Blood based immune biomarkers associated with clinical frailty scale in older patients with melanoma receiving checkpoint inhibitor immunotherapy.

Introduction: Immunotherapy with checkpoint inhibition (ICI) is increasingly prescribed to older patients with cancer. High age, especially in combination with frailty, has been associated to immune senescence, which is the age-related decline in immune function, thereby possibly hindering ICI effectiveness. This cross-sectional study aimed to assess whether blood cell immune senescence markers are associated with age, frailty and response to anti-PD-1 treatment in older patients with metastatic melanoma.

Tumor immune microenvironmental characteristics in Human Epidermal Growth Factor-2 (HER2) positive esophageal adenocarcinoma: A comparative analysis and biomarker study.

Background: HER2 targeting in esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC) has shown potential, but often fails to show durable response. Given the contributions of the tumor immune microenvironment (TIME) to therapeutic responses, we aimed to chart the TIME characteristics of HER2 positive tumors.

Methods: 84 biopsies were taken from the TRAP cohort (neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (nCRT) according to CROSS with trastuzumab and pertuzumab; n = 40; HER2n = 40) and a control cohort with nCRT only (n = 44; HER2- n = 40, HER2n = 4) before treatment.

DOSAGE study: protocol for a phase III non-inferiority randomised trial investigating dose-reduced chemotherapy for advanced colorectal cancer in older patients.

Introduction: Treating older adults with chemotherapy remains a challenge, given their under-representation in clinical trials and the lack of robust treatment guidelines for this population. Moreover, older patients, especially those with frailty, have an increased risk of developing chemotherapy-related toxicity, resulting in a decreased quality of life (QoL), increased hospitalisations and high healthcare costs. Phase II trials have suggested that upfront dose reduction of chemotherapy can reduce toxicity rates while maintaining efficacy, leading to fewer treatment discontinuations and an improved QoL.

Allocation and value of curative oncological treatment in frail and fit older patients with esophageal cancer: An observational cohort study.

Introduction: The Value-Based Health Care (VBHC) model of care provides insights into patient characteristics, outcomes, and costs of care delivery that help clinicians counsel patients. This study compares the allocation and value of curative oncological treatment in frail and fit older patients with esophageal cancer in a dedicated VBHC pathway.

Materials And Methods: Data was collected from patients with primary esophageal cancer without distant metastases, aged 70 years or older, and treated at a Dutch tertiary care hospital between 2015 and 2019.

Esophagectomy after definitive chemoradiation in esophageal cancer: a safe therapeutic strategy.

The standard treatment regimen for esophageal cancer is chemoradiation followed by esophagectomy. However, the use of neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy damages the surrounding tissue, which potentially increases the risk of postoperative complications, including anastomotic leakage. The impact of definitive chemoradiotherapy (dCRT, 50.

Chemotherapy-Induced Peripheral Neuropathy in Patients With Gastroesophageal Cancer.

Background: Chemotherapy for various stages of gastroesophageal cancer (GEC) is often neurotoxic. Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) impairs health-related quality of life (HRQoL). This study investigates the incidence and severity of CIPN and its association with HRQoL in patients with GEC.

European clinical practice guidelines for the definition, diagnosis, and treatment of oligometastatic esophagogastric cancer (OMEC-4).

Introduction: The OligoMetastatic Esophagogastric Cancer (OMEC) project aims to provide clinical practice guidelines for the definition, diagnosis, and treatment of esophagogastric oligometastatic disease (OMD).

Methods: Guidelines were developed according to AGREE II and GRADE principles. Guidelines were based on a systematic review (OMEC-1), clinical case discussions (OMEC-2), and a Delphi consensus study (OMEC-3) by 49 European expert centers for esophagogastric cancer.

Aphid populations are frequently infected with facultative endosymbionts.

The occurrence of facultative endosymbionts has been studied in many commercially important crop pest aphids, but their occurrence and effects in non-commercial aphid species in natural populations have received less attention. We screened 437 aphid samples belonging to 106 aphid species for the eight most common facultative aphid endosymbionts. We found one or more facultative endosymbionts in 53% (56 of 106) of the species investigated.

Spatially and temporally resolved metabolome of the human oral cavity.

Saliva is a complex bodily fluid composed of secretions by major and minor salivary glands. Salivary glands and their secretions are known to be unevenly distributed in the human oral cavity. Moreover, saliva flow rate and composition vary across locations and time of the day.

Association of Biological Age with Tumor Microenvironment in Patients with Esophageal Adenocarcinoma.

Introduction: Esophageal cancer is the seventh most common cancer worldwide and typically tends to manifest at an older age. Marked heterogeneity in time-dependent functional decline in older adults results in varying grades of clinically manifest patient fitness or frailty. The biological age-related adaptations that accompany functional decline have been shown to modulate the non-malignant cells comprising the tumor microenvironment (TME).

Geriatric predictors of response and adverse events in older patients with cancer treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors: A systematic review.

Background: Immunotherapy with checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) has improved cancer treatment in recent years. Older and frail patients are frequently treated with ICIs, but since they have been underrepresented in previous clinical trials, the real impact of ICI in this patient group is not well defined. The aim of this systematic review was to evaluate the evidence for associations between geriatric impairments and treatment outcomes in older patients with advanced and metastatic cancer treated with ICIs.

[How long are medical oncology patients in The Netherlands willing to travel for their cancer care?].

