.; Schmidt, M.K.; van 't Veer, L.J.; Sonke, G.S.; Rutgers, E.J.T.; van de Vijver, M.J.; Linn, S.C.

    2014-01-01

    Clinical guidelines for breast cancer treatment differ in their selection of patients at a high risk of recurrence who are eligible to receive adjuvant systemic treatment (AST). The 70-gene signature is a molecular tool to better guide AST decisions. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether

  18. Clinical Outcomes after Conservative Management of Cervical Intraepithelial Neoplasia Grade 2 (CIN2) in Women Ages 21-39 Years.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Silver, Michelle I; Gage, Julia C; Schiffman, Mark; Fetterman, Barbara; Poitras, Nancy E; Lorey, Thomas; Cheung, Li C; Katki, Hormuzd A; Locke, Alexander; Kinney, Walter K; Castle, Philip E

    2018-03-01

    Cervical intraepithelial neoplasia grade 2 (CIN2) frequently regresses, is typically slow-growing, and rarely progresses to cancer. Some women forgo immediate treatment, opting for conservative management (heightened surveillance with cytology and colposcopy), to minimize overtreatment and increased risk of obstetric complications; however, there are limited data examining clinical outcomes in these women. We performed a retrospective cohort analysis of younger women diagnosed with initially untreated CIN1/2, CIN2 and CIN2/3 lesions at Kaiser Permanente Northern California between 2003 and 2015. Clinical outcomes were categorized into five mutually exclusive hierarchical groups: cancer, treated, returned to routine screening, persistent high-grade lesion, or persistent low-grade lesion. Median follow-up for the 2,417 women was 48 months. Six women were diagnosed with cancer (0.2%), all with history of high-grade cytology, and none after a negative cotest. Thirty percent of women were treated, and only 20% returned to routine screening; 50% remained in continued intensive follow-up, of which 86% had either low-grade cytology/histology or high-risk human papillomavirus (HPV) positivity, but not necessarily persistence of a single HPV type. No cancers were detected after a single negative cotest in follow-up. Almost half of initially untreated women did not undergo treatment, but remained by protocol in colposcopy clinic for 2 or more years in the absence of persisting CIN2 + Their incomplete return to total negativity was possibly due to sequential new and unrelated low-grade abnormalities. The prolonged colposcopic surveillance currently required to return to routine screening in the absence of persisting CIN2 + might not be necessary after a negative cotest. Significance: Many younger women under conservative management following an initial CIN2 result remain in a clinical protocol of prolonged intensified surveillance without a subsequent diagnosis of CIN2 or more

  19. Obesity and adverse breast cancer risk and outcome: Mechanistic insights and strategies for intervention.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Picon-Ruiz, Manuel; Morata-Tarifa, Cynthia; Valle-Goffin, Janeiro J; Friedman, Eitan R; Slingerland, Joyce M

    2017-09-01

    Answer questions and earn CME/CNE Recent decades have seen an unprecedented rise in obesity, and the health impact thereof is increasingly evident. In 2014, worldwide, more than 1.9 billion adults were overweight (body mass index [BMI], 25-29.9 kg/m 2 ), and of these, over 600 million were obese (BMI ≥30 kg/m 2 ). Although the association between obesity and the risk of diabetes and coronary artery disease is widely known, the impact of obesity on cancer incidence, morbidity, and mortality is not fully appreciated. Obesity is associated both with a higher risk of developing breast cancer, particularly in postmenopausal women, and with worse disease outcome for women of all ages. The first part of this review summarizes the relationships between obesity and breast cancer development and outcomes in premenopausal and postmenopausal women and in those with hormone receptor-positive and -negative disease. The second part of this review addresses hypothesized molecular mechanistic insights that may underlie the effects of obesity to increase local and circulating proinflammatory cytokines, promote tumor angiogenesis and stimulate the most malignant cancer stem cell population to drive cancer growth, invasion, and metastasis. Finally, a review of observational studies demonstrates that increased physical activity is associated with lower breast cancer risk and better outcomes. The effects of recent lifestyle interventions to decrease sex steroids, insulin/insulin-like growth factor-1 pathway activation, and inflammatory biomarkers associated with worse breast cancer outcomes in obesity also are discussed. Although many observational studies indicate that exercise with weight loss is associated with improved breast cancer outcome, further prospective studies are needed to determine whether weight reduction will lead to improved patient outcomes. It is hoped that several ongoing lifestyle intervention trials, which are reviewed herein, will support the systematic

  20. Comparison of clinical outcomes between luminal invasive ductal carcinoma and luminal invasive lobular carcinoma

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Adachi, Yayoi; Ishiguro, Junko; Kotani, Haruru; Hisada, Tomoka; Ichikawa, Mari; Gondo, Naomi; Yoshimura, Akiyo; Kondo, Naoto; Hattori, Masaya; Sawaki, Masataka; Fujita, Takashi; Kikumori, Toyone; Yatabe, Yasushi; Kodera, Yasuhiro; Iwata, Hiroji

    2016-01-01

    The pathological and clinical features of invasive lobular carcinoma (ILC) differ from those of invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC). Several studies have indicated that patients with ILC have a better prognosis than those with ductal carcinoma. However, no previous study has considered the molecular subtypes and histological subtypes of ILC. We compared prognosis between IDC and classical, luminal type ILC and developed prognostic factors for early breast cancer patients with classical luminal ILC. Four thousand one hundred ten breast cancer patients were treated at the Aichi Cancer Center Hospital from 2003 to 2012. We identified 1,661 cases with luminal IDC and 105 cases with luminal classical ILC. We examined baseline characteristics, clinical outcomes, and prognostic factors of luminal ILC. The prognosis of luminal ILC was significantly worse than that of luminal IDC. The rates of 5-year disease free survival (DFS) were 91.9 % and 88.4 % for patients with luminal IDC and luminal ILC, respectively (P = 0.008). The rates of 5-year overall survival (OS) were 97.6 % and 93.1 % for patients with luminal IDC and luminal ILC respectively (P = 0.030). Although we analyzed prognosis according to stratification by tumor size, luminal ILC tended to have worse DFS than luminal IDC in the large tumor group. In addition, although our analysis was performed according to matching lymph node status, luminal ILC had a significantly worse DFS and OS than luminal IDC in node-positive patients. Survival curves showed that the prognosis for ILC became worse than IDC over time. Multivariate analysis showed that ILC was an important factor related to higher risk of recurrence of luminal type breast cancer, even when tumor size, lymph node status and histological grade were considered. Luminal ILC had worse outcomes than luminal IDC. Consequently, different treatment approaches should be used for luminal ILC than for luminal IDC. The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12885

  1. Proton Therapy in Children: A Systematic Review of Clinical Effectiveness in 15 Pediatric Cancers

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Leroy, Roos, E-mail: Roos.leroy@kce.fgov.be [Belgian Healthcare Knowledge Centre (KCE), Brussels (Belgium); Benahmed, Nadia; Hulstaert, Frank [Belgian Healthcare Knowledge Centre (KCE), Brussels (Belgium); Van Damme, Nancy [Belgian Cancer Registry, Brussels (Belgium); De Ruysscher, Dirk [Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Leuven, Leuven (Belgium)

    2016-05-01

    Because it spares many normal tissues and reduces the integral dose, proton therapy (PT) is the preferred tumor irradiation technique for treating childhood cancer. However, to the best of our knowledge, no systematic review of the clinical effectiveness of PT in children has been reported in the scientific literature. A systematic search for clinical outcome studies on PT published between 2007 and 2015 was performed in Medline (through OVID), EMBASE, and the Cochrane Library. Twenty-three primary studies were identified, including approximately 650 patients overall. The median/mean follow-up times were limited (range, 19-91 months). None of the studies were randomized, 2 were comparative, and 20 were retrospective. Most suffered from serious methodologic limitations, yielding a very low level of clinical evidence for the outcomes in all indications. For example, for retinoblastoma, very low-level evidence was found that PT might decrease the incidence of second malignancies. For chondrosarcoma, chordoma, craniopharyngioma, ependymoma, esthesioneuroblastoma, Ewing sarcoma, central nervous system germinoma, glioma, medulloblastoma, osteosarcoma, and rhabdomyosarcoma, there was insufficient evidence to either support or refute PT in children. For pelvic sarcoma (ie, nonrhabdomyosarcoma and non-Ewing sarcoma), pineal parenchymal tumor, primitive neuroectodermal tumor, and “adult-type” soft tissue sarcoma, no studies were identified that fulfilled the inclusion criteria. Although there is no doubt that PT reduces the radiation dose to normal tissues and organs, to date the critical clinical data on the long-term effectiveness and harm associated with the use of PT in the 15 pediatric cancers under investigation are lacking. High-quality clinical research in this area is needed.

  2. Evaluating Integrative Cancer Clinics With the Claim Assessment Profile: An Example With the InspireHealth Clinic.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hilton, Lara; Elfenbaum, Pamela; Jain, Shamini; Sprengel, Meredith; Jonas, Wayne B

    2018-03-01

    The evaluation of freestanding integrative cancer clinical programs is challenging and is rarely done. We have developed an approach called the Claim Assessment Profile (CAP) to identify whether evaluation of a practice is justified, feasible, and likely to provide useful information. A CAP was performed in order to (1) clarify the healing claims at InspireHealth, an integrative oncology treatment program, by defining the most important impacts on its clients; (2) gather information about current research capacity at the clinic; and (3) create a program theory and path model for use in prospective research. This case study design incorporates methods from a variety of rapid assessment approaches. Procedures included site visits to observe the program, structured qualitative interviews with 26 providers and staff, surveys to capture descriptive data about the program, and observational data on program implementation. The InspireHealth program is a well-established, multi-site, thriving integrative oncology clinical practice that focuses on patient support, motivation, and health behavior engagement. It delivers patient-centered care via a standardized treatment protocol. There arehigh levels of research interest from staff and resources by which to conduct research. This analysis provides the primary descriptive and claims clarification of an integrative oncology treatment program, an evaluation readiness report, a detailed logic model explicating program theory, and a clinical outcomes path model for conducting prospective research. Prospective evaluation of this program would be feasible and valuable, adding to our knowledge base of integrative cancer therapies.

  3. Clinical Outcome Metrics for Optimization of Robust Training

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ebert, D.; Byrne, V. E.; McGuire, K. M.; Hurst, V. W., IV; Kerstman, E. L.; Cole, R. W.; Sargsyan, A. E.; Garcia, K. M.; Reyes, D.; Young, M.

    2016-01-01

    Introduction: The emphasis of this research is on the Human Research Program (HRP) Exploration Medical Capability's (ExMC) "Risk of Unacceptable Health and Mission Outcomes Due to Limitations of In-Flight Medical Capabilities." Specifically, this project aims to contribute to the closure of gap ExMC 2.02: We do not know how the inclusion of a physician crew medical officer quantitatively impacts clinical outcomes during exploration missions. The experiments are specifically designed to address clinical outcome differences between physician and non-physician cohorts in both near-term and longer-term (mission impacting) outcomes. Methods: Medical simulations will systematically compare success of individual diagnostic and therapeutic procedure simulations performed by physician and non-physician crew medical officer (CMO) analogs using clearly defined short-term (individual procedure) outcome metrics. In the subsequent step of the project, the procedure simulation outcomes will be used as input to a modified version of the NASA Integrated Medical Model (IMM) to analyze the effect of the outcome (degree of success) of individual procedures (including successful, imperfectly performed, and failed procedures) on overall long-term clinical outcomes and the consequent mission impacts. The procedures to be simulated are endotracheal intubation, fundoscopic examination, kidney/urinary ultrasound, ultrasound-guided intravenous catheter insertion, and a differential diagnosis exercise. Multiple assessment techniques will be used, centered on medical procedure simulation studies occurring at 3, 6, and 12 months after initial training (as depicted in the following flow diagram of the experiment design). Discussion: Analysis of procedure outcomes in the physician and non-physician groups and their subsets (tested at different elapsed times post training) will allow the team to 1) define differences between physician and non-physician CMOs in terms of both procedure performance

  4. Effect of amifostine on patient assessed clinical benefit in irradiated head and neck cancer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wasserman, Todd; Mackowiak, John I.; Brizel, David M.; Oster, Wolfgang; Zhang, Jianliang; Peeples, Patricia J.; Sauer, Rolf

    2000-01-01

    Purpose: To determine if head and neck (H/N) cancer patients receiving daily amifostine during radiation therapy (RT) experienced clinical benefit (improvement in their ability to carry out normal functions with reduced discomfort) compared to nonamifostine treated patients. Methods and Materials: This was an open-label, multi-institutional randomized trial in 303 H/N cancer patients treated with RT +amifostine. Clinical benefit was measured using an 8-item validated Patient Benefit Questionnaire (PBQ) during and up to 11 months after RT. Results: 301 patients completed one or more PBQ assessments. Amifostine patients had significantly better PBQ scores (p < 0.05) than controls. The improvement in PBQ scores was most significant during chronic xerostomia. Conclusions: Amifostine use results in improved Patient Benefit Questionnaire (PBQ) scores, which is indicative of improved oral toxicity related outcomes and improved clinical benefit. Less oral toxicity should lead to preservation of late dental and oral health, and improvements in activities such as diet, nutrition, and sleep

  5. Chemotherapy and novel therapeutics before radical prostatectomy for high-risk clinically localized prostate cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cha, Eugene K; Eastham, James A

    2015-05-01

    Although both surgery and radiation are potential curative options for men with clinically localized prostate cancer, a significant proportion of men with high-risk and locally advanced disease will demonstrate biochemical and potentially clinical progression of their disease. Neoadjuvant systemic therapy before radical prostatectomy (RP) is a logical strategy to improve treatment outcomes for men with clinically localized high-risk prostate cancer. Furthermore, delivery of chemotherapy and other systemic agents before RP affords an opportunity to explore the efficacy of these agents with pathologic end points. Neoadjuvant chemotherapy, primarily with docetaxel (with or without androgen deprivation therapy), has demonstrated feasibility and safety in men undergoing RP, but no study to date has established the efficacy of neoadjuvant chemotherapy or neoadjuvant chemohormonal therapies. Other novel agents, such as those targeting the vascular endothelial growth factor receptor, epidermal growth factor receptor, platelet-derived growth factor receptor, clusterin, and immunomodulatory therapeutics, are currently under investigation. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  6. Intra-Gene DNA Methylation Variability Is a Clinically Independent Prognostic Marker in Women’s Cancers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bartlett, Thomas E.; Jones, Allison; Goode, Ellen L.; Fridley, Brooke L.; Cunningham, Julie M.; Berns, Els M. J. J.; Wik, Elisabeth; Salvesen, Helga B.; Davidson, Ben; Trope, Claes G.; Lambrechts, Sandrina; Vergote, Ignace; Widschwendter, Martin

    2015-01-01

    We introduce a novel per-gene measure of intra-gene DNA methylation variability (IGV) based on the Illumina Infinium HumanMethylation450 platform, which is prognostic independently of well-known predictors of clinical outcome. Using IGV, we derive a robust gene-panel prognostic signature for ovarian cancer (OC, n = 221), which validates in two independent data sets from Mayo Clinic (n = 198) and TCGA (n = 358), with significance of p = 0.004 in both sets. The OC prognostic signature gene-panel is comprised of four gene groups, which represent distinct biological processes. We show the IGV measurements of these gene groups are most likely a reflection of a mixture of intra-tumour heterogeneity and transcription factor (TF) binding/activity. IGV can be used to predict clinical outcome in patients individually, providing a surrogate read-out of hard-to-measure disease processes. PMID:26629914

  7. Robot-assisted Partial Nephrectomy: 5-yr Oncological Outcomes at a Single European Tertiary Cancer Center.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vartolomei, Mihai Dorin; Matei, Deliu Victor; Renne, Giuseppe; Tringali, Valeria Maria; Crisan, Nicolae; Musi, Gennaro; Mistretta, Francesco Alessandro; Russo, Andrea; Cozzi, Gabriele; Cordima, Giovani; Luzzago, Stefano; Cioffi, Antonio; Di Trapani, Ettore; Catellani, Michele; Delor, Maurizio; Bottero, Danilo; Imbimbo, Ciro; Mirone, Vincenzo; Ferro, Matteo; de Cobelli, Ottavio

    2017-10-27

    Nowadays, there is a debate about which surgical treatment should be best for clinical T1 renal tumors. If the oncological outcomes are considered, there are many open and laparoscopic series published. As far as robotic series are concerned, only a few of them report 5-yr oncological outcomes. The aim of this study was to analyze robot-assisted partial nephrectomy (RAPN) midterm oncological outcomes achieved in a tertiary robotic reference center. Between April 2009 and September 2013, 123 consecutive patients with clinical T1-stage renal masses underwent RAPN in our tertiary cancer center. Inclusion criteria were as follows: pathologically confirmed renal cell carcinomas (RCCs) and follow-up for >12 mo. Eighteen patients were excluded due to follow-up of <12 mo and 15 due to benign final pathology. Median follow-up was 59 mo (interquartile range 44-73 mo). Patients were followed according to guideline recommendations and institutional protocol. Outcomes were measured by time to disease progression, overall survival, or time to cancer-specific death. Kaplan-Meier method was used to estimate survival; log-rank tests were applied for pair-wise comparison of survival. From the 90 patients included, 66 (73.3%) had T1a, 12 (13.3%) T1b, three (3.3%) T2a, and nine (10%) T3a tumors. Predominant histological type was clear cell carcinoma: 67 (74.5%). Fuhrmann grade 1 and 2 was found in 73.3% of all malignant tumors. Two patients (2.2%) had positive surgical margins, and complication rate was 17.8%. Relapse rate was 7.7%, including two cases (2.2%) of local recurrences and five (5.5%) distant metastasis. Five-year disease-free survival was 90.9%, 5-yr cancer-specific survival was 97.5%, and 5-yr overall survival was 95.1%. Midterm oncological outcomes after RAPN for localized RCCs (predominantly T1a tumors of low anatomic complexity) were shown to be good, adding significant evidence to support the oncological efficacy and safety of RAPN for the treatment of this type of

  8. Metformin and breast cancer: basic knowledge in clinical context.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pizzuti, Laura; Vici, Patrizia; Di Lauro, Luigi; Sergi, Domenico; Della Giulia, Marina; Marchetti, Paolo; Maugeri-Saccà, Marcello; Giordano, Antonio; Barba, Maddalena

    2015-05-01

    Although preclinical work is vital in unraveling the molecular tenets which apply to metformin action in breast cancer, it is by nature unable to capture the host's response to metformin in terms of insulin-mediated effects and related changes in the hormonal and metabolic asset at the systemic level. The latter might sound seemingly paradoxical when considering the inveterate use of metformin in dysmetabolisms and pathologic conditions with underlying hormonal disruption. Bridging the gap between the molecular target and characteristics of breast cancer patients may help lab-based experiments and clinical work converge into one or more well characterized sub-populations instead of a sub optimally selected one. An appropriate patient selection is the main key to the most suitable outcome interpretation and amelioration, in an attempt to meet our patients needs midway between overestimation of benefits and efficacy dilution for any given intervention and/or co-intervention. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  9. Design of clinical trials for therapeutic cancer vaccines development.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mackiewicz, Jacek; Mackiewicz, Andrzej

    2009-12-25

    Advances in molecular and cellular biology as well as biotechnology led to definition of a group of drugs referred to as medicinal products of advanced technologies. It includes gene therapy products, somatic cell therapeutics and tissue engineering. Therapeutic cancer vaccines including whole cell tumor cells vaccines or gene modified whole cells belong to somatic therapeutics and/or gene therapy products category. The drug development is a multistep complex process. It comprises of two phases: preclinical and clinical. Guidelines on preclinical testing of cell based immunotherapy medicinal products have been defined by regulatory agencies and are available. However, clinical testing of therapeutic cancer vaccines is still under debate. It presents a serious problem since recently clinical efficacy of the number of cancer vaccines has been demonstrated that focused a lot of public attention. In general clinical testing in the current form is very expensive, time consuming and poorly designed what may lead to overlooking of products clinically beneficial for patients. Accordingly regulatory authorities and researches including Cancer Vaccine Clinical Trial Working Group proposed three regulatory solutions to facilitate clinical development of cancer vaccines: cost-recovery program, conditional marketing authorization, and a new development paradigm. Paradigm includes a model in which cancer vaccines are investigated in two types of clinical trials: proof-of-principle and efficacy. The proof-of-principle trial objectives are: safety; dose selection and schedule of vaccination; and demonstration of proof-of-principle. Efficacy trials are randomized clinical trials with objectives of demonstrating clinical benefit either directly or through a surrogate. The clinical end points are still under debate.

  10. Conditional Risk of Relapse in Surveillance for Clinical Stage I Testicular Cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nayan, Madhur; Jewett, Michael A S; Hosni, Ali; Anson-Cartwright, Lynn; Bedard, Philippe L; Moore, Malcolm; Hansen, Aaron R; Chung, Peter; Warde, Padraig; Sweet, Joan; O'Malley, Martin; Atenafu, Eshetu G; Hamilton, Robert J

    2017-01-01

    Patients on surveillance for clinical stage I (CSI) testicular cancer are counseled regarding their baseline risk of relapse. The conditional risk of relapse (cRR), which provides prognostic information on patients who have survived for a period of time without relapse, have not been determined for CSI testicular cancer. To determine cRR in CSI testicular cancer. We reviewed 1239 patients with CSI testicular cancer managed with surveillance at a tertiary academic centre between 1980 and 2014. OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS AND STATISTICAL ANALYSIS: cRR estimates were calculated using the Kaplan-Meier method. We stratified patients according to validated risk factors for relapse. We used linear regression to determine cRR trends over time. At orchiectomy, the risk of relapse within 5 yr was 42.4%, 17.3%, 20.3%, and 12.2% among patients with high-risk nonseminomatous germ cell tumor (NSGCT), low-risk NSGCT, seminoma with tumor size ≥3cm, and seminoma with tumor size testicular cancer is very low. Consideration should be given to adapting surveillance protocols to individualized risk of relapse based on cRR as opposed to static protocols based on baseline factors. This strategy could reduce the intensity of follow-up for the majority of patients. Our study is the first to provide data on the future risk of relapse during surveillance for clinical stage I testicular cancer, given a patient has been without relapse for a specified period of time. Copyright © 2016 European Association of Urology. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  11. Clinical and endorectal ultrasound staging of circumferential rectal cancers

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Smith, A.; Farmer, K.C.; Chapple, K.

    2008-01-01

    Full text: Circumferential rectal cancers present at a more advanced stage than those located in a single quadrant. Although accurate staging is an important aspect of the preoperative management of the patient with a rectal cancer, the clinical and radiological staging of this subgroup of rectal cancer patients has been poorly studied. All patients with a rectal cancer were assessed clinically (by digital rectal examination and rigid sigmoidoscopy) before the radiological assessment by endorectal ultrasound (ERUS). Data collected included tumour height (distance from anal verge in centimetre) and tumour type (circumferential or non-circumferential). Radiological tumour staging was with the TNM system. Fifty-nine subjects (33 men, 26 women; median age 65 years (range 38-86 years)) were identified with a circumferential rectal cancer. Mean height of the cancer was 8 - 0.4 cm (standard error of the mean; range 2-13 cm). Forty-two cancers were palpable, and 17 cancers were impalpable. All cancers assessed clinically as circumferential were confirmed as circumferential on ERUS scanning. Tumour stage as assessed by ERUS was either T3 (n = 57) or T4 (n = 2). Nodal status was NO (n = 29) and N1 (n = 30). All rectal cancers assessed as circumferential on clinical examination have an ERUS stage of T3 or greater.

