Management of Invasive Squamous Cell Carcinomas of the Conjunctiva.

Purpose: Ocular surface squamous neoplasia includes a spectrum of diseases from dysplasia to invasive squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the conjunctiva. Whether the degree of invasion influences outcomes is debated. We evaluated the outcomes and management of conjunctival carcinomas defined as ≤0.

Survival Impact of Locoregional Treatment of the Primary Tumor in De Novo Metastatic Breast Cancers in a Large Multicentric Cohort Study: A Propensity Score-Matched Analysis.

Introduction: Improvement in overall survival (OS) by locoregional treatment (LRT) of the primary tumor in de novo metastatic breast cancer (MBC) patients remains controversial.

Objective: The aim of our study was to evaluate the impact of LRT on OS in a large retrospective cohort of de novo MBC patients, with regard to immunohistochemical characteristics and pattern of metastatic dissemination.

Methods: We conducted a multicentric retrospective study of patients diagnosed with de novo MBC selected from the French Epidemiological Strategy and Medical Economics MBC database (NCT03275311) between 2008 and 2014.

Tumor mutational burden assessment as a predictive biomarker for immunotherapy in lung cancer patients: getting ready for prime-time or not?

The emergence of immunotherapy as a first- or second-line of treatment has revolutionized the therapeutic management of lung cancer patients. However, not all lung cancer patients receive the same benefit from this treatment, leading to limitations in the number of patients who can receive anti-PD-1/PD-L1 checkpoint inhibitors because some secondary toxicity has been associated with immunotherapy, and because some patients would benefit more from chemotherapy. In this context, the selection of patients is currently based on PD-L1 immunohistochemistry (IHC), specifically on the percentage of PD-L1 positive tumor cells.

Localized Myxofibrosarcomas: Roles of Surgical Margins and Adjuvant Radiation Therapy.

Purpose: The objective of this study was to describe the outcome and prognostic factors for adults treated for localized myxofibrosarcoma.

Methods And Materials: We conducted a retrospective multicenter study of 425 nonmetastatic patients who underwent surgery between January 1996 and December 2015 in French National Group and were enrolled in the Conticabase. Pathologic diagnosis was systematically reviewed by expert pathologists.

The two glycolytic markers GLUT1 and MCT1 correlate with tumor grade and survival in clear-cell renal cell carcinoma.

Background: Clear-cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) is the most common type of kidney cancer. Although ccRCC is characterized by common recurrent genetic abnormalities, including inactivation of the von Hippel-Lindau (vhl) tumor suppressor gene resulting in stabilization of hypoxia-inducible factors (HIFs), the tumor aggressiveness and outcome of ccRCC is variable. New biomarkers are thus required to improve ccRCC diagnosis, prognosis and therapeutic options.

Accelerated partial breast irradiation for suitable elderly women using a single fraction of multicatheter interstitial high-dose-rate brachytherapy: Early results of the Single-Fraction Elderly Breast Irradiation (SiFEBI) Phase I/II trial.

Purpose/objective: To evaluate feasibility and early clinical outcomes of a single fraction of multi-catheter interstitial high-dose rate brachytherapy for accelerated partial breast irradiation (APBI) in the elderly.

Material/methods: From November 2012 to September 2014, 26 patients (≥70) with early breast cancer were enrolled in a prospective phase II trial (NCT01727011). After lumpectomy, intra-operative catheter implant was performed for post-operative APBI (single fraction 16 Gy).

Brentuximab Vedotin with Chemotherapy for Stage III or IV Hodgkin's Lymphoma.

Background: Brentuximab vedotin is an anti-CD30 antibody-drug conjugate that has been approved for relapsed and refractory Hodgkin's lymphoma.

Methods: We conducted an open-label, multicenter, randomized phase 3 trial involving patients with previously untreated stage III or IV classic Hodgkin's lymphoma, in which 664 were assigned to receive brentuximab vedotin, doxorubicin, vinblastine, and dacarbazine (A+AVD) and 670 were assigned to receive doxorubicin, bleomycin, vinblastine, and dacarbazine (ABVD). The primary end point was modified progression-free survival (the time to progression, death, or noncomplete response and use of subsequent anticancer therapy) as adjudicated by an independent review committee.

Accelerated partial breast irradiation for elderly women with early breast cancer: A compromise between whole breast irradiation and omission of radiotherapy.

Purpose: Regarding adjuvant radiation therapy making decision for elderly women, Albert (2013) published a nomogram predicting the mastectomy-free survival (MFS) rate with or without adjuvant irradiation. Based on this approach, we proposed to investigate the use of accelerated partial breast irradiation (APBI) vs. whole breast irradiation (WBI) or endocrine therapy alone in elderly low-risk breast cancer patients.

