BMC Cancer

BackgroundPathologic complete response (pCR) after neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (nCRT) for locally advanced rectal cancer (LARC) is associated with improved survival and organ preservation. Available blood-based inflammatory indices may help to predict pCR and guide individualized treatment. MethodsWe conducted a comprehensive search of PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, and Embase, and Cochrane Library to identify studies including adult patients with pathologically confirmed LARC treated with n...

ObjectiveThe purpose of this scoping review is to identify the role of systemic therapies in current and emerging opportunities to de-intensify systemic treatment of cutaneous melanoma. It will also seek to comment on the proportion of studies that include patient-reported outcomes and quality of life measures. IntroductionWith healthcare costs rising, focus is shifting towards maximising health outcomes per dollar. One approach to optimising value is through de-intensification, which is the ra...

Background and PurposeChemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) is a major side-eaect of many commonly used cancer drugs, aaecting up to 90% of patients treated with oxaliplatin. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to analyse randomised controlled trials (RCTs) to determine if any pharmacological agents can prevent or reduce oxaliplatin-induced peripheral neuropathy (OIPN) in colorectal cancer (CRC) patients. Materials and MethodsWe searched PubMed, EMBASE and Web of Science ...

IntroductionThe association of body composition with checkpoint inhibitor outcomes in melanoma is a matter of ongoing debate. In this study, we aim to add to previous evidence by investigating body mass index (BMI) alongside CT derived body composition metrics in the largest cohort to date. MethodPatients treated with first-line anti-PD1 {+/-} anti-CTLA4 for advanced melanoma were retrospectively identified from 11 melanoma reference centers in The Netherlands. Age, sex, Eastern Cooperative Onc...

BackgroundPancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is associated with an extremely poor prognosis, with a 5-year survival rate of less than 9% (1). The SPEAR study is a Phase II, single-arm, open-label, signal-seeking trial evaluating the clinical activity of sulfasalazine, a repurposed anti-inflammatory agent, in patients with advanced or metastatic PDAC who have progressed on one prior line of systemic therapy. This document extends the published study protocol by pre-specifying the planned sta...

PurposeThe oligometastatic paradigm hypothesizes that patients with a limited number of metastases may achieve long-term disease control, or even cure, if all sites of disease can be ablated. However, long-term randomized data testing this paradigm are lacking. MethodsWe enrolled patients with a controlled primary malignancy and 1-5 metastatic lesions, with all metastases amenable to stereotactic ablative radiotherapy (SABR). We stratified by the number of metastases (1-3 vs. 4-5) and randomize...

IntroductionBreast irradiation (RT) is often recommended as part of breast conservative therapy (BCT) and is often delivered daily over multiple weeks after breast conserving surgery (BCS). Information regarding tumor response is lost when BCS is performed before oncologic treatment. Short course partial breast irradiation delivered preoperatively (PRT) is a potential solution. MethodsFollowing informed consent, ten participants enrolled in one of four cohorts of HCC 22-003 (NCT05464667). Each ...

BackgroundDuring cytoreductive surgery with hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy, body temperature rapidly changes due to the hyperthermic agent. Depending on the method used, obtained values may vary, particularly during localized heating of the abdominal cavity. The primary aim of our study was to compare the effectiveness of core temperature monitoring techniques, nasopharyngeal temperature, zero-heat flux cutaneous thermometer device, and esophageal temperature, during hyperthermic intr...

Neoadjuvant radiotherapy with concurrent fluoropyrimidines followed by surgery is considered the standard-of-care in locally advanced rectal cancer (LARC). Neoadjuvant chemo-radiotherapy (CRT) is associated with a pathological complete response (pCR) rate of 11-18%. Intensification of neoadjuvant treatment can lead to higher rates of tumor resectability and pCR, although the best therapeutic sequence is unknown. This is a prospective, single arm study which aims to standardize institutional cli...

BackgroundRadiation therapy (RT) is an essential component of definitive treatment for cancers of the prostate, rectum, cervix, and other pelvic malignancies. Despite its proven efficacy, pelvic RT is associated with a constellation of adverse effects, collectively referred to as pelvic radiation disease (PRD). Several clinical and preclinical studies have shown that dietary interventions, including time-restricted eating (TRE), may represent a novel approach to mitigate radiation and chemothera...