  12. The correlation between the astro consensus panel definition of biochemical failure and clinical outcome for patients with prostate cancer treated with external beam irradiation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Horwitz, Eric M.; Vicini, Frank A.; Ziaja, Ellen L.; Dmuchowski, Carl F.; Stromberg, Jannifer S.; Matter, Richard C.; Martinez, Alvaro A.

    1997-01-01

    Purpose: The ASTRO Consensus Panel on PSA After Radiation Therapy recently recommended a definition of biochemical failure (BF) following treatment of prostate cancer with radiation therapy. We reviewed our institution's experience treating patients with external beam irradiation (RT) to determine if the Consensus Panel definition correlates with clinical distant metastases free survival (DMFS), disease free survival (DFS), cause specific survival (CSS), and local control (LC) rates for a large group of patients from the PSA era. Methods And Materials: Between 1/1/87 and 12/31/92, 653 patients with clinically localized prostate cancer received external beam irradiation (RT) using localized prostate fields at William Beaumont Hospital. Of these patients, 568 had a minimum follow-up of 2 years and constitute the study population. The median pre-treatment PSA and Gleason score was 11 ng/ml and 6, respectively. The median dose to the prostate using megavoltage RT was 66.6 Gy (range: 60-70.4 Gy) using a four field or arc technique. No patient received hormonal therapy either prior to, during, or after radiotherapy unless local or distant failure was documented. Pre-treatment and post-treatment serum PSA levels were recorded. Biochemical failure was defined as three consecutive increases in post-treatment PSA after achieving a nadir. Biochemical failure was recorded as the time midway between the nadir and first increase in PSA. Five year actuarial rates of DMFS, DFS, CSS, and LC were calculated for patients who were biochemically controlled (BC) versus those who failed biochemically. Results: Median follow-up was 56 months (range: 24-118 months). The overall 5 year actuarial rates of DMFS, DFS, CSS, and LC were significantly better in patients who were biochemically controlled versus those who were not (p< 0.001). The median time to DM within the BF group was 21 months (range: 2-112 months). When stratifying by pre-treatment PSA, Gleason score, and T stage, these

  13. Active video games to promote physical activity in children with cancer: a randomized clinical trial with follow-up.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kauhanen, Lotta; Järvelä, Liisa; Lähteenmäki, Päivi M; Arola, Mikko; Heinonen, Olli J; Axelin, Anna; Lilius, Johan; Vahlberg, Tero; Salanterä, Sanna

    2014-04-05

    Low levels of physical activity, musculoskeletal morbidity and weight gain are commonly reported problems in children with cancer. Intensive medical treatment and a decline in physical activity may also result in reduced motor performance. Therefore, simple and inexpensive ways to promote physical activity and exercise are becoming an increasingly important part of children's cancer treatment. The aim of this study is to evaluate the effect of active video games in promotion of physical activity in children with cancer. The research is conducted as a parallel randomized clinical trial with follow-up. Patients between 3 and 16 years old, diagnosed with cancer and treated with vincristine in two specialized medical centers are asked to participate. Based on statistical estimates, the target enrollment is 40 patients. The intervention includes playing elective active video games and, in addition, education and consultations for the family. The control group will receive a general recommendation for physical activity for 30 minutes per day. The main outcomes are the amount of physical activity and sedentary behavior. Other outcomes include motor performance, fatigue and metabolic risk factors. The outcomes are examined with questionnaires, diaries, physical examinations and blood tests at baseline and at 2, 6, 12 and 30 months after the baseline. Additionally, the children's perceptions of the most enjoyable activation methods are explored through an interview at 2 months. This trial will help to answer the question of whether playing active video games is beneficial for children with cancer. It will also provide further reasoning for physical activity promotion and training of motor skills during treatment. ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT01748058 (October 15, 2012).

  14. [A web-based integrated clinical database for laryngeal cancer].

    Science.gov (United States)

    E, Qimin; Liu, Jialin; Li, Yong; Liang, Chuanyu

    2014-08-01

    To establish an integrated database for laryngeal cancer, and to provide an information platform for laryngeal cancer in clinical and fundamental researches. This database also meet the needs of clinical and scientific use. Under the guidance of clinical expert, we have constructed a web-based integrated clinical database for laryngeal carcinoma on the basis of clinical data standards, Apache+PHP+MySQL technology, laryngeal cancer specialist characteristics and tumor genetic information. A Web-based integrated clinical database for laryngeal carcinoma had been developed. This database had a user-friendly interface and the data could be entered and queried conveniently. In addition, this system utilized the clinical data standards and exchanged information with existing electronic medical records system to avoid the Information Silo. Furthermore, the forms of database was integrated with laryngeal cancer specialist characteristics and tumor genetic information. The Web-based integrated clinical database for laryngeal carcinoma has comprehensive specialist information, strong expandability, high feasibility of technique and conforms to the clinical characteristics of laryngeal cancer specialties. Using the clinical data standards and structured handling clinical data, the database can be able to meet the needs of scientific research better and facilitate information exchange, and the information collected and input about the tumor sufferers are very informative. In addition, the user can utilize the Internet to realize the convenient, swift visit and manipulation on the database.

  15. Treatment patterns and real world clinical outcomes in ER+/HER2- post-menopausal metastatic breast cancer patients in the United States.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zanotti, Giovanni; Hunger, Matthias; Perkins, Julia J; Horblyuk, Ruslan; Martin, Monique

    2017-06-02

    With several new therapies becoming available, treatment of metastatic breast cancer (mBC) is evolving. The objective of this study is to describe patient characteristics, treatment patterns and real-world clinical outcomes in post-menopausal women with ER+, HER2- mBC and to obtain insight into patient outcomes and potential unmet needs with current therapies. The current study is a physician survey followed by a retrospective chart review of patient medical records by physicians in the US between March and April 2015. One hundred three physicians were asked to complete an online survey aiming to understand their satisfaction and expectations with current available treatments and potential areas of unmet need for mBC patients. Medical records from 178 females were extracted for the chart review. Using these data from medical records, patient characteristics and treatment patterns were analyzed descriptively. Time to progression (TTP) on first line, and progression-free survival (PFS) on second and third line of therapy were analyzed using the Kaplan-Meier method. Sixty-seven percent (n = 119) of patients had metastatic disease at initial diagnosis of breast cancer. Mean age at chart data extraction was 65.8 (SD: 9.4) years. Aromatase inhibitors (AIs) were prescribed for 58% and around 13% of patients in first line and second line, respectively. Chemotherapy was prescribed to 14% in first line and 31% in second line. Median TTP on first line therapy was 12 months for patients receiving AIs as compared to 7.9 months for patients receiving chemotherapy. Across all treatment lines, bone pain and fatigue were reported as the main symptoms associated with disease progression which had an impact on patient quality of life. Physicians expressed that prolonging life was deemed the most important treatment goal, followed by preservation or improvement of quality of life. In this study the majority of patients received endocrine therapy as first line treatment and current

  16. Targeting NK cells for anti-cancer immunotherapy: clinical and pre-clinical approaches

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sebastian eCarotta

    2016-04-01

    Full Text Available The recent success of checkpoint blockade has highlighted the potential of immunotherapy approaches for cancer treatment. While the majority of approved immunotherapy drugs target T cell subsets, it is appreciated that other components of the immune system have important roles in tumor immune-surveillance as well and thus represent promising additional targets for immunotherapy. Natural killer cells are the body’s first line of defense against infected or transformed cells as they kill target cells in an antigen-independent manner. Although several studies have clearly demonstrated the active role of NK cells in cancer-immune surveillance, only few clinically approved therapies currently exist that harness their potential. Our increased understanding of NK cell biology over the past few years has renewed the interest in NK cell based anti-cancer therapies, which has lead to a steady increase of NK cell based clinical and pre-clinical trials. Here, the role of NK cells in cancer immunesurveillance is summarized and several novel approaches to enhance NK cell cytotoxicity against cancer are discussed.

  17. Minimal residual disease in breast cancer. Clinical significance

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kvalheim, G.

    2004-01-01

    Previously we have reported our results on minimal residual disease in breast cancer. Briefly, B M-aspirates were collected from 817 patients at primary surgery. Tumor cells in B M were detected by immunocytochemistry using anticytokeratin-antibodies (A E1/ A E3). Analyses of the primary tumor included histological grading, vascular invasion and immunohistochemical detection of cerbB2, cathepsin D, p53 and ER/PgRexpression. These analyses were compared to clinical outcome. Median follow-up was 49 months. ITC were detected in 13.2% of the patients. The detection rate rose with increasing tumor size (p=0.011) and lymph node involvement (p<0.001). Systemic relapse and death from breast cancer occurred in 31.7% and 26.9% of the B M-positive versus 13.7% and 10.9% of B M-negative patients, respectively (p<0.001). Analyzing node-positive and node-negative patients separately, ITC-positivity was associated with poor prognosis in the node-positive group and in node-negative patients not receiving adjuvant therapy (T1N0). In multivariate analysis, ITC in B M was an independent prognostic factor together with N-, T-, ER/Pg R-status, histological grade and vascular invasion. Combination of several independent prognostic factors can classify subgroups of patients into excellent and high-risk prognosis groups. Like other groups we have investigated the clinical role of monitoring minimal residual disease before and after adjuvant therapy in breast cancer. One hundred and eighteen high risk stage II breast cancer patients entering the Scandinavian Study Group multicenter trial were randomized to 9 cycles of dose escalated and tailored FEC (5-flurouracil, epirubicin, cyclophosphamide) or standard FEC followed by high dose chemotherapy. B M samples at diagnosis and 6 months after completion of chemotherapy were assessed for the presence of I CT. Median observation time for patients was 68 months. ITC positivity in bone marrow was evaluated as a prognostic and predictive marker and

  18. Core outcome sets for research and clinical practice

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Chiarotto, Alessandro; Ostelo, Raymond W.; Turk, Dennis C.; Buchbinder, Rachelle; Boers, Maarten

    2017-01-01

    Background This masterclass introduces the topic of core outcome sets, describing rationale and methods for developing them, and providing some examples that are relevant for clinical research and practice. Method A core outcome set is a minimum consensus-based set of outcomes that should be

  19. Defining an outcomes management program for definitive irradiation of prostate cancer: preliminary considerations

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Seltzer, Jonathan; Valicenti, Richard K.; Dlutowski, Mark; Corn, Benjamin W.

    1996-01-01

    PURPOSE: The advent of managed medical care presents challenges to health care providers who strive to maintain a high quality of patient care at a reasonable cost. The goals of clinical guidelines and paths are to improve the quality of patient care by using outcomes to redefine the path and to eliminate ineffective steps in the clinical algorithm. The purpose of the current endeavor was to systematically develop a clinical pathway for the radiation therapy of prostate cancer which can serve as 1) a measurement tool of operational variables such as cost and utilization, 2) a treatment tool to measure satisfaction and toxicity, 3) a research framework from which questions of efficacy can be investigated. METHODS: An initial path was constructed by the physicians based on recommendations from consensus conference of the Patterns of Care Study (PCS), and the Radiation Therapy Oncology Group (RTOG). The program was initiated by a core group of 2 attending radiation oncologists, a radiation physicist, a clinical nurse specialist, a dosimetrist, a simulation technologist, a treatment technologist, and a medical social worker. These data served as a baseline from which clinical pathway development could begin using the method of Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) as described by Berwick (New Engl J Med 320: 53, 1989). Following the creation of a draft path, the document was circulated to other staff members of the team. Simultaneously, the Clinical Financial Management System (Transition Systems Incorporated, Boston, MA) was applied to departmental and institutional records to determine treatment patterns, utilization, toxicity, and cost for prostate cancer patients irradiated between July 1, 1995 and December 31, 1995. The aforementioned staff team as well as a seven person patient group were queried by a CQI facilitator to identify process and quality factors to be included in the clinical path. RESULTS: During the period of study, 51 patients were definitively

  20. Multimorbidity and cancer outcomes: a need for more research

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sørensen HT

    2013-11-01

    Full Text Available Henrik Toft Sørensen Editor in Chief Department of Clinical Epidemiology, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, DenmarkCancer incidence increases with age, and about 43% of men and 30% of women aged 65 will develop cancer in their remaining lifetimes.1 The global population is rapidly aging, and by 2030 about 70% of cancer in, for example, the US, will be diagnosed in older patients.2 Fortunately, cancer survival has improved and 5-year survival exceeds 80% for many common cancers.3 As a result of these two complementary trends, the population of cancer survivors is growing at a rate of almost 2% per year.4As comorbidities accumulate with age, the number of patients with multimorbidity, ie, the coexistence of several chronic diseases, is increasing dramatically.5 In the US, about 80% of Medicare funds are spent on patients with four or more chronic conditions. Multimorbidity is associated with mortality, disability, low functional status, and risks of adverse drug events.6,7Clinical and epidemiological research on cancer prognosis has mainly focused on cancers in isolation, ignoring the impact of comorbidity and co-medication on the risk of complications and mortality. Comorbidity is a medical condition that exists at the time of diagnosis of the cancer or later, but which is not a consequence of the cancer itself.8Comorbidity is common in cancer patients, who often have adverse lifestyle factors such as alcohol use, obesity, and smoking, which cause other chronic diseases. Thus, many cancer patients have chronic disorders such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, acute myocardial infarction, stroke, metabolic syndrome, and osteoporosis.9–13 With the growing population of elderly patients with cancer and other chronic diseases, modern medicine will need to address multiple medical problems at once, focusing on mortality, treatment complications, quality of life, and implications for screening.7,14 In this issue of Clinical Epidemiology

  1. Molecular biology of breast cancer metastasis: Clinical implications of experimental studies on metastatic inefficiency

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chambers, Ann F; Naumov, George N; Vantyghem, Sharon A; Tuck, Alan B

    2000-01-01

    Recent technological advances have led to an increasing ability to detect isolated tumour cells and groups of tumour cells in patients' blood, lymph nodes or bone marrow. However, the clinical significance of these cells is unclear. Should they be considered as evidence of metastasis, necessitating aggressive treatment, or are they in some cases unrelated to clinical outcome? Quantitative experimental studies on the basic biology of metastatic inefficiency are providing clues that may help in understanding the significance of these cells. This understanding will be of use in guiding clinical studies to assess the significance of isolated tumour cells and micrometastases in cancer patients

  2. Helicobacter pylori virulence genes and microevolution in host and the clinical outcome: review article

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Seyedeh Zahra Bakhti

    2014-12-01

    Full Text Available Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori is the causative agent in development of gastroduode-nal diseases, such as chronic atrophic gastritis, peptic ulcers, mucosa associated lym-phoid tissue (MALT lymphoma, and gastric cancer. H. pylori has been associated with inflammation in cardia, showing the fact that infection with this bacterium could also be a risk factor for gastric cardia cancer. Gastric cancer is the fourth most common cancer worldwide. This is the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths, and ap-proximately 700,000 people succumb each year to gastric adenocarcinoma. It has been estimated that 69% of the Iranian population currently harbor H. pylori infection. The prevalence of duodenal ulcer and gastric cancer is high in Iranian populations. However, this has been largely influenced by geographic and/or ethnic origin. Epidemi-ology studies have shown that host, environmental, and bacterial factors determine the outcome of H. pylori infection. The bacterium contains allelic diversity and high genet-ic variability into core- and virulence-genes and that this diversity is geographically and ethnically structured. The genetic diversity within H. pylori is greater than within most other bacteria, and its diversity is more than 50-fold higher than that of human DNA. The maintenance of high diversification makes this bacterium to cope with particular challenges in individual hosts. It has been reported that the recombination contributed to the creation of new genes and gene family. Furthermore, the microevolution in cagA and vacA genes is a common event, leading to a change in the virulence phenotype. These factors contribute to the bacterial survival in acidic conditions in stomach and protect it from host immune system, causing tissue damage and clinical disease. In this review article, we discussed the correlation between H. pylori virulence factors and clin-ical outcomes, microevolution of H. pylori virulence genes in a single host

  3. Impact of obesity on chemotherapy management and outcomes in women with gynecologic malignancies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Horowitz, Neil S; Wright, Alexi A

    2015-07-01

    To describe the effects of obesity on the pharmacokinetics and dosing of chemotherapies and provide recommendations for chemotherapy management in obese women with gynecologic malignancies. PubMEd and MEDLINE databases were searched for articles published before June 2014. Only English-language articles were considered. 84 manuscripts were reviewed and 66 were included. Search terms included: obesity, overweight, body mass index, body surface area, glomerular filtration rate, chemotherapy, ovarian cancer, endometrial cancer, inflammation, and pharmacokinetics, Obese cancer patients have worse clinical outcomes, compared with non-obese patients. This may be because of differences in pharmacokinetics, metabolic dysregulation, or physicians' decisions to reduce chemotherapy dose-intensity during treatment to minimize toxicities. A 2012 American Society of Clinical Oncology Clinical Practice Guideline recommends using actual body weight for chemotherapy dosing in all patients treated with curative intent, irrespective of obesity, to avoid compromising clinical outcomes, including progression free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS). In women with gynecologic cancers most studies demonstrate no difference in PFS or OS when obese patients receive the same chemotherapy dose intensity as non-obese patients, except perhaps with bevacizumab. Chemotherapy dose-intensity is a critical determinant of cancer outcomes and should be maintained in all patients, irrespective of obesity. Future studies should prospectively examine the impact of obesity on clinical outcomes (adverse events, survival) to improve the care of this growing population of patients who are at risk for inferior clinical outcomes. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  4. International Partnerships for Clinical Cancer Research

    Science.gov (United States)

    CGH co-sponsors the 2015 International Symposium on Cancer Clinical Trials and related meetings held in partnership with the Japanese National Cancer Center (JNCC) and Embassies of France, Korea, United Kingdom (UK), and United States (US) in Tokyo on May 14 - 15, 2015.

  5. Clinical outcomes and survival surrogacy studies of prostate‐specific antigen declines following enzalutamide in men with metastatic castration‐resistant prostate cancer previously treated with docetaxel

    Science.gov (United States)

    Saad, Fred; Phung, De; Dmuchowski, Carl; Shore, Neal D.; Fizazi, Karim; Hirmand, Mohammad; Forer, David; Scher, Howard I.; Bono, Johann De

    2017-01-01

    BACKGROUND In the AFFIRM trial, enzalutamide significantly increased overall survival (OS) for men with metastatic castration‐resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) after chemotherapy versus placebo and significantly decreased prostate‐specific antigen (PSA) levels. The goal of this post hoc analysis was to associate levels of PSA decline from baseline after enzalutamide with clinical outcomes in the postchemotherapy mCRPC setting. METHODS Men in the AFFIRM trial (n = 1199) were grouped by maximal PSA decline in the first 90 days of treatment. Kaplan‐Meier estimates evaluated the association of defined PSA changes from baseline with OS, progression‐free survival (PFS), radiographic PFS (rPFS), and pain response. Each PSA decline category was assessed for OS surrogacy using Prentice criteria, proportion of treatment effect explained (PTE), and proportion of variation explained. RESULTS Men treated with enzalutamide had improved OS (hazard ratio, 0.63; P 19.0; P .20). CONCLUSIONS PSA declines of any, ≥30%, and ≥50% following enzalutamide were associated with greater clinical and pain response and improvements in PFS and OS. Surrogacy of PSA decline for OS was not fully established, possibly due to lack of PSA declines with placebo, and discordant results between PSA and imaging responses over time, and because some declines were not durable due to rapid resistance development. However, a lack of PSA decline by 90 days following enzalutamide treatment was a poor prognosis indicator in this setting. Conclusions from sensitivity analyses of maximal PSA decline from baseline over the entire treatment period are consistent with PSA declines restricted to the first 90 days. Cancer 2017;123:2303–2311. © 2017 American Cancer Society. PMID:28171710

  6. Outcomes and risk factors for cancer patients undergoing endoscopic intervention of malignant biliary obstruction.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Haag, Georg-Martin; Herrmann, Thomas; Jaeger, Dirk; Stremmel, Wolfgang; Schemmer, Peter; Sauer, Peter; Gotthardt, Daniel Nils

    2015-12-04

    Malignant bile duct obstruction is a common problem among cancer patients with hepatic or lymphatic metastases. Endoscopic retrograde cholangiography (ERC) with the placement of a stent is the method of choice to improve biliary flow. Only little data exist concerning the outcome of patients with malignant biliary obstruction in relationship to microbial isolates from bile. Bile samples were taken during the ERC procedure in tumor patients with biliary obstruction. Clinical data including laboratory values, tumor-specific treatment and outcome data were prospectively collected. 206 ERC interventions in 163 patients were recorded. In 43 % of the patients, systemic treatment was (re-) initiated after successful biliary drainage. A variety of bacteria and fungi was detected in the bile samples. One-year survival was significantly worse in patients from whom multiresistant pathogens were isolated than in patients, in whom other species were detected. Increased levels of inflammatory markers were associated with a poor one-year survival. The negative impact of these two factors was confirmed in multivariate analysis. In patients with pancreatic cancer, univariate analysis showed a negative impact on one-year survival in case of detection of Candida species in the bile. Multivariate analysis confirmed the negative prognostic impact of Candida in the bile in pancreatic cancer patients. Outcome in tumor patients with malignant bile obstruction is associated with the type of microbial biliary colonization. The proof of multiresistant pathogens or Candida, as well as the level of inflammation markers, have an impact on the prognosis of the underlying tumor disease.

  7. Proton Therapy for Breast Cancer After Mastectomy: Early Outcomes of a Prospective Clinical Trial

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    MacDonald, Shannon M.; Patel, Sagar A.; Hickey, Shea; Specht, Michelle; Isakoff, Steven J.; Gadd, Michele; Smith, Barbara L.; Yeap, Beow Y.; Adams, Judith; DeLaney, Thomas F.; Kooy, Hanne; Lu, Hsiao-Ming; Taghian, Alphonse G.

