The SaVe project - Sarcopenia and Vertigo in aging patients with colorectal cancer: A study protocol for three randomized controlled trials.

Introduction: Older patients with cancer range from fit to frail with various comorbidities and resilience to chemotherapy. Besides nausea and fatigue, a significant number of patients experience dizziness and impaired walking balance after chemotherapy, which can have great impact on their functional ability and health related quality of life. Symptoms are easily overlooked and therefore often underreported and managed, which is why symptoms could end up as long-lasting side effects.

The circulating soluble form of the CD40 costimulatory immune checkpoint receptor and liver metastasis risk in rectal cancer.

Background: In colorectal cancer, the inflamed tumour microenvironment with its angiogenic activities is immune- tolerant and incites progression to liver metastasis. We hypothesised that angiogenic and inflammatory factors in serum samples from patients with non-metastatic rectal cancer could inform on liver metastasis risk.

Methods: We measured 84 angiogenic and inflammatory markers in serum sampled at the time of diagnosis within the population-based cohort of 122 stage I-III patients.

Sex-related differences in primary metastatic site in rectal cancer; associated with hemodynamic factors?

Background And Purpose: We investigated how features relating to pelvic cavity anatomy and tumor hemodynamic factors may influence systemic failure in rectal cancer.

Materials And Methods: Rectal cancer patients (207 women, 343 men), who had been prospectively enrolled onto six cohorts and given curative-intent therapy, were analyzed for the first metastatic event. In one of the cohorts, the diameter of the inferior mesenteric vein (IMV) was assessed on diagnostic abdominal computed tomography images (n = 113).

Cell-free DNA and preoperative chemoradiotherapy for rectal cancer: a systematic review.

Background: Preoperative chemoradiotherapy is the standard of care for patients with locally advanced rectal cancer, yet valid circulating biomarkers are lacking. We aimed at systematically reviewing the literature of cell-free DNA and locally advanced rectal cancer.

Methods: A systematic literature search was performed.

Systemic immune response induced by oxaliplatin-based neoadjuvant therapy favours survival without metastatic progression in high-risk rectal cancer.

Background: Systemic failure remains a challenge in rectal cancer. We investigated the possible systemic anti-tumour immune activity invoked within oxaliplatin-based neoadjuvant therapy.

Methods: In two high-risk patient cohorts, we assessed the circulating levels of the fms-like tyrosine kinase 3 ligand (Flt3L), a factor reflecting both therapy-induced myelosuppression and activation of tumour antigen-presenting dendritic cells, at baseline and following induction chemotherapy and sequential chemoradiotherapy, both modalities containing oxaliplatin.

Circulating microRNAs as Prognostic and Predictive Biomarkers in Patients with Colorectal Cancer.

MiRNAs are suggested as promising cancer biomarkers. They are stable and extractable from a variety of clinical tissue specimens (fresh frozen or formalin fixed paraffin embedded tissue) and a variety of body fluids (e.g.

CT versus FDG-PET/CT response evaluation in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer treated with irinotecan and cetuximab.

We compared morphologic computed tomography (CT)-based to metabolic fluoro-deoxy-glucose (FDG) positron emission tomography (PET)/CT-based response evaluation in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer and correlated the findings with survival and KRAS status. From 2006 to 2009, patients were included in a phase II trial and treated with cetuximab and irinotecan every second week. They underwent FDG-PET/CT examination at baseline and after every fourth treatment cycle.