Outcomes of retroperitoneal lymph node dissection for testicular cancer by a high volume surgeon from Australia: a case for centralisation.

Background: There are few studies examining retroperitoneal lymph node dissection (RPLND) for testicular cancer in Australia. This study examines the perioperative outcomes, complications and survival rates following RPLND, by a high volume, single surgeon.

Methods: A retrospective, case series of a single surgeon, multi-centre study included all patients who underwent RPLND following testicular cancer at Westmead Public Hospital, Westmead Private Hospital, and Macquarie University Hospital 2005-2020.

Patterns of care and outcomes of men with germ cell tumors in a high-volume Australian center.

Aim: To evaluate disease presentation, treatment practices, and outcomes of patients with germ cell tumor (GCT) treated in a high-volume cancer center in Australia.

Methods: This is a retrospective analysis of 609 patients diagnosed with GCT in the Sydney West Cancer Network between 1990 and 2013. Cause and date of death, and second malignancy information was sourced from The Centre for Health Record Linkage.

Continuing cabazitaxel beyond 10 cycles for metastatic castrate-resistant prostate cancer: is there a benefit?

Aim: Cabazitaxel prolongs survival in patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer in the postdocetaxel setting. We investigate the benefit of continuing cabazitaxel beyond 10 cycles in patients who are clinically responding without significant toxicity.

Methods: A comparison was made between patients who received cabazitaxel for >10 cycles and those who had ≤10 cycles.

Evaluating bioanalytical capabilities of paper spray ionization for abiraterone drug quantification in patient plasma.

Paper spray ionization (PSI) is a direct, fast, and low-cost ambient ionization technique which may have clinical utility for qualitative and quantitative analysis of therapeutic drugs and metabolites from patient specimens. We developed and validated a PSI-mass spectrometry (PSI-MS/MS) method according to the US-FDA guidelines for bioanalytical studies to measure the prostate cancer drug abiraterone directly from patient plasma. The established linearity range was 3.

Anti-epidermal growth factor receptor therapy for glioblastoma in adults.

Background: Glioblastoma is an uncommon but highly aggressive type of brain tumour. Significant gains have been achieved in the molecular understanding and the pathogenesis of glioblastomas, however clinical improvements are difficult to obtain for many reasons. The current standard of care involves maximal safe surgical resection followed by chemoradiation and then adjuvant chemotherapy European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer and the NCIC Clinical Trials Group (EORTC-NCIC) protocol with a median survival of 14.

Bioanalytical evaluation of dried plasma spots for monitoring of abiraterone and ∆(4)-abiraterone from cancer patients.

Abiraterone acetate is an approved prodrug administered orally in a fixed dose format for the treatment of metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC). In vivo, the prodrug is readily metabolized to abiraterone and its active metabolite Δ(4)-abiraterone (D4A) which selectively and irreversibly inhibit the 17α-hydroxylase/17,20-lyase (CYP17A1) enzyme and the androgen receptor, respectively. Therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) of abiraterone and its metabolites may be beneficial as significant pharmacokinetic variability has been observed.

Inter- and intra-patient variability in pharmacokinetics of abiraterone acetate in metastatic prostate cancer.

Purpose: This study examined the inter- and intra-patient variability in pharmacokinetics of AA and its metabolites abiraterone and Δ(4)-abiraterone (D4A), and potential contributing factors.

Methods: AA administered daily for ≥4 weeks concurrently with androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) for mCRPC were included. Pharmacokinetic evaluation was performed at two consecutive visits at least 4 weeks apart.

Nivolumab in the treatment of advanced renal cell carcinoma.

Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) has typically been considered an immunogenic malignancy with responses seen to IL-2 and IFN-α. Response rates, however, were low and at the cost of considerable toxicity and as such, agents targeting angiogenesis have become the mainstay of treatment. Nivolumab is an immune checkpoint inhibitor targeting PD-1 thereby upregulating the host immune response against tumor cells.