    2013-01-01

    Purpose: Dosimetric planning studies have described potential benefits for the use of proton radiation therapy (RT) for locally advanced breast cancer. We report acute toxicities and feasibility of proton delivery for 12 women treated with postmastectomy proton radiation with or without reconstruction. Methods and Materials: Twelve patients were enrolled in an institutional review board-approved prospective clinical trial. The patients were assessed for skin toxicity, fatigue, and radiation pneumonitis during treatment and at 4 and 8 weeks after the completion of therapy. All patients consented to have photographs taken for documentation of skin toxicity. Results: Eleven of 12 patients had left-sided breast cancer. One patient was treated for right-sided breast cancer with bilateral implants. Five women had permanent implants at the time of RT, and 7 did not have immediate reconstruction. All patients completed proton RT to a dose of 50.4 Gy (relative biological effectiveness [RBE]) to the chest wall and 45 to 50.4 Gy (RBE) to the regional lymphatics. No photon or electron component was used. The maximum skin toxicity during radiation was grade 2, according to the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE). The maximum CTCAE fatigue was grade 3. There have been no cases of RT pneumonitis to date. Conclusions: Proton RT for postmastectomy RT is feasible and well tolerated. This treatment may be warranted for selected patients with unfavorable cardiac anatomy, immediate reconstruction, or both that otherwise limits optimal RT delivery using standard methods

  8. Proton Therapy for Breast Cancer After Mastectomy: Early Outcomes of a Prospective Clinical Trial

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    MacDonald, Shannon M., E-mail: smacdonald@partners.org [Department of Radiation Oncology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts (United States); Patel, Sagar A.; Hickey, Shea [Department of Radiation Oncology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts (United States); Specht, Michelle [Department of Surgical Oncology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts (United States); Isakoff, Steven J. [Division of Hematology and Oncology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts (United States); Gadd, Michele; Smith, Barbara L. [Department of Surgical Oncology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts (United States); Yeap, Beow Y. [Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts (United States); Adams, Judith; DeLaney, Thomas F.; Kooy, Hanne; Lu, Hsiao-Ming; Taghian, Alphonse G. [Department of Radiation Oncology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts (United States)

    2013-07-01

    Purpose: Dosimetric planning studies have described potential benefits for the use of proton radiation therapy (RT) for locally advanced breast cancer. We report acute toxicities and feasibility of proton delivery for 12 women treated with postmastectomy proton radiation with or without reconstruction. Methods and Materials: Twelve patients were enrolled in an institutional review board-approved prospective clinical trial. The patients were assessed for skin toxicity, fatigue, and radiation pneumonitis during treatment and at 4 and 8 weeks after the completion of therapy. All patients consented to have photographs taken for documentation of skin toxicity. Results: Eleven of 12 patients had left-sided breast cancer. One patient was treated for right-sided breast cancer with bilateral implants. Five women had permanent implants at the time of RT, and 7 did not have immediate reconstruction. All patients completed proton RT to a dose of 50.4 Gy (relative biological effectiveness [RBE]) to the chest wall and 45 to 50.4 Gy (RBE) to the regional lymphatics. No photon or electron component was used. The maximum skin toxicity during radiation was grade 2, according to the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE). The maximum CTCAE fatigue was grade 3. There have been no cases of RT pneumonitis to date. Conclusions: Proton RT for postmastectomy RT is feasible and well tolerated. This treatment may be warranted for selected patients with unfavorable cardiac anatomy, immediate reconstruction, or both that otherwise limits optimal RT delivery using standard methods.

  9. Lack of Associations between Body Mass Index and Clinical Outcomes in Patients with Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hyemi Kwon

    2015-09-01

    Full Text Available BackgroundObesity is associated with aggressive pathological features and poor clinical outcomes in breast and prostate cancers. In papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC, these relationships remain still controversial. This study aimed to evaluate the associations between body mass index (BMI and the clinical outcomes of patients with PTC.MethodsThis retrospective study included 1,189 patients who underwent total thyroidectomy for PTCs equal to or larger than 1 cm in size. Clinical outcomes were evaluated and compared based on the BMI quartiles.ResultsThere were no significant associations between BMI quartiles and primary tumor size, extrathyroidal invasion, cervical lymph node metastasis, or distant metastasis. However, an increase in mean age was associated with an increased BMI (P for trend <0.001. Multifocality and advanced tumor-node-metastasis (TNM stage (stage III or IV were significantly associated with increases of BMI (P for trend 0.02 and <0.001, respectively. However, these associations of multifocality and advanced TNM stage with BMI were not significant in multivariate analyses adjusted for age and gender. Moreover, there were no differences in recurrence-free survivals according to BMI quartiles (P=0.26.ConclusionIn the present study, BMI was not associated with the aggressive clinicopathological features or recurrence-free survivals in patients with PTC.

  10. Single-Incision Laparoscopic Colectomy for Cancer: Short-Term Outcomes and Comparative Analysis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rodrigo Pedraza

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Introduction. Single-incision laparoscopic colectomy (SILC is a viable and safe technique; however, there are no single-institution studies comparing outcomes of SILC for colon cancer with well-established minimally invasive techniques. We evaluated the short-term outcomes following SILC for cancer compared to a group of well-established minimally invasive techniques. Methods. Fifty consecutive patients who underwent SILC for colon cancer were compared to a control group composed of 50 cases of minimally invasive colectomies performed with either conventional multiport or hand-assisted laparoscopic technique. The groups were paired based on the type of procedure. Demographics, intraoperative, and postoperative outcomes were assessed. Results. With the exception of BMI, demographics were similar between both groups. Most of the procedures were right colectomies ( and anterior resections (. There were no significant differences in operative time (127.9 versus 126.7 min, conversions (0 versus 1, complications (14% versus 8%, length of stay (4.5 versus 4.0 days, readmissions (2% versus 2%, and reoperations (2% versus 2%. Oncological outcomes were also similar between groups. Conclusions. SILC is an oncologically sound alternative for the management of colon cancer and results in similar short-term outcomes as compared with well-established minimally invasive techniques.

  11. Thymidine phosphorylase and hypoxia-inducible factor 1-α expression in clinical stage II/III rectal cancer: association with response to neoadjuvant chemoradiation therapy and prognosis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lin, Shuhan; Lai, Hao; Qin, Yuzhou; Chen, Jiansi; Lin, Yuan

    2015-01-01

    The aim of this study was to determine whether pretreatment status of thymidine phosphorylase (TP), and hypoxia-inducible factor alpha (HIF-1α) could predict pathologic response to neoadjuvant chemoradiation therapy with oxaliplatin and capecitabine (XELOXART) and outcomes for clinical stage II/III rectal cancer patients. A total of 180 patients diagnosed with clinical stage II/III rectal cancer received XELOXART. The status of TP, and HIF-1α were determined in pretreatment biopsies by immunohistochemistry (IHC). Tumor response was assessed in resected regimens using the tumor regression grade system and TNM staging system. 5-year disease free survival (DFS) and 5-year overall survival (OS) were evaluated with the Kaplan-Meier method and were compared by the log-rank test. Over expression of TP and low expression of HIF-1α were associated with pathologic response to XELOXART and better outcomes (DFS and OS) in clinical stage II/III rectal cancer patients (P rectal cancer received XELOXART. Additional well-designed, large sample, multicenter, prospective studies are needed to confirm the result of this study.

  12. A model to begin to use clinical outcomes in medical education.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Haan, Constance K; Edwards, Fred H; Poole, Betty; Godley, Melissa; Genuardi, Frank J; Zenni, Elisa A

    2008-06-01

    The latest phase of the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) Outcome Project challenges graduate medical education (GME) programs to select meaningful clinical quality indicators by which to measure trainee performance and progress, as well as to assess and improve educational effectiveness of programs. The authors describe efforts to measure educational quality, incorporating measurable patient-care outcomes to guide improvement. University of Florida College of Medicine-Jacksonville education leaders developed a tiered framework for selecting clinical indicators whose outcomes would illustrate integration of the ACGME competencies and their assessment with learning and clinical care. In order of preference, indicators selected should align with a specialty's (1) national benchmarked consensus standards, (2) national specialty society standards, (3) standards of local, institutional, or regional quality initiatives, or (4) top-priority diagnostic and/or therapeutic categories for the specialty, based on areas of high frequency, impact, or cost. All programs successfully applied the tiered process to clinical indicator selection and then identified data sources to track clinical outcomes. Using clinical outcomes in resident evaluation assesses the resident's performance as reflective of his or her participation in the health care delivery team. Programmatic improvements are driven by clinical outcomes that are shown to be below benchmark across the residents. Selecting appropriate clinical indicators-representative of quality of care and of graduate medical education-is the first step toward tracking educational outcomes using clinical data as the basis for evaluation and improvement. This effort is an important aspect of orienting trainees to using data for monitoring and improving care processes and outcomes throughout their careers.

  13. Long-Term Quality of Life Outcome After Proton Beam Monotherapy for Localized Prostate Cancer

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Coen, John J., E-mail: jcoen@partners.org [Department of Radiation Oncology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA (United States); Paly, Jonathan J.; Niemierko, Andrzej; Weyman, Elizabeth [Department of Radiation Oncology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA (United States); Rodrigues, Anita [Department of Medical Oncology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA (United States); Shipley, William U.; Zietman, Anthony L. [Department of Radiation Oncology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA (United States); Talcott, James A. [Department of Medical Oncology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA (United States)

    2012-02-01

    Objectives: High-dose external radiation for localized prostate cancer results in favorable clinical outcomes and low toxicity rates. Here, we report long-term quality of life (QOL) outcome for men treated with conformal protons. Methods: QOL questionnaires were sent at specified intervals to 95 men who received proton radiation. Of these, 87 men reported 3- and/or 12-month outcomes, whereas 73 also reported long-term outcomes (minimum 2 years). Symptom scores were calculated at baseline, 3 months, 12 months, and long-term follow-up. Generalized estimating equation models were constructed to assess longitudinal outcomes while accounting for correlation among repeated measures in an individual patient. Men were stratified into functional groups from their baseline questionnaires (normal, intermediate, or poor function) for each symptom domain. Long-term QOL changes were assessed overall and within functional groups using the Wilcoxon signed-rank test. Results: Statistically significant changes in all four symptom scores were observed in the longitudinal analysis. For the 73 men reporting long-term outcomes, there were significant change scores for incontinence (ID), bowel (BD) and sexual dysfunction (SD), but not obstructive/irritative voiding dysfunction (OID). When stratified by baseline functional category, only men with normal function had increased scores for ID and BD. For SD, there were significant changes in men with both normal and intermediate function, but not poor function. Conclusions: Patient reported outcomes are sensitive indicators of treatment-related morbidity. These results quantitate the long-term consequences of proton monotherapy for prostate cancer. Analysis by baseline functional category provides an individualized prediction of long-term QOL scores. High dose proton radiation was associated with small increases in bowel dysfunction and incontinence, with more pronounced changes in sexual dysfunction.

  14. Let-7 miRNA-binding site polymorphism in the KRAS 3′UTR; colorectal cancer screening population prevalence and influence on clinical outcome in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer treated with 5-fluorouracil and oxaliplatin +/− cetuximab

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kjersem Janne B

    2012-11-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Recent studies have reported associations between a variant allele in a let-7 microRNA complementary site (LCS6 within the 3′untranslated region (3′UTR of KRAS (rs61764370 and clinical outcome in metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC patients receiving cetuximab. The variant allele has also been associated with increased cancer risk. We aimed to reveal the incidence of the variant allele in a colorectal cancer screening population and to investigate the clinical relevance of the variant allele in mCRC patients treated with 1st line Nordic FLOX (bolus 5-fluorouracil/folinic acid and oxaliplatin +/− cetuximab. Methods The feasibility of the variant allele as a risk factor for CRC was investigated by comparing the LCS6 gene frequencies in 197 CRC patients, 1060 individuals with colorectal polyps, and 358 healthy controls. The relationship between clinical outcome and LCS6 genotype was analyzed in 180 mCRC patients receiving Nordic FLOX and 355 patients receiving Nordic FLOX + cetuximab in the NORDIC-VII trial (NCT00145314. Results LCS6 frequencies did not vary between CRC patients (23%, individuals with polyps (20%, and healthy controls (20% (P = 0.50. No statistically significant differences were demonstrated in the NORDIC-VII cohort even if numerically increased progression-free survival (PFS and overall survival (OS were found in patients with the LCS6 variant allele (8.5 (95% CI: 7.3-9.7 months versus 7.8 months (95% CI: 7.4-8.3 months, P = 0.16 and 23.5 (95% CI: 21.6-25.4 months versus 19.5 months (95% CI: 17.8-21.2 months, P = 0.31, respectively. Addition of cetuximab seemed to improve response rate more in variant carriers than in wild-type carriers (from 35% to 57% versus 44% to 47%, however the difference was not statistically significant (interaction P = 0.16. Conclusions The LCS6 variant allele does not seem to be a risk factor for development of colorectal polyps or CRC. No statistically significant effect of the

  15. Workload and surgeon's specialty for outcome after colorectal cancer surgery

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Archampong, David; Borowski, David; Wille-Jørgensen, Peer

    2012-01-01

    A large body of research has focused on investigating the effects of healthcare provider volume and specialization on patient outcomes including outcomes of colorectal cancer surgery. However there is conflicting evidence about the role of such healthcare provider characteristics in the management...

  16. Adverse mental health outcomes in breast cancer survivors compared to women who did not have cancer: systematic review protocol.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Carreira, Helena; Williams, Rachael; Müller, Martin; Harewood, Rhea; Bhaskaran, Krishnan

    2017-08-14

    Recent increasing trends in breast cancer incidence and survival have resulted in unprecedented numbers of cancer survivors in the general population. A cancer diagnosis may have a profound psychological impact, and breast cancer treatments often cause long-term physical sequelae, potentially affecting women's mental health. The aim of this systematic review is to identify and summarise all studies that have compared mental health outcomes in breast cancer survivors, versus women who did not have cancer. This study will be a systematic review of the literature. Four databases, including MEDLINE and PsycINFO, will be searched to identify potentially relevant studies. The search expressions will use a Boolean logic, including terms for the target population (women who have had breast cancer), outcomes (psychiatric disorders) and comparators (e.g. risk, hazard). All mental disorders will be eligible, except those with onset normally occurring during childhood or strong genetic basis (e.g. Huntington disease). The eligibility of the studies will be assessed in two phases: (1) considering the information provided in the title and abstract; (2) evaluating the full text. Studies including women diagnosed with breast cancer 1 year or more ago and that provide original data on mental health outcomes will be eligible. Studies in which all women were undergoing surgery, chemotherapy or radiotherapy, or hospitalised or institutionalised, will be excluded, as well as studies that include patients selected on the basis of symptomatology. Two investigators will do the screening of the references and the data extraction independently, with results compared and discrepancies resolved by involving a third investigator when necessary. Study quality and risk of bias will be assessed across six broad domains. Results will be summarised by outcome, and summary measures of frequency and/or association will be computed if possible. This review will summarise the evidence on the mental

  17. The impact of the Internet on cancer outcomes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Eysenbach, Gunther

    2003-01-01

    Each day, more than 12.5 million health-related computer searches are conducted on the World Wide Web. Based on a meta-analysis of 24 published surveys, the author estimates that in the developed world, about 39% of persons with cancer are using the Internet, and approximately 2.3 million persons living with cancer worldwide are online. In addition, 15% to 20% of persons with cancer use the Internet "indirectly" through family and friends. Based on a comprehensive review of the literature, the available evidence on how persons with cancer are using the Internet and the effect of Internet use on persons with cancer is summarized. The author distinguishes four areas of Internet use: communication (electronic mail), community (virtual support groups), content (health information on the World Wide Web), and e-commerce. A conceptual framework summarizing the factors involved in a possible link between Internet use and cancer outcomes is presented, and future areas for research are highlighted.

  18. Changing physician incentives for cancer care to reward better patient outcomes instead of use of more costly drugs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Newcomer, Lee N

    2012-04-01

    More-sophisticated chemotherapy regimens have improved the outlook for cancer patients since the 1970s, but the payment system for cancer chemotherapy has not changed during that time span. The "buy and bill" approach for reimbursement provides incentives for medical oncologists to use expensive medications when less costly alternatives that deliver similar results are available. Furthermore, the system does nothing to assess how much value society derives from high-price drugs. This paper reviews the historical context of "buy and bill" reimbursement and considers the use of clinical pathways and bundled payments, two alternative strategies that are being tried to reward physicians for improving outcomes and reducing the total cost of cancer care.

  19. The platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio as a predictor of patient outcomes in ovarian cancer: a meta-analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ma, X-M; Sun, X; Yang, G-W; Yu, M-W; Zhang, G-L; Yu, J; Zhang, Y; Wang, X-M

    2017-10-01

    The platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) is a predictive clinical biomarker for different cancers. However, the results of several studies investigating the association between the PLR and the prognosis of ovarian cancer have been inconclusive. Therefore, there is a need to conduct a meta-analysis to estimate the prognostic value of the PLR in ovarian cancer. We searched the EMBASE, Medline, PubMed, and Web of Science databases to identify clinical studies that had evaluated the association between the PLR and ovarian cancer prognosis. Outcomes evaluated included overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS). We also analyzed PLR differences between malignant ovarian masses and the controls. Twelve relevant studies that comprised 2340 patients were selected for the meta-analysis. The results revealed that elevated PLR was significantly associated with poor OS (hazard ratio (HR) 1.63, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.05-2.56, p < 0.01) and PFS (HR 1.61, 95% CI 1.03-2.51, p < 0.01). The PLRs in malignant cases were higher than in controls (mean difference = 63.57, 95% CI 39.47-87.66, p < 0.00001). An elevated PLR is associated with poor prognosis in patients with ovarian cancer. The PLR could be employed as a prognostic marker in patients with ovarian cancer.

  20. Comparison of short-term outcomes between laparoscopic-assisted and open complete mesocolic excision (CME) for the treatment of transverse colon cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Yong; Zhang, Chuan; Feng, Yi-Fei; Fu, Zan; Sun, Yue-Ming

    2017-02-01

    Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most common cancer worldwide. Although laparoscopic-assisted complete mesocolic excision (LCME) is a superior treatment, there are few studies available on it owe to the low incidence and technical difficulty of LCME in transverse colon cancer. The clinical data of 78 patients with transverse colon cancer who were treated by LCME and open complete mesocolic excision (OCME) were retrospectively analyzed. A total of 39 cases had been treated by LCME, compared with 39 cases treated by OCME. The patient characteristics and short-term outcomes including operation time, intra-operative blood loss, length of incision, time to first flatus, first postoperative ambulation, postoperative hospitalization time, number of harvested lymph nodes, length of resected specimen and incidence of complications were evaluated. There was no case converted to OCME in LCME group. LCME had significantly shorter length of incision, shorter operation time, less intra-operative blood loss, shorter postoperative hospitalization time (Pcolon cancer due to it can provide superior short-term outcomes including less intra-operative blood loss, faster recovery and lower incidence of wound infection.

  1. Influence of yoga on postoperative outcomes and wound healing in early operable breast cancer patients undergoing surgery

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rao Raghavendra

    2008-01-01

    Full Text Available Context : Pre- and postoperative distress in breast cancer patients can cause complications and delay recovery from surgery. Objective : The aim of our study was to evaluate the effects of yoga intervention on postoperative outcomes and wound healing in early operable breast cancer patients undergoing surgery. Methods : Ninety-eight recently diagnosed stage II and III breast cancer patients were recruited in a randomized controlled trial comparing the effects of a yoga program with supportive therapy and exercise rehabilitation on postoperative outcomes and wound healing following surgery. Subjects were assessed at the baseline prior to surgery and four weeks later. Sociodemographic, clinical and investigative notes were ascertained in the beginning of the study. Blood samples were collected for estimation of plasma cytokines-soluble Interleukin (IL-2 receptor (IL-2R, tumor necrosis factor (TNF-alpha and interferon (IFN-gamma. Postoperative outcomes such as the duration of hospital stay and drain retention, time of suture removal and postoperative complications were ascertained. We used independent samples t test and nonparametric Mann Whitney U tests to compare groups for postoperative outcomes and plasma cytokines. Regression analysis was done to determine predictors for postoperative outcomes. Results : Sixty-nine patients contributed data to the current analysis (yoga: n = 33, control: n = 36. The results suggest a significant decrease in the duration of hospital stay ( P = 0.003, days of drain retention ( P = 0.001 and days for suture removal ( P = 0.03 in the yoga group as compared to the controls. There was also a significant decrease in plasma TNF alpha levels following surgery in the yoga group ( P < 0.001, as compared to the controls. Regression analysis on postoperative outcomes showed that the yoga intervention affected the duration of drain retention and hospital stay as well as TNF alpha levels. Conclusion : The results suggest

  2. [Multiple primary colorectal cancer: Clinical aspects].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Soldatkina, N V; Kit, O I; Gevorkyan, Yu A; Milakin, A G

    to define some clinical characteristics of synchronous and metachronous colorectal cancer (CRC). The investigation was concerned with the data of 150 patients with T1-4N0-2M0-1 multiple primary CRC. The clinical, biological, and morphological characteristics of synchronous and metachronous tumors were analyzed. Multiple primary tumors were 6.01% of all the cases of CRC. There was a preponderance of synchronous CRC (63.75%) with the tumor localized in the sigmoid colon and rectum. In women, synchronous colorectal tumors were more often concurrent with breast tumors; metachronous ones were detected after treatment for genital tumors. In men, synchronous colorectal tumors were more frequently concurrent with kidney cancer; metachronous ones were identified after treatment for gastric cancer. The found characteristics of multiple primary colorectal tumors may be taken in account in programs for both primary diagnosis and follow-up after treatment for malignant tumors, which will be able to improve the early detection of cancer patients and their treatment results.

