Brief cycling intervals incrementally increase the number of hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells in human peripheral blood.

Introduction: Peripheral blood stem cell (PBSC) donation is the primary procedure used to collect hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs) for hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Single bouts of exercise transiently enrich peripheral blood with HSPCs and cytolytic natural killer cells (CD56), which are important in preventing post-transplant complications. To provide a rationale to investigate the utility of exercise in a PBSC donation setting (≈3 h), this study aimed to establish whether interval cycling increased peripheral blood HSPC and CD56 concentrations to a greater degree than continuous cycling.

A population-based analysis of the impact of 1 vs. 2 doses of mitomycin on patterns of failure of anal cancer patients treated with concurrent chemoradiotherapy.

Purpose: We report the impact of 1 vs. 2 doses of mitomycin-C (MMC) based chemoradiation (CRT) on patterns of treatment failure and long-term patient outcomes in anal squamous cell carcinoma (ASCC) and the predictors for locoregional failure (LRF) and distant metastasis (DM).

Methods: In this population-based study, we identified all patients with anal cancer in our province treated radically with radiation and concurrent 5-Fluorouracil (5FU) and 1 vs.

Long-Term Patient-Reported Quality of Life of Anal Cancer Survivors Treated With Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy and Concurrent Chemotherapy: Results From a Prospective Phase II Trial.

Purpose: Intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) has confirmed its superiority in improving acute treatment-related toxicities in anal cancer, without compromising tumor control. However, the effect of IMRT on long-term quality of life (QOL) is poorly documented. The study prospectively evaluated the long-term patient-reported QOL after IMRT-based chemoradiation in anal cancer.

Tumor Volume Predicts for Pathologic Complete Response in Rectal Cancer Patients Treated With Neoadjuvant Chemoradiation.

Objectives: Nonoperative management (NOM) of locally advanced rectal cancer is an emerging approach allowing patients to preserve their anal sphincter. Identifying clinical factors associated with pathologic complete response (pCR) is essential for physicians and patients considering NOM.

Materials And Methods: In total, 412 locally advanced rectal cancer patients were included in this retrospective analysis.

Effects of exercise during and after neoadjuvant chemoradiation on symptom burden and quality of life in rectal cancer patients: a phase II randomized controlled trial.

Purpose: We previously demonstrated that exercise during and after neoadjuvant chemoradiation (NACRT) for rectal cancer may improve the rate of pathologic complete/near complete response. Here, we report the effects of exercise on symptom management and quality of life (QoL).

Methods: Rectal cancer patients (N = 36) were randomized to a supervised high-intensity interval training program during NACRT followed by unsupervised continuous exercise after NACRT or usual care.

Feasibility, Safety, and Preliminary Efficacy of Exercise During and After Neoadjuvant Rectal Cancer Treatment: A Phase II Randomized Controlled Trial.

Background: Neoadjuvant chemoradiation (NACRT) improves outcomes for patients with rectal cancer; however, there are dose-limiting toxicities and only a 15% to 27% pathologic complete response (pCR) rate. Exercise may help manage toxicities and improve treatment response, but feasibility and early efficacy have not been established. EXERT was a phase II trial designed to establish the feasibility and safety of exercise and provide the first evidence of efficacy.

More Is Not Better When It Comes to Treating Rectal Cancer With Multimodal Chemoradiation Beyond the Standard Radiation Dose of 5040 cGy.

Background: Radiation dose schedules for neoadjuvant chemoradiation for rectal cancers differ, with the most common dose schedule using 5040 cGy in 28 fractions.

Objectives: The aim of this retrospective study was to assess the benefit of higher radiation doses beyond 5040 cGy in the context of pathological response and follow-up events.

Setting: The database from a provincial tertiary cancer center in Canada was the source of information for this study.

Impact of dose-capping chemotherapy in concurrent chemoradiotherapy in rectal cancer patients.

Introduction: The study evaluated the effect of chemotherapy dose-capping on disease recurrence, toxicity and survival of rectal cancer patients treated with chemoradiotherapy (CRT).

Methods: 601 consecutive rectal cancer patients treated with concurrent CRT were retrospectively analysed. Dose-capped patients were defined as having a body surface area (BSA) ≥2.

Dosimetric Parameters Predicting Late Small Bowel Toxicity in Patients With Rectal Cancer Receiving Neoadjuvant Chemoradiation.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to identify dosimetric parameters that predict late small bowel (SB) toxicity after neoadjuvant long course chemoradiation (CRT) for rectal cancer.

Methods And Materials: Four hundred eighty-six consecutive patients with locally advanced rectal cancers (clinical T3/T4 or N1/N2) who received CRT followed by surgery and had dosimetric data available for analysis were included in this study. The dose-volume relationship between small bowel irradiation and late small bowel toxicity was evaluated and a mathematical model to predict for late SB toxicity was derived.

Should Stereotactic Radiosurgery Be Considered for Salvage of Intracranial Recurrence after Prophylactic Cranial Irradiation or Whole Brain Radiotherapy in Small Cell Lung Cancer? A Population-Based Analysis and Literature Review.

Background: Prophylactic cranial irradiation (PCI) improves survival and prevents intracranial recurrence (IR) in limited stage (LS) and extensive stage (ES) small cell lung cancer (SCLC). However, despite PCI, IR affects 12%-45%, and limited data exist regarding salvage brain reirradiation (ReRT). We performed a population-based review of IR in SCLC.

Prognostic utility of pre- and post-treatment FDG-PET parameters in anal squamous cell carcinoma.