Background: The number of people with cancer will increase in the Netherlands. Further concentration and network care is pursued. The aim of this study was to explore how long medical oncology patients are willing to travel for their cancer care.

Assessing real-world representativeness of prospective registry cohorts in oncology: insights from patients with esophagogastric cancer.

Objectives: This study aimed to explore the real-world representativeness of a prospective registry cohort with active accrual in oncology, applying a representativeness metric that is novel to health care.

Study Design And Setting: We used data from the Prospective Observational Cohort Study of Esophageal-Gastric Cancer Patients (POCOP) registry and from the population-based Netherlands Cancer Registry (NCR). We used Representativeness-indicators (R-indicators) and overall survival to investigate the degree to which the POCOP cohort and clinically relevant subgroups were a representative sample compared to the NCR database.

Chemotherapy-Related Toxic Effects and Quality of Life and Physical Functioning in Older Patients.

Importance: Although older patients are at increased risk of developing grade 3 or higher chemotherapy-related toxic effects, no studies, to our knowledge, have focused on the association between toxic effects and quality of life (QOL) and physical functioning.

Objective: To investigate the association between grade 3 or higher chemotherapy-related toxic effects and QOL and physical functioning over time in older patients.

Design, Setting, And Participants: In this prospective, multicenter cohort study, patients aged 70 years or older who were scheduled to receive chemotherapy with curative or palliative intent and a geriatric assessment were included.

Effect of a prediction tool and communication skills training on communication of treatment outcomes: a multicenter stepped wedge clinical trial (the SOURCE trial).

Background: For cancer patients to effectively engage in decision making, they require comprehensive and understandable information regarding treatment options and their associated outcomes. We developed an online prediction tool and supporting communication skills training to assist healthcare providers (HCPs) in this complex task. This study aims to assess the impact of this combined intervention (prediction tool and training) on the communication practices of HCPs when discussing treatment options.

The association between hospital variation in curative treatment for esophagogastric cancer and health-related quality of life and survival.

Background: As previous studies showed significant hospital variation in curative treatment of esophagogastric cancer, this study assesses the association between this variation and overall, cancer-specific and recurrence-free survival, and Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQoL).

Methods: Patients diagnosed with potentially curable esophageal or gastric cancer between 2015 and 2018 as registered in the Netherlands Cancer Registry were included. Data on overall survival was available for all patients, data on cancer-specific and recurrence-free survival and HRQoL was available for subgroups.

Long-term health-related quality of life in patients with advanced esophagogastric cancer receiving first-line systemic therapy.

Purpose: To investigate the effect of systemic therapy on health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in patients with advanced esophagogastric cancer in daily clinical practice. This study assessed the HRQoL of patients with esophagogastric cancer during first-line systemic therapy, at disease progression, and after progression in a real-world context.

Methods: Patients with advanced esophagogastric cancer (2014-2021) receiving first-line systemic therapy registered in the Prospective Observational Cohort Study of Oesophageal-gastric cancer (POCOP) were included (n = 335).

Gastrointestinal Symptoms After Resection of Esophagogastric Cancer: A Longitudinal Study on Their Incidence and Impact on Patient-Reported Outcomes.

Background: This study assesses the incidence of gastrointestinal symptoms in the first year after resection of esophageal or gastric cancer and its association with health-related quality of life (HRQoL), functioning, work productivity, and daily activities.

Patients And Methods: Patients diagnosed with esophageal or gastric cancer between 2015 and 2021, who underwent a resection, and completed ≥ 2 questionnaires from the time intervals prior to resection and 0-3, 3-6, 6-9, and 9-12 months after resection were included. Multivariable generalized linear mixed models were used to assess changes in gastrointestinal symptoms over time and the impact of the number of gastrointestinal symptoms on HRQoL, functioning, work productivity, and daily activities for patients who underwent an esophagectomy or gastrectomy separately.

Endoglin and squamous cell carcinomas.

Despite the fact that the role of endoglin on endothelial cells has been extensively described, its expression and biological role on (epithelial) cancer cells is still debatable. Especially its function on squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) cells is largely unknown. Therefore, we investigated SCC endoglin expression and function in three types of SCCs; head and neck (HNSCC), esophageal (ESCC) and vulvar (VSCC) cancers.

Definition, diagnosis and treatment of oligometastatic oesophagogastric cancer: A Delphi consensus study in Europe.

Background: Local treatment improves the outcomes for oligometastatic disease (OMD, i.e. an intermediate state between locoregional and widespread disseminated disease).

Parasitism causes changes in caterpillar odours and associated bacterial communities with consequences for host-location by a hyperparasitoid.

Microorganisms living in and on macroorganisms may produce microbial volatile compounds (mVOCs) that characterise organismal odours. The mVOCs might thereby provide a reliable cue to carnivorous enemies in locating their host or prey. Parasitism by parasitoid wasps might alter the microbiome of their caterpillar host, affecting organismal odours and interactions with insects of higher trophic levels such as hyperparasitoids.

Feed gap analysis of dual-purpose chicken production in Tanzania: feed quantity and quality limited production.

The demand for chicken meat and eggs exceeds what can be produced in Tanzania, largely due to low productivity of the sector. Feed quantity and quality are the major factors determining the potential production and productivity of chickens. The present study explored the yield gap in chicken production in Tanzania and analyses the potential of increased chicken production as a result of closing the feed gaps.