Impact of Radiotherapy on the Efficacy and Toxicity of anti-PD-1 Inhibitors in Metastatic NSCLC.

Background: The impact of radiotherapy (RT) on the efficacy and toxicity of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) in patients with metastatic non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is unclear.

Materials And Methods: We identified patients with metastatic NSCLC treated with the anti-programmed death 1 antibodies nivolumab or pembrolizumab between January 2016 and May 2019 at 3 tertiary centers, who were also treated with palliative RT either during or within 3 months of starting anti-programmed death 1 treatment. Patient demographics, tumor characteristics, and treatment history were collected.

Credentialing of vertebral stereotactic ablative body radiotherapy in a multi-centre trial.

Purpose/objective: Stereotactic ablative body radiotherapy (SABR) in multi-centre trials requires rigorous quality assurance to ensure safe and consistent treatment for all trial participants. We report results of vertebral SABR dosimetry credentialing for the ALTG/TROG NIVORAD trial.

Material/methods: Centres with a previous SABR site visit performed axial film measurement of the benchmarking vertebral plan in a local phantom and submitted radiochromic film images for analysis.

A Malignant Neoplasm From the Jejunum With a Fusion and 26-Year Survival History.

The transcription factor GLI1 is a critical effector of the sonic hedgehog pathway. Gene fusions that activate GLI1 have recently been reported in several tumor types including gastroblastoma, plexiform fibromyxoma, a subset of pericytomas, and other soft tissue tumors. These tumors arise in a wide variety of anatomical origins and have variable malignant potentials, morphologies, and immunohistochemistry profiles.

Lung cancer in Victoria: are we making progress?

Objectives: To identify areas to improve patient management in lung cancer, which remains the greatest cause of death from cancer in Australia.

Design And Setting: Retrospective survey of all cases of lung cancer reported to the Victorian Cancer Registry from 1 January to 30 June 2003 and followed up for 5 years.

Main Outcome Measures: Patient and disease characteristics, investigations, staging, treatment, cause of death, survival.

Health-related quality of life and utility in patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer: a prospective cross-sectional patient survey in a real-world setting.

Background: Non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) has a significant impact on patients' health-related quality of life (HRQOL). This study aimed to measure health state utility values representing the individual's preferences for specific health-related outcomes in advanced NSCLC patients and to assess predictive parameters.

Methods: We conducted a prospective quality-of-life survey on advanced NSCLC patients in 25 hospitals in Europe, Canada, Australia, and Turkey.

A phase II clinical trial of the vascular disrupting agent BNC105P as second line chemotherapy for advanced Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma.

BNC105P is a tubulin polymerisation inhibitor that selectively disrupts tumour vasculature and suppresses cancer cell proliferation. This agent has exhibited preclinical and phase I activity in Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma (MPM). This phase II, single arm trial investigated the efficacy and safety of BNC105P as second line therapy in MPM.

Changes in 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose and 18F-fluorodeoxythymidine positron emission tomography imaging in patients with non-small cell lung cancer treated with erlotinib.

Purpose: Assessing clinical activity of molecularly targeted anticancer agents, especially in the absence of tumor shrinkage, is challenging. To evaluate on-treatment 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) and/or 18F-fluorodeoxythymidine (FLT) positron emission tomography (PET) for this purpose, we conducted a prospective multicenter trial assessing PET response rates and associations with progression-free (PFS) and overall survival (OS) in 2nd/3rd-line non-small-cell lung cancer patients treated with erlotinib.

Experimental Design: PET/computed tomography (CT) scans were conducted at baseline, day (d)14 and d56 after the first daily erlotinib dose, with diagnostic CT at baseline and d56 (all scans centrally reviewed).

Neurolymphomatosis: diagnosis, management, and outcomes in patients treated with rituximab.

Neurolymphomatosis (NL) is an uncommon syndrome of peripheral or cranial nerve root dysfunction secondary to infiltration by B-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL). A high index of suspicion is required as presenting symptoms are varied, conventional radiology has only modest sensitivity, and pathological diagnosis is often difficult. Treatment with chemotherapy alone has an objective response rate of 82%, although long-term outcomes are highly variable.

A phase II study of liposomal daunorubicin, in combination with cyclophosphamide, vincristine and prednisolone, in elderly patients with previously untreated aggressive non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

Liposomal daunorubicin (DaunoXome) was substituted for doxorubicin in the CHOP regimen, aiming to reduce toxicity and maintain or improve efficacy in elderly patients. Eligibility criteria included: age >or=60 years; previously untreated aggressive non-Hodgkin Lymphoma (NHL) and performance status (PS) 0-2. Treatment was cyclophosphamide 750 mg/m(2), vincristine 1.

Mannan-MUC1-pulsed dendritic cell immunotherapy: a phase I trial in patients with adenocarcinoma.

Purpose: Tumor antigen-loaded dendritic cells show promise for cancer immunotherapy. This phase I study evaluated immunization with autologous dendritic cells pulsed with mannan-MUC1 fusion protein (MFP) to treat patients with advanced malignancy.

Experimental Design: Eligible patients had adenocarcinoma expressing MUC1, were of performance status 0 to 1, with no autoimmune disease.

Austin Bowel Cancer Consortium: changing culture in bowel cancer care.

The Austin Bowel Cancer Consortium aimed to identify drivers of clinical decision-making so as to inform a continuous practice improvement approach to the use of evidence. Strategies for engaging clinicians included a direct clinician-clinician approach, gaining the support of opinion leaders and using the clinicians' desire for patient outcome data. Interviews with clinicians identified barriers to using evidence in practice.