Background And Purpose: We prospectively assessed the contributions of PET to initial staging, early detection of treatment failures, and prognostication in patients with anal squamous cell carcinoma (ASCC).

Materials And Methods: Consecutive patients with ASCC referred for radical chemoradiotherapy (CRT) consented to undergo FDG-PET imaging pre-treatment and at 3 and 6 months post-treatment. Clinicopathologic data were collected and CT and PET imaging reviewed for contribution to staging and recurrence detection.

Exercise during and after neoadjuvant rectal cancer treatment (the EXERT trial): study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.

Background: Standard treatment for locally advanced rectal cancer includes 5-6 weeks of neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (NACRT) followed by total mesorectal excision 6-8 weeks later. NACRT improves local disease control and surgical outcomes but also causes side effects including fatigue, diarrhea, hand-foot syndrome, and physical deconditioning that may impede quality of life (QoL), treatment completion, treatment response, and long-term prognosis. Interventions to improve treatment outcomes and manage side effects that are safe, tolerable and low-cost are highly desirable.

Palliative chemoradiotherapy versus radiotherapy alone for dysphagia in advanced oesophageal cancer: a multicentre randomised controlled trial (TROG 03.01).

Background: A short course of radiotherapy is commonly prescribed for palliative relief of malignant dysphagia in patients with incurable oesophageal cancer. We compared chemoradiotherapy with radiotherapy alone for dysphagia relief in the palliative setting.

Methods: This multicentre randomised controlled trial included patients with advanced or metastatic oesophageal cancer who were randomly assigned (1:1) through a computer-generated adaptive biased coin design to either palliative chemoradiotherapy or radiotherapy alone for treatment of malignant dysphagia at 22 hospitals in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the UK.

2A4 binds soluble and insoluble light chain aggregates from AL amyloidosis patients and promotes clearance of amyloid deposits by phagocytosis .

Amyloid light chain (AL) amyloidosis is characterized by misfolded light chain (LC) (amyloid) deposition in various peripheral organs, leading to progressive dysfunction and death. There are no regulatory agency-approved treatments for AL amyloidosis, and none of the available standard of care approaches directly targets the LC protein that constitutes the amyloid. NEOD001, currently in late-stage clinical trials, is a conformation-specific, anti-LC antibody designed to specifically target misfolded LC aggregates and promote phagocytic clearance of AL amyloid deposits.

Patient reported quality of life after helical IMRT based concurrent chemoradiation of locally advanced anal cancer.

Background And Purpose: Concurrent chemoradiation (CCRT) is the standard treatment for locally advanced anal canal carcinoma, although treatment-related side effects can affect patient quality of life (QOL). The purpose was to prospectively evaluate the effects of Tomotherapy (HT) based CCRT on patient reported QOL in locally advanced anal cancer.

Patients And Methods: Fifty-four patients treated with HT and concurrent 5-fluorouracil/mitomycin-C underwent QOL evaluation at baseline, after treatment, and during follow-up with EORTC core (QLQ-C30) and colorectal (QLQ-CR29) questionnaires.

MicroRNA expression profiling of sputum for the detection of early and locally advanced non-small-cell lung cancer: a prospective case-control study.

Background: Non-small-cell lung cancer (nsclc) is associated with very poor overall survival because 70% of patients present with locally advanced or metastatic disease at the time of diagnosis. Micrornas (mirnas) are a class of short, noncoding rna molecules whose presence in samples of biologic fluids such as sputum has demonstrated promise as a potential means of detecting nsclc. We investigated the stage-specific nsclc detection potential of an efficient panel of 3 mirnas (mir-21, mir-210, mir-372) using a single sputum sample.

A Phase I Study Examining the Feasibility and Safety of an Aerobic Exercise Intervention in Patients With Rectal Cancer During and After Neoadjuvant Chemoradiotherapy.

Purpose/objectives: To assess the feasibility and safety of an aerobic exercise intervention in patients with rectal cancer during and after neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (NACRT).
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Design: A prospective, single-group design with assessments at pre-NACRT, post-NACRT, and presurgery.

Novel conformation-specific monoclonal antibodies against amyloidogenic forms of transthyretin.

Introduction: Transthyretin amyloidosis (ATTR amyloidosis) is caused by the misfolding and deposition of the transthyretin (TTR) protein and results in progressive multi-organ dysfunction. TTR epitopes exposed by dissociation and misfolding are targets for immunotherapeutic antibodies. We developed and characterized antibodies that selectively bound to misfolded, non-native conformations of TTR.

Prospective phase II study of tomotherapy based chemoradiation treatment for locally advanced anal cancer.

Background And Purpose: To evaluate toxicity, local control, and survival of anal cancer patients treated with helical tomotherapy (HT) and concurrent 5-fluorouracil and mitomycin-C (5FU/MMC).

Materials And Methods: Fifty-seven patients were treated with HT and concurrent 5FU/MMC. The planning objectives were to deliver 54 Gy to the tumor (PTV54) and 45 Gy to the nodes at risk (PTV45) in 30 fractions.

Dose-escalated Hypofractionated Intensity-modulated Radiation Therapy With Concurrent Chemotherapy for Inoperable or Unresectable Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer.

Purpose: The local control of inoperable non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) using standard radiotherapy (RT) doses is inadequate. Dose escalation is a potential strategy to improve the local control for patients with NSCLC; however, the optimal dose required for local control in this setting is unknown.

Methods And Materials: Patients with unresectable or inoperable stage II/III NSCLC with ECOG≤1 received 48 Gy in 20 daily fractions using intensity-modulated radiotherapy, followed by 1 of 3 boost dose levels: 16.