Multianalyte Prognostic Signature Including Circulating Tumor DNA and Circulating Tumor Cells in Patients With Advanced Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma.

Purpose: Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is associated with a poor prognosis. Multianalyte signatures, including liquid biopsy and traditional clinical variables, have shown promise for improving prognostication in other solid tumors but have not yet been rigorously assessed for PDAC.

Materials And Methods: We performed a prospective cohort study of patients with newly diagnosed locally advanced pancreatic cancer (LAPC) or metastatic PDAC (mPDAC) who were planned to undergo systemic therapy.

Predictive risk-score model for selection of patients with high-risk stage II colon cancer for adjuvant systemic therapy.

Background: Adjuvant systemic therapy is selectively considered for high-risk stage II colon cancer, but which patients benefit most from adjuvant systemic therapy is unclear.

Methods: Patients who underwent resection of stage II colon cancer were identified from the National Cancer Database (2010-2016). Risk-factors for decreased overall survival on multivariable analysis were used to establish a predictive risk-score model for all-cause mortality.

ctDNA Clearance and Radiographic Resolution of Disease in Response to Dual Checkpoint Inhibition in Metastatic Microsatellite Stable Colorectal Cancer with a High Tumor Mutation Burden.

Immunotherapy (IO) has increasingly been demonstrated to provide therapeutic benefit to patients with metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC). However, only a subset of mCRC tumors respond to IO. Monitoring response with tumor biomarkers like carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) has been challenging in patients with microsatellite stable (MSS) mCRC due to low expression of CEA (CEA/lo).

Randomized, Phase II Study Prospectively Evaluating Treatment of Metastatic Esophageal, Gastric, or Gastroesophageal Cancer by Gene Expression of : SWOG S1201.

Purpose: Platinum-based therapy is the standard of care in patients who have HER2-negative, advanced esophagogastric cancer (AEGC). Retrospective data suggest that intratumoral levels may determine platinum sensitivity. A randomized, phase II study was performed in patients with AEGC to explore whether the efficacy of a platinum-based therapy with fluorouracil, leucovorin, and oxaliplatin (FOLFOX) versus a non-platinum-containing regimen of irinotecan and docetaxel (IT) differed according to levels.

Efficacy of Oral Cryotherapy During Oxaliplatin Infusion in Preventing Oral Thermal Hyperalgesia: A Randomized Trial.

Background: Chemotherapy-induced oral thermal hyperalgesia (OTH) is a common and debilitating side effect of platinum-based anticancer agents. This study evaluated the efficacy of oral cryotherapy in preventing OTH during oxaliplatin chemotherapy infusion.

Methods: Patients with gastrointestinal cancer treated with biweekly oxaliplatin (85 mg/m2 over 120 minutes) at Abramson Cancer Center at the University of Pennsylvania were randomized to receive oral cryotherapy (ice chips) during oxaliplatin infusion or standard-of-care treatment.

Effect of Adding Motolimod to Standard Combination Chemotherapy and Cetuximab Treatment of Patients With Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Head and Neck: The Active8 Randomized Clinical Trial.

Importance: Immunotherapy for recurrent and/or metastatic (R/M) squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (SCCHN) is promising. The toll-like receptor 8 (TLR8) agonist motolimod may stimulate innate and adaptive immunity.

Objective: To determine whether motolimod improves outcomes for R/M SCCHN when combined with standard therapy.

Phase II study of carboplatin, pemetrexed, and bevacizumab in advanced nonsquamous non-small-cell lung cancer.

Lung cancer remains the leading cause of cancer death throughout the world. Despite new chemotherapeutic, immunomodulating and molecularly targeted agents, patients with locally advanced or metastatic disease still have a poor prognosis. This trial looked to combine antiangiogenic therapy with a first-line cytotoxic chemotherapy doublet, hoping to extend median progression-free survival (PFS) while minimizing toxicity in patients with advanced nonsquamous non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

Combination of post-operative radiotherapy and cetuximab for high-risk cutaneous squamous cell cancer of the head and neck: A propensity score analysis.

Objectives: The objective of this study was to investigate the safety, tolerability and preliminary efficacy of radiotherapy plus cetuximab in high risk CSCC patients.

Materials And Methods: Patients with high-risk CSCC diagnosed between 2006 and 2013 were analyzed. Patients were divided into two groups: radiotherapy alone versus radiotherapy plus cetuximab.

Therapy of Small Cell Lung Cancer (SCLC) with a Topoisomerase-I-inhibiting Antibody-Drug Conjugate (ADC) Targeting Trop-2, Sacituzumab Govitecan.

We evaluated a Trop-2-targeting antibody conjugated with SN-38 in metastatic small cell lung cancer (mSCLC) patients. Sacituzumab govitecan was studied in patients with pretreated (median, 2; range, 1-7) mSCLC who received either 8 or 10 mg/kg i.v.

Freedom from local and regional failure of contralateral neck with ipsilateral neck radiotherapy for node-positive tonsil cancer: updated results of an institutional clinical management approach.

Purpose: To update the outcomes of an institutional clinical management approach using ipsilateral neck radiotherapy in the treatment of node-positive squamous cell carcinoma of the tonsil with a well-lateralized primary lesion.

Methods And Materials: Between August 2003 and April 2014, 61 consecutive patients with ipsilateral node-positive squamous cell carcinoma of the tonsil without involvement of the base of the tongue or midline soft palate were treated at a community hospital-based cancer center with radiotherapy to the primary site and ipsilateral neck. Overall survival, disease-free survival and freedom from contralateral failure were calculated.

