Interleukin-6 in relation to early recurrence in primary, localized soft tissue sarcoma: An addition for existing risk classification systems?

Background: Several inflammatory markers have gained interest as prognostic factors for cancer. The aim of this study is to evaluate the inflammatory markers interleukin-6 (IL-6), C-reactive protein (CRP), neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) as predictive markers for aggressive behavior and early recurrences in primary, localized soft tissue sarcoma (STS).

Methods: 115 STS patients were retrospectively reviewed.

IMPemBra: a phase 2 study comparing pembrolizumab with intermittent/short-term dual MAPK pathway inhibition plus pembrolizumab in patients with melanoma harboring the BRAFV600 mutation.

Background: Continuous combination of MAPK pathway inhibition (MAPKi) and anti-programmed death-(ligand) 1 (PD-(L)1) showed high response rates, but only limited improvement in progression-free survival (PFS) at the cost of a high frequency of treatment-related adverse events (TRAE) in patients with BRAF-mutated melanoma. Short-term MAPKi induces T-cell infiltration in patients and is synergistic with anti-programmed death-1 (PD-1) in a preclinical melanoma mouse model. The aim of this phase 2b trial was to identify an optimal regimen of short-term MAPKi with dabrafenib plus trametinib in combination with pembrolizumab.

Accurate staging of non-metastatic colon cancer with CT: the importance of training and practice for experienced radiologists and analysis of incorrectly staged cases.

Purpose: To investigate whether locoregional staging of colon cancer by experienced radiologists can be improved by training and feedback to minimize the risk of over-staging into the context of patient selection for neoadjuvant therapy and to identify potential pitfalls of CT staging by characterizing pathologic traits of tumors that remain challenging for radiologists.

Methods: Forty-five cases of stage I-III colon cancer were included in this retrospective study. Five experienced radiologists evaluated the CTs; 5 baseline scans followed by 4 sequential batches of 10 scans.

CT-based radiomics to distinguish progressive from stable neuroendocrine liver metastases treated with somatostatin analogues: an explorative study.

Background: Accurate response evaluation in patients with neuroendocrine liver metastases (NELM) remains a challenge. Radiomics has shown promising results regarding response assessment.

Purpose: To differentiate progressive (PD) from stable disease (SD) with radiomics in patients with NELM undergoing somatostatin analogue (SSA) treatment.

Defining disease status in gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine tumors: Choi-criteria or RECIST?

Purpose: Adequate monitoring of changes in tumor load is fundamental for the assessment of the course of disease and response to treatment. There is an ongoing debate on the utility of RECIST v1.1 in gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (GEP-NETs).

Magnetic resonance assessment of sinusoidal obstruction syndrome after neoadjuvant chemotherapy for colorectal liver metastases is not reproducible.

Background: Sinusoidal obstruction syndrome (SOS) due to chemotherapy can cause severe hepatotoxicity, leading to impaired outcome in patients with colorectal cancer. A previous study introduced gadoxetic acid-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (Gd-EOB-MRI) to diagnose SOS.

Purpose: To assess the reproducibility of Gd-EOB-MRI-based SOS diagnosis and its relationship with response to chemotherapy and long-term outcome.

Blood Molecular Genomic Analysis Predicts the Disease Course of Gastroenteropancreatic Neuroendocrine Tumor Patients: A Validation Study of the Predictive Value of the NETest®.

Reliable prediction of disease status is a major challenge in managing gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (GEP-NETs). The aim of the study was to validate the NETest®, a blood molecular genomic analysis, for predicting the course of disease in individual patients compared to chromogranin A (CgA). NETest® score (normal ≤20%) and CgA level (normal <100 µg/L) were measured in 152 GEP-NETs.

High versus low dose Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy for hepatic metastases.

Introduction: Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy (SBRT) is a treatment option for patients with liver metastases. This study evaluated the impact of high versus low dose image-guided SBRT of hepatic metastases.

Methods And Materials: This is a single-center retrospective study of patients with liver metastases treated with SBRT.

Clinical characteristics and treatment outcome in a large multicentre observational cohort of PDGFRA exon 18 mutated gastrointestinal stromal tumour patients.

Purpose: Patients, platelet-derived growth factor receptor alpha (PDGFRA) D842V-mutated gastrointestinal stromal tumours (GISTs) are known for their insensitivity to imatinib. However, in clinical practice responses have been observed in some patients. We describe the natural history and treatment outcomes in a cohort of PDGFRA exon 18 mutated GIST patients.

Long-term patient satisfaction after percutaneous treatment of peripheral vascular malformations.

Purpose: To determine long-term patient satisfaction for percutaneous treatment by using sclerosing agents (sclerotherapy) and/or arterial embolization for peripherally located vascular malformations (VMs). This treatment has been described as successful; however, there is a relative paucity of published long-term results.

Materials And Methods: This retrospective study was institutional review board approved; 107 patients treated for symptomatic VM were evaluated.

Differentiating normal myelination from hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy on T1-weighted MR Images: a new approach.

Background And Purpose: Hypoxic-ischemic cerebral changes can be difficult to distinguish from normal myelination on T1-weighted images. We hypothesized that comparing signal intensity (SI) of brain structures on T1-weighted images enables differentiation of myelination from hypoxic-ischemic brain damage.

Materials And Methods: T1-weighted images, obtained in 57 infants aged 1-104 days and born after a gestational age of 35 weeks or older, were retrospectively evaluated.