FDG-PET/CT in colorectal cancer: potential for vascular-metabolic imaging to provide markers of prognosis.

Purpose: This study assesses the potential for vascular-metabolic imaging with FluoroDeoxyGlucose (FDG)-Positron Emission Tomography/Computed Tomography (PET/CT) perfusion to provide markers of prognosis specific to the site and stage of colorectal cancer.

Methods: This prospective observational study comprised of participants with suspected colorectal cancer categorized as either (a) non-metastatic colon cancer (M0colon), (b) non-metastatic rectal cancer (M0rectum), or (c) metastatic colorectal cancer (M+). Combined FDG-PET/CT perfusion imaging was successfully performed in 286 participants (184 males, 102 females, age: 69.

Diagnostic accuracy of MRI in assessing tumor regression and identifying complete response in patients with locally advanced rectal cancer after neoadjuvant treatment.

Background: The diagnostic accuracy of Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) in restaging locally advanced rectal cancers (LARC) after neoadjuvant chemo-radio therapy (NCRT) has been under recent scrutiny. There is limited data on the accuracy of MRI and its timing in assessing tumor regression grade (TRG) and in identifying patients with complete response (CR). NCRT seems to cause tissue inflammation and oedema which renders reading the scans difficult for radiologist.

Preoperative chemoradiation with capecitabine, irinotecan and cetuximab in rectal cancer: significance of pre-treatment and post-resection RAS mutations.

Background: The influence of EGFR pathway mutations on cetuximab-containing rectal cancer preoperative chemoradiation (CRT) is uncertain.

Methods: In a prospective phase II trial (EXCITE), patients with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-defined non-metastatic rectal adenocarinoma threatening/involving the surgical resection plane received pelvic radiotherapy with concurrent capecitabine, irinotecan and cetuximab. Resection was recommended 8 weeks later.

A Multicenter Randomized Trial of Ibandronate Compared With Single-Dose Radiotherapy for Localized Metastatic Bone Pain in Prostate Cancer.

Background: The radiotherapy or ibandronate (RIB) trial was a randomized multicenter nonblind two-arm trial to compare intravenous ibandronate given as a single infusion with single-dose radiotherapy for metastatic bone pain.

Methods: Four hundred seventy prostate cancer patients with metastatic bone pain who were suitable for local radiotherapy were randomly assigned to radiotherapy (single dose, 8 Gy) or intravenous infusion of ibandronate (6mg) in a noninferiority trial. Pain was measured using the Brief Pain Inventory at baseline and four, eight, 12, 26, and 52 weeks.

Intermittent chemotherapy plus either intermittent or continuous cetuximab for first-line treatment of patients with KRAS wild-type advanced colorectal cancer (COIN-B): a randomised phase 2 trial.

Background: Advanced colorectal cancer is treated with a combination of cytotoxic drugs and targeted treatments. However, how best to minimise the time spent taking cytotoxic drugs and whether molecular selection can refine this further is unknown. The primary aim of this study was to establish how cetuximab might be safely and effectively added to intermittent chemotherapy.

Docetaxel and dasatinib or placebo in men with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (READY): a randomised, double-blind phase 3 trial.

Background: Src kinase-mediated interactions between prostate cancer cells and osteoclasts might promote bone metastasis. Dasatinib inhibits tyrosine kinases, including Src kinases. Data suggests that dasatinib kinase inhibition leads to antitumour activity, affects osteoclasts, and has synergy with docetaxel, a first-line chemotherapy for metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer.

Radiotherapy with or without chemotherapy in muscle-invasive bladder cancer.

Background: Radiotherapy is an alternative to cystectomy in patients with muscle-invasive bladder cancer. In other disease sites, synchronous chemoradiotherapy has been associated with increased local control and improved survival, as compared with radiotherapy alone.

Methods: In this multicenter, phase 3 trial, we randomly assigned 360 patients with muscle-invasive bladder cancer to undergo radiotherapy with or without synchronous chemotherapy.