Neoadjuvant Treatment With Regorafenib and Capecitabine Combined With Radiotherapy in Locally Advanced Rectal Cancer: A Multicenter Phase Ib Trial (RECAP)-SAKK 41/16.

Background: The multi tyrosine kinase inhibitor regorafenib is active in metastatic colorectal cancer. Improvement in clinical outcome by adding regorafenib to long-course chemoradiotherapy (LcCRT) was investigated in molecularly undefined LARC.

Methods: Patients with T3-4 and/or N+ but M0 rectal cancer were included.

Impact of Docetaxel on blood-brain barrier function and formation of breast cancer brain metastases.

Background: Breast cancer (BC) is the most frequent malignant tumor in females and the 2nd most common cause of brain metastasis (BM), that are associated with a fatal prognosis. The increasing incidence from 10% up to 40% is due to more effective treatments of extracerebral sites with improved prognosis and increasing use of MRI in diagnostics. A frequently administered, potent chemotherapeutic group of drugs for BC treatment are taxanes usually used in the adjuvant and metastatic setting, which, however, have been suspected to be associated with a higher incidence of BM.

Treatment strategies and outcome of surgery for synchronous colorectal liver metastases.

Objectives: To report survival following different operative strategies and perioperative chemotherapy in patients with synchronous colorectal liver metastases in a tertiary academic referral centre.

Methods: We performed a retrospective analysis, based on a prospective database, of patients who presented with synchronous colorectal liver metastases. Follow-up data were obtained from medical records, letters or telephone contacts.

Adjuvant treatment recommendations for patients with ER-positive/HER2-negative early breast cancer by Swiss tumor boards using the 21-gene recurrence score (SAKK 26/10).

Background: To evaluate the effect of Recurrence Score® results (RS; Oncotype DX® multigene assay ODX) on treatment recommendations by Swiss multidisciplinary tumor boards (TB).

Methods: SAKK 26/10 is a multicenter, prospective cohort study of early breast cancer patients: Eligibility: R0-resection, ≥10% ER+ malignant cells, HER2-, pN0/pN1a. Patients were stratified into low-risk (LR) and non-low-risk (NLR) groups based on involved nodes (0 vs 1-3) and five additional predefined risk factors.

Cancer-related therapies at the end of life in hospitalized cancer patients from four Swiss cantons: SAKK 89/09.

The use of cancer-related therapies in cancer patients hospitalized at the end of life has increased in many countries over time. Given the scarcity of published Swiss data, the objective of this study was to evaluate the influence of hospital type and other factors on the delivery of health care during the last month before death. Claims data were used to assess health care utilization of cancer patients (identified by cancer registry data of four participating Swiss cantons) who deceased between 2006 and 2008.

Delivery of health care at the end of life in cancer patients of four swiss cantons: a retrospective database study (SAKK 89/09).

Background: The use of cancer related therapy in cancer patients at the end-of-life has increased over time in many countries. Given a lack of published Swiss data, the objective of this study was to describe delivery of health care during the last month before death of cancer patients.

Methods: Claims data were used to assess health care utilization of cancer patients (identified by cancer registry data of four participating cantons), deceased between 2006-2008.

Using the EuroQol EQ-5D in Swiss cancer patients, which value set should be applied?

Background: The European Quality of Life-5 Dimensions (EQ-5D) instrument combines questionnaire responses into a single utility estimate using country-specific value sets. Countries without a national value set are advised to select one based on geographic proximity. In the absence of a Swiss value set, we used foreign value sets to gain insights into their appropriateness for use with Swiss cancer patients.

Successful Salvage Chemotherapy with FOLFIRINOX for Recurrent Mixed Acinar Cell Carcinoma and Ductal Adenocarcinoma of the Pancreas in an Adolescent Patient.

Pancreatic tumors are rare in children and adolescents. Here, we report the case of a 15-year-old boy who presented with a mixed acinar cell carcinoma/ductal adenocarcinoma with blastomatous components. He received multimodal treatment including various chemotherapy regimens and multistep surgery including liver transplantation.

Treatment of breast cancer brain metastases.

Breast cancer represents the second most frequent cause of brain metastases. Treatment planning should consider several tumor and patient factors to estimate prognosis based on the Karnofsky Performance Status (KPS), age, extent of extra-cerebral disease as well as genetic subtype. When systemic disease is under control patients with up to three metastases qualify for local therapy, such as surgical excision or stereotactic radiotherapy.

CNS relapses in patients with HER2-positive early breast cancer who have and have not received adjuvant trastuzumab: a retrospective substudy of the HERA trial (BIG 1-01).

Background: Several randomised trials have confirmed the benefit of adjuvant trastuzumab for patients with HER2-positive early breast cancer. However, concern has been expressed that adjuvant trastuzumab might be associated with an increased frequency of CNS relapses. We assessed the frequency and course of CNS relapses, either as first event or at any time, using data from the HERA trial.

Chemotherapy before liver resection of colorectal metastases: friend or foe?

Objective: We conducted a systematic review of the published literature to critically assess benefits and risks of the use of preoperative chemotherapy in patients presenting with colorectal liver metastases.