  3. Cancer in human immunodeficiency virus-infected children : A case series from the Children's Cancer Group and the National Cancer Institute

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Granovsky, MO; Mueller, BU; Nicholson, HS; Rosenberg, PS; Rabkin, CS

    Purpose: To describe the spectrum of malignancies in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected children and the clinical outcome of patients with these tumors. Methods: We retrospectively surveyed the Children's Cancer Group (CCG) and the National Cancer institute (NCI) for cases of cancer that

  4. Achieving optimal delivery of follow-up care for prostate cancer survivors: improving patient outcomes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hudson SV

    2015-03-01

    Full Text Available Shawna V Hudson,1 Denalee M O’Malley,2 Suzanne M Miller3 1Department of Family Medicine and Community Health, Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Somerset, 2Rutgers School of Social Work, New Brunswick, NJ, 3Cancer Prevention and Control Program, Fox Chase Cancer Center/Temple University Health System, Philadelphia, PA, USA Background: Prostate cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in men in the US, and the second most prevalent cancer in men worldwide. High incidence and survival rates for prostate cancer have resulted in a large and growing population of long-term prostate cancer survivors. Long-term follow-up guidelines have only recently been developed to inform approaches to this phase of care for the prostate cancer population. Methods: A PubMed search of English literature through August 2014 was performed. Articles were retrieved and reviewed to confirm their relevance. Patient-reported measures that were used in studies of long-term prostate cancer survivors (ie, at least 2 years posttreatment were reviewed and included in the review. Results: A total of 343 abstracts were initially identified from the database search. After abstract review, 105 full-text articles were reviewed of which seven met inclusion criteria. An additional 22 articles were identified from the references of the included articles, and 29 were retained. From the 29 articles, 68 patient-reported outcome measures were identified. The majority (75% were multi-item scales that had been previously validated in existing literature. We identified four main areas of assessment: 1 physical health; 2 quality of life – general, physical, and psychosocial; 3 health promotion – physical activity, diet, and tobacco cessation; and 4 care quality outcomes. Conclusion: There are a number of well-validated measures that assess patient-reported outcomes that document key aspects of long-term follow-up with respect to patient symptoms and quality of life. However

  5. Impact of breast cancer subtypes and patterns of metastasis on outcome.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kast, Karin; Link, Theresa; Friedrich, Katrin; Petzold, Andrea; Niedostatek, Antje; Schoffer, Olaf; Werner, Carmen; Klug, Stefanie J; Werner, Andreas; Gatzweiler, Axel; Richter, Barbara; Baretton, Gustavo; Wimberger, Pauline

    2015-04-01

    Clinical outcome of patients with stage IV breast cancer is dependent on tumor biology, extent, and localization of metastases. Routine imaging diagnostics for distant metastasis is not recommended by the national guidelines for breast cancer follow-up. In this study, we evaluated different patterns of metastases of cancer subtypes in order to generate hypotheses on individualization of follow-up after breast cancer in the adjuvant setting. Patients of the Regional Breast Cancer Center Dresden diagnosed within the years 2006-2011 were classified into the five intrinsic subtypes luminal A (ER+, Her2-, G1/2), luminal B/Her2 negative (ER+, Her2-, G3), triple positive (ER+, PR+, Her2+), Her2-enriched (ER-, Her2+), and triple negative (ER-, PR-, Her2-) and with a median follow-up of 45 months. Tumor stage at time of first diagnosis of breast cancer as well as time and site of metastasis at first diagnosis of distant metastatic disease was analyzed. Tumor specimen of 2284 female patients with primary breast cancer was classified into five subtypes. Distant recurrence-free survival at 3 years was most unfavorable in Her2-enriched (66.8 %), triple negative (75.9 %), and triple-positive breast cancer (81.7 %). The same subtypes most frequently presented with visceral metastases only at first presentation: Her2-enriched 46.9 %, triple negative 45.5 %, and triple-positive breast cancer 37.5 %. Longest median survival of 2.3 years was seen in luminal A and in Her2-enriched metastatic disease, respectively. Median survival was significantly better in the luminal A, Her2-enriched, and triple-positive subtype compared to triple-negative breast cancer (p < 0.005). Differences in time to metastatic disease, first localization of metastases, and overall survival after diagnosis of metastatic disease were shown. Considering new targeted therapies and the option of surgery of oligometastases, screening for visceral metastases might be reasonable after diagnosis of Her2-positive

  6. What is the optimal management of high risk, clinically localized prostate cancer?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Eastham, James A; Evans, Christopher P; Zietman, Anthony

    2010-01-01

    To summarize the presentations and debate regarding the optimal treatment of localized high-risk prostate cancer as presented at the 2009 Spring Meeting of the Society of Urologic Oncology. The debate was centered on presentations arguing for radical prostatectomy (RP) or radiotherapy as the optimal treatment for this condition. The meeting presentations are summarized by their respective presenters herein. Dr. James Eastham presents the varied definitions for "high-risk" prostate cancer as strongly influencing which patients end up in this cohort. Based upon this, between 3% and 38% of patients with high-risk features could be defined as "high-risk". Despite that, these men do not have a uniformly poor prognosis after RP, and attention to surgical principles as outlined improve outcomes. Disease-specific survival at 12 years is excellent and up to one-half of these men may not need adjuvant or salvage therapies, depending on their specific disease characteristics. Adjuvant or salvage radiotherapies improve outcomes and are part of a sequential approach to treating these patients. Dr. Anthony Zietman presented radiotherapy as the gold-standard based upon large, randomized clinical trials of intermediate- and high-risk prostate cancer patients. Compared with androgen deprivation alone, the addition of radiotherapy provided a 12% cancer-specific survival advantage and 10% overall survival advantage. Dose escalation seems to confer further improvements in cancer control without significant escalation of toxicities, with more data forthcoming. There are no randomized trials comparing RP to radiotherapy for any risk category. In high-risk prostate cancer patients, both approaches have potential benefits and cumulative toxicities that must be matched to disease characteristics and patient expectations in selecting a treatment course. Copyright (c) 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  7. How much do cancer-related symptoms contribute to health-related quality of life in lung and colorectal cancer patients? A report from the Cancer Care Outcomes Research and Surveillance (CanCORS) Consortium.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kenzik, Kelly M; Ganz, Patricia A; Martin, Michelle Y; Petersen, Laura; Hays, Ron D; Arora, Neeraj; Pisu, Maria

    2015-08-15

    The objective of this study was to examine associations of symptoms with physical and mental health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in patients with colorectal cancer (CRC) and in patients with lung cancer. Patients with newly diagnosed CRC (n = 3040) or lung cancer (n = 2297) who were participating in the Cancer Care Outcomes Research and Surveillance Consortium study completed surveys on general HRQOL and symptoms. HRQOL was measured by using physical component summary (PCS) and mental component summary (MCS) scores on the Medical Outcomes Study 12-item short-form heath survey. Nonspecific cancer symptoms were measured using items from the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer core quality-of-life questionnaire. Cancer type-specific modules developed by the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer were used to assess CRC-specific and lung cancer-specific symptoms. For both cancer types, linear regression models that were controlled for demographic and clinical information were used to examine correlations of nonspecific and cancer-specific symptoms with PCS and MCS scores. PCS scores for patients with CRC and lung cancer were below the general population norm of 50 (43 and 37, respectively), and MCS scores were at the population norm. For the CRC sample, in the model that included both symptom indices, an increase in nonspecific symptoms was more strongly associated with lower PCS and MCS scores than an increase in CRC-specific symptoms (PCS, standardized coefficient [β] = -0.41 vs -0.09; MCS, β = -0.38 vs -0.08). In a similar model for lung cancer, increases in lung cancer-specific symptoms were more strongly associated with lower PCS scores (β = -0.34 vs -0.20), whereas nonspecific symptoms were more strongly associated with lower MCS scores (β = -0.34 vs -0.14). Symptoms were associated with HRQOL impairments in recently diagnosed patients. Additional supportive care implemented early in cancer care

  8. Knowledge and skills of cancer clinical trials nurses in Australia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Scott, Kathleen; White, Kate; Johnson, Catherine; Roydhouse, Jessica K

    2012-05-01

      This paper is a report of the development and testing of a questionnaire measuring knowledge and skills of cancer clinical trials nurse in Australia.   The role of cancer clinical trials nurse, widely acknowledged as an integral member of the clinical research team, has evolved in recent years. Elements of the clinical trials nurse role in cancer have previously been described. To evaluate specific cancer clinical trials nurse educational and training needs, the development of a valid and reliable tool is required.   In 2009, a study was conducted in three stages. Stage I: questionnaire development and pilot testing; stage II: focus group; stage III: national survey. Internal consistency reliability testing and multi-trait analysis of item convergent/divergent validity were employed. Regression analysis was used to identify predictors of clinical trials nurse knowledge and skills.   The national survey was a 48-item questionnaire, measuring six clinical trial knowledge and seven skills sub-scales. Of 61 respondents, 90% were women, with mean age 43 years, 19 years as a Registered Nurse and 5 years as a cancer clinical trials nurse. Self-reported knowledge and skills were satisfactory to good. Internal consistency reliability was high (Cronbach's alpha: knowledge = 0·98; skills = 0·90). Criteria for item convergent/divergent validity were met. Number of years as cancer clinical trials nurse was positively related to self-reported knowledge and skills.   Preliminary data suggest that the national survey is reliable and valid. Data have contributed to better understanding the knowledge and skills of cancer clinical trials nurse in Australia and development of a postgraduate course in clinical trials. © 2011 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

  9. Communication and information-giving in high-risk breast cancer consultations: influence on patient outcomes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lobb, E A; Butow, P N; Barratt, A; Meiser, B; Gaff, C; Young, M A; Haan, E; Suthers, G; Gattas, M; Tucker, K

    2004-01-26

    This longitudinal study aimed to document (i) the information-giving and patient-communication styles of clinical geneticists and genetic counsellors (consultants) in familial breast cancer clinics and (ii) assess the effect of these styles on women's knowledge, whether their expectations were met, satisfaction, risk perception and psychological status. A total of 158 women from high-risk breast cancer families completed self-report questionnaires at 2 weeks preconsultation and 4 weeks postconsultation. The consultations were audiotaped, transcribed and coded. Multivariate logistic regressions showed that discussing prophylactic mastectomy (P=0.00) and oophorectomy (P=0.01) led to women having significantly more expectations met; discussing genetic testing significantly decreased anxiety (P=0.03) and facilitating understanding significantly decreased depression (P=0.05). Receiving a summary letter of the consultation significantly lowered anxiety (P=0.01) and significantly increased the accuracy of perceived risk (P=0.02). Women whose consultant used more supportive communications experienced significantly more anxiety about breast cancer at the 4 weeks follow-up (P=0.00). These women were not significantly more anxious before genetic counselling. In conclusion, this study found that consultants vary in the amount of information they give and the way they communicate; and this variation can result in better or worse psychosocial outcomes. Greater use of supportive and counselling communications appeared to increase anxiety about breast cancer. Identifying methods to assist consultants to address emotional issues effectively may be helpful.

  10. Pancreatic cancer clinical trials and accrual in the United States.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hoos, William A; James, Porsha M; Rahib, Lola; Talley, Anitra W; Fleshman, Julie M; Matrisian, Lynn M

    2013-09-20

    Pancreatic cancer clinical trials open in the United States and their accrual were examined to identify opportunities to accelerate progress in the treatment of pancreatic cancer. Pancreatic cancer-specific clinical trials open in the United States in the years 2011 and 2012 were obtained from the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network database. Accrual information was obtained from trial sponsors. The portfolio of pancreatic cancer clinical trials identified by type (adenocarcinoma or neuroendocrine), phase, disease stage, and treatment approach is reported. More than half of trials for patients with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma applied biologic insights to new therapeutic approaches, and 38% focused on optimization of radiation or chemotherapy delivery or regimens. In 2011, pancreatic cancer trials required total enrollment of 11,786 patients. Actual accrual to 93.2% of trials was 1,804 patients, an estimated 4.57% of the patients with pancreatic cancer alive in that year. The greatest need was for patients with resectable cancer. Trials open in 2011 enrolled an average of 15% of their total target accrual. Physician recommendations greatly influenced patients' decision to enroll or not enroll onto a clinical trial. Matching to a clinical trial within a 50-mile radius and identifying trials for recurrent/refractory disease were documented as challenges for patient accrual. Overall trial enrollment indicates that pancreatic cancer trials open in 2011 would require 6.7 years on average to complete accrual. These results suggest that harmonizing patient supply and demand for clinical trials is required to accelerate progress toward improving survival in pancreatic cancer.

  11. Combining clinical variables to optimize prediction of antidepressant treatment outcomes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Iniesta, Raquel; Malki, Karim; Maier, Wolfgang; Rietschel, Marcella; Mors, Ole; Hauser, Joanna; Henigsberg, Neven; Dernovsek, Mojca Zvezdana; Souery, Daniel; Stahl, Daniel; Dobson, Richard; Aitchison, Katherine J; Farmer, Anne; Lewis, Cathryn M; McGuffin, Peter; Uher, Rudolf

    2016-07-01

    The outcome of treatment with antidepressants varies markedly across people with the same diagnosis. A clinically significant prediction of outcomes could spare the frustration of trial and error approach and improve the outcomes of major depressive disorder through individualized treatment selection. It is likely that a combination of multiple predictors is needed to achieve such prediction. We used elastic net regularized regression to optimize prediction of symptom improvement and remission during treatment with escitalopram or nortriptyline and to identify contributing predictors from a range of demographic and clinical variables in 793 adults with major depressive disorder. A combination of demographic and clinical variables, with strong contributions from symptoms of depressed mood, reduced interest, decreased activity, indecisiveness, pessimism and anxiety significantly predicted treatment outcomes, explaining 5-10% of variance in symptom improvement with escitalopram. Similar combinations of variables predicted remission with area under the curve 0.72, explaining approximately 15% of variance (pseudo R(2)) in who achieves remission, with strong contributions from body mass index, appetite, interest-activity symptom dimension and anxious-somatizing depression subtype. Escitalopram-specific outcome prediction was more accurate than generic outcome prediction, and reached effect sizes that were near or above a previously established benchmark for clinical significance. Outcome prediction on the nortriptyline arm did not significantly differ from chance. These results suggest that easily obtained demographic and clinical variables can predict therapeutic response to escitalopram with clinically meaningful accuracy, suggesting a potential for individualized prescription of this antidepressant drug. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

  12. Long-term psychosocial outcomes among bereaved siblings of children with cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rosenberg, Abby R; Postier, Andrea; Osenga, Kaci; Kreicbergs, Ulrika; Neville, Bridget; Dussel, Veronica; Wolfe, Joanne

    2015-01-01

    The death of a child from cancer affects the entire family. Little is known about the long-term psychosocial outcomes of bereaved siblings. To describe 1) the prevalence of risky health behaviors, psychological distress, and social support among bereaved siblings and 2) potentially modifiable factors associated with poor outcomes. Bereaved siblings were eligible for this dual-center, cross-sectional, survey-based study if they were 16 years or older and their parents had enrolled in one of three prior studies about caring for children with cancer at the end of life. Linear regression models identified associations between personal perspectives before, during, and after the family's cancer experience and outcomes (health behaviors, psychological distress, and social support). Fifty-eight siblings completed surveys (62% response rate). They were approximately 12 years bereaved, with a mean age of 26 years at the time of the survey (SD 7.8). Anxiety, depression, and illicit substance use increased during the year after their brother/sister's death but then returned to baseline. Siblings who reported dissatisfaction with communication, poor preparation for death, missed opportunities to say goodbye, and/or a perceived negative impact of the cancer experience on relationships tended to have higher distress and lower social support scores (P siblings reported that their loss still affected them; half stated that the experience impacted current educational and career goals. How siblings experience the death of a child with cancer may impact their long-term psychosocial well-being. Sibling-directed communication and concurrent supportive care during the cancer experience and the year after the sibling death may mitigate poor long-term outcomes. Copyright © 2015 American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  13. The Prognostic Role of Androgen Receptor in Patients with Early-Stage Breast Cancer: A Meta-analysis of Clinical and Gene Expression Data.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bozovic-Spasojevic, Ivana; Zardavas, Dimitrios; Brohée, Sylvain; Ameye, Lieveke; Fumagalli, Debora; Ades, Felipe; de Azambuja, Evandro; Bareche, Yacine; Piccart, Martine; Paesmans, Marianne; Sotiriou, Christos

    2017-06-01

    Purpose: Androgen receptor (AR) expression has been observed in about 70% of patients with breast cancer, but its prognostic role remains uncertain. Experimental Design: To assess the prognostic role of AR expression in early-stage breast cancer, we performed a meta-analysis of studies that evaluated the impact of AR at the protein and gene expression level on disease-free survival (DFS) and/or overall survival (OS). Eligible studies were identified by systematic review of electronic databases using the MeSH-terms "breast neoplasm" and "androgen receptor" and were selected after a qualitative assessment based on the REMARK criteria. A pooled gene expression analysis of 35 publicly available microarray data sets was also performed from patients with early-stage breast cancer with available gene expression and clinical outcome data. Results: Twenty-two of 33 eligible studies for the clinical meta-analysis, including 10,004 patients, were considered as evaluable for the current study after the qualitative assessment. AR positivity defined by IHC was associated with improved DFS in all patients with breast cancer [multivariate (M) analysis, HR 0.46; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.37-0.58, P expression analysis. High AR mRNA levels were found to confer positive prognosis overall in terms of DFS (HR 0.82; 95% CI 0.72-0.92; P = 0.0007) and OS (HR 0.84; 95% CI, 0.75-0.94; P = 0.02) only in univariate analysis. Conclusions: Our analysis, conducted among more than 17,000 women with early-stage breast cancer included in clinical and gene expression analysis, demonstrates that AR positivity is associated with favorable clinical outcome. Clin Cancer Res; 23(11); 2702-12. ©2016 AACR . ©2016 American Association for Cancer Research.

  14. Clinical significance of VEGFR-2 and {sup 18}F-FDG PET/CT SUVmax pretreatment score in predicting the long-term outcome of patients with locally advanced rectal cancer treated with neoadjuvant therapy

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Sole, Claudio V. [Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Maranon, Department of Oncology, Madrid (Spain); School of Medicine Complutense University, Madrid (Spain); Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Maranon, Institute for Sanitary Research, Madrid (Spain); Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Maranon, Madrid (Spain); Calvo, Felipe A. [Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Maranon, Department of Oncology, Madrid (Spain); School of Medicine Complutense University, Madrid (Spain); Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Maranon, Institute for Sanitary Research, Madrid (Spain); Alvarez, Emilio; Peligros, Isabel [School of Medicine Complutense University, Madrid (Spain); Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Maranon, Department of Pathology, Madrid (Spain); Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Maranon, Institute for Sanitary Research, Madrid (Spain); Garcia-Alfonso, Pilar [Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Maranon, Service of Medical Oncology, Madrid (Spain); Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Maranon, Institute for Sanitary Research, Madrid (Spain); Ferrer, Carlos; Ochoa, Enrique [Hospital Provincial de Castellon, Institute of Oncology, Castellon de la Plana (Spain); Herranz, Rafael [Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Maranon, Service of Radiation Oncology, Madrid (Spain); Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Maranon, Institute for Sanitary Research, Madrid (Spain); Carreras, Jose L. [School of Medicine Complutense University, Madrid (Spain); Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Maranon, Department of Radiology and Medical Physics, Madrid (Spain)

    2013-10-15

    Vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-2 (VEGFR-2), epidermal growth factor receptor-1 (EGFR), and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) stimulate key processes involved in tumor progression and are important targets for cancer drugs. {sup 18}F-FDG maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax) is a marker of tumor metabolic activity. The purpose of this study was to measure SUVmax combined with VEGFR-2, EGFR and COX-2 proteins in pretreatment tumor biopsies from patients with locally advanced rectal cancer receiving intensive neoadjuvant treatment and to correlate the findings with clinical outcome. VEGFR-2, EGFR and COX-2 were measured using the immunoreactive score (IRS). SUVmax (median 8.4) was quantified in tumors with molecular overexpression (IRS {>=}3 + SUVmax {>=} 8.4 indicating active tumors; SUVmax <8.4 indicating inactive tumors). The Cox proportional hazards model was used to explore associations between tumor markers, disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS). The study group comprised 38 patients with a median follow-up of 69.3 months (range 4.5 - 92 months). Multivariate analysis showed that active tumors (overexpressing VEGFR-2, high SUVmax) were associated with worse DFS (HR 4.73, 95 % CI 1.18 - 22.17; p = 0.04) and OS (HR 4.28, 95 % CI 1.04 - 20.12; p = 0.05). Active tumors overexpressing VEGFR-2 are associated with a worse overall outcome in patients with rectal cancer treated with induction chemotherapy followed by pelvic chemoradiation and surgery. The optimal diagnostic cut-off level for this novel biomarker association should be investigated. Evaluation in a clinical trial is required to determine whether selected patients could benefit from a VEGFR-targeting drug. (orig.)

  15. Module-based outcome prediction using breast cancer compendia.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Martin H van Vliet

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: The availability of large collections of microarray datasets (compendia, or knowledge about grouping of genes into pathways (gene sets, is typically not exploited when training predictors of disease outcome. These can be useful since a compendium increases the number of samples, while gene sets reduce the size of the feature space. This should be favorable from a machine learning perspective and result in more robust predictors. METHODOLOGY: We extracted modules of regulated genes from gene sets, and compendia. Through supervised analysis, we constructed predictors which employ modules predictive of breast cancer outcome. To validate these predictors we applied them to independent data, from the same institution (intra-dataset, and other institutions (inter-dataset. CONCLUSIONS: We show that modules derived from single breast cancer datasets achieve better performance on the validation data compared to gene-based predictors. We also show that there is a trend in compendium specificity and predictive performance: modules derived from a single breast cancer dataset, and a breast cancer specific compendium perform better compared to those derived from a human cancer compendium. Additionally, the module-based predictor provides a much richer insight into the underlying biology. Frequently selected gene sets are associated with processes such as cell cycle, E2F regulation, DNA damage response, proteasome and glycolysis. We analyzed two modules related to cell cycle, and the OCT1 transcription factor, respectively. On an individual basis, these modules provide a significant separation in survival subgroups on the training and independent validation data.

  16. Proton therapy for head and neck cancer: Rationale, potential indications, practical considerations, and current clinical evidence

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mendenhall, Nancy P.; Malyapa, Robert S.; Su, Zhong; Yeung, Daniel; Mendenhall, William M.; Li, Zuofeng

    2011-01-01

    There is a strong rationale for potential benefits from proton therapy (PT) for selected cancers of the head and neck because of the opportunity to improve the therapeutic ratio by improving radiation dose distributions and because of the significant differences in radiation dose distribution achievable with x-ray-based radiation therapy (RT) and PT. Comparisons of dose distributions between x-ray-based and PT plans in selected cases show specific benefits in dose distribution likely to translate into improved clinical outcomes. However, the use of PT in head and neck cancers requires special considerations in the simulation and treatment planning process, and currently available PT technology may not permit realization of the maximum potential benefits of PT. To date, few clinical data are available, but early clinical experiences in sinonasal tumors in particular suggest significant improvements in both disease control and radiation-related toxicity

  17. Proton therapy for head and neck cancer: Rationale, potential indications, practical considerations, and current clinical evidence

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Mendenhall, Nancy P.; Malyapa, Robert S.; Su, Zhong; Yeung, Daniel; Mendenhall, William M.; Li, Zuofeng (Univ. of Florida Proton Therapy Inst., Jacksonville, Florida (United States)), e-mail: menden@shands.ufl.edu

    2011-08-15

    There is a strong rationale for potential benefits from proton therapy (PT) for selected cancers of the head and neck because of the opportunity to improve the therapeutic ratio by improving radiation dose distributions and because of the significant differences in radiation dose distribution achievable with x-ray-based radiation therapy (RT) and PT. Comparisons of dose distributions between x-ray-based and PT plans in selected cases show specific benefits in dose distribution likely to translate into improved clinical outcomes. However, the use of PT in head and neck cancers requires special considerations in the simulation and treatment planning process, and currently available PT technology may not permit realization of the maximum potential benefits of PT. To date, few clinical data are available, but early clinical experiences in sinonasal tumors in particular suggest significant improvements in both disease control and radiation-related toxicity

  18. Modern Radiation Therapy and Cardiac Outcomes in Breast Cancer

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Boero, Isabel J.; Paravati, Anthony J.; Triplett, Daniel P.; Hwang, Lindsay; Matsuno, Rayna K.; Gillespie, Erin F.; Yashar, Catheryn M.; Moiseenko, Vitali; Einck, John P.; Mell, Loren K. [Department of Radiation Medicine and Applied Sciences, Moores Cancer Center, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California (United States); Parikh, Sahil A. [University Hospitals Case Medical Center, Harrington Heart and Vascular Institute, and Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, Ohio (United States); Murphy, James D., E-mail: j2murphy@ucsd.edu [Department of Radiation Medicine and Applied Sciences, Moores Cancer Center, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California (United States)

    2016-03-15

    Purpose: Adjuvant radiation therapy, which has proven benefit against breast cancer, has historically been associated with an increased incidence of ischemic heart disease. Modern techniques have reduced this risk, but a detailed evaluation has not recently been conducted. The present study evaluated the effect of current radiation practices on ischemia-related cardiac events and procedures in a population-based study of older women with nonmetastatic breast cancer. Methods and Materials: A total of 29,102 patients diagnosed from 2000 to 2009 were identified from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results–Medicare database. Medicare claims were used to identify the radiation therapy and cardiac outcomes. Competing risk models were used to assess the effect of radiation on these outcomes. Results: Patients with left-sided breast cancer had a small increase in their risk of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) after radiation therapy—the 10-year cumulative incidence for these patients was 5.5% (95% confidence interval [CI] 4.9%-6.2%) and 4.5% (95% CI 4.0%-5.0%) for right-sided patients. This risk was limited to women with previous cardiac disease. For patients who underwent PCI, those with left-sided breast cancer had a significantly increased risk of cardiac mortality with a subdistribution hazard ratio of 2.02 (95% CI 1.23-3.34). No other outcome, including cardiac mortality for the entire cohort, showed a significant relationship with tumor laterality. Conclusions: For women with a history of cardiac disease, those with left-sided breast cancer who underwent radiation therapy had increased rates of PCI and a survival decrement if treated with PCI. The results of the present study could help cardiologists and radiation oncologists better stratify patients who need more aggressive cardioprotective techniques.

