Comparative Efficacy of 21 Treatment Strategies for Resectable Pancreatic Cancer: A Network Meta-Analysis.

The primary treatment for operable pancreatic cancer (PC) involves surgery followed by adjuvant therapy. Nevertheless, perioperative or neoadjuvant chemotherapy (CT) may be used to mitigate the likelihood of recurrence and mortality. This network meta-analysis (NMA) assesses the comparative efficacy of various treatment approaches for resectable PC.

Vitamin D3 and cancer risk in healthy subjects: An umbrella review of systematic review and meta-analysis.

Introduction: Vitamin D3, which originates from cholesterol, exerts its influence on immune cells and potentially cancer cells via the metabolite 1,25-dihydroxycholecalciferol (1,25(OH)2D3), impacting their proliferation, differentiation, and apoptosis. An umbrella review was conducted to evaluate the potential protective effect of vitamin D3 intake and serum levels on the incidence and mortality of cancer.

Material And Methods: A systematic search was conducted in MEDLINE, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, and EMBASE databases from their inception to October 1, 2023.

Management of Metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma Following First-Line Immune Checkpoint Therapy Failure: A Systematic Review.

Introduction: There is a significant gap in the literature concerning the effective management of second-line therapy for patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma (RCC) who have received immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs). Most of the published articles were small multicenter series or phase 2 studies. To our knowledge, a systematic review that comprehensively outlines the range of treatment options available for patients with metastatic RCC who do not respond to first-line ICIs has not yet been conducted.

Localized prostate cancer in older patients: Radical prostatectomy or radiotherapy versus observation.

Introduction: This study evaluates the effects of radical prostatectomy (RP) or irradiation on overall survival (OS) and prostate cancer-specific mortality (PCSM) in older patients with localized prostate cancer (PC).

Materials And Methods: We conducted a comprehensive literature review across PubMed, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Library from inception up to December 2023 to identify studies comparing the outcomes of surgery or radiotherapy (RT) versus observation in patients aged 65 and older with localized PC. We pooled hazard ratios (HRs) for OS and PCSM using random-effects models.

Managing Severe Cancer Pain with Oxycodone/Naloxone Treatment: A Literature Review Update.

Severe cancer pain substantially affects patients' quality of life, increasing the burden of the disease and reducing the disability-adjusted life years. Although opioid analgesics are effective, they may induce opioid-induced bowel dysfunction (OIBD). Oxycodone/naloxone combination therapy has emerged as a promising approach to mitigate opioid-induced constipation (OIC) while providing effective pain relief.

Different prognosis of left compared to right breast cancer: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: There is an ongoing debate in the medical community about the association between the laterality of breast cancer (BC: whether it arises in the left or right breast) and its outcome. This study aims to assess the disparities in overall survival (OS), cardiac mortality, and cancer-specific survival (CSS) between BC affecting the left side and BC affecting the right side.

Materials And Methods: We conducted a thorough search of databases, such as PubMed, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Library, starting from their inception up until December 1, 2023.

Network meta-analysis of first-line systemic regimens for older patients with advanced NSCLC.

Various immunotherapy treatments have received approval for the treatment of advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), either as standalone or in conjunction with chemotherapy, contingent upon the extent of PD-L1 expression. These treatments are commonly utilized in clinical practice. However, a specific gap exists in direct comparisons of these regimens in elderly patients.

Immune checkpoint inhibitor doublets: Are they beneficial for older patients? A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Introduction: The introduction of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) has significantly transformed the treatment landscape for advanced malignancies. These inhibitors bolster the immune system's capacity to detect and destroy cancer cells. ICIs used in cancer immunotherapy are primarily categorized into two groups: anti-PD-1/L1 and anti-CTLA-4.

Adjuvant and neoadjuvant chemotherapy for MSI early gastric cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Perioperative chemotherapy (CT) is an established therapeutic approach for patients diagnosed with stage IB-III gastric cancer (GC).

Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the efficacy of this approach in individuals with GC exhibiting high microsatellite instability (MSI-H).

Design: A systematic review was conducted, including studies that provided data on (neo)adjuvant CT outcomes in patients with MSI-H GC.

Prognostic Value of HER2-low Status in ER+ Early Breast Cancer: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Background/aim: Low human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 expression (HER2-low: 1+/2+ by immunohistochemistry without HER2 amplification) is emerging as defining a specific breast cancer (BC) subgroup owing to its distinct biological features. However, its prognostic role has not been confirmed in clinical practice. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to determine the prognostic role of HER2-low status in patients with estrogen receptor-positive (ER+) early BC.

10 years or less of extended adjuvant endocrine therapy for postmenopausal breast cancer patients: A systematic review and network meta-analysis.

Introduction: Adjuvant hormonal therapy, with or without prior chemotherapy, has been widely recognised as the preferred treatment strategy for resected breast cancer (BC) for a minimum duration of 5 years. If the effectiveness of therapy beyond a 5-year period has been established, there is still ongoing debate regarding the optimal duration for this prolonged period. A network meta-analysis (NMA) was conducted to ascertain the optimal duration of extended therapy for resected BC in postmenopausal women.

Prognostic relevance of sidedness in older patients with colon cancer: A review and pooled analysis of 227,218 patients.

Age is a major risk factor for sporadic colon cancer (CC). In the general population, the side of the tumor (right versus left) shows a possible significant prognostic effect, with right tumors displaying the worst outcome due to biological differences. However, little is known about the role of sidedness in the older population.

The role of CDK4/6 inhibitors in older and younger patients with breast cancer: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Introduction: Cyclin-dependent kinase 4/6 (CDK4/6) inhibitors have an extremely important impact on the treatment of hormone-sensitive breast cancer (BC) and have radically changed the first-line treatment for metastatic disease with increased rates of treatment response, overall survival (OS), and progression-free survival (PFS). We performed a pooled analysis of randomized trials to validate or refute the hypothesis that there is a significant survival benefit of adding anti-CDK4/6 inhibitors to standard endocrine therapy (ET) in older patients with advanced BC.

Methods: We selected only English-language phase II/III randomized controlled trials that compared ET alone with ET with anti-CDK4/6 inhibitors in the treatment of advanced BC, with subgroups reporting the outcomes of elderly patients (usually at least 65 years).

Vitamin D3 and COVID-19 Outcomes: An Umbrella Review of Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses.

Background: The immune system (innate and adaptive) is influenced by vitamin D3, which affects gene expression and inflammatory pathways. An umbrella review was conducted to evaluate the power and accuracy of data connecting vitamin D3 to the outcomes of COVID-19 infection and to appraise the proof provided by published meta-analyses.

Methods: MEDLINE, Embase, and the Cochrane Library were searched from database inception to 31 May 2022.

Chemotherapy Duration for Various Indications in Colorectal Cancer: a Review.

Purpose Of Review: The treatment of colorectal cancer (CRC) has evolved and become more personalized during the past several years. For example, depotentiation/reduced duration of systemic therapies has proven to be beneficial in both advanced and early stages of the disease.

Recent Findings: In particular, recent randomized studies of stage III and high-risk stage II CRC showed that a shorter duration (3 months), when compared to the historical 6-month comparator, provides nearly similar overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS).

COVID-19 and Lung Cancer Survival: An Updated Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Introduction: The outbreak of COVID-19 poses an unprecedented challenge to global public health. Patients with cancer are at a higher risk during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. Patients with lung cancer and COVID-19 were compared to those without cancer and those with other malignancies for the main outcome of this study.

Safety and Effectiveness of Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors in Older Patients with Cancer: A Systematic Review of 48 Real-World Studies.

Background: Over recent years, immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have changed the clinical management and prognosis for most cancers. However, data on older patients in clinical trials are scarce.

Objective: We performed a systematic review and pooled analysis of real-life studies to explore the efficacy and toxicity of ICIs in unselected older individuals in multiple tumor settings treated outside of clinical trials.

Association of Obesity With Survival Outcomes in Patients With Cancer: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

Importance: Obesity, defined as a body mass index (BMI) greater than 30, is associated with a significant increase in the risk of many cancers and in overall mortality. However, various studies have suggested that patients with cancer and no obesity (ie, BMI 20-25) have worse outcomes than patients with obesity.

Objective: To assess the association between obesity and outcomes after a diagnosis of cancer.

Transplant-ineligible newly diagnosed multiple myeloma: Current and future approaches to clinical care: A Young International Society of Geriatric Oncology Review Paper.

Multiple myeloma is the second most common hematological malignancy in the USA and Europe. Despite improvements in the 5-year and overall survival rates over the past decade, older adults (aged ≥65 years) with multiple myeloma continue to experience disproportionately worse outcomes than their younger counterparts. These differences in outcomes arise from the increased prevalence of vulnerabilities such as medical comorbidities and frailty seen with advancing age that can influence treatment-delivery and tolerance and impact survival.

Definition and assessment of frailty in older patients: the surgical, anaesthesiological and oncological perspective.

The number of oncology, surgery and anaesthesia procedures in older patients has greatly increased in recent years due to ageing populations. Older patients are typically characterised by physical changes such as comorbidities, decline in physiological activities and cognitive impairment. All these factors, together with polypharmacological therapies, may substantially impact perioperative outcome, quality of recovery and, more in general, quality of life.