Targeted next-generation sequencing of locally advanced squamous cell carcinomas of the head and neck reveals druggable targets for improving adjuvant chemoradiation.

Background: Despite clear differences in clinical presentation and outcome, squamous cell carcinomas of the head and neck (SCCHN) arising from human papilloma virus (HPV) infection or heavy tobacco/alcohol consumption are treated equally. Next-generation sequencing is expected to reveal novel targets for more individualised treatment.

Patients And Methods: Tumour specimens from 208 patients with locally advanced squamous cell carcinoma of the hypopharynx, oropharynx or oral cavity, all uniformly treated with adjuvant cisplatin-based chemoradiation, were included.

Low Cancer Stem Cell Marker Expression and Low Hypoxia Identify Good Prognosis Subgroups in HPV(-) HNSCC after Postoperative Radiochemotherapy: A Multicenter Study of the DKTK-ROG.

Purpose: To investigate the impact of hypoxia-induced gene expression and cancer stem cell (CSC) marker expression on outcome of postoperative cisplatin-based radiochemotherapy (PORT-C) in patients with locally advanced head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC).

Experimental Design: Expression of the CSC markers CD44, MET, and SLC3A2, and hypoxia gene signatures were analyzed in the resected primary tumors using RT-PCR and nanoString technology in a multicenter retrospective cohort of 195 patients. CD44 protein expression was further analyzed in tissue microarrays.

CD8+ tumour-infiltrating lymphocytes in relation to HPV status and clinical outcome in patients with head and neck cancer after postoperative chemoradiotherapy: A multicentre study of the German cancer consortium radiation oncology group (DKTK-ROG).

We examined the prognostic value of tumour-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) in patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (SCCHN) after surgery and postoperative cisplatin-based chemoradiotherapy. FFPE-tissue originating from the surgery of 161 patients treated in 8 DKTK partner sites was immunohistochemically stained for CD3 and CD8. Their expression was correlated with clinicopathological characteristics as well as overall survival (OS), local progression-free survival (LPFS) and distant metastases free-survival (DMFS), also in the context of the HPV16-DNA/p16 status.

A teaching intervention in a contouring dummy run improved target volume delineation in locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer: Reducing the interobserver variability in multicentre clinical studies.

Introduction: Interobserver variability in the definition of target volumes (TVs) is a well-known confounding factor in (multicentre) clinical studies employing radiotherapy. Therefore, detailed contouring guidelines are provided in the prospective randomised multicentre PET-Plan (NCT00697333) clinical trial protocol. This trial compares strictly FDG-PET-based TV delineation with conventional TV delineation in patients with locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

HPV16 DNA status is a strong prognosticator of loco-regional control after postoperative radiochemotherapy of locally advanced oropharyngeal carcinoma: results from a multicentre explorative study of the German Cancer Consortium Radiation Oncology Group (DKTK-ROG).

Objective: To investigate the impact of HPV status in patients with locally advanced head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC), who received surgery and cisplatin-based postoperative radiochemotherapy.

Materials And Methods: For 221 patients with locally advanced squamous cell carcinoma of the hypopharynx, oropharynx or oral cavity treated at the 8 partner sites of the German Cancer Consortium, the impact of HPV DNA, p16 overexpression and p53 expression on outcome were retrospectively analysed. The primary endpoint was loco-regional tumour control; secondary endpoints were distant metastases and overall survival.

Rapid EPA and DHA incorporation and reduced PGE2 levels after one week intervention with a medical food in cancer patients receiving radiotherapy, a randomized trial.

Background & Aims: In cancer patients, metabolic alterations, reduced immune competence and anti-cancer treatment can increase the risk of infections. A rapid-acting nutritional intervention might reduce this risk and support overall treatment. The present study investigated whether one week of intervention with a specific medical food led to fatty acid incorporation and functional immunological changes.

Transfemoral aortic valve implantation: bleeding events, related costs and outcomes.

Although less invasive then SAVR, TAVI is associated with a significant rate of access site and non-access site bleeding. These complications are major determinants of therapy outcome, however, the economic consequences are not well defined. The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between bleeding, in-hospital resource utilization and costs among patients undergoing transfemoral aortic valve implantation (TF-AVI) at a representative university hospital in Germany.