  19. Modern Radiation Therapy and Cardiac Outcomes in Breast Cancer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Boero, Isabel J.; Paravati, Anthony J.; Triplett, Daniel P.; Hwang, Lindsay; Matsuno, Rayna K.; Gillespie, Erin F.; Yashar, Catheryn M.; Moiseenko, Vitali; Einck, John P.; Mell, Loren K.; Parikh, Sahil A.; Murphy, James D.

    2016-01-01

    Purpose: Adjuvant radiation therapy, which has proven benefit against breast cancer, has historically been associated with an increased incidence of ischemic heart disease. Modern techniques have reduced this risk, but a detailed evaluation has not recently been conducted. The present study evaluated the effect of current radiation practices on ischemia-related cardiac events and procedures in a population-based study of older women with nonmetastatic breast cancer. Methods and Materials: A total of 29,102 patients diagnosed from 2000 to 2009 were identified from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results–Medicare database. Medicare claims were used to identify the radiation therapy and cardiac outcomes. Competing risk models were used to assess the effect of radiation on these outcomes. Results: Patients with left-sided breast cancer had a small increase in their risk of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) after radiation therapy—the 10-year cumulative incidence for these patients was 5.5% (95% confidence interval [CI] 4.9%-6.2%) and 4.5% (95% CI 4.0%-5.0%) for right-sided patients. This risk was limited to women with previous cardiac disease. For patients who underwent PCI, those with left-sided breast cancer had a significantly increased risk of cardiac mortality with a subdistribution hazard ratio of 2.02 (95% CI 1.23-3.34). No other outcome, including cardiac mortality for the entire cohort, showed a significant relationship with tumor laterality. Conclusions: For women with a history of cardiac disease, those with left-sided breast cancer who underwent radiation therapy had increased rates of PCI and a survival decrement if treated with PCI. The results of the present study could help cardiologists and radiation oncologists better stratify patients who need more aggressive cardioprotective techniques.

  20. Information perception, wishes, and satisfaction in ambulatory cancer patients under active treatment: patient-reported outcomes with QLQ-INFO25

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pinto, Ana Catarina; Ferreira-Santos, Fernando; Lago, Lissandra Dal; de Azambuja, Evandro; Pimentel, Francisco Luís; Piccart-Gebhart, Martine; Razavi, Darius

    2014-01-01

    Background Information is vital to cancer patients. Physician–patient communication in oncology presents specific challenges. The aim of this study was to evaluate self-reported information of cancer patients in ambulatory care at a comprehensive cancer centre and examine its possible association with patients’ demographic and clinical characteristics. Patients and methods This study included adult patients with solid tumours undergoing chemotherapy at the Institute Jules Bordet’s Day Hospital over a ten-day period. EORTC QLQ-C30 and QLQ-INFO25 questionnaires were administered. Demographic and clinical data were collected. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used. Results 101 (99%) fully completed the questionnaires. They were mostly Belgian (74.3%), female (78.2%), with a mean age of 56.9 ± 12.8 years. The most frequent tumour was breast cancer (58.4%). Patients were well-informed about the disease and treatments, but presented unmet information domains. The Jules Bordet patients desired more information on treatment side effects, long-term outcome, nutrition, and recurrence symptoms. Patients on clinical trials reported having received less information about their disease and less written information than patients outside clinical trials. Higher information levels were associated with higher quality of life (QoL) scores and higher patient satisfaction. Conclusion Patients were satisfied with the information they received and this correlated with higher QoL, but they still expressed unmet information wishes. Additional studies are required to investigate the quality of the information received by patients enrolled in clinical trials. PMID:24834120

  1. Prostate Cancer Diagnosed After Repeat Biopsies Have a Favorable Pathological Outcome but Similar Recurrence Rate

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lopez-Corona, Ernesto; Ohori, Makoto; Wheeler, Thomas M.; Reuter, Victor E.; Scardino, Peter T.; Kattan, Michael W.; Eastham, James A.

    2007-01-01

    Purpose We investigated whether repeat prostate biopsies are associated with more favorable prognoses, less extensive disease or higher rates of IC in patients who are ultimately diagnosed with prostate cancer and treated with RRP. Materials and Methods We examined standard clinical and pathological data on 1,357 patients treated with RRP from 1983 to 2001. In addition, we noted the rate of IC in a subgroup of 847 patients in whom tumor volume was measured. Results Cancer was found in 1,042 patients (77%) at the first biopsy, in 227 (17%) at the second biopsy, in 59 (4%) at the third biopsy and in 29 (2%) at the fourth or later biopsy. Patients with 2 or greater biopsies had a higher rate of clinical T1c stage cancer and larger prostates than patients with only 1 biopsy (each p <0.0001). After RRP patients with 1 biopsy had a lower rate of organ confined tumors (61% vs 75%, p <0.0001), and a higher rate of extracapsular extension, seminal vesicle invasion, lymph node metastases and Gleason sum 7 or greater than other patients. IC was found in 10% of patients with 1 biopsy and 18% of those with 2 or greater biopsies (p = 0.018). Despite these more favorable pathological outcomes there was no difference in biochemical recurrence rate. Conclusions Although we found that a greater number of biopsies was related to a better pathological outcome after RRP, the number of biopsies did not predict disease recurrence. The increasing number of biopsies currently being performed, especially in patients with larger prostates, likely results in higher rates of IC. PMID:16469581

  2. The effect of age on the outcome of esophageal cancer surgery

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Alibakhshi, Abbas; Aminian Ali; Mirsharifi, Rasoul; Jahangiri, Yosra; Dashti, Habibollah; Karimian Faramarz

    2009-01-01

    Surgery is still the best way for treatment of esophageal cancer. The increase in life expectancy and the rising incidence of esophageal tumors have led to a great number of elderly candidates for complex surgery. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of advanced age (70 years or more) on the surgical outcome of esophagectomy for esophageal cancer at a single high-volume center. Between January 2000 and April 2006, 480 cases with esophageal cancer underwent esophagectomy in the referral cancer institute. One hundred sixty-five patients in the elderly group (70 years old or more) were compared with 315 patients in the younger group ( 0.05). With increased experience and care, the outcomes of esophagectomy in elderly patients are comparable to young patients. Advanced age alone is not a contraindication for esophagectomy. (author)

  3. Distinct clinical outcomes of two CIMP-positive colorectal cancer subtypes based on a revised CIMP classification system.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bae, Jeong Mo; Kim, Jung Ho; Kwak, Yoonjin; Lee, Dae-Won; Cha, Yongjun; Wen, Xianyu; Lee, Tae Hun; Cho, Nam-Yun; Jeong, Seung-Yong; Park, Kyu Joo; Han, Sae Won; Lee, Hye Seung; Kim, Tae-You; Kang, Gyeong Hoon

    2017-04-11

    Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a heterogeneous disease in terms of molecular carcinogenic pathways. Based on recent findings regarding the multiple serrated neoplasia pathway, we revised an eight-marker panel for a new CIMP classification system. 1370 patients who received surgical resection for CRCs were classified into three CIMP subtypes (CIMP-N: 0-4 methylated markers, CIMP-P1: 5-6 methylated markers and CIMP-P2: 7-8 methylated markers). Our findings were validated in a separate set of high-risk stage II or stage III CRCs receiving adjuvant fluoropyrimidine plus oxaliplatin (n=950). A total of 1287/62/21 CRCs cases were classified as CIMP-N/CIMP-P1/CIMP-P2, respectively. CIMP-N showed male predominance, distal location, lower T, N category and devoid of BRAF mutation, microsatellite instability (MSI) and MLH1 methylation. CIMP-P1 showed female predominance, proximal location, advanced TNM stage, mild decrease of CK20 and CDX2 expression, mild increase of CK7 expression, BRAF mutation, MSI and MLH1 methylation. CIMP-P2 showed older age, female predominance, proximal location, advanced T category, markedly reduced CK20 and CDX2 expression, rare KRAS mutation, high frequency of CK7 expression, BRAF mutation, MSI and MLH1 methylation. CIMP-N showed better 5-year cancer-specific survival (CSS; HR=0.47; 95% CI: 0.28-0.78) in discovery set and better 5-year relapse-free survival (RFS; HR=0.50; 95% CI: 0.29-0.88) in validation set compared with CIMP-P1. CIMP-P2 showed marginally better 5-year CSS (HR=0.28, 95% CI: 0.07-1.22) in discovery set and marginally better 5-year RFS (HR=0.21, 95% CI: 0.05-0.92) in validation set compared with CIMP-P1. CIMP subtypes classified using our revised system showed different clinical outcomes, demonstrating the heterogeneity of multiple serrated precursors of CIMP-positive CRCs.

  4. A Review of Barriers to Minorities' Participation in Cancer Clinical Trials: Implications for Future Cancer Research.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Salman, Ali; Nguyen, Claire; Lee, Yi-Hui; Cooksey-James, Tawna

    2016-04-01

    To enhance nurses' awareness and competencies in practice and research by reporting the common barriers to participation of minorities in cancer clinical trials and discussing facilitators and useful strategies for recruitment. Several databases were searched for articles published in peer reviewed journals. Some of the barriers to minorities' participation in clinical trials were identified within the cultural social-context of cancer patients. The involvement of community networking was suggested as the most effective strategy for the recruitment of minorities in cancer clinical trials. Using culturally sensitive approaches to enhance ethnic minorities' participation is important for advancing cancer care and eliminating health disparities. Awareness of barriers and potential facilitators to the enrollment of ethnic minority cancer patients may contribute to enhancing nurses' competencies of recruiting ethnic minorities in nursing research, playing efficient roles in cancer clinical trials team, and providing culturally competent quality care.

  5. Cancer diagnosis in a ''breast clinic''

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ghys, R.

    1987-01-01

    Conflicting opinions have been expressed in the world literature over the last 15 years about the value of radiological techniques in breast cancer diagnosis. We reviewed 111 breast cancers which we diagnosed between 1971 and 1985, in unselected patients, by the combined use of palpation, thermography and mammography, complemented, since 1980, by diaphanoscopy. Considerable clinical experience is necessary to interpret both mammograms and thermograms. Each of these approaches, when rated independently, has a very high false negative rate ranging from 41% for clinical examination to 32% for mammography. In cases which are not clinically obvious, diaphanoscopy ''retrieves'' the most cancers, with thermography a close second (definitely malignant in 35% of the cases over the whole age range). Mammography comes third and its efficacy drops to 12.5% in premenopausal women. However, by combining this information with the one derived from anamnesis, the ACDTM scoring system gives us a false negative rate - before biopsy - of 5.5% and a false positive rate of <1%. This approach also drastically reduces the number of unnecessary biopsies

  6. Impact of body composition parameters on clinical outcomes in patients with metastatic castrate-resistant prostate cancer treated with docetaxel.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cushen, Samantha J; Power, Derek G; Murphy, Kevin P; McDermott, Ray; Griffin, Brendan T; Lim, Marvin; Daly, Louise; MacEneaney, Peter; O' Sullivan, Kathleen; Prado, Carla M; Ryan, Aoife M

    2016-06-01

    Body composition may influence clinical outcomes of certain chemotherapeutic agents. We examined the prognostic significance of skeletal muscle mass and adipose tissue on docetaxel toxicity and overall survival in patients with metastatic castrate resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC). A retrospective review of patients medical records with mCRPC, treated with docetaxel was conducted. Body composition parameters (skeletal muscle mass, muscle attenuation [MA], visceral and subcutaneous adipose tissue) were measured at L3 by computed tomography (CT) and defined using previously established cut points. Toxicity profile was assessed after 3 cycles of the drug and graded according to the National Cancer Institute Common Toxicity Criteria (version 4). Overall survival was analysed. Overall 63 patients, mean age 69 years (SD 8.3), were included. Sarcopenia was present in 47% (n = 30) and of these 26.7% (8/30) were sarcopenic obese. Common toxicities (all grades) observed included fatigue (80.9%), pain (46%), and constipation (34.9%). DLT occurred in 22 (34.9%) patients; of these 10 patients (15.8%) experienced dose reductions and 12 patients (19%) experienced dose terminations. Measurements of adiposity were not predictive of DLT, however 59.1% patients who had a combination of both sarcopenia and low MA experienced DLT compared to 29.3% of patients without sarcopenia and low MA (p = 0.021). Skeletal muscle index and MA were significantly lower in patients who experienced neutropenia (grade I-II) (46.5 cm 2 /m 2 vs. 51.2 cm 2 /m 2 , p = 0.005) compared to their counterparts (24.6 HU vs. 32.2 HU, p = 0.044). Neither sarcopenia nor sarcopenic obesity was associated with overall survival. In multivariate analysis, BMI ≥25 kg/m 2 (HR: 0.349, CI: 0.156-0.782, p = 0.010) was a significant predictor of longer overall survival and both visceral fat index ≥ median 58.7 cm 2 /m 2 (HR: 2.266 CI: 1.066-4.814, p = 0.033) and anaemia (HR: 2.81, CI: 1.297-6.091, p

  7. The impact on clinical outcome of high prevalence of diabetes mellitus in Taiwanese patients with colorectal cancer

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Huang Ching-Wen

    2012-05-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Both colorectal cancer (CRC and diabetes mellitus (DM are important public health problems worldwide. As there are controversies about survival impact on CRC patients with preexisting DM, the purpose of the present study is to evaluate the incidence and the survival impact of preexisting DM on the long-term outcomes of patients with CRC in Taiwan. Methods From January 2002 to December 2008, 1,197 consecutive patients with histologically proven primary CRC, who received surgical treatment at a single institution, were enrolled. The clinicopathologic features between these patients with and without DM were retrospectively investigated. Moreover, we intended to analyze the impact of DM on overall survival (OS and cancer-specific survival (CSS rates. Results Of 1,197 CRC patients, 23.6% of patients had either a reported history of DM or were currently taking one or more diabetes-controlling medications. CRC patients with DM were significantly older than those without DM (P P vs 6.01%, P = 0.040. Conclusions A considerably high prevalence of DM in CRC patients but no significant impact of DM on survival was observed in the single-institution retrospective study, regardless of cancer stages and tumor locations. Therefore, treatment strategies for CRC patients with DM should be the same as patients without DM.

  8. Clinical outcomes of adjuvant radiation therapy and prognostic factors in early stage uterine cervical cancer

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kim, Hyun Ju; Rhee, Woo Joong; Choi, Seo Hee; Kim, Gwi Eon; Kim, Yong Bae [Dept. of Radiation Oncology, Yonsei Cancer Center, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Nam, EunJi; Kim, Sang Wun; Kim, Sung Hoon [Dept. of Radiation Oncology, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Yonsei Cancer Center, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

    2015-06-15

    To evaluate the outcomes of adjuvant radiotherapy (RT) and to analyze prognostic factors of survival in the International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) IB-IIA uterine cervical cancer. We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 148 patients with FIGO IB-IIA uterine cervical cancer who underwent surgery followed by adjuvant RT at the Yonsei Cancer Center between June 1997 and December 2011. Adjuvant radiotherapy was delivered to the whole pelvis or an extended field with or without brachytherapy. Among all patients, 57 (38.5%) received adjuvant chemotherapy either concurrently or sequentially. To analyze prognostic factors, we assessed clinicopathologic variables and metabolic parameters measured on preoperative {sup 18}F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT). To evaluate the predictive performance of metabolic parameters, receiver operating characteristic curve analysis was used. Overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) were analyzed by the Kaplan-Meier method. The median follow-up period was 63.2 months (range, 2.7 to 206.8 months). Locoregional recurrence alone occurred in 6 patients, while distant metastasis was present in 16 patients, including 2 patients with simultaneous regional failure. The 5-year and 10-year OSs were 87.0% and 85.4%, respectively. The 5-year and 10-year DFSs were 83.8% and 82.5%, respectively. In multivariate analysis, pathologic type and tumor size were shown to be significant prognostic factors associated with both DFS and OS. In subset analysis of 40 patients who underwent preoperative PET/CT, total lesion glycolysis was shown to be the most significant prognostic factor among the clinicopathologic variables and metabolic parameters for DFS. Our results demonstrated that adjuvant RT following hysterectomy effectively improves local control. From the subset analysis of preoperative PET/CT, we can consider that metabolic parameters may hold prognostic

  9. Hereditary Nonpolyposis Colorectal Cancer and Cancer Syndromes: Recent Basic and Clinical Discoveries

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Erbao Chen

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available Approximately one-third of individuals diagnosed with colorectal cancer have a family history of cancer, suggesting that CRCs may result from a heritable component. Despite the availability of current gene-identification techniques, only 5% of all CRCs emerge from well-identifiable inherited causes for predisposition, including polyposis and nonpolyposis syndromes. Hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal cancer represents a large proportion of cases, and robustly affected patients are at increased risk for early onset, synchronous, and metachronous colorectal malignancies and extracolonic malignancies. HNPCC encompasses several cancer syndromes, such as Lynch syndrome, Lynch-like syndrome, and familial colorectal cancer type X, which have remarkable clinical presentations and overlapping genetic profiles that make clinical diagnosis a challenging task. Therefore, distinguishing between the HNPCC disorders is crucial for physicians as an approach to tailor different recommendations for patients and their at-risk family members according to the risks for colonic and extracolonic cancer associated with each syndrome. Identification of these potential patients through epidemiological characteristics and new genetic testing can estimate the individual risk, which informs appropriate cancer screening, surveillance, and/or treatment strategies. In the past three years, many appealing and important advances have been made in our understanding of the relationship between HNPCC and CRC-associated syndromes. The knowledge from the genetic profile of cancer syndromes and unique genotype-phenotype profiles in the different syndromes has changed our cognition. Therefore, this review presents and discusses HNPCC and several common nonpolyposis syndromes with respect to molecular phenotype, histopathologic features, and clinical presentation.

  10. Management of advanced pancreatic cancer in daily clinical practice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Giuliani, Jacopo; Piacentini, Paolo; Bonetti, Andrea

    2016-01-01

    The aim of this outcome study was to evaluate the management of advanced pancreatic cancer in a real-world clinical practice; few such experiences have been reported in the literature. A retrospective analysis was performed of all consecutive patients with advanced pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma followed at our medical oncology unit between January 2003 and December 2013. We evaluated 78 patients, mostly with metastatic disease (64.1%). Median follow-up was 10.77 months, by which time 74 patients (94.9%) had died. Median overall survival was 8.29 months. Median age was 67 years. In univariate analysis, pain at onset (p = 0.020), ECOG performance status (p<0.001), stage (p = 0.047), first-line chemotherapy (p<0.001), second-line chemotherapy (p<0.001) and weight loss at diagnosis (p = 0.029) were factors that had an impact on overall survival. In multivariate analysis, the presence of pain at onset (p = 0.043), stage (p = 0.003) and second-line chemotherapy (p = 0.004) were confirmed as independent prognostic factors. Our data, derived from daily clinical practice, confirmed advanced pancreatic cancer as an aggressive malignant disease with a very short expected survival. Second-line treatment seems to provide an advantage in terms of overall survival in patients who showed a partial response as their best response to first-line treatment.

  11. Life after endometrial cancer: A systematic review of patient-reported outcomes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shisler, Robert; Sinnott, Jennifer A; Wang, Vivian; Hebert, Courtney; Salani, Ritu; Felix, Ashley S

    2018-02-01

    Women with endometrial cancer (EC) are the second largest population of female cancer survivors in the United States. However, the outcomes of EC survivors, from the patient perspective, are not well-understood. Therefore, we conducted a systematic review of patient-reported outcomes (PROs) following an EC diagnosis. We searched MEDLINE, EMBASE, Scopus, CINAHL, and reference lists to identify published observational studies that examined PROs among women with EC. Reviewers independently reviewed eligible full-text study articles and conducted data extraction. We qualitatively summarized included articles according to exposures [e.g. body mass index (BMI), treatment, etc.] or specific PROs (e.g. sexual function). Of 1722 unique studies, 102 full-text articles were reviewed, of which a total of 27 studies fulfilled the inclusion criteria. The most commonly used PRO questionnaires were the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire-Core 30 (EORTC QLQ-C30) (n=9), Short Form 36 Questionnaire (SF-36, n=8), the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-General (FACT-G, n=5), and the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI, n=4). Obesity was associated with lower quality of life (QOL) and physical functioning. Treatment type affected several outcomes. Laparoscopy generally resulted in better QOL outcomes than laparotomy. Likewise, vaginal brachytherapy was associated with better outcomes compared to external beam radiation. Sexual function outcomes were dependent on age, time since diagnosis, and having consulted a physician before engaging in sexual activities. In addition, a physical activity intervention was associated with improved sexual interest but not sexual function. Our review provides insight into the experience of EC survivors from the patient perspective. Factors that contribute to QOL, such as pain, fatigue, emotional and social functioning, should be monitored following an EC diagnosis. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc

  12. Association Between Use of Traditional Chinese Medicine Herbal Therapy and Survival Outcomes in Patients With Stage II and III Colorectal Cancer: A Multicenter Prospective Cohort Study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xu, Yun; Mao, Jun J; Sun, Lingyun; Yang, Lin; Li, Jie; Hao, Yingxu; Li, Huashan; Hou, Wei; Chu, Yuping; Bai, Yu; Jia, Xiaoqiang; Wang, Jinwan; Shen, Lin; Zhang, Ying; Wang, Jianbin; Liu, Jianping; Yang, Yufei

    2017-11-01

    Chinese cancer patients often use Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) herbal medicine during or after active cancer treatments. However, little is known about how TCM herbal medicine impacts cancer outcomes. This study aimed to evaluate the association between TCM herbal therapy and survival outcomes in patients with stage II or III colorectal cancer. We conducted an eight-center prospective cohort study in China among patients who had undergone radical resection for stage II and III colorectal cancer. All patients received comprehensive conventional treatments according to National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) guidelines, and follow-up visits were conducted over five years. We defined high exposure as a patient's use of TCM individualized herbs for more than one year, ascertained via clinical interviews. The primary outcome was disease-free survival (DFS), with overall survival (OS) as a secondary outcome. Between April 2007 and February 2009, we enrolled 312 patients into the cohort; 166 (53.2%) met the definition of high exposure to TCM herbs. Adjusting for covariates, high exposure to TCM was associated with both better DFS (hazard ratio [HR] = 0.62, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.39 to 0.98) and OS (HR = 0.31, 95% CI = 0.14 to 0.68). In subgroup exploratory analysis, the effects demonstrated that the differences in outcomes were statistically significant in patients who had received chemotherapy. Longer duration of TCM herbal use is associated with improved survival outcomes in stage II and III colorectal cancer patients in China. More research is needed to evaluate the effects and underlying mechanisms of herbal medicine on colorectal cancer outcomes. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  13. Association of MYCN copy number with clinical features, tumor biology, and outcomes in neuroblastoma: A report from the Children's Oncology Group.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Campbell, Kevin; Gastier-Foster, Julie M; Mann, Meegan; Naranjo, Arlene H; Van Ryn, Collin; Bagatell, Rochelle; Matthay, Katherine K; London, Wendy B; Irwin, Meredith S; Shimada, Hiroyuki; Granger, M Meaghan; Hogarty, Michael D; Park, Julie R; DuBois, Steven G

    2017-11-01

    High-level MYCN amplification (MNA) is associated with poor outcome and unfavorable clinical and biological features in patients with neuroblastoma. To the authors' knowledge, less is known regarding these associations in patients with low-level MYCN copy number increases. In this retrospective study, the authors classified patients has having tumors with MYCN wild-type tumors, MYCN gain (2-4-fold increase in MYCN signal compared with the reference probe), or MNA (>4-fold increase). Tests of trend were used to investigate ordered associations between MYCN copy number category and features of interest. Log-rank tests and Cox models compared event-free survival and overall survival by subgroup. Among 4672 patients, 3694 (79.1%) had MYCN wild-type tumors, 133 (2.8%) had MYCN gain, and 845 (18.1%) had MNA. For each clinical/biological feature, the percentage of patients with an unfavorable feature was lowest in the MYCN wild-type category, intermediate in the MYCN gain category, and highest in the MNA category (PNeuroblastoma Staging System) and patients with non-high-risk disease with MYCN gain had a significantly increased risk for death, a finding confirmed on multivariable testing. Increasing MYCN copy number is associated with an increasingly higher rate of unfavorable clinical/biological features, with 11q aberration being an exception. Patients with MYCN gain appear to have inferior outcomes, especially in otherwise more favorable groups. Cancer 2017;123:4224-4235. © 2017 American Cancer Society. © 2017 American Cancer Society.

