Smartphone application versus written material for smoking reduction and cessation in individuals undergoing low-dose computed tomography (LDCT) screening for lung cancer: a phase II open-label randomised controlled trial.

Background: Counseling, nicotine replacement, and other cessation medications have been proven effective in smoking cessation. The wide-scale adoption of smartphones and other mobile devices has opened new possibilities for scalable and personalized smoking cessation approaches. The study investigated whether a smartphone application would be more effective than written material for smoking cessation and reduction in smoking in individuals undergoing low-dose computed tomography (LDCT) screening for lung cancer (NCT05630950).

ALK Inhibitor and Chemotherapy Combinations in Models of ALK-Translocated NSCLC.

Background/aim: Randomized trials have shown the benefit of combining tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKI) and chemotherapy in the treatment of epidermal growth factor receptor-mutant non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). For anaplastic lymphoma kinase-rearranged (ALK) NSCLC, prospective trial results of the combination are not available and have not even been thoroughly investigated in vitro. In this study, we investigated combinations of TKI and chemotherapy using in vitro models of ALK NSCLC.

Mobocertinib in Patients with EGFR Exon 20 Insertion-Positive Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (MOON): An International Real-World Safety and Efficacy Analysis.

EGFR exon 20 (EGFR Ex20) insertion mutations in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) are insensitive to traditional EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs). Mobocertinib is the only approved TKI specifically designed to target EGFR Ex20. We performed an international, real-world safety and efficacy analysis on patients with EGFR Ex20-positive NSCLC enrolled in a mobocertinib early access program.

Gut microbiome-derived bacterial extracellular vesicles in patients with solid tumours.

Introduction: Gut microbiome-derived nanoparticles, known as bacterial extracellular vesicles (bEVs), have garnered interest as promising tools for studying the link between the gut microbiome and human health. The diverse composition of bEVs, including their proteins, mRNAs, metabolites, and lipids, makes them useful for investigating diseases such as cancer. However, conventional approaches for studying gut microbiome composition alone may not be accurate in deciphering host-gut microbiome communication.

Bexmarilimab-induced macrophage activation leads to treatment benefit in solid tumors: The phase I/II first-in-human MATINS trial.

Macrophage Clever-1 contributes to impaired antigen presentation and suppression of anti-tumor immunity. This first-in-human trial investigates the safety and tolerability of Clever-1 blockade with bexmarilimab in patients with treatment-refractory solid tumors and assesses preliminary anti-tumor efficacy, pharmacodynamics, and immunologic correlates. Bexmarilimab shows no dose-limiting toxicities in part I (n = 30) and no additional safety signals in part II (n = 108).

Treatment outcomes of non-small cell lung cancers treated with EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitors: a real-world cohort study.

Background: Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKI) are a standard of care treatment options in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The present study investigated real-world EGFR TKI use and patient outcomes in NSCLC.

Material And Methods: We collected all the patients who had reimbursement for EGFR TKIs in Finland 2011-2020 and had data available at Finnish Cancer Registry.

Role of human epidermal growth factor receptor 3 in treatment resistance of anaplastic lymphoma kinase translocated non-small cell lung cancer.

Background: ALK tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKI) have revolutionized the treatment of + non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), and therapy resistance occurs in virtually all patients. Multiple TKI resistance mechanisms have been characterized, including ERBB receptor coactivation. In this study, we investigated the role of HER3 in ALK TKI resistance.

Targeting collagen XVIII improves the efficiency of ErbB inhibitors in breast cancer models.

The tumor extracellular matrix (ECM) critically regulates cancer progression and treatment response. Expression of the basement membrane component collagen XVIII (ColXVIII) is induced in solid tumors, but its involvement in tumorigenesis has remained elusive. We show here that ColXVIII was markedly upregulated in human breast cancer (BC) and was closely associated with a poor prognosis in high-grade BCs.

Previous radiotherapy improves treatment responses and causes a trend toward longer time to progression among patients with immune checkpoint inhibitor-related adverse events.

Background: Immune-related adverse events (irAEs) are frequently encountered by patients during immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) treatment and are associated with better treatment outcomes. The sequencing of radiotherapy (RT) and ICIs is widely used in current clinical practice, but its effect on survival has remained unclear.

Methods: In a real-world multicenter study including 521 patients who received ICI treatment for metastatic or locally advanced cancer, RT schedules and timing, irAEs, time to progression, overall survival, and treatment responses were retrospectively reviewed.

Trends in cost of treatment of lung cancer patients in 2014-2019 in Finland - a descriptive register study.

Aim: The aim of this descriptive study is to analyze the cost for the treatment of NSCLC and SCLC patients (2014-2019) in Finland. The primary objective is to understand recent (2014-2019) cost developments.

Methods: The study is retrospective and based on hospital register data.

The prognostic and predictive roles of plasma C-reactive protein and PD-L1 in non-small cell lung cancer.

Background: Anti-PD-(L)1 agents have revolutionized the treatment paradigms of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), while predictive biomarkers are limited. It has been previously shown that systemic inflammation, indicated by elevated C-reactive protein (CRP) level, is associated with a poor prognosis in anti-PD-(L)1 treated. The aim of the study was to analyze the prognostic and predictive value of CRP in addition to traditional prognostic and predictive markers and tumor PD-L1 score.

ePRO symptom follow-up of colorectal cancer patients receiving oxaliplatin-based adjuvant chemotherapy is feasible and enhances the quality of patient care: a prospective multicenter study.