Overall survival with crizotinib and next-generation ALK inhibitors in ALK-positive non-small-cell lung cancer (IFCT-1302 CLINALK): a French nationwide cohort retrospective study.

Overall survival (OS) with the anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) inhibitor (ALKi) crizotinib in a large population of unselected patients with ALK-positive non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is not documented. We sought to assess OS with crizotinib in unselected ALK-positive NSCLC patients and whether post-progression systemic treatments affect survival outcomes.ALK-positive NSCLC patients receiving crizotinib in French expanded access programs or as approved drug were enrolled.

Risk factors and state-of-the-art indications for boost irradiation in invasive breast carcinoma.

Purpose: The aim of the study was to give recommendations on patient selection criteria for the administration of boost doses after whole-breast irradiation (WBI) in invasive breast cancer based on available clinical evidence complemented by expert opinion.

Methods And Materials: A systematic search of the PubMed database was conducted to identify factors associated with increased risk for local failure that can define risk groups, and to provide evidence for an adequate guidance to the use of the boost as a function of the risk of local recurrence in breast-conserving therapy. The authors reviewed the published clinical evidence for the use of boost after WBI, complemented by other relevant studies and, through a series of formal meetings communications, formulated the recommendations presented in this article.

Candidate apoptotic and DNA repair gene approach confirms involvement of ERCC1, ERCC5, TP53 and MDM2 in radiation-induced toxicity in head and neck cancer.

Introduction: Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of DNA repair and apoptosis genes have been associated with outcome in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) patients receiving radiotherapy (RT). Our goal was to conduct a candidate gene study in HNSCC patients receiving RT or chemoRT.

Methods: 122 non-resectable HNSCC patients undergoing RT (N=38) or chemoRT (N=84) between 1992 and 2006 were retrospectively analyzed.

Expression of MET in circulating tumor cells correlates with expression in tumor tissue from advanced-stage lung cancer patients.

Given the difficulty in obtaining adequate tissue in NSCLC, we investigated the utility of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) for MET status assessment in NSCLC patients. We used two platforms for CTC capture, and assessed MET expression in CTCs and matched-bronchial biopsies in patients with advanced-stage III/IV lung adenocarcinoma. Baseline peripheral blood was collected from 256 advanced-stage III/IV NSCLC patients from Genentech clinical trials, and from 106 patients with advanced-stage III/IV lung adenocarcinoma treated at the Department of Pneumology, Pasteur Hospital, Nice.

Systemic chemotherapy with FOLFOX in metastatic grade 1/2 neuroendocrine cancer.

Neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) comprise a heterogeneous group of malignancies with various clinical presentations and evolution. NETs are often diagnosed at a late stage, when they are already metastatic. Treatment is currently based on traditional chemotherapies, such as streptozocin, with serious side effects.

Rapid decay of engulfed extracellular miRNA by XRN1 exonuclease promotes transient epithelial-mesenchymal transition.

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) have been shown to play an important role in intercellular communication as carriers of DNA, RNA and proteins. While the intercellular transfer of miRNA through EVs has been extensively studied, the stability of extracellular miRNA (ex-miRNA) once engulfed by a recipient cell remains to be determined. Here, we identify the ex-miRNA-directed phenotype to be transient due to the rapid decay of ex-miRNA.

Response Assessment Criteria and Their Applications in Lymphoma: Part 2.

Interim and end-of-treatment PET/CT have become central to the evaluation of Hodgkin and non-Hodgkin lymphoma. This review article seeks to aid clinical decision making by providing an overview of available data on the diagnostic and prognostic value of PET/CT imaging for response assessment and pretransplant evaluation in lymphoma. The relative strengths and limitations of these techniques in various disease subtypes and clinical scenarios are explored, along with their current standards for reporting and latest developments.

How to Deal with Interval-Censored Data Practically while Assessing the Progression-Free Survival: A Step-by-Step Guide Using SAS and R Software.

We describe how to estimate progression-free survival while dealing with interval-censored data in the setting of clinical trials in oncology. Three procedures with SAS and R statistical software are described: one allowing for a nonparametric maximum likelihood estimation of the survival curve using the EM-ICM (Expectation and Maximization-Iterative Convex Minorant) algorithm as described by Wellner and Zhan in 1997; a sensitivity analysis procedure in which the progression time is assigned (i) at the midpoint, (ii) at the upper limit (reflecting the standard analysis when the progression time is assigned at the first radiologic exam showing progressive disease), or (iii) at the lower limit of the censoring interval; and finally, two multiple imputations are described considering a uniform or the nonparametric maximum likelihood estimation (NPMLE) distribution. Clin Cancer Res; 22(23); 5629-35.