  14. Clinical Outcomes in International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics Stage IA Endometrial Cancer With Myometrial Invasion Treated With or Without Postoperative Vaginal Brachytherapy

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Diavolitsis, V. [Department of Radiation Oncology, Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL (United States); Rademaker, A. [Department of Preventive Medicine, Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL (United States); Lurain, J.; Hoekstra, A. [Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Division of Gynecologic Oncology, Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL (United States); Strauss, J. [Department of Radiation Oncology, Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL (United States); Small, W., E-mail: wsmall@nmff.org [Department of Radiation Oncology, Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL (United States)

    2012-10-01

    Purpose: To assess the clinical outcomes of patients with Stage IA endometrial cancer with myometrial invasion treated with postoperative vaginal brachytherapy (VBT) with those who received no adjuvant therapy (NAT). Methods and Materials: All patients treated with hysterectomy for endometrial cancer at Northwestern Memorial Hospital between 1978 and 2005 were identified. Those patients with Stage IA disease with myometrial invasion who were treated with VBT alone or NAT were identified and included in the present analysis. Results: Of 252 patients with Stage IA endometrial cancer with superficial (<50%) myometrial invasion who met the inclusion criteria, 169 underwent VBT and 83 received NAT. The median follow-up in the VBT and NAT groups was 103 and 61 months, respectively. In the VBT group, 56.8% had Grade 1, 37.9% had Grade 2, and 5.3% had Grade 3 tumors. In the NAT group, 75.9%, 20.5%, and 3.6% had Grade 1, 2, and 3 tumors, respectively. Lymphatic or vascular space invasion was noted in 12.4% of the VBT patients and 5.6% of the NAT patients. The 5-year overall survival rate was 95.5%. The 5-year recurrence-free survival rate was 92.4% for all patients, 94.4% for the VBT group, and 87.4% for the NAT group (p = NS). Of the 169 VBT patients and 83 NAT patients, 8 (4.7%) and 6 (7.2%) developed recurrent disease. One vaginal recurrence occurred in the VBT group (0.6%) and three in the NAT group (3.8%). Recurrences developed 2-102 months after surgical treatment. Two of the four vaginal recurrences were salvaged. No Grade 3 or higher acute or late radiation toxicity was noted. Conclusions: The use of postoperative VBT in patients with Stage I endometrial cancer with <50% myometrial invasion yielded excellent vaginal disease control and disease-free survival, with minimal toxicity.

  15. Clinical Outcomes of Patients with Resected Oral Cavity Cancer and Simultaneous Second Primary Malignancies.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Chun-Ta Liao

    Full Text Available Simultaneous second primary tumors (SSPT are not uncommon in patients with oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC living in areas where the habit of betel quid chewing is widespread. We sought to identify the main prognostic factors in OSCC patients with SSPT and incorporate them into a risk stratification scheme.A total of 1822 consecutive patients with primary OSCC treated between January 1996 and February 2014 were analyzed for the presence of SSPT. The 18-month and 5-year overall survival (OS rates served as the main outcome measures.Of the 1822 patients, 77 (4% were found to have SSPT (i.e, two malignancies identified within one month of each other. The 18-month and 5-year OS rates in patients without SSPT and with SSPT were 82% and 69%, and 72% and 53%, respectively (p = 0.0063. Patients with SSPT were further divided into patients with either esophageal cancer or hepatocellular carcinoma (eso-HCC subgroup, n = 8 and other tumors (NO eso-HCC subgroup, n = 69. After multivariate analysis, neck nodal extracapsular spread (ECS, n = 18 and the presence of eso-HCC were identified as independent adverse prognostic factors. The 18-month OS rates of SSPT patients with both eso-HCC and ECS (n = 5 vs. the remaining patients (n = 72 were 0% and 78%, respectively (p < 0.0001.OSCC patients with neck nodal ECS and esophageal cancer or hepatocellular carcinoma as SSPT have a dismal short-term prognosis.

  16. Treatment Decision Regret Among Long-Term Survivors of Localized Prostate Cancer: Results From the Prostate Cancer Outcomes Study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hoffman, Richard M; Lo, Mary; Clark, Jack A; Albertsen, Peter C; Barry, Michael J; Goodman, Michael; Penson, David F; Stanford, Janet L; Stroup, Antoinette M; Hamilton, Ann S

    2017-07-10

    Purpose To determine the demographic, clinical, decision-making, and quality-of-life factors that are associated with treatment decision regret among long-term survivors of localized prostate cancer. Patients and Methods We evaluated men who were age ≤ 75 years when diagnosed with localized prostate cancer between October 1994 and October 1995 in one of six SEER tumor registries and who completed a 15-year follow-up survey. The survey obtained demographic, socioeconomic, and clinical data and measured treatment decision regret, informed decision making, general- and disease-specific quality of life, health worry, prostate-specific antigen (PSA) concern, and outlook on life. We used multivariable logistic regression analyses to identify factors associated with regret. Results We surveyed 934 participants, 69.3% of known survivors. Among the cohort, 59.1% had low-risk tumor characteristics (PSA decision regret: 8.2% of those whose disease was managed conservatively, 15.0% of those who received surgery, and 16.6% of those who underwent radiotherapy. Factors associated with regret on multivariable analysis included reporting moderate or big sexual function bother (reported by 39.0%; OR, 2.77; 95% CI, 1.51 to 5.0), moderate or big bowel function bother (reported by 7.7%; OR, 2.32; 95% CI, 1.04 to 5.15), and PSA concern (mean score 52.8; OR, 1.01 per point change; 95% CI, 1.00 to 1.02). Increasing age at diagnosis and report of having made an informed treatment decision were inversely associated with regret. Conclusion Regret was a relatively infrequently reported outcome among long-term survivors of localized prostate cancer; however, our results suggest that better informing men about treatment options, in particular, conservative treatment, might help mitigate long-term regret. These findings are timely for men with low-risk cancers who are being encouraged to consider active surveillance.

  17. Clinical outcome of fiducial-less CyberKnife radiosurgery for stage I non-small cell lung cancer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jung, In Hye; Song, Si Yeol; Cho, Byung Chul; Kwak, Jung Won; Jung, Nuri Hyun; Kim, Su Ssan; Choi, Eun Kyung; Jung, Jin Hong; Je, Hyoung Uk; Choi, Won Sik

    2015-01-01

    To evaluate the treatment results in early stage non-small cell lung cancer patients who have undergone fiducial-less CyberKnife radiosurgery (CKRS). From June 2011 to November 2013, 58 patients underwent CKRS at Asan Medical Center for stage I lung cancer. After excluding 14 patients, we retrospectively reviewed the records of the remaining 44 patients. All analyses were performed using SPSS ver. 21. The median age at diagnosis was 75 years. Most patients had inoperable primary lung cancer with a poor pulmonary function test with comorbidity or old age. The clinical stage was IA in 30 patients (68.2%), IB in 14 (31.8%). The mean tumor size was 2.6 cm (range, 1.2 to 4.8 cm), and the tumor was smaller than 2 cm in 12 patients (27.3%). The radiation dose given was 48-60 Gy in 3-4 fractions. In a median follow-up of 23.1 months, local recurrence occurred in three patients (2-year local recurrence-free survival rate, 90.4%) and distant metastasis occurred in 13 patients. All patients tolerated the radiosurgery well, only two patients developing grade 3 dyspnea. The most common complications were radiation-induced fibrosis and pneumonitis. Eight patients died due to cancer progression. The results showed that fiducial-less CKRS shows comparable local tumor control and survival rates to those of LINAC-based SABR or CKRS with a fiducial marker. Thus, fiducial-less CKRS using Xsight lung tracking system can be effectively and safely performed for patients with medically inoperable stage I non-small cell lung cancer without any risk of procedure-related complication

  18. Clinical outcome of fiducial-less CyberKnife radiosurgery for stage I non-small cell lung cancer

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Jung, In Hye; Song, Si Yeol; Cho, Byung Chul; Kwak, Jung Won; Jung, Nuri Hyun; Kim, Su Ssan; Choi, Eun Kyung [Dept. of Radiation Oncology, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Jung, Jin Hong [Dept. of Radiation Oncology, Kyung Hee University Medical Center, Kyung Hee University School of Medicine, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Je, Hyoung Uk [Dept. of Radiation Oncology, Ulsan University Hospital, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Ulsan (Korea, Republic of); Choi, Won Sik [Dept. of Radiation Oncology, Gangneung Asan Hospital, Uiversity of Ulsan College of Medicine, Gangneung (Korea, Republic of)

    2015-06-15

    To evaluate the treatment results in early stage non-small cell lung cancer patients who have undergone fiducial-less CyberKnife radiosurgery (CKRS). From June 2011 to November 2013, 58 patients underwent CKRS at Asan Medical Center for stage I lung cancer. After excluding 14 patients, we retrospectively reviewed the records of the remaining 44 patients. All analyses were performed using SPSS ver. 21. The median age at diagnosis was 75 years. Most patients had inoperable primary lung cancer with a poor pulmonary function test with comorbidity or old age. The clinical stage was IA in 30 patients (68.2%), IB in 14 (31.8%). The mean tumor size was 2.6 cm (range, 1.2 to 4.8 cm), and the tumor was smaller than 2 cm in 12 patients (27.3%). The radiation dose given was 48-60 Gy in 3-4 fractions. In a median follow-up of 23.1 months, local recurrence occurred in three patients (2-year local recurrence-free survival rate, 90.4%) and distant metastasis occurred in 13 patients. All patients tolerated the radiosurgery well, only two patients developing grade 3 dyspnea. The most common complications were radiation-induced fibrosis and pneumonitis. Eight patients died due to cancer progression. The results showed that fiducial-less CKRS shows comparable local tumor control and survival rates to those of LINAC-based SABR or CKRS with a fiducial marker. Thus, fiducial-less CKRS using Xsight lung tracking system can be effectively and safely performed for patients with medically inoperable stage I non-small cell lung cancer without any risk of procedure-related complication.

  19. How much does PSA matter after 10 years? Outcomes in 10-year clinical NED survivors after definitive radiotherapy for T1-3N0M0 prostate cancer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Johnstone, Peter A. S.; Powell, Curt; Riffenburgh, Robert; Saunders, Eric L.; Bethel, Kelly J.; Huisman, Thomas

    1996-01-01

    Objective: Institutional policy in the 1970's and 80's dictated that patients with potentially curable prostate cancer undergo PLND prior to definitive XRT. Our group has reported 80% 15-year actuarial cause-specific survival for the 147 patients so treated. Analysis was made of PSA values and clinical outcomes of patients who were clinically without evidence of disease (NED) 10 years after a negative staging pelvic lymphadenectomy and definitive radiation therapy (XRT) for prostate cancer. Materials and Methods: One hundred patients underwent staging pelvic lymphadenectomy between 11/1/74 and 1/1/86, of which 98 had pathologically negative lymph nodes (N 0 ). These patients subsequently underwent definitive radiotherapy; a median dose of 66.6 Gy (range 63-70.2 Gy) was delivered. Forty-two N 0 patients with sufficient follow-up were alive and clinically NED 10 years post-operatively. None of these patients had ever received hormonal therapy. Distribution by disease stage at diagnosis was: Stage A2: 12 pts; Stage B: 19 pts; Stage B2/ C: 6 pts; Stage C: 5 pts. Median follow-up was 12 years 4 months, with a minimum follow-up of 10 years. Results: Of the 42 NED survivors at 10 years, 5 pts died subsequently without PSA data, remaining clinically NED (median 13y 3m post-operatively); 37 patients were alive and without evidence of disease off all therapy at 10 years post-operatively. Most recent PSA data reveal: Bone scans were performed on the 8 patients with elevated PSA. These revealed a single patient with diffuse but asymptomatic bone metastases. Ultrasound-guided sextant biopsies were performed on one 78-year-old patient with elevated PSA 19 years post-operatively, revealing an asymptomatic local recurrence. Conclusions: Radiation therapy delivered to a surgically staged population of prostate cancer patients contributes to normalization of PSA in 78% ((29(37))) of patients with ≥10 year follow-up. Most of these patients will have PSA levels ≤ 1.5 ng/ml. More

  20. Prospective evaluation of patient-reported quality of life outcomes after external beam radiation treatment for prostate cancer in Victoria: A cohort study by the Victorian Prostate Cancer Registry

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bandarage, V.R.K. Patabendi; Billah, Baki; Evans, Sue; Millar, Jeremy L.

    2016-01-01

    External beam radiation treatment (EBRT) for prostate cancer (CaP) can cause adverse effects on bowel, bladder and sexual function. We aimed to use CaP clinical registry data to evaluate variation in patient adverse effects after EBRT in Victoria. Study subjects were men diagnosed with primary CaP between 2009 and 2014, treated with EBRT in metropolitan Melbourne, or in one of three regional integrated cancer service (ICS) regions. Information on change in general and disease-specific health outcome 12 and 24 months after the initial diagnosis were obtained using a modified Expanded CaP index composite (EPIC)-26 survey and there was no variation of follow up between ICSs. The proportion of men with ‘big bother’ (the most troublesome category) was compared between the ICS regions in Victoria (n = 1,825). There was no difference in big bother in urinary and sexual function across the regions at 24 months. However, patients treated in one regional cancer service had a higher proportion with ‘big bother’ (11.1%) compared with the rest of the Victoria (4.8%); (χ2 = 4.85; P = 0.02). The only significant factor for this was the location of EBRT (odds ratio = 2.6; 95% confidence interval: 1.12–6.04; P = 0.02). There was no association over time in that region with change in EBRT technique from 3-D conformal radiation therapy to intensity-modulated radiation therapy (z-test for proportion: 0.77; P: 0.44). A comprehensive clinical cancer registry system, can be used to benchmark outcomes for men diagnosed with CaP and may detect clinically relevant variations that require further detailed evaluation and response.

  1. Tobacco Smoking During Radiation Therapy for Head-and-Neck Cancer Is Associated With Unfavorable Outcome

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chen, Allen M.; Chen, Leon M.; Vaughan, Andrew; Sreeraman, Radhika; Farwell, D. Gregory; Luu, Quang; Lau, Derick H.; Stuart, Kerri; Purdy, James A.; Vijayakumar, Srinivasan

    2011-01-01

    Purpose: To evaluate the effect of continued cigarette smoking among patients undergoing radiation therapy for head-and-neck cancer by comparing the clinical outcomes among active smokers and quitters. Methods and Materials: A review of medical records identified 101 patients with newly diagnosed squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck who continued to smoke during radiation therapy. Each active smoker was matched to a control patient who had quit smoking before initiation of radiation therapy. Matching was based on tobacco history (pack-years), primary site, age, sex, Karnofsky Performance Status, disease stage, radiation dose, chemotherapy use, year of treatment, and whether surgical resection was performed. Outcomes were compared by use of Kaplan-Meier analysis. Normal tissue effects were graded according to the Radiation Therapy Oncology Group/European Organization for the Treatment of Cancer toxicity criteria. Results: With a median follow-up of 49 months, active smokers had significantly inferior 5-year overall survival (23% vs. 55%), locoregional control (58% vs. 69%), and disease-free survival (42% vs. 65%) compared with the former smokers who had quit before radiation therapy (p < 0.05 for all). These differences remained statistically significant when patients treated by postoperative or definitive radiation therapy were analyzed separately. The incidence of Grade 3 or greater late complications was also significantly increased among active smokers compared with former smokers (49% vs. 31%, p = 0.01). Conclusions: Tobacco smoking during radiation therapy for head-and-neck cancer is associated with unfavorable outcomes. Further studies analyzing the biologic and molecular reasons underlying these differences are planned.

  2. Clinical Outcomes of Lung Transplantation in Patients with Telomerase Mutations

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tokman, Sofya; Singer, Jonathan P.; Devine, Megan S.; Westall, Glen P.; Aubert, John-David; Tamm, Michael; Snell, Gregory I.; Lee, Joyce S.; Goldberg, Hilary J.; Kukreja, Jasleen; Golden, Jeffrey A.; Leard, Lorriana E.; Garcia, Christine K.; Hays, Steven R.

    2017-01-01

    Background Successful lung transplantation (LT) for patients with pulmonary fibrosis from telomerase mutations is limited by systemic complications of telomerase dysfunction including myelosuppression, cirrhosis, and malignancy. We describe clinical outcomes among 14 LT recipients with telomerase mutations. Methods Subjects underwent LT between February 2005 and April 2014 at 5 LT centers. We abstracted data from medical records, focusing on outcomes reflecting post-LT treatment effects likely to be complicated by telomerase mutations. Results The median age of subjects was 60.5 years (IQR 52.0–62.0), 64.3% were male, and the mean post-LT observation time was 3.2 years (SD ±2.9). Eleven subjects had a mutation in telomerase reverse transcriptase, 2 in telomerase RNA component, and 1 had an uncharacterized mutation. Ten subjects were leukopenic post-LT; leukopenia prompted cessation of mycophenolate mofetil in 5 and treatment with filgrastim in 4. Six subjects had recurrent lower respiratory tract infections (LRTI), 7 had acute cellular rejection (ACR) (A1), and 4 developed chronic lung allograft dysfunction (CLAD). Ten LT recipients developed chronic renal insufficiency and 8 experienced acute, reversible renal failure. Three developed cancer, none had cirrhosis. Thirteen subjects were alive at data censorship. Conclusions The clinical course for LT recipients with telomerase mutations is complicated by renal disease, leukopenia prompting a change in the immunosuppressive regimen, and recurrent LTRI. In contrast, cirrhosis was absent, ACR was mild, and development of CLAD was comparable to other LT populations. While posing challenges, lung transplantation may be feasible for patients with pulmonary fibrosis due to telomerase mutations. PMID:26169663

  3. The correlation between the ASTRO consensus panel definition of biochemical failure and clinical outcome for patients with prostate cancer treated with external beam irradiation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Horwitz, Eric M.; Vicini, Frank A.; Ziaja, Ellen L.; Dmuchowski, Carl F.; Stromberg, Jannifer S.; Martinez, Alvaro A.

    1998-01-01

    Purpose: We reviewed our institution's experience treating patients with external beam irradiation (RT) to determine if the ASTRO Consensus Panel definition of biochemical failure (BF) following radiation therapy correlates with clinical distant metastases free survival (DMFS), disease-free survival (DFS), cause-specific survival (CSS), and local control (LC). Methods and Materials: Between 1/1/87 and 12/31/92, 568 patients with clinically localized prostate cancer received external beam irradiation (RT) using localized prostate fields at William Beaumont Hospital (median total dose 66.6 Gy; range: 60-70.4 Gy). Biochemical failure was defined as three consecutive increases in post-treatment prostate specific antigen (PSA) after achieving a nadir. Biochemical failure was recorded as the time midway between the nadir and the first rising PSA. Five-year actuarial rates of clinical DMFS, DFS, CSS, and LC were calculated for patients who were biochemically controlled (BC) versus those who failed biochemically. Median follow-up was 56 months (range: 24-118 months). Results: Five-year actuarial rates of DMFS, DFS, CSS, and LC were significantly greater in patients who were biochemically controlled versus those who were not (p < 0.001). In patients who were BC, the 5-year actuarial rates of DMFS, DFS, CSS, and LC were 99%, 99%, 98%, and 99% respectively. For patients who failed biochemically, the 5-year actuarial rates of DMFS, DFS, CSS, and LC were 74%, 64%, 89%, and 86% respectively. When stratifying by pretreatment PSA, Gleason score, and T stage these differences remained significant for DMFS, DFS, and CSS. The Cox proportional hazards model demonstrated that BC was the single most important predictor of clinical outcome for DMFS, DFS, CSS, and LC. Pretreatment PSA and Gleason score were also independent predictors of outcome for DMFS and DFS. Conclusions: The ASTRO Consensus Panel definition of BF following radiation therapy correlates well with clinical DMFS, DFS

  4. Prediction of Metastasis and Recurrence in Colorectal Cancer Based on Gene Expression Analysis: Ready for the Clinic?

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Shibayama, Masaki [Sysmex Corporation, Central Research Laboratories, Kobe 651-2271 (Japan); Maak, Matthias; Nitsche, Ulrich [Chirurgische Klinik, Klinikum Rechts der Isar der TUM, München 81657 (Germany); Gotoh, Kengo [Sysmex Corporation, Central Research Laboratories, Kobe 651-2271 (Japan); Rosenberg, Robert; Janssen, Klaus-Peter, E-mail: klaus-peter.janssen@lrz.tum.de [Chirurgische Klinik, Klinikum Rechts der Isar der TUM, München 81657 (Germany)

    2011-07-07

    Cancers of the colon and rectum, which rank among the most frequent human tumors, are currently treated by surgical resection in locally restricted tumor stages. However, disease recurrence and formation of local and distant metastasis frequently occur even in cases with successful curative resection of the primary tumor (R0). Recent technological advances in molecular diagnostic analysis have led to a wealth of knowledge about the changes in gene transcription in all stages of colorectal tumors. Differential gene expression, or transcriptome analysis, has been proposed by many groups to predict disease recurrence, clinical outcome, and also response to therapy, in addition to the well-established clinico-pathological factors. However, the clinical usability of gene expression profiling as a reliable and robust prognostic tool that allows evidence-based clinical decisions is currently under debate. In this review, we will discuss the most recent data on the prognostic significance and potential clinical application of genome wide expression analysis in colorectal cancer.

  5. Prediction of Metastasis and Recurrence in Colorectal Cancer Based on Gene Expression Analysis: Ready for the Clinic?

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shibayama, Masaki; Maak, Matthias; Nitsche, Ulrich; Gotoh, Kengo; Rosenberg, Robert; Janssen, Klaus-Peter

    2011-01-01

    Cancers of the colon and rectum, which rank among the most frequent human tumors, are currently treated by surgical resection in locally restricted tumor stages. However, disease recurrence and formation of local and distant metastasis frequently occur even in cases with successful curative resection of the primary tumor (R0). Recent technological advances in molecular diagnostic analysis have led to a wealth of knowledge about the changes in gene transcription in all stages of colorectal tumors. Differential gene expression, or transcriptome analysis, has been proposed by many groups to predict disease recurrence, clinical outcome, and also response to therapy, in addition to the well-established clinico-pathological factors. However, the clinical usability of gene expression profiling as a reliable and robust prognostic tool that allows evidence-based clinical decisions is currently under debate. In this review, we will discuss the most recent data on the prognostic significance and potential clinical application of genome wide expression analysis in colorectal cancer

  6. Clinical Pharmacology of Chemotherapy Agents in Older People with Cancer

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Xiaoye He

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available Populations around the world are aging, and the associated increase in cancer incidence has led to the recognition of the importance of geriatric oncology. Chronological age is a poor determinant of pharmacological response to cancer chemotherapy agents. Age-associated changes in physiology and organ function have a significant impact on the clinical pharmacology of cancer chemotherapy agents used in cancer treatment. Altered response to medicines in older people is a consequence of changes in body composition, organ function, concomitant pathophysiology, multiple medications, genetic determinants of drug response, and patient's clinical status. These issues highlight the need to individualize the management of cancer in the older people with consideration of age-related changes in the clinical pharmacology of cancer drugs, analgesics, and adjunctive therapies.

