Novel Systemic Anticancer Therapy and Healthcare Utilization at the End of Life: A Retrospective Cohort Study.

Background: Novel systemic anticancer therapies (SACT) in the form of targeted and immunotherapies are increasingly replacing traditional chemotherapy. Little is known about the impact of novel SACT on healthcare resource utilization (HCRU) at the end of life.

Methodology: A retrospective review of patients attending a tertiary cancer center in Toronto, Canada, with advanced solid or hematological malignancies who died in 2019.

Subclinical hypothyroidism and metabolic syndrome in psychiatric patients: A systematic literature review and meta-analysis.

Objective: The systematic review evaluated the association of subclinical hypothyroidism (SCH) with metabolic syndrome (MetS) and specific MetS components in people with major psychiatric disorders.

Methods: A systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted to evaluate the association of SCH with MetS and its components in people with major psychiatric conditions.

Results: Five studies incorporating 24,158 participants met the inclusion criteria.

Electronic malignant bowel obstruction symptom monitoring smartphone application for patients with gynecologic cancers.

Objectives: Implementation of an interprofessional program at Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, including nurse-led proactive calls to support patients with gynecologic cancers with malignant bowel obstruction, demonstrated improved outcomes compared with historical controls. The aim of the study was to convert the proactive calls into an electronic monitoring program to assess it's feasibility and scalability in patients with gynecologic cancers with or at risk of malignant bowel obstruction.

Methods: 'My Bowels on Track' smartphone application included weekly/biweekly electronic patient-reported outcomes (PROs), educational materials, and a secure messaging system.

Generative AI for graph-based drug design: Recent advances and the way forward.

Discovering new promising molecule candidates that could translate into effective drugs is a key scientific pursuit. However, factors such as the vastness and discreteness of the molecular search space pose a formidable technical challenge in this quest. AI-driven generative models can effectively learn from data, and offer hope to streamline drug design.

Metronomic chemotherapy in ovarian cancer.

Translational research and the development of targeted therapies have transformed the therapeutic landscape in epithelial ovarian cancer over the last decade. However, recurrent ovarian cancer continues to pose formidable challenges to therapeutic interventions, necessitating innovative strategies to optimize treatment outcomes. Current research focuses on the development of pharmaceuticals that target potential resistance pathways to DNA repair pathways.

Treatment of Ovarian Cancer Beyond PARP Inhibition: Current and Future Options.

Ovarian cancer is the leading cause of gynecological cancer death. Improved understanding of the biologic pathways and introduction of poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase inhibitors (PARPi) during the last decade have changed the treatment landscape. This has improved outcomes, but unfortunately half the women with ovarian cancer still succumb to the disease within 5 years of diagnosis.

Assessment of Homologous Recombination Deficiency in Ovarian Cancer.

Accurately assessing homologous recombination deficiency (HRD) to use as a predictive biomarker is an area of intense research in ovarian cancer. Validated assays have demonstrated utility in determining maintenance therapy following platinum sensitive chemotherapy. Novel functional assays promise the potential to reflect HRD in real time and predict response to PARP inhibitors.

Fertility and pregnancy in chronic myeloid leukemia: real-world experience from an Indian tertiary care institution.

Chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) management during pregnancy is challenging. In this retrospective study, hospital records of CML patients treated between 2000 and 2021 were screened to identify patients who tried to conceive/got pregnant (planned and unplanned) on TKIs (tyrosine kinase inhibitors)/were pregnant at CML onset/fathered a child. We found ninety-three pregnancies involving thirty-three women and thirty-eight men, and they were analyzed for the pregnancy outcomes and the strategies utilized for CML management during pregnancy and the pre-conception period.

Clinical Profile and Predictors of Survival in Carcinoma Penis Patients.

Background: Carcinoma penis is a rare neoplasm, and the literature is scarce on long-term survival and its predictors. The aim of the study was to determine the clinical profile and management patterns, identify predictors of survival, and the impact of education and rural/urban dwelling on survival.

Methods: Patients with a histological diagnosis of carcinoma penis from January 2015 to December 2019 were included in the study.

Efficacy and tolerability of sorafenib in desmoid-type fibromatosis: A need to review dose.

Background: Sorafenib is currently one of the recommended treatments for symptomatic patients with desmoid-type fibromatosis (DTF). In this study, we aim to assess the clinical efficacy and tolerability of sorafenib in DTF patients.

