Publications by authors named "Carla van Gils"

Introduction: There is a lack of real-world evidence on direct comparisons between COVID-19 vaccines in multiethnic low- and middle-income settings. Cancer patients have an impaired vaccine response due to the disease itself or the effects of treatment. Hence, identifying the best vaccine to use for cancer patients is important.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • Elevated mammographic density (MD) is a significant risk factor for breast cancer, and this study investigates how factors like childbirth, age at first birth, and breastfeeding relate to MD in a large group of women across different countries.
  • The research analyzed data from 11,755 women aged 35-85 years, focusing on how factors such as the number of births and the timing of the first birth influence measurements of MD.
  • The findings suggest that having more children decreases MD, while older age at first birth is linked to higher MD, particularly in post-menopausal women, highlighting the complex relationships between reproductive factors and breast density.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • The study checked how well the BOADICEA model predicts breast cancer risk for people who carry certain gene changes (called pathogenic variants).
  • They looked at information from a group of over 1,600 participants and found that the model worked really well, especially when considering family history and other risk factors.
  • The results can help doctors and patients make better choices about cancer management, and the model can be accessed for free on the CanRisk website.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Objective: To evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of supplemental 3D automated breast ultrasound (ABUS) in the diagnostic work-up of BI-RADS 0 recalls. We hypothesized that 3D ABUS may reduce the benign biopsy rate.

Materials And Methods: In this prospective multicenter diagnostic study, screening participants recalled after a BI-RADS 0 result underwent bilateral 3D ABUS supplemental to usual care: digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT) and targeted hand-held ultrasound (HHUS).

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Objectives: Supplemental MRI screening improves early breast cancer detection and reduces interval cancers in women with extremely dense breasts in a cost-effective way. Recently, the European Society of Breast Imaging recommended offering MRI screening to women with extremely dense breasts, but the debate on whether to implement it in breast cancer screening programs is ongoing. Insight into the participant experience and willingness to re-attend is important for this discussion.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Objectives: Background parenchymal enhancement (BPE) on dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI (DCE-MRI) as rated by radiologists is subject to inter- and intrareader variability. We aim to automate BPE category from DCE-MRI.

Methods: This study represents a secondary analysis of the Dense Tissue and Early Breast Neoplasm Screening trial.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • Total laryngectomy (TL) is a surgery for patients with serious throat cancer, but it can lead to complications like pharyngocutaneous fistula (PCF), which affects recovery.
  • The study is testing if using a special muscle flap (PMMF) during the surgery helps lower PCF rates and improves patient health in people with low muscle mass.
  • Researchers will track 128 patients to see how well PMMF works compared to standard surgery, measuring things like quality of life and how well they can swallow or speak.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • Chemoradiotherapy using a triweekly cisplatin regimen of 100 mg/m² is employed to treat locally advanced head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC), but often leads to dose limiting toxicity (CDLT) that can compromise treatment effectiveness.
  • Patients with low skeletal muscle mass (SMM) face a significantly higher risk of CDLT, prompting the use of routine diagnostic scans to assess SMM.
  • A multicenter randomized clinical trial is exploring whether switching to a weekly cisplatin regimen of 40 mg/m² improves treatment compliance among patients with low SMM by reducing CDLT while allowing for a higher cumulative dose.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: Comparing the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the incidence of newly diagnosed breast tumors and their tumor stage between the Netherlands and Norway will help us understand the effect of differences in governmental and social reactions towards the pandemic.

Methods: Women newly diagnosed with breast cancer in 2017-2021 were selected from the Netherlands Cancer Registry and the Cancer Registry of Norway. The crude breast cancer incidence rate (tumors per 100,000 women) during the first (March-September 2020), second (October 2020-April 2021), and Delta COVID-19 wave (May-December 2021) was compared with the incidence rate in the corresponding periods in 2017, 2018, and 2019.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background Automated identification of quantitative breast parenchymal enhancement features on dynamic contrast-enhanced (DCE) MRI scans could provide added value in assessment of breast cancer risk in women with extremely dense breasts. Purpose To automatically identify quantitative properties of the breast parenchyma on baseline DCE MRI scans and assess their association with breast cancer occurrence in women with extremely dense breasts. Materials and Methods This study represents a secondary analysis of the Dense Tissue and Early Breast Neoplasm Screening trial.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

The Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak impacted health care. We investigated its impact on the time to referral and diagnosis for symptomatic cancer patients in The Netherlands. We performed a national retrospective cohort study utilizing primary care records linked to The Netherlands Cancer Registry.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

(1) Background: Differences in access to biomarker testing and cancer treatment in resource-limited settings may affect the clinical utility of the AJCC8 staging system compared to the anatomical AJCC7 system. (2) Methods: A total of 4151 Malaysian women who were newly diagnosed with breast cancer from 2010 to 2020 were followed-up until December 2021. All patients were staged using the AJCC7 and AJCC8 systems.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

What Is This Summary About?: This is a summary of an article describing the development of risk calculators for use in people who develop a type of melanoma on their skin called "thin" melanoma to predict the likelihood that their cancer will return. The article was originally published in the in 2021.

