Report from the 25th Annual Western Canadian Gastrointestinal Cancer Consensus Conference on Gastric and Gastroesophageal Cancers, Winnipeg, Manitoba, 26-27 October 2023.

The 25th Annual Western Canadian Gastrointestinal Cancer Consensus Conference (WCGCCC) was held in Winnipeg, Manitoba, on 26-27 October 2023. The WCGCCC is an interactive multidisciplinary conference that was attended by healthcare professionals from across Western Canada (British Columbia, Alberta, and Manitoba) who are involved in the care of patients with gastrointestinal cancer. Surgical, medical, and radiation oncologists; pathologists; oncology nurses; pharmacists; and a family physician in oncology (FPO) participated in presentation and discussion sessions for the purpose of developing the recommendations presented here.

The Perceived Value of Liquid Biopsy: Results From a Canadian Validation Study of Circulating Tumor DNA Testing-Patient's Willingness-to-Pay: A Brief Report.

Introduction: Liquid biopsy is recommended to diagnose molecular resistance to targeted therapy in patients with lung cancer. Nevertheless, not all jurisdictions provide funding and patient access. We report patients' perceived value of liquid biopsy in targeted therapy resistance.

Report from the 24th Annual Western Canadian Gastrointestinal Cancer Consensus Conference on Colorectal Cancer, Richmond, British Columbia, 28-29, October 2022.

The 24th annual Western Canadian Gastrointestinal Cancer Consensus Conference (WCGCCC) was held in Richmond, British Columbia, on 28-29 October 2022. The WCGCCC is an interactive multidisciplinary conference attended by healthcare professionals from across Western Canada (British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba) who are involved in the care of patients with gastrointestinal cancer. Surgical, medical, and radiation oncologists; pathologists; radiologists; and allied health care professionals such as dieticians, nurses and a genetic counsellor participated in presentation and discussion sessions for the purpose of developing the recommendations presented here.

Tumor Treating Fields therapy with standard systemic therapy versus standard systemic therapy alone in metastatic non-small-cell lung cancer following progression on or after platinum-based therapy (LUNAR): a randomised, open-label, pivotal phase 3 study.

Background: Tumor Treating Fields (TTFields) are electric fields that disrupt processes critical for cancer cell survival, leading to immunogenic cell death and enhanced antitumour immune response. In preclinical models of non-small-cell lung cancer, TTFields amplified the effects of chemotherapy and immune checkpoint inhibitors. We report primary results from a pivotal study of TTFields therapy in metastatic non-small-cell lung cancer.

Brief Report: Canadian Cancer Trials Group IND.227: A Phase 2 Randomized Study of Pembrolizumab in Patients With Advanced Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma (NCT02784171).

Immune checkpoint inhibitors have activity in mesothelioma. IND.227 was a phase 2 trial (120 patients planned) comparing progression-free survival of standard platinum and pemetrexed (CP) versus CP + pembrolizumab (pembro) versus pembro.

Early discontinuation of adjuvant chemotherapy in patients with early-stage pancreatic cancer correlates with inferior survival: A multicenter population-based cohort study.

Background: The current study aimed to determine the association between timing and completion of adjuvant chemotherapy and outcomes in real-world patients with early-stage pancreatic cancer.

Methods: In this multi-center cohort study patients with early-stage pancreatic cancer who were diagnosed from 2007-2017 and underwent complete resection in the province of Saskatchewan were examined. Cox proportional multivariate analyses were performed for correlation with recurrence and survival.

Multicenter Validation Study to Implement Plasma Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor T790M Testing in Clinical Laboratories.

Purpose: Plasma detection of T790M mutations is an emerging alternative to tumor rebiopsy in acquired epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) tyrosine kinase inhibitor resistance. Validation of analytical sensitivity and clinical utility is required before routine diagnostic use in clinical laboratories.

Patients And Methods: Sixty-three patients with advanced -mutant lung cancer at 7 Canadian centers, who were being screened for the ASTRIS trial (ClinicalTrials.

Molecular and genetic abnormalities in radial scar.

Hyperplasia of usual type (HUT) may be an early precursor of breast carcinoma and has been shown to contain molecular and genetic abnormalities previously seen in more advanced breast lesions, such as allelic imbalance (AI) and coexpression of estrogen receptor-alpha (ER) and the proliferation marker Ki67. We have examined hyperplastic and other areas from within radial scar (RS) for such abnormalities, to explore whether such regions of RS are similar at the molecular and genetic level to histologically similar lesions found independent of RS. Abnormal expression of ER and Ki67 in hyperplastic foci and other histologically distinct areas within RS was detected by dual-label immunofluorescence.