Methodology: Patients aged>18 years with a histological diagnosis of DTF and who have received sorafenib were enroled in this prospective observational study.

Epithelioid sarcoma and its outcome: a retrospective analysis from a tertiary care center in North India.

Aim: Clinicopatholgical findings and outcomes in epithelioid sarcoma (ES) patients.

Materials & Methods: ES patients registered in sarcoma clinic from 2015 to 2021.

Results: There were 20 patients with median age of 26 years.

Health-related quality of life (HRQoL), anxiety, and depression in patients with desmoid type fibromatosis.

Introduction: Data on the impact of desmoid type fibromatosis (DTF) on emotional distress and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) is sparse.

Methodology: In this prospective cross-sectional study, patients with DTF and healthy controls were asked to fill the EORTC QLQ-C30, GAD-7, and PHQ-9 questionnaires. The objectives were to determine HRQoL, anxiety, and depression in patients with DTF.

Early-Stage epithelial ovarian cancer: Predictors of survival.

Background: One fifth of patients with epithelial ovarian cancers (EOC) present at an early stage (FIGO stage I & II). However, there is scarcity of literature on the outcomes and its predictors. The aim of the study was to assess relapse free survival (RFS), overall survival (OS) and its predictors in early stage EOC.

Current trends in diagnosis and management of follicular lymphoma.

Follicular lymphoma (FL) originates from germinal center B cells, is the most prevalent form of indolent non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. Upfront management is based on stage, grade, and disease burden. Radiotherapy may be curative in limited disease while chemoimmunotherapy is preferred in advanced disease.

Clinical Profile and Outcome in Patients of Complicated Urinary Tract Infections: A Single-Center Prospective Observational Study.

Background: Complicated urinary tract infection (cUTI) is the one which is associated with structural and functional abnormalities of the urinary tract, thus increasing the risk of infection and failure of therapy.

Aim: This study aims to determine the risk factors, changing trends in etiology, current treatment options, and outcomes in cUTI.

Materials And Methods: This prospective observational study was done on patients presenting with cUTI.

DripOMeter: An open-source opto-electronic system for intravenous (IV) infusion monitoring.

Intravenous (IV) infusion is a common medical procedure which involves the administration of fluids directly into the blood stream typically through a vein in the arm of the patient. Though gravity fed IV-drip is a safe, effective and an affordable tool, yet several complications can arise in its usage and thus requires constant monitoring. In this paper, a solution is presented for infusion monitoring based on detection of drops falling through the drip chamber.

Novel approaches for treatment of endometrial carcinoma.

Endometrial cancer (EC) is common malignancy in women and its incidence is slowly on the rise. Accurate surgical staging, with aggressive cytoreduction when indicated, remains the most critical step in the treatment. Careful pathological evaluation and/or molecular risk stratification guides for proper systemic adjuvant radiotherapy ± chemotherapy.

Clinicopathological profile and outcomes of anorectal melanoma from a tertiary care center in India.

Background: Anorectal melanoma (AM) is a rare subtype of melanoma.

Aim: To study the clinic-pathologic features and outcomes in patients with AM.

Materials & Methods: Clinical, pathologic findings and outcomes of patients with AM were recorded.

Impact of microbial contamination of haematopoietic stem cells on post-transplant outcomes: A retrospective study from tertiary care centre in India.

Background: Haematopoietic stem cells (HSC) may act as a source of infection for the recipient due to manipulation at multiple levels from collection to infusion. Due to the high risk of contamination cultures are usually taken during multiple steps. The clinical significance of microbial contamination of HSC on the post-transplant course and the role of prophylactic antibiotics is relatively unknown.

Efficacy of Single Low-Dose Rasburicase in Management of Tumor Lysis Syndrome in Leukemia and Lymphoma Patients.

Background: Tumor lysis syndrome (TLS) is a metabolic emergency in hematology patients. The recommended dose of rasburicase for the management of TLS is 0.2 mg/kg per day for 5 days, which is cost prohibitive for many patients.

Management of Refractory Pediatric Sarcoma: Current Challenges and Future Prospects.

Paediatric sarcomas are a heterogeneous group of disorders constituting bone sarcoma and various soft tissue sarcomas. Almost one-third of these presents with metastasis at baseline and another one-third recur after initial curative treatment. There is a huge unmet need in this cohort in terms of curative options and/or prolongation of survival.