Purpose: Electronic (e) patient-reported outcomes (PROs) have been shown to improve the quality of life and survival in chemotherapy treated advanced cancer patients. We hypothesized that multidimensional ePRO centered approach could improve symptom management, streamline patient flow, and optimize the use of healthcare resources.

Methods: In this multicenter trial (NCT04081558), colorectal cancer (CRC) patients receiving oxaliplatin-based chemotherapy as adjuvant or in the first- or second-line setting in advanced disease were included in the prospective ePRO cohort, while a comparative retrospective cohort was collected from the same institutes.

Circulating tumor DNA is a prognostic biomarker in metastatic melanoma patients treated with chemoimmunotherapy and BRAF inhibitor.

Background: Detectable circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) has been associated with worse prognosis in melanoma patients.

Material And Methods: We studied plasma ctDNA as a prognostic biomarker in 19 patients with metastatic melanoma and a detectable tumor mutation (13 BRAF, 5 NRAS, and 1 KRAS). Patients had received chemotherapy, interferon-alpha, and vemurafenib in a prospective clinical trial.

Osimertinib in non-small cell lung cancer with uncommon -mutations: a subgroup analysis with pooled data from two phase II clinical trials.

Background: Osimertinib is standard of care for -mutated non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients. The efficacy of the drug in patients with mutations other than the common deletion in exon 19 and L858R in exon 21 is largely unknown.

Methods: We identified patients with uncommon -mutations from two prospective clinical phase II, single-arm studies for previously treated patients and untreated patients, respectively, and pooled data for this analysis.

Assessment of chemotherapy-induced neurotoxicity using a point-of-care nerve conduction study device.

Background: Management for chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) includes prompt recognition and dose reduction or discontinuation of the neurotoxic agents. CIPN remains under-detected in routine clinical practice and better methods for its early detection are warranted.

Aims: To evaluate the feasibility of a point-of-care device in the early detection of CIPN.

Association of Rare Immune-Related Adverse Events to Survival in Advanced Cancer Patients Treated with Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors: A Real-World Single-Center Cohort Study.

Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) are associated with immune-related (ir) adverse events (AEs) resembling autoimmune diseases. In this retrospective cohort study of patients (pts) treated with ICIs at Oulu University Hospital from 2014-2020, we analysed the spectrum of severe irAEs and their prognostic nature, focusing on rare irAEs. Pts ( = 173) with lung cancer ( = 76, 43.

Trends in treatment of non-small cell lung cancer in Finland 2014-2019.

Introduction: Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is a leading cause of cancer mortality in the Western world. However, emerging treatment options and more patients directed to active treatments might improve the outcomes. Here, we retrospectively studied the patient characteristics and treatment practices for NSCLC in Finland 2014-2019 with a special focus on changes in trends over time.

Immune cell profiles of metastatic HER2-positive breast cancer patients according to the sites of metastasis.

Purpose: Recent works have characterized that metastatic site can affect the tumour immune profiles and efficiency of cancer immunotherapies. The prognosis of HER2-positive breast cancer is associated with the characteristics of the tumour immune microenvironment, with immunological cells playing a central role in efficiency of HER2-targeted antibodies. Here we investigated the prognostic significance of different metastatic sites and their correlation to tumour immune profiles in HER2-positive breast cancer treated with trastuzumab.

Intracranial effect of osimertinib in relapsed -mutated T790M-positive and -negative non-small cell lung cancer patients: results from a phase II study.

Introduction: Osimertinib is effective for relapsed T790M-positive patients with brain metastases. The high brain permeability suggests that also such patients without T790M could benefit. Therefore, we evaluated the effect of osimertinib on brain metastases in both T790M-positive and -negative patients.

Electronic patient-reported outcomes and machine learning in predicting immune-related adverse events of immune checkpoint inhibitor therapies.

Background: Immune-checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have introduced novel immune-related adverse events (irAEs), arising from various organ systems without strong timely dependency on therapy dosing. Early detection of irAEs could result in improved toxicity profile and quality of life. Symptom data collected by electronic (e) patient-reported outcomes (PRO) could be used as an input for machine learning (ML) based prediction models for the early detection of irAEs.

Purchase of prophylactic topical corticosteroids is associated with improved survival in NSCLCs treated with EGFR TKI: real-world cohort study.

Background: With the first- and second-generation epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs), clinical benefit and rash correlate together. EGFR TKI-induced rash can be alleviated with topical corticosteroids and tetracyclines. This study investigates whether prophylaxis with topical corticosteroids is associated with improved survival among the EGFR TKI-treated non-small cell lung cancers (NSCLCs).

Isolated limb perfusion with melphalan as treatment for regionally advanced melanoma of the limbs: results of 60 patients treated in Finland during 2007-2018.

Isolated limb perfusion (ILP) is widely accepted as treatment for recurrent melanoma limited to the limbs. The use of ILP has decreased in recent years with the introduction of potentially effective new systemic therapies. We evaluated retrospectively if ILP still may be a treatment option in locally advanced melanoma.