Pelvis Or Involved Node Treatment: Eradicating Recurrence in Prostate Cancer (POINTER-PC) - study protocol paper for a phase III multicentre, open-label randomised controlled trial.

Introduction: Prostate cancer (PCa) is the most common cancer in men. Recurrence may occur in up to half of patients initially treated with curative intent for high-risk localised/locally advanced PCa. Pelvic nodal recurrence is common in this setting, but no clear standard of care exists for these patients, with potential therapeutic approaches including stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) to the involved node(s) alone, extended nodal irradiation (ENI) to treat sites of potential micrometastatic spread in addition to involved node(s) and androgen deprivation therapy with or without additional systemic anticancer therapies.

Oligometastatic esophageal cancer cured by systemic therapy combined with radiotherapy to primary tumor and metastasis (metastasis-directed therapy)-small case series.

The prognosis of metastatic esophageal cancer (EC) remains poor with an average life expectancy of around 9-12 months with standard systemic chemotherapy. The concept of oligometastatic disease (OMD) in EC cancer is controversial with no universally accepted definition. From the original cohort of metastatic oesophago-gastric (OG) cancer patients, 4 cases were identified that developed unusually favourable outcome with long-term survival and probable cure.

Conformal 3D computed tomography planned endoluminal brachytherapy for the local control of esophageal cancer.

Purpose: To outline the toxicity, tolerability, and efficacy of a 3D conformal computed tomography planned endoluminal brachytherapy (ELBT) treatment for esophageal adenocarcinoma (OAC) or squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC).

Methods And Materials: A retrospective single-center analysis of toxicity, tolerability, and outcomes for 65 consecutive patients with OAC/OSCC who received 6-8Gy in one fraction or 12-16Gy in two fractions of high-dose-rate ELBT as salvage postchemoradiotherapy (n = 7 and n = 14 respectively), or as a boost to external beam radiotherapy (n = 14 and n = 30, respectively).

Results: Median overall survival from the first brachytherapy application was 7.

Management of Oligometastatic Disease in Esophagogastric Cancer: What Is the Evidence?

Background: The concept of oligometastatic disease (OMD) was first introduced in 1995 by Hellman and Weichselbaum and described as stage of transition between localized and widespread metastatic disease. The presence of OMD in esophagogastric (OG) cancer remains controversial. Historically, most experts believe that OG cancer is systemic disease from the outset.

Physical activity and dietary considerations for prostate cancer patients: future research directions.

This review considers current evidence on physical activity and dietary behaviours in the context of prostate cancer prevention and survivorship outcomes. Prostate cancer is the second most common cancer amongst men, with over 1⋅4 million newly diagnosed cases globally each year. Due to earlier detection via screening and advances in treatments, survival rates are amongst the highest of all cancer populations.

The Potential Role of Radiotherapy in the Management of Hepatoid Carcinomas of the Stomach: A Case Report.

Introduction: Hepatoid adenocarcinoma (AC) of the stomach (HAS) represents a rare variant of conventional gastric AC characterised by poor prognosis. They are usually managed with surgery (localised disease) and chemotherapy.

Case Report: We present the first case report of a patient with HAS who presented with weight loss, poor appetite, general clinical deterioration (performance status [PS] = 3), and active gastrointestinal bleeding who was treated with fractionated palliative radiotherapy (RT) using 30 Gy in 10 fractions.

Management of elderly patients with glioblastoma-multiforme-a systematic review.

The management of elderly patients with glioblastoma-multiforme (GBM) remains poorly defined with many experts in the past advocating best supportive care, in view of limited evidence on efficacy of more aggressive treatment protocols. There is randomised evidence (NORDIC and NA-O8 studies) to support the use of surgery followed by adjuvant monotherapy with either radiotherapy (RT) using hypofractionated regimes (e.g.

Abiraterone for Prostate Cancer Not Previously Treated with Hormone Therapy.

Background: Abiraterone acetate plus prednisolone improves survival in men with relapsed prostate cancer. We assessed the effect of this combination in men starting long-term androgen-deprivation therapy (ADT), using a multigroup, multistage trial design.

Methods: We randomly assigned patients in a 1:1 ratio to receive ADT alone or ADT plus abiraterone acetate (1000 mg daily) and prednisolone (5 mg daily) (combination therapy).

Can palliative radiotherapy influence prostate-specific antigen response in patients with castrate-resistant prostate cancer treated with systemic therapy (chemotherapy or abiraterone)?-a report of three cases.

Palliative radiotherapy (pRT) is primarily employed for palliation of bone pain in patients with castrate-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC). However, evidence that pRT influences prostate-specific antigen response in patients with CRPC on systemic therapy is lacking. We describe three cases of CRPC progressing after treatment with docetaxel (n=2) and abiraterone (n=1), who responded unusually after pRT for bone pain with the development of a significant biochemical response and restoration of response to systemic therapy.

Palliative Radiotherapy in the Presence of Well-Controlled Metastatic Disease after Initial Chemotherapy May Prolong Survival in Patients with Metastatic Esophageal and Gastric Cancer.

Purpose: We report the outcomes of patients treated with palliative radiotherapy (pRT) to the primary tumour in the context of well-controlled metastatic disease after initial chemotherapy.

Materials And Methods: Clinical records of 132 patients with metastatic esophago-gastric (OG) cancer treated with palliative chemotherapy (pCT) between January 2009 and June 2013 were reviewed. Ninetyseven patients had responding or stable disease after 3 months of chemotherapy, of whom 53 patients received pRT to the primary tumour after initial chemotherapy in the presence of well-controlled metastatic disease (group A, pCT-RT).

Retention of platinum sensitivity till late stages of tumour progression may imply improved prognosis of oesophageal and gastric cancers.

Background: We report on the outcomes of patients with metastatic oesophago-gastric (OG) cancer progressing after first-line platinum-based chemotherapy (PBCT) who received a re-challenge schedule of PBCT (r-PBCT) as second-line therapy.

Patients And Methods: Patients with metastatic OG cancer treated with first-line PBCT (n = 138) between January 2009 and June 2013 were selected for the purpose of the study. Treatment-related outcomes were assessed including response rates, progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS).

Sequential maximum androgen blockade (MAB) in minimally symptomatic prostate cancer progressing after initial MAB: two case reports.

The management of castrate-resistant prostate cancer progressing after maximum androgen blockade (MAB) has evolved in the last decade with the development of several novel therapeutic options. However, the initial therapeutic strategy in these patients usually involves withdrawal of anti-androgen that can be associated with biochemical response in approximately 20% of patients. Notably, we have observed evidence of sustained biochemical response in two patients following second- and third-line MAB using rechallenge schedule of previously administered anti-androgen after latent interval.

Pazopanib-Induced Regression of Brain Metastasis After Whole Brain Palliative Radiotherapy in Metastatic Renal Cell Cancer Progressing on First-Line Sunitinib: A Case Report.

Pervious randomized studies have demonstrated survival benefit in favor of tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) compared to cytokines in metastatic clear cell renal cell carcinoma (RCC). However, the role of TKIs for treating brain metastasis from RCC remains unknown. Previous studies have reported possible activity of sunitinib and sorafenib in RCC patients with brain metastasis.

Temozolomide-related idiosyncratic and other uncommon toxicities: a systematic review.

Temozolomide (TMZ)-related idiosyncratic and other uncommon toxicities have been reported. To better characterize these toxicities and to identify any associated risk factors, we performed a systematic review. We searched the PubMed database, limited to the English language, published between 1999 and December 2011.

Avoiding radical surgery after pre-operative chemoradiotherapy: a possible therapeutic option in rectal cancer?

Background: In this modern era of multi-modality treatment there is increasing interest in the possibility of avoiding radical surgery in complete responders after neo-adjuvant long-course chemoradiotherapy (LCPRT). In this article, we present a systematic review of such treatments and discuss their therapeutic applicability for the future.

Methods: We searched the PubMed online libraries to identify studies that reported on the long-term surgical and pathological outcomes after local excision together with those that explored the possibility of clinical observation only in patients achieving a complete clinical response after LCPRT.

Temozolomide induced liver injury.

A 62-year female received radiotherapy over six weeks with daily 75 mg/m2 Temozolomide (TMZ) for Glioblastoma (GB). At the last week of radiotherapy, her liver enzymes and serum bilirubin started deteriorating. TMZ was discontinued.

The sequential use of carmustine wafers (Gliadel®) and post-operative radiotherapy with concomitant temozolomide followed by adjuvant temozolomide: a clinical review.

In patients with glioblastoma multiforme (GBM), there is no consensus on the sequential use of two existing regimens: post-operative Gliadel implantation into the surgical cavity and concomitant temozolomide with radiotherapy followed by adjuvant temozolomide ('Stupp protocol'). NICE in the guideline TA121 (July 2007) could not pass any judgement on the sequential use of both the regimens due to lack of evidence at the time of consultation. Since then, few prospective studies and retrospective series have been reported using these two regimens sequentially.

Phase I/II study of oncolytic HSV GM-CSF in combination with radiotherapy and cisplatin in untreated stage III/IV squamous cell cancer of the head and neck.

Purpose: This study sought to define the recommended dose of JS1/34.5-/47-/GM-CSF, an oncolytic herpes simplex type-1 virus (HSV-1) encoding human granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF), for future studies in combination with chemoradiotherapy in patients with squamous cell cancer of the head and neck (SCCHN).

Experimental Design: Patients with stage III/IVA/IVB SCCHN received chemoradiotherapy (70 Gy/35 fractions with concomitant cisplatin 100 mg/m(2) on days 1, 22, and 43) and dose-escalating (10(6), 10(6), 10(6), 10(6) pfu/mL for cohort 1; 10(6), 10(7), 10(7), 10(7) for cohort 2; 10(6), 10(8), 10(8), 10(8) for cohort 3) JS1/34.

Therapeutic effect of sodium iodide symporter gene therapy combined with external beam radiotherapy and targeted drugs that inhibit DNA repair.

Adenoviral (AdV) transfer of sodium iodide symporter (NIS) gene has translational potential, but relatively low levels of transduction and subsequent radioisotope uptake limit the efficacy of the approach. In previous studies, we showed that combining NIS gene delivery with external beam radiotherapy (EBRT) and DNA damage repair inhibitors increased viral gene expression and radioiodide uptake. Here, we report the therapeutic efficacy of this strategy.

The biology of the sodium iodide symporter and its potential for targeted gene delivery.

The sodium iodide symporter (NIS) is responsible for thyroidal, salivary, gastric, intestinal and mammary iodide uptake. It was first cloned from the rat in 1996 and shortly thereafter from human and mouse tissue. In the intervening years, we have learned a great deal about the biology of NIS.

Targeted radionuclide therapy using a Wnt-targeted replicating adenovirus encoding the Na/I symporter.

Purpose: The Na/I symporter (hNIS) promotes concentration of iodine in cells. In cancer gene therapy, this transgene has potential as a reporter gene for molecular imaging of viral biodistribution and as a therapeutic protein promoting (131)I-mediated radiotherapy. Here, we combined the imaging and therapeutic potential of hNIS in an oncolytic adenoviruses targeting colorectal cancer cells.