How Were The Calculators Developed?: Calculations were performed to predict the chance of people with thin melanomas surviving without their melanoma recurring.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: To describe general practitioners (GPs) experiences with the impact COVID-19 on the duration of cancer detection.

Methods: Cross-sectional survey study among Dutch GPs.

Results: Fifty-eight GPs participated.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: Melanomas in the first 2 decades of life are uncommon and poorly understood.

Objective: To assess clinicopathologic features and survival of children (≤11 years) and adolescents (12-19 years) diagnosed with melanoma.

Methods: A pooled cohort of 514 patients was analyzed (397 Dutch, 117 Australian; 62 children, 452 adolescents).

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

In the Netherlands, the onset of the coronavirus pandemic saw shifts in primary health service provision away from physical consultations, cancer-screening programs were temporarily halted, and government messaging focused on remaining at home. In March and April 2020, weekly cancer diagnoses decreased to 73% of their pre-COVID levels, and 39% for skin cancer. This study aims to explore the effect of the COVID pandemic on patient presentations for cancer-related symptoms in primary care in The Netherlands.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Since four decades mammography is used for early breast cancer detection in asymptomatic women and still remains the gold standard imaging modality. However, population screening programs can be personalized and women can be divided into different groups based on risk factors and personal preferences. The availability of new and evolving imaging modalities, for example, digital breast tomosynthesis, dynamic-contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), abbreviated MRI protocols, diffusion-weighted MRI, and contrast-enhanced mammography leads to new challenges and perspectives regarding the feasibility and potential harms of breast cancer screening.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Objectives: Computer-aided triaging (CAT) and computer-aided diagnosis (CAD) of screening breast magnetic resonance imaging have shown potential to reduce the workload of radiologists in the context of dismissing normal breast scans and dismissing benign disease in women with extremely dense breasts. The aim of this study was to validate the potential of integrating CAT and CAD to reduce workload and workup on benign lesions in the second screening round of the DENSE trial, without missing cancer.

Methods: We included 2901 breast magnetic resonance imaging scans, obtained from 8 hospitals in the Netherlands.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

High mammographic density (MD) is associated with an increased risk of breast cancer, however the underlying mechanisms are largely unknown. This research aimed to identify microRNAs (miRNAs) that play a role in the development of extremely dense breast tissue. In the discovery phase, 754 human mature miRNAs were profiled in 21 extremely high MD- and 20 very low MD-derived nipple aspirate fluid (NAF) samples from healthy women.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: Higher age-specific circulating anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) levels have been linked to a lower risk of cardiometabolic outcomes. However, whether AMH has a casual role in the etiology of these diseases is unknown. The objective of this study was therefore to explore if circulating AMH levels have a causal effect on risk of coronary artery disease (CAD), ischemic stroke and type 2 diabetes (T2D) in women, using a two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) approach.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: Early age at menarche and tall stature are associated with increased breast cancer risk. We examined whether these associations were also positively associated with mammographic density, a strong marker of breast cancer risk.

Methods: Participants were 10,681 breast-cancer-free women from 22 countries in the International Consortium of Mammographic Density, each with centrally assessed mammographic density and a common set of epidemiologic data.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Context: Recent research suggests that higher circulating anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) levels are associated with less frequent occurrence of (subclinical) cardiovascular disease (CVD) in women, but evidence in men is limited.

Objective: We investigated whether circulating AMH levels are associated with measures of subclinical CVD in middle-aged and older men.

Design: Prospective cohort study with a median follow-up time of 8.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: Recurrences remain an important problem in laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma. Little has been described about histological characteristics of the primary laryngeal tumor that may be associated with recurrences. Identifying risk factors for recurrences might help in adapting treatment or follow-up.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Study Question: Can additional genetic variants for circulating anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) levels be identified through a genome-wide association study (GWAS) meta-analysis including a large sample of premenopausal women?

Summary Answer: We identified four loci associated with AMH levels at P < 5 × 10-8: the previously reported MCM8 locus and three novel signals in or near AMH, TEX41 and CDCA7.

What Is Known Already: AMH is expressed by antral stage ovarian follicles in women, and variation in age-specific circulating AMH levels has been associated with disease outcomes. However, the physiological mechanisms underlying these AMH-disease associations are largely unknown.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF