Publications by authors named "Robert C Stassen"

Article Synopsis
  • In a study comparing neoadjuvant (before surgery) and adjuvant (after surgery) immunotherapy for stage III melanoma, neoadjuvant treatment showed greater effectiveness.
  • The trial involved random assignment of 423 patients to receive either two cycles of neoadjuvant ipilimumab plus nivolumab followed by surgery, or surgery followed by 12 cycles of adjuvant nivolumab.
  • Results indicated a significantly higher 12-month event-free survival rate in the neoadjuvant group (83.7%) compared to the adjuvant group (57.2%), with neoadjuvant therapy leading to better patient outcomes and more major pathological responses despite a higher incidence of severe adverse events.
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Background: The introduction of adjuvant systemic treatment for patients with high-risk melanomas necessitates accurate staging of disease. However, inconsistencies in outcomes exist between disease stages as defined by the American Joint Committee on Cancer (8th edition). We aimed to develop a tool to predict patient-specific outcomes in people with melanoma rather than grouping patients according to disease stage.

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Sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) is recommended for patients with >pT1b cutaneous melanoma, and should be considered and discussed with patients diagnosed with pT1b cutaneous melanoma for the purpose of staging, prognostication and determining eligibility for adjuvant therapy. Previously, the clinicopathologic and gene expression profile (CP-GEP, Merlin Assay®) model was developed to identify patients who can forgo SLNB because of a low risk for sentinel node metastasis. The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical use and implementation of the CP-GEP model in a prospective multicenter study in the Netherlands.

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Background: Closed reduction and internal fixation (CRIF) is the preferred treatment to retain the native joint and maintain optimal functionality in femoral neck fractures. Sliding hip screw (SHS) and cannulated hip screws (CHS) are established CRIF options. SHS offer high biomechanical stability, whereas CHS are minimally invasive.

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Sarcopenia is related to adverse outcomes in various populations. However, little is known about the prevalence of sarcopenia in polytrauma patients. Identifying the number of patients at risk of adverse outcome will increase awareness to prevent further loss of muscle mass.

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