Physical activity at diagnosis is associated with tumor downstaging after neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy in patients with rectal cancer.

Background: Patients with rectal cancer are often treated with neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy, followed by a waiting period and surgical resection. Good or complete response to neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy might enable organ preservation, which highlights the need to increase response rates. Pre-clinical studies suggest that physical activity during neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy may improve tumor downstaging.

Analysis of re-recurrent rectal cancer after curative treatment of locally recurrent rectal cancer.

Purpose: Substantiating data guiding clinical decision making in locally recurrent rectal cancer (LRRC) is lacking, specifically in target volume (TV) definition for chemoradiotherapy (CRT). A case-by-case review of local re-recurrences (re-LRRC) after multimodal treatment for LRRC was performed, to determine location of re-LRRC and assess whether treatment could have been improved.

Methods: All patients treated with curative intent for LRRC at the Catharina Hospital Eindhoven from October 2016 onwards, in whom complete imaging of (re-)LRRC and radiotherapy was available, were retrieved.

Post-operative complications following dose adaptation of intra-operative electron beam radiation therapy in locally advanced or recurrent rectal cancer.

Purpose: The benefit of intra-operative radiotherapy (IORT) in the treatment of locally advanced rectal cancer (LARC) or locally recurrent rectal cancer (LRRC) lie in its ability to provide high-dose of radiation to limited at-risk volume, thereby eliminating microscopic disease and decreasing toxicity. A comparative study between high-dose-rate (HDR) brachytherapy, named intra-operative brachytherapy (IOBT), and intra-operative electron radiotherapy (IOERT) was performed showing favorable LRFS after IOBT, possibly due to a higher surface dose that is inherent in IOBT technique. The IOERT technique in Catharina Hospital Eindhoven was adapted to increase the surface dose, aiming to improve local control.

Effects of a perioperative educational pathway on ostomy self-care, level of independence and need for visiting nurse services: a comparative observational cohort study.

Aim: Most new ostomy patients are not able to manage ostomy self-care when they are discharged and rely on visiting nurse services for ostomy care. The aim of this study was to determine if a perioperative ostomy educational pathway increases the level of independence and decreases the need for visiting nurse services in new ostomy patients.

Method: A prospective longitudinal study was conducted between July 2018 and February 2020.