Correction: Developing a Raman spectroscopy-based tool to stratify patient response to pre-operative radiotherapy in rectal cancer.

Correction for 'Developing a Raman spectroscopy-based tool to stratify patient response to pre-operative radiotherapy in rectal cancer' by Chloe J. Kirkby et al., Analyst, 2021, 146, 581-589, DOI: .

Differential and longitudinal immune gene patterns associated with reprogrammed microenvironment and viral mimicry in response to neoadjuvant radiotherapy in rectal cancer.

Background: Rectal cancers show a highly varied response to neoadjuvant radiotherapy/chemoradiation (RT/CRT) and the impact of the tumor immune microenvironment on this response is poorly understood. Current clinical tumor regression grading systems attempt to measure radiotherapy response but are subject to interobserver variation. An unbiased and unique histopathological quantification method (change in tumor cell density (ΔTCD)) may improve classification of RT/CRT response.

Developing a Raman spectroscopy-based tool to stratify patient response to pre-operative radiotherapy in rectal cancer.

Rectal cancer patients frequently receive pre-operative radiotherapy (RT), prior to surgical resection. However, colorectal cancer is heterogeneous and the degree of tumour response to pre-operative RT is highly variable. There are currently no clinically approved methods of predicting response to RT, and a significant proportion of patients will show no clinical benefit, despite enduring the side-effects.

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.

Intratumoral stromal morphometry predicts disease recurrence but not response to 5-fluorouracil-results from the QUASAR trial of colorectal cancer.

Aims: The biological importance of tumour-associated stroma is becoming increasingly apparent, but its clinical utility remains ill-defined. For stage II/Dukes B colorectal cancer (CRC), clinical biomarkers are urgently required to direct therapeutic options. We report here prognostic/predictive analyses, and molecular associations, of stromal morphometric quantification in the Quick and Simple and Reliable (QUASAR) trial of CRC.

Comparing mutation calls in fixed tumour samples between the affymetrix OncoScan® array and PCR based next-generation sequencing.

Background: The importance of accurate and affordable mutation calling in fixed pathology samples is becoming increasingly important as we move into the era of personalised medicine. The Affymetrix OncoScan® Array platform is designed to produce actionable mutation calls in archival material.

Methods: We compared calls made using the OncoScan platform with calls made using a custom designed PCR panel followed by next-generation sequencing (NGS), in order to benchmark the sensitivity and specificity of the OncoScan calls in a large cohort of fixed tumour samples.

Cross-laboratory validation of the OncoScan® FFPE Assay, a multiplex tool for whole genome tumour profiling.

Background: Adoption of new technology in both basic research and clinical settings requires rigorous validation of analytical performance. The OncoScan® FFPE Assay is a multiplexing tool that offers genome-wide copy number and loss of heterozygosity detection, as well as identification of frequently tested somatic mutations.

Methods: In this study, 162 formalin fixed paraffin embedded samples, representing six different tumour types, were profiled in triplicate across three independent laboratories.

The correlation between endoscopic and histopathological measurements in colorectal polyps.

Aims: Colorectal adenomas measuring 10 mm or more are at increased neoplastic risk and therefore undergo more rigorous follow-up. Currently there is no standardized method of assessing polyp size. We aimed to examine the correlation between endoscopic and histopathological measurements to determine the most appropriate method for clinical use.

Ancient voyaging and Polynesian origins.

The "Polynesian motif" defines a lineage of human mtDNA that is restricted to Austronesian-speaking populations and is almost fixed in Polynesians. It is widely thought to support a rapid dispersal of maternal lineages from Taiwan ~4000 years ago (4 ka), but the chronological resolution of existing control-region data is poor, and an East Indonesian origin has also been proposed. By analyzing 157 complete mtDNA genomes, we show that the motif itself most likely originated >6 ka in the vicinity of the Bismarck Archipelago, and its immediate ancestor is >8 ka old and virtually restricted to Near Oceania.