IntroductionInterventional Oncology (IO), is a rapidly developing subspecialty within interventional radiology (IR), offering minimally invasive, precise and targeted cancer therapies. Despite its transformative potential, IO faces challenges in identifying critical research priorities amidst limited funding and resources. The DEFINE-IO study aims to identify the most pressing research priorities in IO to guide researchers, policy makers, and funding bodies in driving innovation and improving ca...

BackgroundCovid-19 pandemic by the new coronavirus SARS-Cov-2 has produced devastating effects on the health care system, affecting also cancer patient care. Data about COVID-19 infection in cancer patients are scarce, and they point out a higher risk of complications due to the viral infection in this population. Moreover, cancer treatments could increase viral complications, specially those treatments based on the use of immunotherapy with checkpoints antibodies. There are no clinical data abo...

BackgroundCirculating tumor cells (CTCs) have historically been used for prognostication in oncology. We evaluate performance of liquid biopsy CTC assay as a diagnostic tool in suspected pancreaticobiliary cancers. The assay utilises functional enrichment of CTCs followed by immunofluorescent profiling of organ specific markers. MethodsMulticentric case control study was followed by a prospective observational study. Adult patients undergoing tissue sampling for suspected pancreaticobiliary can...

BackgroundThe FACE-Q Skin Cancer Module is a condition-specific patient-reported outcome measure for facial skin cancer. While its psychometric properties have been established, normative reference values that enable score interpretation in clinical practice and research are lacking. ObjectiveTo establish normative reference values for the FACE-Q Skin Cancer Module using preoperative patient data and to validate these values by comparison with a demographically matched cohort of healthy partner...

Surgery is the primary treatment for localized neuroendocrine tumors (NETs). Grade 1-2 NETs traditionally have been considered radioresistant due to their indolent nature but data regarding a role for radiation therapy (RT) are limited to old, small retrospective studies. We performed a retrospective review of patients with grade 1-2 NETs treated with RT at a large academic center to assess response and local failure rates. Radiographic response was evaluated with logistic regression. Local fail...

BackgroundTotal Neoadjuvant treatment (TNT) comprising short-course radiotherapy (SCRT) and induction chemotherapy is one of the standard treatment options for locally advanced rectal cancer (LARC). The addition of localised radiotherapy boost dose using techniques such as brachytherapy can improve local tumour control and organ preservation, in selected good responder patients. Overall increased risk of acute treatment-related toxicity rates with TNT approaches can be a deterrent to compliance,...

BackgroundCapecitabine monotherapy is frequently employed as second/third-line treatment for metastatic gastrointestinal malignancies. Standard dosing often produces severe toxicities incompatible with palliative care principles. This study compared continuous low-dose (CLD) versus standard-dose (StD) capecitabine in the palliative setting. MethodsAfter at least one prior line of chemotherapy, 33 and 45 patients received StD (1.0-1.25 g/m2 bid on days 1-14 of a 21-day cycle) and CLD (500 mg bid...

BackgroundTreatment of locally advanced esophageal cancer includes neoadjuvant chemoradiation (chemoRT) and esophagectomy. We evaluated perioperative and oncologic outcomes among patients who received neoadjuvant chemoRT and immunotherapy (I/O). MethodsAdults who underwent esophagectomy following neoadjuvant chemoRT or chemoRT+I/O for T1-4, N0-3, M0 esophageal cancer were identified from the National Cancer Database (2012-2020). Unadjusted, propensity score-matched, and Cox proportional hazards...

BackgroundSarcopenia, characterized by a progressive loss of skeletal muscle mass and function, is increasingly recognized as a prognostic factor in oncology. However, its significance in liposarcoma remains unclear. This study investigates longitudinal changes in computed-tomography-derived (CT) morphometric parameters and their association with survival and function in liposarcoma patients undergoing surgical resection. MethodsIn a retrospective, single center study between 2010 and 2024, 64 ...

BackgroundPembrolizumab improved survival of patients with recurrent or metastatic head and neck squamous-cell carcinoma (HNSCC). The aims of this phase 2 trial were to determine if pembrolizumab administered to patients with resectable locally advanced, human papillomavirus (HPV)-unrelated HNSCC would be safe, result in pathologic tumor response (pTR), and lower the relapse rate. MethodsNeoadjuvant pembrolizumab (200 mg) was administered 2-3 weeks before surgery. Resection of the primary tumor...