Quality of life in patients treated for anal carcinoma-a systematic literature review.

Purpose: Anal cancer is a mainly treated with chemoradiotherapy. A small number of patients undergo salvage surgery. There are few published studies investigating quality of life and functional outcome after treatment for anal cancer.

Relationship between folate concentration and expression of folate-associated genes in tissue and plasma after intraoperative administration of leucovorin in patients with colorectal cancer.

Purpose: The aim of study was to investigate the relationship between folate concentration and expression of folate-associated genes in tumour, mucosa and plasma of patients with colorectal cancer, after intraoperative administration of bolus leucovorin (LV).

Methods: Eighty patients were randomized into four groups to receive 0, 60, 200, or 500 mg/m LV, respectively. Tissue and plasma folate concentrations were assessed by LC-MS/MS.

Correction to: The Surgical Teams' Perception of the Effects of a Routine Intraoperative Pause.

In the original article there is an error in the legend in Fig. 4. Following is corrected Fig.

The Surgical Teams' Perception of the Effects of a Routine Intraoperative Pause.

Background: A pause routine may reduce stress and errors during surgery. The aim of this study was to explore how the team, divided into the different professional groups, perceived the implementation of a pause routine and its possible impact on safety.

Methods: A pause routine was introduced at a University hospital operating theatre in Sweden in 2013.

Phase 1 dose de-escalation trial of the endogenous folate [6R]-5,10-methylene tetrahydrofolate in combination with fixed-dose pemetrexed as neoadjuvant therapy in patients with resectable rectal cancer.

Background: Modufolin® ([6R]-5,10-methylene tetrahydrofolate; [6R]-MTHF) is an endogenous biomodulator that is being developed as an alternative to leucovorin, a folate prodrug used in the treatment of colorectal cancer. The objective of this phase 1 dose de-escalation trial was to estimate the minimum tolerated dose of [6R]-MTHF to be used in combination with pemetrexed 500 mg/m(2) in the neoadjuvant treatment of patients with rectal cancer.

Methods: Adult patients (≥18 years) with resectable rectal adenocarcinoma were allocated to [6R]-MTHF doses of 500, 100, 50, and 10 mg/m(2) in combination with pemetrexed 500 mg/m(2).

Case Mix Difference Can Affect Evaluation of Outcome of Treatment for Colorectal Cancer.

Aim: To explore the potential effects of patient selection, for example by organization, on survival as outcome parameter in colorectal cancer treatment.

Patients And Methods: The main cohort was identified in a Hospital-based registry and outcome data of all 2,717 patients operated on for colorectal cancer between 2000-2011 were evaluated. A simulation of different center settings was performed using several potential selection criteria, including emergency cases, referral surgery and palliative resection, and used for comparison of outcome data.

A population-based cohort study on adherence to practice guidelines for adjuvant chemotherapy in colorectal cancer.

Background: The value of adjuvant chemotherapy in colorectal cancer is well studied, and guidelines have been established. Little is known about how treatment guidelines are implemented in the everyday clinical setting.

Methods: This national population-based study on nearly 34,000 patients with colorectal cancer evaluates the adherence to present clinical guidelines for adjuvant chemotherapy.

A pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic investigation of Modufolin® compared to Isovorin® after single dose intravenous administration to patients with colon cancer: a randomized study.

Purpose: Leucovorin is commonly used as folate supplement in 5-fluorouracil-based chemotherapy, but needs to be converted to active 5,10-methylenetetrahydrofolate (methyleneTHF) intracellularly. This provides for interindividual differences. MethyleneTHF has recently been developed into the stable, distributable drug, Modufolin®.

Folate levels measured by LC-MS/MS in patients with colorectal cancer treated with different leucovorin dosages.

Purpose: Calcium folinate (leucovorin), which is converted in vivo into biologically active folate, enhances the potency of 5-fluorouracil (5-FU)-based chemotherapy in colorectal cancer. A common dosage of leucovorin in adjuvant and palliative settings is 60 mg/m(2). The aim was to determine the levels of tetrahydrofolate (THF), 5,10-methylenetetrahydrofolate (methyleneTHF), and 5-methyltetrahydrofolate (methylTHF) in tumour and mucosa of colorectal cancer patients who received different dosages of leucovorin intravenously at time of surgery.

A survey of surgeons' perception and awareness of intraoperative time utilization.

Background: Surgical teams' awareness of the time needed to perform specific phases of a surgical procedure is likely to improve communication in the operating theatre and benefit patient safety. The aim of this study was to assess surgeons' awareness of time utilization and the actual time needed to perform specific phases of an operation.

Methods: A survey was conducted to examine the method and design for a larger study.

Thymidine phosphorylase expression is associated with time to progression in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer.

Background: 5-Fluorouracil (5-FU) is the cornerstone of chemotherapeutic treatment for patients with colorectal cancer. The enzyme thymidine phosphorylase (TP) catalyzes the conversion of 5-FU to its active metabolite, 5-fluoro-2'-deoxyuridine. TP is expressed in tumour epithelial cells and stromal cells, particularly in tumour-associated macrophages.

Folate Levels and Polymorphisms in the Genes MTHFR, MTR, and TS in Colorectal Cancer.

Aim: The aim of the study was to explore and describe the effect of polymorphisms in folate-associated genes regarding the levels of different folate forms and their distribution in tumors and mucosa in patients with colorectal cancer.

Materials And Methods: Tumor and mucosa tissues from 53 patients with colorectal cancer were analyzed. The concentrations of tetrahydrofolate (THF), 5-methylTHF, and 5,10-methyleneTHF were measured by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry.

