Swallowing after Oral Oncological Treatment: A Five-Year Prospective Study.

Background: Swallowing rehabilitation in curative treated patients with oral cancer is still a challenge. Different factors may influence these patients' swallowing function. The aim of this study was to identify factors associated with swallowing function up to 5 years after cancer treatment.

RNA Biomarkers as a Response Measure for Survival in Patients with Metastatic Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer.

Treatment evaluation in metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer is challenging. There is an urgent need for biomarkers to discriminate short-term survivors from long-term survivors, shortly after treatment initiation. Thereto, the added value of early RNA biomarkers on predicting progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were explored.

Anti-thymocyte globulin with CsA and MMF as GVHD prophylaxis in nonmyeloablative HLA-mismatched allogeneic HCT.

Nonmyeloablative regimens are used for allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) of older or medically unfit patients, but successful outcome is still hindered by graft-versus-host disease (GVHD), especially in the setting of HLA-mismatched HCT. New GVHD prophylaxis strategies are emerging, including the triple drug strategy, that improve the GVHD-free and relapse-free survival (GRFS). Because the impact of ATG in HLA-mismatched Flu-TBI-based nonmyeloablative HCT has not been investigated, we did a retrospective analysis in three Dutch centers.

Anakinra: efficacy in the management of fever during neutropenia and mucositis in autologous stem cell transplantation (AFFECT-2)-study protocol for a multicenter randomized double-blind placebo-controlled trial.

Background: Since decades, fever and infections have been the most important complications of intensive chemotherapy and hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) in the treatment of hematologic malignancies. Neutropenia has long been considered to be the most important risk factor for these complications. However, recent studies have shown that not neutropenia, but the development of mucositis is the most important cause of these complications.

Depression and related factors after oral oncological treatment: a 5-year prospective cohort study.

Purposes: Being diagnosed with oral cancer is a life-threatening life event. It often induces social, emotional and psychological consequences and may cause depressive disorders. The primary aim of this study was to identify and quantify the personal and clinical characteristics involved in depression for patients who have been treated for oral cavity malignancies, with a 5-year follow-up period after treatment.

Recovery after traumatic thoracic- and lumbar spinal cord injury: the neurological level of injury matters.

Study Design: Multicenter prospective cohort.

Objective: To discern neurological- and functional recovery in patients with a traumatic thoracic spinal cord injury (TSCI), conus medullaris syndrome (CMS), and cauda equina syndrome (CES).

Setting: Specialized spinal cord injury centers in Europe.

Tongue function and its influence on masticatory performance in patients treated for oral cancer: a five-year prospective study.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to observe the impact of oral oncological treatment, including the recovery of several tongue functions (force, mobility, and sensory functions), and to determine the influence of these functions on masticatory performance.

Materials And Methods: Masticatory performance and tongue force, mobility, and sensory functions were determined in 123 patients with oral cavity cancer. The assessments were performed 4 weeks before treatment and 4 to 6 weeks, 6 months, 1 year, and 5 years after treatment.

Masticatory function and related factors after oral oncological treatment: A 5-year prospective study.

Background: Chewing ability is often compromised in patients with oral cancer. The aim of this study was to identify which factors affect masticatory performance in these patients.

Methods: Patients with primary oral cancer were assessed for up to 5 years after primary treatment.

Provisional standardization of hepcidin assays: creating a traceability chain with a primary reference material, candidate reference method and a commutable secondary reference material.

Background Hepcidin concentrations measured by various methods differ considerably, complicating interpretation. Here, a previously identified plasma-based candidate secondary reference material (csRM) was modified into a serum-based two-leveled sRM. We validated its functionality to increase the equivalence between methods for international standardization.

Factors influencing neck and shoulder function after oral oncology treatment: a five-year prospective cohort study in 113 patients.

Background: The aim of this study was to identify factors influencing shoulder and/or neck function in patients up to five years after treatment.

Materials And Methods: Lateral flexion of the neck, ipsilateral forward flexion, and abduction of the shoulder were measured. Potential factors were entered into a linear mixed model analysis to create a multivariate model for describing the results.

In vivo and in vitro palatability testing of a new paediatric formulation of valaciclovir.

Aims: The palatability of a new paediatric formulation of valaciclovir was assessed in children and their parents: non-inferiority of the new paediatric formulation (test formulation) compared to the reference formulation was investigated.

Methods: In vivo palatability testing was performed in a randomized, two-period, multicentre, cross-over study. Children and their parents scored the liking of the new paediatric valaciclovir formulation and the reference formulation on a 100 mm visual analogue scale (VAS).

Early-onset preeclampsia is associated with perinatal mortality and severe neonatal morbidity.

Objective: To evaluate neonatal outcomes of pregnancies complicated by early-onset preeclampsia (PE) and compare these outcomes to those of gestational age matched neonates born to mothers whose pregnancy was not complicated by early-onset PE.

Methods: We analyzed the outcome in 97 neonates born to mothers with early-onset PE (24-32 weeks amenorrhea at diagnosis) and compared it to that of 680 gestational age-matched neonates born between 25-36 weeks due to other etiologies and admitted to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) of a tertiary referral hospital in the Netherlands. We used Chi-square test, Wilcoxon test, and logistic regression analyses.

