Background: We trialled the first digital pathway (BRCA-DIRECT) aiming to improve capacity for mainstreamed BRCA testing within UK breast oncology services. Patients received standardised digital pretest information, with saliva sampling and consent to testing completed at home. For individualised support, we offered access to a clinical genetics professional via a telephone helpline (TH).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPurpose/objective(s): Use of intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) versus three-dimensional conformal external beam radiation therapy (3D-CRT) for definitive chemoradiation therapy (CRT) in locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer (LA-NSCLC) has been associated with decreased late pneumonitis, decreased high dose to the heart (itself associated with improved overall survival), and improved patient quality of life. In a statewide radiation oncology quality consortium, we sought to evaluate the impact of IMRT versus 3D-CRT treatment technique on dosimetry and toxicity.
Materials/methods: From 2012 to 2022, 1746 LA-NSCLC patients meeting inclusion criteria underwent definitive RT (90% CRT) with either 3D-CRT (n=313) or IMRT (n=1433) and were enrolled in the [quality consortium] prospective, multicenter statewide initiative.
Chronic wasting disease (CWD) is a fatal transmissible spongiform encephalopathy affecting cervids. Transmission occurs through oral and nasal mucosal exposure to infectious prions (PrPCWD), causing cellular prion proteins (PrPC) to misfold. Currently, the approved diagnostic assays for CWD are immunohistochemistry (IHC) and ELISA.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIntroduction: Reirradiation (reRT) has become increasingly prevalent due to an aging population and advancements in cancer detection and treatment. However, the field is still lacking standardized dosimetric evaluation methods and reRT workflows, which leads to difficulty in correlating clinical outcomes with delivered dose. This study reports on the implementation and evolution of a standardized reRT workflow in the Department of Radiation Oncology at [redacted], describing insights gained from nearly 3000 external beam reirradiation courses delivered since 2017.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPurpose Of Review: Parasitic lung diseases occur because of transient migration of parasites in the lung or because of a subsequent immunologic reaction. The purpose of this review is to scan for any recent developments in the epidemiology, diagnostics and treatment of these exotic diseases.
Recent Findings: Disease is mostly seen in endemic countries, but with international travel, globalization and mass migration, together with their late presentations, these diseases can present worldwide, often mimicking other conditions.