Surgical, Radiation, and Systemic Treatments of Patients With Thymic Epithelial Tumors: A Systematic Review.

Introduction: Thymic epithelial tumors are rare and are classified as thymoma, thymic carcinoma, and thymic neuroendocrine tumors. The objective of this systematic review was to evaluate the treatment options for patients with thymic epithelial tumors.

Methods: This systematic review was developed by Ontario Health (Cancer Care Ontario)'s Program in Evidence-Based Care and by the Lung Cancer Disease Site Group.

Surgical, Radiation, and Systemic Treatments of Patients With Thymic Epithelial Tumors: A Clinical Practice Guideline.

Introduction: The aim of this guideline was to provide recommendations for the most effective therapy for patients with thymic epithelial tumors, including thymoma, thymic carcinoma, and thymic neuroendocrine tumors (NETs). This guideline is intended to be used by all health care professionals managing patients with thymic epithelial tumors.

Methods: The guideline was developed by Ontario Health (Cancer Care Ontario)'s Program in Evidence-Based Care and by the Lung Cancer Disease Site Group through a systematic review of the evidence, expert consensus, and formal internal and external reviews.

Clinical Practice Guidelines: Tools to Support High Quality Patient Care.

Clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) are systematically-developed statements aimed to assist decision-making relevant to the clinical encounter, to inform clinical policy, and to strengthen health care systems. The development of a CPG begins with the identification of a problem for which evidence-informed guidance is required. Interdisciplinary panels work to craft - and then execute - a protocol that will serve as a blueprint for the development process.

Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors for Patients With Advanced Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer: A Systematic Review.

Second-line treatment options are limited for patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Standard therapy includes the cytotoxic agents docetaxel and pemetrexed, and the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) tyrosine kinase inhibitors erlotinib and gefitinib. Immune checkpoint inhibitors are a new class of treatment that have shown durable overall radiologic response rates and have been well tolerated.

Radiotherapy With Curative Intent in Patients With Early-stage, Medically Inoperable, Non-Small-cell Lung Cancer: A Systematic Review.

Patients with early-stage non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) who are unable to undergo surgery can be offered radiation therapy (RT). Previously, conventional RT was offered; however, newer techniques such as stereotactic body RT (SBRT) have become available. The objective of the present systematic review was to investigate the effectiveness of RT with curative intent in patients with early-stage medically inoperable NSCLC.

Colorectal Cancer Screening in Average Risk Populations: Evidence Summary.

Introduction. The objectives of this systematic review were to evaluate the evidence for different CRC screening tests and to determine the most appropriate ages of initiation and cessation for CRC screening and the most appropriate screening intervals for selected CRC screening tests in people at average risk for CRC. Methods.

The Use of Systemic Treatment in the Maintenance of Patients with Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer: A Systematic Review.

Introduction: Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is often diagnosed at later stages when treatment options are limited. Maintenance therapy may prolong the time to disease progression and potentially increase overall survival. Secondarily, it may increase the proportion of patients eligible for second-line therapy at the time of progression.

Systematic review of clinical features of suspected prostate cancer in primary care.

Objective: To systematically review the literature and provide an update and integration of existing peer-reviewed guidelines with recent systematic reviews and with primary studies related to the early recognition and management of prostate cancer in primary care.

Data Sources: We searched MEDLINE and EMBASE for relevant articles. The quality of the evidence to support existing guideline recommendations and the consistency of recommendations with updated evidence were assessed.

Guideline for referral of patients with suspected prostate cancer by family physicians and other primary care providers.

Objective: The aim of this guideline is to assist FPs and other primary care providers with recognizing features that should raise their suspicion about the presence of prostate cancer in their patients.

Composition Of The Committee: Committee members were selected from among the regional primary care leads from the Cancer Care Ontario Provincial Primary Care and Cancer Network and from among the members of the Cancer Care Ontario Genitourinary Cancer Disease Site Group.

Methods: This guideline was developed through systematic review of the evidence base, synthesis of the evidence, and formal external review involving Canadian stakeholders to validate the relevance of recommendations.

Sentinel lymph node biopsy in vulvar cancer: Systematic review, meta-analysis and guideline recommendations.

Objectives: Traditionally, treatment for early stage vulvar cancer has included removal of the primary tumor and inguinofemoral lymph node dissection (IFLD). Sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) has been proposed as an alternative to IFLD for early stage vulvar cancer patients. The aim of this project was to systematically review and assess the potential for harms and benefits with the SLNB procedure in order to make recommendations regarding the adoption of the procedure, selection of patients and appropriate technique and procedures.

