Real-world healthcare costs of localized and regionally advanced cutaneous melanoma in the Netherlands.

The aim of this study was to provide insight into real-world healthcare costs of patients initially diagnosed with localized or regionally advanced melanoma in three Dutch hospitals between 2003 and 2011. Patients were stratified according to their stage at diagnosis and recurrence status. Costs were calculated by applying unit costs to individual patient resource use and reported for the full disease course, the initial treatment episode, and treatment episodes for disease recurrence (stratified by type of recurrence).

Stage-specific disease recurrence and survival in localized and regionally advanced cutaneous melanoma.

Objective: To investigate stage-specific survival from diagnosis, stage-specific disease recurrence, and post-recurrence survival in patients diagnosed with localized and regionally advanced cutaneous melanoma.

Methods: A retrospective, observational cohort study was conducted in six Dutch hospitals. We included patients with a first diagnosis of stage I, II, or III melanoma between January 2003 and December 2011.

Eponyms of Sir Jonathan Hutchinson.

Sir Jonathan Hutchinson was an extraordinary man. He was trained as a surgeon and a pathologist, but was also keenly interested in dermatology, the study of syphilis, ophthalmology, and neurology. His observations with detailed descriptions of skin diseases were remarkable.

Limited cardiotoxicity after extensive thoracic surgery and intraoperative hyperthermic intrathoracic chemotherapy with doxorubicin and cisplatin.

Background: Recently, pleural mesothelioma has been treated by cytoreductive surgery and intraoperative hyperthermic intrathoracic chemotherapy with doxorubicin and cisplatin. The well-established cardiotoxicity of doxorubicin and distressing data from an animal study raised concern about its impact on cardiac function. In the present study, early cardiotoxicity of this treatment modality was prospectively analyzed.

High risk of colostomy with primary radiotherapy for anal cancer.

Background: Radiotherapy (RT) has become the primary treatment of choice for anal cancer in an effort to avoid colostomy. The current role of surgery appears generally to be underestimated, since diverting colostomy or abdominoperineal resection still often seems to be necessary for complications and local treatment failure after RT.

Methods: The data of 83 patients primarily treated by RT with curative intent throughout a 20-year period in our institute were analyzed regarding the need for colostomy.

Total body topical 5-fluorouracil for extensive non-melanoma skin cancer.

Background: Topical 5-fluorouracil 5% cream is one of the treatment modalities for non-melanoma skin cancer (NMSC). There is a lack of suitable therapies to treat patients with extensive NMSC. In this paper we report two patients with extensive NMSC treated by total body application of topical 5-fluorouracil 5% cream.

Long-term survival of peritoneal carcinomatosis of colorectal origin.

Background: Peritoneal carcinomatosis of colorectal cancer is probably best treated by cytoreduction and hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC). In The Netherlands Cancer Institute, this treatment has been performed since 1995. The long tradition of this treatment enabled us to study long-term survival in detail.

Prognostic factors and evaluation of surgical management of hepatic metastases from colorectal origin: a 10-year single-institute experience.

The aim of this study was to determine prognostic factors and outcome after liver resection for colorectal metastases in 102 patients over a period of 10 years. A stepwise procedure using proportional hazard regression analysis was used to identify prognostic factors. Estimated survival at 2 years was 71%, and at 5 years, 29% (Kaplan-Meier).

Peritoneal carcinomatosis from colorectal or appendiceal origin: correlation of preoperative CT with intraoperative findings and evaluation of interobserver agreement.

Background And Objectives: In patients with colorectal cancer, it is important to diagnose peritoneal carcinomatosis as well as to detect location and size of peritoneal tumor dissemination in view of treatment planning. The aim of this study was to investigate the detection accuracy of computed tomography (CT).

Methods: Preoperative CT-scans from 25 consecutive patients with peritoneal carcinomatosis from colorectal or appendiceal origin were independently blindly reviewed by 2 radiologists.

Population pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of mitomycin during intraoperative hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy.

Background: During recent years, cytoreductive surgery combined with hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) with mitomycin has been used for various malignancies.

Objective: To characterise the population pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of mitomycin during HIPEC.

Methods: Forty-seven patients received mitomycin 35 mg/m2 intraperitoneally as a perfusion over 90 minutes.

Randomized trial of cytoreduction and hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy versus systemic chemotherapy and palliative surgery in patients with peritoneal carcinomatosis of colorectal cancer.

Purpose: To confirm the findings from uncontrolled studies that aggressive cytoreduction in combination with hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) is superior to standard treatment in patients with peritoneal carcinomatosis of colorectal cancer origin.

Patients And Methods: Between February 1998 and August 2001, 105 patients were randomly assigned to receive either standard treatment consisting of systemic chemotherapy (fluorouracil-leucovorin) with or without palliative surgery, or experimental therapy consisting of aggressive cytoreduction with HIPEC, followed by the same systemic chemotherapy regime. The primary end point was survival.

Surgical treatment of malignant pleural mesothelioma: a review.

Despite many years of clinical research, there is still no effective therapy for malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM). Untreated, the prognosis is poor, with a median survival of < 1 year. Single-agent or combination chemotherapy as well as radiotherapy have not shown persistent improvements in response or survival.

Cytoreductive surgery and intraoperative hyperthermic intrathoracic chemotherapy in patients with malignant pleural mesothelioma or pleural metastases of thymoma.

Study Objectives: No established curative treatment is available for pleural thymoma metastases and malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM). Recently, peritoneal malignancies have been treated by cytoreductive surgery and intraoperative hyperthermic intracavitary perfusion chemotherapy (HIPEC). We investigated the feasibility and safety of this multimodality treatment in the thoracic cavity.