Changes in thymidine phosphorylase gene expression related to treatment of rectal cancer.

Background: The enzyme thymidine phosphorylase (TYMP) has tumor-promoting functions and its expression is often elevated in tumors.

Patients And Methods: TYMP gene expression in tumorous and mucosal tissues was assessed using real-time polymerase chain reaction, in a study of patients with rectal cancer where chemotherapy and radiotherapy were given sequentially.

Results: TYMP levels decreased after chemotherapy.

Stage and size using magnetic resonance imaging and endosonography in neoadjuvantly-treated rectal cancer.

Aim: To assess the stage and size of rectal tumours using 1.5 Tesla (1.5T) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and three-dimensional (3D) endosonography (ERUS).

Long-term follow-up after preoperative chemotherapy using pemetrexed (Alimta) in rectal cancer.

Aim: To assess the long-term outcome in a cohort of patients treated with preoperative chemotherapy using pemetrexed (Alimta) for rectal cancer.

Patients And Methods: A prospective phase I/II study on preoperative chemotherapy using Alimta was conducted during 2006-2008. The long-term outcome was assessed here for both the study group (n=37) and the reference group (n=87).

Thymidine Phosphorylase Gene Expression in Stage III Colorectal Cancer.

Background: The thymidine phosphorylase (TP) enzyme has several tumor-promoting functions. The aim of this study was to explore TP gene expression in relation to clinical and histopathological data obtained from patients with stage III colorectal cancer.

Methods And Results: TP gene expression was analyzed by real-time quantitative PCR in tumor and mucosa samples from 254 patients.

A study of aspects on gender and prognosis in synchronous colorectal cancer.

Aim: To assess differences in demography, pathology and prognosis with tumor multiplicity in colorectal cancer.

Method: A retrospective single centre study of all patients surgically treated for a colorectal cancer during 1999-2008 (n = 2524). Patient characteristics, pathology and follow-up data were retrieved.

Gene polymorphisms MTHFRC677T and MTRA2756G as predictive factors in adjuvant chemotherapy for stage III colorectal cancer.

Background: The aim of this study was to explore the effect in stage III colorectal cancer of functional gene polymorphisms methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR C677T) and methionine synthase (A2756G), in the folate metabolism on outcome and risk of toxicity for adjuvant chemotherapy. A secondary aim was to investigate any possible interdependency between the two genes.

Patients And Methods: one hundred and fifty randomly chosen patients with stage III colorectal cancer, treated with adjuvant chemotherapy, were genotyped by real-time PCR.

Variations in demography and prognosis by colon cancer location.

Aim: Tumours of the right and left colon are suggested to be different entities with different prognosis. The aim was to explore differences related to the location of a colonic tumour.

Patients And Methods: A single-centre retrospective analysis of all patients treated for colon cancer during 1999-2008 (n=1558) was carried out.

Age aspects of demography, pathology and survival assessment in colorectal cancer.

Aim: The aim of this study was to assess how age is related to differences in stage, tumour differentiation and treatment in colorectal cancer.

Patients And Methods: A retrospective study in a consecutive series of colorectal cancer patients (n = 2220) where age was related to demography, stage, tumour characteristics, treatment and outcome (OS/CSS) both as a continuous variable and grouped by high/low 10th percentiles, as young/old groups, with a third median reference group.

Results: Young patients had more advanced cancer stages (p = 0.

Defining stage III disease in colorectal cancer--aspects on treatment and evaluation of survival.

Background And Objective: Stage III in colorectal cancer is defined by presence of node metastasis, whereas distant growth constitutes stage IV. The aim was to describe prognosis in high risk groups of stage III in relation to survival in stage IV, along with possible effect on research and treatment.

Methods: All patients operated for stage III-IV colorectal cancer 1999-2003 (n = 591) were assessed by demography, pathology and treatment towards survival.

A study of the expression of Cyclin E and its isoforms in tumor and adjacent mucosa, correlated to patient outcome in early colon cancer.

Background: Cyclin E, a key regulator in the cell cycle, is often over-expressed in malignant disease. It can present as full length (FL) and low-molecular-weight (LMW) isoforms. The purpose of this study was to characterize the expression pattern of cyclin E in colon cancer, both in tumor and in macroscopically normal adjacent mucosa.

Tumour differentiation grade is associated with TNM staging and the risk of node metastasis in colorectal cancer.

Aim: The tumour differentiation grade has been shown by numerous multivariate analyses to be a stage-independent prognostic factor in colorectal cancer. The aim of this study was to explore the importance of differentiation grading for the staging of colorectal cancer and how it relates to the components of the TNM system.

Material And Methods: The study was a retrospective single-centre analysis of all patients undergoing surgical resection for colorectal cancer during the period 2002-2007 (n = 1239).

A study of the MTHFR gene polymorphism C677T in colorectal cancer.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to examine the clinical significance of the methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) gene polymorphism C677T in colorectal cancer (CRC). The hypothesis was that the genotype could affect the risk of cancer development and the results of cancer treatment.

Patients And Methods: Genotyping was made for a random 30% (n = 544) of all patients treated for CRC at our unit from 1999 to 2006 (n = 1812).

A study of lymph node ratio in stage IV colorectal cancer.

Background: The finding of metastasis in colorectal cancer, stage IV disease, has a major impact on prognosis and treatment strategy. Known important factors include the extent of the metastasis and the patients' performance status. The lymph node factors are of known importance in earlier cancer stages but less described in metastatic disease.