Assessment of bias in scoring of AI-based radiotherapy segmentation and planning studies using modified TRIPOD and PROBAST guidelines as an example.

Background And Purpose: Studies investigating the application of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the field of radiotherapy exhibit substantial variations in terms of quality. The goal of this study was to assess the amount of transparency and bias in scoring articles with a specific focus on AI based segmentation and treatment planning, using modified PROBAST and TRIPOD checklists, in order to provide recommendations for future guideline developers and reviewers.

Materials And Methods: The TRIPOD and PROBAST checklist items were discussed and modified using a Delphi process.

Statistical models versus machine learning for competing risks: development and validation of prognostic models.

Background: In health research, several chronic diseases are susceptible to competing risks (CRs). Initially, statistical models (SM) were developed to estimate the cumulative incidence of an event in the presence of CRs. As recently there is a growing interest in applying machine learning (ML) for clinical prediction, these techniques have also been extended to model CRs but literature is limited.

Neural Networks for Survival Prediction in Medicine Using Prognostic Factors: A Review and Critical Appraisal.

Survival analysis deals with the expected duration of time until one or more events of interest occur. Time to the event of interest may be unobserved, a phenomenon commonly known as right censoring, which renders the analysis of these data challenging. Over the years, machine learning algorithms have been developed and adapted to right-censored data.

New benchmarks to design clinical trials with advanced or metastatic liposarcoma or synovial sarcoma patients: An EORTC - Soft Tissue and Bone Sarcoma Group (STBSG) meta-analysis based on a literature review for soft-tissue sarcomas.

Background: Recently, we performed a meta-analysis based on a literature review for STS trials (published 2003-2018, ≥10 adult patients) to update long-standing reference values for leiomyosarcomas. This work is extended for liposarcomas (LPS) and synovial sarcomas (SS).

Materials And Methods: Study endpoints were progression-free survival rates (PFSRs) at 3 and 6 months.

How do cancer clinicians perceive real-world data and the evidence derived therefrom? Findings from an international survey of the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer.

The role of real-world evidence (RWE) in the development of anticancer therapies has been gradually growing over time. Regulators, payers and health technology assessment agencies, spurred by the rise of the precision medicine model, are increasingly incorporating RWE into their decision-making regarding the authorization and reimbursement of novel antineoplastic treatments. However, it remains unclear how this trend is viewed by clinicians in the field.

Prognostic Significance of Bone Metastasis in Soft Tissue Sarcoma Patients Receiving Palliative Systemic Therapy: An Explorative, Retrospective Pooled Analysis of the EORTC-Soft Tissue and Bone Sarcoma Group (STBSG) Database.

Background: Soft-tissue sarcomas (STS) constitute a rare group of heterogeneous mesenchymal tumours containing more than 100 histologic subtypes. Here, we investigate whether, and if so, to what extent, skeletal metastases affect the outcome of patients with advanced or metastatic disease.

Materials And Methods: Selected patients participated in five clinical trials of EORTC-STBSG.

A Simulation Study to Compare the Predictive Performance of Survival Neural Networks with Cox Models for Clinical Trial Data.

Background: Studies focusing on prediction models are widespread in medicine. There is a trend in applying machine learning (ML) by medical researchers and clinicians. Over the years, multiple ML algorithms have been adapted to censored data.

A modern approach to aortic valve insufficiency: Aortic root restoration via HAART 300 internal annuloplasty ring.

Background And Aim Of The Study: HAART 300 is an internal geometric annuloplasty ring. The safety and efficacy of this novel device in aortic valve (AV) repair in a single referral center are reported.

Methods: Twenty patients with trileaflet AV insufficiency with ascending aorta and/or aortic root enlargement were included.

Efficacy thresholds for clinical trials with advanced or metastatic leiomyosarcoma patients: A European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer Soft Tissue and Bone Sarcoma Group meta-analysis based on a literature review for soft-tissue sarcomas.

Background: In 2002, the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer Soft Tissue and Bone Sarcoma Group reported well-established values for conducting phase II trials for soft-tissue sarcomas. An update is provided for leiomyosarcoma (LMS).

Materials And Methods: Clinical trials with advanced or metastatic LMS were identified via literature review in PubMed (published 2003-2018, ≥10 adult LMS patients).

Survival prediction models since liver transplantation - comparisons between Cox models and machine learning techniques.

Background: Predicting survival of recipients after liver transplantation is regarded as one of the most important challenges in contemporary medicine. Hence, improving on current prediction models is of great interest.Nowadays, there is a strong discussion in the medical field about machine learning (ML) and whether it has greater potential than traditional regression models when dealing with complex data.

Clinical effectiveness of leukocyte filtration during cardiopulmonary bypass in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Background: We tested the hypothesis that leukocyte filtration during pulmonary reperfusion preserves pulmonary function and results in improved oxygenation after cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

Methods: In a prospective, randomized study, the treatment group consisted of 20 patients with COPD from consecutive open-heart procedures. A primed leukocyte filter was connected to the arterial line downstream of the standard arterial filter but was excluded from circulation.

Preoperative detection and management of immune heparin-induced thrombocytopenia in patients undergoing heart surgery with iloprost.

Objective: The objective of this study was to evaluate our protocol for the identification and management of patients with immune heparin-induced thrombocytopenia undergoing cardiac surgery.

Methods: Among 1518 patients who underwent cardiac surgery between June 1998 and May 2001, 32 (2.1%) presented with platelet counts less than 150,000/mm3 preoperatively or a history of prolonged (>3 days) intravenous exposure to heparin or both.

A controlled trial of substrate-enhanced, warm reperfusion ("hot shot") versus simple reperfusion.

Background: Modified reperfusion after aortic cross-clamping is claimed to reduce myocardial injury, thus improving postoperative myocardial performance.

Methods: We measured perioperative release of creatine kinase-MB and troponin-T in 40 patients undergoing valve replacement (combined with coronary grafts in 12 cases) to determine whether infusion of a modified reperfusate before cross-clamp removal reduced myocardial injury. Patients were randomly allocated to one of two groups with minimization for age, surgeon, operation, and ventricular function.

Large tension bronchogenic cyst in an adult mimicking the Swyer-James syndrome.

A case report of a large tension bronchogenic cyst in an adult that appeared as the Swyer-James/Macleod's syndrome is presented. Despite the thorough preoperative examinations the diagnosis was confirmed only after exploratory thoracotomy and histopathological study.

Intramural bronchogenic cyst of the oesophagus: a rare entity.

Bronchogenic cysts are congenital cystic lesions of foregut origin, usually intra-pulmonary or mediastinal in location. Peri-oesophageal bronchogenic cysts are rare, while intra-oesophageal cysts are almost always considered as enterogenous owing to their location and their composition. We report here an unusual case of a young adult with an intramural bronchogenic cyst causing dysphagia.

An alternative, non-sleeve technique for reconstruction of main and secondary carina.

A non-sleeve resection technique was used in 15 patients requiring reconstruction of the main or secondary carina because of malignant invasion. The technique, which can be employed only in cases of partial carina invasion, utilizes healthy bronchial tissue to cover the defect after resection. The operations comprised right pneumonectomy with reconstruction of the main carina (11 cases), left lower lobectomy with reconstruction of the secondary carina (2) and right upper lobectomy (1) and right lower bilobectomy (1), both with reconstruction of the upper lobe carina.