Systematic review of clinical features of suspected colorectal cancer in primary care.

Objective: To systematically review the diagnostic accuracy of clinical features associated with colorectal cancer (CRC) presenting in primary care.

Data Sources: MEDLINE and EMBASE were searched for studies in primary care that provided information on clinical features predictive of CRC. Positive predictive values were used to guide the determination of clinical features associated with increased risk of CRC.

Systematic review of guidelines for the management of suspected lung cancer in primary care.

Objective: To systematically review the literature and provide an update and integration of existing peer-reviewed guidelines with recent systematic reviews and with primary studies related to the early recognition and management of lung cancer in primary care.

Data Sources: MEDLINE and EMBASE were searched for relevant articles. The quality of the evidence to support existing guideline recommendations, and the consistency of recommendations with updated evidence, were assessed.

Guideline for referral of patients with suspected colorectal cancer by family physicians and other primary care providers.

Objective: The aim of this guideline is to assist FPs and other primary care providers with recognizing features that should raise their suspicions about the presence of colorectal cancer (CRC) in their patients.

Composition Of The Committee: Committee members were selected from among the regional primary care leads from the Cancer Care Ontario Provincial Primary Care and Cancer Network, the members of the Ontario Colorectal Cancer Screening Advisory Committee, and the members of the Cancer Care Ontario Gastrointestinal Cancer Disease Site Group.

Methods: This guideline was developed through systematic review of the evidence base, synthesis of the evidence, and formal external review involving Canadian stakeholders to validate the relevance of recommendations.

Guideline for referral of patients with suspected lung cancer by family physicians and other primary care providers.

Objective: The aim of this guideline is to assist FPs and other primary care providers with recognizing features that should raise their suspicions about the presence of lung cancer in their patients.

Composition Of The Committee: Committee members were selected from among the regional primary care leads from the Cancer Care Ontario Provincial Primary Care and Cancer Network and from among the members of the Cancer Care Ontario Lung Cancer Disease Site Group.

Methods: This guideline was developed through systematic review of the evidence base, synthesis of the evidence, and formal external review involving Canadian stakeholders to validate the relevance of recommendations.

Systematic review on hormone receptor testing in breast cancer.

Assessment of hormone receptors (estrogen and progesterone) helps to direct therapy for women with breast cancer. Immunohistochemistry is most commonly used to assess hormone receptor status and it is essential that these tests are performed accurately and reliably within and across laboratories. The overall purpose of this guideline is to improve the quality and accuracy of hormone receptor testing and its utility as a prognostic and predictive marker for invasive and in situ breast cancer.

Anthropometry and body composition do not predict bioavailable androgen or progesterone concentration in adolescent girls.

Our objective was to test the hypothesis that anthropometry and body composition were independently associated with sex-steroid concentration in adolescent girls. Premenarcheal (age, mean +/- SD = 10.9 +/- 0.

Ontogeny of the transition from killer to caregiver in dwarf hamsters (Phodopus campbelli) with biparental care.

Biparental Phodopus campbelli and uniparental P. sungorus juvenile litters (2 males, 2 females) both consumed amniotic fluid and placenta during the birth of younger siblings. Three days later, P.

Dopamine agonist treatment before and after the birth reduces prolactin concentration but does not impair paternal responsiveness in Djungarian hamsters, Phodopus campbelli.

Male Djungarian hamsters, Phodopus campbelli, are highly parental and experience a late-afternoon prolactin surge before the birth that is not seen in a closely related species, P. sungorus, which lacks paternal care. At the same stage, female prolactin is needed for later maternal behavior.

Neonatal anesthesia for studies of hamster parental behavior when infanticidal aggression is a possibility.

Experiments involving investigation of the neuroendocrine basis for paternal care in rodents risk activation of aggressive behavior toward pups. To minimize pain and suffering during tests of parental responsiveness requiring retrieval of a displaced pup to its nest, a method of anesthetizing the pup was developed in Djungarian hamsters, Phodopus campbelli. A surgical plane of anesthesia, as measured by criteria, such as respiratory depression, loss of the pedal reflex, and failure to increase respiratory rate or to vocalize in response to handling, was achieved by use of intraperitoneal administration of a combination of ketamine and xylazine.