  7. Types of Cancer Clinical Trials

    Science.gov (United States)

    Information about the several types of cancer clinical trials, including treatment trials, prevention trials, screening trials, supportive and palliative care trials. Each type of trial is designed to answer different research questions.

  8. Intensity-Modulated Radiotherapy for Sinonasal Cancer: Improved Outcome Compared to Conventional Radiotherapy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dirix, Piet; Vanstraelen, Bianca; Jorissen, Mark; Vander Poorten, Vincent; Nuyts, Sandra

    2010-01-01

    Purpose: To evaluate clinical outcome and toxicity of postoperative intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) for malignancies of the nasal cavity and paranasal sinuses. Methods and Materials: Between 2003 and 2008, 40 patients with cancer of the paranasal sinuses (n = 34) or nasal cavity (n = 6) received postoperative IMRT to a dose of 60 Gy (n = 21) or 66 Gy (n = 19). Treatment outcome and toxicity were retrospectively compared with that of a previous patient group (n = 41) who were also postoperatively treated to the same doses but with three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy without intensity modulation, from 1992 to 2002. Results: Median follow-up was 30 months (range, 4-74 months). Two-year local control, overall survival, and disease-free survival were 76%, 89%, and 72%, respectively. Compared to the three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy treatment, IMRT resulted in significantly improved disease-free survival (60% vs. 72%; p = 0.02). No grade 3 or 4 toxicity was reported in the IMRT group, either acute or chronic. The use of IMRT significantly reduced the incidence of acute as well as late side effects, especially regarding skin toxicity, mucositis, xerostomia, and dry-eye syndrome. Conclusions: Postoperative IMRT for sinonasal cancer significantly improves disease-free survival and reduces acute as well as late toxicity. Consequently, IMRT should be considered the standard treatment modality for malignancies of the nasal cavity and paranasal sinuses.

  9. The role of Clinical Geneticists in Hereditary Cancer Management and Research

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hanne Meijers Heijboer

    2017-02-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Hereditary cancer refers to cancers caused by germline mutations in cancer predisposing genes. These mutations confer a significantly increased risk of cancer, are rare, and are in the majority of cases autosomal dominantly inherited.  Since the eighties of last century more than 115 cancer predisposing genes have been identified. In many Western countries genetic testing of patients and families with clustering of cancers started early, and was often performed by clinical geneticists (MDs performed the counselling and pedigree analyses and by molecular biologists (in laboratories within departments of clinical genetics.  It turned out to be a long path to fully realize the promise of cancer predisposing genes. The clinical utility of many cancer genetic tests and subsequent risk reducing interventions has not yet been validated and pitfalls in e.g. misinterpretation of genetic variants showed up. However, without doubt genetic testing for mutations will eventually turn out as a strong tool to save lives from early cancer death and will become part of standard cancer care throughout the developed world.  Apart from primary surgical prevention, major progress is to be expected in earlier diagnoses, tailored therapies, and possibly chemoprevention.  Ideally researchers, clinical geneticists, molecular biologists, surgeons, oncologists, gynaecologists and other professionals will work together to reach this goal. Keywords : clinical genetics, germline, hereditary cancers, cancer predisposing genes

  10. Efficiency of clinical and combined diagnosis of breast cancer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Solov'ev, I.E.

    1986-01-01

    Problems on clinical, instrumental, laboratory diagnosis of mammary glands cancer are described. Efficiency of clinical examination, mammography, cytological examination, ultrasonic, radioisotopic diagnosis, some biochemical tests are estimated. The conclusion concerning advisability of complex diagnosis of mammary glands cancer especially its early forms is made. Perspectivity of application of polyamine test in diagnosis of primary cancer of the mammary gland is mark to estimate efficiency of its treatment

  11. Social cognitive markers of short-term clinical outcome in first-episode psychosis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Montreuil, Tina; Bodnar, Michael; Bertrand, Marie-Claude; Malla, Ashok K; Joober, Ridha; Lepage, Martin

    2010-07-01

    In psychotic disorders, impairments in cognition have been associated with both clinical and functional outcome, while deficits in social cognition have been associated with functional outcome. As an extension to a recent report on neurocognition and short-term clinical outcome in first-episode psychosis (FEP), the current study explored whether social cognitive deficits could also identify poor short-term clinical outcome among FEP patients. We defined the social-cognition domain based on the scores from the Hinting Task and the Four Factor Tests of Social Intelligence. Data were collected in 45 FEP patients and 26 healthy controls. The patients were divided into good- and poor-outcome groups based on clinical data at six months following initiation of treatment. Social cognition was compared among 27 poor-outcome, 18 good-outcome, and 26 healthy-control participants. Outcome groups significantly differed in the social cognition domain (z-scores: poor outcome=-2.0 [SD=1.4]; good outcome=-1.0 [SD=1.0]; p=0.005), with both groups scoring significantly lower than the control group (psocial cognition appears to be compromised in all FEP patients compared to healthy controls. More interestingly, significant differences in social cognitive impairments exist between good and poor short-term clinical outcome groups, with the largest effect found in the Cartoon Predictions subtest.

  12. Differences in clinical characteristics and disease-free survival for Latino, African American, and non-Latino White men with localized prostate cancer: Data from CaPSURE™

    OpenAIRE

    Latini, DM; Elkin, EP; Cooperberg, MR; Sadetsky, N; DuChane, J; Carroll, PR

    2006-01-01

    BACKGROUND. Few studies of ethnicity and prostate cancer have included Latino men in analyses of baseline clinical characteristics, treatment selection, and disease-free survival (DFS). The present study examines the impact of Latino ethnicity on these parameters in a large, multiinstitutional database of men with prostate cancer. METHODS. We compared baseline disease characteristics and clinical outcomes for Latino (N = 138), non-Latino White (NLW, N = 5619), and African-American (AA, N = 60...

  13. Clinical outcome following a low-suspicion multiparametric prostate MRI or benign MRI-guided biopsy to detect prostate cancer

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Boesen, Lars; Nørgaard, Nis; Løgager, Vibeke

    2017-01-01

    follow-up [132/156 (85%)] had decreasing levels of prostate-specific-antigen and could be monitored in primary care. CONCLUSION: A low-suspicion MRI in men with prior negative systematic biopsies has a high negative predictive value in ruling out longer term significant cancer. Therefore, immediate...... repeated biopsies are of limited clinical value and could be avoided even if prostate-specific-antigen levels are persistently elevated.......PURPOSE: To assess the future risk of detecting significant prostate cancer following either a low-suspicion MRI or suspicious MRI with benign MRI-guided biopsies in men with prior negative systematic biopsies. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 289 prospectively enrolled men underwent MRI followed by repeated...

  14. Socio-economic status plays important roles in childhood cancer treatment outcome in Indonesia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mostert, Saskia; Gunawan, Stefanus; Wolters, Emma; van de Ven, Peter; Sitaresmi, Mei; Dongen, Josephine van; Veerman, Anjo; Mantik, Max; Kaspers, Gertjan

    2012-01-01

    The influence of parental socio-economic status on childhood cancer treatment outcome in low-income countries has not been sufficiently investigated. Our study examined this influence and explored parental experiences during cancer treatment of their children in an Indonesian academic hospital. Medical charts of 145 children diagnosed with cancer between 1999 and 2009 were reviewed retrospectively. From October 2011 until January 2012, 40 caretakers were interviewed using semi-structured questionnaires. Of all patients, 48% abandoned treatment, 34% experienced death, 9% had progressive/ relapsed disease, and 9% overall event-free survival. Prosperous patients had better treatment outcome than poor patients (Pfate or God (55%). Causes of cancer were thought to be destiny (35%) or God's punishment (23%). Alternative treatment could (18%) or might (50%) cure cancer. Most parents (95%) would like more information about cancer and treatment. More contact with doctors was desired (98%). Income decreased during treatment (55%). Parents lost employment (48% fathers, 10% mothers), most of whom stated this loss was caused by their child's cancer (84% fathers, 100% mothers). Loss of income led to financial difficulties (63%) and debts (55%). Treatment abandonment was most important reason for treatment failure. Treatment outcome was determined by parental socio-economic status. Childhood cancer survival could improve if financial constraints and provision of information and guidance are better addressed.

  15. Reexamining the role of prostate specific antigen density in predicting outcome for clinically localized prostate cancer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ingenito, Anthony C.; Ennis, Ronald D.; Hsu, I.-C.; Begg, Melissa; Benson, Mitchell C.; Schiff, Peter B.

    1995-01-01

    Purpose/Objective To evaluate the prognostic significance of prostate specific antigen density (PSAD) in clinically localized prostate cancer treated with external beam radiation therapy and to compare with other prognostic factors. Materials and Methods Between January 1989 and December 1993, 278 patients with clinically localized prostate cancer received definitive radiotherapy using computed tomography (CT) guided conformal technique. Ninety-six patients were excluded on the basis of prior transurethral prostatectomy (n = 40), pretreatment prostate specific antigen (PSA) not evaluable (n = 46), no available treatment planning CT scan (n = 7) or lost to follow-up (n = 3). The records of 182 evaluable patients were retrospectively reviewed. Patient characteristics were as follows: T1, 39; T2, 68; T3, 75. Gleason's score 2-4, 25; 5-6, 68; 7, 40; 8-10, 35; 14 not specified. Pretreatment PSA ≤ 4, 18; 4-10, 54; 10-20, 51; 20-50, 37; > 50, 22. The median PSA was 12.6 ng/ml and median PSAD was 0.3. PSAD was defined as the ratio of the pretreatment serum PSA to the prostate volume measured from CT treatment planning scans by one investigator (A.C.I.). Prostate volumes were calculated using the prolate ellipse formula, i.e. 0.52 (H x L x W). All PSA values were determined using the Hybritech assay. Biochemical failure was defined as two consecutive elevations in PSA separated by at least 3 months and a final PSA value greater than 1 ng/ml. Biochemical disease-free survival (BDFS) was calculated using Kaplan-Meier method and differences between groups were analyzed using the logrank statistic. Multivariate analysis (Cox regression analysis) was used to compare the significance of factors identified on univariate analysis. Median follow-up was 2.1 years. Results In univariate analysis, PSA (p 4, 100%; 4-10, 78%; 10-20, 45%; 20-50, 65%; > 50, 18%. The 3 year BDFS by PSAD was 0.60, 36%. A direct multivariate analysis including PSA and PSAD was not possible due to the high

  16. Challenges and perspective of drug repurposing strategies in early phase clinical trials.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kato, Shumei; Moulder, Stacy L; Ueno, Naoto T; Wheler, Jennifer J; Meric-Bernstam, Funda; Kurzrock, Razelle; Janku, Filip

    2015-01-01

    Despite significant investments in the development of new agents only 5% of cancer drugs entering Phase I clinical trials are ultimately approved for routine clinical cancer care. Drug repurposing strategies using novel combinations of previously tested anticancer agents could reduce the cost and improve treatment outcomes. At MD Anderson Cancer Center, early phase clinical trials with drug repurposing strategies demonstrated promising outcomes in patients with both rare and common treatment refractory advanced cancers. Despite clinical efficacy advancing drug repurposing strategies in the clinical trial trajectory beyond early phase studies has been challenging mainly due to lack of funding and interest from the pharmaceutical industry. In this review, we delineate our experience and challenges with drug repurposing strategies.

  17. Does quality improvement work in neonatology improve clinical outcomes?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ellsbury, Dan L; Clark, Reese H

    2017-04-01

    Quality improvement initiatives in neonatology have been promoted as an important way of improving outcomes of newborns. The purpose of this review is to examine the effectiveness of recent quality improvement work in improving the outcomes of infants requiring neonatal intensive care. Quality improvement collaboratives and single-center projects demonstrate improvement of clinical processes and outcomes in neonatology that impact both preterm and term infants. Declines in morbidities, resource use, and length of stay have been associated with reductions in healthcare costs. Recent quality improvement work has shown evidence of improvement in clinical outcomes in neonatal intensive care patients. These improvements have important implications for the reduction of healthcare costs in this population.

  18. Physiotherapy-led arthroplasty review clinic: a preliminary outcomes analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Large, Kate E; Page, Carolyn J; Brock, Kim; Dowsey, Michelle M; Choong, Peter F M

    2014-11-01

    With the rising demand for Orthopaedics in the healthcare sector, service delivery innovations need to be explored to accommodate the increasing workload. Senior Musculoskeletal Physiotherapists have the specialised skills in the assessment of musculoskeletal conditions to determine the impact of surgery on patient outcomes. The aim of the present study was to compare outcomes between a physiotherapy-led arthroplasty review clinic (PT clinic) and the traditional model of orthopaedic surgeon review (OS clinic) after hip and knee replacement. This study was a retrospective case-controlled audit using a comprehensive database. Twenty-four patients who had a hip arthroplasty and 52 patients who had a knee arthroplasty were reviewed solely by the PT clinic at 3, 6 and 12 months after surgical reviews. These patients were matched 1:2 against patients seen only by the OS clinic. The outcome measures included International Knee Score (IKS), Harris Hip Score (HHS) and the Short Form (SF)-12. There were no significant differences in HHS or SF-12 scores for patients after hip arthroplasty. Significant differences for knee arthroplasty were observed favouring the PT clinic; IKS, PT clinic 147.6 (37.07), OS clinic 135.4 (35.68), P≤0.01, and physical component of the SF-12, PT clinic 41.98 (10.45), OS clinic 37.20 (10.44), Pphysiotherapy-led arthroplasty review clinic appears to be a safe and effective service alternative to reviews conducted by orthopaedic surgeons. WHAT IS KNOWN ABOUT THE TOPIC?: Osteoarthritis (OA) is a leading cause of musculoskeletal pain and disability and the burden of the disease is rapidly increasing. Joint arthroplasty surgery is the mainstay of treatment for people with end-stage OA; it is a high-cost, high-volume procedure that dominates surgical wait lists around Australia. Long-term follow up is encouraged by the Arthroplasty Society of Australia and endorsed by the Australian Orthopaedics Association, but it is acknowledged that it is impossible

  19. Patient-reported Outcomes in Randomised Controlled Trials of Prostate Cancer: Methodological Quality and Impact on Clinical Decision Making

    Science.gov (United States)

    Efficace, Fabio; Feuerstein, Michael; Fayers, Peter; Cafaro, Valentina; Eastham, James; Pusic, Andrea; Blazeby, Jane

    2014-01-01

    Context Patient-reported outcomes (PRO) data from randomised controlled trials (RCTs) are increasingly used to inform patient-centred care as well as clinical and health policy decisions. Objective The main objective of this study was to investigate the methodological quality of PRO assessment in RCTs of prostate cancer (PCa) and to estimate the likely impact of these studies on clinical decision making. Evidence acquisition A systematic literature search of studies was undertaken on main electronic databases to retrieve articles published between January 2004 and March 2012. RCTs were evaluated on a predetermined extraction form, including (1) basic trial demographics and clinical and PRO characteristics; (2) level of PRO reporting based on the recently published recommendations by the International Society for Quality of Life Research; and (3) bias, assessed using the Cochrane Risk of Bias tool. Studies were systematically analysed to evaluate their relevance for supporting clinical decision making. Evidence synthesis Sixty-five RCTs enrolling a total of 22 071 patients were evaluated, with 31 (48%) in patients with nonmetastatic disease. When a PRO difference between treatments was found, it related in most cases to symptoms only (n = 29, 58%). Although the extent of missing data was generally documented (72% of RCTs), few reported details on statistical handling of this data (18%) and reasons for dropout (35%). Improvements in key methodological aspects over time were found. Thirteen (20%) RCTs were judged as likely to be robust in informing clinical decision making. Higher-quality PRO studies were generally associated with those RCTs that had higher internal validity. Conclusions Including PRO in RCTs of PCa patients is critical for better evaluating the treatment effectiveness of new therapeutic approaches. Marked improvements in PRO quality reporting over time were found, and it is estimated that at least one-fifth of PRO RCTs have provided sufficient

  20. FERAL : Network-based classifier with application to breast cancer outcome prediction

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Allahyar, A.; De Ridder, J.

    2015-01-01

    Motivation: Breast cancer outcome prediction based on gene expression profiles is an important strategy for personalize patient care. To improve performance and consistency of discovered markers of the initial molecular classifiers, network-based outcome prediction methods (NOPs) have been proposed.

  1. High clusterin expression correlates with a poor outcome in stage II colorectal cancers.

    LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

    Kevans, David

    2012-02-01

    The role of clusterin in tumor growth and progression remains unclear. Overexpression of cytoplasmic clusterin has been studied in aggressive colon tumors; however, no correlation between clusterin expression and survival in colorectal cancer has been identified to date. We assessed levels of clusterin expression in a group of stage II colorectal cancer patients to assess its utility as a prognostic marker. The study included 251 patients with stage II colorectal cancer. Tissue microarrays were constructed and immunohistochemistry done and correlated with clinical features and long term outcome. Dual immunofluorescence and confocal microscopy were used with terminal deoxynucleotidyl-transferase-mediated dUTP nick-end labeling probes and clusterin antibody to assess the degree of co localization. Percentage epithelial cytoplasmic staining was higher in tumor compared with nonadjacent normal mucosa (P < 0.001). Within the stromal compartment, percentage cytoplamic staining and intensity was lower in tumor tissue compared with normal nonadjacent mucosa (P < or = 0.001). Survival was significantly associated with percentage epithelial cytoplasmic staining (P < 0.001), epithelial cytoplasmic staining intensity (P < 0.001), percentage stromal cytoplasmic staining (P = 0.002), and stromal cytoplasmic staining intensity (P < 0.001). Clusterin levels are associated with poor survival in stage II colorectal cancer.

  2. Early detection of clinically significant prostate cancer at diagnosis: a prospective study using a novel panel of TMPRSS2:ETS fusion gene markers

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chan, Sam W.; Nguyen, Phuong-Nam; Violette, Philippe; Brimo, Fadi; Taguchi, Yosh; Aprikian, Armen; Chen, Junjian Z.

    2013-01-01

    We explore noninvasive clinical applications of multiple disease-specific fusion markers recently discovered in prostate cancer to predict the risk of cancer occurrence and aggressiveness at diagnosis. A total of 92 men who were prostate-specific antigen (PSA) screened and scheduled for diagnostic biopsy were enrolled for this study. Prospectively collected urine was blind coded for laboratory tests. RNA from urine sediments was analyzed using a panel of 6 TMPRSS2:ETS fusion markers with a sensitive quantitative PCR platform. The pathology reported 39 biopsy-positive cases from 92 patients (42.4%). In urine test, 10 unique combinations of fusion types were detected in 32 of 92 (34.8%) prebiopsy samples. A novel combination of fusion markers, termed Fx (III, IV, ETS), was identified with a sensitivity of 51.3% and an odds ratio of 10.1 in detecting cancer on biopsy. Incorporating a categorical variable of Fx (III, IV, ETS) with urine PCA3 and serum PSA, a regression model was developed to predict biopsy outcomes with an overall accuracy of 77%. Moreover, the overexpression of Fx (III, IV, or ETS) was shown to be an independent predictor to the high-grade cancer, with a predictive accuracy of 80% when coupled with PSA density. The individualized risk scores further stratified a high-risk group that is composed of 92% high-grade cancers and a low-risk group that harbors mainly clinically insignificant cancers. In conclusion, we have identified a novel combination of fusion types very specific to the clinically significant prostate cancer and developed effective regression models to predict biopsy outcomes and aggressive cancers at diagnosis

  3. Development and validation of a clinically applicable score to classify cachexia stages in advanced cancer patients

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhou, Ting; Wang, Bangyan; Liu, Huiquan; Yang, Kaixiang; Thapa, Sudip; Zhang, Haowen; Li, Lu

    2018-01-01

    Abstract Background Cachexia is a multifactorial syndrome that is highly prevalent in advanced cancer patients and leads to progressive functional impairments. The classification of cachexia stages is essential for diagnosing and treating cachexia. However, there is a lack of simple tools with good discrimination for classifying cachexia stages. Therefore, our study aimed to develop a clinically applicable cachexia staging score (CSS) and validate its discrimination of clinical outcomes for different cachexia stages. Methods Advanced cancer patients were enrolled in our study. A CSS comprising the following five components was developed: weight loss, a simple questionnaire of sarcopenia (SARC‐F), Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group, appetite loss, and abnormal biochemistry. According to the CSS, patients were classified into non‐cachexia, pre‐cachexia, cachexia, and refractory cachexia stages, and clinical outcomes were compared among the four groups. Results Of the 297 participating patients, data from 259 patients were ultimately included. Based on the CSS, patients were classified into non‐cachexia (n = 69), pre‐cachexia (n = 68), cachexia (n = 103), and refractory cachexia (n = 19) stages. Patients with more severe cachexia stages had lower skeletal muscle indexes (P = 0.002 and P = 0.004 in male and female patients, respectively), higher prevalence of sarcopenia (P = 0.017 and P = 0.027 in male and female patients, respectively), more severe symptom burden (P cachexia stages. This score is extremely useful for the clinical treatment and prognosis of cachexia and for designing clinical trials. PMID:29372594

  4. Pharmacists' interventions on clinical asthma outcomes: a systematic review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Garcia-Cardenas, Victoria; Armour, Carol; Benrimoj, Shalom I; Martinez-Martinez, Fernando; Rotta, Inajara; Fernandez-Llimos, Fernando

    2016-04-01

    The objective of this systematic review was to evaluate the impact of pharmacists' interventions on clinical asthma outcomes on adult patients and to identify the outcome indicators used.PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science and Scielo were searched. Studies addressing pharmacists' interventions on adult asthma patients reporting clinical asthma outcomes were incorporated.11 clinical outcomes were identified in 21 studies. 10 studies measured the impact of the intervention on asthma control. Randomised controlled trials (RCT) and non-RCTs found positive results in percentages of controlled patients and Asthma Control Questionnaire (ACQ) scores. Discordant results were found for Asthma Control Test results. Asthma severity was assessed in four studies. One RCT found a significant decrease in the percentage of severe patients; two non-RCTs found significant improvements in severity scores. 11 studies reported pulmonary function indicators, showing inconsistent results. Eight studies measured asthma symptoms; three RCTs and four non-RCTs showed significant improvements.RCTs and non-RCTs generated similar results for most outcomes. Based on the evidence generated by RCTs, pharmacists' have a positive impact on the percentage of controlled patients, ACQ scores, severity and symptoms. Future research should report using the core outcome set of indicators established for asthma (PROSPERO CRD42014007019). Copyright ©ERS 2016.