Background: In many centers, chemotherapy is used before hepatic resection of colorectal metastases, even in the presence of a single lesion. Application of chemotherapy requires clear conceptual distinction between patients presenting with resectable lesions (neoadjuvant) versus patients presenting with unresectable lesions, for which chemotherapy is used to reach a resectable situation (downsizing).

Temsirolimus is highly effective as third-line treatment in chromophobe renal cell cancer.

We report unexpectedly high efficacy of temsirolimus as third-line treatment in a patient with metastatic chromophobe renal cell carcinoma. After failure of two sequentially administered tyrosine kinase inhibitors, treatment with temsirolimus resulted in a prolonged partial remission of 14 months, and the response is still continuing. Up to now, no data from randomized clinical studies have been published addressing the question of efficacy of temsirolimus as third-line treatment after failure of tyrosine kinase inhibitors.

Equivalence of pegfilgrastim and filgrastim in lymphoma patients treated with BEAM followed by autologous stem cell transplantation.

Objective: To evaluate the impact of pegfilgrastim on engraftment, hospital stay and resources in patients with Hodgkin's and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma after conditioning with high-dose BEAM followed by autologous peripheral blood stem cell transplantation (APBSCT) compared with filgrastim.

Methods: We reviewed patient charts and our prospective transplantation database for clinical data from the post-transplant period. An integrated cost analysis, including the use of blood products and length of hospital stay, was also performed.

Cell adhesion molecules P-cadherin and CD24 are markers for carcinoma and dysplasia in the biliary tract.

P-cadherin (CDH3) and CD24 are cell adhesion molecules that control morphogenic processes, cell motility, and invasive growth of tumor cells. The aim of our study was to investigate P-cadherin and CD24 expression in carcinomas and dysplastic lesions of the biliary tract and to evaluate the potential diagnostic usefulness of these cell adhesion molecules. Using immunohistochemistry on tissue microarrays, we analyzed P-cadherin, CD24, and p53 expression in 117 carcinomas of the biliary tract (19 intrahepatic cholangiocarcinomas, 59 extrahepatic cholangiocarcinomas, and 39 gallbladder carcinomas) and correlated our findings with clinicopathologic parameters.

Expression of the extracellular matrix protein periostin in liver tumours and bile duct carcinomas.

Aims: To study the relevance of periostin, known to be involved in epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), in hepatocellular and bile duct cancer.

Methods And Results: Immunohistochemical periostin expression was semiquantitatively analysed in normal liver tissue (n = 20), hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC; n = 91), liver-cell adenoma (n = 9), focal nodular hyperplasia (n = 13) and bile duct carcinomas (BDC; n = 116) using tissue microarrays. Normal bile ducts, gallbladder epithelium and hepatocytes showed weak cytoplasmic periostin expression.

IGFBP2 and IGFBP3 protein expressions in human breast cancer: association with hormonal factors and obesity.

Purpose: The insulin-like growth factor (IGF) signaling system is involved in breast cancer initiation and progression. The prognostic relevance of tumor expression patterns of IGFI-related proteins remains poorly understood. This study associates the expression of selected IGF proteins with breast tumor and patient characteristics.

Limited predictive value of FDG-PET for response assessment in the preoperative treatment of esophageal cancer: results of a prospective multi-center trial (SAKK 75/02).

Background: Only responding patients benefit from preoperative therapy for locally advanced esophageal carcinoma. Early detection of non-responders may avoid futile treatment and delayed surgery.

Patients And Methods: In a multi-center phase ll trial, patients with resectable, locally advanced esophageal carcinoma were treated with 2 cycles of induction chemotherapy followed by chemoradiotherapy (CRT) and surgery.

Hyperlipidemic myeloma: review of 53 cases.

Hyperlipidemic myeloma is a rare and poorly understood variant of multiple myeloma. We report the case of a 53-year-old woman with hyperlipidemic myeloma, skin xanthomas and hyperviscosity syndrome who underwent allogeneic bone marrow transplantation. A comprehensive literature search identified 52 additional cases with plasma cell disease and hyperlipidemia.

IMP3 expression in lesions of the biliary tract: a marker for high-grade dysplasia and an independent prognostic factor in bile duct carcinomas.

The oncofetal protein IMP3 (insulin-like growth factor II mRNA binding protein 3) is expressed during embryogenesis and carcinogenesis. Various tumor types have been analyzed for IMP3 expression, which was exclusively found in tumor cells and correlated with increased tumor aggressiveness and reduced overall survival. To our knowledge, IMP3 expression has not been investigated in bile duct carcinomas.

Golgi phosphoprotein 2 (GOLPH2) expression in liver tumors and its value as a serum marker in hepatocellular carcinomas.

Unlabelled: Hepatocellular carcinomas (HCCs) and bile duct carcinomas (BDCs) have a poor prognosis. Therefore, surveillance strategies including sensitive and specific serum markers for early detection are needed. Recently, Golgi Phosphoprotein 2 (GOLPH2) has been proposed as a serum marker for HCC, but GOLPH2 expression data in liver tissues was not available.