Pharmacokinetics and target attainment of mycophenolate in pediatric renal transplant patients.

MPA is an immunosuppressive agent used to prevent graft rejection after renal transplantation. MPA shows considerable inter- and intraindividual variability in exposure in children and has a defined therapeutic window, and TDM is applied to individualize therapy. We aimed to study the exposure to MPA measured as the AUC in pediatric renal transplant patients, to identify factors influencing exposure and to assess target attainment.

Functional benefits of implants placed during ablative surgery: A 5-year prospective study on the prosthodontic rehabilitation of 56 edentulous oral cancer patients.

Background: The timing of placement as well as the functional benefit of interforaminal implants in edentulous patients treated for oral cancer is unclear.

Methods: Fifty-six patients were recruited at 2 institutions. In 1 institution, interforaminal implants were placed during ablative surgery, the other institution used conventional prosthodontics with optional placement of implants postsurgery (postponed-placement).

Clinical features of patients with nodal marginal zone lymphoma compared to follicular lymphoma: similar presentation, but differences in prognostic factors and rate of transformation.

Nodal marginal zone lymphoma (NMZL) is a rare type of B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma. This study assessed the clinical features of 56 patients with NMZL in comparison to 46 patients with follicular lymphoma (FL). Patients with NMZL and FL had a largely similar clinical presentation, but patients with FL had a higher disease stage at presentation, more frequent abdominal lymphadenopathy and bone marrow involvement, and showed more common transformation into diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) during the course of disease.

Combination Therapy with Inolimomab and Etanercept for Severe Steroid-Refractory Acute Graft-versus-Host Disease.

Steroid-refractory acute graft-versus-host disease (aGVHD) remains an important cause of morbidity and mortality after allogeneic stem cell transplantation (SCT). A protocol on the management of aGVHD was introduced in our center that incorporated a prospective study on combination therapy with inolimomab (anti-IL-2Rα) and etanercept (anti-tumor necrosis factor-α) for steroid-refractory aGVHD. We evaluated the efficacy and safety in 21 consecutively treated patients.

The Effect of Decreasing Flow Rate on Cerebral Hemodynamics During Veno-Arterial Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation in Piglets.

To explore the influence of decreasing flow rate on cerebral hemodynamics during veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (va-ECMO), six normoxemic and six hypoxemic piglets were put on va-ECMO. The ECMO flow rate was decreased from the maximal achievable level to 50 mL min1 with steps of 50 mL min1 every 2 minutes. Changes in mean arterial blood pressure (MABP), left common carotid artery blood flow (Qcar), and other physiologic variables were continuously measured.

EMAST is associated with a poor prognosis in microsatellite instable metastatic colorectal cancer.

Purpose: To determine the frequency and prognostic value of elevated microsatellite alterations at selected tetranucleotide repeats (EMAST) in metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) patients in relation to microsatellite instability (MSI) status and MSH3 protein expression.

Material And Methods: The frequency of EMAST was evaluated in mCRC patients with MSI tumors and microsatellite stable (MSS) tumors. A literature overview was performed to compare the frequency of EMAST in our study with existing data.

Blinded double reading yields a higher programme sensitivity than non-blinded double reading at digital screening mammography: a prospected population based study in the south of The Netherlands.

Purpose: To prospectively determine the screening mammography outcome at blinded and non-blinded double reading in a biennial population based screening programme in the south of the Netherlands.

Methods: We included a consecutive series of 87,487 digital screening mammograms, obtained between July 2009 and July 2011. Screening mammograms were double read in either a blinded (2nd reader was not informed about the 1st reader's decision) or non-blinded fashion (2nd reader was informed about the 1st reader's decision).

The CAIRO4 study: the role of surgery of the primary tumour with few or absent symptoms in patients with synchronous unresectable metastases of colorectal cancer--a randomized phase III study of the Dutch Colorectal Cancer Group (DCCG).

Background: There is no consensus regarding resection of the primary tumour with few or absent symptoms in patients with synchronous unresectable metastatic colorectal cancer (CRC). A potential benefit of resection of the primary tumour is to prevent complications of the primary tumour in later stages of the disease. We here propose a randomized trial in order to demonstrate that resection of the primary tumour improves overall survival.

An Accuracy Study of Computer-Planned Implant Placement in the Augmented Maxilla Using Mucosa-Supported Surgical Templates.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine the clinically relevant accuracy of implant placement in the augmented maxilla using computer planning and a mucosa-supported surgical template.

Materials And Methods: Twenty-five consecutive edentulous patients with an extreme maxillar alveolar ridge resorption were treated with a bone augmentation procedure. In a second stage, six Brånemark MkIII Groovy (Nobel Biocare®, Zürich, Switzerland) implants were installed.

Mismatch repair status and BRAF mutation status in metastatic colorectal cancer patients: a pooled analysis of the CAIRO, CAIRO2, COIN, and FOCUS studies.

Purpose: To determine the prevalence and prognostic value of mismatch repair (MMR) status and its relation to BRAF mutation (BRAF(MT)) status in metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC).

Experimental Design: A pooled analysis of four phase III studies in first-line treatment of mCRC (CAIRO, CAIRO2, COIN, and FOCUS) was performed. Primary outcome parameter was the hazard ratio (HR) for median progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) in relation to MMR and BRAF.