  5. Outcome of genetic evaluation of patients with kidney cancer referred for suspected hereditary cancer syndromes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stratton, Kelly L; Alanee, Shaheen; Glogowski, Emily A; Schrader, Kasmintan A; Rau-Murthy, Rohini; Klein, Robert; Russo, Paul; Coleman, Jonathan; Offit, Kenneth

    2016-05-01

    To analyze patients with kidney cancer referred for evaluation at a high-volume genetics service at a comprehensive cancer center and identify factors associated with positive tests for hereditary cancer syndromes. A retrospective review of patients referred to the Clinical Genetics Service at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center was performed, and patients with a personal history of kidney cancer were identified. Patient and disease characteristics were reviewed. In all, 4 variables including age at diagnosis of kidney tumor, presence of syndromic manifestations, family history of kidney cancer, and number of primary malignancies were evaluated for association with positive test results in 2 groups: patients tested for renal cell carcinoma syndromes and Lynch syndrome. Guidance for genetic testing strategy in patients with kidney cancer is provided. Between 1999 and 2012, 120 patients with a history of kidney cancer were evaluated by the Clinical Genetics Service. The mean age at kidney cancer diagnosis was 52 years (interquartile range: 42-63), with 57% being women. A family history of kidney cancer was reported by 39 patients (33%). Time between diagnosis of first cancer and genetic consultation was 5 years in the remaining 23%. Overall, 95 patients were tested for genetic abnormalities with 27 (28%) testing positive. Testing for renal cell carcinoma (RCC)-related syndromes was performed on 43 patients, with 13 testing positive (30%). Lynch syndrome testing was positive in 9 patients (32%) after 28 were tested. In RCC-associated syndromes, young age of diagnosis was associated with positive test results. Conversely, syndromic manifestations and increasing number of primary malignancies were associated with positive Lynch testing. The discovery of inherited kidney cancer syndromes has provided a unique opportunity to identify patients at increased risk for cancer. Factors associated with positive genetic testing are unique to different syndromes. These data

  6. Outcomes of an enhancement study with additional psychoeducational sessions for healthy siblings of a child with cancer during inpatient family-oriented rehabilitation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Niemitz, Mandy; Goldbeck, Lutz

    2018-03-01

    Chronic illness of a child puts healthy children of the family at risk of distress. Previous studies have demonstrated that healthy children's psychological symptoms can be reduced when the child knows more about the disease. So far, there is limited evidence of the effectiveness of psychoeducational interventions for healthy children. To compare the effectiveness of an inpatient family-oriented rehabilitation program with vs without additional psychoeducational sessions for healthy children of families with children with cancer. We performed a controlled study in 4 German family-oriented rehabilitation clinics. The outcomes of n = 73 healthy children (mean age: M = 9.55; SD = 3.14; range: 4-18), who participated in 5 additional psychoeducational sessions, were compared with the outcomes of n = 111 healthy children (mean age: M = 8.85; SD = 3.28; range: 4-17), who underwent the usual inpatient rehabilitation program. Primary outcomes were the healthy children's cancer-specific knowledge and their emotional symptoms. Secondary outcomes were family satisfaction and quality of life. Intention-to-treat analyses showed that both groups improved significantly from preintervention to postintervention. Improvements comprised knowledge about cancer (F(1,174) = 11.03, p child with cancer. Additional psycho-educational sessions did not show any substantial additional improvement. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  7. The influence of hospital volume on long-term oncological outcome after rectal cancer surgery

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Jonker, Frederik H. W.; Hagemans, Jan A. W.; Burger, Jacobus W. A.; Verhoef, Cornelis; Borstlap, Wernard A. A.; Tanis, Pieter J.; Aalbers, A.; Acherman, Y.; Algie, G. D.; Alting von Geusau, B.; Amelung, F.; Aukema, T. S.; Bakker, I. S.; Bartels, S. A.; Basha, S.; Bastiaansen, A. J. N. M.; Belgers, E.; Bemelman, W. A.; Bleeker, W.; Blok, J.; Bosker, R. J. I.; Bosmans, J. W.; Boute, M. C.; Bouvy, N. D.; Bouwman, H.; Brandt-Kerkhof, A.; Brinkman, D. J.; Bruin, S.; Bruns, E. R. J.; Burbach, J. P. M.; Clermonts, S.; Coene, P. P. L. O.; Compaan, C.; Consten, E. C. J.; Darbyshire, T.; de Mik, S. M. L.; de Graaf, E. J. R.; de Groot, I.; de Vos Tot Nederveen Cappel, R. J. L.; de Wilt, J. H. W.; van der Wolde, J.; den Boer, F. C.; Dekker, J. W. T.; Demirkiran, A.; van Duijvendijk, P.; Marres, C. C.; Musters, G. D.; van Rossem, C. C.; Schreuder, A. M.; Swank, H. A.

    2017-01-01

    The association between hospital volume and outcome in rectal cancer surgery is still subject of debate. The purpose of this study was to assess the impact of hospital volume on outcomes of rectal cancer surgery in the Netherlands in 2011. In this collaborative research with a cross-sectional study

  8. Beyond the bench and the bedside: economic and health systems dimensions of global childhood cancer outcomes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Denburg, Avram E; Knaul, Felicia M; Atun, Rifat; Frazier, Lindsay A; Barr, Ronald D

    2014-03-01

    Globally, the number of new cases of childhood cancer continues to rise, with a widening gulf in outcomes across countries, despite the availability of effective cure options for many pediatric cancers. Economic forces and health system realities are deeply embedded in the foundation of disparities in global childhood cancer outcomes. A truly global effort to close the childhood cancer divide therefore requires systemic solutions. Analysis of the economic and health system dimensions of childhood cancer outcomes is essential to progress in childhood cancer survival around the globe. The conceptual power of this approach is significant. It provides insight into how and where pediatric oncology entwines with broader political and economic conditions, and highlights the mutual benefit derived from systems-oriented solutions. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  9. PROSPECT Eligibility and Clinical Outcomes: Results From the Pan-Canadian Rectal Cancer Consortium.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bossé, Dominick; Mercer, Jamison; Raissouni, Soundouss; Dennis, Kristopher; Goodwin, Rachel; Jiang, Di; Powell, Erin; Kumar, Aalok; Lee-Ying, Richard; Price-Hiller, Julie; Heng, Daniel Y C; Tang, Patricia A; MacLean, Anthony; Cheung, Winson Y; Vickers, Michael M

    2016-09-01

    The PROSPECT trial (N1048) is evaluating the selective use of chemoradiation in patients with cT2N1 and cT3N0-1 rectal cancer undergoing sphincter-sparing low anterior resection. We evaluated outcomes of PROSPECT-eligible and -ineligible patients from a multi-institutional database. Data from patients with locally advanced rectal cancer who received chemoradiation and low anterior resection from 2005 to 2014 were retrospectively collected from 5 Canadian centers. Overall survival, disease-free survival (DFS), recurrence-free survival (RFS), and time to local recurrence (LR) were estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method, and a multivariate analysis was performed adjusting for prognostic factors. A total of 566 (37%) of 1531 patients met the PROSPECT eligibility criteria. Eligible patients were more likely to have better PS (P = .0003) and negative circumferential resection margin (P PROSPECT eligibility was associated with improved DFS (hazard ratio [HR], 0.75; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.61-0.91), overall survival (HR, 0.73; 95% CI, 0.57-0.95), and RFS (HR, 0.68; 95% CI, 0.54-0.86) in univariate analyses. In multivariate analysis, only RFS remained significantly improved for PROSPECT-eligible patients (HR, 0.75; 95% CI, 0.57-1.00, P = .0499). The 3-year DFS and freedom from LR for PROSPECT-eligible patients were 79.1% and 97.4%, respectively, compared to 71.1% and 96.8% for PROSPECT-ineligible patients. Real-world data corroborate the eligibility criteria used in the PROSPECT study; the criteria identify a subgroup of patients in whom risk of recurrence is lower and in whom selective use of chemoradiation should be actively examined. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  10. The Assessment of Patient Clinical Outcome: Advantages, Models, Features of an Ideal Model

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mou’ath Hourani

    2016-06-01

    Full Text Available Background: The assessment of patient clinical outcome focuses on measuring various aspects of the health status of a patient who is under healthcare intervention. Patient clinical outcome assessment is a very significant process in the clinical field as it allows health care professionals to better understand the effectiveness of their health care programs and thus for enhancing the health care quality in general. It is thus vital that a high quality, informative review of current issues regarding the assessment of patient clinical outcome should be conducted. Aims & Objectives: 1 Summarizes the advantages of the assessment of patient clinical outcome; 2 reviews some of the existing patient clinical outcome assessment models namely: Simulation, Markov, Bayesian belief networks, Bayesian statistics and Conventional statistics, and Kaplan-Meier analysis models; and 3 demonstrates the desired features that should be fulfilled by a well-established ideal patient clinical outcome assessment model. Material & Methods: An integrative review of the literature has been performed using the Google Scholar to explore the field of patient clinical outcome assessment. Conclusion: This paper will directly support researchers, clinicians and health care professionals in their understanding of developments in the domain of the assessment of patient clinical outcome, thus enabling them to propose ideal assessment models.

  11. The Assessment of Patient Clinical Outcome: Advantages, Models, Features of an Ideal Model

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mou’ath Hourani

    2016-06-01

    Full Text Available Background: The assessment of patient clinical outcome focuses on measuring various aspects of the health status of a patient who is under healthcare intervention. Patient clinical outcome assessment is a very significant process in the clinical field as it allows health care professionals to better understand the effectiveness of their health care programs and thus for enhancing the health care quality in general. It is thus vital that a high quality, informative review of current issues regarding the assessment of patient clinical outcome should be conducted. Aims & Objectives: 1 Summarizes the advantages of the assessment of patient clinical outcome; 2 reviews some of the existing patient clinical outcome assessment models namely: Simulation, Markov, Bayesian belief networks, Bayesian statistics and Conventional statistics, and Kaplan-Meier analysis models; and 3 demonstrates the desired features that should be fulfilled by a well-established ideal patient clinical outcome assessment model. Material & Methods: An integrative review of the literature has been performed using the Google Scholar to explore the field of patient clinical outcome assessment. Conclusion: This paper will directly support researchers, clinicians and health care professionals in their understanding of developments in the domain of the assessment of patient clinical outcome, thus enabling them to propose ideal assessment models.

  12. Impact of Immigration Status on Cancer Outcomes in Ontario, Canada.

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    Cheung, Matthew C; Earle, Craig C; Fischer, Hadas D; Camacho, Ximena; Liu, Ning; Saskin, Refik; Shah, Baiju R; Austin, Peter C; Singh, Simron

    2017-07-01

    Prior studies have documented inferior health outcomes in vulnerable populations, including racial minorities and those with disadvantaged socioeconomic status. The impact of immigration on cancer-related outcomes is less clear. Administrative databases were linked to create a cohort of incident cancer cases (colorectal, lung, prostate, head and neck, breast, and hematologic malignancies) from 2000 to 2012 in Ontario, Canada. Cancer patients who immigrated to Canada (from 1985 onward) were compared with those who were Canadian born (or immigrated before 1985). Patients were followed from diagnosis until death (cancer-specific or all-cause). Cox proportional hazards models were estimated to determine the impact of immigration on mortality after adjusting for explanatory variables. Additional adjusted models studied the relationship of time since immigration and cancer-specific and overall mortality. From 2000 to 2012, 11,485 cancer cases were diagnosed in recent immigrants (0 to 10 years in Canada), 17,844 cases in nonrecent immigrants (11 to 25 years), and 416,118 cases in nonimmigrants. After adjustment, the hazard of mortality was lower for recent immigrants (hazard ratio [HR], 0.843; 95% CI, 0.814 to 0.873) and nonrecent immigrants (HR, 0.902; 95% CI, 0.876 to 0.928) compared with nonimmigrants. Cancer-specific mortality was also lower for recent immigrants (HR, 0.857; 95% CI, 0.823 to 0.893) and nonrecent immigrants (HR, 0.907; 95% CI, 0.875 to 0.94). Among immigrants, each year from the original landing was associated with increased mortality (HR, 1.004; 95% CI, 1.000 to 1.009) and a trend to increased cancer-specific mortality (HR, 1.005; 95% CI, 0.999 to 1.010). Immigrants demonstrate a healthy immigrant effect, with lower cancer-specific mortality compared with Canadian-born individuals. This benefit seems to diminish over time, as the survival of immigrants from common cancers potentially converges with the Canadian norm.

  13. Tumor suppressive effect of PARP1 and FOXO3A in gastric cancers and its clinical implications

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    Yoon, Sarah; Jo, Yuna; Kwon, So Mee; Kim, Kyoung Min; Kwon, Keun Sang; Kim, Chan Young; Woo, Hyun Goo

    2015-01-01

    Poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase1 (PARP1) has been reported as a possible target for chemotherapy in many cancer types. However, its action mechanisms and clinical implications for gastric cancer survival are not yet fully understood. Here, we investigated the effect of PARP1 inhibition in the growth of gastric cancer cells. PARP1 inhibition by Olaparib or PARP1 siRNA could significantly attenuate growth and colony formation of gastric cancer cells, and which were mediated through induction of G2/M cell cycle arrest but not apoptosis. FOXO3A expression was induced by PARP1 inhibition, suggesting that FOXO3A might be one of downstream target of the PARP1 effect on gastric cancer cell growth. In addition, by performing tissue microarrays on the 166 cases of gastric cancer patients, we could observe that the expression status of PARP1 and FOXO3A were significantly associated with overall survival (OS) and relapse-free survival (RFS). Strikingly, combined expression status of PARP1 and FOXO3A showed better prediction for patient's clinical outcomes. The patient group with PARP1+/FOXO3A− expression had the worst prognosis while the patient group with PARP1−/FOXO3A+ had the most favorable prognosis (OS: P = 6.0 × 10−9, RFS: P = 2.2 × 10−8). In conclusion, we suggest that PARP1 and FOXO3A play critical roles in gastric cancer progression, and might have therapeutic and/or diagnostic potential in clinic. PMID:26540566

  14. Systematic review and meta-analysis: the relationship between the Helicobacter pylori dupA gene and clinical outcomes

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    Shiota Seiji

    2010-10-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background In 2005, the first disease-specific Helicobacter pylori virulence factor that induced duodenal ulcer and had a suppressive action on gastric cancer has been identified, and was named duodenal ulcer promoting gene (dupA. However, the importance of the dupA gene on clinical outcomes is conflicting in subsequent studies. The aim of this study was to estimate the magnitude of the risk for clinical outcomes associated with dupA gene. Methods A meta-analysis of case-control studies which provided raw data on the infection rates with the dupA-positive H. pylori detected by polymerase chain reaction was performed. Results Seventeen studies with a total of 2,466 patients were identified in the search. Infection with the dupA-positive H. pylori increased the risk for duodenal ulcer by 1.41-fold (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.12-1.76 overall. Subgroup analysis showed that the summary odds ratio (OR was 1.57 (95% CI, 1.19-2.06 in Asian countries and 1.09 (95% CI, 0.73-1.62 in Western countries. There was no association between the presence of the dupA gene and gastric cancer and gastric ulcer. Publication bias did not exist. Conclusion Our meta-analysis confirmed the importance of the presence of the dupA gene for duodenal ulcer, especially in Asian countries.

  15. Systematic review and meta-analysis: the relationship between the Helicobacter pylori dupA gene and clinical outcomes.

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    Shiota, Seiji; Matsunari, Osamu; Watada, Masahide; Hanada, Katsuhiro; Yamaoka, Yoshio

    2010-10-31

    In 2005, the first disease-specific Helicobacter pylori virulence factor that induced duodenal ulcer and had a suppressive action on gastric cancer has been identified, and was named duodenal ulcer promoting gene (dupA). However, the importance of the dupA gene on clinical outcomes is conflicting in subsequent studies. The aim of this study was to estimate the magnitude of the risk for clinical outcomes associated with dupA gene. A meta-analysis of case-control studies which provided raw data on the infection rates with the dupA-positive H. pylori detected by polymerase chain reaction was performed. Seventeen studies with a total of 2,466 patients were identified in the search. Infection with the dupA-positive H. pylori increased the risk for duodenal ulcer by 1.41-fold (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.12-1.76) overall. Subgroup analysis showed that the summary odds ratio (OR) was 1.57 (95% CI, 1.19-2.06) in Asian countries and 1.09 (95% CI, 0.73-1.62) in Western countries. There was no association between the presence of the dupA gene and gastric cancer and gastric ulcer. Publication bias did not exist. Our meta-analysis confirmed the importance of the presence of the dupA gene for duodenal ulcer, especially in Asian countries.

  16. Companied P16 genetic and protein status together providing useful information on the clinical outcome of urinary bladder cancer.

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    Pu, Xiaohong; Zhu, Liya; Fu, Yao; Fan, Zhiwen; Zheng, Jinyu; Zhang, Biao; Yang, Jun; Guan, Wenyan; Wu, Hongyan; Ye, Qing; Huang, Qing

    2018-04-01

    SPEC P16/CEN3/7/17 Probe fluorescence-in-situ-hybridization (FISH) has become the most sensitive method in indentifying the urothelial tumors and loss of P16 has often been identified in low-grade urothelial lesions; however, little is known about the significations of other P16 genetic status (normal and amplification) in bladder cancer.We detected P16 gene status by FISH in 259 urine samples and divided these samples into 3 groups: 1, normal P16; 2, loss of P16; and 3, amplified P16. Meanwhile, p16 protein expression was measured by immunocytochemistry and we characterized the clinicopathologic features of cases with P16 gene status.Loss of P16 occurred in 26.2%, P16 amplification occurred in 41.3% and P16 gene normal occurred in 32.4% of all cases. P16 genetic status was significantly associated with tumor grade and primary tumor status (P = .008 and .017), but not with pathological tumor stage, overall survival, and p16 protein expression. However, P16 gene amplification accompanied protein high-expression has shorter overall survival compared with the overall patients (P = .023), and P16 gene loss accompanied loss of protein also had the tendency to predict bad prognosis (P = .067).Studies show that the genetic status of P16 has a close relation with the stages of bladder cancer. Loss of P16 is associated with low-grade urothelial malignancy while amplified P16 donotes high-grade. Neither P16 gene status nor p16 protein expression alone is an independent predictor of urothelial bladder carcinoma, but combine gene and protein status together providing useful information on the clinical outcome of these patients.

  17. Patient experiences and outcomes following facial skin cancer surgery: A qualitative study.

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    Lee, Erica H; Klassen, Anne F; Lawson, Jessica L; Cano, Stefan J; Scott, Amie M; Pusic, Andrea L

    2016-08-01

    Early melanoma and non-melanoma skin cancer of the facial area are primarily treated with surgery. Little is known about the outcomes of treatment for facial skin cancer patients. The objective of the study was to identify concerns about aesthetics, procedures and health from the patients' perspective after facial skin surgery. Semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted with 15 participants. Line-by-line coding was used to establish categories and develop themes. We identified five major themes on the impact of skin cancer surgery: appearance-related concerns; psychological (e.g., fear of new cancers or recurrence); social (e.g. impact on social activities and interaction); physical (e.g. pain and swelling) concerns and satisfaction with the experience of care (e.g., satisfaction with surgeon). The priority of participants was the removal of the facial skin cancer, as this reduced their overall worry. The aesthetic outcome was secondary but important, as it had important implications on the participants' social and psychological functioning. The participants' experience with the care provided by the surgeon and staff also contributed to their satisfaction with their treatment. This conceptual framework provides the basis for the development of a new patient-reported outcome instrument. © 2015 The Australasian College of Dermatologists.

  18. A novel rapid access testicular cancer clinic: prospective evaluation after one year.

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    Carey, K; Davis, N F; Elamin, S; Ahern, P; Brady, C M; Sweeney, P

    2016-02-01

    Our institution has recently developed a rapid access outpatient clinic to investigate men with testicular lumps and/or pain suspicious for testicular cancer (TCa). To present our experience after 12 months. All referrals to the rapid access testicular clinic (RATC) clinic were prospectively analysed from 01/01/2013 to 01/01/2014. The primary outcome variable was incidence of TCa in the referred patient cohort. Secondary outcome variables were waiting times prior to clinical review and waiting times prior to radical orchidectomy in patients diagnosed with TCa. Seventy-four new patients were referred to the RATC during the 1-year period and the mean age was 34 (range 15-81 years). TCa was the most common diagnosis and was found in 18 (25 %) patients. Patients diagnosed with TCa underwent radical orchidectomy, a median of 3 (range 1-5) days after their initial GP referral. Patients requiring surgical intervention for benign scrotal pathology underwent their procedure a median of 32 (range 3-61) days after their initial referral. Of the 18 patients diagnosed with TCa, 9 (50 %) were diagnosed with a seminomatous germ cell tumour on histopathology. The RATC is a new initiative in Ireland that provides expedient and definitive treatment of patients with newly diagnosed TCa. Early treatment will ultimately improve long-term prognosis in this patient cohort.

  19. Emerging treatments for advanced pancreatic cancer: clinical potential of albumin-bound paclitaxel

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    Fontana E

    2014-06-01

    Full Text Available Elisa Fontana, Francesco Sclafani, David Cunningham Department of Medicine, The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust, London and Surrey, UK Abstract: The management of pancreatic cancer has historically represented a major challenge for oncologists. The inherent aggressiveness of this tumor and the fibrotic features of the surrounding stromal tissue have significantly limited the impact of standard chemotherapy. Moreover, the paucity of available tumor tissue has hampered a better understanding of the biology of this disease as well as the development of new treatment strategies. Recently, the therapeutic landscape of metastatic pancreatic cancer has been enriched by two new combination regimens (FOLFIRINOX and gemcitabine-nab-paclitaxel which have been demonstrated to improve the outcome in patients with good performance status. Moreover, the peritumoral stroma has been increasingly recognized as a potential therapeutic target for this disease, and several new agents targeting stromal components are currently under investigation. In this paper, we review the current treatment options for advanced pancreatic cancer, highlight the role of the peritumoral stroma, and discuss the clinical potential of nab-paclitaxel and antistromal treatment strategies. Keywords: pancreatic cancer, nab-paclitaxel, stroma, SPARC

  20. Community to clinic navigation to improve diabetes outcomes

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    Nancy E. Schoenberg

    2017-03-01

    Full Text Available Rural residents experience rates of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM that are considerably higher than their urban or suburban counterparts. Two primary modifiable factors, self-management and formal clinical management, have potential to greatly improve diabetes outcomes. “Community to Clinic Navigation to Improve Diabetes Outcomes,” is the first known randomized clinical trial pilot study to test a hybrid model of diabetes self-management education plus clinical navigation among rural residents with T2DM. Forty-one adults with T2DM were recruited from two federally qualified health centers in rural Appalachia from November 2014–January 2015. Community health workers provided navigation, including helping participants understand and implement a diabetes self-management program through six group sessions and, if needed, providing assistance in obtaining clinic visits (contacting providers' offices for appointments, making reminder calls, and facilitating transportation and dependent care. Pre and post-test data were collected on T2DM self-management, physical measures, demographics, psychosocial factors, and feasibility (cost, retention, and satisfaction. Although lacking statistical significance, some outcomes indicate trends in positive directions, including diet, foot care, glucose monitoring, and physical health, including decreased HbA1c and triglyceride levels. Process evaluations revealed high levels of satisfaction and feasibility. Due to the limited intervention dose, modest program expenditures (~$29,950, and a severely affected population most of whom had never received diabetes education, outcomes were not as robust as anticipated. Given high rates of satisfaction and retention, this culturally appropriate small group intervention holds promise for hard to reach rural populations. Modifications should include expanded recruitment venues, sample size, intervention dosage and longer term assessment.