Comparison of doxorubicin and cyclophosphamide versus single-agent paclitaxel as adjuvant therapy for breast cancer in women with 0 to 3 positive axillary nodes: CALGB 40101 (Alliance).

Purpose: Optimal adjuvant chemotherapy for early-stage breast cancer balances efficacy and toxicity. We sought to determine whether single-agent paclitaxel (T) was inferior to doxorubicin and cyclophosphamide (AC), when each was administered for four or six cycles of therapy, and whether it offered less toxicity.

Patients And Methods: Patients with operable breast cancer with 0 to 3 positive nodes were enrolled onto the study to address the noninferiority of single-agent T to AC, defined as the one-sided 95% upper-bound CI (UCB) of hazard ratio (HR) of T versus AC less than 1.

Six cycles of doxorubicin and cyclophosphamide or Paclitaxel are not superior to four cycles as adjuvant chemotherapy for breast cancer in women with zero to three positive axillary nodes: Cancer and Leukemia Group B 40101.

Purpose: The ideal duration of adjuvant chemotherapy for patients with lower risk primary breast cancer is not known. Cancer and Leukemia Group B trial 40101 was conducted using a phase III factorial design to define whether six cycles of a chemotherapy regimen are superior to four cycles. We also sought to determine whether paclitaxel (T) is as efficacious as doxorubicin/cyclophosphamide (AC), but with reduced toxicity.

Head and neck carcinoma in the United States: first comprehensive report of the Longitudinal Oncology Registry of Head and Neck Carcinoma (LORHAN).

Background: Detailed information about how patients with head and neck carcinoma (HNC) are treated across practice settings does not exist. The authors conducted a prospective, observational study to examine the patterns of care for a series of patients with newly diagnosed HNC in the United States and to test 2 hypotheses: 1) There is no difference in the pattern of care between community and academic settings; and 2) the results of major randomized clinical trials will change the pattern of care in both practice settings within 1 year of publication in peer-reviewed journals.

Methods: Patients aged ≥ 18 years were enrolled in the Longitudinal Oncology Registry of Head and Neck Carcinoma (LORHAN) after providing written informed consent if they had a confirmed diagnosis of new HNC and were scheduled to receive treatment other than surgery alone.

Palifermin reduces severe mucositis in definitive chemoradiotherapy of locally advanced head and neck cancer: a randomized, placebo-controlled study.

Purpose: Oral mucositis (OM) is a debilitating toxicity of chemoradiotherapy for head and neck cancer (HNC). This randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind study evaluated the efficacy and safety of palifermin to reduce OM associated with definitive chemoradiotherapy for locally advanced HNC.

Patients And Methods: Patients receiving conventionally fractionated radiotherapy (2.

A phase II study of oral enzastaurin in patients with metastatic breast cancer previously treated with an anthracycline and a taxane containing regimen.

Purpose: Enzastaurin is a potent, serine-threonine kinase inhibitor which selectively targets PKCβ and PI3K/AKT signaling pathways to reduce cell proliferation, induce apoptosis, and inhibit angiogenesis. As PKCbeta and PI3K/AKT signaling are both involved in breast cancer pathogenesis, this phase II study evaluated the efficacy and toxicity of enzastaurin in previously treated patients with metastatic breast cancer (MBC).

Patients And Methods: Eligible patients had histologically confirmed MBC with measurable disease, and must have received prior anthracycline and taxane chemotherapy, but not more than two prior regimens for MBC.

Dual inhibition of the epidermal growth factor receptor pathway with cetuximab and erlotinib: a phase I study in patients with advanced solid malignancies.

Purpose: To determine the optimal dose of the antiepidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) monoclonal antibody cetuximab that can be safely administered in combination with a standard daily dose of erlotinib in patients with advanced solid malignancies.

Patients And Methods: Patients with advanced solid malignancies who had failed standard chemotherapies received escalating doses of cetuximab without a loading dose (100, 200, 250 mg/m(2) i.v.

Postoperative management of thyroid carcinoma.

Survival from differentiated thyroid carcinoma is generally good, but postoperative management plays an important role in minimizing the likelihood of disease recurrence. Postoperative management is generally performed by endocrinologists and nuclear medicine physicians, who exploit thyroid cells' inherent iodineavidity and sensitivity to hormonal manipulation in a unique cancer management paradigm. Endocrinologists manage thyroid hormone replacement/thyroid stimulating hormone suppression and coordinate surveillance.

Coculture with prostate cancer cells alters endoglin expression and attenuates transforming growth factor-beta signaling in reactive bone marrow stromal cells.

A dynamic interplay between prostate cancer cells and reactive bone stroma modulates growth of metastases within bone. We used microarray analysis to screen for changes in gene expression in bone marrow stromal cells cocultured with prostate cancer cells and found reduced expression of endoglin, a transmembrane glycoprotein that functions as an auxiliary coreceptor for members of the transforming growth factor beta (TGF-beta) family of cytokines. The downstream TGF-beta/bone morphogenetic protein signaling pathway including Smad1 and Smad2/3 also was attenuated, as was Smad-dependent gene transcription.

A dose-escalation study of weekly topotecan, cisplatin, and gemcitabine front-line therapy in patients with inoperable non-small cell lung cancer.

Purpose: To determine the optimal dose of combination topotecan, cisplatin, and gemcitabine in advanced non-small cell lung cancer patients.

Materials And Methods: This single-center, single-practice, phase I trial enrolled chemotherapy-naïve patients with inoperable stage IIIB/IV disease. Initial treatment was topotecan (0.